Ch. 521..530

Chapter 0521

"You do not need to explain anything. Of everyone, you see me the most. It's just a lot and overwhelming. I'll get over it and go back to work, I just need a minute." I wave him off and turn my back to them. "We have to handle this pentagram soon and it sounds like a process that will take time."

"Skylar, stop. Just stop, please." Cam says my name like it might scare me off. "Elena won't stop training you because of your dad."

"You can't know that." I whisper.

"Based on the look on her face, I think she was ready to blast him into next week. Kota slides closer.

"You aren't being selfish, Bitty. But this is probably the first time you are telling any of us how you really feel."

"We don't have time for my feelings, they seem to be running in squirrel mode anyway and don't make sense half the time. We need to handle this or we're all gonna die and it won't matter anyway." "Skylar, stop deflecting. We need to talk about that night and get it out once and for all. You are holding that over us, but you have never heard our side."

"Fine, what is your side of the story?" I stop pacing and stand there staring at the three of them. And it hits me, I am so f*cked right now. The three of them standing side by side, Oliver in the center only an inch or so shorter than the twins. The three of them are built so similar, tall and thick, muscles rippling under every piece of exposed skin. Cameron with his full lower lip and piercing green eyes that challenge me without words. Oliver and his kissable full lips and chocolate brown eyes that look into my soul. Dakota's mouth matches his brother's but it's always turned up on one side like he's hiding a secret, ocean blue eyes that are playful. They all have inky black hair in varying levels of disarray. With the low fire in front of them highlighting all their dips and curves, it's a picture right out of any red-blooded girl's fantasies. I love all three of them. It's not a lust thing, I don't think. I don't feel any of the body stuff Sierra mentioned when we would talk, but I know it anyway. I am in love with all three of them.

What the hell do I do with that information?

"Bitty? You short circuited there. You okay?" I blink a few times and look right at Oliver for what seems like the first time, and just nod. I have no words right now and I think he knows what is on my mind or has a suspicion based on the cocky way his mouth turns up, like he's fighting that full blinding smile.

I blink again and finally find my voice. "What is your side of the story?"

"Why don't you put up your little bubble, we never know who's listening anymore." Oliver points at the surrounding area. I just nod and like so many times with him before I say the simple incantation. Things like this feel natural and easy.

The twins look between the two of us. Dakota rolls his eyes and Cam takes a deep breath.

"You know that we have talked to Nathaniel and Wyatt. I wish we could have talked to you too, but that wasn't possible until recently. We also talked to mom and dad about that night." Cam starts. We are all still standing, them on one side of the fire and I'm on the other. I can't be near them right now.

"What's on the videos that Nathaniel has is not what we remember, but if there was magic at play... What am I saying, since there was magic at play, our reactions wouldn't make any sense to you." Kota finishes.

"Let's just start at the beginning and we can figure out where things got messed up." Oliver suggests.

"I'm pretty sure I have the answer to that already." They all look at me. "Nathaniel, Wyatt, and Lil have been going over the video from that night, but we have also been looking into the situation on the second floor with the bundle and we found a similarity, and we have a theory. Nathaniel is working on that right now. Start at the part where you gave me the camera you found."

They all look at me. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"You were a panicky mess needing protection and reassurance ten minutes ago and now you have totally switched to boss mode. How do you bounce like that?" Kota asks.

"I try not to be a mess in the first place. Some things I don't have control over. That's usually when Oliver has to jump in to get me out of my head. Being all business is easier, it's tangible, I can deal with it and work with it. Emotions are not simple or easy or make any sense to me whatsoever. I try to avoid them as much as possible." I shrug.

"F*cking superhero." Cam mumbles and Oliver huffs a laugh.

"You guys came for me today too." Why am I trying to placate them? I internally give myself an eye roll. "Anyway, we found this shimmer in the corner of the camera view when we were going over feeds on the second floor and Nathaniel found the same shimmer in the feeds from the Alpha's office from that night. We can't record magic, yet, but we think that might be him catching magic that is in place or maybe showing signs of magic in the space. He's checked out other camera views from other days and found similar shimmers when he knew magic was being used. So something was going on that night."

"How do you know it happened when we showed you the camera?"

It was actually right after that when I got angry and submitted you all."

"Wait, you guys didn't tell me she did that?" Oliver's accusatory tone at least lets me know he's been playing go between for us.

"Would you tell anybody that your hundred and twenty pound, five foot nothing Beta slash Alpha warrior submitted the entire Alpha family? Because no one outside this group gets to hear that." Kotas snarks at him.

Before anything else can distract us

I go on. "Anyway, when I let out my aura, the Luna stepped behind the desk. It was the first time all four of you were separated from me by the desk. The theory is that something was activated then. So I basically did this to myself after losing my temper. I was having Nathaniel show you the different feeds, but what were you seeing?"

"We are going to jump back to the 'you were giving Nathaniel orders from the Alpha's sealed office' thing first."

