Forsaken Fate: Part Three: Forsaken Fate Trilogy, #3

By Kimber White

With Brynna's very soul on the line, the final battle begins. Don't miss the scorching conclusion to the Forsaken Fate Trilogy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nokay Press, LLC
• Release date: Aug 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223450375

Kimber White

Kimber White writes steamy paranormal romance with smoldering, alpha male shifters and kickass heroines (doormats need not apply). Because she just can't help herself from torturing her heroes…expect edge of your seat suspense as Kimber's characters fight for their happily ever afters and their fated mates. Kimber lives on a lake in the Irish Hills of Michigan with her neurotic dog and wildly supportive family. For the latest scoop on Kimber's new releases plus a FREE EBOOK as a welcome gift, be sure to sign up for Kimber's newsletter at www.kimberwhite.com

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Brynna

Chaos happened around me. I shielded my eyes from the flashes of light. My stomach lurched as a wind mage wrapped chains around me. Another mage, born of fire had his hand on my shoulder. He didn’t hurt me, but I knew he’d stop me if I tried to jerk away from him. All these things should have mattered. They were happening to me, and I knew it. But it was Theo who filled the corners of my consciousness.

There were shouted questions. Accusations. I locked eyes with Theo, his growl of agony still ringing in my ears. They led me away from him, around the house and back into the courtyard.

It hurt to breathe. It hurt to think.

Do you understand what I’m saying to you, Mrs. Dorran? One of the mage’s voices finally cut through the din of my thoughts.

I’m sorry, yes. No.

He sighed and his grip on my arm got just a little tighter. You’ll have an opportunity to present your case. But the charges against you are serious. You are coming and we’re going to search the house either way.

These words had meaning. Search the house? It was then I noticed one of the mages had picked up my leather bag. Diana’s spell books were in it.

No, I said. You don’t understand! Theo!

But he couldn’t hear me. As they hauled me away from him. Dragonsteel chains kept him immobile, kept him from being able to shift.

I was alone. Unprotected.

What’s happening? Another voice cut through.

It was Grayson. There was a moment as he stood between Theo and me. I saw something come into Grayson’s eyes and it scared me. His jaw went slack, and his eyes turned cold. He looked ready to do murder.

This is my home, Grayson said to the mages. He didn’t even look at me.

Mr. Dorran! A female mage stepped forward. We’re going to need you to wait right here. We need to search the house. You’re not going back inside just yet.

What are you looking for? he said. What has she done? Brynna, what have you done?

Abraham Padgett stepped forward. I’ll take her with me, he said. We can contain her at the safe house across the lake until the tribunal can meet.

Wait, I said. The cogs in my brain started to move.

The female mage went to Padgett’s side. She whispered something in his ear. Then she turned to Grayson. We have reason to believe this woman committed high crimes against the coven. We believe she’s responsible for murdering Diana Dorran.

The mage holding me finally let go of my arm but only so he could step behind me. He gathered my wrists in his hands and fitted handcuffs around them.

I looked at Theo. The color had drained from his face, and he wouldn’t look at me. His eyes were fixed behind me on the handcuffs as they locked into place.

Let her go, he growled. But I could see his strength leeching from him. The Dragonsteel would kill him if they left it on too long.

Stay out of this, Padgett told him. This has nothing to do with you. As soon as we get what we came for, we’ll let you go. If you can behave yourself.

Padgett came to me. As Theo strained against his bindings, Padgett patted me down, running his hands along my sides, in the pockets of my jeans, and up and down my legs.

Theo. I managed to get the words out.

Brynna, don’t, he said, his voice sounding just as strained as mine.

I’m sorry, I said.

Just be quiet, Theo said. His eyes seemed so dead to me. He was fighting to stay on his feet.

Do you understand the charges? the female mage said.

What the hell have you done to me? Grayson stepped in front of me. His fists were curled at his sides, his eyes wild.

We are taking your mate to a safe house, Mr. Dorran, the mage said as she jerked me forward.

Grayson had his cell phone to his ear as he looked at me with pure contempt. I stared back at him with a similar emotion. I didn’t fully understand what this was all about, but knew he was at the root of it. Just like he’d been at the root of everything.

