Teacher My Age

Ch. 18 On The Way

I followed Lisa down into the Dining Hall, where there was a great feast that lined the grand table in the middle of the hall. At one end Colten was sitting sipping on what looked to be wine. I looked over all the food to sense if anything was drug induced just in case. I couldn't find anything.

Derek was sitting right next to Colten bound in chains of silver, no doubt laced with wolfsbane. Behind was a little girl similar to Lisa, except dressed the exact opposite of Lisa. I assumed that it must've been Elise, her twin. Elise had been staring at the ground in fear. I sat down in my respective chair across from Colten on the other side of the elongated table.

I spoke up through gritted teeth, "Why is Derek here? You have no use for him! Let him go!"

"My, my, a bit abrasive I see. What can I not have fun with my new toys now?" Colten answered in a teasing tone.

"Toy? What do you think this is a game?! What happened to you? What happened to the boy who wanted to see the world, the one who didn't want to settle for someone he was forced to marry?!" I grew angrier.

"Ah, so you do remember our little chats as children. But that boy, I'm afraid, is long gone. In his place there is now a man that is capable of ruling this kingdom. And to answer your question: the world."

I blinked back in surprise. I've know the world to do many things, but this, "There has to be another reason."

"None at all. I had run away after your parents had defied the treaty, thinking that I could accomplish my dream as well. I was sorely mistaken. I saw the world, and it was ugly. I came back and asked my parents for forgiveness for abandoning my kingdom. From then on I trained hard every day to be the perfect king, one that is willing to sacrifice his own love life for the sake of his kingdom. That is what happened to me. So the only answer is: the world."

My eyes began to brim with tears. I couldn't believe that, there was no way that what he saw out there would have been any worse than what he is doing now. "I don't believe you."

"I don't need your pity, and you can believe whatever you want, but what I just told you was the truth."

Suddenly Derek spoke up, "The world is ugly, huh? What about what your doing, toying with us like this?"

He took the words right out of my mouth, but Colten only guffawed at such questions. "What defending your mate are you?"

I was stunned, "Wait. What?"

"Nothing," Derek looked down sadly.

"Oh, so she doesn't know yet? Well what a surprise, I guess I'll give her the good news then," Colten grinned.

The next thing I hear is an enormous roar that erupted from Derek. I looked at him, his fangs and his claws were out. I could only stare as the situation unfolded. My thoughts unraveled, as my heart beat faster at the thought of being his mate. Is that why I loved him so much? Because we're meant to be together? I looked to Derek with pleading eyes, only to have my attention back on Colten as he continued.

"You see my bride, you my dear are Derek's mate. He is yours, but you" Colten chuckled, "You will be mine."

My eyes widen in fear, and I could hear Derek struggling and pulling on the restraints. My breathing was becoming more rapid. I wanted so desperately to do something, anything.

"My lord it seems they have found the portal," a guard rushed in.

"WHAT?!" Colten stood up abruptly knocking over his chair.

"Take the prisoner back to his cell! Elise, Lisa take Chris back to her room and watch over her!" at that he stormed out of the dining hall.

The guard took Derek away. I attempted to follow, but I felt Lisa and Elise's hands in both of mine. I looked down at them, they seemed so fear stricken. I brought them closer to me as I looked back at the last glimpses of Derek being taken away as we made our way back to my room.

~Stiles' POV~

I looked down at my phone. The screen read: CALL ENDED. I just got off the phone with Malia, she said Deaton was about to prepare the potion. From the book Deaton had, it said portals were generally in mostly abandoned areas, but closer to the woods. The book had said that the air should smell strangely of the ocean and that there should be a slight shimmer when you get close enough to it. By means of location we've narrowed it down to the lacrosse field, and somewhere close to the where the Hale house used to stand.

Lydia and I ended up splitting up. She and the twins took the woods near where the Hale house used to be, and Jackson, Scott and I took the lacrosse field at school. At this time of night it still looks as eerie as ever. A couple of minutes passed as we continued to scope out the area. Jackson said that we had to stick close to each other because he could smell something similar to the ocean, but something else was blocking the scent.

After 10 more minutes I got a call from Malia.

Malia: Hey Stiles we found where the portal is.
Stiles: Where is it?!
Malia: It looks like it right at the edge of where the lacrosse field and the woods meet. Where are you?

Jackson taps my shoulder, "I think I found it."

I turned around to where he was pointing right behind me. It started to shimmer.

Stiles: Malia, I think we found it.
Malia: Are you already there? Just wait, don't do anything stupid until we're there. Ok?
Stiles: ...
Malia: Stiles?!

~Malia's POV~

I looked back at my phone: CALL ENDED.

"Damn it! He hung up on me," Malia cursed.

"You know very well what Stiles is planning on doing," Allison stated.

"He's going to attempt to be the hero. I know. Let's go," Malia commanded. We then headed out.

~Stile's POV~

I hung up on Malia and I took a step towards the portal. "What the hell do you think your doing?"

Damn. I totally forget Jackson was there. "I'm going into the portal."

"I can see that, but what did they say?" he questioned.

"That they found the portal and their on their way here. I'm going in ahead to scope the area."

"Don't be stupid Stiles, you don't know what's in there and you have no way of protecting yourself."

"Funny, you sound like Malia. But it doesn't matter, I'm going in with or without you."

"I'm going with him, he won't be alone, and he'll have proper protection. Just stay here and wait for the others," Scott finally jumped in.

"See!"

"Fine, just don't die you two idiots," Jackson huffed.

We nodded in agreement, and then stepped into the portal. The other side was absolutely breathtaking. Fields of meadows lay next to the ocean, basked in the sun kissed horizon. In the distance is a what I assumed to be some kind of Camelot like kingdom. The dark castle, our destination, was at the dead center.