Chapter 15

I lost every ounce of hope in me when Rhea told me Aethra was dead. What irked me more was the fact that the goddess herself had killed her. She really wanted to punish us. However, with Rhea wanting to help us, I couldn’t help but become a little hopeful again. We needed all the help we could get.
“You’re troubled.” Rhea pointed out, coming to sit beside me on the grass. I was thinking about Zayne. He didn’t know where I was or how to find me. What if Mavros has already gotten to him?
“My brother.” I said, “I want to see him.”
“With every step you took, you left your scent even without knowing. Your twin is a smart man, he should be able to find you in no time.”
“Well, unless it rains.” Hannah added and Azura nodded in agreement. “Rain washes a lot of things.”
“It won’t rain.” Rhea assured me. “Zayne will find you.”
“And I have found you.”
I got to my feet immediately and so did everyone else. Everyone except Rhea. A man with curly black hair and beautiful gray eyes approached us. He was quite built and also tall. A god in a human form. This wasn’t how he was the first time I saw him. He had taken a human form.
“Whose form is this, Aspro?” Rhea finally got up, the corner of her lips twitching into a smile.
“Axel Arcadia. He’ll be born three hundred years from now, so why not enjoy his body in the meantime?” He smiled, averting his gaze from her and to Hannah. “A thief, huh?”
Hannah flashed him a smile. “In the flesh.”
“So, what’s your name?” He asked her, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Hannah Vladimir.”
“The Vladimir? As in Vladimir Vladimir?” His brows drew together, and he massaged his temple. “Somebody tell me why I spoke like that. I don’t talk like that.” He touched his lips.
Rhea let out a sigh. “The personality of the body you took is what you will have until you return his body. Apparently, Axel Arcadia is going to be a friendly guy.”
“Handsome too.” Azura added.
Aspro shook his head in amusement, looking away from Hannah and to Azura. “Doris’ student, correct?”
She nodded. “Yes. My name is Azura.”
“Beautiful name. It’s a pleasure meeting you.”
I could have sworn fireworks had gone off in Azura’s head. I mean, a god had just said it was a pleasure to meet her. She must be thinking, “Me? A pleasure to meet me?” Typical Azura.
“And the woman in need of my help.” His eyes landed on me. “Valeria Romero. How are you holding up?” He pointed to the mark on my neck. “Doesn’t hurt too much, right?” He seemed genuinely concerned. Why couldn’t Mavros be more like him?
“It’s fine as long as I don’t touch it. Thank you for coming.”
He only nodded before sitting on the grass. Whoever this Axel Arcadia was, I sincerely hoped one of my grandchildren would be mates with him. He was really handsome. Friendly, too. Something clicked in my head at the thought of Axel being born three hundred years from now. If… Oh, my goodness. Could it be?
“Axel Arcadia.” I said, causing Aspro to look up to meet my eyes. “If he will be born three hundred years from now, does that mean we don’t die? Does that mean werewolves will survive?”
Aspro closed his eyes before speaking. “All I said was Axel Acadia, yes?” He questioned.
“Yes, but if-”
He cut me off. “I never said Axel would be born a werewolf.” He opened his eyes, “He could be a vampire, a griffin or even a dragon. Whatever Fitia wishes to make him. All we know is that sometime in the future, a boy will be born and his name will be Axel Arcadia. We do not know what supernatural being he will become.”
“Oh.” I said, a wave of disappointment washing over me.
“He would make a very fine werewolf though.” He said, closing his eyes again.
“Stop messing with her head, Aspro.” Rhea told him, going to stand beside him. “Have you found him?”
“It’s hard working with this body, but I’m close. Perhaps I chose a body that isn’t really suitable.”
The way he spoke about Axel’s body was as if he was talking about a shirt and that he had chosen the wrong shirt for the occasion.
“What is he trying to do?” Hannah asked, sharpening her blade on a rock.
“He is trying to pinpoint his brother’s exact location.” Azura answered.
“And?” I raised a brow at her. “What’s next?”
“We go to him.”
