If the world was upside down, and seas washed upon the heavens,
Sand became stardust, forests danced like Northern Lights,
And we were swimming through the Milky Way,
One thing I know:
No matter how the universe shifts,
I'll still be holding you.
_____________________
I wore a turtleneck just to piss Livius off.
Goddess, I wish I had taken a picture of the appalled look on his face to which I had responded with a simple question. "You're always telling me to bundle up, no?"
He had simply glowered at me before I'd decided to put him out of his misery and switch into something less confining.
Of course, the decision to show off my mark, however, came with its own consequences...
My adoptive mother, for example, looked as though she wanted to strangle me. I knew she barely trusted Livius, knew that she was uncertain about our relationship, even if Livius and I were mates. She didn't know if we were ready for anything more.
Sebastian, on the contrary, was elated. He said, and I quote, "Fuck, I can't wait for the fire-breathing Alpha demons to arrive. I promise to be the best Godfather in existence."
Who on Earth had named him Godfather, I have no idea.
Later, as an afterthought, he had peered down at me with a scowl and added, "But then again, it would really fuckin suck to be your daughter, Alexandria. You're so pretty, it'd make anyone insecure."
Elias, who was leaning against the far wall of the living room snorted and muttered, "Good thing she'll have such an ugly godfather to even out the balance."
I had laughed way too hard at that. And Sebastian's glare had only made it funnier.
Still, it was odd bearing Livius' mark. Nothing had changed, and yet there was a slight shift in my surroundings. In the way pack members living in the castle now fully stopped to dip their heads in respect. It was as though this was the final confirmation they needed to conclude that I wasn't going to suddenly disappear, that I truly was Queen, even if I hadn't been crowned yet.
But it was Victoria's reaction that had caught me off guard.
The girl had simply smiled, calm and unbothered. There was no scorn, or malevolence in her gaze. She was so at ease it was almost unnerving. Instead, she'd taken my hand, her eyes practically glittering with something akin to joy, and mumbled her congratulations as she peered down at the healing mark.
"Your ex is freaking me out."
Livius glanced up from his work, his brows furrowed as his eyes met my own. A moment later, he was shifting his gaze back to his papers. "I don't have an ex."
I rolled my eyes before swiveling in his chair to throw my feet up on his desk. He noted the movement and brought his cool gaze back to me. "More importantly, why are you in my chair?"
"Because I want to be."
He arched a brow, those pale eyes twinkling in a way that made me narrow my own, and when he moved to undoubtedly make some suggestive remark, I cut him off. "Whatever it is you're thinking, I don't want to hear it."
Livius' lips curled to the side, and I will admit my heart skipped a beat at the sight. My fingers gripped the armrests when he stood, that same expression lingering along his features as he sauntered over to his desk.
My breath hitched when he leaned down, his lips hovering over my ear. "And here I thought you enjoyed good conversation."
I arched my chin. "You're always complaining about how busy you are, yet you somehow make time to tease me. Go back to your budget work and leave me be."
"Hm?" He gripped my chin and brought my golden eyes to meet his own. "Is that how a Luna speaks to her Alpha?"
I leaned forward and allowed myself to get lost in his cerulean gaze. "It's how she ought to."
Livius paused for a moment before dropping his head onto my shoulder, a chuckle escaping his lips. "God, I love you."
My lips quirked, and I brought a hand up to run through the silky strands of his hair. I could feel his smile on my skin, his warmth near my collarbone. "Of course you do."
"Baby, I know you're upset that Mrs. Valentina scolded you, but that shouldn't stop you from at least saying 'I love you too,'" he remarked, pulling back to lean against his desk.
I really need to get going and so much as glancing at Livius in a certain way is going to cause a delay, so no. I will not say "I love you too."
I sighed before offering Livius a small smile while I stood up. I instinctively leaned into him, my arms curling around his lean torso as I buried my head in his chest. "You know I do," I said in return, and he released a small chuckle when he wrapped his arms around me in turn.
