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Amabelle's POV

I woke just before the dawn, unable to sleep. Though the travel had been long and tiresome, my body fought to stay awake during the night. Jolie slept soundly next to me, snoring adoringly quite a few times. Even though I stirred awake from my dreamless sleep, turning inward slightly and nudging her on accident, she did not move a muscle. Still sleeping, she only mumbled something in her dreams and curled herself tighter into a ball.

Smiling, I kissed the top of her head gently and slipped out of my bed strategically. Despite how homesick I felt, I was glad to be here with my family for a short time. It felt strange like I didn't belong in this place anymore, but the memories that haunted me in Dante's kingdom some weeks ago, stopped hanging over me. Coming back, I realized this was no longer my home. My past only clung to me because I had loved my family so dearly.

I still did.

But now, I realized the person I couldn't live without was Dante.

There was a gaping hole in my chest, being so far from him. He had snuck his way into my heart so quickly I hadn't seen it coming. Thinking about him made waves of aching endearment spread throughout my body. Shuddering as I walked through the silent house, I knew then, at that moment what the truth was. The truth that Dante had wanted me to say just two days ago. I had been so close to saying those three little words and it was killing me that I hesitated.

I regretted not saying it sooner.

There was a tiny gleam of light peeking through our kitchen windows. As the sun had just begun to rise, the world was still waking up, including the Bonnet household. The old, oak wooden floorboards of my kitchen creaked as I tiptoed across them. Our tradition was that the first one up had to make a pot of coffee for everyone else.

Usually, it was my mother who rose first, but today it was me. I smiled, heading to our old stove. Humming, I fired the stove up and grabbed a pot from our hanging rack. I ground some fresh coffee that had been tucked away in its normal spot on the shelf near the dated farmhouse sink. A heavenly aroma of burnt caramel and old spice filled the air while the coffee brewed, making a sense of nostalgic warmth seize my heart.

A dip in the wooden floors behind me made the floors creak. A cold chill ran down my spine from fear, only for me to realize it was my mother leaning against our island. Relief settled once I saw her cat-like grin. Her hazel eyes twinkled those same ones that belonged to Jolie.

Though she had aged a little over the years, her features remained mostly youthful. The lines around her eyes and mouth, and her slightly silvery platinum blond curls were the only indication of her maturity. Graceful and boldly beautiful, my mother's thin but sensual lips were glossed, and her lightened eyes were shaded with brown smokey eyeshadow. Even though it was early, my mother appeared flawless and was clothed in a simple long-sleeved, short, and frilly lavender dress.

"You're never up this early," She commented, cocking her head and crossing her arms over her chest.

I looked away for a moment, once to check the coffee, and again to stare out the pale lime green paned window over the sink. My mother was very observant, even though she hadn't been overly involved in my life over the years, I knew she loved me from the way she watched from afar. She noticed everything, even when I had snipped a few strands of my hair with her kitchen scissors at age five.

"Couldn't sleep," I replied simply, evading her real question.

My mother smiled, sighed, and crossed the kitchen to grab the milk and sugar for our coffee. Ever since I started drinking coffee in my teen years, my mother had taught me to like my coffee with a little bit of milk, and a few tablespoons of sugar. In those days, I had wanted to be just like my mother in every way possible. Eventually, I learned I could never be the woman my mother was.

"You know," She said, her sparkling eyes meeting mine, "When I met your father, everything changed for me."

My eyes fluttering, I swallowed. It was strange and slightly sweet to hear my mother open up to me about her and my father. Actually, it was a little shocking she was confiding in me at all, or trying to relate to me. It felt like my mother had been replaced by a complete stranger. 

"He was clumsy, your father, for eventually being the Alpha of a pack. I always thought he was sort of a silly man," she went on, her tone so inviting, that I found the corners of my mouth pushing to turn upward.

It was hard to picture my father being silly, considering how serious he was now. It was true that my father had a soft side, one that he showed me often, but he had never been silly. He ruled our pack strongly and efficiently. I had only known him as the great, sturdy leader he was, so to hear this now, I couldn't picture it... Or perhaps I didn't fully believe what she was saying.

My mother's face morphed, something like pain flashing in her light eyes as if recalling a memory, "You must know my mother and father died when I was young, so I taught myself to survive. I used to be a rogue, you see, living in the woods past the village."

My mouth fell open in surprise, I had no idea. Neither of my parents had ever disclosed this information to me. I hadn't ever met my grandparents on my mother's side, nor had I really questioned it. In our pack, all of the grandparents of every pack member were part of the Elders, so we saw them all as our grandparents. It sounded weird, but it was touching in a way. It was made so that those whose grandparents had passed away, someone else's could also be theirs. The Elders were respected and looked to for their wisdom.

"I'm so sorry Mother," I murmured, placing my hand over my chest.

I couldn't imagine how hard it must have been, fending for herself so young, and never truly feeling safe. Being a rogue also meant being rejected from most, if not all of our kind, and abandoned to remain alone. Most times it was difficult for rogues to rebrand themselves into new packs because rogues were seen as unclean, the forgotten. It didn't help their case that a lot of rogues were criminals and murderers, preying on whoever they could pass their misery onto.

She shook her head, waving her hand with a sad smile. "It was a long time ago, besides I don't really remember them."

Sighing, I closed my eyes and nodded. Nevertheless, I couldn't think of not having my own parents. A newfound respect for my mother was slowly building the longer she spoke. No wonder my mother was so high-strung and hard on us growing up. She had a much more difficult childhood than I had, learning how to be an adult at a young age and never truly knowing what being a kid was.

