Page 75 of The Tribrid Princess and the Taste of Chaos (The Rossi Legacies #7)

Sienna

I hurt Jayce today, and I hurt Heaven.

I close my eyes, resting my forehead against my knees as it replays fresh in my mind.

“Oh, hey, Heaven, everything ok?” I ask, surprised to see her at the door to my dorm.

Allison looks between us, but she’s been mostly quiet since Jayce and I got together.

Will he go to her once I’m gone? Just the thought is crushing, but remembering that it means Dad will at least be back gives me some strength.

Although I won’t have time with him again, everyone else will. It’s the only thing keeping me going.

“Sienna, do you mind if we go to your room?” Heaven asks with a toss of her hair. “For some privacy?”

“Sure.” I lead the way to my room and shut the door behind us. Heaven casts a spell so no one can overhear.

“I’m worried about you; you seem lost in thought at times. Is everything ok?” she asks me out of nowhere. I blink, not expecting that. I’m sure I’ve been acting pretty normal.

“Everything is fine. It’s just in your head,” I say lightly.

She cocks a brow. “So, there’s nothing worrying you, or anything you want to share?” she persists.

I shake my head, suddenly freezing when I feel the tendrils of magic curling around me, and I jump back, my own powers surrounding me like a shield. “Are you trying to use magic on me?” I ask, stunned. “I told you nothing is wrong!”

I don’t want anything to happen to her! Why would she even try that?!

“Please don’t lie, Sienna. How many secrets will you keep on keeping from us? We are supposed to be friends! And before that, sisters!” she exclaims.

I open my mouth to say something, but pause, realising she’s distraught. Jayce… Did he- “Did Jayce say something to you?”

Her heart skips a beat, but her face doesn’t give anything away.

He did…

“This is none of his business! It’s nothing to-”

“I’m mad, Si! Why haven’t you told me anything about your dreams!?” she snaps, her voice breaking. She doesn’t shout often.

My dreams…

“I was going to, I just never had time,” I begin. I know it’s a lame excuse, but it really hadn’t crossed my mind.

“Never had time, that’s not a good enough excuse! We talk daily! It wouldn’t have taken you long. I thought you trusted us. I thought we promised to tell each other everything!”

“You don’t understand, Heaven, you really don’t-”

“I don’t understand what! WHAT? Tell me!”

“You don’t understand how I felt; you always-”

“I always what?! Who else can understand you but me! I lost my father, too, remember? But I guess because not as many people mourned him, that my pain was less!” Her voice cracks, her eyes glow orange, and her lips are trembling.

I still – staring at her. “How can you think that…?”

“How can I think that? Isn’t it true? I loved Uncle, but I’m not blind. No, the loss of Alpha Rayhan Rossi was and still is remembered far more than the loss of Alpha Chris Somers... No one remembers my father in the same way.”

“It’s not always a good thing; it brings pain,” I whisper, my eyes blurring.

“See, that’s the difference between you and me.

I wouldn’t look at it like that. I would be happy if my father were remembered like that.

I would hold my head up high and be proud when he’s mentioned.

I lost a father, too, Si; I lost those I loved, too…

but I never shut you out.” She ends on a whisper.

“I looked up to you, Sienna, but right now, I just feel… disappointed.”

Her words hurt far more than I will let on, and I don’t know how to reassure her. I’m so tired… so useless.

She shakes her head at my silence, disappointed. “We’re here to help you, Sienna, but if you don’t let us in, how are we supposed to do that?”

I don’t answer. I can’t let anyone in, not without risking their lives. I will not risk them. So, I stay quiet. Maybe if- when I leave, they are unhappy with me, it’ll be easier for them.

“I don’t need your help,” I say, hating myself for it.

Heaven stares at me as she composes herself. It’s so subtle, so smooth that even when angry, she doesn’t lose herself fully. She now simply looks at me and nods.

“Ok. If you do change your mind, you know where I am.” With that, she turns and leaves the room, the door shutting behind her with a sharp snap.

As much as I am trying to reassure myself that it’s ok, it’s not! She’s left me with this chaotic storm within me waiting to erupt.

I am a horrible sister, a horrible friend, a horrible girlfriend, a horrible daughter.

I’m useless. Nothing can change that.

Maybe it’s good I won’t have time with Dad… he’d be so disappointed in me.

Jayce

The days passed in a blur. I had asked Heaven what happened that same night, but she refused to explain it to me.

