Gaining Trust

Valcan moaned. There were bright colors swimming before him. Silk and satin danced along his skin. Fangs sunk into his neck. Fangs?

He opened his eyes and said, "Though I do not mind, you are supposed to wait for the prince to examine you."

Im sorry I couldn't help it it was like I wasn't in control...I can't think....I need you

"As I said, I do not mind," he replied. "But until we know how to handle your awakened abilities, we cannot..."

Please...... she moaned in his head and her hand brushed his member

He groaned and said, "Paige, are you trying to get the prince to punish you alongside me?"

please....please vulcan i need you, I needed you so bad it hurts she begged in his head as her arousal hit his nose

He cursed in Carpathian and said, "We cannot. I am sorry."

She released his neck and licked it out of instinct "do you not want me?" She asked in a sad tone

"Of course I do!" he said in shock. "This is just a precaution. After what happened during your conversion, I want you to be safe. The prince wants it safe for others."

"It hurts...I want you so bad....I've never felt like this, please ask the prince ..I need you" she moaned

Valcan nodded and said, Xavier, Paige wishes to have some time together as lifemates.

I told you to put her to sleep if she woke up, why didn't you

She was feeding, he said. I awoke to her feeding from me and didn't want to disturb her, but I did try to reason with her. Perhaps you could talk to her?

A moment later she went stiff and he felt her fear, she moved away from him

"What's wrong?" Valcan asked. "What did Xavier say to you?"

She shook her head as she paled "nothing...can you put me to sleep"

"Tell me when you are ready," he said as he put her back to sleep.

However, inside, he was angry. What the hell did you tell her, Xavier?!

what you wouldn't , now if you can't follow the order to put her to sleep then I will have to separate you two

Xavier, I will do as you ask, just tell me what you said to scare her.

I don’t have to tell you anything Xavier said in authoritative tone now I have been more then forgiving, given your Circumstances but if you disobey me one more time I will separate you both

Fine, said Valcan.

Paige did not wake up again that evening and Vulcan had a feeling she wouldn’t anytime soon.
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Apollo jumped awake. Lily was screaming. He tried to get her to see him, but nothing worked and he did not want her to wake Cassandra. He entered the child's mind as saw that she seemed to be running, but it was not her.

"Lily, calm down, baby girl," he said, pulling him to her protectively. "It is alright. We will help this person. Tell me what you can about them. It will help us save them."

The person running was running towards the school , apollo could see the gates "my brother!" Lily cried

"Ill bring him here," said Apollo. "Tell me how to get him to come with me. Your mother will wish to see him." He said

She put her arms around his neck “please...take me with you”

He looked at her and said, "If I do this, you must listen to me. Once we get to the edge of the school's protective barrier, it could get dangerous. If you don't listen, you could get hurt and your mother will never forgive me. Will you do as I say?"

She nodded desperately "please...he is my twin"

He put her on his back and ran. He went past the gate. When they got close he stopped.

"He will be here soon," he said, setting the twelve year old on the ground. "Stand just a little behind me and keep your brother from leaving. I have Landon and Maddox coming to meet us in case we need aid." He placed a barrier around her big enough for five of her. "Do not leave this barrier or the enemy may try to use you to harm him and me. Call your brother by his name and invite only him in, no one else."

"He is alone please let me go to him" she begged

"He was running, Lily," said Apollo. "If he is alone and no danger is nearby when he stops, you will be free of the barrier and can reunite with your brother. You have my word. I will not keep him from you."

"We are connected I would know he is just trying to get to me please....please let me out" she begged

Apollo smiled and said, "You need only to step out. The barrier is meant to keep people out, not hold you in. If you exit, you would be exposed. If you know he is alone, I will act as your guardian while you two catch up and tell him his mother is safe."

A minute later a wolf broke the tree line, it was young and looked skinny, it stopped when it saw apollo, it looked at lily and growled yet its tail was between it's legs "he is alone" lily said and bolted for him

Apollo stayed back and leaned against a tree, watching over them, saying, "As promised, you are with your brother. Young man, you do not need to be in your wolf form. I am a friend, a healer. I can take you to your mother, who is safe in the healing caves. It appears you also need blood and healing. Follow me and I can do all those things."

He shifted when she got close and she tackled him. They looked almost identical except he had a manly structure to his face. He held her close and cradled her in his lap. He looked at apollo " I've seen you in my dreams, I trust you" he said in a serious tone, he sound much to old for his age

Apollo nodded and said, "Your mother was hurt badly. I am trying to heal her, but the monster hurt her badly. He almost made her forget her true name. I know you probably don't understand this, but I am her lifemate, the one fate has said is to be with her. I am trying my best to earn her trust but her life these past few years has made that difficult without being in alpha mode. I may sound stern at times, but I want you to understand that it is only so she can handle the situation. With your help, I would like to bring her back to her true self. Will the both of you do that? For your future father?"

He was silent for a moment and then helped his sister to her feet "I helped train her, I can help you" he said

Apollo took his arm in a warrior's greeting and said, "Not without cost you. I doubt anything you and your siblings did was of your own free will. If it was, it was out of survival. Come. We must get you healed and fed. What is your name?"

