The Delta's Daughter Chapter 259

HUNJI/KIAN

I leap into the thick of the battle, swords drawn, roaring out a battle cry as I do. The edge of my blade slices the first challenger that dares to attack.

I turn, cutting down one enemy after the other, the human scents and scents of a foreign pack determining who is friend, and who is foe. Though there are not many wolves amongst the Kodiak Clan so they are easier to spot.

I hear the crack of a whip behind me the sound of dirt bikes rushing to where I’m fighting, gaining my attention. They get closer and I bend at the knee. Holding my swords out and cutting the rider’s legs on either side of me.

The whooshing sound of something heavy moving through the air, has me looking up where an identical net to the one they had Finn under, flies above my head. My arm moves, drawing my sword vertically. I dash forward and watch with amazement as the tip of the blade meets the blanket of poison.

A red hue emanates from the steel as if it just came fresh from the fires of a forge. The sharp edge of hot steel comes in contact with the silver bound, and poisoned-soaked netting. Cutting through the material like a hot knife through butter. The netting falls to either side of me and I stand. The culprits in my sight.

I sheath my swords and shift into Ruda - giving him control. He wastes no time in running down the enemy who tried to net us. Leaping forward - flying through the air - and landing on the back of the rider. His jaws snap around the man’s neck, ripping the head clean off his body as the bike skids along the floor and Ruda jumps off.

Giving control back to me, I shift us back into our human form. I’m hardly surprised when I find us fully clothed. Maybe a lasting effect of the potion Asena gave me.

Screams encompass the battlefield. I look around, only to see the dead sweeping across the ground and killing the enemy. I stiffen at the almighty and painfully filled roar that shakes the ground.

*Shit Hunji where are you?* Tobias mentally connects to me.

*The far side of the battle, what’s wrong?* I ask as I denoted worry in his words.

*Morgan… she killed Finn's mate*

My thoughts stop and my reply gets stuck in my throat, just as I see Tobias walking through the trees, away from the battle. Away from where Morgan is. Not toward the Clan Mansion.

*Where are you?* I reply to him.

*With Morgan…*

*Take her back to the Mansion. I will meet you there* and I cut the link. My eyes trained on the path the imposter took. A boiling anger rages inside me.

I should be concerned for Morgan and for Finn. I am. But right now, I just saw Tobias walk through the trees in the opposite direction that he just told me he was. And I didn’t see Morgan with him. Either Tobias is lying or someone looks very much like him. 

Instincts told me to follow the Tobias I just saw.

Quickly and quietly, I shift back into Ruda, stalking through the trees. I lift my nose, scenting the air. Trying to get a trace of either Tobias’ scent or a fresh foreign one that came through here. Ruda snarls as we detected neither.

Ruda spots movement. He weaves between the tall trunks, eyes on the prey at all times. ‘He has no scent.’ Ruda growls to me, watching, following, and staying level with the man who looks like Tobias. The man is completely unaware he is being stalked.

Soundlessly sliding forward, Ruda comes ahead of the man, we are close to the crest of the mountain. I shift, pressing my back against a tree. The crunch of a twig breaks the surrounding silence and gives away the imposter's position.

I grab the imposter by the neck, my claws piercing through his skin. He looks like Tobias, but this thing is not him. It doesn’t wear Tobias’ scent. “Who are you?” I growl ready to kill it.

To my utter surprise, the imposter shifts. Tobias’ bulky frame shrinks down to the shape of an old man. I drop my hand and step back with a jolt at the sudden appearance of Chakor.

I’m stunned into place, taking me several minutes to gather my wits. Chakor waits patiently for me to be rendered from my own paralyzing state. “What are you?” the question was full of bewilderment and a wave of anger for this trickery.

“The last of my kind as far as we know. A product of an ancient witch and a hybrid mating. A rare pairing.” He changes again, this time into the form of a young man. His eyes changed color along with his appearance, “This is my true form, at least, that I know of.”

Speechless, I look into his eyes. I have seen a pair like that before. A bright yellow with pupils in the shape of a crescent moon. My brain searches for familiarity until it finds who I am looking for.

Kolby Crimson. Beta and second in command to the Kingdom of Cambiador. 

They share the same eyes. A unique yellow with crescent pupils. 

“It was you in the lounge parlor?” I tell him with a question - recalling not too long ago when Tobias gave me a drink, then moments later came back in acting like he hadn’t just spoken to me. That moment had bothered me since it happened.

“You gave me a drink,” I say slowly as my thoughts form into words. “What was in the drink Chakor?” I couldn’t recall if there was an absence of scent to the imposter Tobias that day. My wolf and I didn’t have any reason to pay attention to him enough, and I paid no mind to the drink because I thought it was Tobias handing it to me.

“Asena gave me a potion to slip to you.” Chakor morphs back into the guise of the old man I have always known him as. His eyes change back to the ones I know.

"The bond is a lie." I exhale long and slow, coming to terms with what I already knew, but didn't want to believe - knowing the sudden mate bond with Morgan wasn't the goddess granting us a gift - me a second chance. Asena had sent Chakor to slip me a potion, that did what exactly, imitate the feeling of a mate bond?

