Eavesdropping is not my habit but when the brother and sister are so open about discussing things in the corridor of the house, I have no other option than to listen.

Listening to Fenris being so open to his sister is a welcome change. He should be a little more dependent on his family. He's not the King of his family. He's a mate, father, brother, and a cousin first. Then he's the King.

He'll learn.

After Fenris discloses about Sierra's location and about Dragomir taking her away, I can't help but smile. The old Dragon seems to have taken in his hands to straighten out Fenris's recklessness. Well, who better than the ancient himself?

Chuckling a bit, I breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the young Queen is in safe hands, I let the conversation run in the back of my mind while waiting for Dima to get up.

Having my mate for myself and having the assurance that she has accepted me, relieves me. It gives me the strength to finish off other tasks like sorting out my own mess.

For the moment, I have kept Anya and Dima in separate rooms. When they wake up, they'll be hungry again and I do not want Dima to attack Anya in her hunger.

He was dipped in black magic. I need to make sure that he's clean before he speaks with anyone else.

A growl is heard, and I immediately go on alert. Dima's growling in his sleep. It means that he's having a nightmare and that he will wake up anytime.

Just as predicted Dima jerks in his sleep and then sits up on the bed with a huge gasp, as if choking on his own voice.

"There, there, brother," I go to him, slightly alert as well as a bit concerned about him. He has never shown such fear after a nightmare. Maybe it's something recent.

"Nico!" Dima's relieved gasp tells me that he's happy to see me but also confused as he looks around the room and finds it different.

"Dima, it's alright. We are in Crimson Shadow, at Fenris's house," I whisper while patting him on his back. It's a huge feat that he's survived the torture and appearing sane minded so soon after his healing sleep.

"Woah! I am a refugee in a werewolf territory," he mutters and then massages his temples as if frustrated.

"Here, you might be hungry," I pass him a sachet of fresh blood and watch in relief when Dima drinks from it calmly, not in a frenzied manner. It gives me hope that his body has rejuvenated.

However, he has still not asked about Anya.

"Don't project your thoughts so loudly," he mutters, and I find myself smiling a bit. He heard my concern. If he's not speaking about it, it means he has something going on his mind. He'll speak about his thoughts when the time is right.

"I need to talk to Anya first and then you can interrogate her about her mother and so-called uncle," he says, shocking me a bit. He seems to have taken full responsibility of his mate's actions.

"You know, I just need to know the truth. If Anya is innocent in all this-"

"Viviana and her brother are they alive?" asks Dima, cutting off my statement. I nod in agreement, surprised at my brother acting like the King that I never was.

"Fine. It's good that they are dead. It makes speaking with Anya a little easy. I am not sure, but I think Anya was brainwashed by her mother. And you are the fucking King of Vampires, with or without mate. I will stand by you and make sure that you get all the support you need to exert your rule over the vampires. It's time to put a leash on the atrocities of the older vampires."

I am shocked by Dima's alertness to the situation. While everything is blowing to pieces around me, my twin wakes up from his torture and starts acting so mature. Did the trauma hit him in the head?

I ignore that thought and focus on Anya now. It is important that he understands his mate's innocence and vulnerability in this situation.

"Yes, she was brainwashed by her mother and Wulfric, her uncle. She seemed to be very guilty when she came back to her senses about what happened to you. She helped in locating you-"

"That is up to me to decide. You should stay out of this. At least out of our mating issue. About her mother and her uncle, they are already dead. When I am asking about their intentions to Anya, I will personally call you," declares Dima, shutting me up.

I try to find a way to explain him that he's not alone in this and that it is not his fault. But I also understand his situation. All this drama just because the culprits were his mate's relatives.

Any honourable royal would feel responsible.

"As you wish. She is resting in the room right in front of this one. You can go to her once you are fed, so that you can aid her with her hunger," I say, not really knowing what else to do.

Dima probably understands my concern because he looks at me in the eye after throwing the now empty sachet into the dust bin in the corner of the room. His aim is good, it means Dima has recovered properly. It's a relief.

"Nico."

