Raven had always loved escaping to sleep. The one place she could control everything, no one could defy her. It’s her one secret. Her one strength.However, when the Dream Realm suffered damage, it became harder. Not impossible, just harder. She’d kept it a secret from everyone. Knowing her abilities could have caused chaos and threatened her demise. One time, Raven mentioned it as a child, and they labeled her as a liar, punishing her. Beaten for saying anything. That memory stayed fresh in her mind, as if it had happened yesterday. Now she lay there pretending to sleep, listening to Dominic speak to another Alpha about nightmares and the Dream Realm. Raven tried not to shiver. She understood their appearance. They could change forms when they wanted or needed to. They could change forms to fit the task they’re sent to do or what they were hunting. In the wild hunts, they were nightmarish horses created to carry their masters, strike fear, dish out death and d
“Alpha, we have a problem that needs your immediate attention. Lyon is following Luna Jones. However, a sudden panic compelled her to venture into the woods alone. He has his phone with him. Lyon says you can track his phone.” Riley stood there before him. His face was white, and a look of panic replaced their usual calm. Dom stood up and his seat fell back. He forgot about the video call he was on. “Alpha, go ahead, I’ll deal with this.” Paul said. “I’m sure everyone would understand when their mate is in distress how it is.” Paul gazed at the wolves on the screen while lifting the chair. Male wolves would do anything to keep their mate from distress. Because a distressed Luna could cause problems within a Pack. No one wanted a distressed Pack ever. “Is everything alright?” An Alpha on the screen inquired with a thoughtless ease. They were certain that this problem was significant. “No, and yes. She’s safe inside Pack territory. We’ve
“The call?” “Yeah. Oh boy. Okay. Keep your voice down. Avoid excessive activities in the Dream Realm, if possible. It’s a secret, okay. Keep this between us, here or there. You’re a Dreamer like me. We’re almost ready to go back online, shall we say. We’re the first to have access but it’s not safe. If the wrong people find you. Well, you could find your life cut short. So, say nothing. Anyway, I caught a little of your life. Sweet mate you got. Give him a break. He screwed up and wants to fix it. Don’t ask how I know. It’s just a sick skill. But he wants to fix things. What you’re seeing now, that’s the real him. Happened because of a jerk elder.” “Which one? Can I talk to them?” Raven asked. She didn’t know why she trusted this Jade, but she felt she could. Sharing a secret created a bond of trust between them. It made a weird type of sense. “Mitchell or Martin, I think.” Elder Martin was absent, but Elder Mitchell was present. Raven n
Dominic, I can't tell you much because I lack information. Raven said. Shed wanted to tell him everything. Screw it. She would. She had to trust someone, didn’t she? Jade said she had to trust him. In for a penny. In for a pound. Wasn’t that the saying? She grew tired of constant fear. Raven was sick of being alone. She wanted someone on her side for a change. “No one has all the information Raven. That’s the problem. Do the Gods possess complete information or are they working with fragments? Because nothing every seems to have a nice, neat bow and there’s no master book with every explained in extreme detail. So, you’re saying you can screw with the Dream Realm on a scale that scares the crap out of the Gods themselves. Is that what you’re telling me?” Dominic asked. He was trying to keep up with everything Raven was saying to him. Her speech seemed condescending, as if explaining adult matters to a child. He was getting adult facts from the innocent viewpoin
No one comprehended the peculiarity of being a dreamer. There’re levels and layers. You could be awake and asleep. Or asleep and awake. It confused the brain about which reality you were in. There’re so many. She could count at least four she was aware of. Consciousness, the Dream Realm, unconsciousness, and then you have one where it’s a tossup between the three. The fourth one can be troublesome since it can lead to inappropriate actions or words. Or the opposite. Either way, there’re regrets are there. Raven remembered saying things to Dominic and the promises she made to him. But he couldn’t keep any promises to her. She was unsure of the outcome.Dominic took Raven to the Pack house. He had met the Pack. There, he mentioned nothing of what they spoke of. His words referred to the past before she departed. Many wolves appeared perplexed as their Alpha explained her different perception of the videos.The wolves who’d raised Raven had corrupted her views of
At least, now he understood why his father let a Luna from another Pack mess around with a wolf from his Pack in his territory. Blackmail must have occurred. That didn’t matter. Dominic wondered if his father knew what a Dreamer was. He hunted the study and office for any documentation or notes on Dreamers. Dominic found nothing. His father’s journals came up with nothing, and it took him days to get through it all. It didn’t help that he had interruptions from everything else going on.Among the businesses he had been neglecting. To the punishments he’d overseen for the wolves who’d done grievous things, knowing he’d never accept those actions within his pack. It took him longer to turn up nothing. He felt lost and unsure of his next move. Did he ask about Dreamer from Gregory? Or did he try to get access to a mage library? Or speak with an Oracle? They all seemed risky. Raven needed to know her true nature and what awaited her. What if this female lied to her? Raven woul
