Cortez's wolf was sent into a panic at Sophie's screaming, effectively waking him up just as much as her shrieking did. He jolted awake, his wolf barking at him to help his mate over and over again. By the time Cortez's eyes found Sophie, she was already out of bed and looking at her naked body and the bed in terror. His brain didn't even register the fact that it was morning, or that they were both covered in blood, or that Sophie was naked. All he could think about was the color of her hair and her eyes.

Sophie's hair was brown again and her eyes were a familiar shade of green. Cortez was confused, to say the least.

"Oh my god, what happened to me?" Sophie touched her stomach with shaky hands. Her blood had already dried and there were no traces of any wounds or scars. Her green eyes lifted to meet Cortez's. "What happened to you?!"

Cortez looked down at his chest and spotted trails of his own blood that mixed with Sophie's but had already dried. He was so shocked that he didn't even have a voice to answer her with. Sophie asked for this. He could remember very clearly that she demanded he scratch her until she bled. She said it over and over again, begging him as she rode him. This shouldn't have come to a surprise to her, which worried Cortez. Just how much did she not remember.

"We have to get these off the bed." Sophie panicked as she reached for the blankets that kept her warm and safe on any other night but, had somehow betrayed her last night.

Cortez scrambled off their bed and watched Sophie tear off all their blankets and sheets. Luckily, their blood didn't stain the actually mattress. It didn't make it that far through their blankets. Still, Sophie and Cortez were covered in dried up blood. So, the second the last sheet hit the floor, Sophie darted for the bathroom. Cortez followed her, still silent as he tried to wrap his head around the situation he was just confronted with.

"Did we get mauled last night?" Sophie cried in a panic as she rushed to turn the shower on. "And then, what, we just went to bed? What the hell? Why would you let me sleep with blood all over me like this?"

Cortez gulped as he stood in the doorway, his eyes examining every inch of Sophie. His wolf confirmed that this was his mate stood in front of him, just like it did last night. There was nothing different about her expect for... everything.

"You don't remember?" Cortez asked, his voice quiet and raspy.

Sophie's eyes bounced in their sockets as she tried to search her memory. "I remember the Full Moon Obserance. I remember.. Uh.. I remember kneeling to talk to the Moon Goddess. I remember.. Argh! I don't know! I don't remember!"

Cortez gulped once more. He could hear how fast Sophie's heart was racing. She was scared. All Cortez could think to do was go to her and envelope her in his arms. Sophie easily wrapped her arms around Cortez and squeezed him as tightly as she could. She felt safe in his arms. No matter what happened last night, or what would happen in the future, she felt safe here. Cortez, however, was riddled with confusion and slight panic.

How did Sophie not remember anything? Was she possessed last night? No, she couldn't have been. His wolf would've noticed if there was another being hitching a ride on hers. But then, if she wasn't possessed, why was her hair white and her eyes silver? Why did she act so differently last night? How did he deal with this without freaking her out?

"Sophie.." Cortez whispered and Sophie hummed. "The Moon Goddess did something to us last night. All of us. I think, maybe, you were overwhelmed with power and took advantage of it.. But, you're okay now. You're back to normal."

"Back to normal?" Sophie separated from Cortez to look up at him with eyes full of fear. "Why? What wasn't normal about me? Did I hurt you? Is that how this happened?"

"No, you didn't hurt me." Cortez cupped Sophie's face in his hands, his fingers brushing the short, brown locks of her hair back. "We just... had some fun.."

"Fun? Like sex?" Sophie exclaimed and Cortez reluctantly nodded. "Did this happen during sex?" Cortez nodded. "Did we use a condom?" Cortez paused before he shook his head. "Oh my goddess.."

Sophie's legs gave out, sending her towards the edge of the tub. She sat down and buried her fingers in her hair as she stared at the floor. Cortez slowly lowered to sit beside her and placed his big, warm hand on her back. He felt guilty, like he always did. He knew there was something off about Sophie but, he got so caught up in the moment that he didn't do anything. Part of him wondered if he ignored her weird behavior on purpose.

