"I cannot believe she could do it"
"Yeah, that's incredible"
"I would have done same, if I had that much power"
"Oh, shut it, you are too selfish to do anything"
"As if you are so generous" the women bicker as they walk past Connor's room while he stays inside and tries to ignore the chatter that has taken up everyone with a storm.
The news of the Queen saving the infants and the needful mates have spread out like fire after she saved the son of the Alpha of Antonio pack and now, she has been busy saving other with her blood.
"Maybe she is a witch, you never know" someone adds and Connor sighs as he stands up before walking out of his room to find the some of the women gathered talking, some looking after the kids and sone just enjoying the day.
After looking around his eyes lands on Jasper who was standing with his arms fold, back to the wall and grinning at Connor.
"Yo" he calls waving his hand and Connor steps closer to the man
"Yo" Connor replies back.
"Nice weather, don't you think?" Jasper asks and Connor looks around before he glances back at Jasper.
"You could say that" he agrees.
"So, slept well?" Jasper asks as they start to walk around.
"Kind of, you?" Connor asks.
"You could say I did"
"Where's Jade?" he asks next.
"Probably busy learning some tricks I guess; this is like her element. When I found out she can do magic I thought maybe she used her magic on me, making me think we are mates"
"That would have been quiet a moment"
"Yeah, but then she beat me up before I had to believe we were mates"
"You took the beating?" Connor asks surprised.
"Like a good mate"
"You like her being bossy" Connor chuckles.
"Of course, she fucking owns the stage when she is all Alpha on her pack's ass. It's fun to watch. So, you don't mind her"
"For all I care, she can be anyone as long as I do not have to handle her pack. Not the Alpha male kind of guy, you see" he points making Connor frown.
"Men like me, Connor, we just want a simple, stress free life. A warm home, warm bed, warm heart" Jasper adds.
"But we do not get what we like. Life does not work that way" Connor throws in making Jasper sigh.
"Point. But we cannot always stay sad about the events, eventually you grow away from it. I was rogue for decades, a lone wolf, just wandering around until I met Jade and it was as if nothing mattered, the times without her just fade away...
Now, now all I want to do she watch her command others and then come back to me for comfort and some peace. Peace, I could give her that even if it's for a moment just as she gives me" he grins patting on Connor's back.
"Tell Jade to be there on time" Connor states as soon as they are far away from the witch's clan and Jasper nods watching Connor jump through the trees.
*******
Connor jumps inside of the palace, he stops to look around the area to check if there was someone, when he finds the area clear, he lets his senses do his bidding to find his mate.
"That's enough blood giving and saving lives" Connor pauses as he hears the loud voices coming from Crystal's room.
"You are over reacting" Crystal grumbles.
"Think whatever, Cry. But no more, this blood sharing, even if it's appreciative it can be dangerous. We do not know the reactions"
"Relax, my blood is not harmful and anyways I am just helping the needful one. But you won't understand it, saving someone's life..."
"There is a difference between saving life of the one who has chance but what you are doing is wrong, you are no God Cry. Not everyone knocking in your door is here with right intentions. We already are having troubles with nearby packs and clans raising questions about your blood sharing...
It's not just the matter of a you saving a life but a Queen giving away her powers, your blood is unlike ours. So just refrain from using it as you please" Adrian warns.
"I just wanted to help"
"Sometimes doing nothing helps, Cry. You do not know the danger you are putting those children by giving your blood. They will forever be watched by someone"
"But..."
"Just rest for now and no more of this, I will personally handle it if someone asks for your help. Just don't be stupid with your newly found motherhood"
"Adrian" she shouts at him in anger.
"Some lives should not be saved, Crystal the faster you learn it the better. You do not play with matter of life and death. You cannot hide your guilt by trying to be a savior to everyone, now, you will not meet anyone without my presence" he orders and she keeps quiet too angry to speak.
*******
Crystal groans as she lies on her bed before she starts to hit on the bedsheet and throw her legs in irritation.
"Stupid, idiot man" she grumbles before taking a deep breath trying to calm herself.
The opening and locking of her door make her groan as she jerks up at once in her bed to give Adrian few words, she thinks about him but stops when her eyes lands on Connor.
"Am I hallucinating?" she whispers staring at him.
