A Final Paige (Hidden Kingdom Trilogy Book 3) Read online

  A Final Paige Copyright © 2020 by L. Rose

  Cover Design: Covers by Juan

  Editor: Hot Tree Editing

  Interior Designer: Lee Ching

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this e-book or book may be used or reproduced in any written, electronic, recording, or photocopying without the permission from the author as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased, or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution, circulation or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author's rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly. Thank you for respecting the work of this author.

  A Final Paige is a work of fiction. All names, characters, events and places found in this book are either from the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual events, locations, organizations, or persons live or dead is entirely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  More Books by L.Rose

  “Again,” Nate bellowed down at me.

  I groaned and rolled to my stomach. Slowly, I clambered to my feet and bared my teeth at him. “You yell at me one more time, I’m going to take your balls from your body.”

  He snorted, but before he could open his mouth, Thorn said, “I rather like his balls. Maybe take some toes instead, sweetheart.”

  I shot Thorn the finger, and he chuckled. Until Alex used his power and put him in a bubble. When Thorn started floating up to the roof, his eyes widened. He stumbled around like a fish out of water, cursing up a storm. He pounded at the outer layer, but we all knew nothing would penetrate it. We’d all tried.

  My anger disappeared, and I started laughing. But then my feet were knocked out from under me, and I landed with a thump on my back on the floor. Asher stood over me with his hands on his hips.

  “Being distracted could get you killed.”

  “I know,” I clipped.

  “It could also get someone you love killed,” Nate called. I twisted my head to see him standing behind Ezra with his hand around his throat. I knew he wouldn’t harm Ezra but seeing it had me screaming at myself under my breath. They’d been teaching me how to protect myself for the last two weeks, and we’d now moved on to trying to show me how to work within a team. To make sure I not only had myself covered but those who would fight alongside me. I thought I’d made progress, but it was obvious I still had a lot of work to do. My body chilled in worry. I fisted my hands and pressed them against my churning stomach. I wouldn’t be ready in time.

  We were leaving in two weeks.

  Two weeks.

  It wasn’t enough time.

  A sense of failure and worry spread through my veins instead of blood. I didn’t want to be the weak link. I had to get better.

  Slapping the floor as I stood, I ignored Asher’s hand he’d held out to help me.

  “Love—” he started, but I shook my head.

  I ran a hand over my sweaty face. “Don’t give me sweet, encouraging words. I don’t want them right now.”

  He nodded. “All right.” He dodged left. I slid right and gripped his arm to take him to the ground, but he was too fast. He easily slipped out of my hold and wound his arm around my throat, pressing his front to my back. I grabbed his hand and bent, flipping him over my body. He landed in a crouch, stood, and turned. His movements were a mere blur with every punch and kick as he drove me backward. I deflected each one.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nate approaching Alex, who still held Thorn in a bubble. I ducked under Asher’s punch, unsheathed my blade at my ankle, and threw it across the room; it landed just before Nate’s toes.

  His gaze hit me, but Alex had also noticed Nate now.

  Asher tripped me. I fell on my back, rolled, and jumped up.

  He stopped and smiled at me. “Better.”

  It was a good thing I didn’t breathe, or I would have been out of breath. Still, my heart was beating so hard in my chest I was surprised it didn’t fall out.

  It was wonderful to hear his praise, but it wasn’t enough yet. Soon we would be walking into the fae territory, and even though we’d asked for permission and it had been given, I didn’t like not knowing what would happen. Actually, all of the meetings we’d set up had been agreed upon since they were all willing to meet with the new ghoul queen. Of course they would want to know if I would be a threat to them and theirs. They’d learn I wouldn’t be, unless something happened to someone I claimed as mine.

  I’d read up on fae between training, yet the information was limited. And those who had been around the fae told me never to trust them. They were conniving, tricky creatures. They could fly, glamour, and talk their way into your home and bed. I’d heard they were the most stunning creatures in existence, and yes, I’d seen pictures in the books I’d studied. Yet, all I could think was that I saw more beauty in my bonded mates.

  I wasn’t holding out hope in their help. The fae kept to themselves a lot. For all I knew, the new king, who was the son of the former one, wouldn’t care what was going on outside of his kingdom. I had asked why we were even going to see them, but Asher assured me they would be an advantage to have on our side. The council were the ones behind the former king’s death. Alex was certain the facts my men already had to show the fae, as well as what they could tell us about that night, would be enough for them to not trust the council and hopefully stand with us. Or if not, then to stay out of the fight when it was time for us to go to them.

  Only time would tell.

  After the fae kingdom, we were moving on to the two missing alphas. The first was from a lion pride consisting of at least five hundred members. The other was a tiger in charge of his streak. Nate had informed me one night while studying that tigers usually didn’t group together—they tended to be solitary creatures—but the alpha that had gone missing had been looked up to by many of his kind, which was how he became their leader.

  Their groups had also given us permission to enter their territory. However, I had a feeling it could have something to do with wanting to take a good look at the ghoul queen they’d never heard of. Even the fae would want the same, to discover my power and determine if I would be a threat or not.