I rolled my eyes for real this time. "Have you not figured out yet that my abilities supersede anything you have set up in this pack for protection? I can always contact my team, so yes that night I did to prove ou innocence. Now, what did you see?"

"We saw you placing cameras, but the image was blurry, you also confessed to spying because you thought we were weak and none of us deserved to run this pack." Cameron seems to be trying to hold his anger in.

 

 

Chapter 0522

Dakota however, wears his emotions on his sleeve. "You said you were glad you met the Rogue King and couldn't wait to get back to him." He looks so sad and distraught. He scrubbed his hands over his face. "Obviously Nathaniel has showed us the videos, with sound and you said nothing like that but that was probably the worst kind of torture ever, Smalls."

They all just go quiet. "Was that it?! Seriously? The conversation was so much longer than that. I told you with my brand I can't lie to Alpha Reggie, I showed the scars on my back, the ones Kaley gave me. You all just stood there."

"Tiny, you said you were disappointed to be associated with this pack, that helping us was bullsh*t and you were only assigned here because you're from here. You said you never wanted to come back, that you were better off being as far away as possible."

Well that helps explain their behavior in the office that night. "What about out on the porch when Kaley and Kevin were talking to us. Kaley outright called me a traitor, she knew I was questioned. I didn't even think about that until just now. I know there was some kind of magic on the packhouse itself, I could actually see it. Oliver, I think you saw it too."

Oliver just nods his head. "I saw her talking to you, I wasn't in earshot though. Then you got pissed and your eyes flashed and they were down on their knees. You told them they chose the wrong enemy." "I did tell them that. Kevin tried to tell me I wasn't welcome in their pack and I should know how to treat a future Luna."

I chanced a look at the twins. Trying to gauge their reactions.

"Her and this Luna sh*t. She has been going on about being our Luna since the sixth grade. We didn't even care then." Dakota is pacing now, frustrated.

"You know her dad told us before we left the summer after eighth grade that he would be alright if we wanted to sleep with her. Said she would be up for anything we wanted. I knew it wasn't right at the time, but we were leaving and then I forgot about it, but he was basically wh*ring her out to us, I'm sure hoping we'd get her pregnant." He shivered

"You did sleep with her though, didn't you? I mean I guess I shouldn't put much stock in rumors, but that would be one I would believe."

"Once, we have only ever been with her once. And no we didn't take her together. We were both too drunk for that kind of coordination." Cam doesn't look at me.

"I remember Oliver mentioning the tequila."

"Yep, and we haven't had it since. I vaguely remember it. Enough to know I did, but that was it."

"Yeah, I really don't need any of those details."

"She hasn't let it go, though. She has pulled us in empty classrooms, closets and the locker room at school trying to catch us off guard. She used to sneak up to our rooms, which is why we have the keypad now. But somehow she kept figuring out the code." Dakota rolled his eyes.

"The day in the hospital, with dad..." Cam looks me in the eye now. "She actually managed to get upstairs and we woke up to her giving us hand jobs. That's what you smelled on us."

"I have never had little Dakota shrink up so fast in my life. We had to kind of fight her off and then we all were told to go to the training grounds to talk about the trials. Then this f*cker made out with you in front of everyone and all hell broke loose."

"We didn't make out and it was my birthday. You two woke up to a BJ on my birthday, serves you right."

"Why have you kept her around if she is such a problem?" It's probably my biggest question.

"We can't just kick people out for being annoying and chasing us.”

"But she has harmed people in the pack. Not just me, Ben's daughter had her leg broken and so many other kids were hurt, although I think my injuries have been the worst."

The twins look at each other and at Oliver. They are trying to come up with an answer for me, but I can see it in their eyes, they don't have one. I want to cry all over again.

Cam finally takes a deep breath after way too much time and is the one to fall on the sword. "She's been smart about what she's done. No one can prove things she did in the past and everyone she messed with is too afraid to come forward. At least now we have something to work with."

"Yep, when no one in the pack is here for a trial." I shake my head. "Whatever, you guys know the truth now at least. It's something. We need to go and handle this f*cking pentagram."

"Wait, you said you saw a shimmer of magic on the packhouse the night you left. Is it still there?" Kota asks. "And what about the people we rescued, are they being tracked magically? No one went over sh*t like this when we were at training."

"Yeah, magic is a lot, especially

when no one really explains it until you have to just use it and hope that you're working it right. As far as we know, there were no other magical trackers on the hostages. Osiston was working with Doc Sylvia to do a better sweep of physical ones. They are coordinating through Sierra. I haven't noticed anything more on or at the packhouse, but I'm sure if there was Gentry and Elena would have handled it. They seem to be pretty offended about the magic being used on innocence too. I will ask to make sure though."

"Are you ever going to forgive us Tiny? I mean really forgive us. No one deserves to be treated the way that you have, but we can't go back and fix it or change it. We're obviously learning from it, the hard way.

