Descendant 3: In Light of All Darkness
Author
A. Duncan
Reads
1.2M
Chapters
38
Scarlett, the daughter of Gideon and Remi, cannot wait until her boyfriend of the last two years finally turns of age. That way they can finally see that they are indeed mates and meant be!
โฆOnly to have her heart broken. In the arms of her father, he drops the bomb of a lifetime. What's going to happen when Scarlett finds out her mate is someone else? Will she accept what the Moon Goddess has in store for her?
Prologue
Book 3: In Light of All Darkness
Remi
He appears stressed, overwhelmed. The lines on his forehead suggest that whatever heโs engrossed in is more important than his surroundings. This gives me a chance to observe him. His hair is a deep shade of brown, and his body is well-built. Heโs a large, powerful man, likely from a strong lineage. His wolf aura alone screams alpha. I wish I could see his eyes, but theyโre focused downward, oblivious to my presence. Itโs curious that this alpha hasnโt noticed his mate standing nearby. My wolf picked up his scent from a mile away.
I retreat a step as his phone rings. The deep resonance of his voice sends a shiver down my spine as he answers.
โJaxon, give me some news, anything.โ
โCan you at least tell me where she is?โ
Who is she? I watch his hands clench into fists as he listens to the person on the other end.
โIโll be there tomorrow, after the alpha ceremony. Iโll find Azalea, Jax. We share a bond that no one else can understand.โ
โI love you, brother. See you tomorrow.โ
Does he already have a mate? The thought causes my wolf to howl in pain and I accidentally knock over a stack of books from the shelf, forgetting my own research. I like to stay informed about my abilities and experiment with new things. Itโs difficult when thereโs no one left to ask. My mother was murdered for her blood, and my father was killed by the same rogues who wanted my mother. Her dying words were a warning to never reveal my true nature.
I quickly bend down to pick up the scattered books when I see his muscular legs squat down in front of me.
โLet me help you.โ
โNo! Iโm fine, really.โ
Thatโs when I hear him growl.
โLook at me.โ
He's recognizing me. I can either meet his gaze or flee. I donโt know who Azalea is, but she clearly holds a place in his heart and they share a bond.
I hesitate until he gently lifts my chin. I look up into the most stunning green eyes Iโve ever seen. Now, my fear is whether he will accept me for who I am when I hear him sayโ
โMate.โ
โAre you sure about that? Iโm sure Azalea is waiting for you at home, Alpha.โ
โI wish she was, but not for the reason you think. Azalea is my twin sister. Sheโs pregnant with her mateโs child and has been taken by the vampire king.โ
โTwin sister?โ
He nods.
โWhy would King Xavier want her?โ
โBecause she is a descendant and possesses great power. Now, may I kiss you or would you like to hear more about my family?โ
Gideon
If Azalea had told me Iโd find my mate in the university library on the last day of alpha training, I would have laughed. Thatโs probably why she had kept it to herself. I was so engrossed in researching broken mate bonds that I didnโt even realize my own mate was nearby. My wolf was restless, but I assumed it was due to the news about Azalea. He didnโt mention sensing our mate.
Sheโs stunning, with long golden-red hair and piercing blue eyes. She has an aura that I can barely see, which makes me wonder what else she might be hiding. She seems nervous, as if she fears I might reject her. Regardless of what she is, I was raised to believe that the Moon Goddess doesnโt make mistakes.
โWhatโs your name?โ
โRemi Mendoza.โ
โIโm Gideon Creed.โ
โI may not be the kind of mate you were expecting, Alpha.โ
โJust Gideon. And I donโt care what else is coursing through your beautiful veins. I would never reject you.โ
She looks into my eyes and smiles.
โIโm a healer, a very powerful one.โ
โIs that all? I can see a faint aura, but Iโm not sure if itโs because youโre my mate or if itโs something else.โ
She swallows hard, deciding whether to trust me.
โThe reason Iโm such a powerful healer is because Iโm part fae. My father was a wolf; my mother was fae.โ
โDo you possess any other abilities?โ I ask.
โMy primary and most potent power is healing. I can mend injuries that should have been fatal, far beyond the capabilities of most healers. I can also create portals and communicate in every language. When you're ready to return, Gideon, I can transport you instantly through my portal, no journey required. I've never revealed my true nature to anyone. My mother was murdered because of her fae lineage.โ
โI've learned from my sister that knowing a story doesnโt mean you have to share it. I will always safeguard my mate. So, Remi, your place or mine? Because if you believe Iโm ever going to release you, youโre sorely mistaken, mate.โ
Her cheeks flush, but she grins. I can scent her desire as clearly as I can smell my own. She finally lifts her gaze and says,
โYours.โ
***
Remi
โGideon!โ I cry out.
โHold on to my hand, sweetheart.โ
For the past five hours, Iโve been straining and perspiring, trying to birth this baby. Iโm utterly drained.
โJust one more push!โ
I sense the moment she exits my body. Itโs a relief unlike anything Iโve ever experienced, which quickly morphs into anxiety. Where is my baby girl? My relief shifts into immediate maternal instinct. My eyes dart around, searching for my baby girl, until I see a nurse carrying her over, all cleaned up and swaddled in a pink blanket.
โHere she is!! Sheโs the spitting image of her mother with that red hair.โ
Gideon and I cradle our daughter for the first time, waiting for her to open her eyes. When she does, I gasp. She may have my hair color, but damn, she has her fatherโs eyes. The Creed family eyes, as I like to call them, and theyโre stunning. The doctor approaches and inquires,
โWhat will her name be?โ
I glance at Gideon, and he grins. He responds to the doctor.
โScarlett Ariella Creed.โ
He nods and jots it down. I place a finger in her tiny hand and feel it. I sense the power she inherited from my side of the family. I had hoped it would bypass her, and she would be a regular wolf.
I suppose Gideon noticed the worried expression on my face because he asks, โWhatโs the matter, darling?โ
โSheโs part fae.โ
Before Gideon can respond, thereโs a knock at the door. King Alpha Zander peeks in, his face displaying what appears to beโฆremorse?
โMay I enter?โ
โOf course, come meet your new niece.โ
As King Alpha holds Scarlett, Gideon inquires if thereโs a purpose to his visit.
โRegrettably, yes. Do you recall when the treaty was signed with the new vampire king?โ
We nod.
โIt contained a provision. One that permitted him to acquaint himself with his mate without retaliation when she came of age.โ
โWhy are you informing me of this?โ Gideon questions.
โBecause she wasnโt born at the time, but now she is, and he wishes to see her once before he guards her.โ
Silence.
โWho is his mate, Zander?โ
โScarlett is his mate. He sensed it the moment she came into this world, and heโs waiting outside the door to meet her before he guards her until sheโs of age.โ
โYouโre saying Alaric is her mate?โ
โYes. Remember, the Moon Goddess doesnโt err, Gideon. Thereโs a reason for this.โ
Silence.
โLet him in.โ
