Chapter: twenty-three

Aylin was a whirlwind of emotions as she watched Daemon dismiss his pack members. They were reluctant to leave, but they knew Daemon was a man of his word.

That was just how he was. A part of her wanted to plead with him to go, to never look back. But another part of her was relieved he was there.

Not because she feared he might get hurt, but because she knew he needed to prove his worth to himself to be a good leader.

With a sigh, she retreated indoors. A strange sensation was stirring in her gut, a primal instinct warning her of something on the horizon. The air felt dense, the tension palpable.

A sense of dread gnawed at her heart, and she was at a loss for what to do. She kept weighing her options, each one more daunting than the last.

A thought crossed her mind that could potentially be the best solution but would cause the most harm. What if she surrendered herself to the demon? Would he leave her pack alone then?

It was a fleeting thought she had entertained, but she knew Ezekiel would instantly reject it if he found out. Besides, there was no way to predict what might happen to her.

The moment Ezekiel discovered what she had done, there would be no stopping him. Too many lives would be lost. The risk was too great.

“What’s got you so deep in thought?”

Startled, she clutched her chest. “You scared me, Quill.”

“You were just staring out into the forest. What’s on your mind?”

“I’m, uh, I’m not thinking about anything,” she lied.

Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, he glared at her. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re a terrible liar?”

Unable to withstand his intense gaze, she caved. “Okay, okay! I’m just worried about what’s going to happen. We don’t know where the demon is, and we have no idea what he’s planning. It’s nerve-wracking.”

“While I agree with you, that’s not what you were thinking about.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake! Fine! Yes, I was thinking about doing something stupid. Happy now?”

“Did you hear that?” he asked, glancing over his shoulder.

A wave of horror washed over Aylin as she realized she had walked right into his trap. “You didn’t, Quill?”

The one person she was trying to keep in the dark about her plans rounded the corner, looking furious.

“Oh, he did.” Ezekiel’s eyes narrowed at her.

“Damn it,” she muttered under her breath.

“Come with me,” the king ordered.

As she followed him, Aylin couldn’t help but worry that he was going to take out all his anger on her.

She could tell he was just as frustrated with the situation, but he seemed to be keeping his emotions in check.

However, judging by his clenched fists, she had a feeling the king was on the verge of a breakdown.

Once they were in the office, Ezekiel slammed the door behind them. Despite his best efforts to control his anger, it was a losing battle.

All he could think about was Aylin walking into the woods, never to return, leaving a gaping hole where his heart had started to beat again.

He envisioned his world crumbling, leading to the downfall of the pack.

He spun around quickly, and Aylin instinctively raised her hands. “Now, before you say anything, they were just thoughts. I obviously hadn’t acted on them yet—”

“Yet?”

Realizing her slip-up, Aylin knew she couldn’t backtrack fast enough before the king punched a hole in the stone wall.

Startled, Aylin quickly covered her face and turned away to avoid any debris.

“So, if I understand correctly, you were planning on doing something?”

Still reeling from his outburst, Aylin remained silent.

“Answer me!”

“Maybe if you calmed down, you’d listen to me.”

Seeing his anger only intensify, she tried a different approach. “I’m sorry, Zeke. I just… I don’t know what to do anymore.

“I thought maybe if I did this, our pack would be spared.”

His expression softened ever so slightly as he asked a question she hadn’t considered. “And what do you think would happen to this pack without its queen? Without half of the leadership that keeps it thriving?

“Did you ever stop to think about what would happen to me if you disappeared? Hmm, did you even consider that?”

Taken aback, Aylin realized how selfish she had been. She hadn’t considered the full implications of her actions.

She moved past him and collapsed onto the black leather couch, burying her face in her hands.

Her shoulders shook, and Ezekiel saw small droplets of tears hitting the floor. He sat down next to her and sighed. “I just want this to be over! I can’t take it anymore!”

Seeing his mate break down, Ezekiel pulled her into his lap. “I know. I don’t like it either. But we can’t make rash decisions.

“It’s okay to be frustrated. I am too. But right now, we need to think things through calmly and rationally.”

“Okay,” she hiccuped.

***

Elsewhere in the castle, Ophelia was under the watchful eye of the warriors. Everyone had been strictly instructed not to interact with or approach the prisoner.

Sitting on the cold stone floor, Ophelia surveyed her surroundings. They were a far cry from what she was accustomed to, but it didn’t matter.

In her mind, she had done the right thing by punishing the person who had taken everything from her. Everything was going according to plan until she stumbled upon this place.

Ophelia knew the stories, and the former luna had hoped that if Aylin ever ventured this far north, she would be eliminated.

She certainly hadn’t expected her to be accepted into this pack and made queen. That was a slight oversight on her part.

Reflecting on her past, she wondered how she ended up here. Where did it all go wrong?

***

~Standing by her parents’ graves, the young girl let a tear slip, falling onto the grass at her feet. ~

~She was alone among the others who were also mourning their losses. But her focus was solely on the graves in front of her. Derek and Patricia Wilson.~

~A gentle breeze was blowing, causing her hair to flutter around her face. Tears clung to her cheeks, and Ophelia fought to hold back her sobs as her vision blurred.~

~“Ophelia,” a voice echoed in the wind.~

~She looked around, startled. There was no one else around. No other scents, no other people. She shook off the feeling, attributing it to her grief-stricken mind.~

~“Ophelia,” the voice echoed again.~

~She looked around frantically once more. Still, there were no signs of anyone else. Fear began to creep in, and she started to walk back towards her home.~

~The wind had picked up a bit, causing her hair to obscure her vision.~

~As she walked along the path in the woods, a figure suddenly appeared before her. She froze in place, pushing her hair away from her face to get a better look.~

~When she looked back to where the figure had been, it was gone.~

~Terrified, she started to run home, only to trip over a tree branch. She hit the ground hard and rolled onto her back.~

~Her head throbbed, making her feel dizzy. A part of her wondered if she was going to die.~

~She sat up and rubbed her head, groaning in pain.~

“Not the most graceful, are you?”