I focus on him now while watching his face turn up with a small smile. "Thank you for coming for me."

"Do you remember everything?" I ask him the question that has been burning in my head ever since he woke up feeling all cool and calm.

He looks around at first and then shakes his head a bit, "yes and no. I am getting my memory back in bits and pieces. But yes, I can connect the dots."

I nod in agreement. "So do you know that I found a second mate?"

Silence follows my question and Dima's eyes widen with my question.

"What do you mean, your second mate? Is that even possible?"

I shake my head, not really sure how to answer his question.

"I don't know if it's possible. I just know that she is my mate." I do not tell him about the possibility of Nikita being a reincarnation of Charlotte. It might be that Nikita was given her memories just to show her about my previous life.

I know my hypothesis is lame, but it is hard to believe that Nikita could be a reincarnation. I am not sure if I'll find answers to my questions.

"Who is she?" asks my brother and alarm bells go off in my head.

What if he doesn't like Nikita being a witch-wolf hybrid and then my mate.

"Uhh, she's Fenris's sister," I tell him, not wanting to stretch this topic anymore. He is bound to know about it, especially when the said mate is now waiting for me to return to her. Currently we are in Fenris's home, so it is just a matter of time. Instead of him getting to know from someone else, it is better if I tell him.

"Fenris has a sister?" asks Dima, completely unaware of the turmoil in my mind.

"Yes, he has twin sisters. He discovered their existence a few months ago. I was present when he found out. She was raised in captivity and we found her when we rescued Catrina," I answer truthfully.

"Ahh, your dormant goddaughter," murmurs Dima and I do not like that out of all this he only remembers that Cat's my God daughter.

"So, she's Catrina's cousin and your mate. Doesn't it sound a bit weird?" asks Dima and I clutch onto my fingers tightly.

Would it be wrong to bash my brother's smug face in the headboard?

"No, it's not weird. She has accepted me. Fenris has no problem with it. And I do not have a problem with it so we are going to take this chance," I answer, controlling my violent thoughts from turning into reality.

"And what about Charlotte's murder and vengeance?" he asks, making me pause. Yes, what about it?

"Umm, I... I am not sure if I'll ever find him. I no longer feel his life form. Maybe he's dead," I mutter, knowing that it is true, but I failed to avenge her, that's true. Even if Char's murderer is dead, it's my failure that I didn't kill that bastard. He died at someone else's hands. That would forever be my regret.

"Okay. That's a relief that you do not feel his life form. Otherwise, who knows he would've harmed your second chance mate as well," mutters Dima and my hackles rise at the non-existent possibility.

Did he harm my second chance mate?

