by S. L. Morgan
Harrison grinned. “It seems there’s much for you to learn about the owl yourself.”
“Answer my question.” Dom’s voice was lethal.
“Your cousin sought us out,” Levi cut through the tension like a knife, silencing Dom. “He was the one to find those who might be interested in helping his cause. We don’t typically get involved with supernatural issues. Things of your world stay in your world and are governed as such, but the threats were becoming part of the human realm, and that is our business. We have long known about the owl, and he is welcome here any time he wishes.”
“Ethan has been here?” I asked.
Levi nodded. “Ethan arrived after you both were guided to the Rossi’s Aspen home. The owl was following you two after you were forced out of that preposterous school. When he sensed the dangers, the oracle located the whereabouts of the portals to my realm,” Levi stated. “He flew to the protective barriers as the owl, and our men brought him directly to me after I insisted he was to be treated with the highest respect.”
“The horses even love that shifter. He actually flew to the front steps of the palace without the need of our horses to transport him. No one has ever done that. I’ve never met a purer soul in all my life,” Harrison said.
“Oh my God,” I reached for Dom’s balled-up fist, “Ethan saved our asses.”
“That kid will always amaze me,” Dom said as he looked at me in disbelief. “Where’s my cousin now?”
“He’s on the vacation you mandated he not leave for his own safety. You do know that oracles can leave when they understand they won’t be missed or detected, correct?”
“Ethan becoming an oracle is new to me. I’m learning slowly about oracles, and it seems that Ethan may have developed the ability to teleport now that he is one,” Dom answered Levi.
“Yeah, the last one wanted me dead before she went up in a cloud of gold dust,” I said.
Levi exhaled. “Looks like you have attracted more attention than we primarily assumed,” he said.
“Story of my life lately,” I responded. “How the hell do you two plan on helping us defeat the evil in that school?”
“Now that we have learned where the real problem lies, we can continue to work together,” Levi answered and looked at Harrison. “Ethan was correct, and we all need to act quickly to form a plan.”
So, holy crap, Ethan buzzed in and out of this realm like it was nothing? What couldn’t that kid do, and how many secrets was he holding onto? It seemed like he knew far more about all of this crap than Dom and I could have ever imagined, but then again, he was an oracle and a smart one too.
I trusted Ethan, and if I listened to my intuition, I knew that the emperor and the commander were our only hope—my only hope. A wave of relief washed over me, and I slumped in the chair I’d been sitting rigid and straight in. We actually had a fighting chance. I felt it, and my wolf felt it. This was the answer.
Chapter Thirteen
The sound of my stomach growling prompted the emperor to send for food, and since Dom and I hadn’t eaten all day, we didn’t hesitate to dive in and devour the tastiest meats and vegetables I’d ever eaten in my life. The pie that Dom had requested for me was calling my name as I forced myself to eat the healthier options first. As much as I would’ve loved to live on pie alone, it wasn’t enough to keep my stamina, and my wolf needed protein first.
“We have some of the finest cooks in the palace, but nothing compares to the desserts our baking staff prepares,” Levi said, as he approached the circular table in his office where Dom and I sat and ate. “I think you will enjoy that pie. It is my son’s favorite treat when my family stays at the palace.”
Dom pulled the pie up close. “It smells nice enough to tempt even me.” He winked as he placed a slice on one of the silver-rimmed, porcelain plates and handed it to me.
I took a bite. The buttery crust and the flavors of the apples, cooked to perfection, exploded in my mouth, and I heard the emperor let out a laugh.
“Seems as though you approve?” he arched an eyebrow at me, making the man even more attractive—or maybe it was the pie that had me thinking this emperor had to be the hottest individual ever, right alongside Dominic, of course.
“She approves,” Dom said, running his hand over my back. “This is sort of her therapy in crappy situations.”
“The troubled students’ program,” the emperor looked at Dominic, “why is it that the school placed Jenna in it?”
Dom grew more serious. “At the time it was a blessing in disguise. Jenna’s wolf was starting to control her, and in being a shifter—”
“She was dangerously close to the wolf consuming her natural state,” Levi said with concern in his voice.
I finally gave the pie a break and swallowed the bite I’d just taken. “How would you know that?” I asked him. “I mean, you’re right. If the wolf had taken control, I would’ve been toast.”
Levi sat back in his cushioned, oversized chair and grinned. “It is our job to know everything about certain things. That is one of the many ways we are able to protect humans as well as we do.” His brows knit together. “I am sorry that happened to you. I can sense that you are a very strong shifter. I am quite shocked to learn your inner beast was a problem for you.” He looked at Dominic. “The school knew about this?”
“God, no,” Dom returned fiercely. “That’s all that place would’ve needed to get their hands on Jenna.”
“I am not following you as to why the school had her put into that program then.” He leaned his elbow on the arm of the chair and rested his face against his hand. “The program was meant to tame the nature of the students, so my men wouldn’t have any future problems with them.”
“Yes,” Dom answered. “My only conclusion as to why they pulled Jen into the program was her profanity and rebellious nature.”