"We need to talk" Connor asks as he steps inside and Crystal nods her head as she gets up from her bed.
"No, stay there" he asks and she sits down while he walks closer to her and pulls the cover back on her body.
"How did you, what are you doing here?" she asks staring at his face still in disbelief.
"I had no choice left"
"What do you mean?" she frowns.
"I want to take you somewhere" he asks before Crystal finds herself being wrapped in the blankets.
"Uh, what do you think you are..." she does not get to finish as he puts her on his shoulder as if a sack of potato before he walks towards the window and jumps out of it.
*******
"Connor, what's going on?" Crystal asks as soon as he lets her down and she moves out of the blanket letting it fall from her body.
"Sit please" Connor asks as he puts his hands on her shoulders before pushing her down to sit on the hay.
Crystal stares at his hands on her shoulder before he goes back to pick her blanket and puts it around her body.
"It's cold" he explains and Crystal smiles as she wraps the blanket tightly around her not because it was cold but because her mate was being sweet to her.
"Why did you bring me here?" she asks looking around the empty barn.
"We need to talk about few things" he clears his throat as he gets away from her and stands.
"What things?" she asks unsure what he was going to say as when it comes to her mate, she never had any idea how things will go. Will he kiss or dismiss her?
"About what's inside you" he points directly.
"What do you mean?" she asks hesitantly.
"You know what I mean, that thing inside of you" he points and Crystal gulps.
"How did you know?" she asks him knowing she could not lie to him and even if she did, what was the use, as it seems he already knows about it.
While he is talking about her wolf, she mistakes it for something else, one thing that no one knew, the fairy in her.
"Because that thing is dangerous and you sharing your blood..."
"So, you have been keeping tabs on me?" she asks interrupting him.
"Even if I don't want to, I have no other choice but to, everywhere I go, wherever I turn someone will always bring you up. You are the Queen after all and can a mere vampire as me can do?" he asks and Crystal feels a pinch in her heart.
"And for a moment I thought you cared enough to check on me through keeping tabs on me" she whispers enough for him to hear.
"I have no reasons to keep tab on you" he points.
"Being your mate is not a reason enough? How much longer will you punish me for the mistakes that is not even mine?
The very reason I never shared my identity with both of you was the fear you both will reject me but pretending I am not who I am you, both accepted me so easily that I became nothing but greedy. What happened with Des..."
"We are not discussing about her" he snaps as the topic as still a sour one for him.
"We are" Destiny snaps back as she throws the blanket and stands.
"It's cold"
"I don't care, when your coldness beats all them. And we are talking about Destiny. You think only you are affected by her death? You think only you have the right to mourn her, only you love her? She has been my sister as well; she has been my family as well!
And her not being here hurts! So much and to add salt in it, your rejection too, do you have to shut me off this way? I know I did not make few wise decisions but my intentions were never wrong. I was born with a title, to be a Queen one day...
But above all of that, the title of being your mate has always been the one I want. I never wanted anything as strongly as I wanted to be with you, in anyway you would take me. I will leave everything behind, Connor, every single thing just to be with you...
My crown will never be a reason to hold me back if you will accept me" she pleads.
********
Picking up the blanket Connor puts it around her shoulder as even if she does not notice it, her dress was too thin, he should have asked her to change into something but he did not have any time.
"I will never be ready to talk about Des, ever. Not with you or anyone else, not even with my own self. Who she was, what she was to me and how I let her down, will always be my downfall, Crystal" he breathes heavily.
"Ask anything from me, of me, but never about her. Never. I never cared what you were, from the girl who wanted a bottle of cow milk to the girl I wanted as my wife. In between all of that, I never thought of rejecting you, not once....
But from then to now, our circumstances have changed, we have changed. You are not the girl who walked in my doorstep to get a job and I am not that farmer who wanted to marry you. It's hard to be happy when her death will forever haunt me...
How can I provide happiness when I could not give her a proper funeral?" he asks turning his back to her.
"So, you mean, I do not deserve one?" she asks.
"When we met again, you were all set to find someone else, Crystal. So, don't tell me you were not looking for your happiness somewhere else" he points and Crystal narrows her eyes at his words.