"You were born of prophecy Hunji, a vision the sisters saw, many hundreds of moon cycles ago. The forsaken prince shall rise, and with the chosen one he will fight at her side in a battle against the gods."

A chilling feeling grips me and runs through me. I shiver and my gut twists with a bad feeling.

"Asena and Ashe have been playing games this whole time, are any of our bonds real? Because I know for a fact, they screwed Kellen and Lamia’s bond up!" Venom laced my words and I sneered at Chakor. Voicing a truth, I had omitted in the debriefing with Kellen and Lamia.

"How many times have you done this Chakor? Helped in deceiving one of the most sacred gifts the moon goddesses could grant!" My tone demands an answer.

"Twice including you." He bites back, not afraid of me in the least. "Only one other time has this potion and word alchemy been used. I am older than Asena, and aside from you I have only ever once, seen this potion used."

"Who?" I ask. He shakes his head low.

"Queen Lamia’s parents," he says with shame.

I was not expecting that. I truly thought he was going to say, Lamia and Mathias.

"Why?" I repeat the question this time, still mystified and still stuck on his previous answer. And somewhat stupefied.

"Like you, they were already in love." Chakor resolves to give me a sigh, one that tells me, whatever he is about to say - I can only take it with a pinch of salt. Right now, his words hold no strength with me. And I can’t believe anything that comes out of his mouth.

"She gave you your heart's desire. That's what the potion was." he sheepishly grins. "The love was already there - you just needed a push" when I don’t respond he carries on “Asena believes you and the witch are meant to be… so do I. A mate bond allows you to recognize your love sooner, you were already in love, who are we to take that away? When Ashe planted it in your head that you and Morgan didn’t belong, we didn’t agree. Asena believed Morgan was able to imprint on you for a reason. She did it because she holds true love for you Hunji.”

“Why is it so important to her that we are together?” I had to know what the ulterior motive behind her actions was.

I do not and never would regret being with Morgan or the way we came together. She is mine.

However, my eyes had recently been opened - Asena and Ashe had played plenty of games over the years. I was sure this was another one. What purpose does my mating with Morgan serve?

“It’s important to her because she loves you Hunji. Your happiness is important to her. To us. Asena has had many children over the centuries, yet she was only able to keep track of a few lines of her descendants. You are one of those descendants, Hunji.”

My eyes snap from the ground to his, Chakor easily holding my glare.

“Why are you here, Chakor, in the Kodiak Kingdom?” I will keep asking questions while he seems to be in the mood to answer them.

“To warn you.” He states stepping closer to me, a seriousness unlike before falling over him. “The dark witch rises from the shadows and wants the keys to the gate.”

“What gate, what witch?” My mind reeling with the information he is giving me. Needing more from him.

“I don’t know much, just what Asena has seen.” I give Chakor a warring growl to not play games with me. “Four keys of color, together they unlock a door for the gods. Only a bright and electrifying power can join these keys together. This is all I know, I swear. Even Asena and Ashe know no more than me.” He promises me.

I peer deep into his eyes, looking for the lie, but I only see the truth. Chakor is not lying.

He turns, walking away from me "I'll see you again Hunji" he pauses, "hopefully not too soon" he throws over his shoulder and then changes into a magnificent eagle, spiriting away and soaring high across the late afternoons light, his giant wings blocking the winter sun from my eyes.

Poof. He's gone. Just like that. Leaving me to stare in disbelief. 

An unpleasant feeling grips me as I stare into the sky, where Chakor disappeared from. Panic, stress, fear, and sorrow, all engulf me at the same time.

‘Mate’ Ruda growls to me. I shift and race back toward the Clan Mansion, mind-linking Tobias as I do, getting his and Morgan’s location.

The Mansion is in chaos as I walk in, hearing Finn and Tobias shouting.

“You’re not right Finn!” Tobias growls out a warning “You need to stay away from her right now!” I race to where they are yelling only to find Morgan collapsed in Tobias’ arms. He’s holding her securely, protectively. Ria leans over Morgan with a wet rag and Xander has his palm planted securely on Finn’s chest, holding him back. Abner stands guard ready to jump in if needed.

I snatch Morgan from Tobias’ arms, sneering at him “What the fuck happened?” I’m so angry right now, I don’t know if I can control it. Seeing my little witch unconscious in another man’s arms is driving Ruda feral and he claws to be let out.

“I think she had a vision,” Tobias tells me, his hands up and out in front of him, to show he means no harm. “One minute I was leading her to your room, the next she starts convulsing, eyes rolling in the back of her head, and she drops like a sack of rice.” He explains in a rush.

“Let me see my sister!” Finnegan yells,

“No!” I growl out at him, Ruda coming forward, making himself known as we tell Finn “You just lost your mate, your beast can not be trusted around her.” I haven’t confirmed it, but if Morgan did kill Finn’s mate, his beast may hold it against her even if Finn himself forgives Morgan – his beast may not.

Finn pushes Xander away, leaving the room with a growl. Xander moves to go after him “Leave him be Xan,” Tobias says “He needs time to cool off, he’s hurting. His beast is in pain just as much as he is.”

