Arriving at the pack house in wolf form, both Seth and Noah relayed news via mind-link, bringing me upto date on matters that didn't require the whole of my attention. Half listening, I had other more pressing issues at hand.

My wolf grumbled his unrest at our in-house guest, and I agreed wholeheartedly. The last few hours my wolf and I had learned as wolf and man and our minds merged, we could block the Jinn, hide our shared thoughts.

This gave us free thinking space to plan ridding ourselves of the Jinn's clutches when the witch had been dispatched back to the ungodly place she'd come from.

The witch. Her death was the only outcome I could foresee.

Kill or be killed. There was little doubt she would remove anyone who stood in her way.

Separating our minds, I shifted back to man as my wolf shrank to the dark corner of my mind. He was sulking, despising the fact that we were being used by a spirit that I was now sure was no better than my sister and the old soul that shared her body.

On cue, the Jinn's dominance surged through my veins as its poisonous vine-like authority attempted to weaken both me and my wolf. Tightening its hold, both over my mind and my physical body. In only a short amount of time, the visions that splashed through my mind's eyes every time they closed were tiring both physically and mentally. And my unease only amused it further, fuelling my irritation.

I did not know how Pearl had kept its influence at bay, having been unaffected.

What made my mate different?

I despised its sway over me—but what choice did I have?

Blind, I was weak, vulnerable. The witch could force me to shift at will, her magic powerful.  Which left Willa, Pearl and my pack defenceless against her.

'How do you want me to handle this, Alpha?' asked Seth, interrupting my quandaries

Handle what?    I hadn't been listening. 'Repeat that, Seth.'

'Which part?' he huffed. 'I've been talking for the last five minutes and I sensed your disconnect from here.' His tone was amused.

Insolent Beta. I growled. 'Be mindful of your station, Beta.'

He laughed. 'Someone on your mind, Alpha?' he teased, and Noah chuckled.

'I'm sure between the two of you, whatever needs attention can be managed. Or do I need another Beta and Zeta? As I find, I'm tiring of you both.'

Noah cleared his throat. 'All good here Alpha.'

Seth grunted. 'Good, here.'

I severed our link and went in search of my mate. Her presence alone was both soothing and arousing. Lifting my head, I sniffed. The increase in heart rate and the hairs on the back of my neck rising informed me she was close.

Mate.

Following Pearl's teasing scent, I located her in the pack house open room. The room where pack members came to relax, unwind.

She was standing in front of the musical box, or as Seth informed me, was called a JukeBox, swaying her hips to music. My cock hardened, and a smile pulled at my lips as I replayed the memory of fucking her against the tree. And I wanted nothing more than to rip those clothes from her delicious body and fuck her where she stood... my dark one.

But we were not alone... and she was being watched.

I growled at the pack members staring as they shot up from their seats. I heard a flurry of 'sorry Alpha' as they scarpered before I dragged them out by their necks for looking at my mate with less than an innocent interest in their future Luna. I stomped toward her as she turned and almost toppled into me. Her small hands landed on my chest. I inhaled her scent, relaxing under her touch.

"Me and you have to talk, cupcake."

Cupcake?  My eyes opened, looking down. "And what do we need to discuss?"

"Don't give me those fuck me eyes, Cassius. I'm serious."

She pinned me with her gaze. "I will listen to my beautiful mate."

Surprise splashed across her face. "Oh, okay." She smiled. "Music."

Not what I expected her to say. "Music?"

"Seriously, have you seen the music this old thing plays? There is nothing past the 80s and fuck me. I'm gonna need more than just Whitney Houston to keep me happy."

How was it my mate could arose and utterly confuse me simultaneously? But enough of this. Communicating was exhausting and I would much rather feel those lips of hers on mine...or wrapped around my cock.

She yelped as I picked her up and sat her on the music box.

"Ouch! The buttons are digging into my arse, Cassius! Are you listening?"

I wasn't, and my mouth swallowed her gasp. It was like all our other kisses, mind melting, blistering hot as she softened, kissing me in return, those little moans almost my undoing as her legs wrapped around me, pulling me closer and my erection grew.

I would take her upstairs and bury myself in her perfect tight body until she screamed my name repeatedly. My dark one both unleashed and tamed the wildness within.

Slowing, she bit my bottom lip, tugging before letting it go.

My lips lifted into a cocky smirk as her eyes sprang open and she unwrapped her legs from me. "Cassius, you can't distract me every time I want to talk about something important."

"Music is of little importance."

"If you value my sanity—then it's important."

I grumbled, but her steadfast gaze forced me to compromise. "Speak with Seth and tell him what you need." She bit into her bottom lip, smiling. Apparently, it was easy to make her happy. I would need to remember that as making her happy affected my wellbeing—something I'd not considered.

