Autumn killed the summer

with the softest kiss

d.j.

"Waakkee uppp."

I feel a distortion in my body.

The voice is there.

But it's far away, muffled like it's being shouted down several halls.

"Waakkee uppp!"

It's being sung. Almost in a sing song sort of way. As if the person who is calling for me is happy.

Smiling.

Like nothing would make their day more if I were to open my eyes.

"Waaakkkeeeeeeee uuuuupppppp!"

The cold hard jolt of pain hitting my cheek has me gasping, eyes blinking wildly and shivering as I take in the scene before me.

Darkness.

Darkness lit up only by the barest light as a man stands, grinning before me.

"Finally."

"Wha-what-where."

"SSsshhhh shhhh hush now little Fayette."

The man grins down at me.

He is, by far, the most normal male I have ever seen.

Brown hair, with matching brown eyes. There is nothing about him- not his clothing, features or stance, that is unique or that stands out.

"Who are you."

He smiles down at me, delighted somehow by the question.

"That's the real question isn't it."

He walks closer, taking me in more as he flicks on several more lights.

I gasp when I see my work- laid out in tables before me.

All my instruments and journals, unharmed and there.

I make the motion to move forward, but am stopped at the cold metal I feel upon my wrist.

Chains.

Retraints.

My head flicks up, fear now running through me.

"Who are you."

He laughs and shakes his head.

"I'm no one."

I take a step back, pressing myself against the wall as he comes closer.

I can almost feel his breath upon me.

"Please," the cry leaves my mouth before I can even think of what, I am begging for.

He pauses.

"You should be thanking me little Fayette," he motions towards my work, "I helped you after all."

I look at him, confusion now clear in my eyes.

He laughs, still shaking his head as he takes me in.

"Your mate would have found out, wouldn't he? And you didn't want that."

I gasp, "How...-,"

He laughs again.

"Is this the time, when I finally get recognized for my brilliance?"

That's when I see something within the man's features, that does stand out.

His eyes.

His eyes that hold a crazed, maniac, fire within them.

"Look little Fayette!" He motions towards my work, bending down to pick up one of my journals as he haphazardly flips through it- tossing it aside, and discarding the object on the table.

I stay silent, watching his movements, fear running cold and hard through me.

Yasmine. Jasmine. What happened to them.

The guards.

Alto.

"Why did you bring me here?"

The man pauses, "I thought you were smart." He shrugs then, "Shall I explain to you little Fayette? No one has been able to catch me yet. And it's boring, truth be told, when you receive no recognition for your work. Isn't it?"

I stare, wide eyed at him, not daring to move, not daring to breath as he laughs, taking in my fear.

"Little Fayette, there are things going on, that you are just a pawn to."

My mind suddenly flashes back to the words of the king, those long months ago within his office as he stared down at his fire, warning me that there were things within the world, that I had no knowledge of.

"Where to start where to start...."

His smile leaves his face then, "Who put Torna within those little twins morning coffee?"

I lower my eyebrows in confusion. Yasmine and Jasmine? Torna? That was a drug that caused aggression. Long ago it had been used as an enhancement for wolves when fighting.

"Who made them attack you so your sweet little Alpha would want you away from harm?"

My heart stopped.

It couldn't be.

It couldn't be real.

His words were false.

I had not thought of those memories, since long ago- the real reason why I had gone to the Blue Moon Ceremony.

The real reason why I collided with fate and met Alto.

Because on that fateful day, Anna-lee and Estela, had attacked me, unprovoked.

"No," the word comes out of me like i've been punched in the gut. All air leaving me.

"Yes," the man gleefully says back, his eyes shining even more so, in that maniac brightness.

"Who told Joseph you would make a good candidate for the Queen to dress to the Ceremony?"

"No," I fall to my knees, clinging to my side.

"Now being the Prince's life mate," he throws his head back and laughs, "oh what a wonderful surprise that was!"

"Why," It comes out strangled as I cling to my head, looking up at this monster that was hiding within the shadows all along.

"Oh Fayette, I have been watching you, for a very long time."

I'm shaking now.

Shaking because I never knew.

Never knew that the eyes of another had been on me.

My mouth is open, but no words are coming out, instead I feel tears coming down.

A pawn.

I had been a pawn to something that I didn't understand.

What was going on?

"How long? Is that what you're trying to ask?" I'm numb. I can't even nod to confirm.

"Mmmhh...Since you made X-bane. Did you know, it's not really in the rules for you to be demoted? You were technically a minor, so your crimes could have been pardoned."

I'm sobbing now. Stop. Please stop.

"But I told the Beta, who then told the Alpha, that since you had created X-bane, people would start asking questions about how your father died alone by himself. So he demoted you to make it seem like you had assisted him in other ways." He's grinning, taking some pleasure as he reveals his true life work -Me.

Nothing in my life had really happened because of me.

I had been played and moved around, without even knowing it.

What was freedom. What was choice.

I had never known.

He moves closer, bending down so he can look straight at my tear stained face.

In a surprisingly gentle manner, he takes his hand, raising my chin so he can look at me.

"I want to see your face, little Fayette, when I tell you the rest."

I shake my head, but to my surprise, he growls.

Growls.

I make a strangled gasp.

I didn't smell him to be a werewolf.

He was human.

So how.

How.

Then the ultimate truth hits me.

"It can't be."

His feral grin rises to his lips as he looks into my face of despair.

"Who poisoned you at the palace little Fayette. Who made the King fear for his wolfs and the effect aggravain had- and who made the Prince fear for your safety?"

I try to cover my ears but he growls again. That sound that no human should make.

"Who knew the King would ask you to make a solution also to his other problem?"

"And who knew," he leans in closer now, his breath washing over my face, "that you would be assigned with the task, of finding a cure to the poison that killed werewolfs. And a cure to the humans who turned themselves into such monsters that you love?"

I stare at this man.

I had never seen him.

Never acknowledged his presence or that he had ever been there.

But he had been there.

All along.

In my pack.

In the palace.

At the academy.

There.

Everywhere.

He laughs as he confirms his own question.

"Me."

I honestly have been writing this story for so long (over a year now folks), that I just want it to be closed and done with. BUT I FINISHED IT YESTERDAY!

So, since I am an impatient person, and I want Fayette and Alto's story to be complete (I honestly knew the ending since before I even started writing....) There will be daily, double updates.

I just can't believe it. That it's finally coming to an end.

The final few chapters are here.

It should be done in the next few days or so.

So I want to thank everyone who has stuck with me and loved the characters, story and plot.

Who have rolled their eyes and gone, 'really?' when I tried something in the story I shouldn't have (hahahaha). I just can't put into words how much love and support i've received when writing this. (most of the chapters now, will probably end in this sappy love letter style hahaha).

Until Next time,

Loves,

/////WORLD_JOY_/////