“Kian?” I look down. Morgan’s eyes flutter open.

“Hey, my love.” I smile, happy she is waking up and unharmed.  

“I had a vision.” Her groggy voice whispers to me “A man in shadows with eyes as blue as ice, searches for the shifter of light. I saw a rainbow of colors before the realm fell to darkness. The man made of light… he died.”

I stand, lifting her in my arms. “You need to rest my little witch; you can tell me what you remember while you rest.” I kiss her head, her body limp and exhausted just like when she touched the stone egg in Mint. It must have been a powerful vision.

For now, she needed to rest. She had killed her brother’s mate, used her gift to defeat the enemy once more, and now just had a vision so powerful, it rendered her unconscious. Her health was more important to me than a future we could do nothing about, at this moment.

“Hunji,’ Xander lays a hand on me as try to leave the room. “Tobias has three of the bastards in our cells, the warriors have them locked up. One Hunter and two wolves.”

I nod my head “Let me know when you interrogate them, have Tobias link me.” I tell him.

Tobias and I can link because we both belong to Riocht. Tobias is still a part of the Kodiak Kingdom and can still link with their members, the same as I can link with pack members of MacTire. “Okay,” Xander tells me and lets go of my arm.

“Give Finn some time,” I look between the two bear shifters “He needs to sort through his own mess in his head before he can see reason.”

“I will come to check on Morgan shortly,” Ria says, worried about her newfound friend.

I curl up behind Morgan on the bed, pulling her back against my chest, just like I did in Mint. Offering her comfort and security. I hold tight to my mate. What she is dealing with cannot be easy.

“He hates me Kian,” I hear her muffled whisper.

“He doesn’t hate you, baby,” I try assuring her “Finn could never hate you.”

“I killed his mate, the one last hope he had of finding true happiness.” She takes a deep breath. “Did you know he found her once before when he served our father? He had to hide her, then leave her. It was the night before the battle of Riocht took place.”

“I – I didn’t know,” I tell her, Finn’s face filling my mind as I think of the heartache he is experiencing. The loss of a mate can be horrendous for your spirit animal. I can only imagine how torn he is. I say a silent prayer that he will not hold it against his sister forever. That he will understand – they both understand that this was war, there was no way to predict that this would happen. Morgan didn’t intentionally kill Finn’s mate, she was protecting us, retaliating. Killing the enemy who attacked us first.

When Morgan drifts off, I link Tobias to send Ria in to watch over my little witch.

“I will be back soon,” I tell Ria when she arrives. 

“Hunji, Finn is still her brother. No matter what she wouldn’t want him hurt. Bear that in mind.” I smirk at the feisty young girl. She and her brother Rhett lived with me for a few years in MacTire, we had become friends. She was very observant and knew I was going to search for Finnegan. 

“I will,” I promise her.

I find Finn on a ridge high up in the mountain, his knees drawn close to his chest, arms wrapped around them, and his head down.

“I don’t want to talk to anyone.” He says sensing my presence or scenting me.

“You know she didn’t do it on purpose, how was she meant to know Finn?”

“I know that!” he snaps. “I know she didn’t,” He says with a softer tone, voice cracking, “I don’t hate her, I swear I don’t. I don’t even blame her, and neither does my beast… but I can’t look at her right now. I was concerned when she collapsed. Once we knew she was okay, my beast suddenly couldn’t stand the sight of her again.”

I see him shudder. “You can give it time, grieve. But don’t let this destroy you, Finn. Don’t grieve for too long. Life is too short, if this consumes you, you will lose yourself. That I promise. There are second chances. Be thankful you didn’t know her very well.” I’m not here to comfort him, I’m here to make sure he doesn’t do something stupid, to make sure he is of no harm to his sister.

I sense his despondency. Thankful that I find no hint of despise and hate in his aura right now.

“I will take Morgan back to Riocht the day after tomorrow. If you wish to speak with her, you will do it in my presence. Is that understood?” Brother or not, whether he holds no animosity towards her at this moment, I will not allow his beast to be alone with her. I don’t trust him; his emotions will be erratic at best until he can come to terms that he lost a mate tonight.

‘I understand. Thank you.” Finn replies, not once looking at me.

Instead of going straight back to my little witch, Ruda and I run, threading over the mountain terrain, letting the fresh air and natural scents clear our heads.

Ruda stops when we come to an opening in the trees, high in the foothills of the mountain peak. Ruda jumps on top of a large rock relishing in the feeling of freedom the open space gives us. From here we can see all the land below us, far across the bear kingdom. I shift into my skin form, crouching as I take it in. Staying like this until I stand and look out over the horizon, past the forest to the vast open land below.

I lift my head and rear back - I call Ruda forward and we let out our loudest howl.

The Roar of an Alpha, the call of a warrior, the command of a king. The power of my wolf.

This is what they will feel when they hear my call.

The howl of The Forsaken Prince. For I am Hunji: The Legend.

***THE END***

***REMEMBER I ALWAYS POST AN ADDITIONAL CHAPTER AND BONUS CHAPTER FOR THE NEXT BOOK KEEP READING FOR SNEAK PEAKS ON UP COMING BOOKS TO THIS SERIES***