The Lost Werewolf King's Mate

"Three years of not being being able to set foot in the packs", Raphael said with a triumphant and cold tone. "Everytime I planned to move in on any pack, I'd find that... invisible barrier. I couldn't touch the Werewolf kingdom or those who live here, but now", he took out the beautiful blue gem that he had put inside his pocket, "now nothing can stand in my way."

He held the ocean blue gem up to the sky again to admire its magical shimmer against the sunlight. While holding the gem, he inhaled the air in the Black Claw pack as deeply as he could and even bent down to firmly run his fingers through the plush green grass.

"I'm finally going to kill them", he said lowly. "I'm going to kill Jeremiah and Orion."

Gabriel walked to his brother who was still bent down running his fingers through the grass. "He'll pay for what he did to you and mother", Gabriel reassured him. "The man killed his son and mate. He deserves to die."

Then Gabriel narrowed his eyes at me while I glared at them.

"We're going to destroy everything and build a new world in our own image", he gritted his teeth. "Selene, Maru, Nayala and all those who imprisoned my father will pay for what they did."

Raphael suddenly broke the sweet brotherly moment. He removed Gabriel's hand from his shoulder and followed Gabriel's eyes which were fixated on me.

"You promised me freeing Legion won't kill her", he reminded his brother. "I expect you to keep your word, Gabe. Clara is not like my father or any of the wolves. She doesn't deserve..." He turned to look at Gabriel again. "She doesn't deserve to die like that."

A tight smile appeared on Gabriel's face. It didn't reach his eyes and it was the most insincere smile I've ever seen in my life. "You don't have to worry about a thing", he gave Raphael his best fake smile. "I promise I'll make sure you have everything you need to rule with me, Ralphie."

I scoffed at Gabriel's response. Obviously, he wasn't making any promises that I would survive whatever he had planned to do with me.

He chuckled sarcastically while the trio looked at me.

"I expected more fight from you, Elizabeth", Gabriel grinned at me. "In your previous life, you would have found a way to escape by now." Then he turned his eyes to Raphael as if me not having escaped bored him. "I suppose you were more resourceful back then. You didn't rely on your beast as much as you seem to do in this life."

I felt a growl travel through my body and immediately clutched my chest with one hand. That was definitely Phoenix. What Gabriel had said angered the both of us and somehow that was enough to even make her growl despite her weakened state.

I tried to keep a straight face. They couldn't know that I just felt Phoenix. They'll hurt us if they knew that.

"You plan to kill me, Gabriel", I responded defiantly. "You may have Raphael fooled, but not me."

He snarled at me, but I dared to go on.

"You're so sure that I'm going to die that you have no problem revealing all your secrets to me. If you really expected me to escape, the two of you wouldn't be dragging me along the entire magical world, showing me all the cowards who aligned themselves with you!"

"I'm not going to die, Gabriel", I spat at him. "Do you know how many times I almost died in the past three years? I ALWAYS find a way out of ANYTHING. Being captured by a warlock, a witch, a wolf and...what is it you are again? A wannabe God?"

In the blink of an eye, he was strangling my throat with my legs dangling in the air. I could feel my body crying for even the smallest amount of oxygen, but I refused to gasp for air. If he killed me right now, he wouldn't be able to use me to free Legion. That didn't seem so bad to me.

"Mathew...Orion", Phoenix's faint whimper echoed in my mind.

"I'm protecting them, Phoenix", I tried to convince her.

"Let her go, Gabe", Raphael reprimanded him. "I said let her go!", he repeated but Gabriel refused to let me go.

"I am a Demi-god!", Gabriel roared at me. "Scratch that. I am THE Demi-god. The only one of my kind, just like Ralphie. I was denied any recognition, denied my birth right amongst the gods and stripped of my powers before I could even wield them!"

"And now we're getting it all back!", Raphael shouted at him. The warlock looked up at me in shock and genuinely looked concerned for me.

