Kidnapped by my mate (Belle and Grayson)

Chapter 61

GRAYSON

I wracked my brain, trying to come up with a command to give Kyle.

I needed to test, to see if I had the power of the Mortars. But how exactly was I supposed to go about doing that? I couldn’t keep from asking myself what the hell I was doing. No way could I be the person from this prophecy.

They thought I was meant to become the next king of all mythical creatures, the most powerful ruler out there. They thought I could restore peace between werewolves and vampires and stop a war that had been going on for centuries.

Was that possible?

My wolf loved the idea; in my mind he was puffing out his chest in pride, communicating to me that he thought we were more than capable of ruling. He also thought that Belle would make an

amazing queen. He liked the idea of her ruling by our side for the rest of eternity, having power, never dying.

A part of me, which one? Couldn’t help but agree, not only with the fact that Belle would make an amazing queen but that we had the capacity to become king.

I had known ever since I was young that I was meant to lead, not because of ego but because I just knew it was what I had to do. I had known I would make a good alpha and had proven it over the years. But even after I had fought my old alpha to death and won, taking on the role myself, I hadn’t been satisfied.

I had wanted more.

My wolf had kept telling me we were meant to lead thousands. Something was missing, he had insisted. Could this be what he’d meant? I sighed. Now was the time to find out.

“Quack like a duck,” I told Kyle completely seriously.

Deep down, I hoped nothing would- happen. If nothing happened, life would be a whole lot less complicated. It would mean things could go back to normal and I could eventually forget these last few horrible months.

But I already knew that was false hope. Because even deeper down, I knew Casimir was right. The moment I opened my mouth I felt my newfound vampire surge forward to the front of my consciousness, pushing against the inside of my skull.

A tingly feeling traveled through me, forcing me to suck in a quick breath.

Then, like a wave of energy, I felt the command travel from me and wrap around Kyle like a blanket. His eyes turned red, and then, just like a duck, he began to quack.

“Quack,” he said, “quack, quack.”

I stared in shock.

I had done it. I had used the power of the

Mortars.

After a moment, Minnie laughed from behind me. And then Zagan, and then

Casimir.

The humor of the situation hit me as Kyle continued to quack with a dark scowl on

his face.

“Can I–quack–please–quack–stop

now–quack—?”

He obviously wasn’t finding this nearly as amusing as the rest of us.

I enjoyed watching an extremely large and intimidating werewolf quack and pout like a child. But I finally waved a hand.

“Okay, okay, you can stop.”

Just as before, the command traveled from me and made Kyle stop immediately.

“Really,” he complained, “a duck? You couldn’t have made me do something cool, like jump fifty feet in the air or something?”

I shrugged. “Only thing I could think of.”

Kyle huffed and rolled his eyes. “Right, because that’s the first thing everyone thinks of. Not turn around or say hi or something normal. No, you had to choose quack like a duck.”

I could only shrug again, joining in on the others‘ laughter.

After a moment, the lightheartedness vanished and the room suddenly became much more serious. I had given a command using the power of the Mortars. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

Which could only mean…

“So it’s true, then,” I said, looking at Casimir. “The prophecy is about me.”

Casimir looked at his father with a worried expression before looking back at me and nodding slowly.

“Yes,” he whispered, distress evident in his tone. “You’re the new king of all creatures. The throne is yours.”

My gaze snapped to Zagan.

“Just like that? You’re giving up your title and the throne without any sort of fight?”

Zagan’s bright red eyes searched mine for a moment, his thick black brows coming together in thought. He didn’t look upset or threatened like I expected. He just looked pensive.

After a moment, he spoke, “Ever since Casimir found that scroll all those years ago, I’ve been waiting for this moment. Readying myself for when another would

come and take the throne from me.” His eyes assessed me darkly. “If it had to be anyone, I can say with sincerity that I’m glad it’s you. You will be a worthy and fair ruler. I have no doubt in my mind that your throne will be one of dignity and strength.”

This all seemed so sudden.

And his confidence in me did not make it

less daunting.

“Wait a second,” Kyle broke in, “You’re telling me Alpha Grayson is king now? Like, with a palace and everything?”

We all had those same questions.

“What about the pack? What about the luna?” he said.

Belle’s beautiful face flashed in my mind, making my entire b*dy stiffen painfully.

My wolf growled, pushing me to shift, to go find our mate. He kept repeating that

she needed us, over and over again, as if I weren’t very aware of the fact.

I gritted my teeth, forcing him to the back of my consciousness so I could

concentrate.

“None of this needs to be decided now,” Zagan said. “You will have time. All the time in the world, in fact… King Grayson.”

I sucked in a deep breath as realization hit. My brain was going into overdrive, words running through it like a broken record. King. Immortality. Prophecy. Hybrid. Fairy. Powers.

How the hell was I supposed to respond

to all of this?

How was Belle going to feel?

Thankfully, I didn’t have to think about it for too long.

A sudden pressure filled my head,

causing me to stumble backward. I clutched at my head as the pressure increased to the point of throbbing.