Dominic’s obsession with understanding Dreamers led him to ask around. Because he didn’t like the way I explained it to him. But I don’t want him asking too many questions. Dominic could ask the wrong questions of the wrong people. The wrong people could notice. Raven was in a panic. She didn’t dare tell anyone, and Jade hadn’t contacted her in this realm. So, what did she do? How did she handle this? Did she dare to express her anger with him? Raven still wasn’t sure how he’d respond to her anger if she showed it. “Raven, are you okay?” Dominic asked. He entered the room. Dominic came to an abrupt stop. He watched her as she stared out a window as she shifted and muttered to herself. Dominic didn’t enjoy seeing that. To him, it alarmed him. What disturbed her so much? Raven must have seen something that she’d not told him about. That pushed his anger up a couple of notches, because of his concern for her. Dominic had just claimed her. He didn’t wan
He’s trying to take control of something he’s got no control of. But is he right? Could he do something she didn’t? Could she see or access something she shouldn’t? Of course he did. Having held the position for an extended period, he’s an alpha. No one noticed her before this. But would it be enough? They’d be running an enormous risk with the Pack. Did they dare to do that? Should we keep the Pack uninformed about their surroundings? What did they dare disclose to them? “I swear my head feels like it will explode from all the questions I have and the lack of answers. How do I live with myself if something happens?” “What if it doesn’t happen? But you leave here, and something happens to you? How will they feel about that?” Dominic asked her. Raven frowned at him in confusion. “Dominic, if anyone mentioned it beyond reporting it or as a random piece of gossip that ends within hours. I doubt anyone would feel must of anything
Raven had gone to the meeting with Dominic and they’d discussed the situation along with as many of the complications as they could predict. Gregory had expressed his appreciation that they’d brought this idea to him before they had put anything into play. It meant he and the Council of Alphas could make plans to counteract any negative fallout.She had to admit she wasn’t sure if they’d be welcome to bring their Pack into the Dream Realm. Or if they would leave this realm entirely. It’s too early to know how they would proceed with this plan.The Dreamers had spread out and had begun to use their training. Stabilizing the timelines, dealing with the more aggressive shadow creatures, and learning about the abandoned things within their area. They had to record everything and the state it was in. With their contact with the mages it wasn’t difficult to reach out to other species who possessed magic. Much of the lost magical items were responding to one kind of magic or another.
“Brigid says she’ll be in touch soon with scheduling so we can have a rotation of sorts. That way we can have a consistent rebuilding going on inside the Dream Realm. So, how are we going to run this place around all that? I don’t even know what anyone thinks about all of this because no one’s dared to speak to me. It’s like they think I’ll unmake them or something.” Raven said to Dominic as she returned from the Dream Realm where she’d had a meeting with Brigid and the other Dreamers. Dominic had seen the changes in her and the Pack. He’d said nothing to anyone about his idea of taking the Pack into the Dream Realm and becoming part of the enforcement powers there. He could see their Pack as a foundation of a future power.He wanted to support Raven the best way possible and he didn’t think he could do it from here.“Raven, love. Everyone is in shock because nothing is how they thought it was. They’re trying to figure out where they and you now rest in the world. People have
“Dominic, don’t worry about it. I know you don’t have to explain to me. When you disconnect your call with me I received a message from someone that explained what was happening.” Lily said as soon as they returned and she made them sit down to eat a meal.“Then can you explain it to us?” Dominic practically begged Lily to explain what they had witnessed even though she hadn’t been there to witness So, he wouldn’t stop the stow for anything and allow her to explain what she’d pieced together through some of her very odd channels, not that any of this was straight forward.“Please tell me she isn’t doing the biggest mistake of all time.” Raven stepped in now and she was practically begging to know that they weren’t letting her do something foolish. It was something they’d all been questioning since Brigid first said she was going to investigate the situation and she didn’t want anyone else going with her, because she didn’t like the idea of the risk. She had Het’ Tur and she didn’
