Chapter 23

Kalani
‘WAKE UP!,’ her internal voice screeched at her.
Her body jerked awake and she cried out when her chest felt like it was being crushed. Pain erupted between her legs and she rolled over trying to soothe it. She whimpered as it was the only sound that she could get to come out. More pressure came, pressing deeper. Her back arched and tears poured down her face. She tossed the blankets off of her and pulled her nightgown up. There was nothing between her legs that would cause that amount of pain. The pain came again and she screamed out. Her body shook wildly, before little sparks of energy were expelled from her body. Moments later, the pain was cut off and her body collapsed, leaving her panting in a puddle of what she assumed was urine. An explosion rocked her bed, shaking the entire room briefly. Her head snapped up.
“Aja!”
She darted out of the bed and burst into Aiden’s room. He was standing at the window, staring out. He looked at her over his shoulder.
“Did you feel that, too?,” he asked, his anxiety very apparent.
She blinked and tried to speak. Her oxygen felt like it was being cut off and she buckled. Aiden ran across the room to catch her before she hit the ground. He lifted her up and she leaned into him.
“Sasha,” she whispered. “Something is wrong with Sasha.”
He stared down at her for a millisecond before sprinting out of the room with her still in his arms. He ran down the hall to the staircase, jumping them entirely. He gracefully landed on the landing below and continued to race towards the beta’s room. They rounded a corner and dropped. She screamed out, but his arms tightened around her as wings came out of his back. They flapped crazily, slowing their descent. She clung to him, sobbing hysterically. When she felt the small thud of his feet hitting the ground, she looked around. Piles of rubble covered the ground. Panic took her over and she leapt out of his arms. She darted between the piles, before sinking to her knees in front of one to their left. She began digging, throwing brick after brick away from the pile.
“SASHA! SASHA! HOLD ON! I’M COMING! PLEASE, DON’T BE DEAD!”
A loud roar came from behind her and she was yanked backwards. She landed against someone and electricity moved over her skin. Gregory set her back against the castle wall.
“Stay here!”
He hurried to who she assumed was the king’s side. Gregory’s body shimmered and a large, emerald green scaly body with humongous wings suddenly stood where he had been seconds before. He worked side by side with the king’s crimson beast, tossing huge piles of the broken rock away from the pile. After a few minutes, the king’s taloned hand was pushed up. He backed away slowly and his long neck lowered to look at what was preventing his forward progress. His body tensed and he began to scratch at a light in the ground as little cries came from his chest. His movements became frantic and he tossed his head back to send a horrid scream into the sky, followed by a stream of fire. Kalani jumped to her feet and dashed over to the dragons. She looked into the hole they had dug and gasped. Sasha lay in the middle of the light with her shirt torn down the middle. She wore no pants and there was blood on her thigh. Her left eye was swollen shut and she had bruises all over the skin that was exposed. Fingerprint sized bruises were on her thighs and neck.
Kalani sank to her knees beside her, reaching for her sister with trembling hands. The light burned her skin for a moment, before letting her hand pass through it. Her hand landed on Sasha’s skin and pain made her body jerk. The force of it made her body bend backwards until her head touched the ground behind her. Kalani vaguely registered Gregory’s and Aiden’s worried faces above her, before the light surrounding Sasha was sucked into her body and she hit the ground. She managed to raise her head a few inches to see that Sasha had hit the ground, too, unprotected by the shield. She started to drift off and small sparks moved over her skin as Gregory lifted her up into his arms. Her body slid into a semi- unconscious state. She felt like she was floating and she was completely unable to make sense of where she was being carried.
“What the fuck just happened?,” Aiden panted as the men dashed through the castle.
“No idea. Did you call the clan doctors?”
“Yes, they are coming.”
They fell silent. Kalani was laid on something soft. A warm body was placed beside her and she shifted towards it slightly. Fingers moved over her face and her pain started to be soothed.
“Annie, are you awake?,” Gregory’s soft voice asked.
She tried to nod, tried to respond, but the almost comatose state she was in prevented her. Hands moved over her, before a growl filled the air.
“What did you do to her?,” Gregory hissed at Aiden.
“What do you mean? I didn’t do anything?”
“She has blood on her thighs. Look!”
Her pajamas were pulled up a little. Aiden growled.
“What the fuck is going on?”
She was shifted on the bed and her legs were spread. Someone knelt between her legs and warmth started spreading through her body as Gregory’s tongue began to clean the blood off of her. Her body shivered when his mouth moved over her vagina, licking slowly as he checked her for injury. Tingles spread through her body and she moaned softly. Her body started to get aroused and he groaned.
“This damn mate bond!”
Aiden laughed. “Tell me about it.”
The pain completely disappeared and she shot straight up. She leaned forward and upchucked all over Gregory who growled as he moved back. Kalani’s eyes went wide and she reached for him.
“I’m so sorry-”
Another load of vomit escaped and he jumped back. Aiden burst out laughing, earning him a glare from Gregory. Sasha moaned softly, rolling over onto her side. She tumbled out of the bed and Aiden caught her. Kalani turned towards her.
“Aja, are you okay?”
Sasha covered her face with her hands, trembling. A second later, she turned her head and bile hit everything in a five foot radius, before she collapsed against Aiden. He kissed the top of her head.
“Feel better, my love?”
“Wha- what happened?,” she rasped out.
He sat on the edge of the bed, cradling her in his arms. “We were hoping you could tell us.”
“I don’t know. I was asleep and I had a dream.. and then I woke up here.”
Kalani climbed over the bed to lay her head on her sister’s shoulder. “Aja, I think you were raped,” she whispered.
Aiden stiffened and Gregory stopped trying to clean her vomit out of his hair.
“Excuse me?”
Kalani closed her eyes. “I felt it. I woke up in pain and I thought I peed on myself, but I’m betting we will find blood in my bed.” She turned her head to meet Gregory’s eyes. “The king didn’t touch me. He has been nothing but kind to me. Please, don’t think bad of him.” She took her sister’s hand. “Aja, how are you feeling?”
“I- I feel fine. My chest hurts.”
Kalani stroked her hand. “So does mine. Why didn’t you tell me you had magic?”
“I don’t. What are you talking about?”
“When we found you, you had a shield around you.”
Sasha nuzzled deeper into Aiden’s arms. “Stop lying.”
“I’m not.”
Her eyes opened and her usual green eyes were almost black. No iris showed and gold spots could be seen.
“Watch yourself,” she hissed. “Do not anger me!”
Kalani’s mind stretched before snapping back into shape. Her back straightened and she dropped Sasha’s hand.
“I saved your life, Reina,” Kalani growled.
Sasha’s lips curled back showing her teeth. “Submit!”
“NO!”
Sasha’s body began to flutter and the sound of bones cracking filled the air. The men exchanged nervous glances. Kalani crept closer, reaching for her sister.
“Sasha?” She worriedly looked at Aiden. “What’s happening to her?”
Aiden’s jaw clenched as he struggled to hold onto her twisting body.
“She’s shifting.”
“Impossible. We have no shifter blood.”
Aiden shifted on the bed to lay her flat. “Your mother lied to you. We have information that says differently.”
Sasha’s body stopped wavering and she sat straight up. She lifted her hand, pointing at Gregory.
“Submit!”
“Sasha-”
The hairs on the back of Kalani’s stood up and she leapt in front of her mate as energy jumped from Sasha’s fingers, spiraling towards Gregory. It hit her in the chest and she collapsed. Pain ravaged her system, her eyes rolled back in her head and her mouth started to foam. She pitched forward towards the floor and straight into darkness.