"I'm not even going to ask any questions." Sophie raised her head and stood up to walk towards the shower. "I'm just gonna shower, eat breakfast, work, and act like nothing ever happened because, well, I don't fucking remember anything anyways."

"Are you okay?" Cortez asked.

Sophie stepped into the shower and took a deep breath as she let the water wash away whatever dried blood it could reach. "No. No, I'm not." Her eyes opened to look at Cortez through the glass walls of the shower. "Are you going to join me or walk around covered in blood all day?"

Cortez pushed off the edge of the tub and stepped into the shower with Sophie. He stood idly behind her as she scrubbed all the blood off her fair skin. He couldn't help but stare. How could she not remember anything? If he told her what happened last night, would she be even more freaked out? The scratching was her idea but, if he told her that, would she feel the need to blame herself for something bad? It wasn't bad, it was just.. strange.

"Was it me?" Sophie asked, as if she could read Cortez's mind. She didn't look back at him as she cleaned herself. "The sex, blood.. Was it my idea?"

Cortez debated answering but, he knew if he lied, she'd hear the skip of his heartbeat. "Yes."

Sophie was listening to his heart and felt her muscles sulk when she realized he wasn't lying. She didn't show any signs of emotion, though, as she reached for the shampoo. "Did you enjoy it or was it painful?"

Cortez smirked. "I enjoyed it."

Neither of them said anything else as Cortez grabbed the shampoo from Sophie and poured some in his hand. She turned to face him and lovingly smiled as he set the shampoo bottle down so he could wash Sophie's hair himself. Sophie wrapped her arms around Cortez's middle and let his hands gently scrub the shampoo into her hair and scalp. She turned around to let him get a better reach but, instead, revealed something strange to him.

Cortez's hands froze in Sophie's hair as he spotted a few strands of white among the suds. Very slowly, Cortez combed her hair up to reveal the entire piece of white hair that was tucked underneath everything else, right at her hairline. He tried not to dwell on it as he permitted Sophie to wash the suds out. Cortez stared, though, his eyebrows slightly furrowed when Sophie wasn't looking at him. She wouldn't ever see the white section in her hair if she didn't look for it but, it gave Cortez a million questions.

Was last night the only time she wouldn't be herself? Did this little strand indicate that she was stuck with this second personality forever now? Would it be back? If so, how soon? How often? It had to be the Moon Goddess. But, how did that happen? Did the Moon Goddess temporarily inhabit Sophie? Did that mean Cortez really did fuck the Moon Goddess last night? How could she do that, taking over someone else's body like that?

"If you get tired today, please rest." Cortez kindly suggested.

Sophie opened her eyes to meet Cortez's stare. Because, he knew something that she didn't, Sophie didn't feel like it would be right to refuse. She actually considered napping just because he said it.

"Okay." Sophie gulped.

Cortez took a deep breath and reached for Sophie to gently kiss her forehead. "Don't be stressed either, Gorgeous. I won't ever let anything happen to you."

-

"Oh no!" Miguel gasped from the fridge as he reached inside. Alex anxiously sat up from his seat at the counter to see what was troubling his mate. Miguel slowly pulled out a carton of orange juice and gestured it to Alex, his expression full of shock and outrage. "You went out grocery shopping with the girls yesterday, right?"

"Yeah.." Alex answered as he cowered back into his seat.

"And I asked you to grab orange juice?"

"Yeah.."

"And you bought orange juice with pulp?" Miguel dramatically exclaimed, instantly choking, as if the word itself was making him vomit. Miguel slammed the carton on the counter as he gripped at his throat. "I can't believe my mate likes pulp in his orange juice."

"Knock it off!" Alex laughed as he snatched the carton off the counter. Miguel was nearly on the floor as he continued to gag. "You scared me for a second and you're only being this dramatic over orange juice?"

