Alpha Island: My Enemy Mate

5. Broken Heart

DARREN

DARREN

My fist slammed against his jaw, nose, and then jaw again. It was funny how after a while, I stopped feeling the pain at all. It seemed like my knuckles were made of steel now. I could do this all night long and not get tired or feel anything, for that matter.

This renegade wouldn't last long. I bet his renegade friends I met earlier this month had already told him how this would end, so his silence was admirable. It was also very stupid because it didn't change anything for him, but I was impressed.

This little town was barely a clue, but someone mentioned that one of this group of renegades boasted of using phoenix energy in a bar not far from here, signing death sentences for most of them. So far, I had not detected anything, but that didn't mean that none of them knew of Sky's whereabouts. If there was just a little chance, I wouldn't waste it.

I had to change where to hurt him soon, or he wouldn't be able to speak.

"Please," the renegade pleaded, his breathing ragged. "If I knew anything, I would have told you!"

"If only I believed you," I chuckled darkly and saw an expression of horror on his face. "The only way out of here for you is to give me something I can use," I informed him dryly and saw tears forming in his eyes. This was where my next blow would be. Eyes.

I didn't know when exactly I stopped caring. Probably months ago. What would Skylar think if she saw me now? Would I disgust her? I wasn't the Ren she knew anymore. I didn't even know if I could be that guy again.

He was so lucky to have everything and had no idea how wonderful his life was.

Well, not anymore. The golden dragon prince was gone forever. I could feel the darkness creeping in on me. I knew that without my beautiful mate, very soon I would lose it completely.

The conversation I had to have with Griffin just recently didn't go well. It wasn't every day that I had to tell my best friend he would probably have to kill me soon.

But it was the truth… without Sky, I was dying every day. Bit by bit, my soul was dissipating into the abyss of chaos. Once powerful, mighty and wise, my dragon was slowly becoming an uncontrollable monster.

A dragon could only have one mate during his lifetime. We could live thousands of years before we found that one person…but never after. If a mate was lost for any reason, the dragon's days were numbered. There were no second chances, no life without the one we loved more than anything.

Griffin was horrified, but he couldn't break our sacred oath. He was my chosen brother, my second in command. He was under obligation before the higher powers to obey my every order. He would have to obey this one, too, when the time came. And then he would assist my cousin Rory in becoming the next dragon queen.

However, before that happened, before the last bits of hope were lost, I was going to fight every second of every day for even the tiniest chance of finding her. Even with my last breath, I would be searching for Sky.

The renegade in front of me didn't look good, and I knew he wouldn't last long. Another waste of time–that's what he was!

My dragon roared inside of me, asking me to finish him off. There was no point, but I considered it…

The damn bastard got lucky when my phone rang.

I took it out with my bloody hands and saw Rory's picture on display. She didn't call too often and never bothered me for silly reasons, so I decided to pick up.

"Hi, Rory," I tried to sound as if I cared, but, frankly speaking, I only wanted to finish this conversation faster in order to continue what I was doing. The renegade had a friend waiting for his turn in the next room. I couldn't wait to get my hands on him. Maybe that one wouldn't be a waste of my efforts. "This is not a good time, to be honest," I told my cousin in hopes of her leaving me alone. She was probably just checking on me since I hadn't contacted her for a while.

"Ren, Sky is here! She's on Alpha Island!" Her voice was confident, not shaking at all, and every word went through my heart and soul.

I hung up. Rory was one of the few people I could trust in life, and she would never joke about something like this. I wasn't willing to waste even a second. If Skylar was on Alpha Island, that was where I was supposed to be too.

"Consider yourselves lucky," I said to the renegade and didn't even bother untying him. Next time they wouldn't joke about phoenixes! Especially for no good reason.

I went outside and charged to the sky. Spreading my golden wings, I greeted the cool air, and, for the first time in gods know how long, I allowed myself to dream.

Skylar was on Alpha Island. Maybe she escaped, managed to get there, asked for help, and now was waiting for me. Had she changed? Would she be unhappy with how I changed?

It didn't matter. As long as she was alive, well, and we were together, nothing else mattered!

I reached Alpha Island faster than I expected to. The desire to see my mate probably helped me speed up without my knowledge.

I shifted to my human form in the air, putting on my student bracelet as I pierced the clouds on my way down. I had kept it since the last time I visited the island together with Dylan. I clasped it around my wrist, and my fingers brushed over another bracelet, the one so dear to my heart because it was Skylar's gift to me.

