After my declaration, the tone in the room is solemn. Everything is weird, at least I feel weird. We're absolutely going to have to walk into our doom. With two groups of supernaturals coming after us, there's no telling if we will come out of this alive or not. I hate to say that I'm scared, but I am. I really have no idea if we'll live or not.

"What's the plan then?" Rory asks once we're all in the living room of Cytherea's. Still, she's nowhere to be found. My mind immediately goes back to what Aimilios told me before he cast me out.

Is there a possibility that she's going to betray us? She's the only person who knows our whereabouts and the only person who could become a traitor. I'd say Hannah, but she's all the way back at the packhouse, away from Rory and I, away from all of this. She couldn't be the one, there's no way.

"I think we need to plan a sneak attack," I answer, shrugging. This was never something I thought would happen, but it's fate. The moon goddess planned this. "Somehow, we'll have to catch them off guard. It shouldn't be hard because they have no idea where we are. The only thing is force and power."

"Right," Rory agrees, nodding his head. "There are four of us against an army of them. Is there any chance we'll pick up stragglers on the way?"

"Yeah, if there's any chance that scoundrel Timothy hasn't already told everyone that you're a deranged wolf," Alexei speaks, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms. "I don't think we'll be able to pick up stragglers."

Rory scoffs and looks away from her. "It was a joke."

Alexei laughs, humor gone from her voice. Shaking her head, she crosses the room and settles on the couch. It dips as she slouches back into it. Crossing one leg over the other, she raises one eyebrow. This sight of her reminds me of the Alexei at the castle. It was the time when she rejected me without words and let me be locked away. That Alexei was blank, emotionless. It's like she's reverted now.

"Do you really think this is a joking matter?" she hisses, the smirk dropping off her face. "We're quite literally going to die and you're making jokes."

Rory looks up from the ground to glare at her. "To lighten the mood," he growls, baring his teeth and reminding me of Timothy for a moment.

Alexei chuckles, shaking her head again. It's like she's scolding a child after they've said something ignorant. "Right, because that's what we need. A lightening of the mood. If you can't handle a situation for what it is then you don't deserve the position you have."

Her eyes land on me, freezing me where I stand. What she's just said... it's what no mate should say to another. She's saying that Rory doesn't deserve to be my mate, that he's not worthy enough. But how could she say that? How could she ever disrespect our mate like that? It makes no sense. Hadn't their bond formed? I saw it connect with my own two eyes, yet they're fighting as if they'll kill each other.

Looking over at Rory, I watch as his eyes blaze. Fire burns in them, exposing his anger. He clenches his fists and they turn white from the force. His irises turn gold, replacing the brown I'm so used to seeing. Hair sprouts from his face as his beast emerges. His clothes rip as he grows in size, his shoulders hunching and legs bending to resemble that of a wolf. Canines extend and they glint in the milky sunlight that shines through the windows. He's become one with his beast, a lycan in his true form.

Movement in the corner of my eye causes me to look over at Alexei. She's standing and baring her fangs at Rory. Her green eyes are different, darker. For a moment, I can't understand what's so familiar about them. Then I realize that they're mixing with red, just how Ameri's were. There's a sheen in them, reflecting something sinister and evil. This isn't the Alexei I know.

A thundering growl sounds through the room in which it's met by a malicious hiss. If there was more room, the two would be circling each other, but they settle for sizing the other up. In a matter of seconds, they move and attack each other in a blur of flesh and fur.

Rory is the first to get the upper hand as he catches Alexei, swiping at her with his elongated claws. They catch her chest, ripping through the fabric and marking her skin. Instantly, her flesh opens and turns red. Blood seeps from the wound, leaving trails as the streaks disappear under the rest of her shirt.

Alexei cocks her head to the side and chortles, mocking the lycan before her. "Is that all you got, Lycan?" Her voice is dark, scaring me. I don't know what's gotten into her, neither of them.

Because Rory is in his wolf form, he can't reply, but his growl is answer enough. Darting forward, he swipes at Alexei again. This time, she dodges the attack, her vampire speed giving her a small upper hand. She materializes next to him, catching him off guard. A fist flies and slams into Rory's chest. His body flies, connecting with the far side of the wall.

"Stop it!" I scream, finally finding my voice. They either ignore it or are too into their fight to hear.

Rory slumps for a moment as he lands on his feet after falling from the wall. His eyes narrow on Alexei and he bares his teeth before coming in for an attack. They become a mass of limbs as they move at remarkable speed, fighting and dodging the hits from each other.

