The Frayan courts’ royals decided to meet every four years when the three suns and moons would meet in the sky, and this day was known as the royal equinox. The queens and kings would dance, drink and eat together to show that Frayan would always be united. This was the way for thousands of years until one of the equinoxes went horribly wrong. No one knows the reason for the fall out on that destructive night, but war was called between the courts. Tall walls were built over the next months, cutting off all the courts of Frayan from each other. Peace was lost, and the royals were locked away for their own safety in each of their courts. This caused many problems within each court, and many, many deaths.
Queen Lilyanne of the Summer court was born two hundred years after the war started, and the prophecy was written…
I pause, rubbing at the bottom of the page, but the ink is all smudged and unreadable. I sigh, closing the book and deciding it’s best I try to read more of it tonight. So far, it just seems like a fairy tale. I learnt that the courts all made different things and loved to trade all their special goods. That the Summer court is on the beaches, made of sand and waves. The Winter court is in the mountains, made of snow and harsh weather. The Spring court is in the woods, their homes made high in the trees. The Autumn court kept my attention the most. The book explains the Autumn court is ever changing, made of all weather types. The people’s homes are made in caves, inside what was described as a massive diamond crystal. The clear, shiny walls of the diamond reflect all the weather patterns and shine different lights onto the city throughout the year. I almost wish I could see that court, but I know that is impossible. I shake my head and grab my clothes, heading for the bathroom to get changed. I roughly pull my clothes on and start brushing my messy hair after pulling it out of the plait I had it in.
“Adie, there is someone at the door for you!” Sophie shouts up the stairs as I finish brushing my hair in the bathroom. I quickly pull up my black skirt over my hips and tuck in my white shirt. I know one of the guys is taking me to the base today, and I thought I might as well dress the part of receptionist. I slide the black heels on and glance at myself in the mirror. My red hair is in curls over my shoulders, parted in the middle, and I have put a little makeup on that somehow makes my eyelashes seem really long. The white shirt has little heart-shaped black buttons, which I’ve left the top two undone, as it looks good. I can do this. It’s only a tour of the Hunter’s Organisation base. Likely the deadliest place in the world for someone like me. No big deal.
“Adie!” Sophie shouts, before banging on the bathroom door. I grab my phone off the side cabinet and open the door, seeing my sister with her arms crossed. “The guy is downstairs with Nath, and I’m going to repack my stuff for the move to the castle.”
“Alright, sis,” I say, shutting the bathroom door as she goes to her room. I walk down the stairs, following the deep voices to the lounge, and I go to open the door when I hear my name and pause.
“What the fuck do you mean you are going on a date with Adie?” the man asks, and it takes me a few seconds to realise it’s that Mich guy.
“What I just said. I’m not going to apologise for asking her or pull out of it. I like her,” Nath states, making me smile a little. “Since when do you give a shit who I date? Who anyone dates? You don’t date anyone, Mich, ever.”
“I give a shit because we are on a fucking mission, and she is clearly becoming a big distraction,” Mich snaps, though I can scent a lie on his lips. I frown, wondering what his real problem is because he is lying to Nath right now.
“I can do my job and date her,” Nath replies.
“This is a mistake. Rick is seriously protective of her, there is no way he isn’t going to lose his shit with you when you tell him,” Mich snaps, and I frown. Why would Rick be protective of me?
“Rick will understand, and no doubt ask Adie out himself. I’m not selfish enough to stop them when I see the connection too,” Nath retorts. My eyes widen when I realise he is talking about me dating both of them. Is that even a thing? Don’t guys get jealous, or have I missed something by not dating? Is this normal now? I shake my head. I don’t know a damn thing about guys. Maybe supernatural ones have different rules or something. I’m not sure I could even handle one guy, let alone two.
“You guys have all lost your goddamn minds over the pretty red head,” Mich mutters, sounding more pissed off. I decide it might be a good time to walk in and stop this. I push the door open and walk in, seeing both the guys standing by the window, turning to look at me. Mich has a white shirt on, tucked into tight black trousers that showcase his small, toned waist that goes up to his large shoulders that the white shirt just about manages to keep in. Mich looks ready for work—and modeling for an office magazine. I have a sinking feeling I might be spending the day with him instead of Rick or Nath like I hoped. Nath’s eyes seem to eat up my appearance, running over my dress and all the way up until he gets to my eyes. I briefly notice Mich looking at me strangely for a second before his emotions are blanked, and he is back to an emotionless expression.
“Hey, Mich,” I awkwardly say, and smile at Nath as I’ve already seen him this morning when I made him breakfast as a thank you for dinner.
“Adelaide,” he responds coldly. “I am taking you into the base today. I’m the safest as I can simply move us out of there if anything is wrong. We don’t suspect Graves knows what you are, but it’s better to be safe in these kinds of instances.”
“Right, makes sense,” I reply, and there’s an awkward silence as Nath and Mich stare at each other for a little while before Nath walks over to me, pulling me into a tight hug. I didn’t know we hugged now, but I don’t pull away as he smells amazing this close. Like lemon and honey, I think. Whatever it is, my wolf is basically wanting to roll in it, and I’m not disagreeing with her as I press my head into his neck.