"Anyway, I can tell you more about that later," She said moving to take the coffee I had forgotten about off the stove.

I grinned knowingly as she poured us each a mug, and expertly added the milk and sugar. Then she strutted back to the stove to put the coffee back on low heat.

"We'll need to keep this warm for the others," She winked, referring to my father and siblings, with the exception of Jolie, who detested the stuff.

We both took a sip, the hot liquid buzzing down my throat. I smiled with my eyes closed.

"Mmmm, I missed this," I whispered, taking another small drink.

My mother's mouth turned, another feline smirk. "Just the coffee, not your dear mother?"

Chuckling at her, I narrowed my eyes. "Of course, I missed you too, I missed all of you."

She smiled. "I know, it was all over your face when I saw you last night."

It was true, I had missed them something awful, and I couldn't have been more grateful to see them, but right now all I could think about was that by the end of the day, Dante would be turned into a beast for the rest of eternity and I would never see him again.

Swallowing, the smile dropped off my face and sunk to the floor. Averting her eyes again, I looked to the window, itching to bolt out of the house and to the stables. I wanted to run back to Dante, and finally answer him the truth. I couldn't wait to see the look on his face, to get this confession off my chest.

"So tell me about him," my mother interrupted my thoughts, making my bones chill.

Where to start... Could I even begin?

Staring back at her, I saw the eager expectancy in her wild pupils. Oddly, her smile was small, strangely knowing.

Everything about Dante wanted to explode out of me, but I was afraid to let it out, to tell her that the man who separated our family was also the man whom I had fallen for. That same alpha was my mate and the end to all my beginnings. He was my undoing, my first and last, the single most exciting and miraculous thing that had ever happened to me... he was Dante, he was mine.

And I was his.

Whether he knew it or not.

My mother sighed, taking my silence as an answer. I opened my mouth to speak, to finally explain Dante and I, but she spoke again.

"Your father, when we met, was still learning to hunt. His father expected him to kill, to hunt, to be strong, and a capable warrior. However, your father was horrible at it, just plain awful, and he retreated to the woods to learn for several days," My mother told me, beginning another sentimental tale I hadn't expected her to tell.

I took another drink of my coffee, invested in her story of their meeting. I found it ironic that my father had been unskilled at hunting, making me think back to when I had intercepted my brothers' first hunt and ruined their catch. Smiling to myself, I realized why my father had been so soft, so kind to me even after it had happened.

He understood me.

My mother tipped her cup back, taking a small drink before continuing. "I, on the other hand, had been hunting for quite some time, and I had perfected the skill. Even so, while on a hunt one fateful afternoon I set some snares and traps up closer to your father's pack than I normally did..."

She laughed, the shine in her eyes making me grin. "I had no idea your father had been following me until one of my traps lassoed his waist and strung him up for me to find. I had heard a loud shout in the woods from my brush, and found him there."

I giggled with her, imagining the scene unfolding in my head like an old movie. My mother appeared to be joyful thinking back to the old memories of her and my father, and the energy was contagious. Eager to hear what happened next, I stepped a bit closer and sat down at one of the stools at the kitchen island.

"Of course, I was immediately hostile towards your father, despite that, I cut him down from his trap. In the process we made contact. It was then that we realized we were mates," She explained, her eyes twinkling.

My mother peered down at her coffee, a smile on her face. "I rejected him at first, pretended to hate him, even though the idea of someone caring for me thrilled me since I had been alone most of my life and was used to it. He dragged me back to his pack, with me kicking and screaming. Eventually, inevitably, I fell in love with your father. By then, he had become Alpha and made me his Luna. Growing up a rogue, I had never thought in a million years I would be where I am now, with my mate, having had children and the Luna of a pack."

We glanced at each other then, a sort of understanding transpiring between the two of us I never thought possible. In all my years growing up, I hadn't ever expected this. I almost wished that I had known all of this way sooner. Maybe then I would have understood myself a little better, and my mother and I could have related a lot earlier.

Perhaps I was more like my mother than I had realized.

"Mother, I..." I stopped, all of what had happened overwhelming me, begging to spill out. From the moment I laid eyes on Dante, to becoming a member of their pack and meeting all of my newfound friends and family. Though it had cost me everything to leave, to sacrifice for my family, and for this pack, I went out and found my own way.

My own life, all on accident, more or less. And now I was looking at the woman who raised me, kept me safe. One of the loved ones I had left for, and I didn't know how to tell her that I was going to leave again, and this time, I would be staying.

With the prolonged silence, she had grown impatient, leaning forward with her eyes wide, an intense excitement in her eyes.

Clenching my eyes shut, I took a deep breath. Everything was about to change.

"Dante Reddick... the alpha is my mate."

"I knew it!" My mother exclaimed, her hands flat and spread across the kitchen island.

Blushing profusely, I blinked several times. Before I could say anything, she was throwing me into her arms, and squealing in enthusiasm. It sort of reminded me of Bonny-Lee which made me smile. However, still in shock at her reaction, I pulled away from her. I had not expected her to be so... happy.

"You were positively glowing when you arrived, and your scent... I knew you had found him the second I saw you-"

"Whoa, wait, wait. You...you-you're not mad, or upset?" I questioned, narrowing my eyes.

She looked dumbfounded, her mouth gaping. "Of course not honey! Coming from someone who found her mate when she least expected it, I completely understand... and your father will too."

