The First Chimera.

Chapter 16

Ria's POV

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The flight back to the packhouse is quiet with only the wind rushing pass us. Seren pushing herself to fly with speed, Angle helping her with our shared magic.

Within our mind, I lay curled up surrounded by the warmth of the different parts that make me whole, their warm bodies pressed up against my cold skin, offering comfort and understanding while I search out my father's tether, a wave of relief rippling through us upon finding my connection to him.

"Dad?" I focus hard to maintain the mindlink, the poison pumping through my viens, being burnt out of my system from Seren's fire, making my thoughts foggy and muddled.

"Ria? Are you alright?" His concern washes through me, sealing over the cracks in my armour Alexander's accusation left. A temporary relief to the ache of rejection I've carried since our friendship was destroyed.

"I'm fine dad, Uncle was injured. What's the battle's status?" I ask, struggling to keep the mindlink stable, and hide the weakness in my voice, my fingers digging into the soft fur of one of Kasumi's nine-tails.

"The battle is won although I worry they'll return. I'll head back to the packhouse now and inform Luna Annabell." Dad says, his voice all Beta and my lips lift in a weak half smile before closing the mind-link and slumping back, leaning again Kaiyi for support and burying my face into her soft fur when nausea rolls through my stomach, Seren shivers, the urge to shift, to let mother Hekate's seal break shudders through us.

For the rest of the flight I block all attempts at contact, to the point where I can sense Zane's growing anxiety for my well being, but I'm far too tired to pretend to be strong and I don't want my family to worry more then necessary. They're already going to fret and I don't want them worrying themselves sick over me.

"Ria, I'm circling to land." Seren sighs, exhaustion flitering through her voice, touching every one of us. With a sigh of my own, Kasumi helps me stand and walks with me to the front of my mind, headbutting my hand before walking as far back as she dares, my beasts watching me from a distance, the sudden hollow sensation the distance brings tears to my eyes.

"It's ok Seren, once they have uncle off us you can rest. Thank you for getting us there and back so quickly," I want to wrap my arms around her, to give her what little strength I have left, but that's needed for after I've gotten uncle safely to his bed, and given permission to those present to share their knowledge of me to their heirs. Maybe then Alexander will know that I've never betrayed his pack, never betrayed those who raised me, protected me, and loved me unconditionally and with a ferocity that defies natura.

Seren lands and stumbles over her own feet, exhausted from the flight while our body actively burns as much of the poison as possible out of our system. Taking two steps, she slumps to the floor, breathing heavily, wings splayed out.

"Ria?" Zane excalims, panic making his voice rough. He scrambles off Seren's back, jogging around her body, checking for visible injuries.

"Help uncle off Zane. We're ok, just tired." I lie, because we're not ok, the poison is still in effect, lessened, but still active, Theia's unable to try to help heal with the wolfsbane, and the rest of my beasts are exhausted from lending Seren their strength for the flight back, unable to try and heal the poison's affects, already aware that they need to reserve what strength they have in order to prevent us shifting here in the pack.

"What about you?" He asks, and a exhausted chuckle rumbles through Seren.

"Seren needs rest, and I need to help Uncle. Please Zane, I'll be ok after some rest." I lie again, my chest aching with each lie told. Reluctantly, he nods and jogs back to uncle Zavier and Xander, helping the both of them climb off Seren, her body shuddering in relief. When she looks back at me, it's with worry, checking to see if I'm ready. With a nod I trade places with her, shifting back into human skin. Pain prickles through our body like a thousand needles pricking the skin. Stumbling forwards I grab hold of uncle, who stares down at me with concern.

"Tell Luna Queen Annabell to unlock the packhouse uncle." My voice comes out calmer than I feel, and surprisingly, I'm able to stand without shaking. I watch as his eyes glaze over, and glance towards the North, noticing the wolves already racing towards us, knowing our father will be the first to reach us. The Phoenix side of me shoots warmth through my body, struggling to burn through what's left of the poison as we wait for the doors to unlock, my body growing colder by the minute.

When they do, Aunt Annabell is held back by my mother, her face pale as she takes me in, looking pass the blood and gore drying and sticking to my skin, noticing only what a mother can. The slight tremble in my fingers, the weakness in my knees as I help their Alpha King up the front steps.