"I came first when we were born, I'm number twelve " he said

Apollo shook his head and said, "Not the number given to make you an object. The name she gave when Lily and you were born."

“I never got a name, I was raised outside of the barrier, males were killed instantly. I never knew how she got me out but if I have a name I need to go by I go by the one my sister gave me, Adam” he said

"Adam, it is an honor to meet you," he said. "Let's get to the healing caves. Your mother will wake soon and having you and Lily there will make her very happy."

“She will not be happy, I look like my father more then I do her, I also bring news of my siblings that will break her” he said in almost a emotionless tone

"I see none of him in you," said Apollo. "I see a warrior. Perhaps if you grow your hair out, you will look less like him? And once you fill out after feeding, his image will also be lost to her." He put his hand on Adam's shoulder. "You are far from being like him. If you let me, I can train you and help you begin your journey on the honorable path. What do you say, son?"

He looked at his hand and held in a growl and stepped back “I say it’s best not to touch me, and I’m not your son....” he said in a aggravated tone “my father is bullock, now I understand I don’t have to be like him but I will not disown him no matter what” he said in a stern tone “I said I trusted you and I meant it, but that does not make us family” he said

"I never asked you to disown your father," said Apollo. "I apologize if it sounded like that. I will not lie, I would like you to see me as a father figure or a stepfather, but I will not force that. If you do one day, I would be honored. As for the news, you will need to proceed with caution when telling your mother. Cassandra's mind is fragile at this time."

“Of course it is” he said and started walking, his sister close behind him holding his hand “he broke her well, I’m surprised she lasted a year let alone twelve” he said in a low tone “he was a strong alpha before he was turned and lost his mate, just like when your men fall and they keep their knowledge it was the same for him, only he had different sides of him that would show and that’s why you are helping her wrong” he said and began to tell him about his three distinct personalities

"I'm trying," said Apollo said. "But I cannot do as he has done and force my will upon her. That would be like cutting off my own arm or ripping out my heart. I can be stern when needed, be an alpha, but I do not want a slave or object. I want my lifemate."

“That’s your loophole, my fathers alpha side died with his mate, she has never been exposed to a true alpha and the stronger she gets the more she will be affected by it, my father was a pure blood lycan, that side will always be more dominant, you need to dominate her the only way a alpha can, but you will struggle because your Carpathian at heart, my advise is to find the pack my father belonged to and take her there and learn from them, I have tracked them to somewhere in Italy “ he said

"I have family in Brazil who have always been Guardians," he said. "They live in Peru and are in touch with their wolves more. On their Ranch, they have an alpha, the leader they all listen to. I had to train with them, but I never thought about their alpha nature with their women. Yes, I think a trip to see Lycan alphas will be very enlightening for me. When her wounds are healed, we will travel."

“I wish to permanently stay with my fathers pack” said the boy “it would also be good for lily, her mate is there” he added “and if you want her wounds to heal quickly there is a way”

"Very well," said Apollo. "Lily may stay. But we do not heal wounds with magic unless it is dire. Right now, the worse part is that he had almost reached your mother's organs. There is a great deal from her stomach missing. I cannot replace it, but it is dangerous not to have that muscle there."

“I know someone who can and who will, she is my mother and while you may thing this is not a dire situation I do, so of your not willing to help her then I will” he said in a judgmental tone

"If I had the skill to perform the spell, I would despite the consequence," Apollo said with a growl. "She is my lifemate, and I would give my life for her tenfold just to look upon her. A hundredfold to see her smile. So, yes, I'm willing to do it. She can barely eat now, and if we don't find a way to fix this, she would need special armor on at all times just to have a normal life. I do not want that for her. I want to heal her and allow her to have all the happiness she deserves and more."

“Then catch a wolf and bring it to me” the boy said “a female adult”

Apollo looked out to the forest. Within moments, a female wolf appeared as he said, "Her mate died and she was thrown out of her pack. She wishes to be with him. She has offered herself to you to aid Cassandra."

Lily hid behind Adam in fear “she is not use to such things” Adam said “I on the other hand am but I did not think you would actually do it, we need the wolf and my mother in the same room, I suggest not on sacred ground

"Name the place," Apollo said. "We should do this tomorrow. The day after, all lycans, guardians, and sange rau are weakened during the week of the full moon, and our ability to do this lessens. Will you have everything prepared?"

“I have everything read now, I just needed my mother which is why I’m here, I’m not strong enough to get her out myself otherwise I would have, and it must be done tonight because she will not last the evening” he said

"I will meet you there," Apollo said. "If prince finds us, I'll put up a barrier to keep him out, as I did before. I will take on all responsibility. A hunter who just found emotions and colors again taking desperate measures to save his lifemate is understandable. You will need to shield Lily's mind and your own, Adam. If they suspect deception, we will all be punished."

With that, he ran back to the cave. He took Cassandra from the bed and started to leave. You can't, Apollo, came Maddox's voice.

Valcan is busy and Michael has more important things to worry about, Apollo growled. What would you do if it were Serenity about to die?

You do not know...