Tears of mixed emotions filled my eyes. I couldn't tell if I was more relieved or ecstatic that my mother was accepting of my truth. I hadn't told yet of the curse or given her the treaty to read, but it didn't seem to matter. I could see in her expression that she simply wanted me to be happy. With how my father and brothers reacted last night, not to mention the men of the pack, I wasn't sure they would have the same thoughts despite my mother's confidence.

"I love him, mother, more than I've ever loved anyone," I confessed, the tears weaving across my cheeks.

She smiled warmly, wiping away the wetness from the side of my face. "I know dear, I know."

A light creak in the floor and a quiet, but noticeable yawn brought our attention to the entrance of the kitchen. The interruption in our tender moment made me stutter, quickly trying to regain control of my emotions. Standing in the wide frame of the kitchen was my youngest sister, Jolie. She rubbed her eyes from sleep, clearly not aware of the serious conversation happening between us. I wanted to grin, seeing a blanket draped around her tiny shoulders. Her tangled long locks of dirty blond hair were messy and slightly frizzy, she had apparently just woke up.

"Good morning," my mother greeted her delightfully.

"Where is everyone?" Jolie mumbled, yawning some more.

My mother shrugged. "Oh you know the boys, they sleep till noon some days."

Jolie shook her head, her mouth still gaping in more yawns. "I checked."

Paling, my eyes widened and a shiver of fear snaked down my spine. "What do you mean?"

My mother and I shared a strained look of worry, not enough to scare Jolie, but enough that we both understood the severity of what we were learning. If my brothers and father were missing, something was very wrong. A sinking feeling brewed in my stomach, suspecting the worst. I thought back to the treaty, and the conversation that occurred last night. Though my father had promised to talk about things, his bitterness and anger had been raw.

Jolie shrugged, not alarmed. "I checked their rooms because it was so quiet, and they were not in there. I just thought they'd be in the kitchen."

My blood thundered in my ears, panic beginning its slow descent. I swallowed, and my mother and I locked eyes in fear. Just as we did, we heard the loud cry of our war horn ringing out through the air, calling from outside the house. Jolie's eyes bulged at the high-pitched howl in her own newfound terror. That sound only meant one thing, time for battle...

The three of us rushed to the front door, my body numbing itself into shock. I felt like I was running in slow motion as I made my way to the entryway, my body trembling. A sight I had never hoped to see greeted me outside the house. My mother gasped as we took in what was before us. Jolie began to weep, clinging to my mother. I, on the other hand, felt disbelief in what I was watching. In front of me marched a heavily suited army, grim and ready to kill.

To destroy.

The peace treaty that Dante had sent might as well have been shredded into a million pieces. They did not want peace, they did not even want to consider it, despite how I felt. Though to be fair, they had no idea that Dante was my mate. Even so, I never knew my father to be a violent man, but here he was, leading our people to a blood bath.

Because that is what it would be. A bloodbath.

Dante and his pack were too strong, supernaturally so. They would obliterate my pack, including my brothers and my father. They had no idea the dragon's nest they were walking into.

Appalled, I saw my father leading them, his movements firm, assured. I felt betrayed seeing my brothers lined up next to him. They both had the same expression, unwavering fury. I wanted to run to them, to scream, to cry, but I was frozen. Luckily for me, my father and my brothers separated from the army briefly to move to us.  Wordless, I remained horrified and stunned as they joined us in the front yard.

Adrian, the eldest was the first to make eye contact with me, his eyes burning coals, and his frown immovable. He didn't appear the least bit empathetic or regretful. Hurt, I glanced away when he said nothing to me. Felix would barely hold my stare, his eyes darting every which way, yet he too said not a syllable. My father whom I felt the most betrayed by was blank, like he didn't know what he, himself was feeling.

"What do you think you're going to accomplish?" My mother questioned, her tone ice as she held my crying sister.

Heartbroken, my face fell watching Jolie clutch at my mother's arms, unable to control her hyperventilating cries. My father's eyes softened at the sight but with a glance in my direction, his pupils sharpened back to daggers.

"What that bastard did, and was going to do to our family is unforgivable, and I certainly don't want to make peace with him. Patience, he stole our daughter, he would have killed our entire pack given the chance." My father argued, his voice colder than my mother's.

I stepped closer to my father, unable to stop myself. The desperation weighed heavily, breaking out of my skin. "Please, father don't, it doesn't have to be this way, I-"

"Vergil, come here," My father interrupted me, his ruthless stare and tone enough to silence me.

Vergil sauntered over, his expression the same stupid arrogant one I hated and had left behind long ago. Smirking he bowed his head slightly to my father, almost mockingly so. For that alone I wanted to shatter his sparkling white teeth.

"Yes sir?" He asked in a slithering tone.

Still watching me, my father answered him remorselessly. "You are to escort my family back into the house and watch over them. Make sure they stay safe and do not leave this property."

Vergil narrowed his blue eyes at me with a sickening smirk. "I will gladly protect my future wife and her family."

I glared back, imagining all the ways I could disarm him and shove his sword up his-

"Harry, this is ridiculous. Stop this madness. I love you, but I can't let you do this." My mother cut my thoughts off, holding her hands out to my father pleadingly.

Even I could hear the pain in her voice, but nevertheless, shockingly, my father didn't bat an eye. Whether he was making up for his hurt ego, truly wanted revenge or he just didn't care about what we had to say, he didn't falter. Instead he scowled at my mother, himself seemingly slightly hurt that she was not siding with him for the first time in years. For once, my mother stood proudly by me.

