Skyla Rossi: A Game of Deception and Lies (The Rossi Legacies Book 4)
Skyla Rossi: A Game of Deception and Lies Chapter 47

ROYCE.

I don't know what to think or make out of it.

There's no sign that she's in distress... aside from the severe pain I had felt earlier for a few moments. Other than that, she's herself... she's calm... she's... No.

I don't believe that. I don't know how, but there's something really damn wrong.

The moment she rejected me, the pain that I felt in my heart was far more excruciating than the pain from the bond breaking.

She can't leave me. I don't believe she would. Willingly.

I won't believe it.

He's fucking done something to make her say that.

Maybe it's blackmail, maybe it's something else, but if he's fucking dead, he won't be able to do anything... or so I thought until she jumped in front of him... My head is now spinning as I stand there helplessly as he shields them with fire as she marks him.

She fucking marked him.

I touch my neck, wishing this is nothing more than a trick of my mind.

This cannot be real.

"Sky..."

I call her again, but she doesn't even bat an eyelid.

No.... she...

The bond it's....

She's broken it... It's hanging by a thread, but I refuse to accept her rejection.

Aleric hisses and he pulls away, making me look at him sharply.

He's clutching his neck, which is bleeding profusely.

"I hope she ripped through his neck," Charlotte whispers as she holds onto my arm.

"Are you alright?" Skyla asks him, concern clear in her voice.

He gives a curt nod as he fixes his collar, hiding the mark, but there's something wrong.

"Babe, are you alright?"

Those words grate on my fucking nerves, and my eyes flash as I look at her.

"I'm fine." He says, his eyes blazing, but he isn't.

What do I do?

"Let's return to the hall." He says, turning and taking Skyla's wrist. "Come, Royce, I'm sure everyone will love to know you're alive."

He doesn't even glance back at me as he leads the way to the hall.

"Sure, let's tell the world how you tried to kill me." I counter icily.

Aleric simply looks over his shoulder and smiles confidently.

He's going to pull something, I just know it, I don't move, unable to process everything that's before me. She marked him...

I touch my neck, trying to clear my head.

"Royce... come on, she needs.... You. Not him! She..." She trails off as I look ahead.

She's resting her head on his shoulder...

Even if she's forced, why would she do that?

"Royce?" Charlotte whispers.

I can't reply.

Charlotte tugs me along, a look of hurt and sadness in her eyes but I'm unable to comfort or reassure her when my own mind is a storm of confusion.

We reach the hall soon enough, and my only consolation is that her family is here, and they will realise that something is wrong.

I take a deep breath, trying to tame my emotions, wanting to try once again.

I reach out for her, touching her shoulder.

Why is she covered in bruises?

"Love-"

"Don't touch me!" She hisses, her claws come out, digging into my skin as she pulls my hand away.

"Stay the fuck away!" she snarls with such hatred in her eyes that it makes my mind freeze up for a second, not expecting so much hatred. "Skyla, first explain to me what-"

"I found my mate! I want him! What more do you want me to tell you!" She screams.

Aleric chuckles as the doors are pulled open by a pissed off Leo and Rayhan.

"The fuck is going on?" Leo asks. "I'll be back."

He runs past us, and I wonder if Azura is ok, she and Delsanra were the ones who were meant to accompany Skyla to me.

Shoot, I hope they are alright.

"Skyla!" Alejandro's voice is full of worry as she and Aleric walk towards him.

I look around the hall. It's a wreck, and I know it's not just my outburst that did this.

There is more... and I think whatever it is, is thanks to Aleric after all the earpieces stopped working too...

-

Alejandro's growl of rage as his aura fills the room makes my gaze snap back to him.

"YOU! GET THE F**K AWAY FROM HER!"

he snarls at Aleric, his eyes blazing red. He's in front of them in a flash.

"Dad! Stop it!" Skyla shouts as Alejandro's gaze flits to me.

I run my hand through my hair, unable to focus. The lights aren't working but we can all see clearly enough without. There's shattered glass everywhere... thanks to me.

I can't focus on much. My gaze returns to Skyla, the emotions and thoughts within my mind are drowning me.

F**k...

I twist my fingers into my hair, trying to clear my head as I watch Aleric wrap his arms around her possessively.

The urge to break that f*****g hand is intense.

"Alpha Alejandro, you should know what happened," Aleric says, in a calm, nonchalant tone.

"We're mates, fated mates," he says proudly. I watch in slow motion as Alejandro's face changes. Confusion, shock, and denial are clear on it.

"Sky... you don't need-"

"You were right. I should wait for my fated mate," she whispers.

