Chapter 54 – Kidnapped by My Mate Novel (Belle & Grayson) Online Free by Annie Whipple

Filed To Story: Kidnapped by My Mate Novel (Belle & Grayson) Online Free by Annie Whipple

I was standing in front of Zagan Mortar, king of the vampires; Casimir Mortar, the second-born and head warrior of the clan; and Amelia Mortar, the fourth-born and royal healer.

I remembered what Azazel had said about Kyle snooping around in his things before attacking him.

Kyle had known Azazel was planning to wage war on the pack, but thought it was me who was in cahoots with the Clan of Azazel.

Even then, he’d been brave enough to get in touch with King Zagan and enlist his help.

He knew the royal family would be the only ones strong enough to defeat Azazel.

I looked over at Kyle and mind-linked him.

You invited them here. You invited the most powerful vampires in the world onto my territory without my permission.

Yes, Kyle began, already defensive and cautious, ~but only because~—

You did the right thing, I interrupted, stopping him before he went on a tangent.

~Remind me to thank you properly later.~

He smiled slightly.

Oh, okay. You got it. I’ll be expecting an entire party in my honor, streamers and everything.

I rolled my eyes and chuckled.

Although, after all he had done to keep the pack safe the last few months, maybe he did deserve a party.

I turned back to the three royal vampires, who obviously knew that Kyle and I had just mind-linked and were watching with wary expressions.

“So,” I began, “this immortal power… Might it have something to do with my recent transition? Why isn’t Kyle immortal too?”

Zagan looked to Casimir, who took a deep breath. “There was a king long ago who was a hybrid like you. Elijah Viotto.”

“My mate was named after him,” Kyle interjected. “He was the most powerful king ever known to mankind.”

Casimir nodded, continuing, “He ruled over all species, vampires and werewolves, back before the divide. He was extremely powerful, but the people loved him because he was a fair and decent ruler.”

Casimir hesitated, but his father nodded to him encouragingly.

“King Elijah was mated to a fairy. She must have been one of the last ones out there, because they’ve become extinct. As I’m sure you know, fairies lived forever unless they were killed by an unnatural cause.

I nodded, not wanting to interrupt his talking.

“According to legend, once the fairy and the king mated, King Elijah gained what we now know as the power of the Mortars—control with your mind. And he gained his mate’s immortality.”

Hmm.

“People say the king was able to gift this control to those he deemed worthy. But it was too much for some, resulting in a great war between vampires and werewolves and the deaths of many. It was in this war that King Elijah was killed by the man he called his closest friend, Damian Mortar.”

“He took the throne,” I said. I had heard of Damian Mortar, the first-ever vampire king.

Casimir nodded, “Yes. King Damian took the throne, created the royal clan, and continued the Mortar line, gifting his offspring with the same power. We are all descended from him. But he could not repair the rift between werewolves and vampires, resulting in the current bad blood between the species.”

Surprise over the fact that I had never heard this story ran through me. It seemed to be an important part of the history of my kind.

“So the king gained immortality from mating with a fairy,” I said slowly, “but my mate is not a fairy. She is human. Nor have we completed the mating ritual. It doesn’t explain why I would be this way.”

“We don’t think all of this is because of your mate, but something else,” said Zagan.

“Although if this is true and you ~are~ the man we think you are, your mate will be impacted as well. You see, King Elijah left behind a prophecy.”

By now I was even more worried. Belle had been mentioned.

My wolf and newfound vampire were pressing up against my conscious, listening carefully.

“And what was this prophecy, exactly?” I said.

“You tell him, Casimir,” said Minnie. “You’re the one who found it and studied it.”

I watched Casimir closely. He was nervous about what he was about to say, his eyes never meeting mine.

“Well…years ago, I found a scroll in the royal palace. On it, King Elijah himself prophesied that there would be a powerful hybrid who would become immortal and possess the powers of the Mortars. “He would ascend the throne as the most powerful man alive, restoring peace between all species—even vampires and werewolves.”

I almost burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of this theory.

They can’t possibly think I’m the man from the prophecy.

Me, take over a throne that currently belonged to vampires?

No. No, thank you.

After a few seconds of silence, Kyle asked, “You don’t think Alpha Grayson is—”

“What did it say about this man’s mate?” I interrupted.

Casimir thought for a moment before replying, “It said that—that the mate of the new king, who knew hardship and loss, would undergo their own transition after the mating ritual. They would become…” He hesitated. “They would become a fairy, the only fairy in the world, and extremely powerful. Just as King Elijah’s mate, Queen Evangeline, was. Together, these mates would rule all mythical creatures, taking on King Elijah and Queen Evangeline’s roles.”