I take a deep breath at this thought. Is it possible that Char's murderer found out that I have a second chance mate?

~~~~

Walking into Nikita's room knowing that I don't need to hide my desire for this witch makes me the happiest person.

"How are you feeling?" I ask when I spot her waiting for me inside the room.

"Good, I spoke with Fenris. Sierra's not here but she is safe. My brother has his work cut out for him," she whispers, smiling a bit and I recall her conversation with Fenris a few hours ago.

"He'll be fine. He needs to work that hard. Sierra's worth it," I say, knowing that the same applies to me. Nikita's worth the extra effort that I need to make. The thought makes me feel happier. To have this chance is a blessing.

"Why are you smiling?" asks Nikita as she gets up from the bed, her long hair tumbling past her shoulders and slapping on her ass. What a sight!

"I am happy. It's good to walk in your room without bothering about what others might feel. I especially love it that you accept me, even after my stupid acts."

"Stupid?" she mutters as if it's a new word and it's like a punch to my gut. My smile dies down when I see her murmuring that word as if it is something difficult.

She still doesn't know these words. Normal words that everyone should know. It's because of her being raised in captivity.

She was a slave.

I recall the harsh realization that me and Fenris had when we were speaking in the forest.

"What?" she asks, making me blink as I stand in front of her. She still maintains a distance between us as if are friends instead of mates. The distance is a reminder of Nikita being new to this world. She is yet to learn the normal things.

"Nothing."

She stares at me for a long minute. I feel a small push in my mind, but I debate whether to let her in or not. Finally unable to resist her, I allow her entry into my mind. Her soft caress is like a balm to my soul, relaxing me inside and out as she unknowingly soothes me.

"Why do I feel as if you are hiding something from me? Did something happen?" she asks me, her soft melodic voice floating around me, and I just bask in it.

An irresistible urge to just hold her overpowers me and I just do that. It's a welcome relief when she just lets me hold her and raises her arms to hug me. It relieves me that she allows me this privilege. To hold her as her mate, even when she only knows half of what a mate is.

"Nothing has happened. It's just that, I... I came to know a few things about your time in captivity. I saw that cage in the castle," I stop, not wanting to overwhelm her. And hearing her rapid heartbeat gives me the confirmation that she understood what I am saying.

"That cage."

Only those two words. Nothing more than that. I let her take in the news, adjust to it, hoping that she will tell me if she knows anything or if she was ever kept in one of them.

"Dominic," she whispers while holding onto me a little tighter. Her heart beats louder and I fear that this might be too much. I know she is reliving her time there because her body oozes out fear and resentment.

It's so clear now. She was tortured and I fear if that torture left behind scars for a lifetime. Will she dare to overcome them?

"Shh! There's no need to stress yourself, Nikita," I whisper in her hair, cursing myself for speaking about this topic. Wanting to comfort her somehow, I push a sense of safety inside her mind, and I pick her up, sighing in relief when she allows me.

Carrying her to the bed, I sit first and then settle her in my lap, cradling her face in my neck as she takes deep breaths. She's taking my scent in, not really knowing her body's needs but it's a relief that she gives in to her needs, instead of trying to find logic in this.

"I need to tell you, I think," she whispers in my neck and my body reacts in all possible ways. It's difficult to resist my mate's body when she's sitting on me. She might be young, but she's got the will of a Dragon.

A dragon?

Where did that thought come from? Before I dive deeper into my newfound thought, Nikita stirs in my arms and then moves back. I allow her to do that even when I feel like pulling her closer than before.

She looks up at me, her silver eyes filled with too many doubts and insecurities. I smile at her, hoping to encourage her. She can share with me whatever she wants to. I can take it. And she needs to know that.

"Should I tell you? Do you want to know?" she asks and my heart cries for her while hatred for Xavier arises with new hunger. What would I do if I could resurrect and then kill Xavier with my bare hands?

"Tell me if you want to tell me, Nikita. I just want you to be okay. And I am here for whatever you want, except for one thing," I move my fingers through her hair, hoping to calm her down with my power.

"What one thing?" she whispers, almost inaudible but I catch it due to my sensitive hearing.

"Don't tell me to live without you or ever feel that I am with you because of this reincarnation thing," I mutter, not liking the words that I am speaking.

She smiles a bit, and her cheeks colour a bit, giving her a more angelic look. By what Karma did the Goddess bless me with such a beautiful mate?

"I have a mate," there's wonder in her voice when she says it and I want to weep at her feet. She's wonderful not me. "I never thought that I would be blessed with a mate," she continues while staring at me through her long white lashes.

"Why would you think that?"

"Because I was tortured and raped, defiled by a person who was not my mate. I have nothing to give you Dominic, only tattered ruins of my soul."

I don't know if she's crying or is it me, but my sight is a blur at this moment. She shakes her head and small pear-shaped tears escape from her eyes. I close my eyes at the sight, realizing that my own eyes have watered a bit.

Taking a deep breath, I gather her close in my arms, cocooning her in my arms and allowing my aura to surround her. If she suffocates in my aura, let it be but she will never feel alone in this world, not again.

"Who?" I ask her, not really knowing what I will do when I know his name. I just hope that it was not Xavier.

"Wul... Wulfric," she hiccups a bit and then clutches onto my shirt lapels. Breathing hard, I allow myself to calm down a bit. She being an empath understands that I am enraged at this news.

And she avenged herself. What a brave mate, I've got. 

~~~~~

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