While the day went by quickly, the minutes felt like hours for Jacota. Every second he glanced around, hoping that he was merely paranoid, and Cordelia wasn't close. A bad feeling festered in his gut. Someone so sinister would not abandon their project of murder.

Hunter did his best not to sneak up on his nervous mate. Jacota jumped to every sound.

"I think we need a plan," Jacota said, feeling his mate's hands run down his arms. Hunter stood behind him staring at the trees in the distance.

"Me too, but what can we do? Maybe we need to get you angry so that you can kill her or something."

"I don't want to kill her."

Hunter pulled on his shoulder, asking, "Why not? She's trying to kill you."

"Because she wants my power or whatever," Jacota mumbled. "If I make it clear that she can't get it, maybe she'll stop."

"The only way she'll stop trying to kill you is if you prove to her that you're stronger," Hunter said, "Which you are. We just need to get you angry."

Jacota sat on the steps of the patio, feeling the soft grass underneath his feet. The weather is supposed to be hot and clear blue skies, but a storm was threatening on the horizon to comfort him. Jacota tried to hold it back.

Hunter sat next to him, feeling the itch to release his wolf and go for a run. There was too much danger to be in the woods alone and running with a pack is too risky.

"What gets your blood boiling?" Hunter asked.

Jacota shrugged. "I guess if anyone hurts you or my family."

"Maybe that's what needs to happen then."

Jacota turned his head with a frown, read his thoughts, and widened his eyes.

"No Hunter, why would you even think that?"

"Come on; it could work. We'll be one step ahead of that crazy head-case of a God."

"What? By risking your life? No."

"Well, how else would you find your anger? You know it's in you, but you're not confident with it yet. Or are you?" Hunter observed him. "If you don't want me to be in trouble, all you have to do is find your power."

The glass door behind them slid open, and Sam joined his alpha and the alpha's mate, sitting down with a sympathetic smile.

"Hey," he said, shuffling further away from Jacota when Hunter frowned. "I'm surprised the sun is still shining. Usually, it's pouring with rain by now."

Jacota smiled, but Sam saw the sadness in his eyes.

"If there is anything I can help with alpha, just let me know."

"Maybe we can use him as bait," Hunter grinned, nudging Jacota, wishing to lighten his spirits.

"I'm not putting anyone in more danger," Jacota sighed, pulling out blades of grass.

"Bait for what?" Sam asked.

"Well, I thought that if we allowed the God to take someone who Jacota cares about, thinking he doesn't know, then it'll help him find the power to defeat her or whatever."

"It would make sense if she took you," Sam said, "because if you die, Jacob or Jacota dies. You know, it feels weird calling you Jacota now, even though it's your actual name."

"I'm still not used to it," William said, sitting on the grass in front of the werewolves. "And what's this about a plan?"

"We don't have one-"

"We do," Hunter interrupted his mate. "I think it'll work."

"No. We'll think of something else."

"Like what? She'll come back for you."

"We don't even know who Cordelia is, and we don't know if I'm dealing with two Gods. The last thing we should do is hand you over, so they have an easy way to kill me. You won't be able to protect yourself, Hunter," Jacota said, a little more stern.

"That's why it's a plan. You'll be near enough to take the Gods out if they get me."

"And what if it goes wrong?"

"It won't," Hunter said, not so confidently.

"My brother's right," William said, "It's a stupid idea."

"I have a plan," a voice said behind them. Hunter and Jacota turned to see their parents standing in the doorway, listening. Margo, Anthony, and Scott sat on the grass with William. "We have also been talking while not a lot of us got to sleep last night," Anthony said, glancing at Scott. "Where is the one place where teenagers should be during the day, surrounded by people, and safe?"

The teens shrugged, waiting for Anthony to continue.

"College," he smiled. "Technically you should all be in college today, but you're not."

"I'm not going to college," Hunter said and crossed his arms. "What's the point?"

"The point is, you'll be safer there."

"But, you won't be safe if I'm there," Jacota said, and Anthony leant closer to hear him.

"It's not us the God is after. We were all in the house yesterday, and she only hurt you."

"College is nearly over for summer. It only has like a month left," Hunter said, preparing to do anything to argue his way out of their plan.

"I doubt it will take that long to sort out this issue with the other God." Margo watched her son with eyes wise and soft.