I twist my hands together, am I

capable of that or will I hold a

grudge? "I can just say that I am trying. I know not everything is your fault, but the thing about magic is most of the mind control stuff is just suggestion. You had to have some inkling of a thought in your head for it to take root. That is the part I'm having the hardest time letting go of. You had to agree with the sentiment in some way for the magic to work on you."

They all nod in understanding. I'm not sure what that means though.

 

 

Chapter 0523

I roll my eyes at them, but I can't argue either. "I learned that when I went to people more bad things usually happened and it wasn't punishment for the person who was doing the bullying, the person who told or the victim typically got hurt. I wasn't going to put anyone else in harm's way or have them disappear. I don't trust easily...well I didn't trust easily. I'm learning, but the people I trust the most have had my back in situations where they could have chosen to step away and save themselves, but they didn't. For some reason I keep coming back to you guys though, so there's trust there too, it's just different."

"Can we at least put it out there that we don't want Kaley, we never have. She's a pain in the ass but so are a lot of other people and one of the things dad taught us and we learned at training is we have to learn to deal with them too. That is easier said than done." Kota asks."

"Sure as long as you learn that not saying anything is actually more harmful. It makes her think that you agree with her, like other pain in the asses. You have to make decisions and be okay when people don't like what you say. That was probably your dad's biggest flaw. I loved him, he was more my dad than my own was, but he just smiled and said nothing. That is not helpful."

Both twins nod. I guess that's all I'm going to get out of them. We all asked each other to speak more. I don't know if there is anything more wwe can say right now.

"What did your mom want?" Oliver looks back and forth at the twins.

"Umm...She actually wanted to show us the Alpha floor. She moved out. That's what she's been up to with your dad for the last few days."

"What? Where did she go? It's not somewhere in the packhouse is it? We would have noticed. Nathaniel would have said something to me."

"She actually told him to keep it quiet. She didn't want any of us to worry about her. She knows we have stuff to do to take care of the pack. She just wanted the time to go through everything and just let dad go."

"She actually moved into the Gamma house." Kota looks over at Oliver who is definitely surprised.

"My dad didn't say anything about that."

"Well he knows we're busy too and she is his priority now. So if she wanted it quiet, that's what he would do." I shrug. "Are you going to move up to the top floor then?"

They both shake their heads. "We're not ready for that." They say together.

I go to ask another question, but a throat clearing has us all looking to the path we came down.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I wanted a moment with Skylar." Elena stands at the edge of the clearing, not unsure, but waiting for permission to approach me. She's giving me the choice to accept this thing or not.

I look up to the sky and take a deep breath in and let it out slowly. Then I look back at her. "We might as well get this over with too."

"May I?" She asks, but she isn't looking at me. My three protectors have shifted so they aren't blocking her from me, but they are making a definite statement of being between her and I.

Oliver looks back at me and I nod. He steps forward patting a hand on each of the twins shoulders.

"We aren't leaving Tiny." Cam is determined.

"That's alright Alpha, I wouldn't

expect any of you to leave her with a

new development like this." She

steps past them, closer to me. "I just wanted to say that this doesn't change a thing for you and I. I understand the dynamic is not ideal and I cannot begin to imagine what you have gone through. I will not be a go-between, if your father wants to speak with you he will have to approach you and you will have to choose to allow conversation or not. Gentry and I have discussed the unique situation that has been presented to us. It is unusual for a

witch to be mated to a wolf, but to

have the coven leader and her second both be mated to wolves seems like a sign from your Goddess and ours. We can't ignore it, so we have both chosen to accept it." "So you will still train me?" I can't help sounding like a little girl looking for reassurance, but that's exactly how I feel "I don't know what I am doing and it scares me. There is so much and I feel like some things just happen and I don't want to feel out ofcontrol."

"We will work on your ability to trust your instincts. Sometimes you do and it is wonderful. Other times you question your self worth and doubt your abilities. Those insecurities are what is holding you back." She wraps me in a hug, a full on real hug. She is not super affectionate so I embrace her and the moment as something huge. She pulls back and holds me at arms length. "We will also work through the reasons for your insecurities," She looks behind me and the look she is giving the three men standing behind me is nothing short of accusatory. "We will get to that, but first we do have some magic to undo and that does not take precedence over what you are going through right now, but it is a priority for your pack. You four are needed for this, we will start at the tip of your pack and work our way forward towards the entrance the enemies will most likely come from. That also starts us at the wolfsbane, which we know you have a

resistance to. You three will need to stay with her, she will need the help when we are done. I do not want you to be alarmed, but this spell will weaken her significantly. We will only be able to do one every two or three days. You cannot interrupt the incantation, no matter what your wolf wants. This might be hard for you, but it is not an option to keep you away."

 

 

Chapter 0524

Well that wasn't ominous or anything. I look at her, not even trying to hide the worry I feel. Why does this have to come down to me being able to handle the spell? I don't even know what the spell is. "Let's go, you'll see. We have the rest of your team together. Gentlemen." She places an arm around my shoulders. "Oh, you may want to let down your shield from the clearing so others can use it. There's no reason to waste energy maintaining it while you aren't here."