I refused to try gasping for air. I refused to try clawing Gabriel's hand from my throat. If I died right now, they couldn't free Gabriel's father. Whatever they needed him for, would never materialise.

"No", Phoenix's voice whimpered in my head again. "They need us. Orion...Mathew."

"Phoenix, please!" I cried in my head. "I'm doing this to protect them and everyone else!"

I felt tears running down my cheecks as I ran out of the last bit of oxygen I had left. More black dots started forming in my eyes. I was going to pass out.

"No!" Phoenix growled a bit louder.

This shook me awake. Phoenix deserved to live. I wouldn't be the only one to die. Phoenix would die as well. She was right. My death wasn't the only solution. I wouldn't want Mathew to die this way so I couldn't do that to him either. I had to live. I had to escape.

I lifted my arm swiftly and slammed my elbow as hard as I could against Gabriel's arm. I was certain that had he expected me to fight back, his arm would have been more stable and he wouldn't have let me go.

His hand let go of my throat and I fell on the soft green grass. My body instinctively started gasping for air while I held my neck. I couldn't fight the need to breathe this time.

"Ralphie may be enamoured with you, Elizabeth", Gabriel said in a low cold growl. "But you're still just a woman and will learn to speak when spoken to. If you keep this up, I'll release Floki on you again."

I looked up at him and watched the little black string emerging from the palm of his hand. It slid out of his hand and kept getting bigger as it slithered down his body. By the time it had reached me, it was a full size adult black snake.

It looked right into my eyes with its bright yellow eyes. My lips were trembling because I was almost strangled to death, but also because I was scared. Any second, this snake could change into that black chain and wrap itself around me. That pain was like nothing I've ever experienced before. Even thinking about it was enough to get my adrenaline rushing.

The snake refused to take its eyes off me. This wasn't normal a snake or a common animal. There was a consciousness behind those bright yellow eyes. There was a rational mind in this snake and it wasn't just Gabriel choosing to torment me. This snake was choosing it too.

The snake hissed at me, waiting for even the slightest move from me so that it could attack me again.

"That's enough, Gabe!", Raphael snarled at his brother. "Tell Floki to stand down or you can talk to the alpha yourself."

Gabriel growled at me one last time before the large snake slithered back to him. It got smaller as it made its way up his body. When it reached the palm of his hand, it had turned into a tiny black string again and disappeared into his hand.

"I told you, I'm not going to die", I mocked Gabriel again.

I could tell by how he was glaring at me that he and I were nowhere near done. He was going to kill me even if it meant he would die as well.

"I'm sorry, Phoenix", I apologised to her in my head. "I won't do that again. I won't give up."

She didn't say anything this time. Her presence was back to being so faint again. Anger and almost dying seemed to bring her to the forefront.

I stood up and watched Raphael's next guest approaching him. It didn't surprise me one bit to see him. The second I realised we were in the Black Claw pack, I knew he would be the traitor. Mathew told me what happened at the coronation so this didn't shock me in the least bit.

The former alpha no longer looked as good as the day I first met him. He may look like a man in his late twenties like all the other werewolves his age, but he looked miserable. I could smell alcohol on him even before he got close. His blonde hair was long, dirty and disheveled. His eyes were red with dark circles underneath and he even had a bit of a belly, something that was very uncommon amongst werewolves.

His clothes had various stains on them and his light blue shirt wasn't even buttoned properly. While he limped towards Raphael, I almost felt sorry for him. Mathew told me he broke Alpha Gideon's leg. If he was limping it meant the bones didn't heal correctly and for whatever reason, he didn't ask a doctor to help him set the bones right so that the leg would heal properly.

He looked nervous and resembled a desperate rat, more than the previous alpha of the mighty Black Claw pack. "Evangeline said I had to meet you outside the kingdom. Why did the location change? Why would you come here?" His eyes kept darting around him to see if anyone had spotted them.

Raphael smirked at him. "I couldn't come here before, but now I can. You asked to see me. Why?"