"Don't throw that in my face when you know all along, I never knew what happened to you and Des!"
"Let's not talk about us"
"Why?" she demands.
"Because nothing will come from this discussion"
"That's what you think, but then again you never waited to hear me out. Making your own assumptions, taking decisions about us"
"This is not why I brought you here" he growls and she steps closer to him.
"Then why did you bring me here? To talk about weather?" she demands as she grips the front of his jacket.
"You should not be sharing your blood when even you do not know what your blood holds within" he points as he tries to push her hand away but her grip tightens.
"My blood, my life, I will do whatever pleases me"
"Not when you put others in danger"
"I am saving lives"
"That's what you think but..."
"Then claim me and make me stop" she states and he blinks.
"What?"
"You are not rejecting me but that does not mean you are accepting me, so you see you got no hold in me. You cannot order me around, if you want me to do your bidding you have to claim me and have an upper hand...
I will never go against my mate" she puts it out and his eyes narrows.
"Do not play games" he warns.
"I will play every card I have to have you beside me"
"Witch" he growls as her grips a fistful of her hair jerking her head a bit.
"Next time you hear about me, turn your back to it, close your ears and move on. But do not come to me out of nowhere and give me false hope" she warns as she lets go of his jacket to step back but his hold on her har tightens to the point she winces.
"I want to go back" she demands but he just stares at her face before slowly loosening his hold on her hair but no one steps away staring at each other.
*******
No one knows who started but both of them find themselves laying a top the hay with their lips locked. Connor cups her jaw before he caresses her cheek slowly moving his hand towards her hair and once again gripping it, as he pushes his tongue inside of her mouth.
Crystal grips his biceps as she kisses him back as well, his hand on her hips tightens before moving towards the back of her thigh and she wraps her leg around him. His warm hand on her bare skin makes her shiver as she climbs on top of his body.
Forgetting why they were there or where, both of them give into their passion, kissing, touching and feeling.
********
"This was not part of the plan, was it?" Jasper asks his mate as they stand outside the barn's door hearing the moans and groans.
"With you mate around, nothing is of plan especially when the need is strong"
"We were not so bad" Jasper shrugs his shoulders.
"You did not let me out of bed for a whole week, mate"
"And yet you are not with my child" he shakes his head with a sigh.
"We will have a child when I am ready" Jade grins and he rolls his eyes.
"Shall we come back later; they need to take it off their chest" Jasper asks his mate who sighs nodding her head.
"It will be better if he mates her" Jade smiles as she turns to leave but stops when Connor calls her name.
"Jade, now!" Connor shouts startling not just Jade and Jasper but Crystal as well as she stares at him in daze.
"What?" Crystal frowns not understanding anything as she was still in daze with the kiss but it seems it had no effect on her mate.
Crystal stiffens as she feels a shot of pain before her eyes widen with a gasp leaving her mouth. She finds herself falling down on the hay as Connor stands up and walk away from him.
"Connor?" she whispers his name as little sparkles starts to fill around her before she hears few mutters.
"My Lord" a woman's voice, Crystal thinks before everything turns black.
********
"I do not think it is necessary" Jade frowns as she stares at the sleeping form of Crystal.
"Do it" Connor asks.
"But My Lord" Jasper tries to interfere but a hand raised to silence him stop his words.
"Do it"
"But playing with someone's memories it can be dangerous" Jade warns.
"Once you pull the wolf out, the priest will know something is wrong. And we have been walking through her memories along with the wolf for many nights that our traces will be found around...
We will need to erase it"
"But still..."
"You start Jade, no harm will come to Crystal or anyone. I cannot lead him to me or the wolf's spirit, we just need to change few scenario's"
"Scenario's?" Jasper asks.
"One thing I learned from that priest, if things are not going your way, you make a way to make all believe what you want"
"And those are?"
"My existence. The wolf was created with the aim that one day it will be with me and we all can get controlled, but if I was never in the picture the priest will never be able to use it"
"So, you mean you will clear your existence from her memories?" Jasper asks as he glances at the girl laying on the hay.
"No, I cannot do that but there are few things that needs to be replaced"
"Are you sure?" Jade asks once again.