Sienna shut me out just like she shut Allie and Heaven out.

Maybe not physically, but even when she is around, she’s quiet, like there is a wall between us, one I don’t know how to get rid of.

But I’m not sure if there’s enough time. Neither Leo nor I have gotten far.

In the end, Leo said he’ll ask Raihana to try to get into her mind, whether she likes it or not, but that would be when she returns home for the week’s holidays for the Blood Moon Ball.

I’ve tried to talk to her about her dreams, but she callously tells me to go away and has completely shut down when it comes to them, worse than how she was at the start of the term.

Ares is another failure, with no progress between us. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m unable to do anything for anyone. The after-hours CCTV footage didn’t show anything out of the ordinary despite my going through hours and hours of it.

It’s now the evening of the Blood Moon Ball, which is being hosted at the Night Walkers Pack. Those attending have been coming in groups since yesterday and staying here overnight. Even in the current day and age, Blood Moon Balls are a big deal.

Dad was shocked I came, but I don’t have plans to linger here. I’ll be heading to the Black Storm Pack with Ahren’s help, something that took a bit of persuading, but Sienna didn’t come, and I need to see her tonight.

I flip through THE Book oF Gods . Since last night, I got sucked into the story of Helios.

I’ve heard it before, and it’s always intrigued me how Helios was jealous of a fucking werewolf.

A mortal. My reading hasn’t been great with so much on my mind, but I wanted to complete all the books I found at the temple.

They really have helped in getting perspective on our past.

I now put the book down and pick up my phone.

JAYCE: Hey, you sure you don’t want to attend the Blood Moon Ball tonight? It might be fun. We could do our own thing? I’m sure Ahren can teleport you over.

I stare at the screen. She decided to spend the week with her family, although I told her we could just chill together, but she refused.

I see her pop online, but she doesn’t reply before she goes offline again. I wait for another moment, remembering the girl who would reply quickly. That’s not her anymore.

Did I really fuck up so badly?

I place my phone down, sighing softly.

I miss you, Darling…

Picking up the book, I force myself to look at the next page, unable to get Sienna out of my mind.

In this book, Andronikos explains the curse Helios put on the Deimos line, simply because he couldn’t get Andronikos’ woman.

A curse that is already beginning to affect him as he wrote this final book.

I frown as I flip the page. Dad broke this curse-

I jolt upright, my heart thundering as I stare at the yellowing page.

Who else has such power?!

Helios.

A god has the power to block my intuition… to stop her from saying something. The man in her dreams – no, not man, it must have been him! A god.

Is he still so fucking bent on revenge over his ego that he wants to take my mate? The mate of the Deimos King, the one whose blood is almost identical to Andronikos himself?

It sounds like a madman’s addiction.

Is this Helios’ doing?

I pick up my phone to see Sienna’s message.

SIENNA: I promised Mama and Jaddati that I’d hang with them. I’m sorry.

JAYCE: We can hang out after. I want to see you tonight, Sienna.

SIENNA: Sure, I’ll ask Ahren to bring me later.

I would have thought she’d want to see me tonight.

JAYCE: Sure, we can hang out after you’re done. Who knows, we might be mates.

No reply.

I sigh heavily, my mind returning to Helios. I ring Leo, impatiently waiting for him to pick up, but he doesn’t.

The one time I need you, man.

I try again, but nothing.

Azura.

I try her, but no answer.

“Fuck!” I snarl, tossing my phone onto the bed and, standing up, I begin pacing the room. A few of us are staying at Aunty Kiara’s. Frowning, I massage my jaw.

Everything is beginning to make a lot of sense.

What is Helios planning? – I’m sure it’s him, even if I don’t know for certain.

I glance at the time. The Blood Moon won’t be at its peak for another hour, maybe I should go to Sienna and see what’s going on.

There has to be a way to stop him. Once I tell Leo, we can work on a plan.

There’s not enough time.

I freeze at the intruding thought, but know not to ignore it.

Alright, think Jayce… turning, I race down the stairs, the others are probably already at the event.

“Jayce, you’re not dressed?” Aunty Kiara says as she comes into view, she’s ready as well.

I shake my head. “I wasn’t going to go; where’s Uncle Al?”

Her face falls. “There was a huge attack at Mystic Academy. He’s gone there, along with Leo, Liam, Raven, Dad, Azura and Raihana.”

