The Shadow Twin

Chapter 28 - A way out?

----Kayden POV----

The second Leigh saw Rylee her eyes soften and for a split second I thought that he would be able to get her back home with us. But then hatred and anger returned to her eyes, and I knew it was going to be a lot harder to get her back with me, than I had hoped.

“I’m guessing you are Crown Princess Leigh then.” The head of the Council then asked her, and she turned to look at him.

“That would be me yes.” She said and gave him a small nod. I guess they hadn’t meet after all and I didn’t know if that was good or bad regarding him letting us leave with her.

“And how did you get behind our walls?” He asked, as he starred her down and I saw her brothers shuffle nervously behind her. This was taking a turn for the worse, because I thought the Council knew she was here.

“Members of your Cobalt Order helped me. Thought I would be safer here, than out there.” She responded and then looked around the room. Nerves was starting to get to me. I couldn’t believe I thought the meeting with the Council was going to be easy.

“Crown Prince Kayden and Prince Rylee tells us that you were kidnapped.” The female witch said as she took the hood down. She was actually the first witch I had ever seen, and I sort of expected her to look more… Witchy, but she looked so normal. Not that I knew what else to expect.

“They didn’t. I’m here on my own accord. On my own free will.” Leigh told her, while she looked at her. And a hint of uncertainty crossed her face. The rest of the Council was studying her, and I knew that I needed to get her out of here. So, I stood and walked up to her, and she stepped back the second I reached for her. I tried hiding the hurt it caused, but I knew she saw it, because I could see it in her eyes. I then turned towards the Council members, with my emotions buried deep and a mask of fake emotions instead.

“I thank you for the sit down but will take my leave now. No need for drastic measures now that the members from the Cobalt Order brought my wife to me.” I then slightly bowed for the Council and hoped that they would let us go.

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” Leigh then hissed as I reached for her again. I was trying to get her out of this, and she was not helping at all.

“Don’t make this any more difficult than it already is.” Rylee whispered as he got closer to us. He too knew that we needed to get her out now.

“Difficult? The two of you are the ones that is making this difficult. My so-called husband didn’t want to marry me but were forced to in order to save your kingdom. His lover then tried to have me killed. Putting me in the hospital for weeks, while he just left. Only to come back and banish me. And do nothing about the attack on me… I don’t see were in all of this, I’m the one being difficult.” She crossed her arms as much as she could for the Onyx-scales and then stared Rylee and I down. I understood why she didn’t want to come with us, but this was not the place to have that discussion.

“Seems like you left out some details Crown Prince.” The witch remarked with a small smirk, and I knew that they were starting to piece the story together. And that was bad. I shared a nervous glance with Rylee, before I turned to face the Council again.

“I didn’t think to burden you with stuff, that had nothing to do with the Council.” I answered while fisting my hands and biting down hard after speaking. I really needed to get her out quickly now, but I didn’t know how. This was seriously taking a turn for the worse and Leigh was only adding to it.

“You banished the girl and then our Cobalt Order took her in. And she is now here. On our territory, at her own free will. Looks like you no longer have a claim to her.” The oldest of the two vampires commented. And I guess that putting it like that, he was right, but it was more complex than that.

“I would happily take her.” The other vampire next to him voiced out, while eyeing Leigh creepily. The lust in his eyes was as clear as day and I lost it. All of us wolves were growling and then I launched across the room. Grabbed the collar of the creepy vampire and smashed his head against the table.

“She is mine. MY MATE. Don’t you dare touch her or even look at her.” I growled before letting go of him, despite wanting to hurt him even more. And the whole room went silent after that. But I didn’t care one bit. Leigh was my Mate, something my human side had finally accepted to the fullest.

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With the Council members distracted by the bleeding vampire all of us wolves, made a byline for the doors. One of her brothers dragging Leigh with him. The second we were clear of the doors we started running. What I just did was bad, I knew that, but I would sort it out later or at least try to. I would blame it on my possessiveness, given I was an attached wolf, which I was. The vampire had tried to make a move on my Mate after all. Leigh then stopped and forced her brothers to stop to. And so did Rylee and me, even if time was of the essence right now.

“Don’t think this means I’m leaving with you.” She said as she turned to face me. Anger clear in her eyes. I didn’t know what to say, so I just stood there, looking at her.

“You have to.” The tallest of her brothers then told her and she started shaking her head.

“No way.” She retorted and he grabbed her arm. I had to force my wolf down, as to not hurt him for touching her.

“You need to leave this place and leave it now. I don’t like it any more than you do, but he is your only way out. The Council know somethings is off. We can’t hide that anymore. So, you must leave. Him being your Mate means the Council can’t stop you from leaving with him. You told me that you would fight for yourself, while I fought for our brothers. But I can’t do that if you stay.” The guy looked torn and so did the rest of her brothers. And she looked around at them, sadness staring to cloud her eyes.

“What. No… I can’t leave now. I won’t.” My heart broke a little over the amount of sadness and helplessness in her voice. The guys then hugged her at once. It was so weird watching them do that. To see them, who were cold hearted killers, be so… Nice.

“We can’t protect you here.” One of them whispered, which made her pull them closer.

“You don’t have to stay with him, you just have to leave with him.” Another spoke and I heard her slightly giggle at that. A noise that made me slightly smile.

“We will meet again, I promise. No way in hell I’m letting this be the last time we see you.” A third chimed in and then they all sort of laughed. Which made me look at Rylee, who was already looking at me. Some of the coldness in his eyes was gone. He hadn’t forgiven me, I knew that, but seeing others being the way Leigh was right now with her brothers, that she had only known for a year, made me miss the way Rylee and I used to be. And looking at him, I knew he was thinking the same thing. Sentimental as hell, but that was how much the family connection meant for us wolves.

“She’ll meet you at the waterfall, after she gets her things. We will make sure she shows.” The tallest then said as he locked eyes with me. And I wasn’t blind to the unspoken promise in his eyes. Nor the fact that all the brothers then looked at me the same way. They needed me to get her out and I sure as hell was going to do just that.

“She will be safe with me I promise.” And I meant it. Gone was the guy she had married over a year ago, he had been for a little while know. What I was right now, was a shell of a man who needed his other half to come back in order to be whole once again. And she was that half, my other half. I was not going to lose her, no, I was going to fight like hell for her and be there like I should have been to being with. I was a poor husband, for sure, but hopefully she would at some point give me another chance.