•••••••••••

Arian and Alaska stood hand in hand talking to some of their people. Ever since Arian told Alaska about the deal he made in exchange for her life, things were rough. Things were always rough for the two of them but seeing him try to earn her forgiveness made it easier.

Tristan was Milan's son and while both Milan and Arian didn't have much of a choice while making the deal, Ally knew that Milan would raise her son right and that her daughter would have a good future.

The Annual Halloween ball was decidedly held in the Blackwater Forest and was attended by all of the Deltorian Empire's loyal subjects. Red lights hung from the tall trees of the forest and well-planned traps were set up in multiple locations to entertain the people the entire night.

Some of the trees had bloody hand prints on them while around the corner, sat fortune tellers and candy sellers for the young children.

Arian was ironically dressed as the Blackwater Butcher whereas Ally chose to go with the classic Red Riding Hood look but without the slutty costume.

Avian Valmont, with his red hair, was dressed as Archie Andrews and his mate doned the classic serpents black leather jacket look of Archie's best buddy, Jughead Jones.

"I used to think you were an insufferable fool," Noah told Avian before taking a sip of his red wine. Avian chuckled and rested his hand on Noah's shoulder. "And now you think I'm what?"

"Now you're just a fool," Noah laughed.

Arian announced that Clarence had helped Noah run away from the man keeping him prisoner and had died in the process. Ally's mother was killed by the man as revenge. No one revealed who the kidnapper was or what his motives were; just that he was taken care of. Arian didn't want Ezekiel to have an identity and be remembered by anyone.

Avian shook his head, the smile fading from his lips. He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket that had a royal stamp on it. The royal stamp of his kingdom. He put it on Noah's palm. "What's this?"

"It's a letter from my father," Avian said quietly, "He wants me back home."

Noah didn't know how to react. The two of them had had a wonderful few weeks together and he didn't want to let go of that. "Why?" He asked. He didn't want to ask the other question in his mind. The one to which he didn't know what answer he'd give.

"I'm turning 18 next week, Noah. I have to take up my crown. My dad thought Arian and Adrian would be good mentors and help me be more responsible which was why I was sent here on my 16th birthday."

"Were they? Good mentors?" Noah asked.

"Adrian gets up at 10 in the morning and Arian butchers people he doesn't like so you tell me," Avian said with a chuckle.

"So you're going," Noah said nonchalantly, trying to sound like it wouldn't bother him much.

"I am," his mate replied," And I'd like you to come with me if you're ready."

Noah kept quiet. It would be a big change. Avian was fun to be with but as a life partner? Had he really sorted out his issues with his sexuality?

, he told himself,

"You know what? It's too soon. I understand. It's not fair to ask you to leave your entire world behind and-"

"Avian," Noah stopped him with a chuckle, "I can fit my whole world in the palm of my hands."

He blinked in confusion. "No, you can't. The radius of the earth is 6,371 kilometres so it's impossible to-"

Noah cupped Avian's face.

Avian blushed and bit back a smile. "Noah, I have a reputation," he mumbled shyly.

♥️✨

A few steps away, Ally and Arian laughed at their two friends. Arian got down on one knee and took Alaska's hand. "May I have this dance, milady?" He asked. Ally nodded and walked with her mate towards the crowd of people slow dancing.

Ally remembered the first time Allison, Arian's stepmom, tried to get Arian to dance with her.

"Son, why don't you ask this young lady to a dance?" Allison suggested. Both Arian and Alaska looked at each other with distaste. Alaska didn't like dancing and she would certainly not dance with the Royal mutt. Arian chuckled humourlessly. He knew that his stepmother was playing matchmaker. So was Teresa, Alaska's mother. What they didn't know was that Ice and Ivanov hated each other. But that hate would soon melt away.

"She's not good enough for me."

Saying that, he walked away with his stepmom following him angrily.

Arian and Alaska grinned at each other. His eyes sparkled with mirth as he leaned in to whisper into her ear, "You look wonderful tonight." Alaska smiled and looked away shyly. Most of the people had their eyes on them, watching their every move so she looked back at Arian.

He had a silly smile on his face. Alaska raised a brow in question but he just shook his head and continued grinning. The way he smiled looking at her made this moment feel magical. It made her feel magical. Their bond hummed in response.

When he looked at her it was as if every ounce of breath was taken from her lungs floating into the air like midnight smoke. Every time he kissed her it felt like the world stopped, leaving just the two of them to wander the earth together. Every time he held her face between his hands it felt like he was untying all of her knots.

