The Black Alder Series (Books 1-3)

Arabella Pov

My memories from my past hit me all at once. From the abuse I suffered at the hands of King Damon, meeting Sam, traveling to the Black Alder pack, meeting my mates, shifting into my wolf, and training my powers with Camilla. Oh, my fucking goddess. Camilla. Camilla is Endymions daughter. She has been working all this time to get me here. I’m going to rip her fucking throat out when I get out of here.

My memories of my friends hit me harder than anything I had ever experienced. My mates. Ash. Adonis. Ares. My loves. Endymion has been using me. He was drugging me with his blood and fucking raping me. I would never consent to having sex with him, for it goes against everything I feel about him, and he fucking knows it. He took my fucking memories. He took my friends away from me. He is going to pay for this, Clarissa. The only friend I have found here. Arabella Pov (3 months ago, after getting kidnapped and sent through the portal) The arms that were around me let me go as soon as we landed on the other side of the portal. It closed up immediately, leaving purple smoke in its place. I landed on a black marble floor. When I turned around, I saw black-hooded people with spears surrounding a man sitting on a throne. I remember him from my dreams. On instinct, I try to use my powers, but they don’t seem to come.

My hands are pulled at once behind my back as a growl escapes me. Royal is just as furious.

“Stop fucking moving,” a female voice says from behind me. I see it’s Camilla. My heart drops.

“How could you bring me here?” I yelled, struggling to get out of her grasp. She kicks my legs from behind, and I buckle to the ground.

“THAT’S ENOUGH.” The man on the throne booms.

“Yes, my liege,” Camilla says, still holding me down. The man walked toward me.

“I apologize for my daughter. years of living in the wilderness. It has caught up to her,” he says, eyeing me. I glared at him. I use Royal to try to contact my friends, but Camilla blows some pink dust over my head, and suddenly I can’t hear or feel Royal.

“Royal….” No response.

“Royal, answer me.” Still no response.

The man stops in front of me and kneels.

“Ah, but we can’t have you calling out to those mutts now, can we? Your wolf has been locked away,” he says cheerfully, and Camilla laughs. Without Royal, I would be powerless. I’m just a simple human, and I can’t contact my friends, who are most likely tearing up the world right now looking for me.

“To introduce myself, my name is Endymion,” he says.

“I don’t care who the fuck you are or what the fuck you want. Release me. Now,” I command, but it only makes Camilla and him laugh.

“You’re a sassy little thing, hunh; don’t worry, that cute sassy mouth will be covered by me as soon as I make you submit to me,” he says.

“I will never submit to you,” I told him, venom laced in each word.

“We will see,” he says, standing up. He then looks at Camilla.

“Take her to the dungeons,” he commanded.

I struggle as I try to get out of Camilla’s grasp, but she is strong, and I no longer have my wolf. Once we get to the cells, the smell of vomit, blood, and feces hits my nose, making me gag instantly. Camilla throws me to the floor of the cell and closes the bars behind me, so I can’t escape.

“Why?” I asked her. She was supposed to be a trusted friend. She betrayed us. Betrayed me.

” Why? She says it and laughs. “I will do anything for my father, and your blood just happens to be a huge part of his plans. Don’t take it personally, dear. You are just collateral damage. I didn’t spend all that time making your powers grow for nothing,” she says before leaving.

After she left, I tried hard to break down the bars, but with my human strength, there was nothing I could do. Royal was gone. My powers were gone. My link to my friends is gone. I’m on my own.

——— 1 week later

It has been a week since I’ve been in the dungeons. The only contact I have had with someone is a female named Clarissa. She brings me food and drinks. It is an herbal tea with crackers. That’s all I’m allowed. Endymion has been down here a few times to try to see if I have changed my mind and if I’m ready to submit. Just like the other days, I do not.

Clarissa has been nice to me so far. She gives me a little hope, telling me to stay strong. I found out she doesn’t like Endymion. She says he killed two people who were close to her. I sympathize with her. We spend our time together talking. She is the only thing I have close to a friend here. Today she is bringing me tea and my usual crackers. She started talking to me about what’s on the outside of this place.

“You know, when you first came, I knew you were innocent,” she says. “I don’t know how, but I am going to save you from this monster,” she says. She then vanishes. She comes back a bit later.

“I just talked to a friend of mine. He is coming up with a plan to break you out, and we are going to get you back to your friends,” she says. I smile, but suddenly I start to feel woozy. My vision starts to go in and out.

“Clarissa,” I slurred. She notices what is happening and runs to go get help. She comes back with Camilla, who just stands there, watching me.From NôvelDrama.Org.

“It’s just the potion taking effect. I put it in her tea this time. She will be fine,” Camilla said.

Clarissa’s eyes went wide, looking at me, before a tear fell down her face. I can tell she didn’t know.

“It’s okay, Clarissa; I forgive you.” I slurred, but I’m pretty sure it came out all jumbled. Camilla looks at Clarissa and grabs her by the neck.

“This is for breaking the rules and speaking to her,” she says before I hear a pop, and Clarissa falls dead. Camilla then laughs and walks away, leaving Clarissa there for me to look at as my vision continues to fade. I feel something taking over my body, and I try to fight it, but I am no match for it.

I look toward Clarissa as I feel my vision fading. I will avenge you, Clarissa, I silently promise her. I swear. With that, the darkness takes me in, and I pass out. Arabella Pov

When I woke up, my memories were gone. Endymion has had me under his spell ever since.

The memories have all come back to me, although it took some time to adjust. Right now, I want to cry, but I have to be strong. Strong for Royal. Strong for myself. Strong for Clarissa. Strong for my friends. Right now, I know my friends are looking for me. I can feel them. Maybe I can reach out to them.

“I think it’s what he wants,” I heard Royal say in my head. Oh, my goddess

“Royal!” I nearly screamed in my head.

“Bella,” she replied. I remember all the awful things I said to her. Endymion locked her away from me for 3 months.

“Royal, I am so sorry for everything. I can’t imagine what these three months have been like for you,” I told her. I told her I didn’t trust her. I didn’t mean it. I wasn’t me.

“It’s okay, Bella; I know you were not you. I forgive you. We have to get out of here,” she says.

“I know. I am about to try to reach out to our friends.” I told her.

“Like I was saying earlier, I think he wants them to come. While you were unconscious from getting your memories back, I heard him tell Cami that he was going to use them to try to make you use your powers. He doesn’t know your powers are tied to me. If you bring them here, they are risking being captured. If we see them hurt in any way, I don’t know if we can control them without using our powers. I also believe there is another traitor among them, attempting to get them here, as I heard Cami tell him about a backup plan. We need to warn them,” she tells me.

I know she is right. Seeing them hurt in any way may make me lash out, letting Endymion know I have them back. Even now, I can feel my energy moving through my veins, ready to come out. If there is another traitor among them, then the traitor will need to be captured before they come here.

“I’ll let them know,” I told her. I try to concentrate on my mate bond, and instantly I feel a tingle. The connection.

“HELLO, GUYS,” I called out. It’s quiet, but then I hear them all at once.

“BELLA,” they said together.

“MY LOVES”.