Call the packs, Grayson, Theo said, his voice sounding pained and ragged, and it cut straight through me. I felt like I was going to be sick as they brought me back around to the front of the house. Four big black SUVs had pulled up. My stomach roiled but I couldn’t give into it. There was no time for it. Whatever was happening, I knew I was in real trouble and for the moment, I was completely on my own.

Grayson! Theo shouted. Call Bas Lanier. Tell him what’s happened.

Theo, I gasped.

He jerked and pulled at his chains. They cut through his skin, burning him.

Don’t hurt him! I shouted. He hasn’t done anything!

Let her go, Theo demanded.

I was pulled forward. They shoved me into the back of one of the SUVs.

Brynna, Theo croaked. Don’t fight. Just do what they say.

Before I could say anything, a white sack was placed over my head and tied around my neck. I felt the car lurch forward. Behind me, I heard Theo howl.

As the car pulled away, I had a fleeting thought that this was likely the last time I would ever set foot on Diana’s property. I didn’t know what awaited me over the next few days, but for that I could at least feel a small relief.

Theo

It felt like my heart had frozen then shattered into a million tiny, jagged shards as I kept my eyes on Brynna. Her vacant eyes as they put the cuffs around her wrists would haunt me for the rest of my life. I wanted to go to her. I wanted to leave her. I wanted to put my fist through a wall. The Dragonsteel kept me from doing any of it.

Padgett and all but three of the mages got into the SUVs and pulled away. I was on my knees in the driveway, immobilized. Rage curdled my blood. I wanted to kill. I struggled against the bindings as Grayson stood beside me, oblivious to my torture.

What the hell has she done to me, Theo? Grayson put a hand on my shoulder, and I tightened my fist. If it weren’t for the Dragonsteel, I would have throat punched him, or worse.

We need help. Did you call the packs? I asked and my voice didn’t sound like my own. A fire mage was at my side, ready to hit me with some spell if the Dragonsteel didn’t do its job.

Oh, they’ll pay for this, Grayson said. As soon as I find who authorized this.

The fire mage got in my line of sight. Our quarrel isn’t with you. As soon as they’ve finished searching the house, we’ll let you go.

Where are you taking her? I asked.

That’s none of your concern.

If you hurt her, I’ll kill you. Do you understand?

Grayson said nothing. The mage smirked. She knew the things I said, Grayson should have been saying if he were truly Brynna’s mate.

Can you behave? she said. There’s no point trying to go after her. Mrs. Dorran will be safe enough until the tribunal.

What tribunal?

Behind me, two mages came out of the house carrying boxes.

You can’t take that! Grayson said. That’s my property! You have no right!

We have every right, the female mage said. Your mate stands accused of murdering one of our own.

Murder. They had accused Brynna of murder. My thoughts moved so slowly. Diana was murdered. My father. She said he’d betrayed hers and other shifters. It had to be a lie. Now Brynna was in trouble, and I didn’t know how to feel. I wanted to be sick. I had to go to her. I had to see her.

She’s done nothing wrong, I said. Grayson, tell them.

He took a staggering step backward, the impact of the mage’s words finally sinking in. She killed my mother? You think she killed my mother?

Grayson, get a hold of yourself. I told you. You have to get help. Brynna’s still got your mark. You have to get the wolf packs involved. You can’t do this!

We can and we will, the mage said. She had cold, black eyes. If you try to cross us, you’ll end up in a cell just like her.

She gestured to her companions. The three of them piled into the last SUV. I strained against my bindings, but dropped to my knees. Grayson stood there, slack-jawed, incapable of moving, speaking, or thinking. It was as if he were the one in chains.

As the final car pulled away, I felt a rush of air. The Dragonsteel chains fell away. I rocketed to my feet. My first step was unsure, lumbering. But then my strength came flooding back. I shifted into my wolf and ran for the woods. I couldn’t sense Brynna. She was lost to me. I wasn’t even sure which way to go. On instinct, I headed south toward the lake and the closest thing I had to family nearby.

CHAPTER 2

Theo

Hunt. Destroy. Kill.

Rain pelted my back as I tore through miles of woods. She was gone. Brynna was gone. Since Grayson marked her, I couldn’t feel her as much as I could the first day I laid eyes on her. Now, I couldn’t hear her at all. Just cold silence. A void. She was lost to me, surrounded by dark magics.

