Leighton
I was standing before Luke and Jackson as I pleaded my case to go to find Estelle. I could tell from there stance they didn’t like the idea.
“You want to go get the princess but you don’t know where she is or what her sort of trouble she is in, despite the fact she left without telling out and requested you don’t follow.”
When Jackson said it like that it didn’t sound a very good idea.
“I get I sound desperate, crazy even but I’m going and I probably have more chance of staying alive if you guys help me.” I shrugged. “But I understand and if you can’t, I know how much you all have to lose. I get it’s not your problem.”
There was a silence.
“How about I call the King and see if he knows what’s going on with his daughter. Let’s get some more information. Until then, don’t do anything silly Leighton. If we can, I promise I’ll help you get her back.”
Jackson didn’t sound happy but at least he was willing to do something. I hadn’t even asked Oliver, it would be a flat no from him but with the others on board Iris would wear him down so if Jackson’s agreed to help the others would follow.
I went to find Ashton, I knew I would need his help too. I hadn’t even finished telling him the story before Felicity interrupted.
“Just tell us what we need to do, we will always have your back Leighton. The princess loves you, any fool could see that.”
“I might need you to help locate her?”
“I can only find wolves in trouble but I’ll try.”
“She might not know it yet, but I have a bad feeling about all of this. I think the princess is in more trouble than she knows.”
Ashton came with me back to Luke’s office, where I knew Jackson had been contacting the King. His face was grim.
“She isn’t there, he didn’t know she had left us and she hasn’t been there. They can’t appear to contact her, Peter or Princess Isabelle. He tried tracking the jet but the GPS has been disabled.”
“So where does he think she is ?”
“He says they found some of Peters close friends murdered yesterday, and a servant is missing.”
I felt sweat start to form, if she wasn’t there the obvious place she would go was to that King Adalfundis’s place but why?
“I told him we would help locate her. I haven’t filled him in on all the details.” Jackson looked me. “He doesn’t know you are her mate, I didn’t want to make the call to tell him but maybe we should?.” He paused. “However, I don’t know him well enough to trust him and the princess seemed to imply that he didn’t care.”
“Do you think we need him?” I asked.
“It’s would probably help, we have gathered as much information as we can about King Adalfundis and Abaddon Castle. Kora has reached out to find out which witch or witches he might be working with but someone with actual knowledge of the situation would help.”
“Okay, let go there. I’ll tell him the truth, I have this bad feeling she is in trouble, surely he will help us save her, she is his daughter?”
My question was left unanswered. I guess the fact that I had to ask said it all.
The voice of reason Luke spoke for the first time.
“Maybe we shouldn’t put all our eggs in one basket. How about some of us go there and the rest hang back, we can meet at the castle if the King is on our side and if not…”
He looked at me. “I’m not going to lie Leighton, if he is not then we rescue you guys and the princess might have to find for herself.”
As long as he got me out of there I would go for her so I guessed that was as good as I could hope for.
“How soon can we leave? I’m going to see if Felicity can reach Estelle at least that way we might have some clue what we are up against.”
“Give is a couple for hours to gather as much information as we can. They we will go, I suggest we leave Iris and Oliver here as the rescue team.”
That was a good call, we didn’t want our most powerful wolf trapped with me if the s*** went down.
Before finding Felicity I thought I better check in on Piper.
She was in her room, lying on the bed. She lifted her tears steamed face, now marred with mascara when I walked inside, before returning to her foetal position.
I sat on the end of her bed.
“I looked it up. Royal Advisor. One that serves the crown, before all else…. I had no chance, I was doomed to be second place to her.”
“Hey, Piper. You know that’s not true. He couldn’t keep his eyes of you once you met.”
She didn’t respond but got up and went to her bathroom. I wondered if her head was in the correct place to take her with me. I had never seen her in a mess like this. Maybe I shouldn’t tell her my plan, she seemed to be fighting her own demons too, I didn’t need her falling apart if the s*** hit the fan.
I got up to leave as she came out the shower. She stopped in front of me, and let her towel fall to the floor.
“F*** them Leighton, if they don’t want us they don’t know what they are missing.”
I didn’t move I my shock as she walked towards me. I didn’t even react as she put her hands on me and pushed me into the bed.
“You don’t need her Leighton, let me give you a pup and together we can forget all about them.”
