billion book
You Are No Mate of Mine!
Atlas Pov
My mate was caged like an animal while I was forced to finish plans for the coming war. Uncle Ellis and I went over battle formations while Father spent his time with Mom, who, as the hours went by, was making a swift recovery. My heart ached for my mate, and the beast inside me craved her blood and mateship. I hated the fact that he was under the command of Typhon, who wanted nothing more but the death of our mate.
“I am sorry, Atlas,” Kai said to me.
“Yeah,” I told him before closing the link. It was the first time ever that we had ever been at odds with each other, and it felt as if my animal self had betrayed me. It was not his fault, but it still hurt. I could not bear to even speak with him. I wanted to go see Ava as well, but knowing Kai would lash out the moment I did made me refrain from it. I felt as though even if I dreamed of walking, I would put her in danger. She must hate me right now. I tried channeling her through our mate link, but I felt nothing. It was like she cut herself off from me completely ever since she found out what happened to her mother. It was almost like she was obsessed, and why shouldn’t she be? I spent years looking for my own mother before finding out what I had been told the witches did to her. I, better than anyone, should have been the first to tell her, but we promised to keep her safe. It was my own carelessness, plus the bloodlust from Kai, that was going to cost me this war if I could not find a way to get through to her.
Ava Pov
“You’re here,” I said to the darkness. It wrapped around me like a warm cloth. Safe. Familiar, as if I had known it my entire life.
“Only in spirit. As we speak now, your family, along with my own brother, are in my realm with the intention of killing me, I presume,” he said to me. My eyes widened as he waved his hands in the air to show me a visual. I saw Jasmine, Samael, Dad, Jessica, and a few stealth warriors from our own army walking through the hell realm. They were assassinating everything that came in their way with weapons that completely disintegrated any demon that came into their view.
“Do not harm my family, ” I told him. I was still furious with them, but I did not want them dead.
“That is not my intention; however, they have entered my realm for the second time without my authority. It is my duty to punish them, but I suppose my mind can be swayed,” he said to me in the darkness. I felt his spirit pass through me, and he wrapped his arms around me. It felt as if he were here, right next to me.
“What do you want?” I asked him. He inhaled my mate’s smell, or the way my blood smells under my skin.
“I only want to give you everything you desire. I have kept your family at bay for now as a sign of goodwill from my mate, but do know that I can murder them all if I so choose. They are all my prisoners, for now,” he said to me. “My offer still stands. You will soon be at full power. Your family’s lives and your mother’s soul reside in the choices you make. I came to remind you just how much you have at stake here,” he said to me. I raised an eyebrow.
“We literally just had a conversation about this an hour ago in your realm. Why are you really here?” I demanded to know.
“That was not an hour ago, Ava. The magic entwined in these bars made you sleep for almost two days. I awoke you. Your birthday comes in thirty minutes,” he said. My eyes widened. I had been asleep this entire time. My mind went to Atlas. I opened up our Mate link but received nothing.
“He won’t reply to you. His dragon has ceased the mate-bond with you.” Lucifer said, sensing what I was doing. Was this true?
“You’re lying. He would never do that to me.” I told him. Atlas’s love was the only thing keeping me from fully embracing my darkness and fully giving into Lucifer. He was my mate. The one made for me. He would never abandon me.
“See for yourself,” Lucifer said to me. He touched my arm, and suddenly, I was no longer in the dungeon. I was standing right behind Atlas in his room as he dressed in his armor.
“A… Atlas”.
Atlas Pov
I sensed her presence behind me, but I refused to turn around. Turning around would mean acknowledging she was there, and Kai would try to kill her. She or I would die. I heard her call my name, and suddenly my willpower crumbled. I had to see her. It had been two days since I had seen her. Her family was all m. i. a. in communication, and I feared the worst had happened. As I started to, I heard Kai’s voice in my head.
“Turn around now, and I will take over your body and rip her head off. I will have no choice, Atlas. The command from Typhon is stronger than ever right now. I cannot fight it, and I have been trying to for the last two days. You must make her leave,” he said. I heard the desperate tone in his voice. I was stuck with the most impossible choice. She then grabbed my arm. I shrugged away from her as a tear formed in my eye.
“Atlas, I am sorry for what happened the other day. Things have been a little crazy for me, and I was not in my right mind. Please forgive me. I am afraid of what is happening inside of me,” she told me. I wanted to instantly comfort her, but all I could do was remain silent. She wrapped her arms around me from behind. I tensed at her touch.
“Please say something. Anything,” she pleaded.
“Ava’, I said aloud. I turned around, unable to stand it anymore. I brought her face to mine instantly and kissed her. The best part of me wanted to keep her safe. Keep her hidden from all that would harm her. Kai was disappointed in my actions, as I felt him merging with me. Just like last time, I could not fight him. I knew my eyes were gold as we pulled away from her.
“You are no mate of mine!” He growled at her through me before using our hands to pin her to the wall by her neck.
“Leave. Now,” he growled at her.
“Please… please… I… I need you.” She gasped through his grasp on her neck. He pulled her back and slammed her against the wall again.
“I gave you a choice to leave. Now we must do what we have to to stop the war. Goodbye, mate,” Kai growled at me. As I felt our inner fire channel inside me, ready to burn her, I used all my willpower. Every inch of willpower I could muster to take control of my body, and for a second, it worked. I was back in control, but the damage had already been done. While I fought for control of my own body, Ava disappeared.