Chapter 10

“We’ve been walking around in circles for days, and I’m really getting fucking sick of trees!”

Xandry doesn’t blink at my outburst, and he is so unbothered it’s borderline insane. We are trapped in another world, without the person who can get us out, and we are lost. He is injured, we have no weapons or supplies left…and he is calm. I would put a bet on the fact he is high as a kite on drugs, but I haven’t seen him take any. My hair is a mess, there is mud on every inch of my clothes, and I don’t want to pee in a forest again. Xandry just steps over a fallen log, easily. “It can’t be circles if we’re walking in one direction.”

“How are you so passive about this?” I swear I’m going to stab him with something just to see a new expression at this point. “Why, of all people, did I get stuck with you?”

“Well, because we somehow managed to land in the middle of an island, and it took us two days to make a boat. Then we had to swim the last stretch when the boat sank, and then there were those crocodiles…” He drifts off when he sees me glaring at him and realises I was being sarcastic. Instead of any snarky reply, he smiles at me and my heart gallops. “You’re safe with me, Hope. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

My heart jumps at his statement. There have been only a handful of times anyone has promised to protect me, and I didn’t count on him being on that list. I turn away, staring through the forest. There’s been nothing but trees, more trees, some rabbits, and the whole place stinks of damp leaves.

I hate to admit it, but I don’t mind being in the forest half as much as I dislike the buzzing feeling in my chest that appeared the second I got here. I was born in this world, and it doesn’t feel like home. Xandry seems like he’s in his element, though. He’s taken off his cloak, which he’s folded over his arm, and he even has made a stick to walk with after he injured his leg in the fall.

I don’t know what that storm was, but I do know that all the others are as lost as we are, and we need to find them before we get trapped in this world. I doubt they’d leave without us, but I’m not willing to risk it, and I’d much prefer getting out of here to try to figure out our next path. I came here to help Elle and the kings—not get lost.

I have to admit Xandry has been useful and kept us both alive. He knows how to hunt and live in a forest far better than I do, yet I don’t get where he learnt it. He was brought up in the Water Court, much of it with a religious group, and he shouldn’t have any knowledge like this. I was taught years ago in the Earth Court, but I’ve never really had to hunt on my own. Xandry quickly figured out how to make shelter, fires, and hunt food like a pro. But still, I do not want to be trapped alone with him all of this time. He seems like my constant shadow now.

“You know you can talk to me about your worries. Why are you so tense here?”

I whirl my head his way. If he thinks we are friends, he really is insane. “What?”

Xandry tilts his head to the side, his strange eyes watching me. “I’ve noticed you’re very tense in this world. Is it because you think you might find your family and want to know what happened?”

“I do know what happened. They clearly sent me to another world to be alone and fight for myself as a kid. I’ve never been able to remember all of it, but they seem to think it wasn’t safe here, and they sent me away.” The bitterness I feel in my soul leaks into my words.

His brow creases. “That’s not a bad thing, Hope.”

A hollow laugh escapes me. “Really? I was left in the middle of the ocean. You wouldn’t understand what that is like for a child?—”

“There is no one in any world that understands you like I do, Hope. I know everything about your story.” When I frown at him, wondering what he means, he carries on. “You do remember that you were gossiped about throughout the court for years? You were this girl that just appeared out of nowhere, that the queen herself had taken on as a ward when this was unheard of in the Water Court. You were travelling between the courts like a princess, and you became a powerful weapon with bonds to all of the kings in the years after. I know you. I watched.”

Why does him admitting that make my chest warm? “Then tell me what to do, all-knowing one.”

“Ask for help to find information about your parents before we leave this world. I’m sure the princess has got many things going on right now, but she’s probably sympathetic to you wanting to find your parents, given her own situation, and she is your friend. She will help.” He looks right at me. “It’s not a sign of weakness to ask your friends for help, Hope.”

“Why would I want to find them? They abandoned me. They should have just kept me here and protected me, but they didn’t.” I suck in a breath. “I don’t understand why they did what they did. They said some alpha would take me if he sensed me, but then why didn’t they fight him?”

There is a sadness in his eyes that I want to turn away from, but I don’t. I want his advice, and I don’t know why. “It’s not always that simple. We both know that.”

That was not the answer I was looking for, and I don’t feel like talking about this anymore. “Are you sure you’re even allowed to be here? Your religion, I don’t know, won’t they miss you?”

