Shifter Mate Tri-Totem (Shifter World - Book Thirteen) (Series of 13 Short Stories)
Chapter Eight: Activation Guaranteed

“That’s it there,” Marry-Beth whispered as she pointed to a gated community.

“How will we get in?” Allora asked.

“We have two Dragons and three Vampires,” Dominic said as he parked the car.

The other vehicles parked behind them, and everyone piled out.

“How will we do this?” Dustin asked as he joined them.

“Dustin?” Dominic asked as he watched his brother. “Are you okay to be here?”

Dustin snarled, “I won’t be okay until Shar is in my arms, alive. But I’m good enough to fight alongside you,” He said with a nod.

“Good, because we have a lot of planning to do,” Daryl said as he gathered his pack into a large group.

“They outnumber us,” Lyvia whispered.

“They may outnumber us, but they don’t out power us,” Daryl said as he looked at the two Dragon Shifters, then the rest of their group. “Never underestimate a pack made up of Fated Mates.”

“I think this is why they keep fucking with us. Get to our Fated Mates before they can mate and become too strong to overpower,” Maddy said as she slapped her thigh.

“I think so too,” Josie said with a nod.

“Let’s show them that we can’t be defeated so easily,” Raj said with a nod to the others.

“We’ve beaten them before we will do it again,” Dominic said as he placed his hand in front of him.

Everyone looked at him, then rolled their eyes and chuckled as they placed their hands on top of each other.

“Fated Mates forever,” Dominic said.

“Forever!” The others said as they lifted their hands into the air.

“Okay, it’s official,” Maddy said as she looked at her hand.

“What’s official?” Josie asked as she looked at her twin.

Maddy snorted. “We all belong in a loony bin.”

Everyone snorted and chuckled.

Lyvia smirked, “Shar would have loved it.”

Everyone quieted as they looked at her.

“For Shar,” Mara whispered.

“For Shar,” the others chanted.

~🐻~

Pearl looked around the new cell she and her nephew had been shoved into. From what she has heard, they’re finally at their destination. And as she already knew, they will be trading her and Linkin in for Winter and Ember.

Why hadn’t they just taken the people they wanted to start with?

“Because you and the boy are hidden from Lucifer.”

Pearl turned around and almost squealed. “Who are you? How did you get in here?”

The handsome man smirked at her. “I am Gabriel.”

“The Archangel of Death?” Pearl asked, her eyes opened wide.

Gabriel chuckled, “no, that’s my brother Azrael. I’m the Archangel of communication. I’m God’s messenger.”

Pearl blinked at him. “Why have you come to me?”

Gabriel took in a long breath then let it out. “God is not happy with Lucifer. And right now, he’s pissed at Raphael.”

“The Archangel of healing? But why?” Pearl asked, confused.

“He took something from one of his sister’s creations, and he knows Senshire will raise hell on Heaven and Earth to get it back. So, he sent me here to tell you that he will force his son’s hand if he does not give it back voluntarily.”

“What did he take?” Pearl whispered.

“That I cannot tell you. She will have to tell you herself.”

“Why didn’t he send you to her?”

“Because she needs to concentrate on the fight. And he also wanted me to deliver this message to you,” Gabriel said as he watched her.

“What message?” She asked curiously.

Gabriel took a step towards her, and she fought the urge to take a step back. He placed his hand to her cheek, and she whimpered when images flashed through her mind. When it was over, Gabriel took a step back.

“You can never allow Lucifer to get his hands on it,” he said, then nodded and disappeared.

Pearl felt a tear slide down her cheek. She’s the child of light. A potential Angel. But how can that be? She looked down at her sleeping nephew and smiled.

“Looks like it’s up to us, kiddo,” she said, then turned to the bars which were keeping her and her nephew prisoner. “He will never lay a hand on either of us,” she said, then raised her hand at the bars and forced all of her light into it.

The Dark Wizard’s spell shattered, and the iron door flew across the room.

She looked at her hand then at the door and smirked. Okay, so she’s more than a favorite of the Goddesses. She quickly escaped their cell and made it up into the middle of the compound just as her fellow Fated Mates attacked.

~🐻~

“Marry-Beth, you and your mates enter through the front gate,” Daryl said as he pointed to the newest member of their pack. “I’m sure Bishop can easily crash the gate down as soon as we break the spell.”

Marry-Beth nodded as she looked at her grinning mates.

“What about us?” Bridget asked.

Daryl grinned at her. “You and your mate will be a surprise.”

Bridget chuckled, “I think we can handle that,” she said as she took hold of her mate’s hand and led him into the woods so they could shift without being seen.

Daryl looked at his brother. “Call Kota.”

Dylan nodded as he pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed his mate’s brother. Kota picked up on the second ring. “We found them,” he said, and before he hung up, the half Demon was standing before him. Dylan hung up the phone and nodded to the compound.

Kota nodded, “let’s do this.”

Kota easily broke the spell on the doors, and Bishop broke them down. As he and his mates ran into the compound, Kota teleported Daryl and Dylan into the middle of the compound.

The Dark Witches and Wizards were ready and waiting, and all hell broke loose.

~🐻~

Ruby set the egg down once she was far enough away from the house. She watched as the shell cracked.

“Wait,” she said as she wrapped her arms around the egg, “it’s too soon, don’t come out yet. Please, it’s too soon,” she cried.

The egg cracked again, and she panicked. What has she done?

~🐻~

“Pearl!” Dylan hollered when he saw his mate standing by a trap door.

“Dylan!” Pearl hollered as she ran towards her mate.

“Thank the Goddesses,” Dylan breathed as he wrapped his arms around her.

“I know what Lucifer wants,” she whispered into his ear.