"Aunt Annabell, please ask an Omega to bring a bowl of cool water and a wash cloth up to your suite, and some light food. Soup and fresh bread if possible if not then something light. He'll need a hearty meal later though." I tell her, finding the strength somewhere inside me. Uncle Zavier limps beside me, his arms wrapped around Xander's and my shoulder's while Zane hovers by my side, ready to take over should I allow it. Without another word however, aunt Annabell follows us up to the Alpha floor, my mother holding her hand as we navigate the packhouse.

Once I have uncle laid in his bed however, she grabs hold of my hand, her eyes wild with the fear of a woman who felt everything her mate had.

"What happened? How did he get injuried? What was that burning? What did you do to heal him?" She rushes out.

"Ask your mate aunt." I tell her gently, keeping my voice soft dispite the shadows that crowd the edge of my vision. Pulling the older woman into a hug, I whisper in her ear, low enough that only she'll hear me. "He'll be fine auntie, but make sure he rests for a couple of months."

Pulling away, I move around the bed and hug Uncle Zavier, tears stinging my eyes at just how grateful I am for this Wolf. He let his Beta couple adopt a monster, he loved me as much as he loves my siblings, and he never tried to manipulate me, or force me to submit to him.

"I release you all from your vow to my creators. You are all free to share my secrets." I whisper into his ear and pull away. Alpha King Zavier stares at me with a sad, knowing gaze, understanding passing between us without the need for words. He doesn't say anything, instead, he and his wolf bow his head, bearing his throat in submission. A sob chokes me and I force myself to smile, bowing my head in respect to them. When I lift my head, I swallow another sob upon seeing Luna Queen Annabelle bowing her head in submission, her hand resting over her heart and a weird sense of deja vu washes over me as though I've seen something similar to this before. Shaking it off, I pull the woman who always had my back, who helped me learn how to hide my oddities, and my beasts into a tight hug, breathing in her scent before forcing myself to pull away.

"Thank you Kimaria. I owe you a life debt." Zavier says, his throat raw, his voice breaking with emotion.

"Please excuse me," I say, moving around the room to pull my mother and brother into a hug, seeking their warmth and comfort. Pulling away, my mother's tears wetting her cheeks is a dagger twisting in my heart. With shaking fingers, I wipe them away and kiss her cheek.

"You'll always be my mother. Distance means nothing, for we are always connected." I whisper in her ear, the tether that connects us like a shining chain in my minds eye. Steady and strong, our connection deeper than the blood bond they created with me upon my adoption, a bond blessed by my mothers, the goddesses.

"You'll always be my daughter. Be sure to come back for everyone's birthday and all our special days" Esmay Rivers, my mother who loved me dispite me not being her flesh and blood, dispite the monster I am, says cupping my cheeks, her wolf peering out at me. I nod, letting my glamma fade so she can see my beasts peering back at her. With a deep breath I let the magic that's hidden me all these years vanish, knowing nothing will hide my true natura sooner or later. Pulling away I'm soon wrapped in my brother's arms, his eyes full of tears he refuses to shed.

"Love you Ria. Look after yourself ok, and come back to meet your new family members when we find them." He whispers in my ear and I force myself to smile dispite the pain that tears through my chest. Because I'll miss watching them with their mates, I'll miss watching their families grow and miss out on being an aunt.

"I promise," My voice cracks and I pull away again, the poison weakening me futher as black spots dance across my vision.

"Tell Father, Tao and Jayla that I love them but couldn't stay like we planned, tell them why." I beg, needing to make sure my father and younger brother and sister understand that I only leave now to protect them.

At Zane's nod, I walk away on shakey legs, my knees nearly buckling. Taking a deep breath I head for the omega's stairway and move through the buzzing packhouse with no one taking notice of my nakedness or my leaving, the aftermath of such a large battle keeping everyone's attention on tending to the enemies dead, their own dead and those who were injured.

It's only when I've gotten downstairs that I stumble and cling to the wall to keep steady, my body shaking from the poisons affects. My beasts press closer, needing to comfort each other and me as I struggle to stay on my feet. A child's cry cuts through the buzzing, ringing in my ears, reminding me that I'm covered in blood. I grimace before shuffling to the mud room where I quickly shower, the water cold and unforgiving as my vision blurrs in and out of focus.

Once I've scrubbed my skin raw, and no trace of blood can be seen, I step out of the shower and stumble out of the packhouse, as naked as the day I was created. Mother Hekate's magic hums softly, straining against the inevitable. I stare unseeingly, searching for answers.

Where do I go? Where's safe for a monster to hide?