I tense. “Shouldn’t you be there if someone is hurt?” I ask. Why the fuck would Leo and Uncle go?

“Azura is there. I needed to be here in case something happened.”

“Why the fuck didn’t we know? Sorry…” I say.

She smiles, even though it doesn’t hide the worry in her eyes. “I’m used to swearing, Jayce. I think because it’s the Blood Moon, they didn’t want you all to worry. Ahren and Dante have gone, too.”

Ahren…

They’ll be fine…

“Alright,” I say. Then I will have to get to Sienna myself.

“Jayce, is everything ok?” she asks me softly, placing a hand on my arm.

“Yeah,” I answer.

She nods but doesn’t seem convinced. “Ok, are you heading to the ball?”

I know she knows when a person lies… I shake my head. “No, you go, I’m not attending,” I say, motioning up the stairs.

She nods, and I turn, heading back up. But only to grab a bag. I’m going to shift and head to the Black Storm Pack myself.

The urgency within me is growing incessantly.

Sienna…

I ring her, and hope she picks up. She does on the fifth ring, and I close my eyes in silent relief.

“Hey…” she says softly, but the pain in it is palpable.

“Hey, you busy?”

“No, just taking a walk.”

“Right… not with your family?”

“No, a walk with Mama and Jaddati.”

I don’t need my intuition to know she’s lying.

“I see… speak to you later.”

“Ok,” she answers before a silence follows.

She doesn’t hang up, waiting for me to do it. I don’t. Instead, I begin grabbing what I need, hearing her soft, shaky sigh.

“I love you,” I murmur.

But for the first time, she doesn’t respond. I end the call and shove everything into my rucksack. I remove my clothes, put on my belt, and activate it. Black fabric covers me, and I adjust the collar before leaving the room, bag in hand.

I’m coming, Sienna.

An hour later, I reach Black Storm Territory, but each minute has only made the restlessness within me grow. The Blood Moon is high in the sky, its power radiating over me. I can feel it, and knowing she’s close makes my wolf on edge, restless and ready to claim what’s his.

Sienna…

I shift back, but I’m stopped by security. “We weren’t alerted to visitors,” he says.

“You can ask your Luna then.” I cross my arms. “I’m here because Ahren’s on a mission.”

That makes them exchange looks. “Please step through.”

The barrier would destroy anyone with ill intentions. The spells are put in place by eight witches, the strongest in the country. The same spells protect each pack’s territory.

I pass through with ease, and they nod. I take my phone out of my bag and try Leo again, still no answer. I close my eyes. My next option is Delsanra, before Sienna learns I’m here. I know I’m betraying her, but the feeling inside of me is worsening.

I don’t have her number… I’ll go to the mansion. I turn and look at the guards.

“Could you call Luna Delsanra for me?” I ask.

They nod before one of them gets their phone. The phone rings before it goes to the answering machine.

“Sorry, no one’s answering, we’ll mind-link Luna Maria and ask her to have Luna Delsanra call us.”

I nod, waiting impatiently, but the moment they look at one another, I know something is wrong.

Not waiting for an explanation, I shift, breaking into a run as I race towards the Rossi Mansion. I stop when I see the shimmering barrier around the mansion. Black with a red hue…

Sienna, what are you up to?

“Sienna!” I shout as several other pack warriors try to get past the barrier.

“Move back,” I command, my eyes blazing as my aura surges around me, and I raise my hand; lightning flashes in the sky as it propels straight towards me, dazzling the night sky.

The moment it makes impact with my palm, the ground shakes from the shockwaves, knocking several guards off their feet.

I raise my hand and throw the bolt, my heart hammering as I don’t hold back. Something is going to happen, and the only thing my instincts are telling me is that I will lose her.

The bolt crashes into the barrier, illuminating the sky, the barriers around the pack glowing, but the barrier Sienna put up shatters.

The warriors shout to one another as we all rush inside, and I stop when I see both Lunas sitting on the sofa, a gap between them where I know Sienna had been sitting. They’re both unconscious, magic shimmering around them.

I scan the room, searching for anything, when I see the envelope sitting on the table. I pick it up and rip it open with shaking hands.

“I love you all.”

That’s it.

Sienna, where the fuck are you?

Everything is spinning as I run my hand through my hair.

The Schattensicht! She’s part of my division, I can locate her!

I activate it, watching as the glowing line appears, past the door and down the hall towards the front door.

I just pray I’m not too late.