Page 54 of Captured By the Monsters
AXTON
My Trifecta was restless. Not that I could blame them. I was just as agitated, but I hid it under a veneer of calm. I didn’t want anyone to know that I was careening out of control without my mate. But I was. I needed to get back to Sera.
She was struggling with her heat, and I couldn’t imagine what she was feeling, being separated from us. We needed to get back to her and explain it to her immediately.
The only consolation was that I knew my mate was safe in that room, because within the throne room, Specters swam like sharks from The Above in infested waters.
They smelled their opportunity and were waiting to attack.
My heart ached for the unclaimed woman’s Trifecta. They would give it their all to win, but they were still just Specters themselves, and from the dullness of the crystal around her neck, it was clear there was no energy for them to pull from to try to give themselves leverage.
Instead, they remained evenly matched with their opponents, and evenly matched wasn’t good enough. Not when such a precious piece of your life was at stake.
Rowen twitched in agitation at my side. “I’m going to go check on Sera.”
“You can’t,” I hissed back. “Our presence is demanded. We must stand witness for this Trifecta.”
“This Trifecta is going to have their asses handed to them,” Rowen snapped in response. “It’s nine against three. There’s no way they will be able to protect their mate. We all know they will fail, so why do we have to bear witness to the once revered traditions being ruined?”
I didn’t respond, because Rowen was right. The crystal had already spoken. I understood that these were perilous times in our land, but we had always abided by the crystal. It is what gave us life, and it had chosen. It was barbaric to make this Trifecta fight for what was already theirs.
The leader called out, announcing the fight. Instantly, a swarm of shadows descended upon the Trifecta in the center of the room, their mate’s shrill scream piercing my ears. From the corner of my eye, I watched Sylan rush forward to where she stood in the corner of the room, face aghast in horror as she watched.
“What are you doing?” I roared in surprise, but he had already shot off. He lifted her into his arms effortlessly and returned her to our side. My eyes bulged at his audacity. “Go put her back. We already have a mate.”
Sylan gave me a look of disdain before glancing at the small female trembling in his arms. “I’m not taking her to replace Sera. I’m taking her to hold her safe until her Trifecta can come back for her.”
Her eyes were locked on the flurry of shadows and energy swirling around, likely unable to discern who was who in the battle. She paid no mind to Sylan holding her, completely glued to what was happening to her mates, I’d imagine.
Her fear for them was palpable, and if I had to hazard a guess, she did accept the bond with them but hadn’t felt comfortable with the claiming yet, and they had respected her wishes.
This was exactly where we would have been if we hadn’t been honest with Sera and allowed her to make the decision of whether we would risk it or not.
“Take her out of here,” Rowen snapped. “Go put her in the room with the others so she is safe for now.”
I gave in, nodding to Sylan to get going before the leaders could stop him. We probably were already in a world of trouble for intervening—might as well save the poor girl in case she got caught in the midst of the fight.
The poor woman began to sob as Sylan raced out of the throne room, yelling for her Trifecta and reaching out with a hand for them. I hoped that Sera would help soothe her until the outcome was decided. But no sooner than Sylan left did he come slamming back into the throne room moments later, still carrying the unclaimed woman.
“Sera’s gone!” he roared over the commotion of the fight, setting the human woman down on her feet.
Immediately, the fighting stopped, and her Trifecta rushed over to grab her as her tears faded in their shadowy embrace.
The leader in the middle rose from his throne. “What do you mean?”
“My mate and two others are missing. The only woman that is still in there is theirs.” He pointed to the Trifecta behind me. It was the brunette’s Trifecta, the one who hated this world and everyone in it.
“Where is Sera?” I bellowed in a furious voice, needing answers from someone immediately. My heart raced, and blood thrummed in my ears as a blinding rage began to take over.
“The guards weren’t there either,” Sylan announced in a seething and accusatory tone.
A collective gasp sounded in the throne room as we all connected to the dots.
“Our mates have been taken by the guards,” I breathed out. Rushing out of the room, I barely paid anyone any heed as I sprinted towards the room we last saw her in.
The brunette whirled around with a scowl on her face as I entered the room.
“Where is she?” I demanded.