“Be safe today, and Mich isn’t always a dickhead like he is acting like right now. Control issues,” Nath whispers to me, but he purposely keeps his voice a little louder than he should do.
“I’m not a dickhead, wanker,” Mich grumbles as Nath lets me go, winking at me before sliding around me to the door.
“I will look after Sophie today, at least until you are home, and then Mich is staying for tonight’s watch,” Nath explains to me. “The sofa is pretty comfy to be honest.”
“I’m sure it won’t be,” Mich grumbles behind me. Wow, this guy is moodier than I thought.
“Oh, okay. Thank you for protecting me last night, and I’m glad the sofa wasn’t too bad,” I say to Nath.
“Anything for you,” he says, flashing me a seductive smile that makes my knees feel weak. “I’ll literally do anything for you, or to you, my beautiful Adelaide.”
“Enough of the flirty crap. Let’s go, we don’t have all day,” Mich says, making me jump as my cheeks burn red, and Nath walks out the room, chuckling low. Mich storms past me, and I quickly follow him out of my house and towards his driveway. Mich unlocks the black Jeep, which I’m not surprised is his car because it’s the most sensible. I’m getting the feeling Mich is the sensible one of the bunch. I quickly get into the passenger seat after struggling a little to climb in with the heels. I slide my phone into the side door as Mich turns the engine on and speeds out of the driveway. I struggle to clip my seatbelt in and notice Mich hasn’t put his on at all.
“You should put your seatbelt on,” I inform him.
“I can disappear anytime I want. If the car crashed, I would just leave. A seatbelt is pointless for someone like me,” he explains, making it sound like that was obvious and I’m stupid for not realising it. I really don’t like this guy.
“Are you always a dickhead?” I blurt out. “I can see why you and Josh are friends.”
“I’m not like Josh,” he replies sharply, looking at me for a second with his eyes narrowed. “You don’t know any of us to judge us this quickly, Adelaide.”
“You sure do act like it, Mich,” I respond. “If you don’t want me to see you as a complete asshole, try being nicer.”
“Why would I care what you see me as?” he asks, and I don’t answer him, choosing to look out the window instead. He is right, he doesn’t have to care what I think, and he clearly doesn’t. The man just frustrates me.
“You worry me. I like to keep my pack in control. I’m the beta, the one that solves the problems and deals with anything that threatens us,” Mich randomly says, his voice quiet like he doesn’t want to tell me this, but some part of him feels like he needs to. He says he doesn’t care about my opinion, but here he is, telling me something to change it. Damn confusing man.
“You think I threaten the guys?” I ask, assuming he is talking about me. I really don’t think I threaten them in any kind of way. They are all built like gods, and they can clearly protect themselves. How could I threaten them in any kind of way?
“Simply, yes. Rick and Nath are going to argue over you because they are both falling fast. Josh is one stone’s throw away from losing his shit and doesn’t need any changes in this mission. Nath already won’t listen to my advice,” Mich says. “I could keep listing the shit that has changed in a week, but I think you get the gist.”
“Maybe some changes are good?” I suggest lightly. “Maybe you don’t always need to be in complete control.”
“Maybe not, and then maybe we all get killed protecting you, Adie,” Mich mutters, turning down a road that seems to appear out of nowhere in a row of trees. The road seems to stretch on forever, and in the silent car, it soon becomes uncomfortable.
“I won’t get everyone killed,” I tell him. “I’m only here for a month, Mich.”
“I owe Rick, Nath and Josh big time. I wouldn’t be the man I am without them, and this isn't just about control like you are thinking. They are my family, and I won’t let anyone break that,” he tells me, glancing at me for a second as his hands tighten on the wheel.
“How do you think you owe them?” I ask, wondering if he will open up to me and hoping to distract him from thinking I’m the wolf in the pigs’ pen. I mean I am a wolf, but I’m not going to kill everyone.
“When I was a kid, I lost my hearing when my pack was attacked and witches cut my ears off when I was in wolf form. I was lucky to survive when the rest of my pack was killed, but I was too scared to talk to anyone, and I couldn’t hear a thing for a long time. Another pack adopted me from the human social care system and brought me up. I had always been able to speak in people’s heads, because I’m half witch, and I decided to use that even though my hearing healed over time. I wasn’t brave enough to admit that I didn’t know how to speak and ask for help. Rick, Josh and Nath spent months teaching me in secret, so I wouldn’t be embarrassed,” he explains, glancing at me with those deep brown eyes of his.
“That’s so sweet of them,” I say, seeing the guys in a different light. Especially Josh. I never thought in a million years a guy like him would do that for anyone.
“They are my pack, and Rick is our alpha. I don’t know what it is about you, but you are different,” he tells me. “I just hope different doesn’t destroy us like I believe it would. I bet half the pack wouldn’t even fight being destroyed for you.”
“What does that even mean?” I ask.
“Doesn’t matter, Adie. Here we are,” Mich nods his head in front of us, and I follow his movement to see the massive electric fence gate we are driving up to. There are three gates, each one lined with men in dark suits, only the yellow dragon symbol of the Hunter’s Organisation on their uniforms. They have guns held at their sides. “Time to enter hell. You best smile.”