Chapter Twenty-Two

[P.O.V. Adriana Braxton]

I was totally shocked right now. Only because of the fact what Gilo said. 'His Jolene second chance mate?' Thinking to myself. I honestly thought that second chance. Only happened when both mates lost their previous ones. I was excited for them at the same time; I was sad. It must kill him to see her like this. I wanted to question and ask when they found out they were Mates. Instead, I thought it would be best to wait until better circumstances.

"Gilo?.." Jolene says, a little scratchy. Gilo holds her head to where he could see her face. "You're squeezing me too tight." We all couldn't help but laugh a little with joy. Gilo hugged Jolene tight to him again.

Letting Jolene heal, we made camp. Shiloh, Milo, and I were sitting around the campfire. Talking about how we need to get back soon. We only have three days left before the moon is full before the actual war starts. Gilo joins us after making sure Jolene was okay.

"How is she?" Milo asks.

"She fine, her wolf healing her the best she can," Gilo says, looking at the fire.

"You have some explaining to do." Shiloh pitches in. Gilo glances up at Shiloh and nods his head.

"When I first met Jolene, I knew she was my second chance mate. The only thing was she was already mated to Joseph. So I couldn't really put my claim on her. It probably was Mother Moon's way of punishing me for being such a player." Mumbling the last part.

"Did Joseph know?" I asked curiously.

"No, I rejected her because she already had a Mate. That and I really didn't want one. Then we ended up on this quest with each other, and I got to know her... I have regretted rejecting her ever since." Gilo says with a heavy heart.

"And you didn't think that we would've wanted to know?" Shiloh gets after Gilo. They started to argue, which just made the night long.

The rest of the night was quiet after their fighting. With everyone asleep, I kept tossing and turning on the ground. I felt like something was calling to me. The sword was humming; it sounded like it was almost singing. Getting up from the ground, I follow the feeling. Every few steps, I took the sword hummed even louder.

Until it leads me to a huge tree with the moonlight shining brightly on it, this place felt so familiar to me. 'What is this place?'

"This is the place where the Fallen Queen saved the rest of her people." A familiar voice says. Looking behind me stood Vincent, looking like a ghost. "It's been a while since we saw each other last, hasn't it?"

"Yes, it has been." Saying a little surprised.

"You need to hurry, Adriana. The war for the Stone Kingdom has already begun this early morning."

"Were trying fast as we can." He gives me a small smile in understanding."Vince, what are you doing here?"

"With everything going on, Mother Moon has sent me down to give you a message."

"Okay.."

"Remember that the moment you place those jewels onto the sword. The sword magic will be released, and the evil that seeks it will be after it. Whatever you do, do not let them get that sword."

"I understand."

"He needs you... his going mad without his Queen." I know who he speaks of and just mentioning him has my stomach in butterflies.

"Was that also part of the Moon Goddess message?" He chuckles at me.

"No, just a big brother looking out for his younger brother." He looks up at the moon like he was listening. "I have to go, tell Emily and the baby I love them. I'm always watching over them. Tell Em to look in my safe where we had our honeymoon. There something in there I want our son to have."

"I will." He flashes me a small smile. With that, he was gone in a flash.

Going closer to the big tree, I dig into the ground. Finding two beautiful crowns that were wrapped in old cloth. They were a matching set one. It was meant for a King and the other a Queen.

They were both gold with moonstone, pearls, and sapphires. The biggest jewel on the crowns was a moon crescent shape, a sapphire. Placing the two moon crescent shapes on the sword. Both jewels hugged the middle piece nicely, making a full moon. The jewels and moonstone lighted up brightly. The wolf king that was carved into the sword. Moved it's up like it was howling, while a howl could be heard.

The earth shook for a few seconds, and the wind blew through trees. The sword hummed with power. Then it all stopped leaving the carved wolf king howling. The glow of the jewels and moonstone went slightly dim.

Placing the sword back into the sheath, my quest was almost done. Realizing this, I know I can finally return to him. My Soul Mate. My Love. My King, Zyston. Oh, how my heart swelled with happiness, knowing this.

[P.O.V. Zyston Woods]

It has been two days since they started the attack. They keep coming and coming it like no matter. How much the ones that fight this Darkness. The dark is endless and the ones fighting are all disappearing quickly. So many deaths and injured everyone trying their best and hardest. To either fight or help the injured.

On the battlefield, fighting our enemy using my sword to slay them. Everyone I slice down two more steps up to fight me. My body is drained from exhaustion, ready to give one of my beast control.

With my senses, someone tries to sneak and attack me. Moving out of their way, they kill the person in front of me. Using my sword to stab the one who attacked me from behind. Five more came after me while fighting them off. I felt a sharp pain in my left leg. Instead of looking, I avoided it and kept fighting my enemy. Then I felt another sharp pain, but this time it was my right shoulder. Killing the five, I glance at my shoulder. Someone was shooting silver bullets at me.

Instead of crying out in pain, it only made Stryker, Travis, and I angry.

Using my senses, I dodge the bullet this time. It only nicked the right side of my neck, making a small scratch. Finding where the shooting was coming from, up from one of the town's roofs.

Shifting into Stryker and using his lighting strike, we take out the guns men on the roofs. Next, we take out some of the Dark Army running towards the battlefield. The ones on the battlefield were giving all they got to take us down. Hitting and throwing their weapons at us, Spears, swords, maces, axes, etc. Some stuck in us, and the rest just fell. Which only made Stryker even madder. Taking in a deep breath, we let our lighting strikeout, hitting the Dark Army below us. Using our tail, we swing more away from us. Fighting more and more until this wave of the Dark Army was no more.

No longer being able to stay in Stryker form. Knocking all the weapons off us, we shifted back into my human body. The silver bullets I was shot with earlier. We're really starting to weaken Travis and Stryker.

Everyone was cheering that we won another wave. Those shifted into their wolves howled. Kneeling on the ground from exhaustion, my vision starts to blur a little. The silver was starting to do its job.

"Damn, you look like shit," Tyler says, walking towards me.

"Have you ever looked at yourself?" Talking back to him.

"Yea, I have a matter of fact I don't look half as bad as you do right now." He hands me a pair of shorts. "Get dressed so we can get you to a medic."

Getting the shorts on, Tyler puts his shoulders under my arm. Helping me hobble back to the castle gates. Making fun of each other the whole way.