“Do you have any idea where it came from?” Arianna asks with a frown.
I shake my head slowly and shrug. “I have no idea. It just began creeping up on me in little bits I can barely comprehend. One moment I was fine, the next I was snapping at the people closest to me.” A shiver runs through me as I recall what’s been happening to me these past few days. “The nightmares…the mood swings…it was all because of the dark energy inside me.”
“Do you think it might be linked to the dark lord? He's already sent rogues after our pack,” Tyler reminds us as henarrows his eyes and stares at nothing particular on the rug in my living room. “Perhaps it's linked somehow.”
“I doubt it,” I contemplate as I purse my lips, glancing at Hunter, who stares at me intently. “What I saw when we conducted that ritual to see into Gwen's past showed me that she wasn't working for him, and I haven't had any run-ins of my own. It's not possible.”
“Have you spoken to your mother about this?” Emily asks, peeling herself from the windowsill and coming forward with her arms folded. “She's a witch too, right? Perhaps it's something that's linked to your heritage.”
I shake my head slowly, and Hunter speaks up.
“Delilah doesn't want to get her parents involved.”
“I mean…it would be a good idea to tell my mother. It'd explain why I lashed out at them the other night,” I grimace. “But I know what I felt, and darkness like that doesn't exist within the Golden Tree Sisters coven. Unless we choose it, but I'd never willingly choose to wield dark magic. I'd lose my soul.”
“We believe you, D,” Nicholas chimes in. “But we have to get to the bottom of this. I think I speak for everyone when I say that we're all worried for our packs.”
Sean agrees with a nod. “First, Tyler's pack was targeted, and his son. Now, something happened to you. I don't think it's a coincidence.”
Dominic, who'd been quiet for most of the urgent meeting we called, shifts on the couch and takes a deep breath.
“If the dark lord already attacked Moonshine using the rogues, he’s after anyone linked to the Golden Tree Sisters,” Dominic says as he nods at me. “You know better than anyone about the history between your coven and the dark lord.”
Hunter squeezes my hand reassuringly as I nod in agreement. “Yeah. The dark lord had many creatures in his army when he fought the coven. The war ended when Arianna's grandmother, Azura Badillo, sacrificed herself to cast her light over the dark forces. The warlock behind the war disappeared and was thought to be dead until his name cropped up again.”
“He's definitely still alive…” Arianna whispers. “I felt the darkness when I had the vision. I saw him, but I couldn't see his face. I think it has something to do with what you experienced, D. We need to be very careful.”
Tyler takes his mate's hand, his eyes flicking to her growing belly. It's evident that the tension in the room is heavy after telling our friends about what's been going on, the fear of the unknown hanging in the air like a dark cloud.
“I think it'd be a good idea to check each town's perimeters,” Tyler suggests. “We'll start with Scarborough and tell the patrol officers to be more alert. Since Delilah was targeted, it's a good idea for us to stay here for the night and make sure it's safe.”
Hunter nods, glancing at me before he stands up, still holding my hand. “I'll round up the Shadow Fang men. Arthur can help me.” He turns to Dominic. “Will Cecelia be fine in Nightmist without you for the night?”
Dominic nods as he stands up and joins the other guys at the door. “She has my mother and Donna to watch her, and I'll send my beta a message to be on standby. I think we should all contact our packs and let them secure patrols.”
Sean turns to Emily. “I'll accompany the guys. I'm sure you wanna get home to your sisters, but do you mind staying the night?”
“No, of course not. They'll understand,” Emily assures him, and helps Tyler get Arianna to her feet.
Arianna is exhausted from traveling, since she's growing a pup inside her, and Emily offers to show her to the guesthouse where they'll stay the night.
As the room clears and everyone heads outside, Hunter remains with me, turning to place his hands on my shoulders as he stares deeply into my eyes with genuine concern.
“I'll be back as soon as I can,” he says with a feeble smile that tells me he doesn't really want to leave me alone.
My heart warms at how supportive he's been and how understanding he's been throughout all of this. Seeing him take charge and offer to round up the Shadow Fang patrol officers is also extremely hot, but I can't get carried away when they're dealing with something bigger.
Stepping onto my tiptoes, I reach up and press a soft kiss to Hunter's lips.
“You don't have to worry about me,” I assure him with a heartfelt smile. “I'm fine now. Just be safe out there, okay?”
Hunter returns the smile warmly, lifting my arm, which he hasn't stopped apologizing for, and planting a kiss on the covered wound.
“Okay.” He nods thoughtfully, his eyes glimmering as if he has something on his mind. “I wouldn't usually ask this of you, but would you mind waiting up for me? We need to talk.”
I nod slowly, a frown flitting over my face. “Of course I'll wait,” I say, and Hunter presses a chaste kiss on my lips to defuse any doubts I might have had.
Without the dark energy to cloud my thoughts, I have a feeling that whatever Hunter wants to talk about is good. Whenhe leaves, I head over to the guesthouse next to my parents’ mansion to check up on Arianna and Emily. Once they're settled in, I return to my cottage to wait for Hunter, but soon find myself becoming restless.