“Does this mean that the danger is over?” Raven asked Brigid as she looked over the woman’s shoulder to see the males in the golden armor.“My family is gone and they won’t be offering the Dream Realm to the Fae again as a travel hub. But there’s still other dangers that they and the Fae abandoned in my realm without my permission. Then there’s the instabilities within it created by their interference and war of Dreamers. Add in now I have the dimension version of surprise boarders complicating all of this.” Brigid glared at the male standing in the golden armor watching her explain this to them.He stood with his guards in eire silence. They hadn’t drawn a single weapon or removed a piece of armor including helmets.“You have got to be kidding. How exactly are they dead? Did he say how he killed them? I mean if he killed your father. How is he alive? Why was he in the prison and not on the throne?” Heather didn’t sound like she bought the story he’d given Brigid.Brigid blink
“What about my brothers? Or brother? What ideas do you have to deal with them?” Brigid didn’t blink, but her tone was her reminding him of the situation she faced rather then asking him for help with a solution.“When I got through with him. He knew I was your mate, but he couldn’t do anything about it and he’d not be the one to sit on your father’s throne.” Het’ Tur said. He was smiling and trying not to laugh. He’d been angry with the brothers. They’d been so focused with their plans and emotions. This was why her brother was going to kill her. She was alive to work for him, but when she escaped he acted like like she’d betrayed him. Or she’d tried to kill him. Het’ Tur knew Brigid had never done anything to betray or hurt any of her relatives.“Het’ Tur, how did he ever learn about where you were or that you were my Fated mate?” Brigid didn’t understand how her brothers would have discovered him among the masses. Or that he was connected to her. That’s what she was asking, but
“That? Is your reaction Lady Brigadetta?” Het’ Tur asked as he crossed his arms over his chest. Brigid winced at the name he used to her question before she looked at him in disbelief.“The woman no longer exists and you know that. She hasn’t existed for so long that I can’t tell you the last time I heard someone say her name. The noble house died ages ago and the few that didn’t have been fighting each other trying to finish the job of ending that noble house. I’ve been surviving in my own way doing my own thing until recently. But I will not answer to that name ever again.” Brigid stood up to him. She didn’t want to be that woman. Her past would stay there and she was determined of that.“Do you have a choice to do that? Really?” Het’ Tur asked in disbelief that she would believe she could believe change her life like this.“Welcome to the modern era and a new realm Het’ Tur. Here, I have the right to chose the way I lead my life. I choose how my life unfolds here.” Brigid s
Dominic didn’t know how to ask Brigid about Het’ Tur. If she didn’t know he was her mate. How would she react to his claim? She must help him get Raven back. First Dominic wanted to contact Lily. He wanted her thoughts on Het’ Tur. Did she know anything about him or what he was talking about? Could she tell if he was lying about anything? Any confirmation of facts he’d been giving out would be appreciated by him.Lily answered faster than he expected. “Lily, I don’t know where to start. Well, I do. Raven’s been kidnapped by a creature who says his name is Het’ Tur and is Brigid’s mate. He wants to exchange Raven for Brigid. Who is he? Do you know him? Do you know if he’s telling the truth?”“Oh, wow. I haven’t heard that name in a long time. A very long time. He was the Head of the Crystal Lord’s Guard. He disappeared when the Crystal Lord did. Mind you that time period is a historical mess. There’s a lot of deaths and missing persons. Missing treasures and all that. He’s ther
“We are stronger together than he can ever be. After all, the fool killed his mate and his offspring. He has nothing, but the fool believed that because he can’t die from old age that he’s all powerful.” Het’ Tur shrugged and acted like he found this entertaining as anything. “Wait, he’s immortal. But not eternal. Is that what you’re saying?” Dominic waved a hand momentarily distracted from his need for his mate by the discovery he’d learned. The big bad wasn’t as big and bad as he’d thought. “That is exactly what I have said. My mate understands this, but her brother appears to not understand it. I want to use it against him once and for all. He seems to use it easily enough against his relatives. I see no reason why I can’t use it against him before he uses it against my mate.” He seemed at ease with the knowledge that death was a lot easier and permanent than it was expected to be. Dominic wondered if he understood how permanent. Permanent was.
“I’m told, I have you to thank for doing what I couldn’t do.” The tall leader in his golden armor stood tall and straight and spoke to Dominic. His posture was stiff. One of his men held Raven’s unconscious body behind him as they lingered close to the portal. Another armor man held a squat brick colored statuette which Heather assumed was the anchor they searched for. “I’ve not said who I am and I’m not sure what I’ve done that you couldn’t do.” Dominic was off put by this creature. After all, it stood almost three times Dominic’s height, and he was fighting his instincts not to try to find it’s throat through the armored gorge. He wanted to get to his mate now. “There’s no need I can see it was you. But I still want her back.” The creature was certain in this as if he saw something only he could and that he felt made him superior to everyone else. “However, I don’t have that luxury.” Dominic crossed his arms struggling with his patienc