I stared at Casimir for a second. He thought there was a possibility that I was destined to become ruler of all mythical creatures. And that Belle, my sweet human mate, would become… A fairy queen?

Fairies were among the most powerful known creatures, born with the ability to pick up just about any skill—precisely why they had been hunted into extinction.

I struggled to find something to say.

“So…you think…I’m the man from the prophecy.”

Casimir shrugged a bit. “The prophecy said it would happen sometime in the decade after the scroll was discovered. It’s been nine years.”

“But that isn’t the only reason,” Zagan chimed in. “You meet all the expectations set for the new king, although some might be new developments. You’re a hybrid, you have a mate who knows hardship, you were able to resist my command, and you are basically impossible to kill. By all accounts you should have died after the period of Azazel’s occupation.”

“The only thing in question,” Casimir interjected, “is whether you will have the power of the Mortars.”

I sucked in a breath.

The power of the Mortars? I’m not sure I want that kind of power.

My alpha tone only affected pack members, but the power of the Mortars could affect any creature, including humans. It felt dark and unnecessary, as if someone were playing God.

“So the only way to find out,” concluded Casimir, “is for you to try issuing a command.”

“Hold on,” I said quickly, “if I’m this powerful man from an ancient prophecy, then why haven’t I had the power of the Mortars all my life? Or been immortal?”

Kyle spoke up next to me. “You were just turned into a hybrid. Maybe the power was latent and only activated once Azazel bit you.”

Zagan nodded. “That would make sense. Perhaps the same for the immortality.”

“Then again,” Minnie piped up, “who’s to say you haven’t always been immortal?

You haven’t died yet, have you?”

I growled to myself and ran a hand through my hair. “This is a lot of information to handle.”

“Try a command,” Minnie urged.

I sighed deeply. “On whom?”

Everyone’s gazes turned to Kyle, whose eyes promptly widened.

“Oh, come on, no way. Why me? Why not one of you guys?” He motioned to the vampires.

“It won’t work on Mortars,” said Minnie. “You’re the only one.”

Kyle groaned and kicked at the floor like a child. “But it hurts! I don’t want to be controlled again.”

I chuckled. “Just pretend I’m using my alpha tone. I’ve used that on you plenty of times.”

He sighed, turning to face me. “Yeah, just like your alpha tone, except you feel like you were run over by a truck afterward. Fun.”

I looked to Zagan. “And how exactly do I do this?”

Zagan crossed his arms, watching us closely. “If you’re truly the one from the prophecy, it will be clear. You won’t need to be told how.”

I nodded. “All right,” I said nervously, “Here goes nothing.” Kyle winced slightly, squaring his shoulders.

The vampires sucked in breaths of anticipation.

I opened my mouth.

GRAYSON POV

I wracked my brain, trying to come up with a command to give Kyle.

I needed to test, to see if I had the power of the Mortars. But how exactly was I supposed to go about doing that? I couldn’t keep from asking myself what the hell I was doing. No way could I be the person from this prophecy.

They thought I was meant to become the next king of all mythical creatures, the most powerful ruler out there. They thought I could restore peace between werewolves and vampires and stop a war that had been going on for centuries.

Was that possible?

My wolf loved the idea; in my mind he was puffing out his chest in pride, communicating to me that he thought we were more than capable of ruling. He also thought that Belle would make an amazing queen. He liked the idea of her ruling by our side for the rest of eternity, having power, never dying.

A part of me, which one? Couldn’t help but agree, not only with the fact that Belle would make an amazing queen but that we had the capacity to become king.

I had known ever since I was young that I was meant to lead, not because of ego but because I just knew it was what I had to do. I had known I would make a good alpha and had proven it over the years. But even after I had fought my old alpha to death and won, taking on the role myself, I hadn’t been satisfied.

I had wanted more.

My wolf had kept telling me we were meant to lead thousands. Something was missing, he had insisted. Could this be what he’d meant? I sighed. Now was the time to find out.

“Quack like a duck,” I told Kyle completely seriously.

Deep down, I hoped nothing would happen. If nothing happened, life would be a whole lot less complicated. It would mean things could go back to normal and I could eventually forget these last few horrible months.

But I already knew that was false hope. Because even deeper down, I knew Casimir was right. The moment I opened my mouth I felt my newfound vampire surge forward to the front of my consciousness, pushing against the inside of my skull.

A tingly feeling traveled through me, forcing me to suck in a quick breath.

Then, like a wave of energy, I felt the command travel from me and wrap around Kyle like a blanket. His eyes turned red, and then, just like a duck, he began to quack.

“Quack,” he said, “quack, quack.”

I stared in shock.

I had done it. I had used the power of the Mortars.

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