"There's pulp in it!" Miguel halted his dramatic performance to stand up. "That's gross!"

"How is it gross? You like orange juice but not oranges?" Alex pushed.

"Oranges are fine. Orange juice is fine. But, when it's all mixed together like that it's-" Miguel's face contorted with disgust as his tongue fell out of his mouth. "The texture is so weird and it gets in your teeth and- UGH!"

"Gets in your teeth? How the hell are you drinking orange juice?" Alex deadpanned.

Miguel rolled his eyes with a dramatic groan and returned to the fridge to find something to drink with their breakfast. Alex looked at the carton, looked at Miguel, and smiled. He liked waking up every morning with his mate and spending every hour of his day with his mate. Alex had waited a very, very long time to finally find him, after all. He paid his dues. Now, he finally got his happily ever after.

"I like that you don't like pulp." Alex admitted as he played with the carton of orange juice.

"Why?" Miguel sighed as he grabbed a pitcher of lemonade that someone had made and placed it on the counter. He already looked less than amused as he continued. "Because we're different but the same? Opposites attract? You complete me? All that bullshit?"

Alex didn't say anything as his smile broadened. Miguel was a bitter guy, inside and out, but Alex found it extremely adorable. He couldn't help himself from grabbing Miguel's chin and meeting him halfway across the counter to kiss him. Miguel was caught off guard but didn't ask questions as he kissed Alex back. He liked having a mate just as much as Alex did, even if he didn't use cheesy phrases to say it like Alex did.

Miguel leant even further over the counter to deepen the kiss, causing Alex to smile against his mates lips. Even if Miguel wasn't sappy and cheesy, he was needy. Alex wanted to comply with Miguel's wishes and kiss him as the day is long, that was until, the door to the kitchen swung open. Miguel was the first to separate from Alex, feeling too bashful for PDA. What made it even worse was the fact that it wasn't just one of his pack members, like he expected, but his own mother.

Miguel instantly froze at the sight of his mother stood in the doorway of the kitchen, his eyes locked with hers. She looked really pretty in the morning. As a child, Miguel always admired his mother's beauty. But, right now, he almost felt like he couldn't. He felt too ashamed, like he couldn't look at her like she was his mother. It wasn't like she had been treating him like her son.

"I'm sorry to interrupt." Maria forced a friendly smile as she hugged her silk robe around her figure. She tucked a strand of brown and grey speckled hair behind her ear. "You know how your father can't get up in the morning to grab his own coffee.."

Miguel stiffly nodded, turning away from his mother as she walked across the kitchen to the coffee maker. Alex watched Maria walk by, his eyes flickering to Miguel as he watched him get all tense and awkward. He could feel Miguel's wolf panicking inside him as his fingers started to fidget. When Miguel finally made eye contact with him, Alex nodded towards Maria, silently encouraging him to say something. Miguel shook his head in an anxious panic, his bottom lip finding it's way between his teeth.

"Let me guess," Maria suddenly spoke up as she poured two mugs full of coffee. Miguel didn't turn to look at his mother but he listened for the forcibly humorous tone in her voice. "You bought orange juice with pulp and Miguel won't drink it and that's why the lemonade is out as well."

Alex perked up as he realized Maria was speaking to him. She looked over her shoulder with a friendly smile, one of which Alex happily returned. "Exactly. Apparently, Miguel has a special way of drinking orange juice that leaves pulp between his teeth."

Maria snorted a laugh and shook her head. Miguel's eyes fell shut as he internally cursed. Why couldn't she talk to him? She could talk to Alex but not him? Did she really not want to acknowledge her own son?

Say something. Alex desperately begged.

No. Miguel growled.

Come on. She's your mother. She's not going to hurt you.

Miguel's jaw visibly clenched as he stared down his mate. Maria smiled and nodded once at Alex as she silently excused herself. Miguel felt her footsteps in the floor as she passed by behind him. He was itching for her to say something. They couldn't keep avoiding the subject like this. It had been months. It was freaking him out. So, Miguel finally listened to his mate and followed his mother out of the kitchen to stop her in the corridors.

