Author's note: And so the title of the worst author ever goes to... me. I'm sorry it's taking me forever to finish this book. I've been very dissociated from Wattpad and writing as a whole but I'm glad to say Entwined will be finished sooner rather than later and this time, I mean it.

Here's three chapters to start it off. They're rather short and may feel rather rushed. I'm sorry for that. I've written this on paper and I'm finding it difficult to transfer to my phone, so I'm editing a lot of scenes out. I'm just lazy. Sorry 🥺

A happy new year and a happy new month everyone. Much love♥️

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For a few seconds, I couldn't move or breath. My limbs and lungs seemed to have stopped working. All I could do was to stare.

" Willow?" My voice sounded faraway, like it was coming from someone else. " What... what are you doing there? Get down." I whispered.

She didn't answer. Or move. I vaguely noticed one of the guards cutting the rope. I watched her fall into the arms of the a maid, limp. Lifeless, like a ragdoll.

I rushed towards her.

" Willow!" I screamed, cradling her head in my lap. " Please, no. Don't do this, willow."

I ignored the maids trying to take her from me and remained as I was, repeating the same words. All I knew was that willow had to open her eyes. She couldn't be- no!

" What is going on here?" The Dowager Luna's voice reached my ears and I looked up, feeling the tears on my face for the first time.

" You're upsetting Rhydian. You know he can hear you and he's with the Alpha chiefs. Imagine how that looks..." She trailed off when she saw Willow and her face paled. " Goodness... what?" She turned to her maids. " Get the girl on the bed. And Devenity, this isn't the time to mourn. You need to be downstairs."

I blinked at her, startled by the absurdity of her words. The maid took Willow off me and I stumbled to my feet.

" Are you insane?" I screamed at her. " I couldn't give a fuck about that stupid gathering of werewolves and, if the Alpha chiefs want to pull out of the war, then I don't care." I screamed and ran out before she could speak.

I kept walking and tried to find an exit that wasn't close to the ballroom all the while trying in vain to keep my tears at bay.

My sister was dead? No... how would Sierra and Milah take it? Finn, Czar, Cayden... Cayden. I stopped walking, running my hand through my hair in frustration. Willow couldn't be dead... but she was and I saw it. I was going to have to tell my siblings or... I could do something about it.

I ransacked my head for any useful information I remembered of necromancy but, it was futile. I recalled nothing and deep down, I knew it was hopeless.

I paused and stared at a wall for a few seconds. It had the Rivinlyte family sigil on its tapestries. Without thinking, I lashed out and struck the wall with my fist and then screamed at the pain the impact brought. I cradled my bruised hand and sank to the floor.

" It's a horrible thing to loose someone you love dearly." Someone said. There was no one here but that wasn't what startled me most. I knew that voice. It was burned in my brain.

Lorian, king of the vampires.

How was it possible that I'd been summoned to the East again. Mother Diana had performed the binding ritual. It was impossible.

Before my eyes though, the vampire king strolled right through the wall infront of me like it wasn't there. I stared back at him, blank.

Lorian tsked. " You're in great pain." He gestured at my hand. " Physical and..." He trailed off and appraised me for a few seconds.

I was too numb to react and remained on the floor, ignoring the growing pain in my hand.

" You are beautiful, Devenity." He whispered. " It saddened my heart that I would have to kill you. I still want to kill you, mind you but... it would be a sad waste."

" Why did you summon me? " I asked through my teeth. My eyes followed him as he knelt infront of me. His eyes carried so much sadness as though I was the most pitiful thing he had ever seen."

" I didn't." He said and it struck me that he was right. I was still in the same hallway. I could still see the Rivinlyte tapestries.

My eyes widened in disbelief. He'd come to the West? Was he in search of a death sentence? Then, I remembered he's walked right through the wall. He wasn't really here. This wasn't like a summoning that took both spirit and body. How he was here though, I had no clue.

He seemed to read my thoughts and a smile crossed his face. " I have a witch." He informed. " With more arcane knowledge of sorcery than you can imagine. You and me though, we have a common enemy. Werewolves. They drove your sister to madness in their cells and worsened it to fulfill their lust. It's a shame that she's dead while her toxic lover lives on."

I froze at his words. Brutus... was alive? No. I shook those thoughts from my mind. Brutus was dead. Rhydian had promised me that he would pay for hurting Willow and I. Be had promised.

" You don't believe me?" Lorian smiled and then got to his feet. " Alright then. I'll prove it to you."

〰️〰️〰️

I followed Lorian.

I had to know if he was telling the truth or not. If he was... no! Rhydian had promised.