"Sky!" I turn to see Azura walking in. She's with Delsanra. Both women are a mess with their clothes torn and hair a mess. Their men have their arms around them.

I'm relieved that they're unharmed, and I glance at Aleric, seeing a glimmer of surprise in his eyes at the sight of them.

Is it just me, or is he surprised they're here?

He looks at Sky and it's almost like they're mind linking... but I guess she has marked him now.

I feel as if someone just punched me in the gut.

"Sky!" Azura says as she pulls away from Leo.

"Azura," Skyla says, glancing at her before a smirk crosses her face. "I found my mate."

Azura cocks a brow, clearly not impressed. "Yeah sucks. Now get away from the fucktard."

"I second that," Alejandro says, reaching for her when Skyla pulls back.

"Don't!"

"May I ask what you have against me, King Alejandro? Aleric's speaking clearly, enough for the commotion that has already begun calming down to silence, completely listening to the conversation before them. He planned this.

"Let's not pretend like you weren't f*****g responsible for the shit you pulled on this entire f*****g place," Alejandro growls. Aleric looks shocked as he looks around.

"I don't understand... I picked up a scent and left before whatever happened... I hope no one's hurt and I am sorry I wasn't here.

However, I'm not a witch, nor do I have such powers to do whatever happened here," he says seriously.

He's going to play innocent...

"His brother is alive..."

"Isn't that Royce Arden?"

"His aura..."

"I think the question is, why did my brother fake his death? I'm the innocent party here."

"Don't lie, you attacked us!" `Azura growls, from where she stands a few feet away from him, and it takes me a moment to realise Leo is holding her back.

He's watching Aleric intently, but I'm not sure what he's thinking.

"Did I? Why are you falsely accusing me? Any witch here can probe your mind and see that it's not true," he replies.

"You..." Azura trails off, her eyes flashing."

We all know that you and your f*****g snake god are behind a lot of shit! Unhand me, Leo! Why are you all f*****g standing there! Something isn't right with Sky. She'd never choose this fucking loser!" "Baby girl." Leo tries, but she's not having it.

"Azura," Scarlett says, but even she's frowning, her silver eyes matching her youngest daughter as both look at Aleric with hostility.

"She's right!" Charlotte says, pushing me forward.

I need to speak, but I never knew her leaving me could be so fucking painful.

Her rejection... the way she marked him before me...

What is going on Alpha Alejandro? Will you explain?" Allen says quietly as he steps forward.

"I want to know too!" someone else shouts.

"What happened in this hall... was not something a werewolf can do." Someone else says. "So why are you accusing the son of the esteemed Alpha Kenneth Arden? Esteemed my bloody foot.

"No, but when a person is tainted by darkness, who knows what they can do!" A powerful voice from behind us says, and I turn to see Elijah step forward.

"And I second that," Grandad says. Both men are standing side by side as they now look at Aleric, their eyes cold.

"Skyla, come here," Elijah.says quietly.

Skyla looks at Aleric, then at Elijah, before she shakes her head. "No, I won't abandon my mate."

Another stabbing pain of betrayal rushes through me and although I know something isn't right, it still f*****g hurts...

"But you are my granddaughter... I know what you value. I don't know what you are going through... but fight it. Keep fighting it."

I'm not sure what he means by the first part, but it makes Skyla's heart race.

"Royce... do something." Charlotte pleads.

"Skyla," Alejandro growls, gripping on to her arm.

"The truth is, that Aleric is in cahoots with Apophis. This is no lie, and he killed the beta of the Shadow Wolves Pack and he tried to kill me," I say clearly, now stepping forward. Even if my world is spinning like a hurricane, I can't stay silent now.

"Why are you lying?" Aleric asks, shock in his eyes.

"I'm not, and we can have the witches read our minds, but even then, we know you can manipulate that, correct?" I ask icily, wanting Alejandro to take Skyla away from him as fast as f*****g possible. She's struggling behind me in Alejandro's arms, whilst her mom tries to talk to her.

"We saw at the council how the mind can be manipulated, indeed. So, who would know if you're not the one lying? Reverse psychology won't work, Royce. I mean, I know what kind of person you are," Aleric says. My eyes flash, and I glare at him. He had this planned... right down to the smallest detail.

"And we also saw that it was Royce who killed that serpent," Leo now says as he walks over to us lighting a cigarette.

"Unless that was his plan all along. After everything he has done to Skyla, does he even deserve you siding with him?" Aleric says, making Leo and I look at him sharply.

"And what exactly have I done?" I ask coldly, grabbing him by the throat. I will kill him right here... "You raped me."