  We had to be careful with how we did things, though, or it could bring us more trouble than just the council.

  Lastly, and it was thanks to the woman who’d saved my Asher, we were allowed entry into the deceased master’s clan lands to visit the vampires since she’d now taken over as their master. I wasn’t looking forward to seeing Cynthia. The interaction Asher had with her concerned me as I could likely kill her if she tried anything. However, Asher told me everything would be fine and Cynthia would listen to what we had to say. It was also likely she’d help us—another thing Asher was sure of. His confidence in her had me wanting to punch her in the face in a fit of jealousy, which was something my men found amusing when they felt and saw how pissed I became every time Asher spoke of her.

  Still, I pushed all of that down to worry about when
the time came and, instead, got into a fighting stance. I curled my fingers at Asher and said, “Come at me.”

  He smirked and then disappeared.

  Only that time I brought my powers forward. It helped me see his movement better. Just as he stopped behind me, I twisted, grabbed, and dropped him to his back on the floor. Though, I was sure he allowed it because when I straddled his waist, his hands slowly slid up my thighs. The movement paused, and he rolled me to my back, got to his feet, and crouched in front of me. Nate’s growl was pointed at the door, so was Ezra’s in his shifted form, and as Thorn’s feet touched the floor, he withdrew his sword. Alex, with his delicious power, aimed his glowing-white hands at the door.

  It was then I heard it—the heavy footfalls of maybe three people. Quickly, I stood just as the doors to the gym burst open and in them stood a puffing Leon and two of his brothers.

  “What’s wrong?” I demanded, taking a step forward, until Asher’s arm swung out to hold me back.

  “Yasmin.” My sister’s name from his lips had my heart taking off in flight and angst twisting my stomach. He went on. “She was outside with Sophie and two of our brothers. They….” He shook his head.

  Jake, Leon’s younger brother, continued with “We didn’t know the real Sophie was actually inside, since the fake scented the same as the real one. We were all fooled.”

  Fear grabbed at me. “Then who was Yasmin walking with? Is my sister okay? What happened?”

  “We don’t know who the imposter was, but the fake Sophie attacked them.”

  “Where’s Yasmin?” I yelled.

  Leon’s frown said enough, even before he admitted, “We don’t know. We have every shifter out searching for her.”

  I shoved Asher’s hand from me and raced from the room. My men followed, as did Leon and his brothers. The guards who’d been outside the gym joined us as well.

  “Does Eric know?” Thorn asked.

  Leon shook his head. “We kept it quiet. Until….”

  “Until we knew more,” Jake finished.

  “We’re sorry we failed you, my queen.” Leon’s lips thinned. He hated himself, but I couldn’t allow it when they would have done everything they could have.

  “Your brothers who were with Yasmin?” I asked.

  Sorrow crossed his features before he steeled his expression into a blank one. “One didn’t make it. The other is with a healer.”

  We made it outside. Jake pointed at the entryway that led out toward the town behind my castle. I kept moving. “Whoever has done this will pay in flesh and blood,” I told him, even knowing it wasn’t going to be enough.

  Yasmin.

  She could be next.

  She could die.

  I shook my head. I couldn’t let that thought settle.

  “Thank you, my queen,” he said softly.

  “Asher?” I called.

  He veered left. “Blood, off into the woods.”

  “That’s where our kin were found.”

  “How do you know Yasmin and Sophie were out here with your brothers in the first place?” I asked, pulling to a stop behind Asher. He lifted his nose and sniffed the area.

  “We keep each other informed of all movements. Plus, we questioned a shop owner who they passed. She saw Yasmin and who she thought was young Sophie walk from the castle together with our brothers not far behind. She said she overheard Sophie saying she wanted to show her mom something.”

  A trick. Yasmin would follow Sophie anywhere, just like most of us. Only we would have sensed the power used to alter the appearance of whoever was behind this. Though perhaps not since two bear shifters, who had good senses, hadn’t. I clenched my jaw and glanced around. Two pools of blood marred the leaves, dirt, and grass. Leon’s brothers. My heart ached for them.

  Nate and Ezra, who had both shifted at some point, took a few bounds forward and growled. They glanced back, then forward, and took off running. We quickly followed. I hadn’t even considered how people would react seeing Ezra back as we’d run through the township and even the castle. He hadn’t shifted around anyone but us, and in training only. All they knew

  was that he was a part of Lucifer’s entourage. Lucifer had since left with Virginia and their people, but were coming back when we traveled. It was something to worry about later.

  My throat closed as we entered a clearing and I saw Yasmin being held with a knife to her neck by a woman I didn’t know.

  The woman smiled. “Finally, it took them plenty of time to let you know.”

  “Who are you and what do you want?” Asher asked.

  Nate and Ezra pawed at the ground, snarling from where they stood just in front of me.

  “If anyone moves, I will slice her open.”

  “Answer my mate’s questions.”

  “My queen,” a guard called. I glanced to the side as he stepped forward. “Her name is Tenaya. She is Grace’s daughter.”

