Asher

"Are you guys fully mated?" Peyton asked. I'm still at the pack house; most of the pack members retired to their rooms or homes, since its almost 9 p.m. Now it's just Brian, Peyton, Dr. Nale, a few others, and myself.

Before I had the chance to reply, my phone started playing Stay With Me by Sam Smith. I smiled, knowing that Eve was the one calling me, I have that song as her ringtone. Jordyn personally changed it for me. I swiped the screen to answer the call.

"Hey." I rolled my eyes when I noticed Peyton and Brian focus to hear my conversation. Dr. Nale and the others left to give us privacy.

"Hi, Babe. Are you coming back soon?" Eve asked.

I nodded, but she didn't say anything. "Hello?" I asked.

"What?"

"You didn't say anything," I informed her.

"You didn't answer my question," she said slowly.

"Yeah, I did. I nodded," I argued. Peyton started laughing, while Brian rolled his eyes. I ignored them, and focused on my phone. Eve was also laughing.

"What's so funny?!" I exclaimed. Its like they all know a joke, but I'm completely clueless.

"She can't see you, dumbass," Brian stated.

Peyton laughed louder, and Eve heard. "Who's that?" she asked seriously.

"Peyton. Why? Are you jealous?" I asked. Eve didn't respond before hanging up. I frowned at my blank screen.

Peyton walked over to me and smacked my head. "You're an idiot," she informed me.

"Call her back," Brian demanded.

I dialed Eve's number, but it went straight to voicemail. "I think she's mad," I mumbled. This time, Brian smacked the back of my head.

"Mind-link her."

I mentally cursed myself for not thinking about that. I was relieved to find out that Eve didn't block me out.

'Babe,' I cooed. Eve didn't respond, but I know she heard me. 'I'm sorry,'

'Who's Peyton?' Eve asked.

'Brian's mate,' I answered. My phone started playing Eve's ringtone, and I immediately picked up.

"I love you," I said instantly. Peyton smiled at me while Brian mouthed 'whipped.' I rolled my eyes. 'So are you,' I mouthed back.

"I love you, too," Eve stated.

"Hi! I'm Peyton, and we are gonna be like besties!" Peyton shouted. Brian covered her mouth to muffle whatever else she was trying to say.

Eve giggled. "Ash, put me on speaker," she demanded.

I dramatically sighed and pressed the button. "You're on speakerphone," I informed her.

"Hi," she said sheepishly.

I chuckled and Brian released his mate. "Hi BFF!" Peyton said.

"Hey, Peyton. Is Brian there too?" Eve asked.

"Yeah, I'm here," Brian spoke up. "How's it going, Eve?"

She groaned in response. "I have so much work," she complained.

"Not that I don't love talking to you; but why did you call if you still have work?" I asked.

"Cause Ingrid wouldn't shut up," she grumbled. I heard knocking through the phone, then Eve told us to hold on. Peyton, Brian, and I silently listened to the other line.

"Hey, squirt," Eve said. She's probably talking to Matthew.

My assumption was confirmed when Matthew spoke. "I had a nightmare" he said quietly, but with my werewolf hearing, I could still hear it. That's the third nightmare this week, and its only Wednesday.

I heard shuffling before Eve talked. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, there was a pause; in which I guess Matthew was silently answering. "Want me to tuck you in?" she questioned.

"Can you sleep with me tonight?" Matthew asked.

"Sure. Just hold on a sec," she told him. "Uh... I have to go, guys," she said through the phone.

"Night," Peyton and Brian said in unison. I took the phone off of speaker, then walked to my office for privacy.

"Baby," I said softly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Lying is a bad habit," I informed her while sitting in my desk chair.

Eve sighed; instead of talking, she mind-linked me. 'I'm just worried about Matthew. He's been having nightmares a lot lately; and he never tells me what its about.'

Maybe he'll tell me. "Put him on the phone," I said.

"Hello?" Matthew said slowly.

"Hey, bud," I greeted him.

"Hi, Ash."

"Eve told me that you had another nightmare."

Matthew sniffled. "Yeah. It was scary."

"Why won't you talk to Eve about it?" I asked softly.

There was a long pause before he spoke. "I don't want to make her upset," he whispered.

Upset? "You can tell me about it," I offered.

"But Eve is here," he whispered again. Eve can probably hear him, with werewolf hearing and what not.

'Babe,' I said in the mind-link.

Eve got straight to the point. 'Will you tell me what he says?' she asked.

'Of course'.

"I have to use the bathroom," I heard Eve say on the other line. There was shuffling, then I heard a door close.

"Did she leave?" I asked Matthew.

"She had to use the bathroom," Matthew informed me.

Such a lame excuse. "So what happened in the nightmare?" I asked.

"E-Eve got taken a-again" Matthew sniffled. "I saw those t-two g-guys." Damn.

He probably replays the memory in his sleep. "Don't cry," I said softly. "Everything's gonna be okay. Eve is safe and you're safe," I assured him.

"B-But what if they c-come back?"

Jacobs is such a dumbass. He just had to traumatize a little kid. I sighed. "Remember how Eve said that your mom and dad are with the Moon Goddess?" I asked.

