Chapter 40: Chapter 40

Axel:

The wizard’s b***d dripped from my hands as life fled from his eyes.

He’s the third one we have killed in the last few hours in our attempt to get Harley home safely.

They all keep telling us the same thing and it isn’t getting any easier to hear.

If what they say is true, then it will be another twenty-nine days before the portal opens for anyone other than Alistair.

I was sitting at the old man’s kitchen table drinking his expensive bourbon while Atlas washed his hands.

“What the f**k do we do? This is the second time now that this mother fucker has got to her.” Atlas was drying his hands off while I fit the urge to tell him the truth.

“We shouldn’t have let her mark us. She’s too f*****g good for us and we can’t even protect her in her own home.” My eyes had been blacked out by my wolf since I saw him cross that threshold with her and it closed up behind them.

“You don’t mean that. You love her as much as I do. You’re just upset that she was taken by the same bastard that let her be beaten to death. I’m upset too, but we can’t mope about it. That isn’t getting anything done. Let’s go. Someone in this f*****g realm has to be able to open that portal.” He tossed his wet cloth at me and then left through the same door that I just kicked off the hinges.

I left the table with the bourbon in hand. I’ll get her back if that’s the last thing I do. And when she’s back safe where she’s supposed to be, that filthy bloodsucking b***h dies.

Atlas:

Axel can’t have a rational thought right now and as badly as I want to join in his chaos, one of us has to remain level-headed to get our girl back.

“You boys need to get home now. You aren’t going to believe this.” Doris had texted ten minutes ago but I hadn’t had the chance to read it.

“Not now, Nana. Not until we find someone to open that damn thing.” I replied.

“Now, Atlas. All of your answers are sitting in your office chair.” Her reply was quick but it had my interest.

We’re only about forty-five minutes from home. Twenty if we shift and run it.

“Let’s go, brother. Nana found something.” I grumbled, throwing my cell and wallet into the car.

I shifted into my wolf, my brother was already running. If we don’t get her back soon, he is going to go feral.

Axel shifted before strolling through the front door of the pack house and into the elevator, barely giving me time to come through the elevator doors before hitting one.

We both stopped in our tracks as Doris stood in the living area with her face flushed like a giddy schoolgirl.

“What did you find Nana?” I asked, kissing the top of her head.

“I didn’t find anything. It was sent to you by the goddess.” She said with an excited smirk.

“Well, where is it,” Axel grumbled.

“HE is in your office.” Doris pointed out,

“He?” Axel and I asked in unison.

“Go! Don’t keep him waiting,” She murmured in a hushed whisper.

Axel and I walked into our office to find a monster of a dude tucked into the office chair swiveling back and forth.

“What can we do for you?” Axel asked calmly.

“More like what can I do for you boys.” His voice was graveled like it was an inconvenience that he was in OUR office.

“What the f**k is this?” Axel turned, asking Doris, who now had wide eyes and rosier cheeks.

“Boys… that… he… is… The Nemean Lion.” She whispered.

“The Nemean Lion?” Axel asked with a raised brow and a shit-eating grin.

The man stood making his way to us. He only stood taller by a few inches but his aura was godly.

“Mother cannot interfere, despite her great anger at the way this is going this time around.” He said with his orange eyes glowing brightly.

“So what? What are we doing here and how does it relate to getting Harley back?” Axel asked.”

“Do you know the meaning behind me boy?” the man growled, inching closer.

“You were created by the goddess for Hera… slain by Hercules.” Doris chimed in, star-struck.

“That’s the story humans tell. This is true. My sole meaning of creation was to overcome selfishness… and you both are disgustingly selfish.” He spoke to both of us.

Axel and I both growled at the stranger, claiming to be something no one had seen before.

He chuckled smugly, seeming unthreatened by us. He clearly has no idea who we are or the reputations we have earned for ourselves.

“Enough you two.” Came the voice of a woman from inside the conference area that hadn’t been closed since Harley had taken over the bookshelves inside.

Doris’s whole body shifted pin straight and her breathing grew ragged.

“Oh, Goddess.” She mumbled.

From inside the room, a brightly glowing woman stepped out. I rubbed my eyes doing a double take at her gown. It looked like she tore the fabric of the night sky and sewn it into a long flowing gown.

“As Leo said, I cannot interfere in these matters. Nothing says I cannot put things in motion. Here is the thing… the year the two of you turned eighteen was the year of the moon. Because of the poor leadership and the choices you made, Harley wasn’t marked the night that was written in history. The two of you threw a literal boulder through history that was written long before your births and you just… never mind, I am getting off track. Major things are happening right now that are detrimental to the supernatural worlds.” My wolf stood in attention in front of the goddess, but me… I was struggling.

“Harley has been mated to your souls in every past life. You three always make your way back to each other. The last time… her soul did not make its way to you… it made it to someone else instead.” That had all my attention.

“The last time Harley’s soul walked this earth it was still as a powerful wolf, the same as always, but her wolf never encountered her mates. Eventually, her father fell into hardship and courted her away for his payment to a vampire. They loved each other dearly… endlessly even. I felt I had made a mistake, but I couldn’t change what was written. She fell pregnant by some miracle, and died in the birth of her daughter who still carried out the purpose that was intended.” Her voice trailed off like she was seeing the past play on the walls.

“The vampire had such a hard time letting her go that her soul stayed stuck there with him. She could not reincarnate. It wasn’t until the vampire made love to her sister, that he was able to release her. Thus, Harley was born. It has been three hundred years since your souls were forced to exist without hers. But because Harley was mated to Alistair in a past life, I am fearful the past may repeat itself.” My b***d boiled with the thoughts of that bastard trying to touch Harley.

Axel yelled, throwing the coffee table against the wall.

The goddess reached out, touching him lightly on the forehead.

“I know your pain, my child, just know I am determined to keep this from happening twice. The supernatural deserves peace just as much as the three of you do.” She said, rubbing his shaggy hair from his eyes.

“What’s with the lion?” Axel grumbled as she removed her hand.

“It was your mistake this time that gave the vampire the ability to seek her out. As Leo said, he stands for overcoming selfishness and ego, something you two still struggle with. Leo is going to lead you on the quest that will result in that portal being opened for you without waiting twenty-nine days.” Her grace was abundant, but her eyes glowed with the anger she held for us.

“Do not cross over without the moon to lead.” Doris recited a line from Harley’s vision.

“She can open the portal boys!” Doris giggled, patting our arms.

The goddess nodded sweetly at Doris.

“I can, but only if they are successful in their journey.” She said, looking back at us.

“Whatever we need to do to get our mate back, we will do it,” Axel said, puffing his chest out.

“I am glad you feel that way, boy. Because this is never an easy journey.” The man’s smirk stretched wide like he knew we f****d up by agreeing without asking what it was first.

Not that it mattered. What it is, or how hard it will be… None of that matters. Harley is all that matters to us now and we will both do whatever it takes to get her back to us.