Sacred Decree

•Chapter Fifteen• In Reality

Aubrielle

There was a piercing scream in the room, bringing us both back to reality instantly. "What the hell are you doing Marcus?!" Sacred vessel Silvia screeched at her son. "Put her down this instant!" She ordered as she hurried to where he stood with me molded to his body.

"I was just kissing my mate, mom," Marcus informs his mother with an unrepentant grin.

"I can't believe you, Marcus," Silvia ranted as she looked up at him angrily while shaking a finger at him. "You're taking this obsession thing-wait, what did you say?" She finally stopped speaking and looked away from Marcus to me, noticing for the first time that my eyes were open wide with surprise and confusion.

"Oh, my goddess," Silvia exclaimed, complete joy filling her voice. She reached up and cupped my face gently. "You're awake Aubrielle!" She would have hugged me if Marcus' arms had not still been around me. "Put her down Marcus," Silvia orders.

"Bree is mine, I won't let her go!" Was his stubborn reply before he sat down, then settled me on his lap and looks up at his mother.

"She is NOT yours," Silvia began, then stopped as something occurred to her. "Wait, wait, did you say you were kissing your mate?" She asked with a cocked brow at her son, though she seemed surprised, there was also hope in her eyes.

"I did," Marcus replied, his face serious as he looked back at her calmly. I just sat there much like a spectator in a tennis match as I looked from him, then back to Silvia as they spoke back and forth.

"She's your mate?" She asked next.

"She is," He answered back with a firm nod.

Shaking her head, Silvia looked dazed. "That's not possible, that Royal Alpha was her mate," She merely stated.

With a ferocious growl that shook the wall-to-wall window, Marcus tightened his arms around me and glared at the sacred vessel. She in turn placed her hands on her hips and glared right back at him. "Don't you DARE growl or glare at me pup!" Silvia growled at him with eyes narrowed and flashing at her youngest child.

Shaking his head, Marcus sighed and allowed his body to relax. "I swear mom, Bree is my mate."

"Ugh," Silvia groaned as she closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. "I'm so confused."

"Me to-o," I croaked out before I dissolved into a coughing fit. Looking contrite and worried, Silvia hurried to get a cup of water and popped a straw into it, then held it out to me.

Marcus took the cup from her before I could move and held it while I sipped water, my eyes studying his face. There was no denying that he looked so much like the Marcus I know but there was one problem. The Marcus I know was six years old the last time I saw him. To say I was shocked was a monumental understatement, how can this be? I surmised I had to be dreaming.

"Aubrielle!" A voice I recognized as my mother's, cries out joyfully.

My head whipped toward the doorway to see my mother waddling toward me. My eyes grew wide as I looked at her protruding stomach but mom didn't notice. "My baby!" She cried out as she leans over and hugs me.

"Is this a dream?" I whisper, confusion dripping from each word like water from a faucet.

Mom straightens, then takes a step back, and my eyes once more go to her swollen belly. Understanding my confusion, mom cups my chin and lifts my face until our eyes connect. "Honey, you've been in a coma for twelve years," Mom informed me softly, her eyes serious.

My head began to spin as the words left my mother's mouth. I got the sensation of free-falling as if I were tumbling head over heels, my heart racing a mile a minute. My vision goes dark, the faces around me disappeared and I could hear nothing. I began to panic but then I felt a large hand cup my cheek, sending sparks in every direction that had a calming effect.