<<<>>>
Aspro had said his brother was in a nearby pack and he was killing the pack members. I wasn’t sure, but I was certain it was the packs’ dungeon he had locked me in. I didn’t think I was ready to face him just yet, even though I knew I had to. For my family, for my people. I wasn’t doing this for only me.
“I still don’t understand why Fitia let you come here.” Aspro said to which Rhea smiled. “It makes no sense to me.”
“I agree with him.” Azura spoke carefully, as if she didn’t want to anger them. “She wants to punish us, so why send help?”
Aspro kept mute and his face suddenly became expressionless. He figured something out; I assume. If he did, it definitely wasn’t good. He and Rhea shared a look, and I saw her visibly gulp. They were hiding something from us.
“You know something.” I said, going to stand in front of Aspro. “Tell me. What’s going on?”
He said nothing and just hugged me. At first I was dumbfounded until I felt something try to push itself into my head. It felt like the first time father taught me how to mind link, but this was way more painful. It was as if someone was hitting a hammer at the back of my head.
“What are you doing to her?” I heard Hannah ask.
Placing my hands on his chest, I tried pushing him away, but it wasn’t working. He wouldn’t let go of me.
“Aspro, stop.” Rhea said, her voice shaky. “Don’t show it to her.”
Show me what?
“She has to see it.”
He touched the back of my neck and a gasp escaped my lips when I felt something push my body forward, letting me pass through portals of some sort. Suddenly, it stopped, and I was in a training ground. Chains were bound to a young man who looked very familiar, and the side of his head was bleeding. I began feeling sorry for him until I saw the tattoo on his arm. It read V+Z.
Valeria plus Zayne.
“Zayne!” I screamed on top of my lungs and he looked around the place, searching for who had called his name.
He had bruises on his face, and they looked terrible. A growl erupted from my throat when my mate pushed him forward, not even taking into consideration the fact that he was badly hurt. Zayne fell to the ground, only to get kicked in the gut by Layton.
“Stop!” I screamed, feeling tears pour from my eyes. Layton looked up, his eyes falling on me, and he smiled. He could see me, but Zayne couldn’t. I wanted to run to Zayne and help him, but I couldn’t. My body was still in the fucking forest.
A hand touched my head and just like that, I was back in the forest and my breathing was erratic. I looked up to meet Aspro’s sorry eyes. He felt sorry for me.
“Let me go.” I demanded. “Please.”
“No.” He responded, tightening his hold on me. “I need to reabsorb the god power in your body.”
So, I stayed there. I let him do whatever it was he needed to do. By the time he let go of me, I was certain my eyes were blank and my face, expressionless. All I felt was the intense need to kill, and it was clouding my senses.
“He’ll kill him.” Rhea said, placing her hand on my shoulder.
“Shut up.” I told her, turning to my side to glare at her. God or not, she had no right to tell me by brother was going to die.
“Valeria.” Azura called, her tone sending nothing but warning. I was being disrespectful, and I didn’t care.
“Take me to Zayne. I want to see my brother.”
“Your wish is my command. But remember, my brother could kill you.” Aspro extended his hand for me to hold. “Link hands, all of you.”
I held his hand, ignoring his comment about his brother killing me. Killing Zayne would be as good as killing me. I drew in a deep breath and closed my eyes. Moments went by and nothing happened. I still kept my eyes shut.
“Valeria!”
My eyes immediately became wide open when Zayne screamed my name. He was on his knees and they tied his hands behind him. Without bothering to check with the rest, I dashed forward. All I could see was Zayne, and I wanted to set him free. I needed him alive.
“Go back!” He yelled at me, shaking his head frantically. “Get the hell back!”
A force sent me flying backwards, and I fell close to some pack members. Why weren’t they running?
My body was screaming at me to stay back, but I refused. I looked behind me to see Azura shaking her head at me and surprisingly, Hannah was coming my way with a dagger in her hand. Aspro’s eyes were glowing brightly and Rhea just watched.
“What are you doing?” I asked Hannah as she helped me get up from the ground.
“Making up for the wrongs my father did against your family. I owe you, Valeria. Let me make it up to you.”
Hannah was just being crazy, and I would not stop her from doing the craziest thing ever—fighting a dangerous god. The only thing that mattered was walking out of here alive with my brother.