"What if we're not safe there? You won't know because you won't be there with us."

"It's safer than being here where the God can expose herself."

"You seriously want us to go back to college?"

"Yes." Anthony crossed his arms. "I don't see what else we can do to keep you safe."

Hunter opened his mouth to argue further, but he could no longer feel Jacota's arm resting against his. His mate had disappeared.

"Jacota?" Hunter glanced around. "Where are you?" he thought.

"Confronting Cordelia." Jacota's reply was blunt before the God blocked his mates mind-link.

"What!" Hunter yelled out loud and shot to his feet.

"What's wrong? Where did he go?" Scott asked.

"He said he's going to confront Cordelia!" Hunter ran a hand through his hair. "We need to find him. Sam, come with-"

"Wait," Anthony said, his tone calm, "where did he go?"

"I don't know, into the forest maybe?"

"Right, let me get my pack together. Don't leave without us." Anthony hurried into the house.

Scott and William stood together. There was nothing they could do to help unless they travelled by wolf.

"Can we come too?" William asked.

"Yes," Anthony said, stepping into the garden and watching his pack gallop across the field. "The more people we have, the better. Sam, look after William, and Scott, come with me."

Flora and Alfred watched, too old to keep up.

"We'll tell you if he comes back to the house," Flora smiled and waved them goodbye.

Sam turned into his black wolf and William climbed on top, a little uneasy about the situation as he linked his arms around the wolf's neck, gripping his fur tight.

When everyone was ready, the wolves sprinted together towards the forest in search of the lightning God.

* * * * *

Jacota stood, listening to the silence of nature, hearing the occasional rustling of the trees, the sing of a bird or the buzz of a bee. He inhaled deep breaths, calming his heart. It took all his courage to teleport miles away from the house. The God still felt a little weak from losing so much blood.

Jacota didn't want to sit and listen to the arguing. He caused this mess by being in Hunter's life. Everyone he loved is in danger; doing nothing will make it worse. Whoever Cordelia is, Jacota understood that she would be watching to make sure he had died. She would have figured it out by now that he wasn't dead, and that he was waiting for her to make another move.

By killing him, it would kill Hunter and ruin their families lives, and for that, Jacota felt the anger rising.

A small rustling of leaves was enough to spark his defences. Only a second later, his fingers tingled; he knew she was close.

"C-Cordelia?" His voice barely disturbed the peace of the woods. The rustling grew louder, and Jacota's fear intensified with the sound.

"I had a feeling you would survive, having such a possessive mate." A woman stood in front of Jacota. He had to blink away the surprise of her faultless appearance. "You do look a little peaky though."

"Why-Why did you do it?" he whispered, suddenly feeling incredibly nervous.

"I think you know why." The woman inspected Jacota with a smirk, judging him with her dark eyes. "You are the ruler of all wolves and all Gods, and I don't think you deserve that much power, you are not worthy."

"How do you know?" Jacota frowned, trying not to fidget.

"I've spent long enough observing you. Jacota Jones, filled with anxiety, scared of socialising, in fact, you're scared of most things in life, are you not? I guess we have your mother to thank for that."

Jacota's breath caught in his throat.

"H-How-"

"Like I said, I've observed you, making sure you're not worthy. You can't rule us. This war in the future will wipe us out again if you are in charge. Once you die, the power will go to the next worthy God. If I'm the one to kill you, I'll get the power."

Jacota took a step back, regretting his decision to come alone. The God was too intimidating, but he had one thing he needed to clear up that was eating away at his thoughts.

"Y-You're not the God of water, are you?" With every stutter, Jacota felt like he was sinking into the ground.

"Not yet," the woman smiled and took a step closer, enjoying the terror on Jacota's face.

"What do you mean?"

The woman looked around, checking behind her.

"My mother is the God of water."

***

A few of you have liked the idea of me writing a chapter while being drunk. I am also intrigued to see what I come up with. So, the next chapter will be a drunken one, so we all have insights into how my mind works when intoxicated. Who knows what crazy content will happen. If I think it's good enough to keep and simply edit, I will. Or, I'll delete it after everyone has read it and I'll write another one if it's pure trash. It'll be up in about 3-4 hours, depending on how the night goes. Stay tuned :')