Skyren… Sky plus Ren. This was what she asked to have engraved on it. These six little letters often helped me not go mad during all those months of misery. When I felt like I was about to go insane, my fingers found the cold metal and traced each letter, remembering the day she gave it to me, how she looked at me…

My feet hit the ground, and I inhaled the island's air. My Skylar, my mate, was here! Her scent was in the air.

"Mine!" the dragon roared inside of me, trying to overpower me.

"Ren!" Rory appeared first out of nowhere, but I couldn't greet her properly. My whole body was aching for my mate. I needed to see her, kiss her, hold her in my arms, hear her voice, bury my face in her hair. I needed all that, and I needed that now. It had been too long!

"Where is she?" I growled, barely able to control my dragon. The fire was burning me from the inside.

"Ren," my cousin sighed, tucking one of her purple locks behind her ear. "You didn't listen to me on the phone. Everything is very complicated."

"Doesn't matter!" I brushed her off and looked around, knowing that I would be able to find Skylar just by her scent and energy. "Just show me where she is. I will figure it out from there."

"No, Ren, you don't get it!" She grasped my hand as if she was trying to keep me in place, and now I was getting angry. Why was she atrempting to postpone our reunion?

"Rory, you are the one who doesn't get it!" I yanked my hand out of hers. "I need to see her! Now!"

I started walking towards where the faint scent took me, but Rory caught up with me and stood in my way.

"Will you just listen for a second?!" She seemed angry now, but I was getting angrier. "She doesn't remember you!"

I froze where I stood. Surely she didn't mean that.

"Don't be ridiculous, Rory!" I moved past her, but, yet again, she blocked my way.

"No, Ren, it's not a joke! Something happened to them, and they don't remember anyone!" The desperation on her face became evident to me. "Princess Ava is here too. They didn't recognise anyone! Your and Dylan's marks are gone. She doesn't have your flame and thinks that she was travelling for a year with her best friend."

"Just more reasons to see her now!" I snarled, but she pushed me on the chest, trying to prevent me from getting to my mate.

"Not the end of the story," Rory shook her head. "Loki assessed them."

Just the mention of the warlock made my blood boil. Did he get to see her before I could? And now I wasn't allowed to? That wasn't going to happen! Skylar was mine! Mine!

"She will see me and remember everything!" I grunted as I moved Rory to the side of the road, but she wasn't having any of it and just pushed me harder on the chest.

"They are cursed, Ren!" she said, and my lips parted. "It's an explosion curse, and so many things could trigger it. You could trigger it."

"The hell?!" I still wasn't buying any of this. We were mates. Our connection was unbreakable. The whole world could tell me I couldn't be with Skylar, but we were going to prove everyone wrong. Now.

I stormed toward the lake. I could now clearly feel that she was there.

"As hot-headed as always," I heard a familiar voice but chose to ignore it. Loki wasn't going to stop me now.

However, when a bolt of lightning flew right into me, I had to pause and turn on my heels to glare at my old rival.

"Don't you get it?" The warlock was serious for the first time in a while, startling me. He also changed during the past year, and I still couldn't get used to the new him. "She has no idea who you are because of this curse! You go to her now, and, for her, it will be the first time she meets you."

"So?" I dared him.

"So you can't go all 'mate' and 'mine'; it'll scare the crap out of her!" Loki hissed. "Not to mention, you are covered in blood! Where the hell have you been?"

Suddenly, a smirk formed on his face. "Actually, you know what, go. She will think you are some creep and never want to speak to you again," he chuckled. "Then maybe I'll have a chance after all…"

I wanted to hit him, but Rory stood in my way, shooting me a warning glance. Damn those two for becoming friends in my absence!

"Ren, come on! Come to your senses! Do it for her!" she yelled, and I stopped, breathing heavily.

For her… I could do it for her… For Skylar.

I breathed out and stepped back, wiping the sweat on my face and noticing the blood on my hands for the first time.

Damn. I didn't look presentable, did I?

Sky didn't like me much the first time we met, and now I looked ten times worse.

She was so close, and I couldn't even go see her.

"I'll just… take a glimpse," I promised my friends, and they exchanged glances.

Loki groaned and whispered something, waving his hand at me. I felt… cleaner and checked my palms, seeing that all the dirt was gone from them.

"Consider it my wedding gift!" The warlock rolled his eyes. "There won't be another."