"Yes. Start the chants, I will not be able to erase myself from her life but I can make her believe that I was not there at times" he points before Jade takes a deep breath as she starts her chants as she had already prepared the barn with her potions beforehand.
*******
Connor stares at the memories Crystal had of them before he makes few changes, a trick he found from a vampire he killed. From their first meeting to her mate searching party, from the incident of turning Dante's wings pink to the kiss they shared at the barn. He changes it all not just for her but each one that witnessed it, some never happened, some did but with different face.
Finally finishes all of it, he tracks his traces back, erasing it all in a way that no one will ever know he was there all along, but only he knew where and when.
Jade feels guilt feel her in as she stares at Crystal, the touch of her mate's hand makes her sigh as she nods and begins a different chant.
Jasper backs his mate giving her the strength of his own power as Crystal's body starts to shake and the air around the room changes when the spirit of the wolf inside Crystal awakens.
"Finally," the wolf growls.
Jade gasps as she cannot withhold the spirit as he was too powerful to control.
"Fool, you think you can control me? The King of the wolves?" the wolf growls at Jade.
"She is not controlling you, just making it easier to shift you to your rightful place" Connor states.
"Meaning" the wolf's spirit asks staring at Connor.
"Don't you belong to me, wolf?" Connor asks the wolf who grins.
"Then make it easy for her, come to me, wolf. Your rightful place, inside of me. Together we will rule" Connor lures and the wolf lets Jade do her thing.
"Finally," the wolf grins.
The spirit easily gets out of Crystal's body and stares at Connor before making its way towards where Connor stands. With full force the wolf rush to get inside of Connor only to stop as he slams into something.
"No" the wolf growls in anger.
"Your rightful place has always been a bottle, wolf. Now, sleep well so you will let me sleep as well" Connor states as he stares at the marks drawn beforehand.
Connor watches as the spirit fights before the glow of the spirit dies, putting the lid on the bottle Connor stares at her for a while.
"Done" he announces before his eyes lands on Jade who was unconscious in Jasper's arms.
"Well done, but man...take good care of us" Jasper states as he puts his mate down and Connor watches the man lose his consciousness as well.
*******
Carefully putting Crystal back on her bed, Connor puts the cover over her body. He pushes the hair away from her face and stares at it for a while.
"I will forever be watching over you, through shadows but will always be by your side. I could not protect her but I have to protect you....
I cannot bring myself to talk about Destiny, but if I lost you too, I will never be able to take another breath. Maybe one day, I can explain everything or maybe I won't, but know for me there has always been one woman and that's you...
No one has to understand me as long as I get to see you alive and breathing. You once had the farmer's heart and now you have the heart of this vampire as well. I love you and only you, my Crystal...
Mate" he whispers as he kisses the top of her head before he disappears just as the door to her room throws wide open.
"I will fucking stuff a bull's cock in your mouth if you show me your teeth once again" Dante shouts as he walks inside of Crystal's room.
"But all I asked was how was your wings" Adrian starts and Dante glares at the man.
"As pink as you painted it, you asshole. The color won't go!" he snaps.
"Well, as far as I remember we made sure we use the finest color"
"I won't be able to bed any women at this rate, one glance at my pink wings and they laugh. I am ruined" Dante gasps dramatically as he falls on the bed Crystal was sleeping in.
"What?" Crystal yawns as she wakes up slowly.
"Red, I tried so hard to erase the color, it does not go away. I have been ruined, my wings are forever the color pink" Dante cries as he hugs her and Crystal frowns.
"Pink?"
"He is being over dramatic, get up the breakfast is ready. And before we start the argument, you will not be sharing at blood from now on...
Dante, leave her" Adrian asks.
"No, I want to stay with my little red" Dante shakes his head and Adrian rolls his eyes before he narrows it staring at Crystal.
"Cry?" Adrian calls before Dante gasps aloud.
"NO" Dante shouts in horror as both of them stare at Crystal while her hair slowly turns from glowing red to darkest black.
"My Red haired, tears" Dante screams while Crystal stares at her hair and with shaky hands touches it.
"No" she whispers in horror as well.
"Not the red hair, not my little cry's red glowing hair" Dante gasps as Adrian stands still staring at the scared woman.
"Ad?" she whispers scared but what's done is done, none of them know what to do but stare at her hair.