The slow music twirled like thread around them. She rested her head on his chest, and let him sway her body 'round and 'round again. The violins came in, then the piano, and then the slow and sure beating of a drum.

, she told herself.

The way he looked at her seemed to say it too.

"Ally," he said "I-"

A throat cleared loudly behind him. Arian clenched his jaw and slowly pulled away from his mate. Who the fuck had dared to interrupt the moment he was finally having? A small boy looked up at Arian with wide eyes.

"Y-Your Madesty," the five-year old spoke shyly, "I was told to give this to you."

Arian took the package from the boy and thanked him. Both he and Alaska looked around to see who had sent the package but saw no such person. Instead, they saw Avian and Noah holding a similar looking package and so were Adrian and Cara.

All of them had received a package.

Arian opened the package and took out a jacket. The bright red coat with the expensive silk lining was recognised at once by Ally but Arian sniffed it to confirm.

"It's Milan's," he told her grimly.

Ally looked into the box and pulled out an envelope which she unsealed and read out to Arian.

Greetings, dearie!

Your little werewolf friend is with us. Come find me if you want to save her life... Don't tell anyone else or she might not be alive when you find her. Here's your clue:

"Ezekiel is... alive!" Ally whispered.

Dread filled her entire body and she couldn't help but shiver at the thought of facing him again. He would make their lives miserable for trying to kill him.

Arian looked at Alaska and sighed. "One night of peace is all I wanted," he grumbled. Ally reread the poem. Arian looked at Adrian and Avian who nodded to confirm they were dealing with the same problem. Only this time, they had to do it separately.

Their pale faces made no effort to hide their anxiousness.

"A poisoned apple," Ally murmured, "It's from Snow White. The wicked witch poisoned her with it." Arian nodded absentmindedly, trying to track down Milan with his heightened senses.

"Brooms and magic tricks mean a witch. You think Dryden?" Arian asked.

Ally shook her head. "The Skeleton's Bridge is where I dwell. I think it's the one outside the palace where the bones of those children were found."

"Wait, I know. There's a witch there who has an antique shop," Arian said proudly. Ally nodded.

"Let's go then."

They arrived at the witch's cottage a few moments later. Arian told Ally to stay out but she refused to comply. It was a big antique shop with clustered wooden furniture and small yellow bulbs hanging around the place. She looked around the shop in fascination. Spell books, necklaces, keychains, plants, you name it- it had everything.

An old woman with the cliché long hair and rags for clothes came out to greet the customers. "You're back," she pointed a dirt-filled nail at Alaska. "That little red-haired demon friend of yours brought her here for a forget-me-not necklace," the woman told Arian.

"I didn't ask," Arian mumbled.

The old woman snorted. "Now I understand why you were afraid to love this one," she told Ally. Ally covered up her laugh with a cough when Arian glared at her. She told him about the first time she'd met the old woman and how the lady had predicted that love was her biggest fear.

"Both of you are having problems, aren't you?"

"I don't believe in witches," Arian replied, "You're a scam."

"Because vampires seem so real?" The woman asked. Ally smiled at the two of them who were bickering even though they'd just met. Subconsciously, she moved her hand to her womb which would one day hold the daughter Arian had promised to someone else.

"Love," the old woman told Arian, "Is not ideal. No one meets and magically falls in love. You don't love someone because they're perfect, you love someone because they deserve to be loved despite their imperfections. This one," she pointed casually at Arian, "has a lot of imperfections."

"I didn't sign up for this counselling session," Arian whispered to his mate, albeit a bit too loud.

"So what we're going through is normal?" Ally asked quietly, afraid of what answer she might get.

"Arian's father himself was a stubborn mule-"

"Watch it," Arian snapped.

She waved him off. "He thought his mate wouldn't be a good queen so he rejected her. It did break her heart but one day, she got up and marched up to the most vicious Alpha and murdered him."

The cold-blooded-murderer gene sure runs in the family.

"Is this true?" Ally asked Arian.

He nodded.

"My father wanted my mother back after she proved herself but she wasn't having it," Arian continued, "She challenged him to a duel and only if he won, would she return with him as his mate and queen."

"I'm guessing your father won, then," Ally said.

"He did," Arian smirked. "Our fights seems rather dull now, don't they?"

Ally shook her head and laughed.

"Your pocket," The witch told Arian, "The clue is in your pocket."

He didn't reach for it. He cocked his head to one side and regarded her. "Shouldn't we look for the clue rather than just having it handed it over to us without doing anything?"

"Someone believed you were in desperate need of this story. A story to remind you that some things are worth fighting for," the witch replied.