"You don't have a choice, Patience. Though Luna, my orders trump yours, and what I say goes. We fight, we do not surrender." My father retorted heartlessly.

I sensed her hurt and anger from a mile away. She looked taken back, surprised by his biting words and tone. The two of them hardly argued when I was growing up, and this was probably the most I had seen her upset at him. And for good reason.

Jolie sniffled, tugging on my father's arm. His eyes shifted, the hardness in them growing a little bit gentler.

"Father, I don't want you to go, I don't want you to get hurt-"

Her words fell short as more sobs shook her frail body. My father swooped her into his arms, kissing the top of her head. He did not hug her long, only for a few short moments before he was planting her back onto the ground.

"I will be fine, I promise Jolie, I—we will be back before you know it," He assured Jolie, but I knew better.

I didn't say what I wanted to, that Dante and his own army would out-skill and out-smart even our toughest warriors. His men were stronger than my father's by ten to one, and if they fought, it would be a sea of blood.

How fitting, a sea of blood and destruction right before my mate turns into a beast for the rest of eternity.

"Amabelle, this is happening whether you like it or not, do not follow us, do you hear me?" My father's voice was commanding.

Normally that would have been enough to make me stop, to listen to my father, but since he was technically not my Alpha anymore, and only my father, it did not have the same effect on me as it had in the past. Besides, if he thought anyone was going to keep me from saving my mate, my Dante, he was incredibly wrong.

"I don't even know who you are right now," Was my answer, my voice raspy, like a cry wanted to come out instead of words.

My father blinked a few times, stunned. It took several moments, but his walls came right back up like he was afraid of being seen as weak. Perhaps that was what this was... my father was embarrassed by the disrespect of Dante, and instead of surrendering to my father, he was asking for peace. Peace was different from begging on your knees for mercy, peace was an agreement forged on both parties wanting that same thing. Maybe that was what my father wanted, to take Dante to his knees and demand him to beg for forgiveness.

He would be sorely disappointed, the only one who Dante would bow to was me.

"Vergil, watch my daughter closely, she seems to have forgotten who she is, and I wouldn't want her doing something... irrational." My father responded, referring to when I had sacrificed my life for all of theirs.

Angered, I turned away from him, bitter in utter shock. I was disgusted with my father's actions. Inside me, every cell was revolting against him. The mark that was made during my initiation, the one that signified my allegiance to Dante's pack burned, it felt like it was on fire, fighting against my father's every word. Knowing that my father's army marched on to try and destroy both my mate and my alpha, my stomach was in knots and my wolf was actively growling, begging to let be let loose so she could annihilate those that would harm Dante.

Including my father and brothers.

For a second, I pictured mauling through them and painting my front yard in my family's blood. I was blinded by my fury, letting it infect my bloodstream like a disease. My jaw locked as my skin boiled. I wouldn't have been surprised if there was an active flame radiating off of me. The flame soared when Vergil turned to me and gripped my wrist, his hold intentionally rough.

"If you so much as try to move me, you will end up in pieces before we make it to the front door of my house... tiny, tiny little pieces," I growled lowly, my expression shadowed in fury.

Vergil's eyes widened, a small ounce of fear appearing in the hue of his grey-blue eyes. I smirked, watching his inner wolf cower in terror. Vergil blinked a few times and cleared his throat. He must not have liked that I rattled him.

Letting go of my arm, he took a small half-step away from me. He was threatened enough to glance away. I wondered then if he could sense that I was a Luna, but he just didn't know it. Before I could consider what that meant, I heard the shrill voice of one of the twins.

"What is going on?"

We all turned to see my twin sisters making their way over to us. Loraine was yawning, not very concerned. Esme was frowning, like usual, and seemed to be perturbed. I rolled my eyes, not interested in hearing what my sisters had to say.

"Father is going off to a pissing match in front of another alpha," I snapped, glaring at my father.

My father glowered at me. "What happened to you, Amabelle? Before you left you were the one begging me to fight, to start a war with Dante. What changed?"

My heart pounded so hard I was sure it had ripped out of my chest cavity and flew into the river behind our house. So much had changed, so much had happened. Everything that had happened to me begged to come out, desperately trying to pry my pursed lips open. I wanted to tell it all, from meeting Dante and hating him to falling in love with my mate and realizing who I was along the way. When I turned to my mother, her gleaming eyes tried to encourage me.

Sighing I took a deep breath and found my voice again.

"A lot, father. A lot has happened. I... I found something that I can't afford to lose," I murmured softly, my heart aching.

Something like betrayal crossed his once comforting soft features. His jaw locked, a thin frown forming across his lips. "So did I."

I opened my mouth to speak, but my father blew the battle horn once more, interrupting me. Closing my eyes, I sighed with my fists clenched. I knew he was just trying to protect us, protect me. But I didn't need it anymore, and he had to let me go.

Let me be free.

I needed to tell him before he left, before he led our people to their demise, and before he made a mess of things.

"It is time," He announced over our pack that had slowly gathered by us.

"Father-" I attempted to give him my final protest, my heart hammering inside my chest as the panic bubbled up in my throat.

"Amabelle! I have to defend our people, I have to defend you! I let the most precious thing be stolen from me; my family," My father sighed, a look of defeat casting his brown eyes in a gloomy hollowness, "When you left, I searched for you for days. We couldn't find the castle, there was no sign of you. I knew the moment we couldn't find you that I made the wrong choice. I should have fought, I should have never given up so easily... You were right to fight. I should have listened to you."

