Page 76 of The Tribrid Princess and the Taste of Chaos (The Rossi Legacies #7)

Sienna

I look down, my heart shattering as the drugs take effect and both Mama and Jaddati fall into a deep sleep. I turn, softly kissing Jaddati on the forehead before doing the same to Mama.

I’ll miss you; please don’t be too angry.

I’m a coward. I wasn’t able to say goodbye to the girls or Jayce. Especially Jayce, I’d break down if I did, and I can’t risk his life if he figured something out.

I made this mistake. I’m the only one who deserves to suffer the consequences, not them. I slip the envelope I had already written and place it on the table. I couldn’t explain why I’m doing this. I couldn’t justify it, anyway. I fucked up.

I wipe my silent tears away and take one last look around the room.

Dad is far stronger than I am. He’ll be back to heal, to protect, and to be there for everyone.

Dad… I wish I could have shown you that I managed to control my powers, that I have wings, too. I didn’t even get to show those to Jayce. He helped me so much. I wish I could have introduced him officially as mine to you.

The guilt of betraying Jayce eats me up inside, and I rub my arms.

I know I’m hurting him, know I’m shutting him out, but it’s for the best. I even thought of breaking up with him, but he’s smart.

He’d have figured something out. So, I had to keep going, although this will just hurt him more.

He’ll never forgive me, and how do I expect him to when I can’t even forgive myself?

I leave the mansion, creating a barrier around it, so if Mama wakes up earlier, she doesn’t follow me. I’m sorry, Ahren, Tatum, everyone.

I close my eyes as I turn and walk out of the mansion gates for the last time.

Helios has already given me the instructions on what I must do tonight, as well as the exact location to where there is a crack in the veil, not far from here. But first, I want to make a stop at the family graveyard.

A few minutes later, I enter the graveyard and gaze down at the graves of my predecessors, the men we have lost. Ricardo Rossi, Rafael Rossi, Chris Somers, Rayhan Rossi. Three generations of Alphas.

I kneel down and touch Uncle Chris’s grave, remembering Heaven’s words.

My eyes sting as I shake my head. “You are equal to Grandad and Dad; you are the mate of one of the bravest women I know. You are the father of the woman who will become the greatest witch on the planet.” I touch the marble tombstone, lowering my head before I stand up and turn to Dad’s grave.

I whisper a spell, my eyes glimmering as I wipe the tombstone clean.

He shall return.

He never died.

I scan the graveyard. I’d barely come here, refusing to accept that Dad was dead, and I was right. I smile softly. I may not be a good mate, a good friend, a good sister or a good daughter, but I do love my family with every inch of my being.

Slowly, I turn away and leave the graveyard. Tilting my head, I gaze up at the sky for a moment. The Blood Moon peeks out from behind the clouds, beautiful and powerful, but at the same time a stark reminder of what tonight is.

The night I will pay for my carelessness.

My wolf is restless, as if wanting to be let out.

Halfway to the place Helios had shown me in my dream last night, I stop and remove my Schattensicht, just in case.

I drop it on the ground, remembering Uncle Leo.

Oh, he’d be so pissed at me, too, and Grandpa Al.

I shudder. Maybe it’s good I’m not coming back. Everyone would just be so pissed at me.

Imagine if Jayce isn’t upset but angrier? A shiver runs down my spine at the thought; Jayce can be scary. I’ve just been treated so well by him that I’ve forgotten that.

The location is a five-minute walk from the mansion, on the outskirts of Black Storm Territory. I blend in, passing quite close to some of the guards without them realising. The darkness conceals me somewhat. I’ve noticed it’s happened at the Academy, too, at night.

That was something else I wish I had the chance to show Jayce. He helped me in so many ways, and here I am, betraying him. I pass through the trees, jumping down the rocky terrain, the sound of the river nearby making me keep going, and then when I recognise the rocks from the vision, I pause.

This is it.

Walking over to the location, I recall what I saw in my dream and begin moving the rocks.

After a couple of minutes of digging out the rocks, I use a spell to help move this along faster.

After another ten minutes, I finally pull away a large block of earth, and there, as clear as the sun shines, is the ripple in the fabric of the veil.

An entrance to the Realm of the Gods… this one is so close to home.

My heart hammers as I look up at the moon.

“You will do as you promised, right? You’ll return him?” I whisper into the night, knowing Helios is watching. My neck stings as it heats up. My heart pounds as I stretch my hand to the ripple.

“Sienna!”