"Mom!" Miguel called out to her with a burst of courage. His stomach stirred as his voice escaped between his lips.

Maria turned with both mugs of coffee in hand, her expression still forcibly happy. "Yes, sweetie?"

Miguel gulped, his hand awkwardly stuttering before it scratched the back of his neck and found purchase there. "Y-you're really not going to talk to me..?"

The smallest hint of genuine sadness in Miguel's voice broke Maria's heart. She frowned, shuffling to set the mugs of coffee down on a table that sat under a painting, and made her way to Miguel. Maria didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around her sons neck and squeeze him as much as she loved him. She felt guilty, obviously. She knew she had to talk to Miguel but she could never figure out what to say or how to say it. But, she never meant to ignore him or hurt him.

"I'm sorry, sweetie." Maria whispered to her son as she tangled her fingers in his soft, slightly curly hair, and rubbed his back with the other.

Miguel slowly wrapped his arms around his mother and breathed in her rosy scent. "Are you ashamed of me for having a male mate?"

"Not in the slightest. I'm not ashamed one bit, Miguel." Maria reassured.

Miguel sniffled. "I'm not sure I believe you. I mean.. it's been months, mom.. When Cortez found Sophie, you were basically glued to his hip."

Maria whined as she squeezed Miguel even tighter. "I'm so sorry, dear. It's not fair, I know, and I'm so, so sorry." She let go of Miguel to look him in the eyes as she pouted. "It's just... This was once my pack, you know, and then we passed it on to Cortez. When Cortez has a child, he's suppose to pass the pack on to them but, well, neither him nor Sophie have any plans for kids. And now, with you and Alex, it's just.. impossible.."

Miguel gulped as he listened to his mother. He knew this was about kids. His mother had been talking about him and Cortez having children ever since they shifted. She was desperate for grandchildren and was so excited to raise another Alpha, or Luna, to take over a pack her own father had built. Miguel understood that his mother would be a bit bummed out that there weren't any kids in either of her own kids future but, he didn't think that revelation would put such a gap between them.

"I'm not upset that you can't have children, Miguel. I'm not upset that your mate is male. I'm not upset with Alex. I'm just thinking about the future. I can't imagine watching this pack be handed down from a Martinez to... anyone, really.. This is our pack, Miguel. My father built this family and this legacy. I just-"

"Cortez and Sophie aren't going to be childless forever, ma." Miguel chuckled. "Eventually, even maybe by accident, there is going to be a spawn. My room is way too close to theirs to be convinced that they're not going to make a spawn someday."

Maria chuckled and she patted down the fabric of Miguel's shirt. "No, I know. You're right. It might happen, eventually. I just never thought I'd have to wait. And you two boys found your mates so close together, I pictured multiple pregnant bellies by now, you know.."

"Who knows, ma. Maybe I'll go out and find a rogue baby for Alex and I to raise." Maria chuckled and there was a moment of silence before Miguel continued. "So, you're not disgusted by me? Or Alex?"

"No! Of course, not! You two look very cute together. You compliment each other perfectly."

"Thanks.." Miguel proudly smirked as he looked bashfully to the floor. "I really love him, mom. It's crazy, really.. It's, like-"

"I know." Maria whispered and winked when Miguel's eyes met hers again. She actually looked genuinely happy now. "It's amazing, isn't it?"

Miguel shyly smiled and nodded. His mother wasn't upset with him and she wasn't disgusted, she just wanted to keep the pack in the family and, if her own children weren't having kids, there was no way that was going to happen. Jeremiah and Delilah were expecting a baby, after all. If anything happened to Cortez and Sophie, they would take over. But, if all four of them grew old and Jeremiah and Delilah had a fully grown child, the pack would be passed down to that child.

