I was seven floors high off the ground and now falling freely through the air. I would survive this as long as I shifted, but I don''t know how hurt I would be from the impact. I was going to have broken bones for sure. I tried to see if I could see anyone or catch a scent to let me know who pushed me. But there was nothing, and I was getting closer to the ground. I had to shift now if I wanted to be fully shifted before hitting the ground.


    Arms wrapped around me, gripping me tightly as their momentum propelled me parallel to the ground. We were heading right for the castle wall but before we hit, their legs began running down. Bringing us swiftly and safely to the earth.


    "Your blessing isn''t flying, if that''s what you were testing."


    I turned to look at my rescuer as he sat my feet on the ground. It was Finn, the Vampire King.


    "I was pushed." I looked up at the balcony where I was standing. "But it was weird... they made no sound... no scent. I thought it was because I was in deep thought, but I didn''t get a whiff of anything."


    "Are you sure you were pushed and didn''t just fall over? It''s okay, I won''t make fun of you.".


    I shot him an annoyed look. His amber eyes were lit up as if he found me funny, as if he thought the situation was funny.


    "Did you push me?!" I listened as heughed.


    "It wasn''t like I was going to let you hit the ground. You looked like you needed to be cheered up."


    "Yeah, I always say turning someone into an earth pancake will bring a smile to anyone''s face," I couldn''t believe this guy. He had looked so serious before, but now he was acting like a teenager pulling pranks,


    "I''m teasing. I didn''t push you, I''m trying to stay friends with the Lycan King and not start a war. Even as a joke, he would not find this funny. I was over by the fountain when I saw you falling. I ran up the wall, jumped into you, and here we are." I watched as his amber eyes looked up. "You were on that balcony?"


    "Yes, and-" He was gone. In an instant, he was standing where I had been pushed. I could see him studying the area. Who could have pushed me? I didn''t hear or smell anything. Was it because of my focus, or was it something else?


    Out of nowhere, he appeared by my side once more. He gently turned me around so that I was facing away from him. His warm breath tickled the back of my neck as he leaned in close. His nose grazed my skin, inhaling deeply. And that was when I heard the earth-trembling roar of the doting love of my life.


    I turned my head up to see him leaping down! Y he wasing straight to me. He hopped from balcony to balcony before making the final jump from the second floor. Should I


    have been that turned on right then? After someone had just shoved me over the edge? Though I still wondered what the point was. They would have known it wouldn''t have killed me, so was it a warning? Or did they think the fall would destroy


    me?


    "Darren, calm your rage, pup.” Finn held his hand up to stop Darren from touching me. "Don''t touch her. I''m not finished.".


    "You''re finished all right." Darren growled.


    "Ren, wait. He''s checking for a scent. Someone shoved me from the balcony-" I stopped talking, reaching out to grip his hands. He was seething. His eyes were a shiny onyx and his fangs were protruding. He was going feral right in front of me. "Ren, look at me. I need you to focus on me because I need you right now. I need you focused because there is something I want to talk to you about."


    "That temper


    ... even though it is better than it was ... it''s very unattractive, Darren." Finn sighed, shaking his head.


    "I wouldn''t say that." I smiled, watching Darren''s eyes turn green again.


    "Lycans." Finn grumbled as he moved next to my back again. "This isn''t normal."


    my


    neck,


    "Let me see." Darren''s nose trailed down the back of sending light tingles over my body. He paused when he reached my shoulders. What did they smell? What did they find?


    418


    "What is it?" I finally blurted out, unable to take the suspense.


    "It''s... nothing." Darren said softly,


    "You can tell me-


    "No. Seriously, he means it is nothing. Nothing at all. Not even your scent." Finn clicked his tongue. "Which means someone was using a scent blocker, and it wiped away your scent where they touched. Someone here has tried to harm you."


    I listened as Darren growled. "But a fall like this wouldn''t kill me."


    "It could kill other lycans. Not all of them would be strong enough to survive a fall like this, even if they shifted. You would survive... but you''re also a royal lycan. You''ve always been stronger and you thought it was normal. It isn''t." Finn chuckled. "You two are so naive it''s almost cute. You didn''t realize your own mate was of royal blood. Did you not notice how she didn''t yield to you?"


    "I thought it was because she was my mate at first. But then my father mentioned


    it had to do with her bloodline ... I just thought it was a gift-"


    Finn chuckled, "Like I said, it''s almost cute."


    "Careful." Darren growled, wrapping his arms around me. "Are you okay?"


    "Yes, I''m fine. Finn caught me and brought me to the ground Chapter 48


    safely, I didn''t hear anything. Who would have done something like this?"


    "A fool who didn''t know any better. Someone who didn''t know you would survive the fall." Darren growled, his eyes seemed to haze for just a moment before returning to green. "And if it is who I''m thinking, I''ll shred them."


    "Would Cleo have gone that far?" I pursed my lips and wondered. She was the only one who I could think of who had a problem with me. But there was no hope for her to ever be the queen now. So would she risk her life just to see me die? I wasn''t sure about that. She wasn''t that brave.


    "What is that in your hand?" Darren asked next to my ear. I nced down to see I was still squeezing my father''s watch tightly. This was what I wanted to talk to him about.


    "Asta gave it to me." I ced it in his hands, watching as he studied it before opening it.


    "Alpha James Hart-" His eyes moved from the engravement to the family photo. I could see theyers of emotions in his eyes before he looked back at me. "How did she get this?"


    "I don''t know. She gave it to me and left." He continued to stare at the picture before cing the watch back in my hands. "She ." I doesn''t trust your family. She was warning me to be ca gave him a small smile. "But I have no doubt when ites to you."


    He cupped my face with his hands, gazing in my eyes. "I have no


    doubts when ites to you, either."


    "He might be dense, but he didn''t know." Finn chuckled, leaning against a statue. "Now, as for Milo and Winifred ... that has yet to be determined."


    "Do you think my father knew?!" I could hear the growl in Darren''s voice.


    Finn shook his head, scrunching his shoulders up. "I don''t know, but I do know Winifred knows more than she lets on. Don''t underestimate the knowledge and viciousness of the Waiting Ladies. Your mother didn''t just get her position because your father fell in love with her. She made sure she was the only option for him. Taking out her ownpetition however she needed."


    "I guess I''m going to have a conversation with ''Mother,'' then." Darren growled


    "But first..." he nced up to the balcony ledge. I looked up with him and could see Ivan and Lyle there. "There is a culprit to be eviscerated."


    Write yourment