Saving Kinsley
Betrayal

Kinsley's P.O.V

Running my fingers across the cover of this book, the hue seemed to change beneath my fingertips. A trail of a transparent blue changing back to its original deep blue. I noted how familiar that was. It looked like the same flames I could will to the surface in my human form.

Glancing up I could practically see Madi vibrating with excitement, "Read it. I can't wait anymore. Pleaseeee, I'm begging you to put me out of my misery."

Biting back the smile, I nodded, "How about I read it out loud?"

"You are the absolute best." Madi gave me a quick hug before ushering us over to a small table in the room.

Madi whipped out a notebook and a pen, waiting for me to start.

Taking in a deep nervous breath, I flipped the cover open.

"Huh. That's odd. Don't books usually have words?" I questioned as I looked for any ink. Flipping through pages, it was all the same. Blank.

"What? There has to be something, anything." Madi reached her hand out to grab the book to have a look for herself, and just as her hand made contact, heat engulfed my entire body and soul.

My vision began to flicker in and out, the haziness causing my stomach to do flips. I was teetering dangerously close to vomiting everywhere. Once the haziness cleared, my jaw fell open as we were no longer standing in the room, but somewhere else entirely.

"Holy shit. What just happened?" Madi patted herself, her face completely shell-shocked.

"Um, not sure. Any idea where we are?" I asked as my stomach settled, my eyes scanning our surroundings. The air was dry, hot, denser like smog. But the environment was oddly green and lively, sitting beneath some kind of strange blue hue. I blinked my eyes a few times, making sure it wasn't the after-effects of- whatever the fuck just happened. The hue remained, leaving me to feel a little uneasy.

Turning around, I expected to see something familiar. My mind was grasping for a semblance of familiarity. "Where the fuck are we?" I finally snapped. Two seconds ago we were standing in Madi's room. Trying to read that damn book.

Shouts and footsteps came closer, my body immediately coiled for an attack. Glancing over at Madi, she too had taken up a defensive stance. Wherever we are, we needed to be on alert. This wasn't home, and as far as I could tell we were alone.

"Run!" Blurs of blue and reds pushed past us, heat brushing against my skin. In the blink of an eye, they were gone like they were never here. A sense of dread washed over me, my instincts screaming for me to run. Madi grabbed my hand tightly, "Come on, we need to move. It isn't safe out here in the open. Wherever here is."

My feet were rooted to my spot, something anchoring me here, "I can't."

"Kinsley we need to go. Now." Madi's tone was harsh and frightened.

"I know, but I physically can not move."

A deafening sound boomed nearby, so loud I could feel the pressure of the vibrations against my head. I could barely hear Madi now, shouting next to me, when two of the largest wolves I've ever seen landed just yards in front of us, seemingly out of nowhere.

The first wolf was engulfed entirely in flames. The second one, shrouded in a shimmering darkness so black as whips of the darkness seemed to move on its own accord. Both attacked each other with a ferocity I'd never seen with my own eyes. The sheer power radiating from them at this distance was almost debilitating. I watched as both popped in and out of the air. The wolf engulfed with flames, left a trail of fire in its wake each time it seemed to disappear into thin air, and then reappearing, landing attack after attack on the other wolf.

I could sense the end of this battle nearing when both of the wolves' movements seemed to slow, until both were frozen in what I viewed as being deadly attacks. The fire wolf slowly turned in my direction, Its eyes filled with a roaring fire.

"Go." The disembodied voice filled my head. My eyes slammed shut as it echoed throughout my head.

"My essence is in you. The Hollow has already consumed the third. The two of you must destroy the Hollow before it consumes you as well." A rush of fire surrounded me before my sight went black.

Panting, struggling to gather my fucking thoughts, "What the fuck was that!" I yelled from my spot on the floor, staring up at a ceiling. Sitting up, I could see we were in Madi's room again.

"Ugh, my head hurts. I think the book just showed us the past."

Rubbing my eyes with my fingers, "Some help that book was. Now were one being down, and still at square one."

"We still have time to figure this out." Madi commented as she got up from the floor, holding her hand out to me.

"Right, well, I'm going to go and see what I can replace out about Vesta. There's something we're overlooking. I'll replace you if I learn anything of importance." I commented on my exit.

Messaging my temples as I moved down the hall, why was I left with more questions than answers?

Stopping at Kole's door, I coked my head to the side as I picked up the envelope addressed to me.

Kinsley, if you wish to know more, meet me at the edge of the woods at sundown.

-Elder Lee.

The sweeping cursive made the note slightly less ominous. Glancing at the passing windows, the sun was beginning its descent. Biting my lip, It would be smart to bring Kole or Noah along, but there wasn't time to hunt either of them down. Pushing through the exit door closest to me, I made my way towards the woods.

I could feel Ember moving restlessly below the surface, 'I know. We'll go for a run soon.'

'No. Danger.' My senses prickled at that, just as a twig snapped from behind me.

"Kinsley? What are you doing out here?" Cassius walked through the brush.