Maria didn't want that to happen. Not because she didn't like Jeremiah and Delilah. They were very reliable people. They had to be reliable as Beta's but, they weren't blood related. Maria just couldn't figure out what she could do to make sure this pack stayed in the Martinez family passed Cortez and Sophie's rule. It was literally impossible for Alex and Miguel to create a spawn so, Maria didn't even bother to worry about them. That's why she seemed so distant but, she didn't mean to.

"How about.." Maria started as she patted down Miguel's shirt and attempted to fix it's wrinkles. "Your father and I take you and Alex out to that beautiful park up north and we'll stay for the weekend to do some hiking."

Miguel frowned. His mother was finally offering to give him and his mate attention and he had to reject her offer. "Alex is Sophie's Beta now, Mom. We can't go away for the weekend now that he has to be glued to her side."

Maria's eyes instantly widened, her long lashes almost reaching her eyebrows. "What? Alex is Sophie's new Beta?" And then I clicked. "Oh my god! Because Delilah's pregnant!"

"Yes..." Miguel awkwardly chuckled, not entirely sure why his mother was freaking out the way she was.

Maria pulled her hands from Miguel's shirt and cupped them off her mouth as her thoughts ran a mile a minute. This was good. She could figure out a plan through this, somehow. It was almost perfect. Just far enough for it, admittedly, that she'd have to keep thinking of a plan but, just close enough to perfect that there was some kind of possibility there. Maria was so excited at this realization that she rushed back into the kitchen in a huge explosion of joy.

"Oh, I'm so happy you're Miguel's mate!" Maria cheered as she hurried towards Alex.

Alex was, admittedly, caught off guard as he stood from his seat to properly stand in front of a Luna. He didn't get the chance to fully stand before Maria had her arms thrown around his neck. Alex was much taller than Maria so, when she hugged him like that, he had to awkwardly bend over, half of us body still sat in his chair. He looked over Maria's shoulder and at Miguel for any kind of hint as to what was going on.

Miguel shrugged, even throwing his arms up to further emphasize that he had no idea why she was so happy all of a sudden.

Maria pulled away from Alex but kept his face close by grabbing it between her skinny fingers. She looked him dead in the eye as she spoke. "You better do really well as Sophie's Beta. You have to Beta better than any Beta has ever Beta'd. Okay? Do you understand? Make it so nobody could be a better Beta for Sophie than you, alright?"

Alex silently stared down at Maria as he tried to wrap his brain around what Maria was trying to say. All he could do was nod. "Okay. I'll do my best until Delilah can return to her post."

"No!" Maria held Alex's face even tighter, causing him to almost flinch in surprise. "You're going to do so well as Sophie's Beta that you're going to take over the position. Promise me?"

Alex struggled to understand more and more as Maria went on with them. He didn't know what to say.

"Mom.." Miguel luckily chimed in, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. "Do you not want Delilah to be Sophie's Beta anymore? Because she's expecting a child?"

Maria ignored Miguel's questions as she let go of Alex's face to encourage him to stand. She looked him over with a proud smile, her hands petting his broad shoulders and his muscly biceps. "You are perfect Beta material, Alex. I am so proud of the man you made yourself to be. And you're so handsome."

Alex forgot all about Maria's confusing behavior as he felt pure warmth flood his chest. A smile spread across his features as he looked down at his Luna, his Mother-In-Law, and his wise senior. He couldn't have been more flattered. It was everything he ever wanted to hear, and from the mother of his mate, of all people. A mother was proud of him. So proud of him, in fact, that she spoke to him like he was her own. Alex was so high off of her praise that he didn't catch on to the meaning behind Maria's words.

"Thank you, Luna. I'll do my absolute best as Sophie's Beta. I promise. And I'll take care of you, and Antonio, Miguel, and the pack, too." Alex happily complied like an excited puppy.

Miguel perked up in shock. What was happening here? This wasn't right. This wasn't how he wanted his mother's approval. She was playing games, cheating the system, and using his mate as a chess piece for it all. This wasn't how he ever expected this to go.

