Barron: The Ruthless Bear King (The Hybrid Series) Book 7

Chapter 35: Broken Empire

(Tigger Warning DV)

FlashBack

Lily

I reached back home from Aidan's mansion, and I was upset, Michelle had just found us together; it wasn't our intention for her to find us like that, but we were so drawn to each other. I was pregnant, and she was too, what a web we all weaved, Aidan was trying to fix his marriage with Michelle, and I was just torn between him and my husband. Roman will be back soon from his trip, and we can't hide the paternity of my pregnancy forever. Roman will be furious when he finds out who I am pregnant for and I have been lying to him about the affair for months. Aidan magically removed my baby's scent for now, and I was grateful; it just makes me glee with joy just to be in his arms like we once were all those years ago. I was completely in love with Aidan, our bond was stronger than my bond with Roman, and I was afraid Aidan wouldn't feel the same way; will he leave Michelle? I hated thinking about hurting another woman, but I was so drawn to him, and I wanted him back.

I also need to come clean with Kyan, as he is getting closer to Ares, I wanted to tell him so badly about Ares being his biological father and that his true identity is Aidan, but so many things have happened, and I keep putting it off. Kyan planned to visit me later, and I promised myself that it was time to tell him because, for some reason, I felt things were going to get more complicated, and the tides were changing; I could feel it in my bones. I also want to repair my relationship with Sophie; Issy's wedding was a stepping stone, but I haven't heard from her since then, and Seth was making excuses for her again. I thought we had moved past our differences, but I gave her the space she probably still needed, if only I could feel her again, so I would know that she was safe. Issy had become my rock through all this, and she was living her life with Toffe; he adored her, and I missed having that, I wanted that with a true mate again, and my heart hurt for Aidan, I wanted him.

I woke up after my nap, and I smelled that Roman was there, but he had left the room, I heard him coming to the bedroom, but I went to the bathroom. I could feel his anger through our bond, and I know it's business-related as usual; he is losing money and allies in favor of Aidan. He would not go down easily, as I heard he is rallying rogues and remaining allies to go after Aidan; he waited until I came out and grabbed me by the neck, his wolf, Troy, was trying to take over, and I asked, "What are you doing?" He smelled me and said, "I know it's Ares you are f*****g, why are you doing this, Lily? After everything, I did for you," I was furious and pushed him off and said, "What have you done for me but force me to be your mate? Bare your children, you f****d around on me, beat me, and you asked me this? f**k you, Roman," he slapped me and I fell back on the bed as he said, "How dare you? I saved your life, I could have killed you with Aidan, but I loved you too much to do it, but don't push me, Lily."

I looked at him with venom in my eyes, his wolf was on edge as he tried contacting Adina, who blocked him out and said, "Love me, you didn't love me, you lusted after me, you wanted what your best friend had, and you killed him to get it." At this point, I was crying as he looked at me with so much rage. He tore my shirt and said, "Does he f**k you, Lily?" I said, "Get off me you sick f**k, I hate you," before he slapped me again my wolf came forward to protect my pup and bite his arm as he screams, "You bitch." Before knocking me off the bed, I ran to the bathroom and mind-linked Kyan, who happened to be on his way over here at the moment and was five minutes away, I said, "Hurry, please, he is going to kill me." I could hear the gun going off and hitting the door, Roman was a raging lunatic, but I knew the door would hold up. I had this door placed when he beat me repeatedly a long time ago, I never thought I would ever have to use it again, but Roman was going mad.

I sat on the floor waiting and crying when I heard Kyan mid-linked me, "I'm here, Mom," and I felt so relieved, he wouldn't hurt Kyan because deep down he was afraid of him, I could see it when they argued. I knew he had Alpha commanded Felix and Axel to stay away, and whoever else tried to stop him from killing me. I heard whispers, but I couldn't make out what was being said when a link came through, and Kyan asked me to open the door. I opened it and I hugged my son, crying, I was so scared for me and my pup. I saw Roman looking and yelling at me when Kyan convinced him to let us leave for a few days, but my mind was made up, I was leaving him for good. I got into Kyan's car, and as we drove out of Roman's territory, I started to feel better and told Kyan to take me to Ares's mansion instead.

After I told Kyan the truth about Ares, he went silent, and I was angry at myself for not being more careful with Roman; he would have found out eventually. I was so stupid, I should never have gotten that close to Aidan; I ruined his marriage with Michelle, and now mine, Kyan isn't speaking, but I could sense his anger, and it's my fault; I should have told him about his father. I mind-linked Aidan, but I wasn't getting through, and maybe it's for the best; he is trying to save his marriage, and I should go with Kyan, but it's too late now, as he pulled up to Aidan's territory before the guards opened the gate and let us in. I saw wolves running alongside the car escorting us, and I sensed a few vampires in the shadows; his place had been like Fort Knox since the incident with Michelle, I was crying because what if I just blew up my marriage, and Aidan didn't want me?

