Chapter Thirty Eight
Damon’s POV
The door to the room clicked shut behind Callie’s retreating figure. Eve was in Damien’s arms, her face pressed against his chest. Her breathing was uneven, and though she’d softened under his touch, I could see that she was still pissed about something
I stepped closer, clearing my throat to draw their attention. Both their heads turned toward me, Eve’s sharp and accusing, Damien’s calm but in askance.
“We need to talk,” I said.
Damien arched a brow. “About?”
“The Council,” I replied, folding my arms across my chest. “There’s a meeting tomorrow. Gregory requested our presence, and specifically demanded that Eve attend as well.”
Eve’s shoulders stiffened, and she pulled away from Damien, her eyes narrowing. “What does the Council want with me?”
“They’ve made it clear they want answers,” I said. “Questions about your powers, your lineage, and what your presence means for the Lycans.”
“Questions indeed,” Eve scoffed, rolling her eyes. “They mean control. They don’t like what they can’t manipulate.”
“Exactly,” I agreed. “And that’s why we need to prepare. This meeting won’t be a simple discussion. They’ll come at us with everything they’ve got.”
Damien frowned. “Why even let them question her? We’re Alpha Kings. We don’t answer to them.”
“That’s precisely why we have to go,” I countered. “If we refuse, it’ll look like we’re hiding something, they’ll use it to turn the packs against us and Eve.”
“Fine,” she said after a long pause. “I’ll go. But I won’t sit quietly while they throw baseless accusations at me.”
Damien smiled, giving Eve a pert little kiss, and hitting her lightly in the ass. “That’s the Eve I know.”
Eve rolled her eyes, but I could see the faintest hint of a smile tugging at her lips. I was getting jealous at all the attention Damien was receiving from Eve. Yes, she was our mate, but right now, I felt like an outsider.
I nodded, “Then it’s settled. We leave at first light.”
Eve gave a curt nod before turning on her heel and heading for the stairs.
“She’s stronger now,” Damien said, his voice low.
“She’ll have to be,” I replied. “The Council isn’t just going to question her. They’re going to test her.”
Damien’s jaw tightened. “Should they cross the line…”
“They won’t get the chance,” I interrupted, “We’ll be there, and we’ll make sure they remember exactly who they’re dealing with. Eve isn’t alone in this.”
The morning came faster than I expected. As the sun rose, casting its golden light across the pack lands, we prepared for what was to come. Eve joined us outside, dressed in a simple outfit that showed her gorgeous curves.
She met my gaze, her expression unreadable. “Ready?”
I nodded. “Always.”
The journey to the Council chamber was quiet. Eve sat between Damien and me in the car, her hands resting on his lap, rubbing his hard cock, and her eyes staring out the window as the scenery passed by.
When we arrived, the ancient stone building loomed before us.
The Council elders were already seated at their massive stone table, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. Gregory, their leader, sat at the head, his silver hair gleaming under the chamber’s dim light.
“Alpha Kings,” he greeted, his tone formal. “And Eve.”
Eve didn’t flinch under his gaze. Instead, she tilted her chin up, “Let’s not waste time, Gregory. What do you want?”
The elders exchanged murmurs, Gregory raised a hand to silence them, his cold eyes narrowing.
“We convened this meeting to address the concerns of the packs,” he said. “Your arrival has sparked questions, about your powers, your lineage, and the potential threat you pose to our kind.”
“Also, your presence has coincided with an increase in rogue attacks and unrest,” Gregory countered. “The packs are uneasy, and we cannot ignore the possibility that your powers are the cause.”
“That’s enough,” I said, stepping forward. “Eve’s powers are a gift, not a curse.”
Gregory leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. “Bold words,” he said finally. “But words alone won’t be enough to prove her loyalty to our kind.”
Eve’s patience snapped. In a blur of motion, she turned toward me, her hands gripping the front of my shirt. Before I could react, she slammed me against the wall with a force that left the entire chamber silent.
Her eyes burned with a fiery intensity, her voice low and dangerous. “I don’t need to prove anything to anyone. My loyalty isn’t blind, and if anyone questions it again, they’ll regret it.”
The room felt too small to contain the energy radiating from her. My hands found her waist, steadying her as I met her gaze.
“Eve,” I murmured, my voice rough. “Not here.”
She blinked, her grip loosening as she realized what she’d done.
Before anyone could speak, the door burst open, and a messenger stumbled inside, his face pale and his breathing ragged.
“Alphas!” he gasped. “There’s been an attack—on the eastern border. Rogues and… something else.”
Eve released me, stepping back as the room erupted into chaos.
“Looks like this conversation will have to wait,” she said, “There’s work to do.”
Gregory’s frown deepened, but he didn’t argue. The immediate threat took precedence over everything else.
As we left the chamber, I glanced at Eve, wondering why she had come at me in the room just now. Thatwould have to wait till later.
