35. Ryder

35

RYDER

S he was too powerful. We were unprepared and we did not expect those men to turn on her and fight us and her. I don't even know who the other men were, and if the pack hadn't been freed, we would have been overrun. Laima's right hand was strong, we were lucky we killed him. Katarina and her men were taking care of the men outside and if I wasn't mistaken, the twins' sister was here. I had no idea who she was fighting for, and I prayed she wasn't on the wrong side.

Using magic was tiresome, but it was like a muscle and each time it was easier to call. Getting zapped with magic was even worse. Laima had magic I had never seen before. It forced me to change back into a man.

I forced myself up, seeing double for a moment. At that moment I saw Oria being held up in the air by her throat. Panic rushed through me as the rest of the guys got up and I ran to her.

I'm sorry. I love you in every lifetime.

Her words confused me until she raised her knife and plunged it in her chest.

"NO!" I yelled, feeling the pain in my own chest.

I was the catalyst. She said, as I continued to run to Laima.

"You stupid girl!" Laima yelled, dropping her, looking around her frantically.

Without me the world can sur— Her voice faded away.

"Oria!" Laima snarled.

"Sol!" Max yelled as the twins ran after Oria.

I had no idea where they had gotten the scythes again, but I wasn't going to waste time asking and if it benefitted us, then that's all I cared about.

Max followed them, picking up the bag of spells. He plucked out the vial and looked back at me.

She needs to die.

I nodded, and ran after the twins to keep her distracted when she finally looked at us. She looked older, worn out and the evil glint in her eye had me bracing for a spell when the vial landed right on her.

She glared at Max, flinging her hands out to us, but nothing happened. She attempted again, looking panicked when she could barely create magic. The twins both reached her at the same time and when she tried to block their scythes. The first broke her shield, the second cut her. Her eyes opened wide when Soren punched her, sweeping the end of the scythe under her feet.

She snarled, blocking the movement. Gray swung down at her, hitting her shield, but she was shaking with exertion. I pushed my newfound telekinesis down on his blade when Max swung down the sword on the scythe, pushing down harder.

"Give it up, Laima," Max snarled.

Her arms shook as she took us all in. Soren walked up to us, swung the blade around, ready to hit her too. At the last second, he dropped the blade and grabbed her throat. She gasped for air, looking even more frail-looking.

"This isn't the end," she whispered.

"This is your end." Taylin came behind us, stabbing her straight through the heart.

I didn't wait, rushing to Oria, who looked like a sleeping angel on the floor. The bond was holding on by a thread, like she was suspended in time. I knelt by her, clenching my jaw, reaching for a pulse. I blinked away tears as I felt nothing but it was no use, they still fell. I looked away, feeling the guys kneel around her.

"No!"

I looked over my shoulder to see Katarina running towards us. One of her guys hooked an arm around her waist, bringing her into his chest as the other two surrounded her. Katarina looked back, locking eyes with me as her lip trembled. I'm so sorry, she mouthed. I nodded as more tears fell.

Samira walked in with a few wolves, stopping behind Katarina and I was right. The twins' sister Leia was flanked by a few vampires. I don't know why she was here, but the sadness in her eyes showed me she knew who Oria was.

Gray leaned over her, kissing her forehead. "I wish we had more time, Sunshine, but I will wait for another lifetime." He pulled away, looking up as tears streamed down his face.

Soren leaned down, kissing her lips. "Thank you for showing me love and I promise to look for you in every lifetime." Soren pulled away, clenching his jaw, looking over at Gray who had covered his face. He threw his arm over his shoulder, holding him as the first tear ran down Soren's face.

"I'll see you again, Sol. I'll look for your light in every lifetime." Max grabbed her hand, kissing her palm before he leaned into it with his cheek.

I looked away as another piece of me left me. This time the loss felt like I was dying, and I didn't know how I was going to survive losing her. I had loved before, but I had never truly lived before.

"I thought I knew what love was, Heaven, and now that I've had a taste of you, I'll remember you, even if my mind doesn't." I laid my forehead on her stomach. "This isn't goodbye, it's a see you later in the next lifetime because we will find you. I promise."

The urge to follow her was at the forefront of my mind.

A thud had me looking up at Taylin who was now kneeling by her head. I wanted to lash out at him until I realized Max was vibrating with anger. He looked at his brother with a murderous gaze that had me wondering if he could kill his own brother.

Max opened his mouth to say something when the air charged with energy. Three beings fell from the sky. One man and two women. They straightened up, looking around before landing their gaze on us. They exuded power, with dominance that had me wanting to downcast my eyes.

"Oh, child," one of the women said, walking to us.

She was tall, wearing something close to armor on her body. It was gold metal, so close to her body it looked flexible. Her hair was blonde, like Oria's, but while Oria had hazel eyes, this woman had turquoise eyes. She patted Taylin, who was dumbstruck.

