Darkness. It's everyone's biggest fear. Nobody knows what can come out in the dark, nor what could happen.

Death. It's everyone's biggest fear. Nobody knows what happens afterwards, and nobody wants to.

And yet, we can't escape either.

MARINA'S POV

"S-spirit?" Dina asked in complete confusion, I wiped my tears frantically with my shaky hands before nodding, hiccups causing my body to slightly bounce every now and then.

Elijah glared at the door across from us with bloodshot eyes and cheeks that still had fresh tears trailing down them — I bit my trembling bottom lip roughly to hold back heartbroken sobs.

"I'll kill you! I'll kill anyone that tries to stop me from saving my princess! Trust me you-you devil, I will find a way to save her!" The King's authoritative voice shook the whole house, his words made my body freeze; I could hear the threat behind them — we all could.

"Why doesn't the King allow you to just get a glimpse of Celine? I mean I know she died, but her body is alive, and that would do well to lighten your hearts." Dina asked softly, hoping not to offend either of us with her words — Elijah growled lowly before turning to face us, his eyes darkening due to the presence of his offended wolf.

"That is not Celine and I do not want to look into the eyes of the devil, and feel like a complete idiot who just watched the spirit take her body." Elijah spat out, his words cold and unapologetic, making Dina gulp before lowering her flustered head, I sniffed while nodding.

He's right. That devil isn't Celine, and seeing someone that isn't her wouldn't do us any justice because I want my friend back; not some damn spirit that possessed her.

"I-I'm sorry." Dina whispered apologetically, sighing when she realized her wrong; I wiped at another stray tear as I listened to the interaction that the King had with the devil intensely.

"You can try anything you want to kill me. But, you won't get far. You killed your very own uncle, so whose next? Your own daughter? Come on Richard, you're just a pathetic excuse of a King and a father, now stop making empty threats and let me go about my night" her words were emotionless and taunting as she spoke back, the King must've felt as offended as I thought he did because the growl he let out made the walls of our room shake.

"We need to do something." Elijah grit out, the sound of his hoarse voice from all the crying he did made my stomach drop; I sighed lowly while hiding my face in between my palms.

"We can't do anything. The King didn't even allow me to be in the same room as them. That spirit is dangerous Elijah." I explained, my lips smudging against my palms as I spoke; but I hoped Elijah could understand me.

"I don't care about the danger I'll face. I don't care if anything happens to me! I care about my friend, about an innocent soul! I care about saving Celine!" He yelled out angrily making my head fly out of my palms to look at him; he stood on his two feet with his shoulders squared, his eyes pitch black.

"E-Elijah calm down." Dina whispered nervously, she shook beside me and I pitied her — I couldn't do anything but watch his Mate struggle to calm him down; my heart churned at the sight.

"Enough of this! Elijah calm your wolf, block him like I blocked mine! You can't let your wolf control you at a time like this! We need to be alert for anything!" I ordered sternly, wiping pathetically at the tears that still swam down my cheeks — almost like a never ending fountain.

"I am alert! I'm perfectly fine! And in order to be alert we need to be out there, not in here; hiding like a couple of weaklings!" He stated in frustration, his hands running through his thick hair making me groan inwardly — he was right, but what could I do?

We weren't allowed to see the spirit, the King didn't allow us inside the room — we didn't have anything else to do.

"Did the Queen come as well?" Dina suddenly asked making my brows furrow; Elijah's ears perked up and he looked at me expectingly, I shrugged while thinking.

I saw Axel and the King, but I didn't see her. I tried to listen to every room carefully, but I didn't hear her. I stood up from the bed on shaky legs and closed my eyes, power surged in my body from the tip of my toes as I listened more intensely.

And then I heard it. The motherly anguish; the heartbreak and the pain. The loud, helpless cries, and they sent me running out of the room and standing before her in a second.

"M-my Queen." I called out to her, she was on all fours — her forehead resting on the grass with her hands on either side of her head with her back painfully bent; this position looked like it hurt her slightly rounded belly, but she was too far gone to care.

I could hear her sob and mutter under her breath, her whole body shook; she looked, the way she felt and it made me break down above her.

"P-please my Queen — stand up, it's not good for the baby." I begged her, for some reason I wanted to be nicer to Celine's family; they were a big part of her, and I respect them. She growled lowly, her authority shook the trees behind her, the gray sky rumbled making me look up — it was a hundred percent going to rain.

"P-please." I begged once more, hoping that she would at least straighten out her back; I cried into the palm of my hand, struggling myself to stay up on my own two feet — her shoulders twitched with each heartbreaking cry.

"Leave me be! Leave me be!" She ordered weakly, slamming her frail fists into the grass and rocking her body back and forth, I sobbed out; not knowing whether I should help her or leave her.

"You can't be out alone, you need to be inside. F-for Celine." Her name felt foreign on my tongue and more tears swam out of my eyes; the Queens body completely froze and my glossy eyes widened in worry.

"Q-queen?" I asked breathlessly, she sniffed while pushing her body up — her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, her forehead creased and her cheeks coated in dry tears.

"Don't you ever mention my child's name ever again!" She demanded angrily, her eyes narrowing and the evident darkness that swirled in her orbs were enough to realize that her wolf was trying to surface; I shook while shaking my head in confusion.

"W-what do you—why?" I sputtered, my cheeks flushed and wet, my eyes blurry from the tears that forced their way out — she curled her lips upwards in disgust while sitting up.

"Why? Oh you poor wolf, what I'm going to do you your pack. What I am going to do to your psychotic  brother!" She yelled out, her knees were buckling but her power and will held her upwards — her words made me flinch in betrayal but I hung my head in embarrassment; I deserved this.

"I-I'm sorry." I whispered breathlessly, my shoulders shook with every beat my heart skipped in pain and my lungs felt as if they were on fire, and it burned immensely.

"I don't want your damn apologies! They can not bring my daughter back to me! My child, I just got her back, and your brother took her away from me again! Do-do you know what it is like to lose your own child — twice? It hurts, it hurts so damn much. But the pain that I shall bring to your brother, will hurt much more — he should start counting his days." Her words send little stabs into my heart, and I took them all — Dustin deserved all the punishment he will get.

But I couldn't handle the loss and the pain, my body wasn't strong enough to handle all that I have experienced; so I just stood there lamely while nodding, my head hanging as tears fell out of my eyes.

Rain started drizzling above us and I no longer heard what else the Queen was telling me; I could just hear and see Celine; she was imprinted in my mind, and it tormented me.

All I was able to slightly understand through all this mourning is that all hell is going to break loose and soon.