"Don't tell me this is a goodbye hug, moon. Where do you think you're going?" He questioned, his hand stroking the silver strands of my hair.
"You'll never get any work done if I stay," I responded, my fingers curling into his suit. "I don't want you to end up pulling an all-nighter."
"Trust me," he pulled back to glance down at me, his eyes a pale flame. "I don't want to either."
I rolled my eyes at his words, before slowly letting him go and moving to step back. "See you tonight?"
Livius smiled, his dimple appearing as he gazed down at me. "I think you're forgetting something, my love," he remarked, before swiftly tugging me back into his arms. An instant later, he brought up his index finger and tipped my head upwards so his lips could meet my own in a sweet kiss.
I couldn't help but smile as well, my hands coming up to rest on his chest as he pulled back to press his lips to my forehead. "Happy?" I asked with a teasing grin.
He took my hand in his own and returned my expression. "More like satisfied."
"You're ridiculous," I retorted, and when I attempted to leave again, his fingers simply closed tightly around my hand. "Livius." I sighed. "I have to go."
"But do you really?" He asked, but he didn't even let me respond when he spun me around so that I was leaning against his desk, his lips already back on my own.
I hated how my eyes immediately fluttered shut. How warmth seeped into my bones. How my heart skipped a beat everytime he so much as laid a finger on me. Little opposition left my mouth as he hoisted me up onto the table, one of his hands lingering at my waist while the other cupped my jaw. I couldn't help the way my fingers disappeared into the strands of his hair.
Goddess, it was so hard to walk away from him.
"Livius," I sighed when we pulled away and his eyes glittered at the sound of his name. Fucking alpha bullshit. I rolled my eyes at the response before sliding my hand down to loosen his tie.
"Would you still like to leave, moon?" He asked teasingly, those sinful lips curling up as he trailed his fingers down my spine.
I suppose it wouldn't hurt to stick around for just a bit longer...
So, I did the most rational thing and wrapped my arms around his neck to draw him closer before slanting my lips over his own for the thousandth time today.
So much for heading out.
******************
I left Livius' office an hour later, my mark throbbing and my face flushed as I shut the door behind me and attempted to ignore the deep chuckle that lingered behind me.
He was such a tease. The bastard was always amused by my embarrassment.
Still, the sight of his chiseled chest and curved lips still replayed in my inner eye as I strode away. We were acting like horny teenagers in some shitty high school rom-com. I mean come on.
What the fuck?
I scowled as I turned into another hall, my eyes closing in irritation while my mark thrummed. Silently, I brought my hand up to lay a finger on it and found myself shivering at the simple contact.
Goddess, fresh marks suck.
With an eye roll, I turned the final corner and marched to the end of the hall where two guards stood at attention.
"Your Highness," they said in unison, bowing deeply before standing once again.
I eyed them carefully, gauging their reactions. "I'm going in to see Gabriel. Hold your positions. And please... " I brought my index finger to my lips in a playful gesture. "Don't tell your King."
One of them moved to protest, his instincts urging him to go down with me, but I simply stared him down until he dipped his head. "Of course, Your Highness."
Brushing past them, I trailed my fingers along the wall as I slowly stepped down the stairs. I quietly strode past the empty cells, and paused at the final one at the end of the small hall. The coppery tang of blood hung in the air and invaded my senses, but I disregarded the scent.
"Ah, I see you've finally deigned to visit," Gabriel mused while lounging against the wall nearest to the bars. "Were you thinking about what I-"
I casually brushed a hand over my shoulder, pushing my hair back so that my mark was in full view. "Actually, I thought a lot about what you said, Gabriel. So, I just came to thank you."
I leaned down to give him a full view of Livius' mark. "It's beautiful, don't you think?"
He visibly grit his teeth, his jaw clenching as he sent me a glare so fierce it could've set the world on fire. "You've come down here to flaunt your little mark then?"
"On the contrary," I said, squatting down so that I was eye level with him. "I came down here to repeat my question, Augustine. Are you ready to answer?"
