Traces of Elijah: Legacy of the Queen

Chapter 15

Elia's POV

As I watch my mate walk back into her borders, I turn back to my trusted warriors to see them confused and perhaps a little bit pissed at me.

"Care to explain what the hell that just was?" Damian asks the heated question.

"It might be best for you to know as little as possible at the moment." I tell him, trying to walk off from the conversation.

"No, we're not doing that. You asked us to trust you so here we are, trusting you, having your back against our Alpha's will. So talk to us, Elia. We're waiting." I pause my steps and turn back to them. My most trusted warriors are all staring at me with crossed arms. They're trusting me so I have to trust them with this information. I walk back towards them.

"Okay, fine. But what happens out here stays out here. You go back to camp, you get amnesia. If Grace asks you a question directly, tell her you were with me. Any further questions about what we were doing, send her my way. Otherwise, you don't have to say shit to anybody, got it?" They all look between each other for a moment, perhaps debating on if this is a good idea because if Grace were to find out, she will literally bring back the guillotine and heads will roll. Eventually the lot of them nod in my direction, coming to the agreement that they're in this together. They have my back, I'll have theirs.

"Okay, good. Since I now have your confidentiality, as you know, the Queen and I are destined mates. I've decided to stop ignoring what the Goddess gave me. I'm moving forward with pursuing Lina. It's come to a point where I'm thinking about her constantly and fighting it is futile...I never loved Grace in the first place which is why it is so easy to just throw our engagement away. It would've been a sham of a marriage anyway. I don't wanna fake it for the rest of my life. Is that a little fucked up? Yeah. Do I actually give two fucks about it? No. Grace and I's relationship was always contractual at best. Even our engagement was based on the physical and nothing else. Grace pretends to care but she just doesn't wanna be alone for the rest of her life. I can't pretend anymore. I want to be loved, dammit and I've got it served on a silver platter. Lina could very well be the love of my life and I'm not going to throw that away for a friend with benefits. Fuck that. Lina and I are going to make a plan on how we can make this happen peacefully. I know it's sudden but it's what I want now. She wants to help rogues like us everywhere and wants to start with us. She's the least judgmental royal I've ever seen. No other King or Queen has ever tried to help, only ever tried to fight us so, I ask you all to join me and help me through this and maybe we can finally know peace."

"How can we trust her? I mean you believed it yourself not too long again, that those royals only bring death to our kinds of people."

"I know but I think that Lina may be different. Something in me just says to trust her. Could that be our bond talking? Probably but I don't think she would lie to my face. She seems really passionate about breaking the cycle of violence between our worlds. She also understands the fact that she has privilege in her roll and her people do too. I think you all can trust her as I'm beginning to."

"Alright...fine. I'm gonna trust your word. I'll help you in any way you need." Damian lowers his crossed arms and comes over to pat my shoulder. The others come over to join me, taking turns patting my shoulder.

"We're all with you Elia," another one of the warriors says.

"Thank you guys. I would've understood if you didn't. It means a lot that that you do though. We should head back now though. She might start getting suspicious. Let's move." I nod to my group and they follow my lead back to out grounds. Once we make it back, I see Grace come out of her tent, quickly avoiding eye contact with her, hoping she didn't see me but of course, I could never escape that easy. I feel her hands slither around my waist from behind.

"And where have you been miss?" She whispers to me, kissing behind my ear. It takes everything in me not to shrink away.

"I just needed a breather. It gets claustrophobic here sometimes," I lie, still avoiding looking at her. I'd rather not turn around to her in fear I look guilty. I don't want her to find out before we have everything planned.

"Hmm, you should've had me tag along." She pouts resting her chin on my back.

"It's alright, you were busy in a meeting anyway. That's more important."

"Nothing is more important than you, my love." She kisses the back of my spine and I try my best not to shudder. Everything about this feels wrong...like a betrayal. I feel nothing for Grace yet she does things that I can't stand yet I would love it if Lina would do these things to me. I feel ashamed that I have to keep pretending this girl means anything to me. I'd rather shove her off of me than have her show me intimacy in any way. "Have you figured out a way to get rid of that pesky bond with Lina yet?" Fuck.

Of course she asks you the one thing you didn't want her to ask.

Okay, think. How can I respond without pissing her off?

You've gotta change the subject. distract her, and fast.

Well how am I supposed to do that?

Easy. I've got this one. Before I can even think, my wolf takes over and kisses her. I want to pull away in protest but my wolf is deliberately holding me back.

"Why don't we think about something else, huh? What about I distract your mind from her, in there." My wolf nods to the tent. No, no, please don't.

Lina said distract her, do what you have to. As long as we're not marked by Grace, we're home free.

Fine....I just don't want to watch this... I decide to take time to sleep while Evan "distracts" her. I'm simply sick to my stomach about it. Soon enough this nightmare will be over and I'll finally be free of whatever this is. Now that I've accepted Lina, she's all I care about and I just want to be back with her. She's what's on my mind before I take my rest in the shadows.