My Secret, My Bully, My Mates. Series

"You've been trying to take it my whole life haven't you?" I don't know why I am surprised by this thought. "Not necessarily. I wanted it before you were born. The prophecy only talks about a child, not the mother."

I gasp. "You came for Lucas? Did you seduce him? Did he cheat on Ava?"

"I was the one to decipher the prophecy and figure out the child would be born in this pack and would be someone of rank. Why not start with the Alpha." She shrugs like that's no big deal. "I don't have to go into heat to conceive and I didn't care if he had his Luna, what is she to me? No one would know. Micheal, as the oldest child, should have been given the powers the prophecy foretold..."

"But, Lucas wasn't the carrier passing on the magic, my mom was. So It wouldn't have mattered how many kids you had with him, you never would have gotten what you wanted. Why did you keep coming back? How did you hide it?"

"The prophecy spoke of a girl, not a boy. I was not foolish enough to believe Micheal would be anything special. I needed a girl. The prophecy says the girl got to choose her mate, so I thought Micheal wasn't a complete waste after all."

I couldn't hide my shock. Cam and Kota were half brothers with Micheal and didn't know it. I killed their brother and she talks like he didn't matter at all. I have felt hurt and disappointment, shame and loneliness all day. Right now though, I feel anger. Pure, blinding, white hot anger.

The storm around us rages. Lightning sears the sky and rain is pelting down, but nothing touches us inside Adrielle's barrier.

I am angry at Lucas for starting this whole mess. And all the adults around me just kept making emotional decisions in reaction to Adrielle and Vincent and all of their bullsh*t without actually thinking things through. I hate Kaley and her dad for being a part of this. She was more than likely influenced by Adrielle too. It explains a lot if she was. We have all suffered for years because Adrielle wanted a power someone told her wasn't hers to wield. I am angry that even though Micheal was a d*ck, had a reason, he wasn't wanted anymore than I was. A product of selfish behavior.

I am angry. No 'angry' doesn't even come close to describing the rage or animosity I am feeling at suffering with so many other innocent people at the center of someone else's stupidity and greed. I can feel the earth beneath me rumble. I feel the air around me press into my skin. The rain just out of my reach is fighting to get in, pelting the barrier Adrielle has up. The flame under my skin is bursting to get out. It wants to take over like with Vincent and just incinerate the problem that Adrielle is. I just don't think she is going to go out as easy as he did, and there was nothing easy about that.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

***"Skylar, my sweet girl. Do not give into the hate and anger. It will consume you and take control. Fight and defend, but do not give your control away, you will never get it back."*** I can see Elena has her hands up in my peripherals. I can't tell if she is showing submission or ready to cast.

***"I just need to end this, now!"***

***"You know good and well it won't end here. Don't let her control you too. Don't let her force you to use your magic She lives to control it, she has never understood it is a of her, of you, of all of us. M not selfish or kind, it works with the intention of the caster. The more

negative the emotion the more

is

energy it takes from you. She's trying to make you weak before you even begin."*** Gentry is making some kind of gentle swaying motion with her arm, definitely casting.

***It all hurts so much, I don't know if I can control it."***

***"But you are. Can't you see? She is not making the storm outside, that is a reaction nto your emotions. It's all you, sweet girl. But it is getting

intense out there and we all have et

people we love in the storm. Think of them, ease your rage, reign in your temper. You will get your chance, but don't follow in the footsteps before you and sacrifice all that you love for something as useless as hate."***

Oh Goddess, NO! She's right I can feel it now that she's said it. The storm is mine and I am hurting people with it. What was I thinking? I'm not better than Adrielle. I can't fet that take my focus from her either. I see what Elena meant. If I analyze her like a warrior she is waiting for me to break down or unleash wild magic that will drain me so she can attack. I wonder if it works the same for her since she was born a full

witch?

I can feel the rage inside me calm the longer I process her and come up with a strategy. My wolf is giving me hints to her movements. Adrielle isn't as fast as us, but I'm sure that is due to her magic use. She probably doesn't have to do any kind of hand to hand combat because she is so powerful. But she's never met anyone who has everything to lose and will not put self preservation first.

"Give me my magic, mongrel."

***"Baby, Everyone is safe..."***

***"Love, let us in, don't fight her alone..."

"***

***"Sweetness, we're ready to fight this to the end with you..."***

Behind Adrielle, just beyond the border of the barrier, my mates stand tall and strong. Ready to back me in this. Then my brother and Sam flank them followed by Osiston, Nikolas, Lil, Wyatt, Nathaniel and all of the warriors who are still able to fight.