“Trembling with fear, she dared to look up at the source of the voice. ‘W-who are you?’”

“‘That’s your first question,’ he mocked. ‘How dull.’ He crouched down in front of her, picking a piece of dirt out of her hair. ‘Well, if you must know, I suppose I can tell you.’ ”

“He stood up, stretching his arms out and bowing politely. ‘I am Zagan, Higher Demon Master of this plane.’”

~The word demon was enough to make her leap to her feet and run away from him as fast as she could. Behind her, she heard a chilling laugh.~

“‘You think you can run from me, little girl?’”

~She made it home, slamming the door shut and locking it. She ran to all the windows, making sure they were locked too.~

~Ophelia pulled down the shades, taking a quick peek outside to make sure she wasn’t followed.~

~She sat down in the living room, clutching a pillow. She buried her face into it and started to laugh.~

~The idea of a demon just appearing out of nowhere, especially in the woods near a cemetery, seemed too absurd.~

~“Locked doors don’t work on me, sweetheart.”~

~She looked up slightly, her eyes catching sight of slender legs clad in black jeans. She wasn’t sure if she was dreaming.~

~When she lifted her head, their eyes met. He was striking: black hair that fell just below his ears, deep-blue eyes, a defined jaw, and a perfect nose.~

~The only flaw with this creature was that he was a demon.~

~Panicking, she jumped over the back of the couch. She pointed at him shakily, but he remained still. “Wh-what do you want?”~

~“Now, that’s the question I was waiting for.”~

~She was baffled by everything this creature was doing. It seemed like everything was a joke to him.~

~“But, to be more precise, it’s what can we do for each other?”~

~“What?” Ophelia was growing more confused by the minute.~

~After taking a seat on the chair facing her, Zagan began his explanation. “You’ve recently suffered a loss, correct?”~

~She nodded, dropping her head.~

~“What if I told you there was one specific person who was responsible for the death of your parents and all those lost in the fight?”~

~Intrigued, she lifted her head, narrowing her eyes.~

~“Before I can tell you who it is, we need to make a deal.”~

~“What kind of deal?”~

~“The kind of deal that will ruin this person’s life and get me what I want.”~

~“Which is?”~

~“The same thing you want, dear. Simple, old-fashioned revenge.”~

~After considering for a moment, Ophelia understood what this deal would mean for her in the pack. But she had nothing left to lose.~

~The two people who meant the world to her were gone, and she was left alone. “Fine, I’ll help you.”~

~He clapped his hands excitedly and stood up. “Excellent, my dear. Would you like to know who’s to blame?”~

“Tell me.”

“Aylin Turner.”

Her eyes widened in disbelief. None of it made sense. “Why her? Her father was the strongest warrior in the pack. Her mother was the best nurse. That doesn’t make sense.”

“Ah, ah! Secrets. The less you know, the better.” He twirled her hair around his fingers. “Would you like to know what I want you to do for me?”

She nodded.

“When she comes of age, she will be the mate to the alpha of this pack. Your task is simple, prevent that from happening.

“I don’t care how. Drive her out into the cold, and then I can take what’s mine.”

“I think I can handle that.” She smirked.

“Good girl.” He smiled. “I’ll check on you every so often.”

As promised, over the years, the demon would check on her progress. The final time he came was several days after Aylin had disappeared from the pack.

Unable to meet in her new home, Ophelia took a stroll into the woods, far enough out so no one would see her.

He was standing with his back turned, admiring the green foliage.

“Hello, Master,” she said.

Hearing his servant’s voice, he turned. “Hello, sweetheart. You have news?”

“She’s vanished. I’m now the luna of the Dark Moon Pack. No one knows where she’s at.”

Zagan gently brushed her cheek, a smile on his face. “Good girl.”

“Daemon wanted to go after her, but I talked him out of it. She’s not worth it. She’s weak.”

“You’ve done well. Which direction did she take?”

“North.”

Zagan tapped his chin, his gaze distant. “Hmm, that might be an issue.”

She felt a surge of anxiety, her hands starting to tremble. “Why?! I did what you asked. I got rid of her. Now everything is mine. The pack, the alpha, all of it.”

“Calm down, my little flower. You’re right. But I still need her. And if she keeps heading north, she won’t last much longer.”

Ophelia pondered for a moment. “The Royal Outland Silver Blood Pack is up north.”

~“Exactly. I need to find her before the Rogue King does. Either way, it’s not going to be pretty.” He patted her head and began to walk away.~

~“What now?” she called after him.~

He turned back, shrugging. “You’ve done your part. Our time together is over.”

“But what if I need you?!”

~“I’ll always be there for you, don’t worry.” With a snap of his fingers, he disappeared.~

***

Voices drifted from outside the room, reaching Ophelia’s ears.

“I’m sorry, Alpha. We can’t let you in there.”

“I talked to the king. He gave me permission.”

She could smell the lie that tainted his words.

“Very well.”

The door swung open, and Ophelia caught sight of the man who once loved her. She put on a show of looking downcast and sorrowful, hoping to tug at his heartstrings. “Help me, Daemon.”