I looked surprised. "What?! I totally forgot about that. How did you get through the barrier? When you get a little further along with your training I will show you. It was actually a great barrier though, I'm impressed. You make for a very quick study even with your lessons being fragmented."

"Oliver has been a big help. He seems to get the magic better than I do."

"Well, that does make sense. He is your anchor. When you get lost in the magic he will bring you back. We choose our anchors typically, it seems yours was chosen for you." I look over my shoulder at the men following me. If he's my anchor, that makes sense why I am drawn to him and why he can help me with the magic, but what about the other two? I don't get too much further in my thoughts before we get back up to the patio and sure enough my whole team, the ranked leaders and all their mates are present. Even Ava and Brett are here.

"We are going to head to the first location, please stay in your vehicle until Elena and I call you out. Placements need to be precise. You all know your duties. This will take some time and energy on everyone's part. Martha and Lenny are preparing for our return.

Everyone nods and we follow the witches around the front to all the vehicles that seem to have been prepped while I was hashing things out with my guys. As I am walking I smell Sierra before she even wraps an arm around me and leans in to whisper in my ear.

"It looks like we need a girls night, so you can fill me in on the last two hours of your life."

"It's been two hours? It didn't even feel like ten minutes. And yes! I need to figure this sh*t out before I go insane. There is way too much going on to be distracted by the three of them right now."

"Oh, so you've upgraded from two to three?" She smiles wickedly. "You have never done anything the easy or traditional way, why not three?"

"Ugh. You are not going to be any help are you?"

"Not right away, nope. Cause you are one lucky girl." She looks behind me. "Yep, lucky."

"Did you just purr? Don't you have a mate?!" I elbow her in the side.

"I do and he is as amazing as the day I met him. He is my one and only and all of that. But you have some things to work out and I am totally here for it and I want details."

I nod my head, "As soon as we are done with this, it's a girl's night." I lean into her shoulder.

The Twins, Oliver, Sam, Sierra and I hop into the truck. Mateo and Jena join Elena, Gentry, My dad and Nickolas in another SUV. Lil is driving Nathaniel, Wyatt and a team of Elite warriors to cover us while we work. The rest of the former leaders are in a third vehicle.

We drive for about twenty minutes when I start to doze off. I lean into Dakota's arm. He doesn't move away, but neither twin has touched me or tried to hold my hand and I don't know what to think of that. So I am trying to stay focused on the task ahead. Gentry said everyone knew their duties. I have no idea what the hell she's talking about so I hope what I have to do isn't super difficult, because I am screwed if that's the case. As I come up with all the scenarios I can think of I fall asleep to the warmth of their bodies around me and all three scents filling my nose.

 

Chapter 0525

I wake up to a finger stroking my cheek and someone is playing with my ponytail. I take a deep breath in, they are all still here with me. I sit up and look out the window. It doesn't look any different than when we were here the other day. It's a clearing similar to the one behind the packhouse that the students use, but the twenty foot circular patch of wolfsbane lies in wait. The tall plants are deceivingly beautiful with their long pointed leaves scaling up each stalk meeting up to brilliant purple trumpet shaped blooms. Even with the pointy leaves the plant looks soft and unassuming as it sways in the breeze blowing off the ocean a few miles away.

"Gentry needs us, are you ready?" Cam asks softly.

"No, but that doesn't mean I'm not going out there." All three of them laugh at me as we climb out of the truck.

I notice Mateo, Jena, Sam and Sierra are evenly spaced around the circular plot. Ava, Brett, Kyle, and my dad make a second circle behind them. For the first time I wish that Gwen was here in this mess too, but she is helping with all of our pack members in the Royal pack. Gentry and Elena motion us forward and I see stones and bundles of different herbs on the ground all around the circle. We walk up and Gentry positions me inside a ring of clear stones. She places Cam to my left and Dakota to my right, but a step behind my position. Oliver stands directly behind me so we form a diamond. They are each only about a foot away from me. If I wanted to I could reach out and touch all of them which makes me feel so much better.

Elena and Gentry take their positions behind us, completing the second circle. "Skylar, there is nothing for you to say or repeat, but you will be our conduit for the spell. Everyone needs to maintain their positions at all times, you will be tied to her and any movement can harm her." Gentry begins and as anyone could have predicted there are several growls from the circle. "Relax gentlemen, she knows what she was unwillingly signed up for. She can handle this, but she needs all of us."

Gentry talks as if I am not here and I am actually okay with the whole thing. I am trying to tune her out. If I don't have to say anything or repeat anything then I am going to stand here and just let her do her thing and try to get this done as soon as possible. The first experience is always the worst.