"But-"

"Get out, now. You're wasting both my time and yours."

~

Noah reread their note.

"-"

"It could be a spineless corpse!" Avian exclaimed anxiously. He'd never been responsible for someone's life before. Responsibility isn't a great feeling.

Ignoring his mate, Noah continued, "-"

"Aha!" Avian exclaimed. "It's a skeleton key! See, bones, key...skeleton key! Get it?"

"Well," Noah replied, pondering over Avian's words, "I'm not sure if a key has spines. You read."

"Tell me if I get too monotonous," Avian said, "."

It could seriously be a skeleton key, Avian grumbled.

"

.

"It's a BOOK!" Noah exclaimed. Avian frowned, dejected that he wasn't the one to crack the code. He never liked books anyway. They always did their best to make him feel dumb.

"So come find a book. How wonderful, there are only a few billion books in this world."

"A storehouse for books. A library? Maybe we should try there," Noah suggested and began walking in the direction of the library. Growing up, he loved reading Sherlock and while it was unfortunate that Milan's life was at risk, he couldn't contain his excitement.

Avian trailed behind his mate, taking a good look at his ass.

"You know, if Ezekiel is truly alive, we're all screwed," Noah mumbled. Avian didn't know how to reply to that because he'd vowed not to lie to his mate and saying that they'd be fine would in fact be a lie.

The library was empty and dark. It had been closed for the night so Avian and Noah had to break in. Cringing at the smell of old books, Avian covered his nose and trailed after his mate.

"I didn't know Ezekiel was such a loser," Avian said.

"Why so?" Replied Noah, trying to locate the light switch without tripping over anything.

"He likes books. You know who likes books? B-"

"I do," Noah replied.

"Beautiful people. Exactly. Beautiful people like books," Avian corrected himself before it was too late.

Noah laughed. "You're such a d-"

"Darling?" Avian asked.

"Sure."

The lights came on and Noah found Avian looking through some books on vampires. Right, he could see in the dark but didn't turn the lights on for his mate who was, by the way, 100% human and couldn't see well in the dark.

They went through almost half of the library before they realised that the clue was written on the ceiling.

~

"Read it again," Cara said.

Adrian sighed. "This is the fifth time! I already told you that it's a brothel!"

"Well," Cara replied exasperatedly, "your explanation is drastically wrong!"

"Fine! I'll read it again!" Adrian grumbled albeit he had a small smile on his face because Cara was finally comfortable enough to actually argue with him.

"Okay," Cara said calmly, "think carefully and tell me what you think this place is."

"Alright then!" Adrian said, "A virgin who's wept for many means that they have virgins who cry when their purity is sold to people and-"

Cara slapped her hand against her forehead.

"And," Adrian continued smugly, "I'm full of statues means I'm full of models to look at so come pay a penny and watch them dance."

She wondered how he had such a strong empire. "Adrian that's not what it means. The pl-"

"Honey, I'm not done. Water and wine I have it all says that they have wine for their customers and they even have a host to serve them!"

"Adrian, you're wasting time!" Cara groaned. "It's a c-"

"Cara, please. I'm on a roll here. I have a cross, I have an alter is a sex position or an innuendo I'm guessing and be careful and see that your steps don't faulter means don't get caught lying by your wife!" Adrian looked at his mate smugly once he had finished.

"Are you done?" She asked.

"Oh, come on!" Adrian groaned.

"It's a CHURCH, Adrian!"

"Right, It's a church because that," he paused, taking her words into consideration. "Makes so much sense," he said, realising what he'd been trying to imply and blushed profusely.

"Come on, mate," Cara said with a chuckle.

They walked into the church but found nothing out of the ordinary. Adrian wondered how different a brothel and church really were. Cara reread the riddle, trying to find more clues.

"Here," Cara pointed to the note, "I have a cross, I have an alter. Be careful, make sure your steps don't falter. I think we walk up the steps to the alter in front of the cross. That's our clue."

"The last time I contradicted you, we almost ended up in a whore-house so lead the way, love."

Adrian followed Cara up the stairs as they stopped in front of the alter. There was a golden chalice neatly covered with a lace cloth. Cara gently lifted the cloth and pulled out a shining object.

Adrian snatched it from her abruptly.

"How did this come here?" He asked in shock. She shrugged. He checked his pocket and removed a velvet red ring box and opened it. It was empty. Cara looked at him in shock.

"Adrian, what is this?" She asked, looking at the empty box.

"I- What's that?" He said, pulling out a piece of paper and reading it.