  Fuck.

  Fuckety fuck.

  Yasmin stared at me with tears in her eyes. Her lips trembled as she smiled sadly at me. She knew this could be it for her. I shook my head slightly, telling her there was still hope. I had my men, the guards. We could kill this bitch without harming my sister.

  Dread filled me to the brim. Even with the strength, the magic around me, they were still a distance away. If Tenaya saw Alex disappear, she would kill Yasmin with a quick swipe.

  Please, please do not take my sister away from me, from her family. Please.

  Another guard moved close. “She is also the one in battle who took her own life.”

  Tenaya laughed. “Yes, it was so easy to fool you all with all the blood around. So easy to cover the beating of my heart with a spell.”

  “What do you want?” I pressed. There had to be something she wanted or… no, no, no. It couldn’t just be for revenge. I hadn’t even remembered her besides when she pretended to take her own life. I’d been so far away, I didn’t recognize her. Now closer, I saw the resemblance to Grace.

  Her smile was pure evil. “I see the panic in your eyes. You know why we’re here.”

  “Please don’t kill her.”

  “Then you shouldn’t have killed my mother.”

  “She murdered people for power, sent my mates to Hell, conspired with demons,” I called. “Yasmin is an innocent human being.”

  Her grip tightened on my sister, and Yasmin whimpered. I fisted my hands. I wanted to tear into the woman. Rip, bite, and kill.

  Instead, I locked my body down. Tears welled in my eyes. “Please, please don’t kill her. She has a husband, children.”

  Tenaya smiled again. “Oh, I know.”

  “Why?” I asked on a whisper.

  “Because you took my mother,” she answered simply.

  My eyes connected to Yasmin’s. She mouthed, “I love you. Take care of them.”

  My body shuddered in anguish. “I’ll do anything.”

  “I’m not stupid. We make a bargain, and you’ll all kill me in the end—do not move,” she yelled. The guards stopped. “All I want is to see your pain, and I have.” Quickly, she removed the knife from Yasmin’s neck. We all rushed forward. A scream tore out of me when she plunged the knife into Yasmin’s chest. Into her heart.

  I stumbled. Asher grabbed me. Alex appeared out of nowhere and caught Yasmin as her body sagged. Tenaya stepped back, still grinning, only her eyes widened when Ezra leaped. His mouth surrounded her neck and face. I heard a snap just as Nate joined Ezra, and they shredded her to pieces.

  Dropping to my knees beside Alex cradling Yasmin, I reached out and gripped her hand in both of mine. Her hand was loose, no strength evident. A sob caught in my throat. Yasmin gazed up at me as her breath stuttered. Blood spurted from her mouth.

  “You t-take care of them,” she wheezed.

  “No, you’ll be here to do it.” I shook my head again and again.

  “I love you so much…. Not your fault.”

  I dug my top teeth into my bottom lip. “I love you, but
this isn’t goodbye. It can’t be.” Her lips pulled up before she went lax against Alex. “Yasmin,” I yelled. “Please, please, Yasmin.”

  Hands dropped to my shoulders. “She’s passed out, love. Just passed out.”

  I lifted my gaze and looked at Alex and Thorn. When Nate pressed himself between them, I met his gaze. Finally, I glanced at Asher. “Get Eric,” I ordered.

  “Sweetheart, are you sure—”

  “Get Eric, now!” I bellowed. Asher disappeared, and the warm breeze blew over us.

  I wouldn’t—couldn’t lose my sister… but if Eric didn’t agree, then I would have to say goodbye, and that thought had me trembling in fear.

  Ezra, still in his hellhound form, moved to my side. I ignored the blood around his mouth and curled an arm over his neck, pulling him close. Thorn went to his knee on my other side, Nate trotted around to my back and pressed in, while Alex laid his hand over mine still clutching Yasmin’s.

  I wasn’t sure their support and comfort would be enough for what was to come, but I appreciated it all the same. They would be the only reason I got through this.

  Her pain slipped through her walls and had me shifting back to my human form beside her, needing to comfort and protect her. Her arm stayed around me, and I wrapped mine around her waist. When I shifted, thankfully my clothes stayed on; my father had told me it was something to do with the magic within me. I was just glad as Paige hated if anyone saw any of her mates naked. Just like we would be if another saw her bare.

  My heart ached for Paige, but also Yasmin. To see her so still with a dagger sticking out of her chest, it was so fucking terrifying. She was a good sister to my mate, a great mother, and from what I’d seen, wife. She didn’t deserve this.

  If she died…. I couldn’t even consider it, as it would mean Paige would lose a part of herself—like she had when I’d died in my hellhound form, from what I’d been told. I hated… fuck no, despised that I’d put her through that anguish. If I could have gotten back to her, I would have in a heartbeat.

  Paige trembled against me. Tears ran down her cheeks, but she ground her teeth together in the hope of holding them back.

  The air around us blew harder as Asher stopped at our side. He carefully took Eric off his shoulder and set him on his feet.