Dylan stared into her eyes. “Tell me later,” he said, then claimed her lips in a quick but passionate kiss.

“Hey there, little sister,” Kota said as he walked up behind her.

Pearl turned to her brother and smiled. “Kota.”

“Let’s get you two out of here before Lucifer shows,” he said, then wrapped his arms around her and his son and vanished.

Dylan sighed with relief. His mate is safe, and now they need to work on destroying this coven and saving Sebastian’s mate and her guardian.

~🐻~

“My sweet boy,” Kota said as he took his son from his sister.

“Kota, I need to help the other Fated Mates,” Pearl said as she watched her brother.

Kota shook his head. “Lucifer can never get his hands on you,” he said as he rocked his son.

“Kota,” she begged.

Kota looked at her and sighed.

“He needs both of us for it to work,” she said as she watched him, “please.”

“I’ll keep an eye on Linkin,” Elise said as she walked up to them, Orabella at her side.

Kota took a deep breath. “I guess they could use our help,” he said, then kissed the top of his son’s head and handed him over to Elise.

“Thank you,” Pearl said as she clung to her brother’s arm, “I love you.”

Kota smirked, “I know,” he said, then they vanished.

~🐻~

“Where are the demons?” Sebastian demanded of a Dark Wizard as he pinned him to the side of a building, his arm against the man’s throat.

“They will be here any time now, and you will all be dead,” the Dark Wizard said with an evil smirk.

“Not before you,” Sebastian growled in the man’s face, then snapped his neck. He let the body fall to the ground, then turned to Dylan. “We need to prepare for the Demons.”

Dylan nodded then turned to his oldest brother. “Daryl! We need to clean this mess. We don’t want them to suspect anything and go somewhere else.”

Daryl nodded, then hollered for everyone to clean up the mess. They haven’t had to use the Dragons yet, so that will be a bigger surprise for the Demons.

“What do we do now?” Marry-Beth asked as she and her mates ran up to Daryl.

Daryl nodded to them. “We clear the area and hide. Let the Demons think they’re still in their homes.”

The Fated Mates each found a place to hide once they cleared the area of the bodies. They know there’s more of this coven somewhere, and soon there will be none.

~🐻~

Marry-Beth watched as two men walked in the front gate with two women close behind them. She recognized Winter from the other night and tapped her mate on the shoulder. Bishop nodded as he watched them head to an area that looked like an arena.

A familiar scent filled the air, and she heard a growl behind her. Oh shit, a Fated Mate has been activated. She turned and almost squealed when her brother pushed past her.

“Grab him,” Marry-Beth hissed.

Bishop took hold of his brother-in-law and held him as he growled and snarled, trying to get out of his firm grip.

“She’s mine,” Akan snarled. “She’s mine!”

“Shh,” Marry-Beth hissed.

Bishop placed his hand over Akan’s mouth, who was still struggling to get free.

“What’s going on?” Daryl asked as he moved closer to them.

“Akan found his mate,” Marry-Beth said as she looked at the Alpha.

Daryl looked at Akan and snorted. “Stay still,” he ordered Akan in his Alpha voice.

Akan froze and glared at everyone around him.

Daryl smirked, “so nice to finally get you to listen,” he said as he placed his hand on the man’s shoulder. “You will be united with your mate. I promise.”

Akan nodded, but he continued to glare at them. Why won’t they let him go? His mate is down there, he needs to get to her before someone else does!

~🐻~

Ember Delany held her charge close to her side as the Demons led them down into the arena, she had rescued Winter from just a few days ago.

“What do they plan to do with us?” Winter whispered.

Ember shrugged, “not sure.”

A smell filled the air that made the Wolf Shifters in the cells growl and howl.

“Is that the smell of a Fated Mate?” Winter asked, shocked.

Ember nodded, “it is.”

“But, I thought I was safe once my mate fucked me,” Winter said with a shiver.

“That smell isn’t coming from you,” the Demon to their right said with a snort.

Winter looked around. Then who is it coming from?

A group of Dark Witches and Wizards came out into the stands.

“Where are the others?” Ember whispered. “That’s only maybe half the clan.”

“Where is the Witch?” The Demon to their left demanded.

“We were attacked before you got here,” the leader of the coven said as he stepped out of the shadows.

“The deal was…”

“We don’t give a fuck about your deal,” a woman said from the stands.

“Shut up,” the leader growled.

Ember looked up into the stands and glared at her mother. To think she came from that woman.

“You shut up; we’re tired of following your orders,” a gravelly voice said from behind the leader.

Everyone sucked in a shocked breath when the leader hit the ground, a blade in his back.

Ember stared at her brother. How had he survived the fire? He had scars all over his body from the flames. He must have been healed.

“I can smell you, sister, dear,” he said as he glared at Ember.

Winter looked at Ember. “It’s you.”

Ember shook as she watched her brother approach her. He has always bullied her all her life.

And now you’re stronger than him. Ember reminded herself.

Her brother stopped and grinned at her. “I think this will be a befitting death for you, you stupid whore,” he said, then snapped his fingers.

The cells that held the Wolf Shifters were opened, and seven Shifters ran out into the arena lust in their silver eyes.

“They will tear you apart before they kill you,” her brother said with a grin.

“This is NOT what was agreed upon,” a Demon snarled.

“We don’t give a fuck,” Ember’s brother said with a snarl as he looked at the Demon.

“Lucifer will not be happy,” the Demon said.

“Our uninvited guests took our prisoners and left,” Ember’s brother said with a smirk.

Winter shivered, and Ember took hold of her hand.

“Don’t worry,” Ember said as she looked at her charge. “They are still here.”

Winter looked at her guardian. “How do you know?”

Ember chuckled. “Because one of them activated me.”