The Alpha Prince And His Bride
Book 2 The Alpha’s Forbidden Bride – End

~JAMES~

There was an army outside. The entire council along with Hunter and his men stood right outside the doorway. There wasn’t anywhere to run, not that I wanted to. Now that Eden was safe, I could relax despite the enemies in front of me. She was all that I was concerned about. Now that we were joined, my feelings for her were even more intense than before. So intense that I would kill for her without a second thought. So intense that I would go insane if anything ever happened to her while I was alive. I felt a calmness like no other at knowing that we loved each other and that she was safe from harm’s way.

“Where is Eden?” The prosecutor demanded. For once he didn’t look as though he was on top of everything, his entire composure was tensed and he looked like someone who hadn’t slept for days. Just the thought of that made me happy. He deserved every bit of it and so much more that I was more than willing to give to him.

I chuckled. “You’re f*****g delusional if you think I’m going to tell you that.”

His eyes darkened a shade and he was definitely not pleased with my tone. Just like before, that only added to my joy. My eyes travelled to Hunter who was studying me closely, surprisingly he didn’t seem as worked up as the prosecutor, but then again he barely ever showed any emotion. I was sure that they all could see that Eden and I were already bonded. A bonded male was easy to spot. That would only fuel their anger towards us.

“Listen to me alpha James,” the prosecutor said as he took a step closer. “It’s either you tell me or you die, right here. There’s no one to help you today. You are completely alone and surrounded by all of us who want you dead.”

He was right. There was no one here to help me. I was surrounded by dangerous shifters and vampires, as well as witches. My pack as well as everyone that was supposed to help me were all scattered, I had no idea how long it would take for all of them to gather and reach here in time. Even if they came, how long would it take for the other packs as well as the Blackners to arrive as well? The odds weren’t in my favor, not even a little bit.

This could be my last few minutes alive. If that was the case, I didn’t want to waste it. If I was going down, I was taking a good bit of the council down with me.

The less of them present, the better off the entire world would be.

I despised the prosecutor with everything in me. He was the reason for many of the sufferings happening around us. He was one of the main reasons why my mate had such a painful childhood and was still being given a hard time.

I narrowed my eyes, my wolf ready to rip his throat apart. He was my main target.

“I’ll like to see you try.” I roared before throwing a hard punch to his face. I was satisfied as I saw him bounce back and hit the ground with a loud bang. It was probably the first time he’d taken such a direct hit in many years. I was happy to know that I was the one to give it to him.

With another roar I shifted into my wolf and let out a mighty howl, letting my pack know that I was in trouble. Even if Eden didn’t get to them in time, they would know that I needed their help. I just had to hope that they got her before I breathed my last breath.

Without a second thought I lunged forward, ready to rip out his neck. However, I stopped midair as my wolf crashed into a hard invisible barrier around him.

I growled.

The witch Cassandra was using her spell to protect the fool! She wasn’t just any witch, the woman was powerful, so powerful that she was one of the main members of the council.

Before I could focus my anger on her, multiple wolves jumped onto my back trying to reach for my neck. I jumped for a tree and slammed the wolves on my back against it. I was satisfied with their yelps of pain.

I was about to make a grab for them again when I felt an excruciating pain in my head. I stopped and howled in agony.

The damn witch was playing with my mind again! I’d felt this before, in the fight against alpha Eric. They’d used this same tactic on us.

Damn it!

It was hard to focus on anything or anyone with the pain I was feeling. I tried to suck it up at the same exact time someone barreled into me.

All I could feel was pain in all directions. This meant multiple wolves were on me at the same time. I felt something wet touch my body and it was only then did I realize that it was my own b***d. The ground was red and the smell of my own b***d touched my nose.

I tried to fight back but with so many on me while also experiencing the pain in my head brought upon me by the witch, it was just too hard to.

I felt my wolf grow weaker; in fact this was the most pain it had ever been under. I couldn’t keep this up for long. I was losing the battle just like I was losing b***d.

I let out a cry as I felt canines dig into my neck.

“LET GO OF MY BROTHERRRR!” I heard my brother Austin roar.

I tried to lift my head to see him but it was too difficult under all of the pain.

I had to lay still and wait for my body to heal before I could go again. It shouldn’t take that long. I couldn’t stay down for long. My mate’s scent was strong and I knew that she was also here. I needed to get up to protect her!

. . . . . . . . . .

~CASSANDRA~

Everyone turned their attention to Austin and his pack, joined with James’s pack as well. My eyes finally fell on the person we were all looking for . . . Eden Cross.

Her eyes widened when they settled on James lying on the ground and a terrified scream left her mouth as she rushed to his side and covered his body with her own, trying to shield him from everyone.

“You will pay for that!” Austin roared angrily.

“You are all outnumbered.” The prosecutor answered him, a smile growing on his face. “Give Eden to us and we will let this all go. If you don’t, you choose death, as you can see your brother was ready to cross the bridge and go over to the other side.”

“I don’t think they’re outnumbered.”

Who said that?

I followed the sound of the newcomer and was shocked at what I saw next.

Wasn’t that . . .

“The inhumane Blackners.” Hunter finished for me.

What were they doing here?

“Is that really fair?” Arthur Blackner asked. “All of you against one Alpha. I mean have a bit more pride, would you?”

“I see you’ve brought guests with you.” The prosecutor shouted. “If it’s a fight you want, it’s a fight you will get!”

At his words everyone shifted into their wolves and attacked each other at the same time.

I watched the war between the multiple groups. I think it was a surprise to all of us to find that the Blackners out of everyone were on the side of James and his family.

We didn’t prepare for them. The fight was now even and both sides could suffer heavy losses. At the end of this battle, many would be without their loved ones. I was okay with this; there wasn’t much I was concerned about in this fight. Austin’s family as well as Eden’s had way more to lose.

