Forbidden

|40|

Eden

Everything, the noise, the fighting, the cursing, all faded behind me into the background as I absorbed the information Artemis, my supposed aunt, bestowed to me. According to her, I had a brother, a twin brother to be exact, whom lived in a place called Deorum, where gods and goddesses resided.

Also according to her, I was a demigoddess, which was absolutely fucking ridiculous. My eyes frantically roamed around the room that was holding me hostage and I couldn't let myself believe I was something that could potentially hold so much power, someone who could probably have people worshipping the ground she walked. I mean, I couldn't even phase any more for fucks sake, how could I ever be some sort of celestial being?!

The panic was quickly eating the last remnants of my sanity and I felt the pain of my nails digging into the skin of the palm of my hands. I collapsed on to the floor and folded into myself, my knees tucking themselves under my arms. I laid there in a fetal position, the world around me nothing but white static noise.

"Eden?!" Marx? I burrowed deeper into the shattered abyss of my soul, I didn't want to hear Marx's voice. He wasn't the one I needed, the one who could stop the hurt.

"Eden? Are you okay?" Gentle hands touched my cheek and I could once again smell the magic, only this time it didn't smell of maliciousness but of a cooling balm of aloe plant, which was used to heal wounds. My mother used to keep jars of the sticky green goo in the house, it seems I was very accident prone as a child. Odd that I could smell something so specific, especially since aloe plants couldn't be found in our land, they were always traded over from the western parts.

"She isn't hurt, not physically at least." Artemis spoke but to who, I wasn't quite sure. My arms created a solace from the overwhelming news dropped on me and I just stayed huddled.

"Eden, it's okay. You're still you, nothing has to change!" Marx said but what did he know?! He didn't know how out of place I was feeling! He didn't lose his parents like I did and he wasn't the one being told he wasn't even really what he thought his whole life! He knew nothing! Streams of tears sliced down my cheeks and a sob fought its way through the canal of my throat, coming out as a garbled choking sound.

"Don't lie to her mutt, everything will change! And there is nothing she or you can do about it. Not even the great Artemis can do anything!" Seranas cackled like a crone and her words stuck to my frazzled mind. She was right and so I closed my eyes tight.

"You're right Seranas, there is nothing I can do." I reopened my eyes and looked up, I really didn't think she would agree so easily. So I really was a lost cause and Seranas would get what she wanted.

"However, my dear ugly widow bitch, there is someone who could. Always remember, patience is the key. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some matters to attend to." Artemis turned to me and in her eyes, I saw sadness.

"I hope one day Eden, you will accept who you are and join us in Deorum. Erinus would so love to finally meet you." A weird sound came from Seranas at the name and Artemis eyes turned dark for a split second. Then she disappeared in a light of green. Black smoke swirled around the room and I pushed myself up to see it all coming from Seranas, her coral eyes were now ebony and a menacing aura cloaked her body. Erick took a few steps back and Marx laid on the floor with wide open eyes. I couldn't move, something was keeping me trapped to the ground and I was helpless as Seranas came forward to me. She bent down and gripped my chin in a punishing hold, forcing my mouth open. The black smoke forced itself into my body through my throat and the most intense pain rattled inside me.

"All descendants of that disgusting betrayer will die, including you once I'm finished with the goal I set for you. Until then, I believe I'll keep you under my control." She whispered and the pain suddenly disappeared, leaving my body feeling high and elated. I glanced at Seranas with a loving expression, my heart soaring with the need to serve her.

"Whatever you wish my queen." I whispered back to her, meaning every single word.

****************

Larry

Something was seriously wrong. Laurent had our connection shut closed ever since I left the pack and I was losing my mind. The last thing I had felt from him was an intense guilt and profound sadness, now I felt nothing. I wonder if he and Val finally called it quits, if he remembered Eden?

"Thinking about your brother?" Mason asked as he plopped down on a bed of leaves next to me on his back, his gaze on the starless sky. I huffed and averted my own eyes on some insignificant little plant growing.

"What's it matter to you? You don't even like Laurent."

"I have no issues with Laurent, just with how weak he is." My head snapped to look at Mason but his face was impassive, nonchalant.

"My brother is anything but weak!" My voice was cold and had little effect on Mason.

"He's not weak physically but emotionally, your brother's a damn fool." Masons eyes narrowed and I saw how his lips thinned, as though he wanted to say more but decided not to.

"You know nothing of him! How can you judge what you never witnessed!" I was yelling now and standing to my full height but Mason stayed laying down, with a certain coldness to his features.

"He hurt Eden." He answered harshly.

"He hurt Valerie!" I shouted back.

"Valerie means nothing to me but Eden is everything." Mason was calm but his words were sharp enough to cut the strongest metal.

"And who is Eden supposed to be to me?! She was a damn stranger brought to our pack who stole my brother away from a woman who loved him purely and not because of some fucking joke that Artemis played!" The frigidness around Masons demeanor thawed and was replaced with understanding.

"You're right. Why would you care about Eden? She's just as much as a stranger to you as Valerie is to me. We both had to watch people we care about be hurt and I suppose we both get defensive for them. But you need to understand something, the only common factor I see in those problems is your brother. He doesn't know what he wants and in the end, hurts the ones who come to care for him. I understand that you love him but if he ever comes near Eden, I won't hesitate to ensure she never endures the pain that comes with him. Understand?" His emerald eyes shone with determination and an Alpha aura slithered around his body like a snake coiling. For some reason, I began to laugh wholeheartedly and sat back down, nodding my head.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, let's focus on saving the woman you love." His head snapped to me in confusion and denial but I laughed that off too, laying down on my own leaf bed.

Things were strange lately.