Little Moon (Lycan Series #1✔)

Chapter 24

Deidre

I woke up strapped to a chair and to the sound of silver clinking with glass plates. My eyes adjusted to my surroundings and found myself staring at Aldric. He smiled when he saw that I was awake. His chewed his meat that he just placed in his mouth before setting his utensils down and cleared his throat.

"Deidre." He purred. "Sweet sweet Deidre."

"Shut up." I growled. "Why am I here?"

"I see you haven't change since the last time I have seen you." He said dryly as he picked up his glass of red wine and sipped.

I pulled on the ropes he had tied around my wrist. His eyes moved to my struggles before returning. What did he want? Where was I? Is Invictus looking for me? Will they ever find me? So many questions ran through my head as I looked at the pale skin man in front of me. He wiped his mouth on his table cloth before he sat it down and stood up and walked behind me.

Slowly, he began undoing the ropes, tugging and pulling harshly and then once I was disconnected from the chair. He grabbed my elbow and pulled me behind him. My hands were still securely tied behind me.

People with pale skin stood by and watched, many snarled and glared. Others watched curiously as Aldric silently dragged me up the steps and towards the second floor.

"Where am I?" I asked. "Where are you taking me?"

"Do you remember what I said to you when I visited you that night?" He asked as he pulled me into a room. Four doctors stood in the room, prepping and touching computers.

I nodded. He gave me a wicked grin. "I am about to show you just what I mean."

Invictus

I went in search of Deidre but when I couldn't find her anywhere in sight, I began to panic. I followed the last person who last seen her--my brother. He was in the middle of talking to several other soldiers when I called out his name.

He turned to look at me and when he saw the worried expression on my face his eyebrows furrowed.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Where is Deidre?" I asked.

"She said she was going to check on her chickens." He pointed toward the entrance. I looked and it was pouring rain outside in the night sky.

"I can't find her anywhere. She's not in the palace, Akoni." I growled. "Did you see her return?"

"I left to go see father. I thought she would return soon that's why I didn't go after her."

I grabbed him around the collar of his shirt and pulled him up close. "It is too damn dangerous even for her to be alone!"

"Invictus!" Our father's voice roared. I turned to look and saw my father walking towards me with my mother.

"I can't find her!" I roared. "I looked all over. She should be here!"

Marc, Ron, Caden, and Max stepped out from behind a door at the sound of the commotion. Elena appeared the opposite end of them. They walked towards us a confused expression on their face.

"Where is Dee?" Caden asked as he looked around.

I growled and ran a hand through my hair. My ears felt like they have popped. I could barely hear what everyone was saying. The ringing sound was deafening. My mother's face appeared in my line of vision.

"Invictus, listen, boy." My mother urged. "Breathe for me."

I didn't realize I was kneeling down and shaking until I saw her face clearly. Elena moved to sit next to us on the ground. She placed a hand on my shoulder to soothe me but I couldn't bare another woman's touch. I only wanted Deidre.

I pulled back and stood. I needed to find her but first I needed to know who took her. The rain had washed away the scent of whoever was there with Deidre at the coop. I wouldn't be able to find her there.

My mother came to my side and again she placed a hand under my chin for me to look at her. "Think! I did not raise you to be like this. Clear your mind of your emotions. Think about all the things that have happened."

My mind rambled through all the past events. It played over who was there, who wasn't there. I shook my head when I couldn't come up with anything. My mother heaved a huge sigh before she placed a hand over my heart.

"Listen." She said.

I listened to my heart--the sound of it beating against my chest and how badly it wanted to be with Deidre right now but then Deidre's words echo again in my mind.

I think it's Elena...

Listen to me!

Why are you always defending her?

Something in my guts...protecting her...sick of this life...

My eyes wondered back to Elena who stood up looking at me with an innocent expression on her face but as I looked into her eyes. As I really stared into it, I saw something I have overlooked. It was evil and deceiving.

She must've noticed a change in me as she took a step back. My mother let me go as she turned to look at Elena confused. I moved so quickly I don't think anyone knew what I was doing. In an instant I had Elena pinned against the wall, my hands squeezing her throat.

"You." I growled in a voice even I couldn't comprehend was mine. "You hurt what is mine."

Elena grasped at my hand before she looked down at me as a gurgle laugh escaped her.

"You are so stupid, Invictus." I faltered a little at her change in demeanor. Her eyes glinted with malice and I squeezed just a little tighter.

"Tell me and I might give you leniency." I commanded my voice hard and low. My lycan was taking control and my power radiated out like a drug, intoxicating everyone around me except my parents and Akoni.

Unable to resist the powerful command, Elena garbled out. "Prince Aldric has her."

Angered, I moved closer to her ear as I whispered. "Leniency shouldn't be given to the guilty and heartless that doesn't have a single remorseful bone in their body."

Her eyes widened as I pushed her to kneel before me. My claws extending as I dug my fingers into her back, feeling her skin squish under me as I yanked hard on her spine, ripping it out from her back.

My body riddled with blood. I turned to my father and everyone else. My lycan still on surface, had my friends cowering with their heads bending down to who was superior to them. My shirt began ripping as my true lycan form started to surface. As hair began prickling my skin, I turned to my father.

"I am going after her rather we want to avoid war or not. The moment they took my Deidre, was the moment they declared war."