They both start chanting in a language I don't know, but it sounds like deep humming music to my ears. I just stare at the unassuming wolfsbane and as I do I see the magic floating around it. The protections cast on it are purple like the flowers. But instead of a bubble like I saw on the packhouse it is like a mist or more like dust particles floating around. Little motes you can see when the sun hits them just right. Each lazy mote just sways with the flowers, not floating up or down, just hovering through the plants. I can feel my eyelids getting heavy again, but before I can fall asleep a sharp pain rips up my spine and I let out an involuntary scream.

"DON"T YOU MOVE!" Someone shouts behind me and all I can think is, 'my f*cking feet are glued to the ground I couldn't move if I wanted to.'

More chanting, this time it is less melodic and more sharp and spiky like the leaves of the plant I can't seem to look away from. Now it looks like there is a gold translucent ribbon floating around the plants and the people surrounding the patch. Another pain rips through me this time it starts at the center of my ribs and flies down my arms and out my fingers. I can see more gold light flying around and weaving around my friends and family. My hands grab each of the twins' arms. "OLIVER!" I need him too, but I don't have another hand.

 

Chapter 0526

"You can touch her, but do not pull her from her spot." I am having trouble placing voices, but I feel a warmth melt up from where my hands connect with the twins and from Oliver's hand on the small of my back and the warmth sweeps around my body, up my neck and over my head like a blanket. More chanting and another layer of magical ribbon. This time the ribbon is making shapes in the air above the wolfsbane plant. I should know these shapes, I do know these shapes, but I can't think of their names, my brain feels like mush.

Another round of chanting and this time the ribbon of magic is red and angry looking. I can feel my emotions matching the color and I try to pull my hands away from Cam and Kota. I want to step away from Oliver. I don't want to be touched at all. My skin itches and I am on fire, nothing feels right.

"HOLD HER STILL, DO NOT LET HER MOVE FROM THAT SPOT!"

What the f*ck!? No one is going to hold me here. I start to struggle and pull, but my wrists are being restrained. I pull harder and the grip tightens. What is happening? Then a flash of the cells I was held in is all I see. I am struggling against the chains that are holding me to the floor. I can't pull my feet free even though I am so small. I struggle and pull with everything I have. My left arm moves and feels free for a moment, but in a flash the restraints are back. My right arm is being pulled down to the ground. I feel sick, I don't want to be on the ground, that is where the worst of the punishments happen. I lifted up and threw myself backwards. I am flailing and thrashing. I hear screaming and yelling and that mind numbing hum will not stop. I can feel my body weakening, but I will fight until I die, there is no way I will go without a fight, so I keep fighting, thrashing, biting, kicking. I am in the dark and I can't see or smell anything. I have no idea who has me this time. I don't know what is going to happen to me now. More silver, more whips, maybe a metal pole this time instead of the wooden stick. My body has taken it all. I just want to die, I'm done, no more. Then blackness...it's always blackness.

Beep...beep...beep.

"F*cking beeping, just kill me right already? Somebody sucks at their job."

"Hey! She's up and pissed."

"F*ck off Dakota." Then I groan. Apparently the ability to talk is too much to ask for.

"Can you open your eyes? We have been waiting a while to see those beautiful gray eyes of yours."

"Sucking up is not going to help anyone. What happened this time?"

"What do you remember, Bitty?"

"Is it just you three, or is the whole crew here?" I cough and then groan cause that made even my toenails hurt. "I really only want to answer questions once." "Just us, but we can pass it along."

"Fine." I whine. "Add whining to the list of things that hurt." Someone laughs and then I hear an= smack and a grunt. "I remember the wolfsbane circle and chanting, then sh*t got really weird and I blacked out." "That's a good summary now, tell us the truth."

"Asshole. Why don't you tell me your version, Oliver and I will fill in the gaps."

 

 

Chapter 0527

"Elena and Gentry both started their chanting. I have no idea what they were saying, but it sounded a little like singing. There was a ton of wind, your ponytail actually wrapped around your neck for a little while I thought you were choking at one point. You kept trying to move, but Gentry told us to keep you in the circle but you fought like hell. Now I know why Elena and Gentry wanted all three of us near you." His voice is deep and smooth like his honey scent, but it is gravelly too, like maybe he hasn't slept.

"What!?" I blink my eyes open slowly. The bright white room blinds me for a second. I can't see anything. "I don't remember fighting anything. The magic held me to the ground, I couldn't move my feet." I grumble, why does my throat hurt so badly?

"Yeah, well I'm glad that you had it nice and easy. I forgot how much it sucks to go up against you on a training day. What the f*ck do they give you at your training camp, steroids?! I don't even think Cam has ever dislocated my shoulder in a fight and you did just by trying to get your arm free."

"What!?" Apparently that is all I can say in response to their comments. I cleared my throat, "I was watching the purple magic and then this gold stuff started floating around. I remember my whole body was in pain...I grabbed your arms cause Gentry told me not to move! Everything hurt so bad though, it was like being electrocuted" I can feel my eyebrows scrunch at the thought. Some things are coming back to me. "You saw the magic?" Cam sounds surprised maybe.