Once the main council members survived, that was all that mattered. They called this fight amongst themselves. Eden betrayed us all when she chose her mate over her tie with us.

We promised her death if she chose this direction and that was exactly what she was about to get. We needed to teach everyone a lesson, so that no one else did something this stupid again.

I kept the shield around the prosecutor like he asked of me. That was my main job here today. Protect the council members, especially him.

I frowned as I felt someone trying to break into my barrier. That was impossible; no one should have that much strength to challenge me. My eyes searched the crowd, searching for the culprit.

I paused, a chill traveling down my spine. The bright green eyes was hard to miss, I’d drowned in those eyes before. I wouldn’t mistake it for anyone else.

I felt my body begin to shake at the immediate recognition.

No.

That couldn’t be. . . It couldn’t be him.

My son!

No.

He was part of that Alpha James pack. If I let this fight continue I may lose my only son. I couldn’t lose him. I’d let him go so that he could have a better life. I wouldn’t let all of my sacrifices go to waste today.

I needed to protect him.

I pushed through the fighting crowd and found my way to the prosecutor.

“WE NEED TO TALK!” I shouted above all the roars and screams of pain.

“We’re in the middle of a battle. Can’t you see that?”

“I had a vision.” I insisted.

He turned to me then and I shielded both of our bodies from any attack that may hit us.

“What did you see?”

“If we continue with this fight, most of our council members will die. . . Including you.”

I watched his face as multiple emotions crossed it. I’d managed to get through to him but all was not over until he called off his men.

“STOP THEM!” He told me. “STOP THEM NOWWW!”

I tried to hide my smile as I focused all of my energy on everyone around me. I let out a scream and all of them were flung into the air in all different directions.

As all of the wolves as well as vampires tried to get on their feet again, we both turned to them.

“STAND DOWN!” The prosecutor ordered before they could try to attack each other again. “We will no longer come between James and Eden. The fight is off.”

There were a lot of confused gazes sent in our direction, coupled with some angry glares from Hunter and his men.

I had no idea how the prosecutor was going to clean up that mess but he better move fast or we would lose Hunter.

. . . . . . .

~EDEN~

I couldn’t believe this.

They’d called off the war?

I ran straight into James’s arms and held on tightly with tears streaming down my face. He wrapped his arms around me and lifted me up into the air before burying his face against my neck.

I lifted his face, cupping his cheeks in both hands. I smiled at him before kissing his forehead, his cheeks, his nose and stopped right above his lips.

“I love you . . . I love you so much.” I cried before kissing him softly.

He laughed against my lips and held me even closer. “I love you too Eden, my sweet mate.”

I felt happiness flow through my body at being able to hold him so closely against me and so openly in front of everyone.

We were finally able to be together. I couldn’t hide my happiness and joy. I didn’t think it was possible for James and I to ever be together. This was the biggest surprise and I was so grateful for our family and friends.

James pulled away as both of his brothers pulled him into an embrace. “We did it brother.” Austin said as Lucas grinned.

“I told you we could do it together.” Lucas said.

I could see the relief in their eyes at the outcome. They were both grateful that they still had their brother alive in front of them.

We’d all almost lost James. I still remember the feeling of seeing him bleeding and close to unconsciousness on the ground. I never wanted to feel like that ever again.

If I felt like that after seeing him so beaten, I have no idea what his family felt like. We were lucky to have him. It’s scary to think of what could have happened if we had been even a minute later than we’d been.

I shook that thought out of my head. We were all alive and that was all that mattered.

“Who informed the council of where you were?” Arthur asked as he approached us. “It wasn’t us, you are under our protection and we make sure to keep our word. And no one else would have known about this except your own people.”

I felt James stiffen next to me. He was definitely thinking what we all were.

“It was definitely your own people.” Hunter said with a smirk. “A woman from your pack. What was her name? Oh yes, I remember now . . . Clara.”

Clara?

I felt anger at his words.

Everyone turned towards the she-wolf. Her body was shaking as she looked at James with terrified eyes.

“Clara.” He said her name angrily. “Is it true what he’s saying?”

“A-alpha,” she stammered.

“IS IT TRUE?” James roared.

Her eyes widened at his tone. “I’m sorry.”

I knew I never liked that girl from the very beginning.

“You are hereby banished from my pack as well as our kingdom.” He told her. “If I ever see you again, you will wish you were dead.”

She looked around her for help from the rest of the pack but no one was willing to help her. She dropped her shoulders and left before he could threaten her again.

“Don’t be so happy.” The prosecutor interrupted our reunion. “I called off this fight but there is much to discuss. All of you must follow me back to the council, a few changes will be made that everyone must be aware of.”

We all stiffened at the prosecutor’s words, the tension back in the air.

What was he planning on doing now?

. . . . . . . . .

All of the council members were seated above us, each of them discussing the next move.

The entire room was quiet as we all waited for what their next decision was. I tried to stay calm but it was hard knowing how heartless and manipulative these people could be. They strived on making everyone’s lives miserable, so what could they possibly do to us now?

James wrapped his arms around me as Austin did the same for Lucy. None of us wanted her here knowing that she was pregnant and the stress wasn’t good for the baby but she insisted on coming.

My gaze went back to the members as they all stood.

“We didn’t expect things to go in this direction. However, judging by everything we’ve been through these past few weeks, we’re forced to make these harsh decisions.” The prosecutor announced suddenly. His eyes turned in our direction as they focused on one person. “Isabella Cross, you will replace your sister Eden and marry Hunter.”

I froze and so did everyone else in the room with me.

NO NO NO!

This couldn’t be happening!