He led me to a part of the castle I had never been in before. There was a stationary guard outside a large set of doors. Before he could so much as move, Lorian had snapped his neck while I stared on in shock.

What was I doing? Turn back now, Deven. Scream for help! Instead, I stayed rooted to the spot as Lorian pulled the door open. I stepped in.

It wasn't cell. It was a bedroom. A spacious bedroom with a large bed in the middle. I recognized the man seated there. Missing an arm, eyes still full of hate. I could see the remains of a meal on a table by his bed. I could see a tub.

This was his punishment? Rhydian hadn't fulfilled his promises after all. Brutus was very much alive... and my sister was dead.

My whole world seemed to crumble at that realization. I barely noticed when Lorian faded away.

I picked up the dead guards sword. My right hand was injured and so I used my left. I could barely hold up the heavy sword but I dragged it into the room anyway. Brutus laughed when he saw me.

" You still have that fire in you, eh? Just like your little whore sister. If I'd known I was having you over, I would have shaved."

I screamed and lunged at him. He disarmed me easily and knocked me to the ground."

" Don't you dare mention her. She's dead." I screamed at him.

Brutus shrugged and raised the sword with the edge pointing down at me. " That's her problem." He said and brought it down.

Someone caught the sword before it reached me. I could take a wild guess who.

The look in Rhydian's eyes were something worse that murder but I scoffed with a roll of my eyes. A few drops of blood from where the blade cut into his hand dripped on my face. He pulled the sword away, spraying more blood everywhere and used the hilt to knock Brutus to the ground.

The sword clattered to the floor and Rhydian was on him in a second, dealing blow after blow until his face was a bloody mess.

Did it matter though? He would heal and be as good new unless Rhydian killed him now. I leaned closer, eager to see that. I watched as Rhydian's wolf strove to come through, eager to maim the man who'd hit its mate but, it didn't cime through. Rhydian wouldn't let it.

I was burning with anger but, all I could was laugh. It was short and bitter. I saw Rhydian look at me in surprise.

" Deven?" He knelt beside me, frowning at my forehead where I was certain bruises were forming from where Brutus hit me. " What are you doing down here?"

I smiled up at him and I could see he was confused.

" Lorian brought me here." I said and he frowned at the mention if the vampire kings name.

" What do you mean by that?" Carrison queried on entry. " I don't smell him here."

I shrugged and got to my feet, ignoring Rhydian's attempt to help. " His soul was here, not his body. Souls don't leave scents."

Rhydian saw my arm and exploded in a load of expletives. I laughed again surprising both Alpha and Beta.

" Rhydian, she's badly hurt. I'll take her to her room. You need to go back to the ball."

I laughed again. " The ball. The damned ball- my sister's dead!" I screamed at him and Carrison balked at my tone

Beside me, Rhydian's voice was low and comforting- and fake.

" Deven, I'm so sorry."

I turned sharply to face him. " You're sorry? What good does that do? My sister is dead and her killer." I pointed at where Brutus lay groaning. " He's alive. Shockingly."

Rhydian seemed to realize what I was driving at and his face paled. " Devenity-" He began.

" You promised!" I accused. " You promised me he'd die and look, he's here and she's- gone."

" I want more than anything right now to snap the light out him but-"

" No buts." I said. " Do it. "

" Deven."

" Do it! " I couldn't understand why he wouldn't. " Kill him, or I will. You always make promises that don't keep. What are we at? The fourth or fifth? "

" Please stop. " He pleaded. " His uncle is one of my chiefs. Kruger adds over three hundred thousand men to my army. If he pulls his troops out-"

" I don't care." I said.

" Deven, please try to understand me." He begged and I nodded. I could see he couldn't tell whether to be relieved or confused.

" I understand." I said and his shoulders sagged in relief. " I completely understand that you can't do shit. All you can do is make empty promises. You don't have to kill him. I'll do it. "

I reached for the sword where it lay on the floor. Rhydian drew me back.

" I can't let you, Deven."

I pulled my hand from his. " Don't fucking touch me." I warned. He paled at my words and cupped my face with his palms.

" You don't mean that." He insisted. I pushed him away but he only came back and that's when I lost it. I lashed out my right palm and it landed hard across his cheeks. He must've seen it coming a mile away but was too shocked to react.

" Deven." Carrison warned. He looked ready to burst in anger. Rhydian was quiet. Still looking at me in surprise. The only other sound came from where Brutus lay, moaning in pain.

" Carrison." He finally said, breaking the silence. " Take Devenity to her room."

" I'm not going anywhere." I said firmly but even before I was done, Carrison had my wrist in a steely grip and dragged me out of the room.

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