"Move halfling," she said with a slight accent, glaring at him.

"I'm glad you called on these," the man said behind the twin, lifting up the scythe.

He was huge like Max. His hair was so blonde it almost looked white and his gray eyes almost glowed.

"Who… who are you?" Max asked as the other woman walked to us, but stared at the people behind us.

She had black hair, with eyes that were so dark they looked almost black.

"We go by many names, but you might know us as the moon goddess," she nodded at the other woman. "The god of death and I am the messenger of the gods."

We immediately bowed our heads. "We did not know," I said immediately.

"Of course not, child," the moon goddess said, lifting my face towards hers. "We are not supposed to be here, but it is a risk we must take, for we have a solution for your mate."

"Excuse me?" Soren looked at the moon goddess.

"We have something that could bring her back," the messenger of the gods said.

"Then do it," I said, as the rest of the guys said the same thing.

"It's not without its consequences," Death said, kneeling by Oria, caressing her cheek. "We can only give you choices."

I held back the urge to growl at him for touching her. The twins looked up at me, ready to take any consequence without knowing what they were.

"What are the consequences?" Max asked.

"We can give you another flower of the gods." The moon goddess opened her hand, showing a glowing flower that glowed just like Oria did when she healed.

"Yes," the twins said immediately.

"No," Max and Taylin said at the same time.

I glared at Taylin. "You have no say in this."

"You think she wants to come back chained to her power again?" Taylin snarled. "It's only a matter of time before someone else is sent to imprison her. Are you going to be there every time that happens? Are you going to be strong enough?"

"We will be there every fucking time because she is our mate," I growled, my wolf on the edge ready to shift if I needed to.

"You couldn't even keep her safe from Laima, what happens when her sister Moira comes for her?" he snapped.

I stood up as anger vibrated through me. "You were the reason this entire situation started, so don't start acting holier than thou."

"Don't be selfish and put her through this burden again." He stood up as the air crackled with power.

"Sit down." Max stood up next to me. "You already fucked everything up, you don't get a fucking say in this. She is ours, not yours and no matter how much you wish she was yours, she never will be."

Taylin stepped up to Max, his nostrils flaring, his fist clenching and I prepared myself to intervene.

"Halfling, they have a point," Death said, looking at Taylin. "You should be punished for your crimes, but it seems the messenger says we need you."

Taylin glanced down at the woman kneeling by our mate.

"His fate is still being decided, but our present concern is Oria," she said, smoothing her hair. "If you choose to give her the flower, she will obtain the healing powers and she will be hunted again. Her life will always be in danger. The war of the gods is upon us and if the course of the war has not been deterred, we will still see it in the future. What I can say is, nothing is set in stone. Tomorrow your futures might change."

"She will have the burden of healing, but she will have her mates this time and her family behind her," the moon goddess said, looking at the other two gods. "She can resume her place in court and inherit her rightful power."

I looked at the twins and I knew they were ready to say yes.

"We can protect her," Gray said confidently. "We will have a chance to go on the offensive before anyone comes near her."

"I agree, we know better this time," Soren said. "We can build her a workshop and she can hone her abilities. We will teach her to save herself."

"You did well," the messenger of gods said to the moon goddess.

"Mates are my thing," the moon goddess shrugged. "I chose them to all compliment each other."

Max looked at the goddesses. "We were chosen for a reason and if we have this opportunity, then I think we should take it. The twins are right, we can give her the tools to protect herself."

"What if she doesn't want the burden of this magic? Can we live with knowing we put that burden on her? That we are putting her in danger because we are selfish and want her back with us?" I looked at the guys. "Can we live with the possibility of her hating us? Or possibly losing her again?"

I didn't think she would hate us. Oria was so pure she would gladly live with the power.

"If war is upon us, wouldn't she be an asset?' Gray asked. "Am I so selfish that all I can see is positive things and not burdens? I'm ready to shoulder the burden with her."

"Can we survive losing her again?" Soren looked up with a clenched jaw. "Because I don't know if I can."

"I know I'm selfish because even if I just get one more year with her, I know it will be worth it," Max said, looking at me. "Or we could get her for the rest of our existence. The future's not set in stone, and I think I'm willing to see a future with her again, even if we have to fight for it."

"Then it's decided, let's do it," I said to the gods.

I don't know if I imagined it, but I saw their relief.

"You are a great leader, Ryder," the moon goddess said to me. "You lead with information instead of strength and that is what you need."

"Keep the scythes. Call on them whenever you need them," Death said to the twins. "I should have had vampires be my reapers, so I'm curious to see what the future holds for you."

The messenger of the gods looked at Max. "Stay honorable, Maxton." She cupped his cheek as he glowed with power. "Let's bring your mate back."

She laid the flower on her chest, and I hoped we had made the right decision.