55: Ada's POV

The trio approached and the only one of them to look at all amused was Fane.

When they neared, Alpha King Everett and Elizabeth broke off and disappeared into the castle wordlessly. Fane-- Finn-- stepped around the three tense princes and pulled me into a hug, "Ada Marie Lennox, it is so good to be able to greet you properly this time," he lifted me from the ground, "We have a lot to talk about. I assumed you'd want your mates present."

He set me back on my feet and I blinked. Darius had whirled, fingertips extending into claws, a growl deep within his chest. Phoenix was also on alert, eyes pure silver and his body was in a fighting stance. Nik was the only one who seemed to not react and instead tugged on his jacket sleeve, speaking coolly, "Finn. Can you start with why you alligned yourself with the Midnight Pack before you get all 'family reunion' on us?"

Darius blinked at this brother, cocking his head to the side, "You know each other?"

"Mentor of sorts," Finn winked at me and took three large steps back, shoving his hands in his pockets, "I heard of a rebellion forming against the Ashford family. I did my job," he narrowed his gaze on Nik, "As I promised your mother before she passed. I allied with them because I needed to get Ada out. I didn't know if she was here yet," his thin, pale lips stretched back into a small smile, "The person that contacted me was planning to use her to get to one of you, but I don't know which. I could barely make sense of her thoughts."

"Who?" I furrowed my eyebrows, the chiffon skirt billowing in the breeze, "Who contacted you?"

"Georgina," Finn held my gaze, "She's been heading the rebellion with Francine. Power hungry bitches, let me tell you."

Whatever shock that coursed throuhg my veins was interrupted by Phoenix's voice, "You were made while we were there. Who was it?"

"Bryant remembered me," he sighed, "I thought he would have forgotten me, given his reputation amongst my kind. I miscalculated."

"Not common for a vampire King," Darius joined the conversation, back rigid and claws still out, "How about you explain to me how you know my mate and my brother?"

Finn's friendly expression faded as he took in Darius' lethal expression. The sky above us seemed to darken. I glanced up and saw what appeared to be shadows moving to cover the garden at a rapid pace. Darius glanced up and swallowed. Finn took a step toward Darius, the entire movement completely silent to my wolf ears. He sneered and moved his pointer finger in a circular motion. Shadows swirled around Darius' neck, tightening. The prince's face turned red, then purple.

As he sputtered, Finn finally spoke, "I outrank you, boy. I am king of my people and didn't betray anyone I cared about to get there," Darius' eyes bulged, "I have about a thousand years on you in age and more magick in my pinky finger than you have in your entire body," the shadows fell from Darius' throat as his eyes started to roll back into his head, "I will explain whatever I please to you and nothing more, child."

Darius gasped for air, clutching at his throat. My body had gone rigid as I watched him struggle for air, but when he looked to me to help him, I made no movement in his direction. He hung his head as sweat beaded down his forehead. I rolled my shoulders back, meeting Finn's odd eyes, "And what about me, dear uncle?" I tried out the term, "Will you explain it to me?"

Finn bowed his head, "I am your mother's fated mate, Ada. Not your uncle. When you were young, she had you call me that and would tell your father she was visiting her brother," he glanced at Nik, "She is alive, but cannot return to you," the world around him seemed to slow, "Being fated mates with a different species from your own is complicated."

"What?" my voice broke, my eyes darting betweent he three princes, "What does that mean?"

"If she dies, Finn dies," Nik grabbed my face, "She can't come to you because there is danger and she will not risk his life."

"If she dies, you die?" I whispered, looking passed Nik at Finn. He nodded and I snapped, "So vampires die when their mate does? It isn't like with wolves?" Finn shook his head and I looked back at Nik, "My mom is alive."

"I know," he whispered, dropping his hands form my cheeks and wrapping an arm around my waist, "I'm sorry you can't be with her."

Phoenix averted his gaze from mine when I looked at him. Meanwhile, Darius eyes were practically boring a hole into me. I clucked my tongue, "And Nik?"

"I was with his mother in the Forest of the Forgotten when she gave birth," Finn explained, "She knew your mother and was not like other wolves. Her wolf had magick and she was moving down a dark path. Your mother, Ada, asked me to help her. I set up a meeting in the forest because it was the only safe place for me," he shook his head, eyes meeting Nik's, "I had no idea she was pregnant or so close to giving birth. But she went into labor and I helped to deliver the child, but it was too early and he was too weak," Finn sighed, "She begged me to save him as she was bleeding out. I did the only thing I could think of in the moment."

He paused. Darius' eyes went wide, his mouth dropping in horror as he looked at his brother. Phoenix shook his head, his voice weak, "You fed him your blood."

"And then his mother's," Finn whispered, "I stuck around to keep an eye on him as he grew, to see what would come of the blood."

"When the shadows started, Finn appeared and offered to train me," Nik added, swallowing beside me, "I would go into the Forest of the Forgotten and he would teach me what he could."

"Most days he ended up teaching me," Finn's thick accent didn't fit the warm smile on his face, "I just can't figure out why Georgina is hellbent on bringing this family down. She isn't power hungry like her mother," he changed the subject before anyone could ask him any questions.

"Well," Phoenix whispered, scratching the back of his head, "*That* I might be able to answer."