Chapter 47

Kate POV:

I groan. My eyes hurt, and my muscles ache. I blink, trying to adjust to the brightness from somewhere in the room.

I push my body up to a sitting position. I am locked in a giant birdcage, my clothes changed from my nightwear to a white plain dress.

"What is going on here?" I ask Tiara but receive no reply.

I try reaching to her but feel empty inside. I move into a kneeling position to look at the bright light coming from a little hole.

I hold the cage with one hand with the other trying to reach for the light.

"Help me! Is someone out there?" I yell, but my cries echo back unanswered.

"Lawrence, Ma, Aunty Melanie? Anyone?" I cry, feeling loneliness creeping in the depth of my heart. "Please," I whimper.

"Kate," a soft voice echoes around me. "You have to fight because everyone is in danger," the voice continues.

"Can you please help me, whoever you are?" I call out.

"You are the only one who can help yourself."

"Who are you? And why can't you help me?" I wipe my tears before sitting.

"I am the Moon Goddess, but you have to free yourself because the Goddess of Darkness is coming," she explains.

"You are the Moon Goddess?" I ask, surprised and in shock. "Wait a minute. You mentioned something about a Goddess of Darkness?" I say, flustered.

"We are opposite forces. She is trying to kill you and Lawrence, destroying everything and my beloved children," she says with hate in her voice.

"Then what am I doing being locked in here by who knows who?"

"You have to let go of all the hate in you before you can be free," she says warmly. "You are caged in hate and anger that is overwhelming everyone around you."

"I don't get you," I say, confused.

"You have to love something for you to protect it," she says, her voice fading into my mind.

I shudder in fear as the only light entering the room is enveloped in darkness.

I try to keep my eyes focused, but it feels like I am being drawn into an endless depth of darkness.

I jerk up from the bed, panting. I whirl around, trying to get myself together.

This is Lawrence's room. I reach for the water on the nightstand, feeling soreness in my throat.

I gulp the water before placing the empty glass back on the nightstand.

"What just happened?" I mutter under my breath, bewildered and staring into space.

"Kate, you need to find Lawrence now," Tiara demands.

"Why? Is everything okay?" I ask in panic.

"I can't feel Travis," she says sadly.

I rush out of the room, following Lawrence's scent, which leads me down an empty hallway.

The hall leads to an underground chamber. I feel goosebumps and fear from the chilling cold.

The walls are cracked, and it's dark without any sign of light except the fire lamps hanging on the walls.

The deeper I go, the more Lawrence's sweet scent fills my nose, increasing the beating of my heart.

Waves of shock run through me, not from the condition of this place but the sight in front of my eyes.

I close my eyes tightly, letting the tears go, taking a deep breath to calm my nerves and the breaking of my heart.

I open my eyes once again, welcoming the shocking sight.

Lawrence is locked in the dungeon, looking deadly and ready to kill, half in human form and half lycan.

Claws in both his hands and feet and clothes torn and stained with dry blood, he sits in the corner of the cage, head bowed and chest rising and falling as he breathes heavily.

I use my shaking hand to cover my mouth, and the other holds the gate for balance as my legs feel like jelly.

He raises his head, noticing my presence. His blood-colored eyes stare at me in bewilderment and shock.

"Kate?" His voice sounds strange and husky.

I turn, looking towards the guards standing at the door staring at me in shock and fear.

"open the gate," I demand, glancing back at Lawrence.

The guards do as I say with shaky hands. I walk into the cage towards him.

I kneel in front of him, taking his hands, but he growls loudly, pushing away from him.

"Lawrence, it's me. Your mi vida," I say softly, moving closer.

He stares at me intensely, growling under his breath before turning away from me. Taking a deep breath, I walk closer, placing my hand on his shoulder, hoping he feels the spark of our bond.

His body tenses under my touch as the only sound heard is the rumbling of his chest and my heart beating loudly.

I move my hand, clutching his hand between mine.

"Lawrence, please look at me," I whisper, feeling more tears run down my cheek before feeling his hand raising my chin to meet his eyes.

His eyes flicker, searching my eyes with such intensity as he can not believe I am standing before him.

I watch as tears run down his face, breaking my heart. Then, taking his hands from mine, he cradles my face.

I close my eyes, leaning into his touch. I rest my forehead against his, running my hands through his hair.

"Lawrence, we can't let her win," I say, opening my eyes to focus on his.

His eyes are back to the hazel color I knew, fangs and nails back in their places.

"I felt lost when you died," he says, taking my hands as tears roll down his cheeks. "I thought you died?"

"The Moon Goddess helped in bringing me back," I say with a sad smile.

He kisses me lightly on the lips. "Thanks for coming back," he says with a smile.

I kiss him, feeling different emotions at once. We pull away with a smirk.

"You need a bath. Let's go," I say, extending my hands to him.

He takes a bath and does his daily routine while I go to the kitchen to get him something to eat.

No one is in the kitchen, which is weird. "Where is everyone?" I mumble, confused.

I dish out scrambled eggs, toast, and two cups of tea before going back into the room.

He is dressed in a black leather jacket and blue Jeans. He stands, facing the large windows with hands tucked in his jean pockets, eyes focused on the trees outside.

I place the tray on the nightstand before walking towards him, hugging his back.

"You smell good," I say, sniffing his jacket and placing a kiss on his right shoulder.

He chuckled. "What a compliment," he says turning before placing a light kiss on my lips.

"You have to eat before it gets cold," I say, brushing invisible dust from his jacket.

He intertwines our hands together, pulling me towards the bed. He places the tray between us on the bed. "Eat up," he urges.

We eat in silence for a few minutes before Lawrence decides to break it.

"I don't understand," he says with a frown.

"Understand what?" I ask with a raised eyebrow, taking a sip from my cup of tea.

"You were lifeless when I tried waking you two nights ago," he says.

"The same person who tried killing me in the forest strangled me to death in my sleep," I say. I explain to him how I woke up in a birdcage and what the Moon Goddess told me.

"We need to get ready for what's going to happen next," he says intensely.

"Yeah."

We laugh and talk as we eat, but I have a feeling it won't last long.

We walk into the living room to find everyone's fear and confusion evident on their faces.

"Kate? Is that you?" Grace asks, rushing towards me before pulling me into a hug.

She pulls away, tears running down her cheeks. I wipe her tears.

"You didn't expect me to go without a fight, right?" I say with a smile.

Lillian and everyone hug me. Becca, Lillian, and Grace cry so much I have to stop myself from crying along with them.

Ma hugs me tightly, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Don't you ever do that again," she scolds. "You gave me a heart attack."

"I am here now and never going anywhere without a fight."

Aunty Melanie tells me what is going on. The border patrol is on high alert, and everyone has been notified to get ready for war anytime soon.

"Training is going on as we speak," Anderson informs Lawrence on the strategy and requirements.

"Kate," Hunter calls from the couch.

"Yes?" I ask, focusing my attention on the strategy Lawrence handed to me.

"Dad is on his way here. He just mind linked me," Hunter says warily, looking everywhere but me.

"Why is he coming here? " I ask suspiciously.

"He didn't say, but he says I should pass this along to you: you won't survive today, and he will make sure of it."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I mutter under my breath, feeling disturbed.