We approached his mansion, and Toffe met us outside, puzzled when he saw my face and the anger from Kyan as he said, "Where is he?" Toffe's eyes glazed over, mind-linking Aidan, and he pushed past Toffe, who said, "You can't go back there," and ran behind Kyan. He was in the back with his friends playing poker and Kyan said, "You lied to me," Aidan turned around and saw my face, Ty and the others' auras got stronger at the sight of my face, but I ignored them and said, "He knows," and Aidan said, "We were going to tell you," but Kyan change into his wolf and attacked Aidan. I screamed as I rushed to look over the balcony where they fell from, but they were okay; I left after Aidan told us to so he could hash things out with his son. I was led to the guest room by one of the servants who had the doctor take a look at my bruised face.

******

Present Day

It has been a few days since the incident at the restaurant; we planned it so well, and Ty outdid himself, Roman is going crazy from the reports I got from the Palace. He has offered a reward through his underground allies to find a way to kill Aidan and "His lackeys," as he calls them. He has killed some of his men in a rage after they told him Ares's land is impenetrable, and it's hard to find anyone who is not loyal to Ares, a lot of his people are pressuring King Roman to step down and let Kyan take over or pass the throne to Ares who has a close bloodline to the former King no one speaks about. Rumor has it that Ares is King Aidan's long-lost brother; no one knows who spread the rumor, but our suspicions might be Amon for the fun of it.

Because of that rumor about Ares being the brother of the true King, more people started to come to Ares for refuge and accept him as the rightful heir. Ares assures them he is not willing to rule and that he has the utmost respect for Prince Kyan, and he has his support, and Roman is furious. However, I didn't care, I wasn't going back to Roman, Aidan had decided to keep both his mates as they found out all Supremes would have two mates eventually, Aidan was just the first to have his besides Drax. Michelle and I worked out our differences, and we are starting to become great friends. After all, our kids will be siblings, and we are mated to the same man who loved both of us, and we loved him. She joined us at the council, where I formally rejected Roman, and his rage made him challenge Kyan for the throne, since my leaving would force him off of it, and he could only win it back if he challenged Kyan.

******

Roman

It had been weeks since Lily left me and refused to answer my mind-link or calls, my wolf even tried to reach out to her wolf, but she blocked us. I was furious with my son when I found out he took her to Ares' pack instead of his place, saying his mother asked him to, as she has friends there. I knew all of her friends, and none lived with Ares, but he had assured me she was staying with Issy and her mate. Issy even confirmed her mother needed space and would be back when she was ready; I have been having nightmares suddenly after she left about betraying and killing my childhood friends. I admit I haven't thought about them in years, and I felt guilty knowing they were probably waiting to skin me in the afterlife, but I will handle it then. I had been bleeding money, and a lot of land had been purchased from under me; I wanted Lubartown for my rogues to be closer, but King Barron purchased it.

Looking back, I should have mated Sophie to Barron; that way, he would have been under my thumb, and I would have been able to control what he did, but my hatred for him didn't allow me to, and I missed that opportunity. Sophie hates me, and I don't blame her; I do not think I would ever be able to repair the damage I did to her, but once I get things back under control, I will try my best to bury the hatchet so I can get Lily back. The elders finally had enough votes to overturn the intermixing law, and many people were happy in Ravena; a lot more species were mated than I originally thought. My bastard son was mated to an elf, which made their treaty a lot stronger, and Polly was betrothed to Levi; Emile was probably laughing at me. King Barron is getting married in a few months, and I wasn't invited to this one, but I didn't care; my focus was getting my wife back home with my pup.

I was losing my mind, I was going into mate withdrawal, and I summoned Esmerelda to be in the Palace and find a way to get my Lily back. She wasn't happy about that, but I wanted Lily, and hearing how happy she was with that man, whom I wanted dead, was driving me insane. I even saw my childhood best friends everywhere I went, even when I slept, they were haunting me, and I knew that they were probably laughing at me from beyond the grave. Seeing Ty back at the restaurant when I confronted Lily scared me to the core, so I wanted to go to their tomb and ask for forgiveness, but Addy hid the location from everyone years ago. She double-crossed us, too, and I was losing everything. Seth was the only one entertaining my ramblings, and he assured me he was by my side; Sophie was doing her job of keeping Seth in line. Issy was failing me because she would choose Sky Valmore over her father; I wanted the Valmores dead, and I wouldn't stop until I found a way.