Maria, though, was very happy as she patted Alex's chest and smiled up at him before she turned to leave. She pecked Miguel on the cheek as she passed him, the gesture rubbing Miguel the wrong way. Him and Alex locked eyes, both of their expressions completely opposing the other. Alex couldn't have been happier and Miguel couldn't have been more disappointed.

How did it end up like this?

-

"Here, baby. Come, come." Griselda anxiously waved her hand at Millicent as she stepped towards the two people that had just appeared.

Millicent pressed herself further against the wall as she shook her head in fear. She didn't want to go anywhere near those two. Unfortunately, Millicent didn't have a choice. Griselda hurried to her daughter and forced her to her feet with a deadly grip. Millicent tried to fight back but didn't manage to stop her mother before she placed her in front of the strangers. Millicent looked up at the handsome male, her body quaking with fear when a smirk pulled at his lips.

"The kid.." The male turned his devilish smirk to Griselda. Millicent feared the obvious implication that this creature knew her in some way.

Griselda desperately nodded and held her daughters arm up to the male. "Help her!"

"Help.." The male scoffed and his eyes fell to Millicent's arms. Those crystal blue eyes followed the Lichtenberg mark stretching over her pale skin. "You have a funny definition of help."

"Just do it!" Griselda anxiously urged through gritted teeth. She wanted to make a snark retort at that ironic comment but, there wasn't time for that.

The male snatched both of Millicent's wrist into his hands, the contact instantly blowing the wind out of Millicent and sending chills through her entire body. She gasped to catch her breath as the male held her stare, his eyes turning dark and sinking into his head, his cheekbones hollowing, dark skin draining of any color, and his fingers and heavily tattooed arms turning to bone. He was growing taller as well , turning into the creepy figure that lurked in the shadows before this second, human, form had stepped out.

With a rush of hot energy through Millicent's veins, the Lichtenberg began to drain from her body with an immense force that had her choking on her own breath. Very slowly, vein by vein and branch by branch, the Lichtenberg mark was draining out of her system. Millicent felt like she was right back to that moment in front of Sophie's house. She could feel the intense burning that was tearing her from the inside out. It felt like sand was being forced through her veins.

"Stop it! Stop, stop, stop! It hurts!" Millicent shrieked through the pain as hot tears poured from her eyes. The male wouldn't let go as he squeezed her wrists even harder to keep her from escaping his grip.

"Endure it, baby. You have to." Griselda worriedly urged as she watched beside her daughter.

Millicent screamed in pain, her voice reaching levels so high that the werewolves were cupping their ears and groaning with pain. She stared down at her arms when the amount of pain convinced her that her was skin was peeling off of her bones. That might not have been happening but there was something else that caught Millicent's attention. There was a big circle peaking out from under the skeletal fingers wrapped around her wrists, a crazy pattern of images and foreign letters trapped within it.

All of that burning sensation, all of that pain, the big Lichtenberg mark, it was all disappearing into that mark. Millicent was so entranced by the sight that she almost forgot about the pain. That was, until it was gone. Her breathe returned so quickly that she was nearly knocked off her feet. Even the handsome male had returned from his creepy skeletal form and was back to being creepily handsome. He didn't even looked bothered as Millicent stared at the mark and heavily panted.

"What is this?" Millicent ran her thumb gently over the mark but she didn't feel anything. It looked like it had depth, like it was burned into her skin, but she couldn't feel any patterns or ridges.

"Your fate is unpredictable. Even to the highest gods. However, I've just sealed the act of karma into your timeline." The male answered, his accent thick but words proper and voice sophisticated.

"What does that mean?" Millicent looked up at her mother with so much worry in her eyes that Griselda almost felt bad.

"It means we have to work twice as hard to protect you. The universe is no longer on our side." Griselda answered as she lifted her arms to the woman in black, shredded fabric. Her wrists were turned up as she offered herself to the woman, and in the blink of an eye, the woman grabbed her and Griselda was screaming bloody murder all over again.

