Chapter 76

Sterling
Lukas left, leaving him alone with his youngest biological daughter. She had grown up to be such a beautiful, strong woman. The last time he had seen her before she was given up as a breeder, she had been so unsure and timid. Gregory had been good for her, just like Aiden had been good for Sasha. She had very quickly developed into who she was meant to be, as did her older sister with their mates by their sides. Her red hair and green eyes made him miss her mother.
She was so loving towards the little girl that would grow up to be Lukas’s mate. Both of his daughters were. He turned his attention to his newly adopted daughter. Her worry over Lukas and Sasha was a precious gift in his eyes. It made him believe that the Goddess had finally done right for his family by giving them mates that truly loved them. Little Lily would always be welcomed in his home as his daughter and if anybody ever threatened her, there would be hell to pay. He would make sure of it.
“Daddy? Would you like to play a game with us?”
He smiled at her. “Sure, pumpkin. What game?”
He loved to hear them call daddy. It made him feel like he had always been there for them. It made him feel like everything was right with the world, with his world. He had longed for so many years to hear it. He had treasured Lukas, but had missed his girls something fierce and now there were three of them. He was truly a lucky man.
“Lily wanted to play hide and seek.”
“Sure. Who’s seeking first?”
“You are silly,” Lily giggled. “It’s only fair, since you’re the only boy.”
“Oh! Why didn’t I think-”
The hair on the back of his neck stood up and he moved swiftly towards the window. People were creeping through the courtyard. He growled. He pulled the curtains closed after locking the window. He glanced at Kalani.
“Get her to the safe room. Do not come out until I come and tell you it’s safe.”
“On it.”
He sprinted out of the room and stood on the landing. He felt Kalani and Lily run past him. The door burst open and he let out a growl that shook the castle, rattling the chandelier.
“Anastasia!”
His fated mate smirked at him. “Well, well, well. We meet again. Where is that bitch of a daughter of ours?”
He bared his teeth. Bitch of a daughter? He knew she wasn’t talking about Kalani. She was pure which was unusual considering her upbringing. He didn’t reply, trying to buy the girls enough time to get to the safe room. Anastasia rolled her eyes and wiggled her fingers. Energy surrounded him and he was forced down the stairs and outside.
‘We have to shift,’ Magdon whispered in his head. ‘It’s the only way to break the spell. We can’t let them get the girls.’
‘Do it.’
As soon as he was made to kneel in front of the mother of his children, he let Magdon out. Anastasia and the half a dozen other people she was with were knocked backwards. He moved to block the door. Anastasia laughed coldly as she got back to her feet.
“You were always weak,” she taunted. “You never saw how much that other bitch loved you. She would have done anything for you. I want you to know that I took such pleasure in killing her.”
She put her hands together and pulled them apart. A ball of red energy grew between her hands. He stomped on the ground and growled. She smirked.
“After I kill you, I’m going to take my daughter back. I might even take the little whore, too. Make sure all your children just like mine are dead.”
‘Over my dead body,’ Magdon muttered.
‘Careful, Mag. She’s crazy,’ Sterling warned.
She threw the ball at him and Magdon let out a blast of fire. Her energy ball was absorbed, before his fire wrapped around her. She moaned softly and he cursed. Marking her had been such a bad idea. Now his fire was even more useless against her. He should have had someone else stay. Like Ethan. She approached him slowly.
“Come on, baby. Let’s not fight,” she called out to him.
Sterling ground his teeth together as he tried to fight the mate bond pull to her. She knew what she was doing. She had always been so manipulative. She lunged at him and he cursed. There was only one way to protect his girls. He opened his mouth and swallowed her. She slid down his throat. His head snapped around to glare at the other people there. Wait, there were less of them now. Where did they go? Pain shot through him. His stomach churned and he upchucked everything. Anastasia came sliding out as he collapsed on the ground. Magdon faded and he grew cold. He raised his head weakly to look at her. She waved a small black velvet bag in front of his face.
“The only sure way to kill a dragon,” she shouted triumphantly.
She dumped some of the contents out onto her hand.
“Ice crystals,” she informed him gleefully.
His vision swam and he tried to stand back up. He had to protect his girls. He tried to open the link to Lukas, but he couldn’t muster enough strength. Screaming came from behind him and he tried to look, but Anastasia forced his snout back into the ground. Kalani and Lily were dragged into his line of vision. He could see Kalani wanting to shift and he shook his head. If she shifted, Lily was dead. Kalani met his eyes and tears poured down her face.
“Daddy.”
He tried to stand again. He had to get to them. He had to protect his girls. Anastasia took the bag and poured the rest of the contents into his nostrils. She tossed her back, laughing as his body jerked, before becoming paralyzed. Kalani thrashed and Lily watched silently, tears on her face. Anastasia clapped her hands.
“We got what we came for. Back to the safe house.”
Sterling tried once again to get to his feet, but his body was too weak to move. His human side weeped for his girls as he was forced to watch Anastasia take them away. He had failed them. Again. He deserved to die. He deserved it, but they didn’t.
‘Goddess, please, protect my girls. Don’t let them be harmed. Please, buy them time until the others can get to them. Please.’
He hoped she heard his silent plea. It was the only thing he could do. She had given them to him. His only hope was that she wouldn’t take them, too. He hoped that she knew he would gladly take their places.
‘Please,’ he tried again weakly, before losing consciousness.