I leaned down and brushed my lips against hers, smirking. "You're aroused Dark One. I can scent your sweet nectar and I'm going to do exactly what you're thinking." Her cheeks flushed and mouth parted.

"Whilst that may be true. Stop it with the peeking inside my head. It's unfair."

"You are my mate and it's my right."

A well of frustration shuttered through her small body. "Make no mistake, Cassius King. You may have chosen me for your mate—but I may just choose to find someone else whilst you." She poked me in the chest. "Debate if I'm permitted to mark you."

I growled. Tugging her toward me. "You. Are. Mine!" My wolf growled out his claim on our mate, my claws lengthened.

She pursed those beautiful lips, and they tempted me to quieten her with another kiss.

"Perhaps you should have followed Beyoncé's advice. And put a ring on it."

Who was this Beyoncé she spoke of?  I sighed; her riddles as strange as her requests. "Speak plainly, Pearl."

"See—this proves my point. You need to join the modern world. Then you might have a clue what I'm talking about."

I opened my mouth, but she held up her hand. "But to spell it out. Until we are fully mated—then no peeking inside my head."

'Cassius!'

I stepped back from Pearl. Willa's fear spiked my pulse. 'Speak Willa.'

'Come. It's Sylar, he's—I'm afraid, Cassius.'

'Where are you?'

'At our parents' cabin.'

'Stay there and I will come to you.'

I double blinked, returning my attention to Pearl, who looked concerned. "Everything okay?"

"I have to go. Willa needs me."

Pearl jumped down from the music box. "Is this about Sylar? Can I come?"

"No." She stilled, her eyes narrowing. "I don't know what I'm walking into. Please Pearl, remain here." I'd asked as politely as I could muster without being commanding.

Her frown dropped as she rose on her tiptoes, reaching up, wrapping her arms around my neck, to capture my lips with a brief but searing kiss. "Okay, but be nice to my cousin!"

Perhaps I was getting better with communications as I stole one last kiss before stripping, and Pearl walked toward the double doors, flinging them open

I pushed through the shift, my human form gone and my hugs paws hit the ground at speed as I mind-linked Seth and Noah to meet me at the cabin.

As we approached, the wind shifted, bringing a variety of scents but nothing out of the ordinary.

'Willa.'  Willa appeared from around the side of the cabin. Her eyes wide and red rimmed. 

"Come, Cassius."

I padded over. My anger was already peaking as the thought of her runt mate hurting her.

'Quickly.' She disappeared as I came to a halt, my eyes on the woman lying on the floor. It was Eve, our pack healer. 'What happened?'

"We have to get her inside. She's too heavy for me to move and I can't wake her."

A growl from behind had my head whipping round. This was not a wolf from my pack, but his scent was familiar. I'd smelt similar when I'd woken in the infirmary. And my mate's scent lingered on him too.

He shifted, growling, rising to stand tall. His face was a mask of panic as he rushed to drop to Eve's side. This was the one Seth had told me of...Eve's mate.  

"What the fuck?" He looked to Willa for answers, who could only shrug, shaking her head.

"This was how I found her. We need to move her."

Gunner scooped up Eve and followed Willa inside the cabin. 'Willa, fetch me clothes and something for Eve's mate.'

She returned a few moments later as I finished my shift. She flung herself into my arms. "You're wearing mama's cardigan." The rich scent was one I'd missed and warmed me from the inside out. "Why are you out here Willa?"

She inhaled a stuttering breath. "I came with Sylar. We were swimming and then I got angry and left him out here." She pulled back, her eyes shimmering with tears.

"Why were you angry with him? Did he harm you?" I tried to still my anger.

She shook her head. "No, he was being sensible, and I was behaving entitled."

I didn't understand, but we could discuss it further when we found him.

She continued. "I came to find him, to apologise, and thought he would be out here. But he was gone. I only found his shoes. I searched and found Eve with this in her hand." She pulled back and reached inside her pocket.

"What is this?" I took the syringe from my sister. "We need to wake Eve."

Willa swiped away a tear. "I sensed magical essence... don't ask me how. But I know Ember was here."

My eyes narrowed as she stepped away from me wrapping her arms around herself.

I quickly dressed, surveying the perimeter. I couldn't sense any magical essence and there was no sign of sulphur to suggest dark magic.

"I've already reached out to the Elders; Ester is on her way." Her voice quivered.

'Alpha.'

Seth and Noah arrived and waited as for instruction. "Search the area for any clues. Willa is sure the witch was here." They began a systematic search of the area, their noses to the ground.