“I opted out and made the vow to leave.”

I stop dead in my tracks, turning towards him. “Why, in the name of the dragon gods, would you do that?”

Xandry doesn’t falter, doesn’t lower his gaze from mine. Like he wants me to look into his soul and take anything I want. “My religion dictates that I cannot have a relationship with anybody, that I must give my soul and mind completely to the dragon gods. Years ago, I made that choice, and I thought that I could keep it. I was very wrong and very stupid.”

The trees dampen the sounds around us, making my voice sound quiet and intense. “What changed?”

This might be the first time I’ve seen Xandry nervous. “When I was asked to be a tutor and—” He pauses, lifting his stick in the air, which now I notice the end is sharp like a spear. It’s a weapon, but I’m too busy searching the forest as I hear what he heard. Suddenly three wolves run out of the trees, stopping in front of us, making leaves dance in the air. They’re huge, absolutely gigantic, white, and very fluffy, but one snarl showing their long teeth lets me know they’re not friendly.

“I’ve never fought a wolf before, but you can definitely try me.” I am ready to fight them. I always go down fighting if I need to, and I refuse to be scared of anything.

Then, the one in the middle seems to change, his body morphing within mist before a man stands in front of us. A very good-looking, very naked blond man with a big cheeky smile. Xandry throws his cloak at him to cover up his junk that I might have peeked at. He doesn’t seem remotely bothered about being naked, but he catches the cloak and holds it in front of him. “You two are a hard pair to find. Your princess and the kings have been found by our people and made an alliance with our alpha. My alpha tasked us and others to find you and escort you safely back.”

Xandry and I look at each other at the same time, and he steps closer until our arms are touching before going further. He takes a step forward like he’ll jump in between them and me if need be. I’ve never had anyone protect me like that. Lysander…I was just more of an accessory to him. The more I look back on it, the more I realise we just used each other for comfort. It was never love. It was never anything real, and he never protected me. When I was in the relationship, I couldn’t see the light on the other side of it. How couldn’t I see the flaws in the relationship? Because I was consumed by it, but now? I only see the flaws as the giant red flags they were. Elle…he protected her from the moment they met, and I know he would have died for her, even when he spat out she was his enemy. I want that love; I want that protection and feeling of being safe with whoever I let close to me next. I glance at Xandry and shake my head, focusing on the wolves. “How can we trust you?” I ask.

The wolf man holds his hands up. “We are not a threat to you. My name is Beta Mikkel of the Ravensword Pack.” The word Ravensword, the last name Ravensword, echoes in my ears. “Our town is half a day’s walk from here. If you can walk, we can walk it together. Our alpha is waiting, and he will explain it all far better than I can. If you are injured, we can carry you on our backs?—”

“That will not be necessary,” Xandry all but snaps. Mikkel looks at Xandry’s leg like he can sense the long scav]b there and the fact that we both think he must have sprained it. I don’t know how he keeps on walking, but he has. “I’m fine, but we do not trust you.”

He looks at the wolves at his side and sighs. “I vow my life that we will not harm you, and neither will our alpha. We are here in peace, and we do not go to war with the kings and princess that have come here with their strong magic. War is everything that we try to avoid because we nearly lost everyone last time.”

Xandry lowers his spear, and I nod at him. I believe them. “We’ll go with you.”

I frown at Xandry. “You don’t make decisions for us, but yes, we will come with you. Where is Princess Ellelin?”

“Travelling with her kings and our rulers to find someone or something. Our alpha will know more than I do,” Mikkel answers with a grin. He winks, dropping the cloak before shifting into his wolf, leaving the cloak on the floor. Xandry walks over it. “You’re not going to pick that up?”

“No, it’s been near his cock, and I really don’t feel like wearing it anymore.” A surprised laugh escapes me, and Xandry smiles, his eyes devouring every noise I make like he wants to remember it forever. I honestly didn’t know he could make jokes like that.

It’s less than a day’s walk before we get to a gated community with massive, tall walls and big wooden gates. In front of the open gates is a man who fills the space. He’s tall, with dark hair the same colour as mine, and too familiar for comfort. The wolves run behind him into the city, and he waits until we’re a bit closer before inclining his head, his dark blue eyes looking over my face repeatedly before he says a word. “Is your name Hope?”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “What’s your name first, and can we trust you?”