Closing my eyes, I sighed heavily. I understood, I knew he simply cared about keeping us all safe, and for someone who hadn't spent weeks falling in love with Dante, I could see why he was hell-bent on warring with Dante. Instead of accepting my fate, he had been rejecting and fighting to save me. My chest ached with a different kind of guilt, realizing my father had been searching for me for weeks while I had been sleeping in the best bedroom his enemy could offer.

I felt Vergil move closer to me as my father turned his back and began walking away. The icy fury from earlier returned, the pleading in me turning to something a little more violent. Dante and I were more similar than my father knew, than I had known, and his steps away from me made my wolf's hackles rise.

"Don't," Vergil told me, grabbing my shoulders as if he knew what I was thinking.

I fired a don't-touch-me kind of look, my eyes daggers slicing through his thick skull. This time, unfortunately for me, he didn't back away and instead pulled me back. At first, I fought him, ripping and clawing at his hands until I realized my father was almost too far from me for me to hear him.

"Father please!" I cried, tears from both frustration and hopelessness.

Vergil held an arm around my waist, disabling me from running after him. My father didn't halt, he kept going, his back growing more rigid and robotic. It was as if he didn't hear my pleas, or at the very least, he did not care.

"What if-" I thought of what I could say that would change his mind and realized I had to tell him the truth, the only thing I had left. "Would you stop... if you knew that Dante was my mate?"

My father turned to stone, his fists clenching so tightly that I knew he had to have drawn blood. I held my breath, wanting him to remember that it was impossible to choose your mate. I wanted him to remember what it felt like when he realized my mother was his mate. The situation might not have been the same, but he had to know.

He had to know what it was like falling for the person that kept your feet planted on the ground.

He had to know what it was like having no control and spiraling further and further in maddening and simultaneously healing love with someone that you did not choose but were gifted.

Vergil's grip loosened, realizing that I was no longer his to claim. He opened and shut his eyes in disbelief.

My father had still not turned around but wasn't moving either. He stayed perfectly still like he was processing and not sure what to say. I was sure it was a shock to hear the man he probably had grown to loathe, the man he saw as his biggest threat was the man the moon goddess had decided I was to bemated to. Not to mention, I had been fighting against the confines of marriage for years.

Suddenly, I was his worst enemy's mate.

Even so, my father would understand. He had to.

He was my father.

I watched him turn his cheek, enough so that I would be able to hear his reply. Sadly, his body was still turned away, making my stomach plummet.

He didn't plan to surrender.

"It doesn't change what he is. No daughter of mine will be mated to a monster like that." My father's words were cold, a harsh stab to my chest.

"He isn't a monster, goddess... Father if you would just listen, please I'm begging you-" I pleaded, my voice cracking.

"Vergil, if you want to marry my daughter, get her inside, now." He snarled, making me livid.

I would be damned if anyone, even my father, determined my fate.

Vergil didn't waste any time and hauled me over his shoulders like I was a sack of potatoes. Frenzied now, I kicked, screamed, and fought as hard as I could. At one point, amidst both my panic and anger, my fist connected with Vergil's jaw, making him drop me. In my brief victory, I bounded forward to my father. However, a growling Vergil was dragging me back before I could stop him.

"GET OFF OF ME!" I screeched, slamming my bare heel into Vergil's stomach.

He let out a long groan, doubling over. While he was down I slammed my fist once more into his head. It appeared as though he saw stars, his limp body falling to the side. My adrenaline was so high, my ears were ringing. Maybe I should have felt bad that I had just concussed Vergil, but I didn't. Rather than that, I felt invigorated despite how badly my fist was stinging.

My father let out a deep roar, clenching his fists. Shaken for a moment, I panted, catching his stare. It was going to be a fight if he wanted me to be quiet, wanted me to stop and give in. He didn't understand what he was trying to take from me.

He was trying to take the one person I would do anything for.

Even betray my own flesh and blood.

"If Dante is a monster, so am I." I bared my teeth, standing tall.

My father sighed, closing his eyes. Several intense moments of silence surpassed, the air pressure a mountain of anger crushing each of us. My sister Jolie was watching me, her mouth gaping. Quietly keeping her breath even, my mother appeared to be thinking about what she should do, whereas my brothers watched in horror, frozen in place. Even my twin sisters, who didn't much like me or care about most things, appeared to be shivering, their delicate hands bound together as if they were clinging to one another for comfort.

"Marcus, Joseph, and Walter," My father called three of his guards off from their horses, his gaze never leaving me, "Please restrain my daughter and place her in the holding cell."

A shocked breath of air left my body with the realization that my father wanted to lock me up like a criminal. Petrified, I saw the three men, Marcus, Joseph, and Walter, each make their way past my father. Loyal, they did not appear to be necessarily upset to have had to lock me up. No, they just started toward me like his request was a simple task they had done a million times.

No hesitation, no questions asked.

Still, out of the silence, a voice spoke up for me.

"Harry, no. This is wrong, she is our daughter." My mother said, her voice deadly calm.

I thought I had to dreaming to see my mother place her body in front of mine. Though she had always been strong and very self-assured, there were not many times my mother had been defiant against my father's orders. But here she was, standing in front of me and shielding me from the guards that were now directly across from us.

My father growled, his rage-filled eyes making me shiver. "I will have the both of you locked up if I have to."