Her words penetrated my brain and woke me from my trance. Pushing her a little too hard in my panic she tumbled to the floor.
“S**t Piper I’m sorry.” I reached down to help her up but she scrabbled for her towel.
Turning her back to me as she covered up.
“This isn’t what you want either Piper, you are just hurting.”
“How do you know what I want? You have been too obsessed with your princess to care about me. Here even when she doesn’t want you you reject me for her. Well when you get rejected this time, don’t rely on me to pick up the pieces . I’m done being second best.”
I knew she was hurting, and hurt people hurt but her words helped feed the dread I had been fighting that I might very much face rejection again.
I needed to leave before I upset her any more.
“I’m sorry Piper, I’m sorry you ever felt that way.” I said when I got to her door, looking back to see her devastated face.
“I didn’t mean it Leighton, please don’t leave me too.”
Her voice sounded desperate and I put my hand up to keep her from throwing herself at me.
“I’m not leaving you, I just think you need sone space and me being here isn’t helping. I will always be your friend Piper, nothing will change that.”
“It has changed though, she changed that. You will always put her first, even now when I need you all you can think about is her.”
She wasn’t wrong but telling her so wouldn’t help right now.
This conversation had confirmed she wasn’t fit to come and help with the rescue. I couldn’t even blame her, she had clearly been jealous of Estelle before her mate left without her. Despite everything I trusted Estelle and it didn’t sit well with me that she took that wolf with her. A wolf that had been willing, without any question really to give up his mate for her. So I could h sweat and a little why Piper was so devastated.
I was now questioning myself in case I missed something about Peter. Maybe he wasn’t as genuine as he seemed.
Ashton was with Felicity, his face looking grim. I knew he hated it when she used her powers.
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to reach her.” Felicity said.
Her visions usually came sporadically often when a wolf was in trouble. I took it as a good sign but equally the need to see Estelle was okay was burning in my veins. I silently begged her to try.
“Let’s go somewhere quieter.” She said and Ashton followed her to Luke’s office.
Luke was waiting there, a stack of papers on his desk.
“I’m starting to wonder if this even is my office.” He rubbed his hands over his face.
“So last night, someone was in my office making phone calls.”
“Who? The Princess, who did she call ?”
“Greer did see her leaving my office, she assumed that I knew and had given her permission. Guess where the call was to?”
“Abaddon ?”
“You got it. I think it’s safe for us to assume it’s thats where they went. What I want to know is why the Princess called them.” He looked like he didn’t want to say more.
“I know you don’t want to hear this but we have to consider the possibility that it was your princess that made the call. We have to prepare to be walking into a trap.”
Instantly my hackles were up. Jackson appeared at just the right time, placing a hand on my shoulder.
“We can’t take any chances, you know that Leighton, what is she really was a spy and she fooled us all. We aren’t saying we won’t help rescue her but we need to make sure we don’t walk into a trap.”
I felt Ashton move closer to me and I was warmed by his support.
“I spoke with her father again, he sounded worried l … I am inclined to trust he doesn’t know what is going on. He said he was going to look into something but it would be safer to discuss in person.”
“Felicity is going to try to see if she can find her. Maybe you that will help you trust her”
I looked at Felicity and nodded for her to start.
She took my hand and closed her eyes. At first I felt nothing then I felt her hand start to warm.
Her eyes flew open and the image of Estelle appeared in the room.
She was waking in a garden, Prince Alonso was with her. You could tell they were talking but I couldn’t hear the words. She didn’t seem her normal self but equally she didn’t seem to be being held against her will.
The sound of laughter filled the room, echoing of the walls.
The link wasn’t strong enough to hear their conversation but she was in his arms and didn’t resist as he traced his finger over her marking spot.
My world spun on its axis and I as wasn’t aware the connection broke until I realised that the images were no longer present in the room.
Ashton was holding Felicity in his arms.
“I’m sorry Leighton her mind is so strong.” Felicity closed her eyes, clearly exhausted with the effort of trying.
I was aware of a conversation going on around me but my mind was trying to process what I had just seen.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked up to see Luke looking at me with sympathy in his eyes.
“There has to be a mistake.” I told him. “She doesn’t didn’t want the Prince, however that had looked, she must have been spelled or something.”
I saw Luke exchange a look with Jackson.
“Let’s see what else we can find out before we rush into anything.” He said, failing to hide the pity in his voice as I stood rooted to the spot.
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