"Yeah. If I concentrate I can see some magic. It was like a purple mist on the wolfsbane. The flowers looked like they were lit up, maybe it was to draw people in, maybe that's how people get sucked into the magic that Mike is using. It was pretty and looked harmless. Then there was this gold light that swirled around, I think that came from Gentry and then it was like the magic on the plants got angry and everything turned red and..." Then it hits me the memory of being restrained and held down, the cuffs around my wrists. I couldn't move or get away. I can't breathe and my vision starts to fade again.

"Bitty? Hey Bit, what's going on?"

"Tiny?"

"SMALLS!"

I'm wrapped up in someone's arms. "Talk to us. What happened Tiny?" I shake my head 'no' I can't talk about it, I don't want to think about it ever again. I can't do this release thing if it's just going to throw me into my worst memories every time. The scratchy sheets rustle as I'm adjusted into a lap. Strong arms wrap around my waist and pull me back to a chest.

I feel breath on my ear, then pressure on the other side of my head and squeeze of my hand. Then someone has my face gently between fingers and I feel a touch on my forehead. All three of them are in my space. I can smell them all

"Tell us. What happened when the magic got angry. It sent you somewhere in your head. It had some kind of defense. We need to know so we can deal with it better next time."

My eyes fly open. "NO! There can't be a next time. I can't do that again." I look into Oliver's eyes. "Please don't make me do that again."

"Bitty..." He breathes out and then looks to my right. "You are the only one that can save this pack. You can do this."

"No! I can't, I'm too broken. I can't handle that again."

"Tiny, you aren't broken. You just have things that the defensive magic can feed off of." He rubs his nose up and down my neck.

On my left I can feel lips moving

against my temple. "What did you see?" Kotas Whisper has my heart stuttering. They are all so concerned for me, but I don't want to relive it "Tell me why I have bruises on my arms and why Cam's throat looks like he was choked out and Oliver's back looks like it was used for knife sharpening. You have been here for days and our injuries haven't gone away. But these aren't ours are they? They're yours. Tell us, please."

None of them move, they are barely breathing, like they don't want to steal air from me. I open my eyes and look around as best I can while in this

his position. They do look

they have been in a war zo like!!!!!

recently. It's been days? They should have healed from everything by now.

"Why do you guys look like that? What happened?"

"Like we said Smalls, you went postal and it was scary as sh*t. You fought us with everything you had."

"Your eyes glowed purple and it was like you weren't with us anymore, Bitty."

"I don't think I was. The magic...the

magic turned red and all I could feel was being restrained and then all could see was the worst torture went through." I closed my eyes and them opened them straight away. The images are so much worse with my eyes closed.

"Tell us, please." All three of them took on the weird twin speak.

"If this is what happened to you, I want to know everything, Smalls. Let us do this with you."

 

 

Chapter 0528

"You know about me being whipped and the scars it left..."

"Details, Tiny. We want to know every detail about your worst moments. Share the pain with you now when you remember because we weren't there for you when it happened." He buries his nose in my neck again and tightens his hold on my waist.

"It's going to be hard, Bitty, but that's okay we are all here for you, let it all out. The sadness, the anger, everything."

I can't find it in me to be stubborn and hold it in anymore. They asked for it.

"You better get comfortable, this is not a fun story." Oliver and Dakota move to sit on the sides of my hospital bed. Cam stays behind me but shifts to sit a little higher so the other two fit. The errant thought that these guys are so big, I don't know how all four of us are in the bed together runs through my head until I see Dakota's wrist. I reach for it and he lets me touch him gently. The marks are red, but they don't look angry or painful. More like a stain on his tanned skin.

"They don't hurt anymore, but the marks don't seem to want to go away." He pushed his long sleeves back and I can see more trailing up his arms. These are the marks I got when I was first imprisoned with Mike and kept hurting myself trying to get out of the shackles. "Your marks look like my injuries when I first got captured by Mike." I sob and tell them about being beaten and chained up with Jena and desperately trying to get free. They all keep their thoughts to themselves and just listen. "Can I see your back?" I look at Oliver. He doesn't even hesitate to turn and pull his shirt up. I see the same red stains or his back that match my whip scars. "Those are from Kaley and two guys, I couldn't smell them so I don't know if they are pack or not. All because of not giving her answers to a test and standing near you guys because I had a question for Mateo." More tears, but I don't stop. They want this pain, they can have it. I looked behind me at Cam and took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

"NO!" he whisper yells into my ear. "You said he didn't touch you."

"The question you asked implied if he had sex with me or touched me sexually. The answer is still no. I was too unpleasant to look at I guess, I don't know. He did not have sex with me or do anything sexual to me. He did seem to have a thing for forcing me to watch him take Jena repeatedly. He always took her from behind so he could stand and didn't have to sit or kneel on the floor and he couldn't wrap his hand around her neck like that so he wrapped his hand around mine instead. He liked to hit during sex so he hit us both. I think we were lucky to be chained the way we were, we didn't have the range to hit each other, otherwise he probably would have gotten off on that too." I take another deep breath and sigh it out. I don't feel lighter or better, but I also feel hollow after telling them. Maybe it's a step in the right direction.