Damien caught up to her, falling into step beside her. “Eve,” he said, his voice low but urgent, “if this attack is as bad as the messenger said, we’ll need you at full strength, can you control the power now?”
Eve didn’t slow down. “I’m ready. I won’t stand on the sidelines while my people bleed.”
Her people. The words lingered in the air, heavier than any title or claim. For someone who’d been cast out of her pack, rejected and dismissed, Eve had made this fight her own.
Another messenger approached, his face flushed with urgency. “Alphas,” he stammered, bowing slightly. “The situation is worse than we thought. It’s not just rogues, there are witches among them.”
Witches. My jaw tightened. This wasn’t a coincidence. Rogues alone were dangerous enough, but witches? Their involvement screamed a deeper threat to the pack.
Eve stopped abruptly, her gaze snapping to the messenger. “Witches?” she repeated, her voice sharp.
“Yes, Luna,” he replied, his head bowed. “They’ve cast a barrier around the eastern border. None of our warriors can breach it.”
My stomach sank. Barriers meant dark magic, the kind that could cripple even the strongest packs.
“We’ll handle it,” I said firmly, stepping forward. “Damien, assemble the warriors.”
Damien frowned, his protective instincts flaring. “Eve you should leave.”
“Eve’s fiery gaze landed on Damien. “I’m not a fragile flower, Damien. If witches are involved, my powers might be the only thing that can counter theirs.”
Damien hesitated, his jaw tightening. But he knew as well as I did that she was right. “Fine,” he muttered. “But don’t take unnecessary risks.”
Eve smirked. “I’ll leave the reckless heroics to you.”
Her light jab eased some of the tension, and Damien’s lips twitched in a smile.
The eastern border was a warzone. Warriors clashed with rogues in a chaotic dance of survival. In the distance, a shimmering, translucent wall of dark energy crackled, proof of the witches’ handiwork.
Eve and I stepped out of the vehicle, surveying the battlefield. Her hands clenched into fists, and I could feel the heat of her power surging just beneath the surface.
“There,” I said, pointing toward the barrier. “That’s our target.”
She nodded, her eyes narrowing as she focused
We moved swiftly, weaving through the fray. Rogues lunged at us, their snarls guttural and wild, but they were no match for us. I tore through them with practiced precision, my claws slicing through flesh and bone. Beside me, Eve was a whirlwind of fury, her movements fluid and lethal. She didn’t hesitate, didn’t falter. This was her battlefield as much as it was mine.
As we reached the barrier, the air grew heavier, charged with evil energy. The witches stood on the other side, they chanted in unison, their voices rising and falling in a haunting rhythm.
Eve stepped forward, her palms glowing with an ethereal light. “Let’s see how they like a taste of their own medicine,” she muttered.
She raised her hands, and a pulse of energy shot toward the barrier. It collided with the dark magic, creating a deafening crackle and a burst of light. The witches faltered, their chanting breaking for a moment.
I took advantage of their distraction, slamming my fists against the barrier. The combined force of my strength and Eve’s power sent a ripple through the magic, but it held firm.
“They’re drawing from something,” Eve said, her voice strained. “A source of power. If we can disrupt it—”
Her words were cut off as a figure emerged from the shadows. It was a witch, taller and more imposing than the others, her eyes glowing an unnatural green. She held a staff etched with ancient runes, and the air around her seemed to hum with dark energy.
“Well, well,” she said, her voice dripping with mockery. “The Alpha Kings and their precious Luna. Just the person we've been waiting for.”
Eve didn’t hesitate. “If you’re so eager to die, step closer.”
The witch laughed, a cold, hollow sound. “Bold words for a half-blooded pup. Do you even know what you’re capable of? Or are you still playing pretend?”
Eve’s power flared, and I could feel the heat radiating from her. “Keep talking,” she said, her voice dangerous. “It’ll make it easier to shut you up.”
The witch’s smirk faded, replaced by a sneer. She raised her staff, and the ground beneath us trembled. Shadows coiled around her, taking shape as monstrous forms with glowing eyes and razor-sharp claws.
The shadow creatures lunged at us, their claws slicing through the air. I tore through them with brute force, while Eve unleashed waves of energy that shattered their forms. The witch retaliated, hurling bolts of dark magic that scorched the ground around us.
Eve was relentless, but I could see the strain in her eyes, the toll her powers were taking on her.
As the witch prepared another attack, I lunged at her, slamming into her with all my strength. Her staff clattered to the ground, and for a moment, the barrier flickered. Eve seized the opportunity, by unleashing a burst of her energy.
The barrier shattered, its pieces dissolving into the air like smoke. The witch let out a piercing scream before collapsing to the ground, her form disintegrating into ash.
The battlefield fell silent. The rogues, without the witches’ magic to guide them, began to retreat. Our warriors let out triumphant howls.
Eve swayed on her
feet, her breathing ragged. I caught her before she could fall, her body trembling against mine.
“You did it,” I said, my voice filled with pride and relief.