I glanced over at the emperor and shrugged. “Strict rules got my butt thrown into that program, but Dom handled that well, and the wolf is right where she needs to be now,” I confirmed.
“I am happy to hear that,” he answered.
“Levi,” we heard Harrison’s voice was sharper than usual when he addressed the emperor. “We have a situation.” Levi stood, prompting both Dom and me to stand and turn to where Harrison was frozen, staring at his handheld device at the entrance to the door of the emperor’s office. “Go on. Do we need a private meeting?”
“No.” Harrison held a hand up, his eyes glimmering and doing that telepathic thing he did with his device. “We’ve got more problems on Earth.” He looked up and walked down toward where we were. “A small town has a vampire problem. Supernatural Elite Forces have been overrun again, and one of our men who stepped in to stop it all was bitten by a vampire. He’s returning to the medical facilities wounded.”
“Bitten?” Dom and I said in unison.
“Please explain how one of our men is injured because of a vampire bite?” I heard the emperor’s voice filling with anger.
“Venom of some kind is all we can conclude to at the moment. The Guardian’s eyes are bleeding, and his skin ashen.”
“This will all stop now,” Levi boomed. “What are the Supernatural Elite Forces saying about this mess?”
“As usual, they are apologetic and determined it won’t happen again.” Harrison eyed Levi with a fierceness that seemed to match his mood.
I looked over at Levi as he walked toward his desk, gripping the back of his neck. “As usual. This has gone on for far too long, and my patience has reached its limit. We can no longer rely on the supernaturals to police their own. We must step in and stop this.” He looked at Harrison, “Have any humans been injured?”
“The entire town has been affected. It’s like they have been turned into vampires themselves; however,” Harrison shook his head in disbelief, “they are drinking from each other.”
“What?” Dominic said, taking the words right out of my mouth. “Immortal or turned vamps would never drink from each o
ther. Ever.”
Harrison and Levi both looked at us. “We need to handle this issue at the core, that wretched school.” He exhaled, bringing Harrison to look at him. He pulled his eyes away from whatever he was studying in Dom and me and looked at the commander. “Humans are our first priority, and they are being harmed and altered. I want all our men on Earth, watching every supernatural creature out there.” He ran a hand through his thick, black hair, and I watched his jaw tighten, quickly showing the frustration of the emperor. “The problem stems from that school. That must be taken care of as well.”
Harrison looked at Dominic and me. “Alright,” he exhaled. “You two up for an assignment?” He absently shook his head and looked back at Levi, “You and I both know these two may not be able to handle the difficulties as well as our men would.”
“I can’t spare men to deal with the supernaturals while humans are being harmed, Harrison,” Levi answered. “You are well aware of the increasing number of occurrences, and this time, it was an entire town. It’s out of the question.”
“We can handle it,” Dom said in his master Dom voice. “What is it that you need us to do to help? You have to understand that we’re limited because we’re students at that hell hole too.”
Levi planted both hands on his hips. “We understand that.” He glanced at Harrison and then me and Dominic. “We are aware of your predicament as shifters and can respect the fact you must have good reason to not have followed through with merging your wolves.”
“Hold up,” I said when Levi paused. “How the hell would you know anything about that?”
“Like the emperor said, it’s our job to know things,” Harrison answered. “I got a more in-depth look into your thoughts on the ride here while your brain was running a million miles a minute, and Dominic was thinking of ways to deal with his father. I wanted to know more about why Ethan Carter reached out to us.” He narrowed his eyes at Dominic. “Unfortunately for you, you have that wolf stifled by not merging, and that is highly dangerous even for a shifter. It’s only making this problem between you and Jenna worse.”
I looked at Dom’s darkened expression. “You do realize that if we followed through on our instincts—”
“We understand completely,” Levi answered, cutting Dominic off. “I am curious as to why you both would not merge your wolves, though. I can sense in both of you that it is out of fear for something.”
“This isn’t just fear,” Dominic answered. “This goes further than that. Aside from the fact Jenna and I have literally gone through hell and back since first learning we were true mates, we know if we merge these wolves and powers, the school will use it against all of you, against everyone.”
“Why have you concluded to that?” Levi asked curiously.
“The simple fact that Edgewater was fighting with Dom’s dad about wanting us to do it. The diabolical energy at that school trying to lure Dom’s wolf into merging with mine—”
“Stop right there,” Harrison said. “You had a diabolical encounter at that school?”
“Yes,” Dominic answered. “Long story short, that school is after Jenna’s powers, and from what I felt with my wolf, it seems to be desperate for us to merge our powers.”
Levi locked eyes with me. “I can sense your powers are present. How much control do you believe you have over them? I must ask, because we need to know if there is a chance for that school to be saved before I order my men to destroy anything that stands in their way to find the source of the problems. I am aware it is an entity—an evil force—driving that school. The students and staff are innocent, and I do not wish to harm them.” His expression became somber, “However, I will do what must be done to stop this. Do you believe you and the alpha can help us without gaining strength from each other?”
“I can’t promise anything more than determination to fight that evil off.”
“I don’t want either of you harmed. I understand you both are in trouble, but I am concerned that not having the merged power of the alpha at your side can result in you being harmed. In his weakened state, Dominic could also be harmed as well,” Levi said.