He grinned. "Remind me again what you wanted from me, Princess."
I scowled, my eyes narrowing. "Where is my Kingdom?"
"Doesn't matter now, does it? Seeing as to how you've made yourself quite at home here. No fae would ever bow to a rabid she-bitch," he grit out in answer, lips curling into a vicious snarl.
He didn't have time to pull back when I reached through the bars and grabbed him by the collar. My hands dragged him towards the poles and I slammed his head right up against the metal and held him there. "Fucking try me, Gabriel. I'm not in the mood for your bullshit. Not today."
"I have nothing to say to a whore who sleeps with the other side."
I snapped, my other hand slipping past the bars and closing around his neck, the air stopping midway through his lungs. His fingers clawed at my wrist but my hand only tightened.
"I'm not quite sure why you've deluded yourself into thinking that Livius and I will not kill you," I murmured, leaning my face against the bars and staring into his dark eyes. "Tell me where my kingdom is. Tell me which traitor from my Father's council leads them. And maybe we'll let you live."
His face was pale as he held my gaze. "You think I... fear... death?" He managed, his voice strained. "I will... answer... nothing."
I stared into his eyes for a long moment, my fingers still around his throat, and as angry as I felt, I knew I would never be capable of taking a life. Even if he deserved it. Even if he ruined everything. That was a line that I would never be prepared to cross, and one I could never return from if I did.
So, an instant later I was releasing him, my gaze glued to his form while he fell back and inhaled deep gasps of air. Before he could fully recover, he turned back to me, his eyes wide and burning with realization. "He hasn't told you? Even after taking you as his mate?" He was breathing deeply, his voice still hoarse as he took thin breaths between his words.
I furrowed my brows, my eyes narrowing once again as I stared at him in question. "What are you talking about?" I swear I'd strangle him again if he was trying to get in my head again. All this bastard did was cause doubt.
"Just now..." He was still panting as he pushed out the words. "You asked who leads us."
"And what about it?"
Gabriel smirked, and I almost growled in frustration. I hated how he dangled the information before my eyes, how he withheld everything. If there was a way to drag the thoughts right out of him, I'd do it, his life be damned.
"You know what? Never mind. I'll take my leave," I said instead, while rising from where I stood and carefully dusting off my skirt. "It's clear that you have nothing to share. Speaking with you is a waste of time, Gabriel. I'll let Livius deal with your shit, but just so you know..."
I turned to glance at him over my shoulder, my voice lower. "He's much meaner than I am."
Gabriel rubbed at his neck almost instinctively, and I chuckled before stepping away while taking note of the way his eyes drifted to the far wall, his gaze calculating.
What the hell was he mulling over now? Was he going to ask me why Livius hadn't proposed yet as well? I snorted to myself as I strode away. It doesn't matter that Gabriel refused to tell me where the remaining Fae were. I could find them without his help.
It was time to fully hand him over to Livius. I was done interrogating this bastard.
No more dungeon visits for me, I suppose.
"Alexius lives."
I stopped in my tracks, that name cutting through me like a sharpened blade. He was already a good distance away, his cell much farther back, but I still heard the words he'd uttered, the certainty within them. My hands curled into fists as I inhaled deeply, my gaze returning to his. "You'd resort to lying now, Gabriel? Don't you dare speak to me about my late brother."
His eyes met mine as he leaned against the wall nearest to the bars, drawing my attention from his gloomy cell. "Alexius lives," he repeated. "You asked who is leading us. There is your answer."
My heart was beating too fast, the air barely leaving my lungs as I stared him down. A moment later, I was leaning down once again, my face closer to the bars. This close I could see the bruise blooming on his face and around his neck from my previous actions, along with a few drops of blood on the cold floor.
I had made him bleed? I didn't think I hit him that hard.
"You are a liar," I bit out, my hand itching to grab him once again. "Alexius is dead. I watched him die. I was there when that man killed him. Your words will not change what I saw."
