#12 The Triplets of Emerald Forest
Chapter 45

Harlow

Cairo pulled down his pants and underwear, putting his member right in my face. He tightened his grip on my hair and directed me towards him.

“You will pleasure your Alpha.” He snarled.

“Get away from me!” I yelled out which earned me another slap.

“You will learn what it means to be a mate to a real Alpha.” He pinched my chin and forced me to open my mouth.

That’s when the chaos started. Cairo jerked away and I let out a gasp of relief. Growling came from outside and then all hell broke loose. The obvious sounds of a fight came pouring into the room.

“The show is starting. How about we help to weaken your dear mates?” He chuckled and positioned himself back in front of my face.

He shoved himself inside my mouth and I gagged, repulsed at the sensation. Knowing my mates were outside, I did the only logical thing I could think of, I clamped my teeth down on his member.

He cried out in pain and ripped his john from my mouth. I tasted blood and spit it out on the floor before I screamed as loud as I could.

“Gabriel! Godric! Griffin!” I needed them all. I needed my mates and I needed them now.

“You bitch!” Cairo looked at me like he was seeing red.

He grabbed my hair to keep my head still and punch me over and over again. He grunted and released his hold on my hair before he started kicking me. I took blows to my stomach, my ribs, my chest, my face, and anywhere else he could reach. I heard my ribs snap and felt like my lungs were caving in as he was pounding on my body. I coughed and struggled to breathe, blood splattering out of my mouth.

The most terrifying, murderous growl I’ve ever heard ripped through the room. Instead of feeling fear, my body felt relief when I recognized the growl as Gabriel’s. I couldn’t see anything clearly, it was all just blurry motions and strange sounds. I felt something soft rubbing against my face and then something rough and wet. I mumbled, trying to yell at whichever wolf was licking at me to stop, but no coherent sounds came out.

The wolf disappeared and I whimpered before I was wrapped up in a pair of warm, secure arms. Sparks ignited over my body and I knew I was safe.

“I’m here, angel, you’re safe now. I’m going to get you out of here.” Griffin said softly in my ear, picking me up.

I heard fighting coming from all around me and I couldn’t make out anything specific. I tried to ask where Gabriel and Godric were, but I couldn’t speak. I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness as it became harder to breathe.

“Stay awake, angel, stay awake for me.” Griffin begged me in a tone that made me want to listen, but I just couldn’t.

Everything hurt, everything was too hard, I just needed to sleep.

I was back in the field of wildflowers wearing a flowy white dress and being bathed in warm sunshine.

“Hello, my child.” The angelic blonde, Selene, smiled at me.

“Why am I back here?” I asked, looking around.

Last time Selene brought me here she introduced me to the three wolf personalities of my mate. Today, we were alone in the field.

“I’m really dead this time, right?” I grumbled, I’d be really pissed off if I was dead.

“No, dear,” She laughed softly but it didn’t quite reach her eyes, “You needed time to heal after the ordeal you went through. I’m so sorry that my wayward children did this to you.” She frowned, her eyes glassy.

“It’s not your fault. They made their own choices. Am I going to die?” I asked, my voice trembling a bit. Selene smiled kindly at me,

“No, dear, you’re going to be just fine. You have your mates.”

“I love them, you know.” I confessed to Selene.

“I knew that you would. They needed your love and you needed theirs.” She smiled.

“Why are you visiting me? Gabriel seems to think it’s a big deal.” I wondered, hoping I could give him some answers.

“There are two reasons. The first is just as I said during our last meeting, the Emerald family holds a special place in my heart. I knew the triplet Alphas could easily turn against me and into the darkness, so I wanted to ensure that they had every reason to stay humble and kind.” Selene said,

“And the second?”

“The second is a bit more complicated. I brought you here so you could heal but also because there’s someone I want you to meet.” She gestured behind her and I gasped at what I saw coming from the overgrown wildflowers. I stumbled backwards and away from the looming shadow that was approaching me.

“Don’t be afraid, dear.” Selene said, but I couldn’t hear here, my ears were clogged by the sound of my beating heart.

Before me was a dragon. Like a literal dragon. It was huge, eight or ten feet tall, and so black that it almost looked purple. Its eyes were glowing a bright golden color and seemed to be looking into my soul. It walked towards me on four legs, a huge spiky tail dragging across the ground behind it, and powerful looking wings sweeping out on either side of its scaly body.

I wanted to run away and scream, but just as I was about to turn around, the dragon dropped down to the ground and curled around itself into a puddle of purple and black scales.

“There are dragons, too?” I cried out and Selene laughed at me.

“Once dragons roamed this land freely, then, there was a great war. Ever since, the dragons have been sealed off inside a realm of their own. When the great dragon goddess created the dragon realm, she left behind the dark dragons who she knew would create chaos inside her children’s realm. Those dark dragons were eventually killed by the humans or forced to remain hidden in their human forms.” Selene explained.

“Why are you telling me all of this?” I stuttered.

The last time I faced down a conversation like this I found out that werewolves existed and I was the soulmate of three of them. I wasn’t sure I could handle much of anything else.

“There are several dark dragon bloodlines that survive to this day. Of course, their dragon side is very diluted and nearly gone, but some unique abilities still remain.” Selene was looking at me with a suspiciously giddy expression.

“Oookay….” I didn’t particularly care for the direction this conversation was heading.

“Even though their dragon side is dormant, when they die in human form, they are brought back to me in their truest form,” She gestured towards the purple dragon, “This is a descendant of the oldest dark dragon bloodline to have survived, the House of Nyx.”

And that’s when I stopped breathing.

“Shut the front door.” The words came spilling out of my mouth before I could stop them. Selene’s hysterical laughter was so magical that I immediately stopped panicking to listen.

“This is your father, Harlow.” She said once her giggles stopped.

“My…..” The words caught in my throat.

“His human name was Zacharia but his dragon’s name is Draco Nyx.” The dragon stirred at the sound of his name and lifted his narrow, pointy head to turn his golden eyes on me.

“I….I….” I literally couldn’t form real words.

“You are the descendant of the House of Nyx and, as such, you have abilities that are yet to be unlocked. When you are marked by your mates, your potential will be released.” She explained.

“I’m not turning into a giant lizard.” I replied immediately. Selene snickered,

“No, dear, you won’t. You’ll have to wait and see what your abilities are but it’ll be nothing as drastic as that. It will only make you a stronger woman and Luna.” She assured me, “But, there is something else you need to know.” Her face grew serious.

“Jesus, what else?” I sighed dramatically.

“Something is coming.” She said ominously, “Something that will require your abilities. I can’t reveal too much as I’m sworn to not intervene in my children’s affairs, but you must know that when the royal werewolves call it is your destiny to answer.”

“The royal werewolves?” I squeaked.

“With your mates by your side, you’ll be well protected and there’s nothing you cannot do, dear Harlow.” Selene smiled comfortingly at me.

“And if I say no?” I dared to ask.

“Then so much will be lost.” She said with a solemn expression.

“No pressure.” I grumbled to myself.

“It’s time for you to return now, dear. Your mates need you.” She waved her hand and I was falling through the darkness once again.