Chapter 105: I'd let the world burn for you

Chapter 105: I'd let the world burn for you
Cae was the first to jump to her feet. 

"Goddess above." She gasped in shock. "Your eyes. They changed."

Kieran remained silent, staring unbelievably into Gwendolyn's eyes. His own eyes were unreadable as he gazed at her. 

"Kieran?" Gwendolyn whispered. "Is something wrong?"

He shook his head, and a slow smile curled his lips. "Nothing's wrong. I never thought I would see you with dark eyes."

"Do they look bad?"

"Of course not." His smile widened. "They're perfect. Everything about you is perfect."

Cae forcefully cleared her throat and looked away awkwardly. 

"I don't mean to disrupt this intimate moment, Alpha, but we need to find out why Gwen's eyes are different."

"Relax, Cae." Gwendolyn chuckled. "It's not something bad. I've just embraced my powers. I'm transformed into the Black Onyx completely."

"How do you know that?" Kieran asked. 

Gwendolyn didn't reply immediately. She opened her hand, and black fog swirled on the surface of her palm. 

Cae moved back instantly, terrified, but Gwendolyn smiled reassuringly at her. 

"Don't be scared." She murmured. "It won't hurt you. I can control it now."

The black fog swirled further around her hand, rippling with intense energy. The candle lights and the glow from the chandelier flickered wildly as the black fog pulsed. 

Cae looked around in awe. "You're truly the Onyx." She whispered. "You're drawing energy from nature."

"The power of life and death in my hand." Gwendolyn said. "The power to create and to destroy."

She closed her palm and the black fog disappeared. 

Kieran kept his gaze on her for a moment. Then he spoke. "How? How did you know you embraced your powers?"

"My wolf is gone." Gwendolyn said. "I can feel it. Remember I was never meant to be a lycan. I was only able to take the form of any creature, to put a leash on the black fog. But now that I'm in control, it's gone."

"Tell us what happened." Cae cut in. "Did anything happen while you were unconscious?"

"I had two visions. The first one, I saw myself in the middle of a barren field, and the black fog was right in front of me. It merged with me, and I knew at that moment that I had taken control of it."

She looked up at Kieran. "I think we should head for Tartarus soon. I can feel my mother dying slowly. Khal knows what he's doing. He's planning something, something terrible."

"How do you know this?" Kieran asked. 

"I saw it in the second vision I had. I don't know what he's planning, but whatever it is, it's not good. And the more we delay, the more time passes. If we don't save my mother in time, she'll die."

"So Khal is using your mother to lure you out there for his plans, because he knows you'll do anything to save her?" Cae asked thoughtfully. 

Gwendolyn nodded, then she turned back to Kieran. "I know Khal is the last person you want to see. But I've got to save my mother. I can't let him kill her."

"What about his plans, child?" Cae asked. "As long as we don't know what he's planning, we could be walking into a trap."

"I have to save my mother." Gwendolyn said softly. "I swore to save her, and I will."

"We will save her." Kieran spoke finally. 

He cupped her face and brushed his thumb over her cheek. "I promise, we'll save her. Whatever Khal is planning, he won't get away with it. Trust me, my love."

He kissed her sweetly, then pulled back and looked at Cae. 

"Inform the Triad. We'll leave for Tartarus in a few days."

"Yes, Alpha." Cae nodded, then a worried frown furrowed her brows. "What about Julian? He's still out there. We don't know what he's planning."

Gwendolyn looked up sharply, like she just remembered something important. 

"Julian is dead."

Both Kieran and Cae reared back in shock. 

Kieran frowned, speechless for several seconds. "He's dead?" He asked finally. 

Gwendolyn looked away and sighed. "When he found out I was pregnant, he attacked me. Tried to kill me."

She paused, and Kieran waited patiently for her to continue. 

"I killed him, with the black fog. I never wanted to, but he was a threat." Her hand curved around her stomach. "I don't regret killing him. Does that make me a horrible person?"

"It doesn't." Kieran said without hesitation. "Julian had it coming. The only thing I regret is not killing him myself."

He got off the bed and took her hand, helping her to her feet. 

Cae got the hint and rose to her feet. "I'll leave you two alone and deliver your message to the Triad."

"Tell Ryder to prepare the army." Kieran instructed. "Tartarus is no man's land. And my father knows we're coming."

"Yes, Alpha." 

After Cae left, Kieran helped Gwendolyn into the bathroom where she lowered into the tub of warm bath water and sighed blissfully. 

He crouched beside the tub, never leaving her side. He gently washed her body while he gazed into her eyes. 

"You said I wandered in the forest for three days." Gwendolyn softly began. "How possible is that?"

"The forest is spelled with magic." Kieran explained. "Only the strongest Wildings can navigate through it. You were able to find your way out because of your powers, probably. But even with it, you found it difficult."

Silence reigned for several seconds where Kieran softly ran the bath sponge over her arms. 

"I missed you so much." She whispered after a while. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"I missed you more. I went feral when I discovered you were gone. I was ready to burn down the realm."

She chuckled. "You wouldn't do that because of me, would you?"

"I'd let the world burn for you." He said, his voice deep and intense. "I don't care if the realm falls apart. As long as I'm with you."

She sat up in the tub and pulled him closer. Her arms curled around his neck, dampening his skin with the water from her hands. 

"I love you, Kieran. I love you so much."

Kieran grinned suddenly and tossed the sponge aside. He lifted her out of the tub, dripping water everywhere. 

"Kieran what are you doing?" She laughed, clinging tightly to him. 

He took her back to the bedroom and lowered her to the bed, despite the water dripping off her body. 

He climbed in beside her and parted her thighs. One of his hands curled around her hair in a tight fist, firm but gentle. The other hand circled her breast, making her arch into him. 

"Are you strong enough?" He whispered. "Or do you want me to stop?"

"Don't stop." She gasped sharply, grabbing his hand and returning it to her breast. "I'm much better. Touch me, Kieran. Please."

Kieran's eyes smouldered over and instantly. He dipped his head, his lips hovering inches away from her breasts 

Under his burning gaze, her nipples hardened. She pushed up, yearning for his mouth, moaning his name. 

Unable to resist, Kieran closed his mouth over her breast and pulled the aching tip into his mouth.