Alpha Gideon gulped. "I wanted to see the man who ensured the Werewolf king got his throne."

"What?", Raphael looked at him confused.

"Because of you some boy who barely knows a thing about this world is our king. If it weren't for you and your darn witches tormenting us relentlessly, King Mathew would not have been able to claim his throne that easily!"

I couldn't believe what the man was saying. Mathew's approach to dealing with Raphael and the witches made things harder for him, not easier. He wanted to fight while most packs wanted to run and hide. He had to gain the trust and support of all the packs and that was no easy task. Yet, somehow against all odds, he did it. And he made the werewolves proud of themselves again. They regained their dignity because he reminded them werewolf-kind fight and never give up. Nothing about claiming his throne was easy!

A sarcastic laughter left Raphael's mouth."You're right. Jere- I mean Mathew is currently sitting on the throne because of me. However...something tells me you know how to get him off his high horse."

The Alpha breathed heavily.

"I know how you can kill him."

Raphael narrowed his eyes at him and started encircling the man. "I already know how I am going to kill him. Why would I need you to tell me how."

Beads of sweat started dripping from Alpha Gideon's face and I could hear his heart beating faster. He was scared.

I couldn't take my eyes off the Alpha. There was no way in hell that he knew. That was a closely guarded secret and Gideon definitely knew nothing about it. He was lying. He knew he couldn't get the werewolves to turn against Mathew so now he was just trying to find another way to hurt him.

He gulped. "I overheard my son and his mate talking the other night." Raphael kept encircling him like the Alpha was his prey. "Apparently there's some curse and because of the curse, King Mathew is now like any other wolf. Silver and wolfsbane can kill him. So long as the curse-"

I roared and charged at the disgraced Alpha. That little flame inside me was getting bigger and I could hear Phoenix's faint growling in my head again.

To my surprise, Alpha Gideon almost fell down. This shocked me and judging from the look the trio had on their faces, they were also shocked. I shouldn't be able to do that. Freya had essentially turned me into a ghost.

I pushed the alpha again with all my might and he took a step back.

"What's happening?", he asked Raphael in a shaky voice.

I felt Gabriel's hands wrap themselves around both my arms before I could charge at the Alpha again.

"I can't believe I get a front row seat to this", Asha laughed while Gabriel held me down.

"It's the wind", Raphael replied to Gideon in a mocking tone. "It's much stronger than I thought it would be."

"I just wanted to inform you of that", Alpha Gideon said shakily. "You can kill him quickly once the war starts. That way the rest of us don't have to die for that man."

"Wait", Raphael laughed. "You think his death alone will be enough for me?"

Gideon's hopeful expression dropped and he suddenly looked terrified.

"I'm sure you've heard the prophecies", Raphael said amused. "I want to be a God. I want to kill Selene and her siblings. You think killing the King alone will get me that?"

Gideon muttered nervously. "Just kill Mathew and be done with it. Leave the rest of us alone. It was his magic that awakened you, so this fight should stay between the two of you."

"No", Raphael said lowly. "I have to kill everyone. I'm starting with Selene's children because I have a score to settle with the wolves."

Gideon's face turned pale white as Raphael's words hit him blow by blow. He really did look like a prey that's been caught by a predator.

"That means-"

"It means you just betrayed your kind...for nothing."

I slumped in Gabriel's arms. He still refused to let me go even though I was clearly not going to try anything again. I couldn't believe how stupid Alpha Gideon was. He knew this. He just chose not to believe it. His arrogance and hatred over Mathew just couldn't get him to believe what the seers had told everyone time and time again. Raphael brings destruction to the whole magical world.

Gideon suddenly bolted. If he didn't have an injured leg perhaps he would have been faster, but he would have still been caught.

Raphael didn't bother running after him. Instead, Gabriel opened the palm of his hand and the serpent named Floki slithered out of his hand and started heading towards the Alpha.

