TWISTED FATES BOOK 1: THE FIRST TWIST by Jacklyn Rogers (read after TXT) 📕

He remembered.

Instantly Dasha's stance shifted as she began to chant in the direction of the silver stake which rested in her palms.

Once it became apparent what Dasha was planning to do, the four men sprang into action at lightning speed. But for Sammie, it was as if time had slowed to a frightening pace, where she was able to witness the events that were occurring around her.

Devon leaped at Dasha, shifting in mid-air, followed by his pack members. He lunged towards Dasha with such force that the two suddenly ended up falling over the edge of the rooftop, sending them plummeting twenty-four stories to the ground below. During that time, the stake which Dasha had been holding had already been propelled in Sammie’s direction. Instantaneously Jareth dashed in front of Sammie, intercepting the deadly weapon.

Jareth's body stood motionless for a brief moment, causing Sammie to gaze up at his back. She caught sight of the pointed end of a sharp silver tip protruding around a slowly forming dark stain. Soon after, Jareth collapsed at Sammie's feet.

Chapter 28

Sammie's POV

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

I heard myself scream at the startling revelation of what had just taken place.

Aiden and Michael stood in shock. Everything had happened so quickly. None of us were able to fathom the severity of it all until it was just the three of us that remained on the rooftop.

I sat there crying as I heard Michael order a shocked Aiden to free me while he bolted down to where Devon was. It seems they had shifted, and I didn't even notice. My eyes were filled with tears as Aiden, despite receiving several burns from the silver chains that I was bound with, finally released me. His somber expression let me know that he had to leave me alone to check on his Alpha.

"Go," I whispered as I yanked the Vervain IV drip from my veins so that I could crawl over to where Jareth's collapsed body lay. I held him in my arms and removed the stake from his chest, flinging it as far away as my weakened state could muster. I was so angry. I was mourning the pain of not one but two men. I had no idea what state Devon was in, and it was killing me. But Jareth was here, and I could not leave him alone. Fate played the cruelest joke on these two beautiful men by having them love me. All I brought was pain. I sobbed and gently kissed Jareth's lips. His hooded eyes parted and gazed at me lovingly even though the light in his Cobalt blue eyes was dimming.

"Why? W-why would you do this? H-how could you sacrifice yourself for m-me?"

A small chuckle escaped his mouth, causing him to cough up a bit of blood from his pale lips. "Samantha, my love, why wouldn't I? You are everything to me. There is nothing in this world that I wouldn't do to keep you from harm. "

"NO! No Jareth ... you can't ... you can't die on me!" I began sobbing uncontrollably when I felt his soft cold hand caress my cheek. His thumb was tenderly wiping away my tears.

"Please don't cry, Samantha. My Beloved. This was my choice. I knew when I sired you that my destiny was inevitable. Maleyna had warned me the consequences for defying fate; a life was to recompense it with another. I just didn't know when my demise would come to pass. You have all your memories now; I saw them through our sire bond. You shan't be alone in my absence. Your mate will forever be with you in my stead. I only aspire for you to remember me with fondness, my love."

I leaned down and brushed his tousled blond hair as I gently kissed him one last time. His beautiful eyes gradually drifted closed, and a single tear slowly trailed along his peaceful face. I felt the sire bond dissipate into nothingness.

My Jareth was gone.

The mournful scream that escaped the confines of my mouth echoed uncontrollably in the darkness. I gently laid Jareth onto the cold concrete and forced my trembling body to stand. A cloud of smoke appeared, and soon after, Maleyna stood before me with a forlorn look in her eyes.

She knew.

"Maleyna, I- "

She came over to me and wrapped me in her arms, sympathetically patting my back as she tried to calm my anguish.

"Shhh, Hush my child. I promise you this too shall pass. Please believe me. Jareth would not want his sacrifice to be for naught. He loved you and wanted you to regain the happiness he knew you deserved. That was his final wish."

I sobbed as I shook my head frantically.

I didn’t want this.

Jareth didn’t deserve to die; it should have been me.

It should have been me…

Maleyna gently lifted my chin as she stared into my tear-stained eyes. "Sammie, you may not understand this now, but there is a reason that you were to remain in this world. Reclaiming that which was originally meant to be, is part of it. Your destiny with Jareth was on borrowed time, and now that your memories have returned, your destined timeline has emerged. It is time, Samantha. You must return to your true mate."

“Now I need you to go and see to your Alpha. I will take Jareth's body to his final resting place. Once I have prepared everything, we can partake in his final rites together.”

I was numb.

I nodded my head in understanding. My heart is aching for the loss of my vampire, but it also breaks for Devon. An uneasiness overtook my senses when I realized that I still had no idea what was going on with Devon after his fall.

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I frantically made my way to the sidewalk alleyway where Devon and Dasha had