She winced like his words physically hurt her. In all likeliness they probably did, I was hurt for her. Nevertheless she did not hang her head, she did not move an inch. She didn't back away, she didn't let him have that satisfaction.

Instead, she took my hand in hers.

"Remember who you are speaking to, my love. I am a Luna, and not just any Luna. If you want to lock her up, you'll have to go through me." My mother retorted, her voice spitting venom, and dangerously strengthened.

Her hand squeezed mine, sending warmth into my heart. I was filled with pride seeing her stand up to her mate, just like I had countless times with Dante. No wonder, I had my mother's spirit and her courage.

My father merely grimaced, looked away for a moment, and then turned his back. My father turned his back on my mother... I was shocked, and so was my mother. He began to walk away, forcing my brothers to go with him.

"So be it," my father finally muttered, the bitter contempt in his voice searing us both.

The three men came a little closer, my mother still using her body as a shield. My father didn't look back, not once, and continued on his way with the rest of the army, leaving me, my mother, my sisters, Vergil's unconscious body, and the three guards all alone. Peeking behind me, I saw the twins kneeling by Vergil. I expected them to be waiting for him to wake, crying about his injuries, but they were actually tying his hands behind his back. That caused my eyebrows to raise and a weird sense of pride to sweep over me. My other sister Jolie was watching with big worried eyes, frozen in her state of fear.

Don't worry, I mouthed, and gave her a small smile. She tried to return it, but it faded when the men in front of us started to speak.

"Don't make this difficult," Marcus told us, I recognized him a one of my father's friends.

His dark shaggy hair had been tied back for battle. Marcus' eyes were shadowed in sleeplessness. Using my endurance against him could easily defeat him. Unfortunately for Marcus it would be difficult. He wouldn't be able to take more than a few jabs and some running for him to feel exhausted. Knowing Marcus personally, that didn't surprise me. He was a drunk, if you asked me, and he refused to talk much since his mate passed away away few years ago. Whether you can justify drinking your sorrows away or not, Marcus was not concerned about his habitual drinking, and neither was my father. In fact, my father had been sympathetic.

The other two I couldn't place. They appeared familiar, but so did a lot of my pack and I didn't know each and every one of them. Joseph was tall, lanky, and he didn't appear to take care of himself so he wouldn't be much of a threat either, but Walter was taller, broader, and definitely able to overpower me if given the opportunity.

"As your Luna, I order you to back down immediately," my mother commanded sharply, her darkened gaze enough to make most men tremble.

These men did not cease however, of even flinch. They only came closer, surrounding us as my mother and I placed our backs against one another in defense.

"Sorry, Luna Patience, but we are more scared of  Alpha Harry," Walter replied, his crooked teeth curving over his lips.

"That's a mistake you'll never make twice," my mother hissed, and without warning launched herself at him.

He let out a surprised shout, falling back as my mother upper cut his chin with a punch and swung her foot out into his chest. Stunned, I realized there was a whole other side to my mother that I didn't know about. Clearly, she knew how to fight. I don't know if she trained herself, or if father did trained her, but she was stronger than I had realized.

I was so in shock I barely noticed Marcus coming at me with his fists raised. The first swing I nearly got hit with, and the second I dodged completely. Falling to his left I almost fell straight into Joseph. Now with them both after me, I felt a single drop of sweat to roll down my face. Each of them circled me, waiting got the opportune moment to strike.

My wolf growled, wanting to rip their throats out for not only challenging me, but disrespecting my mother. Show them what you're made of, my wolf encouraged me.

Since Marcus was the bigger threat of the two, I started with Joseph, throwing a punch to his windpipe and dodging his own punch. Gagging and coughing, Joseph fell to the ground, making Marcus roar and lunge at me.

I gasped, feeling his arms wrap around me. I screamed, fighting as hard as I could against him. He struggled to hold me, cursing me as I wiggled.

"Let me go!" I hollered, fighting his restraint.

"You're going to take a nice nap, little one," Marcus threatened in a callous whisper by my ear before switching his hold to around my throat.

The air left my lungs as he held me in a deathly strong chokehold against his sweaty body. I could feel my panic rising, making my body vibrate as I fought him. His arm was so tight against my throat, the air couldn't reach my lungs in time. The horrible truth was that he was choking me and even with my new found strength, I couldn't fight him off. Fear flooded my veins, along with a light feeling.

It was blurring my vision, and just like he said, I started to feel sleepy. My desperate clawing slowed down, the fight in my body damn near exhausted. Tears rolled down my cheeks, as it dawned on me that I was losing this fight, just as I might be losing Dante.

"You will have my heart for eternity, no matter what happens."

Dante's voice echoed in my head, my heart clenching painfully. As I gagged trying to get air, a sob wrecked my body, imagining Dante seeing that I didn't return, but an army did. Even after I had promised to come back, to him, to his people...

I would never forgive myself.

Please, moon goddess, this can't be the end of our story.

As if an answer to my prayer, oxygen found my lungs while Marcus' hold dropped. I toppled to the ground, breathing in air and choking. The blurry vision dissolved slowly, allowing me to see that my mother had managed to disarm Marcus, and Walter was bound to a tree in our front yard. My sisters were busy at work, tying them up with a very awake Vergil who was putting on his best show to attempt to woo them into untying him. Luckily, they stayed silent, completely ignoring him.

For once in my life, I was thankful for them.

