She walked over towards me with a grin on her face. "Where did you take me? Where am I?" I asked furiously. "Why are my hands tied and why am I chained?"
"Woah. Slow down. What's with all the questions?" she asked me with a chuckle.
"Just answer them!"
She unchained me before roughly pulling me off of the bed. "I'll guess you'll just have to find out."
She dragged me out of the room and down the hallway. I tried to resist, but I was far too weak. In fact, I felt like I was a human once again. As she pulled me down the stairs I began to take in my surroundings. Were we in Regnum Ignis?
Once we go into the throne room, I saw Roman sitting on his throne with four men guarding him. Nailah threw me onto to the floor.
"She's all yours," she told Roman.
"Thank you."
"Nailah? You're w-working for him?" I asked feeling confused.
"I wouldn't call it working. He shared some thoughts and ideas with me, and I am totally for it," she answered with a smile.
"How could you betray us? How could you betray Sebastián?" I shouted at her.
She walked over towards me and grabbed me by the arm. "Listen carefully you little brat. I've always been the afterthought of every decision Sebastian has made. I used to love him for years, but he never loved me back. Now it's my time to show him that I am worth it, strong, and capable. But he's lucked out. I don't want him anymore because he's weak. Once Roman finds the-"
"Ok, that's enough Nailah," Roman interrupted. She let go of me and walked over towards Roman's side.
"Why am I here Roman? What do you want with me?" I asked him as I got up from the floor.
"It shouldn't take too long because I know you'll be able to find it."
"Find what?"
"Find the bracelet. Seeing that you're a vampire and are rather intelligent, who knows? Maybe you'll hit the nail that we've been trying to hit for months now."
Why would I willingly help him find the bracelet? Did he really think I would say yes?
"No. I am not going to find you the bracelet," I stated.
"Well, then Elias dies."
"Excuse me?"
"If you don't help me find the bracelet, your mate dies."
He was going to kill Elias if I refused to help him? How psychotic was he?
"No! You can't just do that!" I yelled at him. I ran towards him in anger causing the men to hold me back. "He's your nephew!"
Roman shook his head as he got up from his throne. "I will not allow anyone or anything to get in my way and if that means killing my nephew, then so be it," he said with no facial expression at all.
My eyes began to tear up. I couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. He was truly the devil himself. I feared for Elias. There was no way I would be able to find the bracelet.
"You have three days."
"Not three days," I pleaded. "Can you give me a week?"
"No. You have seventy-two hours."
"Where am I searching?"
"Here in Regnum Ignis."
"But what if the bracelet is in Regnum Caeli or Regnum Terra?"
"Don't worry. I have people searching there right now. You just focus on this kingdom."
-
Elias' Pov -> Tuesday Morning
I woke up feeling the sunlight cast onto my face. I then turned around to stare at my beautiful mate as I did most mornings. She was nowhere in sight.
"Leilani?" I called out. She was probably in the bathroom. I remained in bed for another five minutes before getting up to check on her. I opened the bathroom door to see that it was completely empty.
"That's weird. Maybe she's downstairs with the others or back at her pack's house." I checked the time to see that it was 11:00 am in the morning. Everyone was already at the castle having breakfast.
After showering, I threw on a t-shirt and a pair of shorts before brushing out my hair.
I then retreated out of the house and checked her pack's house. After realizing that it was also empty, I then made my way towards the castle. I immediately headed over towards the room where we had breakfast every day. Sure enough, everyone was there.
As I walked towards my friend's table, I noticed Leilani wasn't there.
"Good morning Elias!" Saphira exclaimed.
"Morning, uh have you guys seen Leilani?" I asked them. "No... isn't she with you?" Neha asked me.
"No, I thought she was with you guys."
"Well we haven't seen her since yesterday, so maybe she's talking with Mateo or Sebastian," Indigo suggested.
I started analyzing the room in search of Sebastian and Mateo.
"Dude, there's no need to worry. She's here somewhere," Raphael said.
"Uh, excuse me," I said as I saw Sebastian and Mateo enter the room. I walked over to them briskly hoping they had seen my mate.
"Have you seen Leilani?" I asked them.
"Um, no we haven't. You can't find her?" Sebastian asked. And that's when I started to panic.
"No, I h-have no idea where she is. No one d-does," I stuttered.
"That's weird, uh let me make an announcement." Sebastian turned to look at the packs before raising his voice.
"Sorry to interrupt but does anyone know where the vampire is?" he asked everyone in a loud voice.
I waited patiently for someone to speak up and say she went walking or was in the kitchen getting her blood supply. Many shook their heads as others began whispering amongst themselves.
"This isn't good," Sebastián muttered. Something was wrong. Suddenly he exited the room. I followed him quickly. He was approached by soldiers. "Search all of Regnum Aqua for her," he told them. "What is going on?" Saphira asked. I turned around to see all my friends. "She's g-gone," I stuttered. I didn't waste any time and immediately exited the castle to start looking for my mate.
"Leilani!" I called out as I began walking across the bridge. Where was she? Had she left on her own to go visit Regnum Ignis?
After hours of searching, Sebastian had gathered us back together.
"Uh, I found this bracelet near the portal," a boy from one of the packs said as he walked towards Sebastian.
"It's Nailah's," Mateo said. "Where is she?" The room remained silent after hearing Mateo's question.
"So, both Leilani and Nailah are gone," Sebastian said. "I have a bad feeling about this."
"Can we check the other domains?!" I asked.
"We should wait."
"Why? She could be in danger!" I argued back.
"What if she comes back? I'm sure she's fine," Sebastian said.
"You just said you have a bad feeling about this! We can't afford to wait!"
I stormed out of the room and exited the castle. I began to run far away. Over the bridge and through the forest. I finally stopped realizing that I was suddenly having a panic attack. I began to shift as I repeatedly alternated from my wolf form to my human form. This happened over and over again until I began to hear a voice in my head.
"They couldn't find her for a full week before some hunters found her body in a forest."
"Stop!"
"They would remind him every day that he was pathetic and useless."
"Shut up!!"
"Three years later he committed suicide by hanging himself."
"Enough!" I yelled which caused the voice in my head to finally stop talking.
"Leilani!" I cried aloud as the tears began to fall onto my face. "I'm s-so sorry. I'm v-very sorry," I stuttered as I lay there naked, cold, and alone in the middle of the forest.