"Mhm," Matthew mumbled.

"Well, they all live in the sky, so they can watch us from up there. They'll protect you. They'll protect Eve," I said.

"Promise?"

"I promise," I said as confidently as possible.

"Okay," he said quietly.

"Go to bed now," I told him.

"Goodnight," he said before hanging up. I put my phone on my desk and ran my hand down my face. I just lied to a kid. I made a promise that I can't keep. I have no idea if anyone can protect Matthew and Eve. They're the only Royals. People will always be after them.

My door slowly opened, but no one came in. I got up and walked to the door. I looked around in the hallway, but no one was in sight. I shrugged it off and went back into my office.

"What the hell?!" I exclaimed. There was a person sitting in my chair. A shadow was covering his face, but I could tell that he was male.

He put his hands up, palms facing me. "Dát vám moc."

He's doing a spell! I lunged at him, but its was like my feet were glued to the floor. Fucking witch-craft!

"Dát vám moc. Dát vám moc."

Why does this sound so familiar? I tried to shout for help, but my mouth was sealed shut. My mind-link wasn't working either.

"Dát vám moc. Dát vám moc." he chanted. He put his hands down, and got up. He stayed in the shadows though.

"Tell the Queen that he's your child," the witch demanded before he disappeared in thin air. Child? Eve and I haven't even completed the mating process. I know that she doesn't have a kid. I'm pretty sure she's a virgin. I don't have a kid either.

'Brian. My office. Now,' I said through the mind-link.

A few minutes later, the door opened. Brian walked in with Peyton behind him. "What's up?" he asked.

"Is patrol outside?" I questioned.

Brian knitted his eyebrows together and slowly nodded. "Why?"

"A witch just came in here and did some fucking spell," I stated.

"Warriors and trackers are literally surrounding this place," Peyton said. "How the hell could he get past them?!"

I sighed. "He used magic. That's how he left. He just disappeared."

"What spell did he do?" Brian asked.

"I don't know. I don't speak witch!" I exclaimed.

Peyton rolled her eyes. "Witches don't have their own language. They speak Latin, Greek, Czech, Estonian, or Gaelic," she informed me.

"Well whatever it is; its wasn't English," I huffed.

"I'll get Dr. Nale, maybe he'll know," Brian said before walking out.

Now I gotta deal with this witch shit. 'I'm gonna spend the night here,' I told Eve through the mind-link.

'Okay. Is everything alright?' she asked.

'Yeah. I just have a lot to do.'

'Okay. Goodnight.'

'Goodnight, baby. I love you.'

'I love you too', she said before putting up her wall. I didn't want to lie to her. But she said that she was stressed out with work, and she needs to take care of Matthew too. The least I can do is take a few things off her plate.

"Alpha," Dr. Nale greeted me.

"Please have a seat," I said gesturing to the couch. Peyton and Brian sat in the love-seat, Dr. Nale sat on the couch, and I sat on the other side of the couch. "A witch cast some spell on me," I informed him, straight-forward.

His eyes went wide. "What kind of spell?"

Peyton spoke up. "We were hoping that you could tell us. Do you understand any of the languages witches speak?"

Dr. Nale nodded. "I know a few languages."

"Okay. Uh... He said 'dát..." I wracked my brain for the rest. "Dát vám moc." I stated.

Dr. Nale thought about it before speaking. "It means 'give you power," he said slowly. He looked confused.

This is so complicated. Why would a witch give me power? "He gave me his magic?" I asked.

Dr. Nale shook his head. "You would've felt it. Did he say anything else?"

I nodded. "It doesn't make sense though. He's probably crazy."

"What did he say?" Brian pressed.

I sighed. "He said to tell Eve that 'he's our child'."

Peyton gasped. "You guys have a kid that's a witch?!" she exclaimed.

"What? No! We don't have a kid," I stated.

"But you just said that the witch is your child," she said slowly.

I shook my head and sighed. "We haven't completed the mating process. The witch's exact words were- and I quote- 'he's your child."

"He could be talking about your future offspring," Dr. Nale explained. "Has Eve come across a witch?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No, just a few rouges," I stated, before I recalled the memory. Eve said that someone was with the rogues, and he was chanting. That's why it sounds so familiar. "Wait! There was a witch. A few weeks ago," I told Dr. Nale.

He sighed. "The spell wasn't cast on you. If the witch went to Eve and you, then the spell most likely is for your future child."

"Why would a witch cast a spell on an unborn child?" I voiced my thoughts.

Dr. Nale shrugged. "I have no idea. But until we find out, Eve cannot get pregnant. It could be dangerous."

I nodded in understanding. "We aren't fully mated; but we might be soon. The head of the Council is keen on us mating and reproducing," I informed them.

"How keen?" Peyton asked hesitantly.

"Malcom said that he would force us, if he had to," I said quietly. "Can he do that?" I questioned.

Dr. Nale nodded. "If he's head of the Council, he's high in rank. Which means he has a lot of power and resources."

"And I can't stop him?" I asked.

"Unfortunately not."