There was however, no sign of Joseph. I turned to my mother who I was wiping her palms and grinning down at me. I was shocked back into reality once more in realizing my mother might have actually been a complete bad ass.

"You must have scared Joseph off, he disappeared. Are you alright?" She asked me, offering her hand.

Gratefully, I took it and pulled myself up onto my feet with her help. "Yes, thank you mother."

She pulled me into her for a hug, patting my back. "I love you darling, and I believe in you, I know I haven't always been the best at showing it, but I want you to know that."

Tears of endearment welled in my eyes, my head pounding from trying to hold in so much emotion. Sniffling, I buried my face in her shoulder and hugged her tight. Never had I thought this was how today would have gone, and I would never had guessed my mother and I would have bonded like this.

"Now," my mother began pulling away, "We need to get you suited up, because you're going to get your mate."

I blinked several times in confusion. "What do you mean? What about the army—"

"If Dante is serious about his claim for peace, then he will not engage, but with you gone, I worry he might assume you to be siding with your father. So you need to go to him, and tell him how you feel, don't worry about us," My mother told me, smiling sadly.

I sighed, knowing what she was really saying. She was telling me it was okay, it was okay to want what I wanted, even if meant out growing my old life.

Even if it meant leaving my mother, and my family.

Smiling, with tears falling from my eyes, I nodded. "Okay."

"You c-can l-leave, only if I g-get to be in the wedding," came a small, shaky voice from beside me.

I immediately swung around and wrapped my little sister Jolie into my arms, holding her as she cried. An avalanche of emotion hit me, making me sob with her. Leaving it all behind meant leaving Jolie, again. My sorrow caved my heart in, bending it out of shape. I couldn't leave her again, the pain would be too much to bare.

"No, you will come live with me, okay? You all will, I-I can't let you go, I never will," I promised her, swallowing back more sobs.

Her cries slowed, nodding as she looking up at me with swollen, puffy eyes. "Does that mean I get to be a princess too?"

I laughed a little, wiping my eyes. "Of course, Jolie. And you will be the fairest lady in the whole kingdom."

Her tiny smile satisfied me, and she twirled in her nightgown, bowing at me. I giggled some more before kissing the top her head. In response, Jolie hugged me again, one last time. When I turned back around, the twins had gathered beside my mother, their faces not contorted in frowns for the first time, maybe ever. They actually appeared to be sympathetic, maybe even a little worried.

I cracked a small grin at them, "Thank you for your help."

Both of them nodded, Loraine actually wiping what I thought were tears. "We also would like be princesses if it comes with dresses like the one you wore last night."

There she was.

"You can wear any and every dress in my closet," I told Loraine, winking at her.

Esme's lips wobbled, and she mouthed an I love you, before running away back into the house. Loraine bowed her head at me and followed her sister in haste. My mother smiled at me, her watery eyes making me want to break down sobbing all over again.

"Follow me, I have something for you," My mother motioned for me to follow her.

We headed to the shed behind our house, the one mother hid out in every once in a while. It had always been off limits for us, but we never truly knew why. We were told to stay out of it, especially me. I had never asked questions, though the curiosity in me had always wondered what was lurking out here.

Out back, rolling hills stretched down to the river. Greenery spilled over everything, big tall oak trees and willow trees dancing along the grounds. It was absolutely beautiful, and it was my favorite part of growing up here. Most days this was where you could have found me, climbing, exploring or rolling down the hills. During my first shift, I had found myself away from the pack and down by the river. My wolf had planted herself there as a young pup, gazing out across the beautiful night mirroring off the water.

Square in the middle of the woods on our property was the shed. It was a small, quaint appearing house of sorts, potentially big enough to stay a night in if it was necessary. Upon entering it, my mouth fell open in surprise. There was a table, a brown cozy reclining  chair, and sewing objects, but what shocked me was a full set of armor, a delicate light curved sword with tangles of flowers welded onto the handle, a bow and set of arrows, and a saddle with riding gear.

"This," my mother said, handing me the set of lightweight, golden armor, "Was mine years ago when I fought, side by side next to your father."

In shock, I remained silent, running my hands over the perfectly crafted suit. "You fought with him?"

My mother would have scolded me if I had ever expressed interest in learning how to fight. She would never had let me, she had told me on multiple occasions that I needed to be less like a boy, and do things made for girls, but I had never found the same thrill in running through the woods with my brother as gardening, painting like my mother, or cooking and baking. None of that would ever come close to how I felt while running through thickets and playing in the creek.

Smiling, she nodded. "Yes, and your father will never admit it, but I have kicked his ass harder than any man in this village."

Giggling, I gave my mother a grin. "I suspect I'm a lot more like you than you had led me to believe."

Nodding, she grinned back. "As hard as I tried to make you different, you turned out to be an exact copy of me."

I laughed knowingly. "Well, I hope you know that I am proud of who I am and elated to know that I'm more like you than I ever knew."

She swallowed with difficulty, tears brimming once more. "And I'm proud of you too, Amabelle, so proud."

It meant the world to hear her say that, I hoped she knew that. I couldn't have been more grateful, more happy that she felt comfortable enough to share this part of herself with me so candidly. This is what I needed, what I had been asking from my mother since I was little. The little version of me would have killed for the closeness we had now, in just a few short hours.

"Okay," my mother cleared her throat, giving me a smile, "Put on that armor."