I do. Now, leave my mind or I will tell the prince of your own transgression.

Apollo, desperation and fear will not aid her. We have healers.

Goodbye, Maddox. Give my regards to Valcan when you next see him.

As the agreed Apollo met them at a small hidden cottage miles away from the school, it was clear that Adam had been living here. Everything was hand made, for a boy his age it was impressive. In the middle of the room the female wold was laying down “put her next to the wolf” he said sitting near the wolf by its head. Lily was in the other room waiting.

Apollo laid Cassandra down and said, "I'll go set up the barrier, but I won't activate it until I feel the prince near. We will be defying him by doing this. Be aware, many of his best hunters will be with him to see what we are doing."

“It won’t matter” he said and his nails grew into tails. With a quick swipe of his hand he sliced the females wolf throat. The air thickened as black magic filled the air, another sweep of his hand he sliced open the wolfs stomach. It’s entrails sliding out, he gathered them up, completely gutting the wolf and put them in a blood stain bowl, he used his hands to smash them together until they where all liquid “feed this too her , she must drink it all” he said as he drew a symbol on Cassandras head in the wolfs blood

Apollo felt sick at what he had just seen and the dark magic in the air put him on edge. But it was to aid his lifemate. He took the bowl and woke her enough to drink the concoction. He did not let her stop.

He could physically see her stomach filling in the more she drank, even her scars started to disappear. He knew the moment the hunters were close, the dark magic drawing them like a beacon, he knew Adam sensed it too “make sure they don’t interrupt or it won’t complete and it will kill her” he said

Instantly, a barrier went up. No one, save for a De La Cruz Guardian, could get through that barrier unscathed. The message was clear, leave and do not interfere.

Have you decided to Define me to this extreme Apollo the princes voice said into his head

I have decided to aid my lifemate, he said. Every healer said, you heard it. She would not be able to feed properly or bear children. She would not be happy with a life where she had a constant reminder of his cruelty. I'm doing what is necessary to make her happy. Punish me if you desire, but I must finish this.

In your desperation and lack of control you fail to realize you are not the one getting hurt, your lifemate will be tainted by dark magic and her son is the one doing the spell, a young boy not even into his teen years is doing a blood sacrifice spell he said in a serious tone

I know what is happening, Xavier, Apollo said as the bowl was nearly empty. I know what will happen. She will have the taint, and the first time I lay with her, we will produce a child that carries the taint within them. Erik told you this, didn't he? Yet, he never shunned Lucy or Annabelle. And his parents loved Grigore even though he was conceived with so close a relationship with darkness. I know what it means and I accept what comes. It will be my responsibility.

You have lost your logic Apollo, you would have never let a child do something like this, this spell could kill him, it’s not a small one and on top of that you are condemning a innocent child to darkness, and you are making a decision based on something so small, she would have loved, she would have had scars and yes she would no longer be able to bare children but she is alive and with you, do not do this, she has been through enough, dark magic will make her feel even worse

Apollo watched the last drop enter her mouth and she swallowed it. It is done, he said. You don't understand as much as you believe. Seeing through another's eyes only gets you so far. If you experience the pain of your lifemate being close to death, and I pray you never do, tell me then if you would not damn the entire planet just to save her.

You leave me no choice now Apollo Xavier said and the ground started to shake, the cottage shook with it, things fell from the shelves, lily screamed from the next room

"Adam, protect your mother and sister," Apollo said. "I will deal with this." Apollo walked out of the house, looking at the prince. "There is no more need of that. I will come quietly. I ask you leave my lifemate and her children out of this."

The prince looked alone “you brought them into this” he said in a serious tone “you have until this evening to complete the binding ritual, after which you will be sent to away to reflect on your actions while your lifemate will be rehabilitated in a place of my choosing and you will not know the location, as for the children I have also made plans for them” he said in a commanding tone

"They have not sworn allegiance you, Xavier," said Apollo. "Even if you commanded them, they would fight it. You would be seen as no better than the man that held my lifemate. I have made plans to leave on my own. She was human first, turned into a Guardian by a monster, and has been thrust into a world that seems unforgiving. We will leave tonight. You will not hear from me or mine, and I claim the children as mine."

With that, he turned back to the house.

Suddenly his body froze like all his muscles locked up “it was not a choice “ Xavier said in a dark tone behind him “I am your prince and you will obey my orders and so will they, and since you have claimed them as your own then I will make sure they understand as well the consequences of disobeying the prince” he said and Apollo dropped to his knees like his body moved on his own. He felt Xavier come up behind him “since you have made the decision to further disobey me and try and abuse your gifts as a guardian, I have no choice but to send you away immediately, while you and your lifemate suffering because you are not completely bonded know it was your actions that made it so” he said next to his ear “and you seem to have forgot you did swear loyalty, yet I see none from you now”

"Yet, I suddenly see a child playing at being the prince," Apollo said. "You do not have the compassion Mikhail and Antony were known for. Not once did they force their people to submit and respect those that did not swear loyalty. You cannot demand what is not yours." He looked at Xavier. "I swore because I saw someone worth following once. Today, that image has been broken."
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