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Xander's POV

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I watch in stunned silence as my father submits to Ria, a sixteen year old hybrid. My lips pinched in a hard line when even now, after everything I've witnessed today, which I'm still unable to wrap my head around, Ria refuses to submit, instead bowing her head in respect, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.

Mum holds dad's hand, tears rolling down her cheeks, also bowing to the girl. My gaze turns to Zane who whispers a report to his mother, his features tight with concern while his mother openly cries.

When she turns Ria stumbles to her family, and I tune my hearing out, my mind in overdrive trying to understand today's events.

If she's a hybrid, just how many species is she a hybrid of? At least four from everything I've seen, but if that was her big secret, it wouldn't be that big a deal.

Hybrids are rare sure, but it's not something that deserves this level of secretecy.

A choked sob pulls me from my thoughts and I turn to find Zane holding his mother as Beta Chase rushes into the room, followed by Tao and Jayla, their faces pale as they search the room, grief twisting their features until Tao is holding Jayla as she sobs, the both of them openly crying.

"She's leaving Chase, my pup is leaving," Esmay cries, rushing into the arms of her mate. Beta Chase looks from his mate, to Zane, then finally glares at my father, full hostility raditating from him.

"What happened? Why is my daughter leaving?" He asks, the low gravel of his wolf in his voice.

"I don't know, she gave permission Chase." My father says, shifting to try and sit up. A low rumbling growl vibrates through my chest as her behavour today finally clicks into place. She was planning to leave.

Doesn't she know how dangerous it is for a female shifter to be a rouge? They don't survive long! Why is she willingly putting her life at risk?

Erebus pushes forwards and together we turn and dart out of my father's suite, tracking her scent through the packhouse, ignoring the voices calling out to me. Reaching the foyer I come to a stop, and Erebus turns my head, scenting the air, fully in control of our human body. The bloody hand print being wiped from the wall points me in the right direction and I take off for the back of the packhouse, bursting out of the back door to find Ria stumbling towards the forest, now clean of the blood and gore that had decorated her skin only moments ago, although still naked.

"Ria!" I call out, and stalk towards her while she stops and turns to face me. A gasp leaves my lips at when I spot her eyes, the dark blue I'd always found beautiful banished to outline the edge of her iris, a thick ring of white surrounding her puplies. Flashes of colour passes through before she sighs.

"What, Alexander?" The exhaustion in her voice surprises me, her lips still brusied from the poison she's sucked from my father's blood. Erebus takes a deep breath, and tilts his head at her scent, somehow it's subtely stronger. One thing is clear though, she's not Beta blooded, but Alpha blooded, I can scent that now.

"Why are you leaving? Don't you know how dangerous it is for female rouges?" I scoff, and go to grab her arm only she dodges and Erebus growls at her defiance.

"It's what you wanted isn't it Prince Alexander? Mix-breeds are dirty creatures afterall." The pain that laces each word is a slap to the face and my heart sinks while my stomach twists painfully.

"I don't belong here Alexander, I never did, you reminded me of that every day over the past six years. I've repaid my debt to your father for protecting me, but I refuse to continue to put others in danger." She says and turns to continue towards the treeline.

"Will you return?" The words burst out of Erebus and I, suddenly needing to know that this isn't goodbye, that I'll see her again. She turns and smiles, despite how ill she looks, her smile is raditate.

"Of course, you have my family living in your pack." She gives a mockery of a bow, and I scoff a laugh, not sure what to feel. A hallow ache spreads through my chest.

"Just promise me something?" She asks, the light fading from her eyes, the markings branding her skin faintly glowing and that other worldly arua blankets the land around us. Whatever promise she wishes me to make, it's not just a promise, it's a vow, a unbreakable agreement she is asking me to make.

"What do you want me to promise?" I ask a shiver of fear slivering down my spine.

"If anyone in the pack is mated to another species, no matter what specie their mate is, promise you'll never force a pack member to reject their mate, that you'll accept them, treat them with more respect that you've treated me." She says. It's such a simple promise, one I was already going to make to my pack members.

"I promise Kimaria Rivers, that no member of my pack will be forced to reject their mate for the reason that their mate is of a different species." Magic hums in the air and pain shoots up my arm and around my bicep. I blink as warmth washes the pain away and looking at my right arm, a thin black line with tendrils of flames, water and vines wrapping around it appears.

I turn to face Ria only to find she's gone. Vanished into thin air as though she was never there.