I don’t remember crossing the property line. I don’t even remember sensing anyone else, so focused I was on trying to feel Brynna. An old gray wolf appeared at the top of the next hill, his eyes glistening as the storm brewed.

It was Adam. He shifted first and called out to me. Come inside!

I bounded across the ravine and up the hill to Adam’s house. When I reached the top, I shifted. Margie always kept a pile of dry clothes at the back door. I slipped into a pair of drawstring pants and a tee shirt. When I stepped through the sliding glass door, I felt fifteen again. An odd blend of pine cleaner and fried food from Margie’s kitchen filled my nostrils.

Towel off or Margie will kill you, Adam said. He was doing the same. I complied and we crossed the living room into the kitchen. Adam and Margie Burnett lived in a modest seventies-style ranch house tucked into these back woods. They could probably afford four times this house but the Burnetts were frugal and believed it was more important to leave something behind for their children rather than spend it on themselves.

Margie came down the long hallway off the kitchen, wiping her hands on a worn flower-patterned apron, and it almost broke me when she threw her arms wide to embrace me. She was both soft and yet made of steel. Her wiry gray hair tickled my chin as she pulled me close.

Theo, she whispered in my ear. You waited too long to come out for a visit. Sit down, hun. Tell me what’s got you looking like that.

Margie and I sat at her oak, three-leaf kitchen table and I drank down a tall glass of iced tea before I could sort out what to say. Adam paced in front of the table, stopping briefly to put his hands on the back of the wooden-slatted chair at the head then wearing a path in the carpet again.

Brynna, I finally started, grateful for the second iced tea Margie had just poured. She’s…in trouble. And she’s not who you think she is.

Margie nodded. She reached across the table and patted my hand. Concern filled her eyes. She sensed there was much more going on than Adam did.

You love her though, don’t you? she asked, her eyes shining and kind.

It’s complicated, I said. It was more than love. Thinking of her now gave me that familiar ache in my chest and points lower down.

Tell us what’s happened, Adam asked.

I nodded. There was so much to explain. I took a breath and tried to start from the beginning.

Brynna’s been trying to get intel to find out what happened to her father. She believes Diana traded him to the fae during the war in exchange for Abraham Padgett.

We’d heard rumors, Margie said. A lot of people had to do a lot of awful things to keep themselves safe during the war.

This isn’t that, I said. This wasn’t some noble choice Diana made. If she was trading shifters to the fae, that makes her a war criminal. Brynna’s father was an alpha named Lucien Wade. He’s from a pack in California. I met Adam’s stare.

"The wolf you asked me to find out about. I told you. He was part of an outlaw biker gang. Rough rogue Alphas, Theo. The kind you don’t mess with.

Yes. Wade is Brynna’s father, I said. She’s been trying to find a way to bring him back.

You’re saying Diana traded this Wade to save Padgett, Adam said. He pressed his thumb and forefinger against the bridge of his nose. So this whole thing is even more complicated than you let on.

I nodded. I had more to tell. So much more. The weight of it pressed against my chest like an anvil. Margie put her hand over mine. Hers were gnarled with arthritis and deep blue veins. I remembered her hands young, kneading bread dough and cooking for me when I was a kid, and my own mother wasn’t there to do it anymore. Margie had stepped in for a lot of things. So had Adam. The weight of my father’s grief was too hard for him to bear. It was just one more thing I’d pushed to the back of my mind when I left Lake Bliss.

And I felt like shit for it as I looked into Margie’s eyes. She had a mother’s love for me, and I’d let years go by without seeing her or without so much as calling her.

I’m glad you’re here now, Theo, she said. As Adam blustered about Abraham Padgett, Margie and I had a different conversation going on and I hadn’t really said a word to her.

Do you love this girl? she asked me again.

My heart shifted like a kaleidoscope. I couldn’t answer her. I felt sick with all the lies I’d told.

She’s been taken by the mages, I said, and the reality of the statement hit me square in the chest. Adam finally pulled his chair out and sat down in it with a thud.

"They showed up at Diana’s this morning and accused her of murdering