"Thanks!" I said the magic word I knew, and I meant it.

"Remember, don't initiate conversation with her!" Loki furrowed his brows. "Don't say anything about love or mating. She doesn't know you! Pretend this is the first time you have seen her. Only speak to her if she notices you. It would be best if you don't, if I am honest. I need to study them and the curse better before we make any moves."

"Got it," I nodded. I was ready to promise anything for the two of them to just let me go see her. Even my first-born child.

"Don't make us regret this!" The warlock clenched his lips tight.

I couldn't believe that I was obeying Loki. But, out of all of us, he was the expert on curses. So, I simply had to.

My legs got weaker the closer I came to the lake. Her scent was getting stronger.

I already knew where I would find her. There were no doubts about where she would be.

They could assure me that her mark was gone and that she didn't know who I was, but Skylar was sitting right on our spot under a tree near the lake. This was where we shared so many sweet memories. This was where I asked her to become my wife, and she said yes.

They could take her memories away, but she still felt she belonged here. And she did.

Her ginger hair was even longer now, shining in the moonlight as she sat on the grass with some kind of leather journal in her hands and scribbled something on its pages, biting her lip. It was her. Not a fake, not a vision, not a replacement. My Sky.

I took in the sight of my beautiful mate and fell to my knees. A single tear rolled down my cheek, burning my skin. I didn't even think I was capable of such emotions anymore, and I closed my eyes to savour it. She was back in my life for just a second, and she had already saved me.

"Are you all right?" I heard her voice near me and flinched, opening my eyes to see Skylar so close I could kiss her if I tilted forward slightly. How long was I in a daze?

She looked worried as she scanned my face.

"Should I get help?" She asked with her brows knitted together. "I am sorry, but you don't look too good!"

"It… has been a rough year." I tried to smile, but, truth be told, all I wanted was to grasp her and fly away, far away from here, far away from everyone.

"Tell me about it!" Her lips curled understandingly, and she stretched her hand to me, willing to help me stand up.

She was the one to initiate the contact, so that had to be alright. And I… I couldn't pass up such an opportunity.

Not that this was how I wanted her to see me for the first time after so long… on my knees, crying and defeated. Yet she was my saviour, and I couldn't deny that.

I stood up, and she smiled at me again, which I was finally able to reciprocate.

It was time to let go of her hand, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

She wore a denim jacket, and her mark was covered, but I could feel my fire on her. In her. It was still there. She was still my marked mate, even if she didn't remember it. And that was all the hope I needed to survive.

"Can I have my hand back?" She chuckled, and I knew I had to say something charming. Something to make her fall in love with me all over again. Something…

"I can fly!" The words left my mouth before I released them. This wasn't the icebreaker I needed.

"Good for you," Skylar was barely holding back her laugh. Why was I such an idi.ot?! "So can I," she added, throwing me a life preserver.

"Are you?" I didn't know how to form the question correctly, but I needed to know if she was still pretending to be a…

"A dragon," Skylar looked straight into my eyes like she did the first time we met.

"What a coincidence, so am I." I brushed my thumb over the skin of her palm that I was still holding, feeling crazy waves of tingles bursting through me. They were so intense now.

"So, we are both dragons, and we can both fly," she giggled and slipped her hand out of my grasp. She definitely did not feel the tingles.

"Maybe we can fly together one day?" I asked her, getting bolder, and saw the smile fading from her lips.

Damn, how did I forget that she couldn't?! She couldn't because she was a phoenix and not a dragon. She still believed it was a problem when it wasn't.

"I don't think I will have time for that." She cleared her throat and prepared to leave me. "Between studies and my work at Jelly Bean, there is no time left to have fun."

"That's no way to live!" I caught up with her, not wishing to leave her alone. Not yet. "You need at least some fun. Maybe I could... meet you at your lunch break?"

"My schedule changes all the time." She tried to brush me off. Liar. Gods, I loved this woman.

"So does mine," I decided to play the game by her rules. "Let's see if destiny will bring us together again."

"Oh my!" She snorted loudly. "Destiny? You do remember that we are locked on an island with a very limited number of people."

"See," I smirked at her, "destiny is already working in our favour."

"Smooth!" She let out a little laugh, and we walked in silence for some time. There were so many things I wanted to ask her, but it wasn't safe. Not now, at least.

We were already at the dorms when I dared to touch her hand again. The sensation was incredible, and I may have lost the ability to speak.

