The Lost Goddess, A War On Mates

Chapter 7

Throwing a glass at the wall in anguish prince Drake slumps to the floor. In the last four years he has not found a trace of his beautiful fiancé Aeris. Fear and anxiety constantly filled the air around him, all the coven members began to fear the prince. King Lucius seemed to be just as distraught but was much better at hiding his emotions in front of the coven and higher council. Drake curled into his knees biting his lip until it bled profusely down his chin. He hardly ate or slept; he was a shell of his former self. Drake was allowing the guilt to eat away at his soul. He started to believe she left him. 

No one was good enough to not leave a trace and she would have left something if she were taken. He could only reassure himself so much that she was taken. After the first year it became harder as allies stopped looking as hard and so did the coven members exhausted from searching far and wide. Drake slowly moved the search lower on his priorities while taking over his regular coven duties again. He was not the same prince though. He became cold, harsh, violent. Any member who set him off died. He was not someone to take lightly anymore. He shrouded himself in work and thoughts of Aeris. 

He even thought of suicide but was pulled out of that idea when his warrior barged into his office earlier.

“Your highness, we have a lead!” He was smiling but the prince did not move. He looked at the warrior waiting for the information. He shifted nervously not expecting the prince to be this way, “A wolf pack said they saw a girl traveling out near the dragon clan of Hydra a few days ago heading south. She matched the description we have handed out.” He waited patiently and a tiny smile ebbed on the corners of the prince’s mouth.

“So…she left me.” Laying his head down onto his desk he stifled a hysteric laugh while tears fell onto the desk. “Check this information immediately and bring me back what you find.”

“If we find the princess your highness?”

“Bring her back to me, she has some explaining to do if you find her.” Grabbing a glass from the drawer the warrior bows and leaves.

Drake lifts his head and grabs the bottle of whiskey. He had gone through so many bottles in four years if his organs functioned, he was sure they would have stopped. The thought of Aeris leaving him on purpose was infuriating. He could not stop thinking about what she asked for right before she disappeared, “I want to go outside Drake, come with me pleaseeee?” This memory alone is what made him grip the glass and bash it into the wall curling into himself. Drake had started to hate everyone outside the coven making the peace treaty festival a nightmare. He never wanted to go again, Aeris always begged to go. He would always tell her no. It was just another bad memory that hurt him. He needed to let her go but he could not. She was too special to him. He fell asleep against the wall letting blood drip down his chin thinking about that stupid festival and his mandatory attendance.

Three months into the school year and everyone bullied me now. My teachers were annoyed that I either slept or drew art in their classes. I was bullied a lot by my English teacher. I figured she was a snob. I was still getting all straight A’s for me and Lucas. I found myself loving art class and drawing all the time. Mr. Steele was even kind enough to give me an entire sketch book and pencil set to keep with me. He told me to draw whatever inspired me. Most of the time it was me and Jake, all the boys together, or the beach. Sometimes I tried to draw the man and woman from my dreams, but it was never clear enough when I was awake. Sighing as the bell rang for lunch I got up and headed to the library. Lucas stopped asking me to bring him lunch after he accidentally hit my face and I started bleeding so much I passed out. I was out of school for a few days. I like to believe he felt bad, but he showed no remorse or concern for me.

In the library I found I could sketch without any interruptions. Today I wanted to draw something from memory.  I closed my eyes and thought hard. It was hazy but I started drawing three brown wolves covered in mud. All of them looked menacing and the forests surrounding them felt silent and eerie. Looking at my blank page I could see the lines and started drawing. When I was done, I let out a sigh. I do not know why I was so angry at this sketch, but it unnerved me. Something felt off and I tried to remember why I knew these ugly looking wolves.

 The bell jolted me up and I quickly grabbed my sketch book and ran to art class. Mr. Steele greeted me at the door with a smile and assigned everyone a midterm assignment. We had to draw something that made us feel safe. I thought long and hard. I did not want to draw the boys again. Mr. Steele would not mind but I wanted a challenge. If I did not have the guys what would make me feel safe. I tapped my pencil on the desk when suddenly my bracelet caught my eye. I smiled. Sketching out my bracelet was easy so I also added my hand and made it look like my hand was sketching my bracelet. It was a good use of the interdimensional theory we just learned. I liked the aspect of it. The project wasn’t due today but I finished mine so quickly I gave it to Mr. Steele.

“Wow, Aeris, this is amazing. Does sketching make you feel safe?” I smiled and nodded. He did not need to know it was also about my bracelet. He looked at my page in awe and took it outside the classroom. I followed anxiously confused and suddenly we made it to the front of the senior art show case. He opened it and put my piece right in the front for everyone to see.

My heart soared he thought I was worth showing off. I was so happy I hugged Mr. Steele from behind and sobbed out a quiet, “Thank you…”

“Hey, you are amazing and have a talent, no need to thank me for recognizing something everyone should already know.” His smile made me smile and wipe the few stray tears left over. We walked back to class, and I continued drawing. I made a thank you sketch of Mr. Steele and gave it to him right as the bell rung for my study hall. I walked out of class feeling light, I started to head to class when a surge of energy hit me. I could not sit still so I went to the gym early and asked the gym teacher if I could use my study hall exercising. He sent an email to my study hall teacher who did not care at all. Once I got the okay I went and changed into my gym clothes.

Running laps was helping for a little bit but I needed more. “Hey coach, could you teach me how to use the free weights?” He beamed with pride being called coach and I giggled at him.