“We appreciate your concern for us, Emperor,” Dom answered, “but we’ve faced this darkness head-on once, we can do it again.”
“I understand that,” he said with a smile. “Again, I believe you both will be up against a more powerful entity. Learning that this is becoming a daily issue for my men is telling me that whatever is in that school is gaining strength, and instead of merely harming its students, it is somehow reaching out to supernaturals outside of it.”
“That could be the answer to how this is getting worse,” Harrison offered. “Whatever is brewing inside that school is gaining strength from the supernaturals on the outside.” He shook his head and looked at Dom and me. “Any ideas as to why it has reached supernaturals outside of the school, and it’s not attacking those closest to it?”
“You mean why it’s not attacking and killing students again?” I answered.
“Yes,” Harrison said. “Forgive the lack of sympathy in my questioning, but I need to understand more.” He looked at Levi, “This may require Reece to be involved whether you want her on Earth right now or not. We need her powers if we are fighting a darkness that is not stationary.”
Levi pinched his lips together, and I watched the emperor grow severe. “I understand this, but I have faith in Jenna, Dominic, and the owl shifter, Ethan.” He exhaled, “However, Reece has been sent for. I am already aware she will be needed to help our men stop the darkness from going after the human realm.” Levi cocked his head to the side, “I do not wish to place a burden like this upon two students, although I believe you both are a fantastic fighting chance for my men who are on the outside of that school. If my men and I infiltrate that school, no one will survive the attack when we go after whatever this thing is that is causing all these problems on Earth. Never in any of my ancestors’ reigns have they dealt with the supernaturals such as I am dealing with them at this time. This is unheard of, and I must make decisions based solely on protecting humans.”
“We get it,” Dominic answered. “We’ll handle it. We knew we had a problem with that school. Jenna and I already know we have a force greater than both of us and possibly all of your men combined that we have to destroy.”
“But you won’t work to merge those wolves and gain powers from each other?” Harrison asked, more confused than anything. His eyes then zeroed in on mine and started glimmering. I felt like he was holding me hostage with his stare, and suddenly, my brain shuffled, and the memory of talking to my dad in the veil of death flooded my mind.
“Do not beg for the powers, but you should know that you have much more than just the powers of the fae and witch. You are the strongest shifter. Once you and House Braeclaw’s strongest alpha are mated, you will begin to see your powers develop further. Until then, you must continue on your path of destiny.”
I blinked a few times, light-headed after hearing my dad’s voice, and Dom’s arm was instantly wrapped around me, holding me in place.
“What the hell was that?” Dom asked me. “Whose voice was that I heard in your thoughts?”
I looked at Dom. “My dad’s,” I whispered, wiping my forehead with my clammy palm. “Those were the exact words he said to me when I was dead or having that crazy out of body experience.” I looked at Harrison leaning into Dominic, “How did you do that?”
Harrison was studying me as if I were his soldier, and he was my commander in his army. “I knew there was more to both of you, I just had to dig a little deeper,” he answered in a mechanical voice and looked at Levi. “These poor kids will not be able to fight that energy with Jenna’s powers as they are. She—”
“I heard her thoughts too,” Levi cut him off. “Do you believe your father was correct in advising that you will not be powerful enough without Dominic’s wolf and yours together?”
“I’ll be honest,” I said, looking at Dom in defeat, “I hav
e no idea. We have every dark sided asshole in the land trying to get us to merge our powers, and it’s all overwhelming. I have no other option but to get a grip on my powers without the help of Dom’s alpha and handle it.”
“Can you handle not being merged with her wolf?” Levi questioned Dominic. “It is apparent you have your true nature stifled, and that seems to be crippling you even in our presence. I can sense your weakness from having that wolf shut down. I believe that in order for you both to help us defeat this darkness, you have to be in maximum control of yourselves.” He looked at me. “You would need full control of those powers. Can the owl shifter help either one of you if you both are determined not to heed Jenna’s father’s advice?”
“We have no other option,” Dom said.
Before another word was spoken, the door opened, prompting Levi’s war-like expression to fall into a softer appearance. I watched in curiosity, wondering what the hell could make this powerful man turn into a different person right before my eyes.
“Levi,” a woman’s voice called from his door. “I hope I’m not too late. Julian met me at the command center,” the blonde-haired woman from the portrait said and looked at Harrison. “More men have been hurt, and humans turned. Julian is on his way.”
Levi was swiftly at the woman’s side. “My love,” he said in a soft whisper, but my wolf hearing heard it loud and clear as Levi addressed his wife. “We’re talking to the shifters now. Come meet them. I am ordering all our men to report to Earth to stop this from getting worse.”
I met the woman’s eyes as Levi led her over to us, and strangely, they were green instead of the blue I saw in the portrait. Her face was flawless like a vampire. She was a picture of beauty, but I didn’t sense hidden powers like I did in the portrait. She was human, but she was so much more than that. She was the most powerful creature I’d ever stood in the presence of. Her energy—her aura—rippled with so much raw power that my shifter instincts were almost overwhelmed.
