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
Later that night, Raven lay beside Dominic in bed. Hearing him speak and talk like he did tonight. It cleared up many of the questions she had. Dominic wasn’t flip flopping. His moods weren’t changing with the weather. His behavior wasn’t because of boredom or a desire for change.No, he had reached his limit with her lack of awareness. What others were saying and doing. Not new, lasted too long. He’s as exhausted with it as she was. How could she have known without him informing her? Now he seemed at his wit’s end over this and ready to give up on everything that made him who he was. Raven’s feelings were uncertain. If you asked her about that a week ago, she’d have cheered and encouraged him, but now? Now she wasn’t sure about that. How would the wolves survive without their Alpha? Did she may take him away? It didn’t matter that he was her fated mate. They didn’t treat her right. When was anything fair to her? She could still live with unfair conditions. It’
Raven was rummaging in the kitchens, pulling out leftovers. She didn’t hide how upset she was. Raven felt the need to walk or run to release her nervous energy. The urge to scream remained constant within her. “So, I’m only here because I’m trouble anywhere else. This Pack won’t recognize me as their Luna even though I’m mated to their Alpha and do everything a Luna is supposed to do. Right got it.” Raven knew this enforcer didn’t know about the anger she kept bottled up that he now poked at. He attempted to dislodge the cork of the champagne bottle by stomping on it with the heel of his boot. “Well, that may have come out wrong.” The enforcer watched Raven; he shifted where he stood, displaying his nervousness as she placed food on the counter with a little too much force. He’d never seen this she-wolf in anything other than a withdrawn state. The few times he’d seen Hilary or Kelsey confront her; she’d never raised her voice. He’d never seen her s
“Let’s all consider stepping back. I don’t think much of this will get resolved unless we take a less combative approach.” He pulled out a chair and offered it to Raven. “Luna please. I think this might help us all if we discuss this. It’s something we can correct others on if we understand what is going on. It’s one thing if it comes from Alpha Jones, but it’s something else if it comes from others.” Raven couldn’t avoid seeming unreasonable in this situation. “I’m not sure what you are getting at.” “Your hurt and negative feelings are now being felt by the more sensitive among us. Add in the facts the Alpha and Beta have disclosed. The events that have taken place. Luna views are changing, and questions are being asked. You aren’t dismissed and disliked on sight by everyone. I’ve had to deal with many heated discussions over past events and recent discoveries. Some punishments were contested as well until the facts were thrown in everyone’s faces.
Raven didn’t know what to think when she looked at the wolves about her. Every one of them agreed with Dominic and not her. They thought her idea of leaving foolish and not an option. If it wasn’t an option what were her options, then? How did she find her options? If she lived Raven didn’t want to live with guilt over any deaths. If she died, she didn’t want to be the cause of other peoples’ deaths. Nor did she want to be blamed for those deaths. She couldn’t get over the visceral reaction they had to the thought of her leaving. It seemed odd to her. Why were they so against it now? If this were a month ago Raven was sure they’d have shrugged and gone on their way. How did this change happen? When? What triggered it? It wasn’t loyalty to her. No one liked her any better. She knew that for sure. Dominic hadn’t allowed her much access to the Pack without him. So, she’d not had much interaction like this. Unfiltered and raw. Now, she sat h
“Of course, you dare me. No one else would dare me to do anything. Lady Fate herself wouldn’t have given me a mate any less daring than me as a match. My mate must be willing to meet me head-to-head, she must have a strong will, be just as responsible, she must have the courage to take the chances I do and be as dedicated to being the person they present to the world through her honesty.” “Dominic, do you hear yourself? What are you talking about? That’s not me. I hate gambling, games of chance, and I don’t like taking risks. We’re opposites. The reason I worked at the bar was that it was close to the Pack’s territory, and it didn’t care about Pack affiliations. Honesty? What could I lie about? I had no rank. What airs could I put on? Who could I pretend to know? There’s no influence I could pretend to have either.” Dominic didn’t respond right away. She could see him struggling with his emotions. When he did respond he didn’t change his attitude
“Raven, wake up. Wake up. I got the call. We must go we’ve a meeting to now.” Dominic said. He shook Raven awake with this urgent explanation. “Okay. Okay. I’m awake. What’s going on? What meeting?” Raven sat up in bed and clutched the sheets to herself. Paul stood there looking away from the bed. She realized he must have come in with the message for Dominic. “The Oracle is demanding to see you now and it seems you’re being called by name.” Dominic said. He explained the meeting and the twist no one expected. “What do you mean I’m being called by name? I thought you didn’t use my name.” Raven wasn’t all the way awake yet and couldn’t figure out how the Oracle had her name. The Oracle shouldn’t know her name or anything about her. “I didn’t tell Gregory that you were the Dreamer. But the Oracle’s did not name you as the Dreamer. But she is demanding to see you by name. So, we’re heading there now to see her.” Dominic sat besi
“Okay, I guess if I must. Lead the way.” Raven still sounded like she was beaten down. As if she believed she didn’t have a choice. Dominic stopped in the doorway and looked at her back as Raven approached the stairs. Paul stood two stairs down taking note of Dominic’s hesitation. “Raven, I’m not forcing you to go. If you don’t want to go. Or if you don’t feel you’re safe then we won’t go. I want to know what’s going on that’s all.” He could see her as she shifted on her feet. “It’s not about whether I want to. It’s about whether I’m the right wolf for the job.” “Do you know why you’re being summoned?” “No, but it won’t be for something minor. I don’t think my aunt understood the concept of what my mom and me can do. I think she used us as spies, but we’re much more than that. At least, that’s what I feel when I think about what she said. I wish she’d contacted me already. So, the only thing we can do is see how this plays out
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