Our eyes locked, and I swallowed before I managed to say, "I am Darren."

"Skylar," she breathed out as if she felt something too, but then pulled away and sped up to the door.

"I'll see you around, Skylar!" I shouted, probably way too loudly, but at least it made her turn and grin at me.

"See you around, Darren." She giggled and rushed inside, her ginger hair glowing in the light. She had no idea what her words were doing to me.

I watched her until she disappeared into the building and let out a low growl when she was gone. They had taken my flame from her, but it didn't matter. Skylar WAS my flame. And it was just a matter of time until she remembered us!

Loki and Rory walked out of the bushes they were hiding in.

"You need some rest," my cousin suggested.

"Brock was supposed to arrange accommodation for all of us. Let's go check it out." The warlock chimed in, but I wasn't feeling it.

"Later," I said, looking up and seeing how a light switched on in one of the windows. Instinctively, I knew that it was Skylar's room. "I… I can't leave her so soon. I want to stay here tonight."

"Ren, you need some sleep," Rory seemed so worried, and I felt guilty. Yet I couldn't leave my mate. Not again. Not ever again.

"Let's leave him," Loki placed his hand on her shoulder. For the first time ever, we finally understood each other.

They left, and I found a tree to lurk around in order to not attract attention. Here in the shadows, I could watch my mate as the shameless stalker that I was reduced to now.

It was getting darker and darker, and soon I heard footsteps approaching me.

Dylan, the lycan prince, was looking at the windows as well. I knew at once he was searching for the same window as I saw Ava walking in and Skylar greeting her in the room they shared. Whoever did this to them, wanted to keep them together.

I nodded in the correct direction, and my furry friend's eyes glued to the same place as mine.

"You look like sh.it." Dylan gave me a tired smile, and a chuckle escaped me. That was probably the best way to describe me. Loki's magic didn't do wonders after all.

"Oh yeah? Well, you don't look like a well-groomed poodle either." I returned the jab, and we exchanged exhausted grins.

Dylan was the one person in the whole world who understood what I had gone through. He was the one I met with the most times during the past year. We talked about our discoveries and clues, suspicions and leads, sharing everything and not keeping any information from each other. It was the only way for us to survive. No one else knew what it was like… No one else could understand…

I didn't even notice how Dylan became one of my closest friends.

"My mark is still there, but no one else can see it," Dylan said, and I nodded my head in agreement.

"Same with Sky. It's a very strong illusion since the royals could not see through it. The mark is very much there though." I couldn't help but let out a frustrated sigh as the girls switched off the light. This was it for the night.

"So, we are back to doing what we had to do in the first place?" Dylan gave me a crooked smile. "Winning their hearts without the mate pull?"

A plan started to form in my head. "We will make them remember again. The curse is strong but not stronger than our bond. We will keep up a constant presence and give them little reminders. They are smart ladies. They will start to see the inconsistencies eventually."

Dylan nodded his head as he stared at the dark window. "I can't leave her… I finally found her. I can't bring myself to be away from her."

I couldn't agree more.

We stayed under the tree for the rest of the night. We didn't talk much as either of us needed to talk about anything. Losing our mates had almost destroyed us both, and leaving them tonight wasn't an option. We both needed to be close to them on a physical level, and this was the closest way possible right now.

Just knowing they were there, within our reach, was enough to save our souls…

RORY

I watched Darren and the lycan prince standing under the tree and stalking their mates, and my heart ached for the two of them. This had to be resolved as soon as possible.

We may have found them, but the curses were still keeping them apart. So cruel!

Something had to be done about it, and I knew I needed to check the clue I found in the fairy lands. It could lead us to the ones who did this to the girls.

I couldn't waste time and decided to go to the laboratory right now. It was the only place with the equipment I needed, and the only time to do it was in the middle of the night.

I already asked Loki to help me with access, and, as always, he didn't even ask questions, doing something to my bracelet that would allow me in without alarming the whole university.

I strode inside as if I owned the place, determination fuelling me. I was going to find out who did this! Tonight!

I was looking for a microscope artefact when I heard a familiar annoying voice, "What took you so long, Storm?"

NOTE: The first chibilanders are joining the Alpha Island Crew in Alpha Island ARC group on sss. Don't forget that I also have Marion Artwood: Den of Dragons group (also on sss) to discuss my other books. This is where you can find all news, visuals, giveaways etc.

P.S. I cried while writing this chapter, be gentle with me ;)