That was a few days ago.

After Millicent and Griselda were, essentially branded, nobody stopped moving. Griselda urged to Ulrik to get the pack out of the house as soon as possible and insisted that they all move miles and miles from where they were standing. She said it so urgently and started moving in a way that convinced Millicent that this hadn't been the first time it happened. Ulrik didn't ask questions as he guided his pack out of the house and into the woods in the absolute dead of night.

Once they were in the woods, the woman draped in black, shredded cloth stepped easily into Griselda's body, completely disappearing within her. Griselda didn't even flinch as she hurried beside Ulrik, turning to grab Millicent and hurry her forward. Millicent stayed close to her mother as they all walked through the woods but, couldn't help but glance behind her to devilishly handsome being following in their path.

That skeleton-transforming man looked busy as he walked through the woods, not a single one of his footsteps making noise within the twigs and crunchy leaves on the forest floor. He was staring at a stone that rested in his palms as he whispered foreign words over and over again. He never looked up, he never stumbled, he looked completely photoshopped into the hectic scene around him. Millicent was enthralled by the mystery that surrounded the two beings she was just introduced to.

The pack didn't stop until they hit a cruddy motel in a rundown, dirty, old town. There was a lot of land but, not a lot of people occupying any of it. Ulrik urged his pack members to get some rest as he went to the front desk. Millicent and Griselda stayed in the parking lot and watched all the members of the Rich Spring pack split into familial, mated, or single groups as they stood in front of locked doors. Ulrik returned a few moments later, wiping blood from his chin as he opened a shoebox that was full of keys.

Griselda wouldn't leave Ulrik's side, which meant Millicent wasn't allowed to either, as Ulrik passed out room keys to the different members of his packs. It took hours before everyone was settled and heads were counted. Everyone made it out but, nobody knew what they were running from. The creepy woman dressed in all black was gone, as was her creepy male counterpart. That's what everyone, and Millicent, thought, until she stepped into the last room open with Griselda and Ulrik.

The man was a tall, fully animated skeleton again. He was so tall in such a small motel room that his honey shoulders were hunched and his skull was bowed but, he kept that stone sat idly in his palm as a hollow, hushed voice whispered all around the room. Griselda urged Millicent to ignore him as she coached her to sit on one of the beds in the room. Ulrik couldn't help himself from pulling Griselda outside in a rush to figure out what the hell was happening.

Millicent stared at the only other being in the room as Griselda and Ulrik muttered back and forth to each other just outside the door. The skeleton looked like it was breathing. It's ribcage subtly expended and constricted as it's shoulder blades rose and fell. Even the different bones in it's fingers twitched in a very human manner that creeped Millicent out. It's hushed voice echoed through the room, bouncing off one wall just to be thrown against a different wall.

After a few minutes, the giant skeleton began to slowly shrink. Millicent anxiously perked up as her heart began to race. The man was returning, she could tell. Little by little, his bone filled into muscly flesh, his skill filled grew human facial features and multicolored hair. Luckily, a very high fashion outfit materialized around his body before Millicent saw anything she didn't want to see. When the man was done with whatever spell he was casting, he placed the stone in one of the pockets inside his leather jacket and rubbed his hands together.

"I should be in the clear now." The man chuckled, a bright, handsome smirk on his face. He still had the thick accent but, he sounded a lot less sophisticated, like he was just talking to a friend, although, he didn't seem to be talking to anyone in particular.

Millicent gulped as the man's eyes met hers. There wasn't that same, horrible chill that she felt the last time they met eyes but, she could still feel it in the deepest parts of her bones. For a moment, it seemed he didn't even know where he was. He curiously looked around the room before his eyes landed on the single big window that had Ulrik and Griselda's shadows casted on the thin curtains. He didn't even acknowledge Millicent as he walked towards the door.

"What are you?" Millicent asked in a quick burst of courage, her voice still hesitant as her hands shook with fear.