~•~

The trees were soaring past me as my horse took me faster and faster through the forest. I had to catch up to my father and the army. If I didn't, I would be too late and the fighting would start. I began to lose hope the longer I rode, however. I had been traveling for over an hour now, and there was no sign of them. Part of me wondered if they would even find Dante's lands since they hadn't been able to weeks before. Perhaps they would take the same way I came, and they were using my tracks as a reference.

Either way, they must have been traveling fast for them to have already surpassed most of the woods. Maybe they were already there, maybe I was too late and the battle had already begun.

I sucked in a breath, clenching my gloved hands. With the thickness of the armor, and my nerves, sweat had started to trail its way down my spine. Though I was grateful to have the armor, I was frustrated by the heat. With my helmet on, the chest, leg and knee pieces I felt like I was wearing another set of skin, or maybe even another body attached to mine. At the very least I was happy I was fully protected, for the exception of the small piece that had been chipped between my rib cage and my heart. Mother had explained that it was due to a ax that had flew mid battle and dinged off of the armor, creating the chip. She told me it had been a close call, but nonetheless, the armor had protected her.

Huffing, I realized I was getting very close to the kingdom with still no sight of the army. Then, out of my peripheral vision, as I came to the clearing of the woods just outside of the castle, the army was standing on the garden of roses, fighting off Dante's warriors as best as they could. Some involuntary, panicked part of me made me yelp in horror.

"Go!" I bellowed, yanking hard on the reins of my horse.

My horse galloped into battle, running straight for the garden. The sound of clinging metal and loud yelling voices got louder and louder the closer I got to the rose garden. I felt my chest pounding, my blood thumping in my ears. If I didn't hurry, there would be horrible, horrible bloodshed.

A sickening thought entered my mind; maybe there had already been bloodshed.

My brothers, my friends... my father.

Hurry, hurry, hurry.

As my horse ran, arrows began raining down from the sky, aiming for me. Screaming, I pulled on my horse's reins to avoid each one. Though to my terror, a silver arrow struck my horse in the side, causing her to cry out in pain and crash to ground with me still on her saddle. I squealed in fear, praying that she wouldn't crush me in the fall. Luckily, I rolled off in time, able to avoid being trapped.

Thank the moon goddess.

My horse now laying, unable to stand I caressed her face as tears rolled down my cheeks. She neighed in pain, trying to move. Sobbing, I forced her to lay, kneeling beside her.

"I'm so sorry, thank you for you help," I murmured.

Unable to stand seeing my horse in pain, I took off for the battle going on. It was hard to tell who was who, some wore helmets, and some did not. Though, majority of the warriors on both sides were not wearing them so that would work to my advantage. Even still, it was mass chaos on the battlefield. Already there had been casualties, mainly in my father's army. Bodies lay in the roses, the scarlet shine of blood laying next to the flowers.

Swallowing and taking a deep breath, I drew my sword and joined the crowd. Instinctively some of Dante's warriors backed away from me, immediately recognizing my scent. Smiling, I removed my helmet, the warriors around me gasping. On both sides, swords dropped as I walked through unscathed. On both sides, they each parted, revealing a walkway for me.

Still, I did not see Dante. Instead I came across paths with Xavier, who was fighting—defeating my brother Adrian. Adrian cried out upon instinct as Xavier raised his sword over my disarmed brother who had fallen to the ground. Fear and panic took over in me and I leapt to his rescue. My feet carried me faster than my head could keep up with, but it didn't matter. I wouldn't watch my brother be killed by my trusted friend.

"NO!" I screamed with an ungodly snarl, placing myself in front of the blade to block it with my mother's sword.

Xavier's eyes went wide, his cheeks pink. His sword dropped from his hands, clanging as it hit the ground.

"Amabelle! I'm so sorry—"

That's when a gasp left my lips.

A sword slashed through the open chip of my armor from behind.

Right through me.

I felt an unimaginable sense of agony, blood—my blood—staining the ground of the rose garden. The sword had pierced through my spine and into my chest cavity. Somehow, by some miracle it hadn't hit my heart, but had tore through my other organs without any resistance.

I dropped my sword, my hands shaking.

Tears leaked from my eyes, the shock of the pain freezing me.

"AMABELLE!" My brother shrieked.

Xavier's eyes were huge, but there was more than just fear, there was raw anger, a ferocious rage to them. Whoever had sent their sword through me from behind, he could see. He definitely recognized them, his lips forming a vicious scowl.

My knees gave out as shouts around me arose, but I couldn't feel anything.

Everything grew cold.

So cold.

My wolf silenced, like perhaps she had died.

Or maybe I just couldn't feel her anymore.

I certainly couldn't hear. Everyone's voices and cries seemed to grow muffled. To be fair, it was hard hear over my own howls of anguish.

Even through all of that, I did hear a familiar, evil snake speak from behind me as I fell onto my back. Peering up at the shadowy figure, I saw the one person I had forgot about.

Growling, I gave him a look of pure disgust and hatred.

Kamil.

"I told you, Luna, I would spill your blood."

———
Author's Note

...heyyyyy. It's me. Sorry to leave you hanging once again. Please don't hate me!

I will update again later this week as long as nothing happens to prevent that... If you didn't know already, someone tried to steal my work. If you would like to report them you may do so, but I have already filed a claim against them. It's sad we have to put up with this as authors, but unfortunately plagiarism and infringement on copyright is common. I know Wattpad will take this seriously and will take the proper measures if they haven't already.

Anyway, for more fun things! We are reaching the end of this book. I hope you have enjoyed this chapter and this book. Thank you for reading! I wouldn't be here without you!

Have a great week! 💕