Willa and I went inside our parents' cabin. Eve's mate sat with her head resting on his lap as he stroked her hair. For someone who was covered in scars from unknown battles, he was gentle and loving toward his mate.

Willa paced, her anxieties rolling over me in waves from our shared bond. "We will find him Willa."

"But what if she mates with him first—he will be hers. Or worse, mates then kill him. She told me she needs him for the spell to undo fated mates." She buried her face in her hands and sobbed. I walked toward her, pulling her into my arms, the touch both calming and reassuring.

"This is my fault." She cried into my chest.

"Shush with this nonsense, Willa. We will find him."

My eyes lifted to the door to see the Elders. Ester nodded, but her gaze was on Eve as she hurried to where she lay, placing her hand on Eve's forehead.

"Olive, we will need the leaf from a Nettle plant and Green-Dire root."

Olive nodded and headed toward the door. "Willa, boil water." She freed herself from my arms.

Not ten minutes had passed, and Olive returned with both now busying themselves.

I took a moment to speak with Seth and Noah on their progress. 'Anything Seth, Noah?'

'No Alpha.' They both replied.

'Keep searching, there must have been an entry point for the witch to come and go.'

My hands clenched into tight fists. This witch was a thorn in my paw.

'Worry not Alpha, you shall have your blood.' The spirit hissed.

'Tell me where I can find her.'

'Woefully, my talents do not stretch to that request, Alpha.' Its tone was smug, almost taunting.

'Well quiet yourself until you are useful.'

All powerful Jinn, I scoffed.

It chuckled. 'As you desire Alpha.'

Willa called my name as I returned inside to see Ester feeding whatever concoction past Eve's lips.

Surprisingly, it worked quickly as Eve's eyes fluttered open, and she reached up and cupped her mate's cheek. He sighed in relief.

"Speak of what happened, Eve."

Her mate helped her rise, but moved her to sit on his lap, cradling her in his arms. It appeared he was a man of few words but rather one of action.

"I don't know, Alpha. I was in the infirmary." Her bewilderment was genuine.

"You do not remember what business brought you here?"

Eve ran her hand over her forehead. "I don't know Alpha." She shook her head before freezing, eyes widening. "Wait. I remember something." She paused. "Yes, there was someone, but—" Confusion sharpened her eyes. "I don't know if I've been drugged or someone messing with my mind. But she was right in front of me, but not."

I grumbled; she wasn't making sense. "She?"

She nodded. "Not a face I know, but I sensed a familiarity."

Ester put down the cup and knelt beside Eve. "I fear she was under the influence of something dark."

Gunner growled, pulling Eve tighter into his hold.

"Fear not Eve's mate. There is no lasting effect." She took a moment to ponder. "Eve, may I join with you... connect to see beyond what you are able?"

Eve nodded, as Ester edged closer. "There is nothing to fear." Ester pressed a finger to each of her temples. "Relax."

The room stood in silence until Ester exhaled a large gasp, her cheeks flushed.

"It was the witch. But she was not physically here. What Eve saw was her astral self."

"Why visit Eve?"

"A hex was cast; I'm sensing your return with that child put wheels in motion. This was planned, and it only took a spoken spell from Ember to ignite its purpose." She sighed. "This is only a guess, but I would assume Eve would have been the only one able to subdue Sylar, her access to medicines."

Ester turned her attention to Willa, who stood with a hand over her mouth, aghast. "She has your mate, Willa. She has Sylar."

Willa sucked in a staggered breath, all colour draining as her eyes sought mine. "We have to find him, Cassius." I offered a curt nod. Her pain felt as if it was my own.

Ester patted Eve's leg and stood walking toward me. "Walk with me, Alpha."

I followed her out. "Tell me how she took him?"

"You've seen her magic and the portals she can summon at will."

I had; I'd travelled through one. Looking skyward, I worried how Pearl would react to this news. Sighing, I returned my attention to Ester, surprised with the look of calculating measure in her dark grey eyes. "I sense you have more to share, Elder."

She chuckled. "I do indeed Alpha. I saw what the witch has planned." A knowing smile puckered her lips. "And fortuitously, Ember is both arrogant and egotistical and her loose tongue might well be her undoing."

"Elaborate." She had my full attention as a surge of adrenalin had my heart double tapping.

"She intends to visit a pack to the North tomorrow night to take essence from the living."

This indeed was valuable. "Which pack?"

"I am not sure."

The odds pointed at the closest. "Nightsbane."

"That would be my guess, Alpha."

I stood taller, inhaling, expanding my chest. My hands clenching and unclenching as the spirit and my wolf revelled in our shared anticipation, both baying for blood.

Tomorrow night, this would end. Her blood would soak my hands.