The man froze in his steps, his crystal blue eyes flickering to meet Millicent's in the darkness. A haunting smirk crept on his lips as he turned to make full eye contact with the kid.

He politely bowed at his waist and introduced himself, saying, "My name is Rahul and, I am a demon. A child of Lucifer. Nice to finally meet you, Millicent."

Millicent's eyes widened. That was not the answer she expected. He was a demon? A real demon? A child of Lucifer? Did he mean that literally, biologically, or was he a child by faith? And the other woman? Was she a demon too? Was she a child of Lucifer? Is that where she went? Did she return to her father? What did that mean for Griselda? Griselda wasn't a demon, right? She was just a witch.

"My sister, Urvashi, we're different but, she is also a demon." The man, Rahul, continued. Millicent left her thoughts behind to lock eyes with him again. "She does not like to show herself often but, when she does, please excuse her behavior. She doesn't have the people skills that I do."

Millicent was speechless, completely caught off guard by the demon engaging in conversation with her. With no response, though, Rahul grew bored and exited out of the door of the motel room. Millicent could hear Ulrik and Griselda's voices go silent as Rahul showed himself. Conversation rose again and this time, it was louder. Ulrik sounded outraged by Griselda being friends with demons, which she tried to clarify but, Millicent couldn't hear her. Rahul didn't seem to speak much, or she couldn't hear him, but Ulrik sure had a lot to say.

"I don't want my pack exposed to demons, Griselda! I have to take care of these people! This is my family! Having a witch around was enough, then we had two, and now, we have two demons? No, Griselda! This is too much!" Ulrik shouted as he gestured his arms wildly with his frustrations.

Griselda seemed taken aback by Ulrik's words. "Do you have a problem with me being in your pack, Ulrik? Do you see me as a problem in your life?"

The question was more curious than it was venomous, even if the translation got a bit loss between them. Griselda had Ulrik under her magic. He loved her, he cherished her, he was mind-linked and mated to her. They were bound to one another. Maybe not on paper or by the laws of werewolves but, through Griselda's magic, that's what she made him believe. He shouldn't be experiencing these feelings that he was expressing. He shouldn't care that she's a witch because he loved her too much to care. Something was off.

"No, baby.." Ulrik instantly submitted as he reached for Griselda's arms and pulled her close. "I love you, Griselda. I love you so much, baby. That's not what I meant."

"What did you mean?" Griselda pulled away from Ulrik, not looking for anymore affection from him.

Ulrik looked defeated as he stole a glance at the demon staring at him from just over Griselda's shoulder. "We all trust and love you, Griselda, but that doesn't mean that you're not a potential danger to the pack. Millicent only adds to that danger but, we're willing to risk it because you and Millicent are our family. The demons, though-"

"Must I remind you, Griselda-" Rahul chimed in. Griselda didn't turn to look at him but Ulrik stared, surprised to hear the demon talk. "Most of your magic derives from my sister and I. If we part from you, you are in just as much trouble as us."

"I know that, Rahul. Does it sound like I was about to let that happen?" Griselda growled and turned her attention back to Ulrik. "I'm sorry that I'm putting the pack in dangerous, Ulrik, but I have no other choice. Millicent, Rahul, Urvashi, and I will protect all of you as long as you protect us."

Ulrik was silent as he tried to think and process everything. At this point, it seemed him and Griselda were on different teams. Magic versus the supernatural. Ulrik has to protect his pack and only his pack. Having such reckless, dangerous, famously destructive magic around all of these wolves was his worse nightmare. On the other hand, he loved Griselda too much to go against her wishes.

Unfortunately, Griselda wished to keep her demon friends around, even though, they were the most dangerous, unpredictable, and power-abusing creatures on this planet.

"Fine." Ulrik sighed and relaxed his tense muscles. "You're my mate and the Luna of this pack, Griselda. I trust and believe in you, now matter what. Just.. tell me what I have to do to keep everyone safe."

That was the beginning of it all. The beginning of a war that would effectively change the world as everyone knew it.