It wasn’t painful, but it sure as hell was annoying and invasive.

I groaned, shutting my eyes. What the hell was happening?

“Alpha,” came Kyle’s voice, “Are you okay?”

“I…” I stopped–speaking only made it

worse.

The pressure was becoming more unbearable with every passing second.

I could no longer say it wasn’t painful; it felt like a migraine was splitting my skull

in half.

“Alpha Grayson,” I heard Minnie say.

I opened my eyes to see her concerned face right in front of me. She reached out,

face right in front of me. She reached out, placing her small hand on my arm.

“What’s wrong?” she said.

I shook my head. The pain was starting to make me panic. I had never felt anything

like this.

“Open your mind,” Zagan suddenly said, “and stop resisting.”

My head swerved toward him. “What the hell are you talking about?” I barely got

out.

“It’s Azazel,” Zagan said as he shook his head. “I was afraid of this. Something’s happened with Azazel. You have to let

him in.”

I wasn’t sure what he was talking about, but the thought of Azazel trying to get into my mind, into any part of me again made me fume.

F**k that.

Rage poured from my insides over the fact that he would even suggest I let

Azazel in after all he had done. I braced

myself against the wall, starting to lose my balance.

That f**ker is going nowhere near my mind. He’ll never control me again.

As if reading the thoughts I didn’t have the strength to say aloud, Zagan reassured

1. me.

“Azazel couldn’t take control of you again even if he tried. That isn’t what’s happening. He’s not trying to take over your b*dy.”

My chest rose and fell with each ragged

breath.

“Then what the f**k is happening?” I groaned.

“No time to explain,” Zagan said, obvious worry in his tone. “I promise you,

nothing bad will happen if you let him into your mind. In fact, it will probably aid in the war to come. Azazel is likely

not even aware that he is projecting onto you right now.”

None of what he was saying made sense. I let out a growl. The pain in my mind made my head feel like it was going to explode.

“Just do it!” exclaimed Minnie. “Whatever it is, you can handle it.”

I looked at her. She was right. As much as I wanted to deny Azazel all access to my thoughts, I could break him like a toothpick now that his commands didn’t work on me.

I nodded, my wolf and vampire both present in my consciousness, ready to attack if they needed to. Slowly, I stopped restricting the pressure in my head and let it do as it wished.

It was a strange feeling, as if the pressure turned from pain to energy in a matter of seconds.

Then it traveled through every inch of my brain and took over my thoughts, replacing them with the thoughts of

someone else.

Azazel.

I was no longer standing in my bedroom but in a forest clearing, surrounded by hundreds of young vampires.

I sucked in a breath. My heart rate picked up as I realized this was the army I would be fighting tomorrow. They were a rowdy group, hissing and moving about as if none of them was able to stay still longer

than a few seconds.

They didn’t look at me; their gazes were focused to my left.

I turned to look, already knowing who to

expect.

Azazel.

“The time has come,” Azazel spoke loudly, addressing the newborn vampires. “I know you will all make me proud.”

He was at the end of a speech meant to invigorate his clan.

He had passion, and strong, well–thought–out words—but he didn’t mean any of it.

His goal was to make the newborns think he cared for them in the way a father cared for a child, so they would fight for

him and risk their lives.

In reality, he couldn’t have cared less if they lived or died.

I could sense the way he was manipulating them as if I were in his mind, feeling everything he felt. He was determined to seize the throne, even at

the expense of each and every vampire in

front of him.

“Go,” he finished suddenly. The

command washed over the newborns,

turning their eyes red.

In an instant, they dispersed into the

forest, hissing and moving in one large

blur.

Azazel watched with an evil sort of pride, a dark smile forming on his l*ps.

I gritted my teeth as I watched him.

I wasn’t sure what was happening or how exactly I had gotten here, but it hardly

mattered.

I was standing next to the man who had wreaked havoc on my life.

I growled loudly, not hesitating to launch myself at Azazel.

I had one focus: his blood on my hands.

I wanted him dead on the forest floor, wanted to watch the life leave his eyes. I reached out, intent on grabbing his throat and throwing him to the ground. But my hands closed around nothing but air, going directly through his n*eck as if he were a hologram.

I looked down at my hands in complete

shock.

“Hello, Alpha Grayson,” Azazel said.

I snapped up to look at him. His red eyes met mine, and he scowled deeply as he studied me.

“So it’s true, then,” he said grimly.

All I could do was growl and take another swipe at him, hoping to break his jaw with my fist.

But where I should have connected with his face, I felt nothing but air yet again.

“Azazel, what the f**k did you do?”

He scoffed, annoyed, glancing away from me and into the forest.

“How little you know, young alpha,” he muttered. “This is not my doing, and you should not be here.”

“Then why am I here?”

Azazel didn’t respond for a moment; his stare remained in place, almost as if he were lost in thought.

Finally he said, “Tell my brother to prepare himself. His time as king is over.”

His piercing red eyes returned to me, darkening to a shade I had never seen before.

“We are coming.”