My eyes fly open as I hear Jayce’s voice. My heart thumps erratically as I quickly look around. How do I hide this before he realises what I’m doing? What is he even doing here?!

I step away from the tear just as he comes into view. His hair is unruly, his eyes blazing brilliant blue as he looks at me. His eyes rake over me as if checking to see if I’m ok, but it’s the intense current of electric energy that tugs taut between us that dizzies me.

The bond… I feel it snap into place, stealing away my breath.

It’s as if lightning cracks through my soul, opening something to his.

His scent hits me with beautiful, intense force, intoxicating and ten times stronger than before.

Dark cedarwood, storm-kissed leather, and dark spice that is sinfully alluring.

It coils around me, pulling my wolf forward with a purr of hunger and approval. Every nerve in my body is sizzling.

No. This wasn’t meant to happen. This will only make it harder for him and for me!

Our eyes lock, mine a brilliant red holding suppressed tears, his dazzling blue burning with fire.

My lips tremble as I try to focus on what I’m going to have to do. I did consider this scenario, and I wish it hadn’t come to be, but one thing strikes me.

“Why aren’t you shocked?” I ask in a hoarse whisper, barely holding myself together. Every part of me is screaming to run into his arms, to bury myself in the safety of his embrace and let him fix it.

He steps closer, only making my knees weaker. The shadows cast half of his face into darkness. “Because I already knew,” he murmurs softly, a glimmer of guilt in his eyes. “I’ve known for a long time. But I chose you even before the bond told me to.”

My breath catches. He knew we were mates? “You didn’t tell me…”

He tilts his head. The clouds part, allowing the moonlight to catch his black hair.

Gods, he’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.

“You don’t look surprised either,” he remarks softly, eyes tracing every flicker of emotion on my face. I nod and look away, ashamed.

“Then let’s call it even,” he says, voice roughened by emotion. He’s close now. So close. My heart stutters.

If I don’t leave now… I don’t know if I’ll have the strength.

“Whatever you’re planning,” he breathes, cupping my face, “Don’t. I’m here.”

The touch is like a jolt of pleasure, the sensation spreading like wildfire across my skin. My eyes flutter shut, and my body betrays me as I lean into him.

“You shouldn’t be here, Jayce.” My voice cracks.

“This is exactly where I should be,” he answers quietly. “It’s Helios, isn’t it? All of this is because you’re my mate. The mate of the Deimos King.”

My neck zaps with a sharp sting, a cruel reminder of the oath I made. I pull away.

“You don’t know what you’re saying. That’s absurd.”

“Is it, Darling? There’s no way you could’ve blocked me out unless a god was involved,” Jayce snarls, his eyes simmering with anger. “It makes sense now, but it doesn’t matter. Don’t forget that I’m favoured by Zeus-”

“This has nothing to do with you, Jayce!” I scream, my voice shaking. “Please… just go.”

His jaw clenches, refusing. “No. Not without you.”

“You have to.” I step back. “It is none of your business. You have it all wrong!”

“It has everything to do with me!” he says icily, but even then, I don’t miss the pain etched into his voice. “He’s a coward, targeting you because he knows he’ll never win against me!”

The pain inside me builds until it’s a wave threatening to drown me. My magic pulses outward, wild and suffocating. I want to scream. I want to hold him. I want to just stop being strong. I want him to fix it… But he can’t.

“Please go,” I whisper.

But Jayce is Jayce. He won’t back down. I know that.

“Helios!” he now growls, the sound vibrating through my bones, his voice echoing like thunder in the darkness. “I know you can hear me! You duelled Andronikos for his mate and fucking lost! So if that’s what this is about, then come do the same for mine! Prove you’re not afraid of a mortal!”

Come to me if you want him to live. Helios’ voice in my mind makes me freeze, the threat and anger sending an icy wave through me. He’s angry.

“No!” I whisper, panic flooding me. “Jayce, please, you’ve got it wrong, so just go!”

“I don’t. I know you can’t tell me everything, but I don’t care,” he says, eyes blazing with unwavering love as he looks past me at the crack in the veil. “I won’t let you face this alone.”

I’m sorry…

The pain in his eyes…

I know what I have to do, and for him to trust me, I’m going to have to use that very trust one last time… My wolf whimpers, wanting to stop me from hurting our mate.

I drop my shoulders, letting the tears come. It’s not hard when doing this is breaking me.

“Ok.” I sob.

A wave of relief floods him, but he’s still wary.

“We’ll work on this,” he promises, his heart thudding loudly. “Ok?”