"Thank you." They said in tandem. Do they even realize they are doing that?

"What did the healers say about me leaving? I hate being in the hospital, I want to go home."

"You need to rest, Bitty."

"Yeah, I think you forgot who you are talking to. Rest is not really a thing I do."

"It's not happening, Tlny. Not until they release you."

"I want to talk to Elena and Gentry."

"No, they said you should rest too, Smalls."

"Apparently I can beat all three of you, do you really want to have this fight? Get me Elena and Gentry and I will stay in this bed. If you don't I will get up and walk right out that door and go find them myself. Better yet, don't bother. I will put my team on it."

"You can't mindlink from the hospital." Dakota looks smug. "Just lay down and rest. Cam will even keep you warm." He winks at me.

I reach up and pat his face. He really

is cute. "You might not be able to mindlink from the hospital. I am not you, I am better and it's already done and Lilis bringing them now." I smile my most confident smile. "Sky one, Dakota zero. Maybe next time Tiger." I settle back into Cam, who seems to be perfectly comfortable being my pillow for now.

None of them argue after that, which is funny. I thought they would put up more of a fight. Oh well. Oliver gets me water and Dakota orders us

food.

Lenny and Martha are on a roll with food prep. All of the warriors have started rotating in to help them when they aren't on patrol shifts.

Our food, Elena, Gentry and my team all file into the room together, but the witches shoo everyone but the twins and Oliver out before anyone has a chance to get comfortable.

"Well that was far more intense than we planned. How do you feel, Skylar?"

"How can you be so calm about all of this?" Cameron is angry behind me.

"Because it's done and there isn't

anything anyone can do to change

it." I snapped at him. "We need to

focus. They can't all be like that, it

really will kill me. I don't know if I can

I

relive those memories again, my mind will break, there won't be anything left." I know I sound panicky, but I feel safe with these

people, I can be scared and vulnerable.

"We don't think that will be an issue..." Elena starts.

"What do you mean 'you don't think?"" Kota's on the angry train now.

"We don't know the magic that was cast so we are working with our best educated guess to eliminate the black cloud that has been cast over your pack. Are you going to keep interrupting us or can we get to solving your problems?"

"No, We apologize, but this whole thing is really hard. Watching her go through that was torture and we don't want to force her through that again." He's put on a politically calm voice.

"Unfortunately, it isn't a choice for her or you or any of us to make really. She is the only one literally designed to do this task. Fortunately we think that that was the worst of it. You broke the connection the pentagram had, so that layer of magic has been subdued."

"That layer?" Oliver asks. "I don't mean to interrupt, I don't understand."

"Each of the five points is a layer of magic and therefore protection on the pentagram. The outer layer and the innermost layer are usually the worst. The outer layer is the defensive spell, keeping anyone out that would want to dismantle the incantation."

"I have to do that sh*t four more times?! We did break the one around the wolfsbane right?"

"Yes, we did. And you were brilliant. You gave all of us a run for our money though, I'm glad your guardians were built strong enough to withstand you."

 

 

Chapter 0529

"How soon do we need to do the next one and which one needs to go? And when we get done with all of this I have so many questions." They both smile at me, but I'm not sure if it's indulgent like with a child being cute or if they actually like that I am curious.

"We will do the Oleander next. I believe you broke any love spells that might have been associated with that." Gentry looks at the twins. "But any glamor will be a problem. We don't know who else was designed to use it to hide their identity. That is to the southeast. Then we will focus on Belladonna to the northeast. Also for glamors. It seems someone really didn't want you to notice their presence in your pack."

"That might be how they got in to drop the body parts." I look at each of my guys.

"That means those plants have been here for more than two years." Cameron breathes over my shoulder.

"At the very least, maybe longer. If what the former Luna said is true, this witch, Adrielle, has been playing a very long game with you and your pack. Those plants are very mature and well cared for." Elena looks at Gentry and they have a silent conversation. "We don't think they have been here your whole lives though, but that is hard to tell."

"As far as when, we want you to rest one more day and we will tackle the next crop. We should get the two that are dedicated to love potions and altering appearances before the twins turn eighteen, just in case something was designed to activate when you come of age."

"That would be much appreciated, Thank you." Dakota forces a laugh.

"The sooner the better since all five of you young men will be of age at that time. We can only guess at the possibilities and purpose of the spells..."

"We have to think like the enemy and gaining the Alphas and the entire new leadership would be high on my list of priorities. Do I have to stay here or can I go home?" I am tired all of a sudden, like someone cut the cord to my energy. I am done talking and figuring things out, like my mood just shifted and tanked.

"You can go, but I would like the four of you to stay together. We will gather you for the next spell release."

"Were you able to do something with that wolfsbane patch?" Oliver asks and I just crumple back into Cam, the lethargy taking over.

"What's happening to her?!" I can hear Cam, but I can't respond or move.

