Chapter 2 Prepare For The Worst

Caroline set her drink down on the side table next to the lounging sofa she was sitting on. She sits back crossing her legs, making sure to keep the robe in a decent position.

"If Horatio is here, that means this is Adaleena's doing." She looks at my mother, I turned to look at her as well.

It was almost like looking at her for the first time, her petite stature giving the impression of frailty, although she doesn't have a scratch on her! Her throat was the same flawless cream color, not a bruise..

'Our mother is Fae?' Selene asked me excitedly.

'What does that mean?' I asked back through our link.

'I don't know yet.' Selene replied, saying less excitedly ,' but we don't look so good.'

I looked down at myself. My throat and shoulder were a faint bluish purple where Horatio's fingers had dug into my skin. It hurt to turn my head but I could feel the blood starting to dry from the gash at the base of my skull. It had already started to heal. Thank the goddess for werewolf healing, but still ... ouch. That had definitely escalated quickly. Back to the matter at hand, I have some questions.

"What did he mean by Fae blood?" I asked my mother directly.

"Ella, I think the less you know right now the better." she said, averting her eyes so that I could not see them.

"NO! That's bullshit!" I shouted in protest, hypocrite!" I've hidden my wolf my entire life, and you hide this from me? For what reason? What could be so bad?"

"Isabella!" My father shouted."Watch your mouth!"

I looked to my grandmother who seemed to be in deep thought. Silvia refreshed my grandmothers glass and she took a sip.

The betrayal that I started to feel as I looked from my parents to my grandmother. I never would have imagined THEY would keep secrets from me. Especially about my own mother. What does it matter if shes part Fae? We find our mates without discrimination, Fae, Werecat, Werewolf, Witch, Merpeople, Human. It's your souls bond with your mate that aids in you finding each other. So what is the big deal?

I know there's not very many Fae left, but to be honest I don't remember really learning much about the Fae. Mostly the highlights of our history and ancestry every Sunday morning, and shared stories at pack gatherings.

Seeing the hurt on my face, my grandmother came out of her thoughts.

"Ella, you are right to be upset. I realize the depth of the hurt you must feel. You must realize we have our reasons and I beg you trust us. All will be revealed to you in due time.",My grandmother said to me with a pleading look in her eyes.

She stood up, straightening her robe.

"If you'll excuse my, I should slip into something... less casual." she said with a small smirk, waving a hand down the robe." I shall return shortly."

I watched her leave the room, and turned to my parents. Jonathon had already directed two gammas to clean up the small mess left in the room from when Horatio pinned me up against the wall, the light fixture hanging there, mangled, my blood being wiped from it as I looked on.

This was not the chain of events I foresaw happening, I just wanted to start training with the pack.

Now I'm being summoned by a cousin I've never met before, to take part in some outdated ceremony that should never had existed in the first place. Hearing stories of those brutal times has always made me sick to my stomach. No one truly knows who started the tradition, it's original purpose meant to weed out the weak in your pack during times of famine and overpopulation. To Strengthen the bloodlines. Like a sick twisted version of that short story we read in school, The Lottery, Except from the many chosen to participate, only one came out alive.

The Tyrant King Damien, however, twisted this already depraved battle to the death they refer to as a ceremony, into a way to find the strongest mate for both himself and his pack. The Tyrant King would raid the other packs, killing the Alphas and taking their wives and daughters. Forcing them to compete in the Trials. Three Trials, one for each Goddess, each decided by the would be groom as a representation of a trait he wishes for the future wife to posses.

One story that always came to the front of my mind about the Trials, was one of the last girls that had been forced to participate, after she had been made to watch her parents and siblings butchered in front of her, she stayed strong and made it through the first two trials. When it came to the third trial, it started with a potion, The Paramour potion. Dark magic, that has since been forbidden. The hallucinations one gets after ingesting this poison starts of serenely enough, you see the one person in this world you hope and wish for your entire life. Your mate.

After a short time, the hallucinations turn more sinister. You'll witness your worst nightmare unfold, the death of your mate. The only limit to these hallucinations being your own imagination. The potion won't kill you, but no one was ever the same after.

Once the girl drank the potion, they sent her into the Royal Colosseum so that the entire pack could spectate, and make their bets on if she would make it or not.

It only took a few moments from her entering that The Paramour potion took effect, she stopped in her tracks and snapped her head to look at this hallucinated mate and shouted 'mate!'

Everyone watched as she met her soul mate , watched her fall in love and confide to this invisible mate all the injustices done to her. They could hear her responding to him as if he was making her every sweet promise under the sun.

Then suddenly her face turns to horror and she lets out a pain filled scream,' NO! Please! Please don't hurt him! I'll do anything, just please don't hurt him!' she cried to the invisible antagonist. Her screams that followed could only force you to imagine the unthinkable was being done to her 'mate'.

Only she saw the events to follow, and it being so long ago no one really knows exactly what happened, but she went on to kill the guards sent to collect her, just to be apprehended and sent to the dungeons, where she later died from the sorrow of losing her mate.

This Tradition was finally brought to an end by King Damien's descendant, a bastard born from the result of their raids.

The brutal 200 years in which it was practiced is regarded in the werewolf lore as a kind of dark ages.

The fact that my cousin is even being allowed to hold the Trials in the first place is completely absurd.