Gideon looked back and the moment he saw the large black snake, he shifted into his large grey wolf, but even that wasn't enough to get away. His wolf was just as big as the wolves I saw fighting alongside Mathew back in the Nymph kingdom. For a second, I even forgot that the Alpha was running for his life while I marvelled at the size of his wolf.

Floki hissed at the mighty wolf before it tied itself around one of his paws. The snake had taken the shape of that hellforsaken chain again.

The alpha wolf roared while it dug its k-nines into the chain, trying everything it could to get it off.

No one in the pack was coming to his aid. Even I didn't flinch while I watched him roaring in pain. He was a traitor. I looked at Asha. She was grinning with pride. I had no doubt this was her doing. I don't know how, but she was the reason why this man's roars could not be seen or heard by his pack.

Alpha Gideon's roars got louder and louder until they turned into soft whimpers.

When the roars of the mighty wolf finally stopped, the huge alpha wolf's magic had been sucked out of him. He was the size of new born puppy and his luscious grey fur had faded in colour, looked coarse and frail skin clung to his bones. The scene sent chills down my spine.

This could have easily been me and Phoenix. That's what this serpent was doing to me back when it caught Mike and I. It was draining my magic.

"Selene is meddling", Raphael remarked while kicking the dead alpha. That light kick was enough to turn Alpha Gideon's drained body into a tiny mountain of ashes.

Gabriel shrugged and opened his hand for Floki to come back to him. "Or it's Clara and Jeremiah's bond. Maybe it's just that strong."

"It's not!", Raphael growled at him.

"You saw the wolves back in the Nymph Kingdom, Ralphie and you saw this alpha. If Selene is indeed meddling, it's not because of us. It's because she's just letting their matebond do what it needs to do...It's strengthening the wolves."

The tension between the two brothers was palpable. Raphael glared at Gabriel as if he had just slapped him in the face.

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Look, regardless of the reason why the wolves have grown so much in strength, one thing is certain. We can no longer wait for Elizabeth's beast to return on its own. The wolves know we're coming, so we have to move up our plan. We have to make her beast return. We have to put her in so much pain that it has no choice but to come and save her."

"No", Raphael snarled at him.

"It's the only-"

"No", Raphael insisted. "You and I both know there's another way. I can use anger. I'll anger her so much that her beast will want to rip everything apart and return. I have no choice but to return the memories of her past life to her. She needs to remember."

"Remember what exactly?" I dared to interrupt.

"Remember how Jeremiah and Orion rejected you."

***

When we returned to the silver and white castle, Sabrina and the other two witches were already waiting for us.

Their faces were looking down like they were actual servants and not some of the strongest and oldest witches out there. And yet, their attraction for Gabriel and Raphael was undeniable. Their white dresses had an incredibly low neckline that threatened to expose their nipples. Their dresses were see-through and revealed their naked bodies underneath. They no longer wore their red cloacks from before, making sure to reveal how the long white gowns hugged their petite frames.

Despite these efforts, both brothers seemed unphased and were more focused on the task at hand.

"So you remember everything I taught you?"

"Yes", Raphael groaned at his brother. "I know how to show her only what is needed. I won't waste my power and energy. Just back off, Gabe!"

Gabriel scoffed at him. "Let me remind you that neither one of us can ascend without Legion. No matter how strong we get. No matter how much magic we contain, we need my father for the ascension."

"And we will free him", Raphael said with frustration. "I promised you, didn't I?"

Gabriel exhaled loudly and tried to calm himself down. "I'm sorry, Ralphie. I don't mean to be overbearing. It's just-"

"We're close", Raphael finished his sentence. "We're close to getting everything we've ever wanted."

Gabriel smiled at his brother. This time it was a genuine smile.

"There is nothing I wouldn't do for you, Raphael. You know that right? You're my family and I promised mother that I would always look after you. I failed you before, but I won't this time."

I wanted to throw up as I watched the two brothers lock arms.

"Okay, Elizabeth", Raphael grinned while Gabriel and the witches walked away. "Let's take you back to the kingdom of Lunaris."