“I would never harm my sister.” His claim shakes me to my core, leaving me silent. Sister? “Alpha Theodorn of the Ravensword Pack. My parents told me all about my younger sister, who they had no choice but to send away because she’s a powerful alpha female. They bound magic around you, which I can remove so you can finally be your true self. They once told me that one day we would be reunited. They hoped it was before they died, but they had to make sure I knew how to remove the magic just in case. I’m sorry to tell you they are gone, but you are no longer in danger here.” I suspected they weren’t alive, but hearing it, it hurt. “Our mother spoke of you every single day. Our father wished for nothing more than to see you one more time in the end, even as he lost his mind. He was poorly and—” He stops. “We can talk about that more later. The world was controlled by gods when you were born, and it was a mess for many years. It got worse.”

I should question his claim, scream at him that he is wrong, but I know he isn’t. I can feel the truth deep in my bones, in my soul. “Why did they keep you and not me?”

His eyes soften. “I was also powerful, yes, but for males, it was different than it was for females back then. They couldn’t keep you safe, and if you stayed…it would have been bad. But you’re safe now. I will never let any harm come to you.” I’m too quiet, still reeling from it. I take a step closer to Xandry, like he might make all this somehow seem less real. “When Princess Ellelin said that she brought someone into this world, I knew it had to be someone that had been here. Only a few would be able to guide her. You were sent with five other wolves, all powerful, but I had hope that it was you.”

He smiles to himself. “And when she said your name, I knew it was a blessing from the gods. I wanted to see you first before telling anybody, but I knew. My mate understood why I had to be here when I heard the news they’d found you. She’d be here to greet you as well, but there is a family situation that has arisen. Please, come into our pack. We can talk more about it and remove the magic hold. You won’t shift for a few weeks. You need a full moon.”

“Okay.” I glance at Xandry, but he is watching the doors as Mikkel walks out, this time dressed in black clothing.

He swaggers right up to my side, grinning at me, and he puts his hand on my shoulder. “I promise we won’t bite.”

Something snaps within Xandry, and he shoves Mikkel away from me. “Don’t touch her.” His snarl echoes between us.

Mikkel smirks. “Or what?”

A low growl radiates out of both of their throats. I don’t know where the hell Xandry managed to do that, but it hits me. “You’re a shifter too?”

“I came to Ayiolyn with you, and my adoptive parents hid me. I had to be close to you,” Xandry answers, never looking at me. “I told you we had a lot in common.” Suddenly he shifts into a big wolf, brown with luscious fur and huge paws. My eyes widen as I take several steps back. Mikkel’s clothes rip as he shifts into his white wolf before Xandry leaps on him to bite, both of the wolves rolling down the hill together, snarling and biting.

“Should we stop them?” I ask, dumbfounded.

Theodorn steps up at my side. “Wolves fight for dominance, especially over their mate’s honour. Mikkel shouldn’t have touched you. He deserves a beating if I’m being frank. Your mate is a strong wolf. I’m not sure what family line he is from with that dark brown fur but an alpha wolf for certain.”

“What?” My head snaps to him. To my brother. I have family…and a mate? Mate? Does that word mean the same thing in this world as mine? Of course it does. The truth echoes in my chest, bubbling up thousands of questions.

His eyes widen. “You didn’t know Xandry was your mate? I’m sorry, I probably overstepped sharing that.”

I shake my head in disbelief. “How do you know?”

Theodorn keeps his voice kind, gentle. “It’s a male thing. Mikkel was winding him up because he knew he was a shifter and wanted to see whether it was true.”

I watch the forest, where I can barely see the wolves now, but I can hear them. “I didn’t know.”

“We can remove the magic around you, and you can shift. Then you’ll know he’s your mate.” Theodorn waves to the gates. “Welcome home, Hope. To the city you were born into so, so many years ago. I imagine time is different, or you got lost somewhere, as you should be much older than you are now.

I remember falling between the worlds…and it took so long. So, so long.

Xandry knew all of this time, and he watched me with Lysander. Why didn’t he say anything? Why didn’t he tell me? It must have killed him to see me crushing on Lysander, but then I remember he didn’t watch for long. He signed up to join the Twilight only a week after Lysander and I first flirted together…gods, it was because he couldn’t stand to watch us. I’ve been breaking his heart all this time, and he’s always been there. I suspect that he gave up being in the Twilight for me too. I look up at this someone claiming to be my brother, my heart shattering slightly. “Tell me everything about our family. I want to know it all.”