“Of course, it’s the only thing I am here for. All these other wolves are so unmotivated and lazy. You are definitely one of my favorite students Aeris, even as a human.”  

“That means a lot to me coach.” I now had two favorite teachers. He continued to spot me and show me how to do reps and sets.

Time flew by and I wanted to be here every day like this,” Coach, can we get permission from my study hall teacher to just have me come here and train with you for my study period?”

He had a gleam in his eye while keeping a neutral face,” I will email her and ask. I will let you know if she agrees.” I smiled and started to do our regularly assigned warmups. The energy died down and I felt better. I think I just need to work out more since that seemed to help a lot. I finished out strong in gym and left without showering. After my first day and being humiliated I stopped showering here. I rather take name calling then being so exposed to all these cruel people. 

Heading home felt like less of a task today and more enjoyable. It smelt of a bonfire and warm fall wind in the woods. It soothed me. Once back at the pack house everyone started preparing for another peace treaty festival. I was excited because I lived here so there was no way they could exclude me, especially since I cook all the food. My hopes of being a part of the celebration were immediately shot down though once I entered the kitchen and noticed that everything was done.

“Fran am I waitressing for the festival?” Fran gave me a sad look.

“Sorry Aeris, Alphas orders, you have to be locked in the dungeon while all the esteemed dignitaries and other guests are here. As a slave you should have known you weren’t going to be welcome to this tradition.” Grabbing my hand, she led me to my room. “Now quickly shower, change into something comfortable, and meet me in front of the dungeon doors.” I nodded slowly. I am not one of them…I have never been one of them. I felt my eye twitch and a surge of power again. 

I was fifteen tomorrow and I could not even attend a festival centered around love and acceptance. I laughed humorlessly while stripping and getting in the shower. I really hate it here. I hate them all…closing my eyes I tried to calm down but could not. Something in me was snapping. I punched the wall and it shattered. I looked at my hand expecting blood, but I looked untouched. I frowned at my hand, I was even a useless and malfunctioning human. Stepping out of the shower I dried off and went to grab a shirt and pants. I met Fran like instructed. I was put into a cell in the very back of the dungeon where no light made its way in. I just laid on the floor and tried to fall asleep.

Lucas came home to all the busy omegas, young and old, prepping for the festival he would be running. He noticed one person missing, Aeris. He went to his father’s office and immediately asked,” Where’s the slave?”

His father stiffened, “For the sake of keeping our slave she will stay in the dungeon until everyone is gone from the festival. No one is to mention her or there will be dire consequences.”

Lucas nodded irritable because of Adonis. For some reason Adonis would not shut up about how she is fifteen now. I do not even know how he found out when her birthday was but now that he knew he was counting down until she was eighteen. Ridiculous wolf fantasizing about someone who is not his mate. ‘Maybe mate…’ he would mumble at me from time to time. I just rolled my eyes at that. Walking to my room I pull out a joint and light it. I smoke it and watch as a few of the royal pack leaders arrived along with a few fairy and dragon folk. The coven members only came the night of for obvious reasons. Puffing out smoke watching them all act friendly, he wanted to meet them but felt on edge with Aeris in the dungeon. Would anyone remember that she was down there during the festival. Shaking his thoughts away he grabs his nice red dress shirt and black slacks. He slicks his light brown hair back and stares at himself in the mirror.

He can see a happy and healthy looking Aeris standing beside him. ‘God damnit Adonis stop this.’

‘No, I like our little fire…she can be strong…’ Adonis is whimpering because I imagine Aeris in the dungeons crying and helpless.

‘She is in the dungeons and did not fight it. She is weak.’ Walking out the door and down the stairs I start to greet guests. It was going to be a long few days.

“Drake we need to start preparing to leave for tomorrow. The festival is being held in one of our most distant allies pack house this year.” Drake rolled his eyes at his father drinking in front of him.

“Which ally is this one? I still think we should stop going since they are all to incompetent to find Aeris…”  Drake mumbled towards the end causing his fathers eyes to narrow into slits.

He sets his whiskey down,” Drake, we keep the peace between all allies according to the treaty. Now, start acting like a leader. Incompetent or not we still have to fulfill our duties and care for the coven. If that means playing nice then so be it…I miss her too, but it does not mean we can just wait on her to show up when we have searched for four years. We are still searching.”

I nod and he sighs. “Let us get to it. Get some sleep we head out at night fall to make it to the festival on time.”

The next day I woke up cold and hungry in the dungeon. It did not feel too different then how I normally woke up. I sat up and started to mediate. Mr. Steele said it could help with my stress. I focused in on my breathes and slowly let my thoughts go. It took a while but eventually I felt numb to sound and touch. I felt free like this and relaxed. I drifted into my thoughts and found something that seemed lost. A little girl making grabby hands at a tall man saying, “Daddy, mine” I could smell the spiciness of his cologne and it put me and the little girl at peace. His warmth was enveloping, and I felt love radiating off the image. It drifted away without further explanation. I became depressed and laid back onto the floor. I can not seem to recall anything specific about my life before the pack. I read in a book at school it could be PTSD and my brain is trying to make me feel better by removing anything that would make the packs behavior seem less drastic and more reasonable because it would have nothing to compare it to. Even with my fuzzy memories I know deep in my soul that what they are doing to me is wrong. Jake, Adrian, and Basil all show me that the pack is terrible and wrong. I decide to think about my boys having fun at the festival and just get some extra sleep.