Coming out of my thoughts I realize my father is on the phone making arrangements for my absence from school. I was supposed to be starting in 2 days, and missing even a day when you're taking honors classes can be overwhelming.

'Why are you thinking about school right now' Selene said to me through our link,' No ones giving us any real answers Elle.Our birthday is in 2 weeks, what if we get our powers while we're gone? How are we supposed to hide if they make us shift in front of everyone? What are we supposed to do?' Selene continued, her realization of the situation starting to sink in.

My grandmother finally reappears in a long white flowing sundress, with a golden knit sweater.

My mother who has been sitting next to me holding my hand, gives it a squeeze and stands up. She gives my father a look, and he finishes the phone call and hangs up the phone. Then walks swiftly to my mothers side and takes her hand.

'I'll give you guys some privacy.' Jonathon says and he walks to the study doors and securely shuts them.

"So, are we gonna talk about what's going on? Or continue with this weird game of silent head nods and cryptic expressions?" I said in an annoyed tone."What's the big deal about mom being half Fae? Why has that needed to be hidden?"

"We have more important things to worry about Ella." my mother said sadly, as she turned to look at me.

"The Trials are not something the Prince could have initiated on his own. He had to have a majority vote from the council and they would never have agreed to it." My father said pulling my mother to his chest and kissing her forehead.

"No, they would not have. It's been to long since I've gone to the Capitol, I have not seen my old friends since my brothers Andrews funeral 5 years ago. It's obvious now that in my absence, The Royal Family has taken on a destructive path that has apparently picked up a following."

"Enough so to get this barbaric ceremony approved through the counsel anyway."said my father.

"So what am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to hide Selene at the capitol? What if they make me shift? I don't even have my power yet, if I'm even going to get one! And what if I DO get my power while I'm there and I can't control it!" panic started to set in, and I could feel my throat closing up. My hands and face started to go numb and I felt lightheaded, is this what a panic attack feels like? 'We've never had a panic attack Selene!' I yelled to her through our link,'I can't breathe Selene! Help!'

My family seeing the familiar golden brightness in my eyes, understood Selene was taking over and took a few steps back to give us some space.

"Breathe Selene, Breathe Isabella! You must calm down sweetheart, it's going to be alright..." soothed my mother.

"How will it be alright? How can we trust you!?"Selene and I growled in unison.

My Mother suddenly pulled me to her tightly and said softly, "Shhhhh Ella, it's time to sleep..."

A warmth crept over my body, my eyelids felt as if they were a thousand pounds, and I quickly succumbed to the peaceful darkness that was beckoning me

*****

I woke up a few hours later in my bed, the sun had already gone down. I quickly looked at the clock on my bed side table.

It read '6:54PM'.

I slowly sat up, recalling the events that happened before I blacked out. 'How did I get down here? Selene?' But she didn't respond.

I looked down to see my mother had changed me out of my bloody clothes into pajamas.

The blood on the back of my neck was still there, but you could tell an effort had been made to clean it up.

Dawn is at 5:00AM, I don't have much time.

I scoot over to the edge of my queen sized bed, and place my feet on the fluffy carpet accenting the edge of my four poster bed with my LED lights draping here and there around the border of the canopy.

I'm going to miss my room, despite my extravagant bed that was centered between the beautiful bay windows, I had a computer desk to the left-hand side and my bookshelves to the right.

Between the bookshelves was an archway that had a short hallway leading both left and right. To the left was the huge master bathroom, to the right was the equally huge walk-in closet.

I make my way into the huge bathroom and turn on the stand-up shower. Making sure that there's clean towels, I undress and get in, avoiding the mirror. I know I look like shit, because I feel like shit. I suddenly remembered the gash on the back of my head.

I slowly reach for the spot the gash had been , it was healed completely but was still very tender. I looked down at my shoulder, and the bruise had almost faded entirely as well.

The bright red stream heading for the drain caught my eye.

'How Dare he..' Selene says as she looks through my eyes at the bloody water.

'We have to come up with a plan Selene. This is all happening so fast..' I said to her through our link.' Agreed' Selene replied.

I finished my shower spending extra time on my hair.

Turning off the water I stepped out and grabbed a towel from the shelf next to the shower, wrapped it around myself and headed to the closet.

I threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, then headed straight for the door. I need to talk to my parents. And my grandmother, I'm running our of time.

Before I could turn the knob, her smell hit my nostrils.

Honey and Cinnamon, Mom.

I opened the door to see her heading down the hallway to my room and I stepped out to meet her.

"We have to hurry Isabella, we don't have much time." My mother whispered to me as she grabbed me by the hand and ushered me downstairs.

"Where are we going?" I asked as she turned to head towards the basement door.

"It's not safe to talk here Ella", My mother whispered even softer this time. Reaching the door, she stopped and pulled an obsidian key, with a beautiful opal on the bow.

"Wha..?" I tried to ask, but she placed a finger over my lips to silence me. Giving me a stern look to be silent to which I nodded and she slowly removed her finger. Selene was watching this key intently from behind my eyes.

She placed the key in the keyhole and turned once, a bright blue light started shining from underneath the door. She turned the key a second time, and a creaking could be heard coming from the other side. She turned the key a third time and the door began to shake and buzz, before finally opening into a bright room I couldn't quite make out, the sudden brightness was making it hard to see anything.

My mother grabbed me by the hand and pulled me through the door, shutting it behind her.