F O U R T Y - N I N E

NOVA

"There must be someone we can trust?" I looked down at the blueprint of the Lupine Mansion the twins managed to find in my father's office "Someone we can ask for help."

"We're on our own here Star" Nix said, his hand dragging from one end of the map to the other "Is there anyway to get from this point to that point without the Creature noticing?"

"No," Nico said following Phoenix's movements "We would have to pass through an open field in order to get the stables and even then, the stables are large enough to cover our entire group."

"How about we break up into two groups?" Atlas asked "Group Alpha will be the distraction while Group Beta make a break?"

"It's kind of hard to do that when it's specifically tracking Nova" Teo said "It's not like we can clone her and drag her with us."

"What if it's tracking her scent?" Kassian surmised "Can we confuse it by using some of her clothes?"

"I don't think so" Nix crossed his arms "From what you told me, it seems like they're using some sort of blood magik to track her."

"They used blood magik to summon the damn thing" Kassian frowned "I don't think they're using it to track her."

"We can't take that risk" Nix shook his head "We only get one shot at this and we can't leave it up to chance."

I looked down at the map "I have an idea."

I felt three specific sets of eyes burning holes into the side of my head.

"I could join the distraction team..."

"Don't even finish that sentence" Phoenix warned with a low growl "We are not letting you out of our sight."

"Like you said," I looked at him "We only get one shot at this. While I distract the creature, you three could escape and go get reinforcements. We need all the help we could get if it we're going to face this creature."

"As talented as they are" Atlas winced as his eyes slid to his brother and the twins "I don't necessarily trust them with you."

"Why not?" I countered "You said it yourself, you've trained your brother to be an Heir guard so I know he's highly skilled. As for the twins..."

"As for the twins I know that they wouldn't let anything happen to me" I looked at them and noticed that they not only tensed but stood a tad bit straighter than usual "They're named the Butchers for a reason."

All three of them shook their head simultaneously.

"Why not?" I demanded "This is the best option we have so far."

"Too dangerous" Nix said, his tone conveying the end of discussion "You need to be with us. We're the only ones that can protect you."

"That's what Atlas thought" I pointed to the big oaf "And look where that got him? Comatose for nearly two weeks."

"Hey!"

I ignored his indignant shout of protest "They can protect me while you go for help."

Nix's blue eyes flashed "Absolutely not."

"I need a reason Phoenix" I jutted my chin at him "This is the best plan we've come up with so far. Why are you so against it?"

Phoenix just stared at me, his strong jaw clenched tightly.

"Everyone who isn't a Heir, get the hell out of here and take a walk around the parameter" He said "Lock the door on your way out."

Xòlo slapped his brother's shoulder on the way out, sending me a wink as he hooked an around around each of the twins shoulders.

When the door clicked closed, all three men turned to me as I crossed my arms.

"If your parents are involved in this freak show, then that means that they know every single one of your moves" I said "They know how you think because, like you said Nix, they had a hand in training you."

"They don't know everything" Kassian said softly "While they did train us in the beginning of our lives, mostly their Heir side of things, they weren't there for the actual training aspect of our journey."

"We'd be daft to think that they don't have spies in the Academy" I said, looking towards Kassian "You said that there were at least eight or nine people there, right?"

He nodded.

"So, there still could be a chance that your parents wouldn't go after you if you're separated from me."

"I can assure you that wouldn't be the case in my situation" A snort left Nix's full lips "You wouldn't need to be with me for my father to seize the opportunity to get rid of me if a convenient opportunity presented itself."

"I don't understand why though" I whispered "You're his son. You guys are their children. Why would they willingly want to get rid of you? Their Heirs?"

"People are willing to do anything, including murdering their entire family if it means keeping their fist secured tightly around their desired power" His eyes darkened further "Lobo and I have much more compliant younger siblings that will snap underneath the pressures of our father's and give in to their every whim."

"Which is why we need to stay together" Atlas said, his tone serious "We're stronger as a group and while our parents might know how we think and act individually, they don't know how we are as a cohesive group."

"It just doesn't make sense though" I shook my head "If they're gonna come after all of us regardless, there I don't see why I can't be apart of the distraction."

I watched in vivid fascination as the three of them had a legitimate silent conversation right in front of my eyes.

Nix shook his head firmly while Atlas nodded towards me, his eyes bugging out in emphasis.

"This is freaking painful to watch" I stated dryly, "Do you want me to step outside too while you three finish your conversation or are you going to finally fill me in?"

"We shouldn't be having this conversation right now" Nix said, shaking his head "She doesn't deserve to find out like this."

"We have to tell her Nix" Kassian sighed "It's her right to know why we're against this plan of hers."

"Not like this" Phoenix growled "Not when we haven't even had a fucking chance to show her what it means to be Mates."

"Mates?" I asked, my interest definitely piqued now since I've heard that term mentioned in passing over a few times at the Academy "What about Mates?"

"How much do you know about Mates?" Kass asked softly.

"Not much" I admitted "I've heard the term around school, and Atlas told me a little about his Mom and Aunt, but I've never had time to research it more."

"Mates, in our world, are something very sacred to all of our people regardless of the Pack" Atlas said softly, his eyes locked on me with an unknown emotion crossing his amber eyes "Typically, wolves only have one mate for the rest of their lives."

"In rare cases some wolves might have two" Nix said "But almost always, in that case where another mate is possible, the second destined mate is found once the first one passes."

"So there can't be multiple mates existing at one time?"

Another secretive look between the three.

"We've never heard of more than one person being mated to multiple people at the same time" Kassian said slowly "Usually..."

One of my brows raised "Usually?"

"Apparently there was an exception made."

"For who?" I blinked at them and was about to ask more questions when a huge boom sounded from the back of the property.

A large hand grabbed me and pushed me underneath the breakfast island.

Slams sounded from within the house before pairs of footsteps came running into the kitchen.

"HAUL ASS!" Xòlo screamed as he passed us "THAT FUCKING THING JUST BROKE IN!"

Curses surrounded me as Phoenix lifted me up in one swoop and hauled me over his shoulder.

"HOW THE FUCK DID THAT HAPPEN?!" He snarled at the twins "I THOUGHT WE HAD ANOTHER WEEK?!"

"We did!" Nico growled back, reaching for his bag of weapons "We did have a week but there was a factor I didn't anticipate!"

"And what the fuck was that?"

"That fucking thing was able to track down and kill the witch protecting this place" Teo answered for his brother, his face grim and pale "Which should have been impossible since the witch was at least one hundred and fifty years old and would only appear when she wanted to."

Kassian sucked in a breath "So that means..."

"Every barrier or spell she ever created is crumbling" Teo answered "And once they come down completely, we'll be sitting ducks."

"Let me down Nix" I whispered "We need to do this...Now."

~~~~

Wolfies!

I can't believe we have 2-3 chapters left before the finale! It's exciting but also bittersweet at the same time! And while everything might not make sense right now, it will in the next book of the series!