"She is fine. Her body and mind finally decided to heal, it recognizes that she is away from the danger for now. Keep her close, let her sleep. You should all begin to heal now.

I am so not into any of this. My whole body hurts. "I don't think I have been this sore since the time we were in the UK helping out and ended up in that turf war dispute. say to myself, not wanting to open my eyes. At least this time I know I'm in the packhouse, I know what happened, I know I'm safe. I just hurt like a b*tch.

"Yeah, well that turf war is going to seem like training with the pups when the real battle gets here."

"How long have I been out, Jena? I don't know why I worry about it really, I seem to have no concept of time when my body just wants to heal."

She just laughs. "You have been here for a day and a half."

"I thought Gentry said she was going to have me only sleep another day. What happened?"

"You wouldn't wake up. Your trio were super pissed too, just so you know. They have been taking turns laying next to you, but only a couple hours at a time. They are super funny to watch, when did you add your moody man to the mix?"

"Stop! I didn't add anyone to anything, but is Sierra around cause I do want to ask you guys something."

"I'm sure when you tell her exactly

that, she will come running no matter what or who she is doing." We both laugh, and I mindlink

my best friend. Sierra was right though, it took about three point two seconds for her to get to the bedroom.

"What's up? Did you unlock a new power, like making all of the boys crawl around after you like slaves?"

"You're an idiot, you know that? Why on earth would I want anyone to crawl around and follow me?"

"And besides, they already do that. That wouldn't be a 'new' power" Jena laughs again.

"Well, what was so urgent that I had to run all the way down here?!"

"You do realize that no one asked you to run, right? I literally said, 'when you have time, I have a question.' Yes, but you never ask questions, so that means it's urgent!" She looks at Jena who nods.

 

 

Chapter 0530

"She's not wrong."

"What do you mean? I ask questions all the time. I think I annoy people with how many questions I ask."

"Those are training questions or school questions. This is a boy question, otherwise you would have brought everyone in and gotten opinions." My jaw drops open. "Stop derailing the conversation and ask your question." She claps and jumps up on the bed motioning Jena to follow.

I start by telling them both what Ava and Lucas told me in the hospital about the witch, Adrielle, the deal and the vision with their 'daughter' and that they thought it might mean the boys' mate instead and that they thought I might be their mate. I told them how I felt when I found out about my dad and Elena and that the twins and Oliver came for me. Then I told them about my ramblings at the clearing and that I think I am in love with all three of them.

"But that's crazy right? I can't be in love with all of them, how does that even work? If I am fated to the twins, what does that mean for Oliver? He and I have even talked about being close, but not being mates.' I am looking between the two of them and feeling very worked up over the confusion.

"Well, let's be honest, how could anyone not love Oliver? I mean he doesn't really say much unless he's talking to you, but he is super helpful and actually really nice. He spends most of his time staring at you though, maybe he's in love with you too and is using the 'we are really close friends' thing to keep his distance from you." Jena shrugs.

"I just don't know what to do. I mean I need all three of them. Elena called them all my 'guardians.' I sleep better when all three of them are close, their scents calm me down and the three of them clearly help me heal. That's all mate stuff, but I don't feel the romantic mate stuff. I mean Oliver has kissed me twice now and it was clearly enough to break me out of a trance and start a fight and I don't think he felt anything, but I know I didn't. How does any of that even work with three?!" I rub both of my temples with my hands. "That thought alone is scrambling my brains."

"Well, if you do end up with three mates, your brain might be scrambled."

We talked for a little while longer and I reiterated that Oliver's was my first kiss and I was already nervous about the s*x stuff with one mate and the possibility of two, but three scares the sh*t out of me. My friends, being the amazing people they are, spend more time than necessary talking about positions and technique. Then they started to speculate positions and techniques for the four of us. They are clearly on the three mates ship. I had to keep shaking my head at the thought that they were talking about Sam and Mateo. I had no interest in knowing about either of their abilities in the bedroom. They make my friends happy, that's all I need to know.

Just as they were getting ready to start pulling up videos so I could really learn, we were interrupted by Elena and Gentry. We have more crops to unmagic. I took the out and ran to jump in the shower. As we were walking down stairs to grab some food before we head out I'm nervous to be around the guys. What do I do? What do I say? I don't know if I know how to act around them. I still can't feel any attraction to them like what Jena and Sierra described, but at the same time I am drawn to them. I know I search for them when I walk in a room or on the training grounds, and I guess I know why.

We all gather up and head to the same vehicles we took the other day. Before I get in though, Oliver stops me, Kota next to him. "What's up Bitty, you're distracted."

Kota drags a finger down my cheek. "It will be okay, Elena and Gentry said this time shouldn't be as bad as the wolfbane patch."

Oh, right, they think I'm nervous about the spell breaking. I don't say anything. I just nod, we're going to go with that. That's what I need to focus on anyway. Get this magic figured out and then I can figure out what I am supposed to do about these boys.