Letting out a sigh of relief, "I-Uh, meeting someone. What are you doing out here?"

'It's just Cassius, chill out.' I snapped to Ember as she began to push her way to the surface.

I could feel the air shift behind me, instinctively I spun around just as something punctured my neck. My limbs quickly grew heavy as a fog covered my mind. Fuck, not this shit again. I recognized the flowing brown wavy locks and piercing blue eyes, as my body swayed and finally collapsed to the earth. Kassandra.

I already knew from experience, whatever this drug was, I was completely immobilized, and soon I'd be unconscious.

"You didn't tell me it was my own sister!"Cassius growled from nearby.

"I didn't? Oops. Since you're here, how about you help your mate by moving this dead weight. Honestly, I don't know why Alpha needs this one anyways. The other one seems more powerful."

My mind was buzzing with questions as whatever was in my system now, began to take effect. Cassius and Kassandra, mates? How? When?

"No." Cassius growled out.

Another growl came from the other side of me, assuming it came from Kassandra, "You will. The Alpha gave his orders for both of us to retrieve her. Do not forget where your allegiance lies, Cassius. You took an oath, or would you rather end up like his son Dakota will? Dead."

Cold dread flooded me, for a moment the fog seemed to clear just a fraction. If he found me, I was as good as dead. I could sense Vesta move closer to the surface now, the heat alone seemed to be dulling some of the effects of the drug inside my body.

All that seemed to run through my mind was that I needed to get out of this. Anywhere but here.

Escape. Run. Save myself.

I felt the heat engulf me into nothingness, like I was floating in the air. Just as fast, I was plummeting downwards. I could feel the air rushing past me, my panic spiking to new high's. Am I being dropped from a fucking cliff? My tongue and throat felt like lead, stopping me from releasing my fear in a scream.

Closing my eyes, I prayed the Moon Goddess would spare my life one last time. I wasn't ready to meet my end. Not by the hands of my Brother and Kassandra. I wanted to die fighting with my last breath, not like this. Catatonic and immobile.

Everything around me seemed to go silent as the heat dissipated. Opening my eyes, I was in a small garden area. For a moment, I convinced myself this was the afterlife.

Standing around me, eyes wide in what I read as panic were the very four I could trust with my life. Noah, Tate, Kole, and lastly Madi.

"Holy fuck, how did you do that?!" Tate sprung closer to me.

I made a move to sit up and explain what I witnessed but my limbs refused to move. My voice, was lost inside.

"Kinsley?" Kole's worried tone had my attention.

"Something is wrong." Kole snapped.

Madi was at my side in seconds, her eyes and hands glowing gold as she touched me.

I could feel her power rush through my veins, combatting whatever I was injected with.

Groaning I sat up, "First of all, why are all of you sitting in a garden? Secondly, Cassius and fucking Kassandra are mates. Where is Dakota? Has anyone seen him?"

Everyone blinked, clearly baffled at the words I just spewed. "Are you sure you're done healing her?" Kole asked Madi.

"Positive." Madi glared back.

Noah and Tate held up their beers, both taking rather large chugs. Okay, that answers one question. "Dakota, where is he?" I snapped out, starting to panic.

"Here." Dakota and Madi's mate, Kade, both walked towards us holding more refreshments.

Seeing him, breathing, and alive, I instantly deflated. " Alright, little one. My turn for questions. How did you do that?" Kole asked as he helped me from the ground.

Wrinkling my brows, " Do what?"

"That." Kole pointed to a trail of scorch marks. My gaze flew to Madi, recognizing how familiar the pattern looked.

"I- I don't know."

"Okay, we'll come back to that. How do you know Cassius and Kassandra are mates? And why did Madi need to heal you?" His gaze was solely focused on me.

"Long story or short" I asked on a sigh, leaning into his embrace.

"Long. All the details." Tate commented.

After filling everyone in, including what happened with the book, Noah and Tate's mouths were hanging wide open. Meanwhile, Kole and Dakota were growling, both wearing murderous expressions.

Tate scrubbed at his face, "Goddess, Kinz. Trouble always replaces you I swear."

"I need to talk to Ian. He needs to know about Cassius, and his allegiance to Dakota's father."

"I'll go with you. From now on, take someone with you wherever you go. He wants you for something, we need to be on guard." Kole announced as he stood, looking like the Alpha he is.

Kole and I both went inside the building, in search of Ian. The second we rounded the corner, Kole was pushing me against the wall with a scorching hot kiss. "I'm sorry little one, but I can no longer wait for your answer. It isn't safe for you here."

Running my fingers across his lips, a small sigh left me, "I've already decided."

Kole stepped back, the space clearing my foggy mind. "And?"

"And you're right, It isn't safe for me here."

Kole pulled me into his arms, a small bubble of laughter leaving me as he spun me around. "Thank the Goddess. I thought I was going to have to drag you away from here."

"Come on we need to talk to Ian." I smiled as I grasped his hand, enjoying every single spark that traveled upwards.