Alexius is dead. It's not up for debate. He died that night with my family. I saw it. I was there and I saw it.
"You're right, I'm a liar. But this is the truth," he admitted, his voice nonchalant, his eyes calm. "You may have watched someone slit his throat, but I was the one who watched someone heal him. Believe me on this, Alexandria. Your brother is alive."
I clenched my jaw.
Gabriel took in my disbelieving expression, and leaned his head back, his eyes glowing with memory. He ripped his gaze away from me and returned it to the far wall. "After the former Alpha King left our territory, a majority of the Fae who were not in the capital at the time of the attack returned home, myself included. It is commonly known amongst wolves that the Fae were wiped out that day. It is untrue.
"Many of us died, yes. But the healers saved who they could. And when we entered the ballroom, the royal family were amongst the corpses. A good amount of your blood was there as well, but your body was not. No one knew what to think. But for Alexius..." Gabriel's eyes closed in recollection, and I swallowed, a part of me still uncertain as to whether or not he was weaving another intricate lie.
But there was truth in his voice and nostalgia in his eyes. And with all the horrible things he's done, he seemed so clearly relieved by Alexius' survival. Gabriel was undoubtedly evil, but what he was telling me right now... was true.
"He was still breathing when we made it. If we were just a minute behind, he would've died. But his death wasn't nearly as gruesome as you remember it to be, Alexandria. There was blood, yes. But the wolves were too cruel to give him an easy end. They made it so he'd suffer. Instead, he lived." Gabriel brought his gaze back to me, his eyes calm and clear.
I rose on shaking knees. My mind practically reeling. But there were no words left to say. I didn't know what to believe.
I had honestly never imagined it would be him. That he could've lived to lead the Kingdom. I'd instinctively assumed it was one of my Father's councilmen. It made sense. It was the only thing that made sense. Alexius' survival was out of the question. I watched him die. I watched him die.
"He sent Castiel and I to bring you home. He was adamant on keeping you safe. But it was my decision to kill you instead." When my expression didn't change, Gabriel provided another sliver of proof. He tilted his head and pointed at a spot around his throat. "He has a scar running horizontally across his neck, exactly where you saw that man rake his claws. When you see it, you'll know."
"That's enough," I said, once again stepping away from him, this time with my mind in disarray. "You're a-"
"Your mate knows," Gabriel cut me off. "Ask him and he will confirm it. Then you can come back for another chat."
My eyes burned molten gold as I leaned against the bars, the silver burning my skin and the scent of Gabriel's blood overwhelming my senses, but I paid them no mind. "We'll see about that."
But a part of me already half believed him.
The Fae only chuckled, a dark smile on his lips, and the sound followed me while I strode out of the dungeons, my mind churning.
Alexius is alive. Alexius is alive. Alexius is alive.
Those words kept replaying in my mind, my fingers once again trailing against the wall as I left the scent of blood and grime behind. The guards bowed when I passed, and I made it down the ornate hall, and out of their sight before leaning against the adjacent wall, my thoughts catching up to me as I wrapped my arms around myself.
He's alive. My brother is alive.
Gabriel had no reason to lie. Not about this. It didn't get him anywhere. It didn't help him at all.
I attempted to soothe my breathing, to calm my beating heart. Livius would undoubtedly be able to sense my anxiety, but I didn't care.
He knew. There's no way he didn't know. But why wouldn't he say anything?
My fingers tightened around my arms, and I choked on a relieved sob, my hair falling in my face.
After all these years... I was finding out only now. That someone with my blood survived that massacre.
All those memories didn't have to be so heartbreaking anymore, all those precious moments that I had suppressed didn't have to hurt so much. He was alive. Alexius was alive.
I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe I wasn't the only survivor. That he was out there too. Living and growing as I did. Drowning in memories while believing the other was dead.
I didn't realize just how much I missed him until now. And I fought against every instinct within me to keep from running back down there and having Gabriel lead me right to the remaining Fae.
But for now just knowing the truth was enough.
He was alive.