I nod, but there’s still worry in his eyes. “Ok,” I whisper.

“Together. We’ll get help; you’re not alone. We are all here for you.”

“I know,” I say softly, closing the distance between us, and throw my arms around his neck. He catches me as if he’s never letting go. His arms wrap around me like a shield.

“Promise me, Sienna, you will let me help you.”

“I promise,” I whisper.

He’s on edge as if not sure if I’m telling the truth. “Swear it.” He moves back slightly, cupping the back of my neck as he presses his forehead to mine. “Swear it on our love.”

The most sacred thing…

I break as I nod. “I swear it.” Tears stream down my cheeks, but I refuse to let a sound out as I hug him around his waist. “I’m sorry,” I whisper through the tears. “I’m so, so sorry.”

Before he can answer, I do what I never wanted. I slip a small square of paper from my sleeve. It contains a lethal dark purple powder, a poison created by the witches from the venom of Apophis’ snakes.

I’m sorry, Jayce, sorry for taking a false oath on the most precious thing I possess, our love.

I raise my hand and tip the little square of powder down Jayce’s neck, my heart pounding with fear.

Jayce stiffens, and then his heart begins beating rapidly. “Sienna…” he breathes. “What did you…?”

“It’ll just paralyse you for a bit,” I whisper sorrowfully. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to do this.” I step back, feeling worse than ever.

His eyes blaze even as his body begins succumbing to the venom. The look on his face – he never thought I’d trick him like this.

I watch as his body fights the poison. Gods, he’s strong. He shouldn’t be able to move at all.

“You tricked me, but if you think that this can hold me, you’re wrong,” he growls, his voice strained, rage and heartbreak mixing like acid in it.

“I had to,” I whisper, my voice cracking like glass. “I, Sienna Elektra Kendall Rossi, also known as Mordana of House Silver, reject you, Jayce Westwood, as my-”

“ Don’t! ” he snarls, his aura crackling like lightning around him, his eyes fuelled with fury.

“As my mate and alpha,” I finish.

The bond splits.

A shattering agony rips through my chest, as if a blade has pierced my heart and twisted ruthlessly. I gasp out, staggering backwards.

Jayce falls to his knees, the venom and the rejection working hand-in-hand to defy his will. “Sienna… don’t do this… please.”

I still, my heart pounding as I stare at him, hearing his pride and strength fracture. His voice trembles with soul-crushing desperation.

“Don’t leave me like this. Please, we will figure it out, I am begging you.

” He tries to get up, but he can’t, and then, to my horror, he starts to crawl toward me – painstakingly slowly, every move taking a lot from him, and I hate it.

Hate how I stripped him of everything and brought him to his knees.

I’d rather see him angry, not broken and begging like this.

I hate myself.

There’s pain, anguish and fear in those beautiful, green eyes as they look at me, so full of a vulnerability I’ve never seen in them before. “We can fix this. Whatever it is, please, think this through. Don’t do this. Don’t leave me in this fucking nightmare.” His eyes glitter, and my vision blurs.

“Jayce…”

“Helios! I’ll kneel if you want me to. Don’t involve her!” he shouts. His power crackles around him weakly, but I chose the strongest venom, one from a god. Even a prophesied ruler wouldn’t be able to defy it.

“Jayce, stop, it’s too late,” I beg, stepping back as he still claws his way towards me, with sheer will alone.

“No, I’ll burn if it means I get to keep you. You’re everything to me,” he chokes out hoarsely. “Sienna, please, I can’t lose you.”

His voice cracks, and so does my heart. He knows I’m leaving, and this isn’t how I wanted to remember him. Broken and on his knees.

Memories flash through my mind: him smirking over his shoulder, him mounting his bike, him kissing me, holding me, making love to me…

I turn away, unable to watch him any longer.

“I love you,” he whispers, barely able to move now. “I love you more than anything I’ve ever known.”

My back is to him, and I press my fist to my chest. I can’t breathe… I can’t turn around. I won’t survive it if I do.

My wolf howls, her grief a mirror of mine as I step toward the shimmering tear. Every step is like walking on blades.

“Sienna!” That sound will haunt me forever; his wolf’s and his voice melded into one. The pain coming from the depths of his soul. “Please, please, I’m begging you.”

I close my eyes as I hear him fall; the venom taking full hold.

I’m sorry.

With that, I bend down and crawl through the crack, allowing the intense power to suck me in.

I feel the violent pull as everything around me explodes, but all I can focus on is how I feel.

Heartbroken, shattered, and damned.