The coffee table breaks as Rory is slammed into it. A potted plant gets destroyed from a flying kick that was dodged. Alexei's black hair becomes a tangled mess after being dragged by Rory. Little by little, Cytherea's living room settles into a place of destruction. Her couch is scratched up along with her walls. Frames have fallen to the ground from the repeated slams that left behind dents. The smell of herbs and spices wafts through the air from broken vials that were hidden under the now destroyed coffee table.

Rory manages to pin Alexei under him. Her body is stuck in its place, no matter how much she struggles to free herself. A breath of relief leaves me since they've finally stopped. But every muscle in my body tenses when I see Rory open his mouth, his eyes aimed for Alexei's neck.

A normal wolf wouldn't kill her, even with a jugular bite, but Rory is a lycan. If there's anything I've learned from running with a vampire, it's that a ycan's bite can kill a vampire. Right now, that's exactly Rory's goal.

A scream rips through me, shocking even me. The cottage shakes for as long as my vocal cords work. The two creatures before me cease their actions. Hands fly to ears in hopes of blocking the sound. Alexei curls herself into a ball as Rory falls away from her. His body begins shifting until he's a young man again.

Liquid drips out of my nose, trailing down and over my lips. The sound ceases, my scream no longer permeating the air. Throbbing starts in my head with a new migraine. My chest moves up and down with the rapid beat of my heart. Around me, the room moves and I can almost guarantee that I'm swaying.

I manage to mumble, "stop" before I collapse. Once again, I pass out.

***

"Wake up!" The command is sharp and enough to scare me awake.

For a moment, I almost expect to wake up in Elysium, but I don't feel calm. I still feel every bit of fear and anger, uncertainty and confusion. If this were that paradise land, all of those feelings would be gone and I'd feel nothing but safe and happy.

"Asta! Wake up," again, someone speaks. The only person to call me Asta is my supposed brother, Aimilios. If it's him, then that means I am here.

With a gasping breath, I raise from the cloud I'm laid on. Pressing a hand to my chest, I breathe out and study my surroundings. This is not correct.

The light sky I'm used to seeing here is bathed in a red hue, casting a demonic glow on everything. The ground, the clouds, are gray which contrasts from the normal white. In the distance, a castle sits in shambles, pieces of the structure breaking off every minute or so. Tiny figures move, running away. But where are they going? That's when I see it.

There's a crack in the structure of the ground. Keeping still, I swear I can feel Elysium moving. Though I can't see it, I know the crack is growing as this paradise world breaks apart. Slightly, I see dark light breaking through into the surface. It's barely noticeable, but once I've laid my eyes on it, I can only see that. The small amount of darkness beams into the world of Elysium, disappearing in the sky.

"Keep away!" Aimilios shouts next to me. But they can't hear. A young man, one with wings of an angel flaps his white, majestic appendages.

Once his figure catches the beam of darkness, he stops, his wings dropping. The angel's mouth drops in horror as his skin becomes pale. Rapidly, he becomes frail, losing the muscle mass he previously had. Tan skin becomes gray, smooth flesh becomes wrinkled. Life drains from his body, his eyes growing sunken in and curly blonde hair turning fossil, losing their volume. Then he becomes dust and ash which quickly floats away. All that's left behind is gold and ivory clothing that falls to the surface.

Lifting a shaky hand, I stifle a sob. A man has just disintegrated in front of me, ceasing to exist now. My stomach lurches and I turn to the side, but nothing comes out. I dry heave, and it's harsh and painful.

"Up." Aimilios pushes his hands under my armpits and pulls me up. "You're not supposed to be here right now, Asta."

"What's happening?" I cry, wiping at a stray tear.

Aimilios shakes his head, causing a strand of platinum hair to fall over his forehead. "You cannot be here right now, Asta. I need you to go back."

"What do you mean? Why are you deflecting?" Perhaps now isn't the right time to ask these questions, but I have to. I'm aware how bratty I'm being, but it feels like something I need to know.

"Your role at the moment is to be Sophia-Grace Amster. You need to lead a war against the creatures of earth and succeed. Elysium is not yet your worry." Aimilios turns and watches his paradise for a moment. When he swivels back to me, a small, sad smile is given to me. "Fight your battles down there first."

Without another word, Aimilios presses his thumb to my forehead and I fall from Elysium. Our eyes meet for a mere second as he becomes smaller. From where I fall, I can see Elysium quaking, the structure failing. Soon, I believe there will be no Elysium to return to.