Besides, Dawson has been busy trying to hunt the demonic spirit with the other alphas. After it attacked the group of Moonshine wolves who’d cornered us in the forest, the demon dog appeared to be a greater threat than anyone had anticipated.
We need to be prepared for anything.
That’s why I’ve been practicing my magic for five days straight after the night he claimed me. I’ve been more determined than ever to aid in the fight against the demon, thebond formed between Dawson and me somehow giving me the courage and push to do what I need to with my gifts.
Just as I’m about to prepare for another round of practice, a familiar knock on the door signals Alpha Elias’s return from the evening’s hunt for the demon. It’s familiar because it follows a specific pattern, since no one else is allowed inside the magic room under their house.
Aurora had also cast a spell on the room to bind it from being discovered by the demon. Our magic, when wielded, attracts the demon, as if it’s drawn to the powers when they’re in full blast.
That’s probably why that group of Moonshine wolves was discovered by the demon in the forest. The malevolent being had sensed that I was using magic and encountered those wolves instead, deciding to feast on them. A shiver runs down my spine every time I think about that afternoon.
It could easily have been us whom the demon discovered in the forest that day.
Aurora rushes to the door when the familiar knock sounds again, and she embraces Alpha Elias warmly as soon as he comes in.
He chuckles as he leans in to press a kiss to her head, and I’m surprised to see that he’s not alone when Dawson suddenly emerges from behind him.
I instantly sprint toward him, crashing into open arms that wind around me with equal excitement. It’s the first time he’s visited the magic room after his hunt, and he has no idea how much this visit means to me.
“There’ll be a meeting with the council in thirty minutes,” Alpha Elias announces, breaking the embrace between Dawson and me.
The main alpha’s hazel eyes twinkle with recognition as he glances at me with a nod of approval. I glance over at Dawson, who simply smiles, as if silently telling me that Snehvolk’s head Alpha is aware that we sealed the deal of our mate bond.
“You will need to attend as well, Yvonne,” Elias continues. “You are now officially part of the council.”
Dawson takes my hand and squeezes with gentle reassurance. He nods at Alpha Elias, who excuses himself to check on their son.
As Aurora is about to follow her mate out of the room, she turns to me. “Oh, another thing…” Aurora giggles as she nods suggestively to Dawson. “Lose the scarf, okay?”
Chuckling sheepishly, I wait for Aurora and Elias to disappear down the hallway before turning to Dawson, but he’s wearing a glum look, his eyes wary as he takes a deep breath.
“Before we attend the meeting, there’s something I need to tell you,” he begins, holding both my hands tightly. “The demon didn’t stop with attacking the group led by Alpha Owen. It went on to massacre the entire village of Sunrise.”
My eyes fly wide as horror pales my face, the heat seeping from my cheeks as I realize what this means.
If Dawson hadn’t saved us from the Moonshine Pack and brought Gio and me to Girdwood, we would have easily lost our lives in the isolated village far from any form of help.
Dawson’s immediate response is to fold his arms around me, consoling me while the thoughts run through my mind,creating a safe space for me to consider the extent of what this news means.
The Moonshine Pack was full of omega misfits like me and children of Gio’s age. The horror of what happened to them only further drives the determination to make an impact in this fight against the malevolent creature from the legends.
“Come on,” Dawson urges when I’ve calmed down from feeling the weight of the news. “Let’s go get washed up and ready for the meeting.”
Chapter 24 - Dawson
I notice Yvonne heeding Luna Aurora’s advice when she removes the scarf from around her neck and drapes it over the hanger beside the front door before she slips her hand into mine.
We walk hand in hand to the pack den where we’re meeting with the council of alphas and elders to decide our next steps in this battle against the demon. Once we arrive at the den, I show Yvonne to her designated seat, where she’ll be seated for every meeting moving forward.
Some of the elders still appear hostile to her being my mate, but none voice their concerns when Elias announces that once again, our hunt was unsuccessful.
“Perhaps we need to draw the demon dog out with the electronic device,” Thane suggests, and Brooks voices the concerns we all share with a disgruntled sigh.
“We saw what happened the last time. We almost died.”
“Apart from that, the demon is smart, and it knows we might try to lure it to the pack grounds. That’s why it’s avoiding coming here. It knows it’s a trap,” I add.
Alpha Elias nods thoughtfully, his eyes turning to Yvonne. “But what if we made it aware that there was more magic on our grounds?” he wonders out loud. “What if it’s been drawn to Aurora all this time because it wants her powers? It had an opportunity to kill her when she was trapped in the clinic, but it didn’t. It wants her alive. It wants her powers.”
