"I stopped using my magic for that," Amy mutters solemnly, voice cutting through the heavy air. Her body stays unnervingly still while she stands in front of the window, her back facing us as she stares out into the night.

"I know," I reply from my spot on the armrest of the couch, matching her quiet, low tone with a hint of sympathy. "But, I wouldn't ask you if I didn't think it was necessary. This war is going to be huge, and we're already at a disadvantage as it is. We could really use your help, Amy."

Amy's eyes stay fixated on the dense forest beyond the window while I speak, but despite the lack of acknowledgement, I know she heard every word I said.   

Alex stays silent, seeming slightly uncomfortable with the tense atmosphere as he shifts uncertainly in his seat, intently watching our interaction.

We enter another extended silence as we individually mull over our conversation from the past two hours.

During my explanation, I alluded to the idea that Lucifer is my biological father, but I didn't directly state it. Amy didn't need that confirmation, she knew exactly who I was the moment I met her. She easily felt Lucifer's power in me, and there was no use in trying to deny it.

When Alex and I met, he never asked about my parents and I never told him, especially since we didn't know eachother all that well. It was an unspoken agreement between us, to keep our secrets to ourselves. But, vampires are known for their intuition, and I have no doubt that he hasn't been able to come to his own conclusion using the information I've given.

I told them little to nothing of my past, beside the few things that are necessary in order for them to understand the severity of this situation.

It didn't take long for the air to turn thick and heavy when I described the demon attack against the werewolves. The tension only got worse as I told them that Lucifer is demanding I join him in his effort to wreak havoc on our world.

A long defeated sigh escapes my lips, left to linger in the still air as my eyes flick from Amy's stoic frame to the large translucent wall in front of her, hardly able to see past the reflections of our indoor lights.

A little over an hour ago, the sun completely set, blanketing the sky in darkness and leaving the full, round moon to glow brightly. There's an odd ominous feeling hovering in the air, making it noticeably heavy, and my heart beats a little faster than usual because of it.

Amy abruptly spins around, catching my attention with her completely unreadable expression as she traps me in her hypnotizing stare. Her warm eyes search my face for a long moment before her red-stained lips part and form the words I've been waiting to hear.

"Alright, I'll do it," she says after a beat of silence, releasing a deep breath. "I'll fight with you."

My eyebrows shoot up in surprise as I scan over her face, looking for any dishonesty or ill intent. The sincere expression that crosses over her features makes my lips tug upwards in proud triumph.

"Thank you," I voice, already able to feel the heavy air become lighter as I receive her small nod and soft smile in return.

"You might not be as bad as I thought, Witch," Alex teases, a cheeky grin splitting across his face as he sinks further into the comfort of the couch, his uncertainty long forgotten.

Amy's nose scrunches in disgust, her eyes running over him from head to toe before she says, "My first impression of you hasn't changed, Leech. Why don't you go find someone to sink your fangs into?"

I let out a humorous snort at her words, smirking as I watch Alex rise to his feet.

"I think I've already found someone," Alex says, taking a few steps closer to Amy as he runs his tongue over the sharp points of his fangs. His black pupils expand, threatening to swallow the vibrant irises entirely. "I've never tried Witch before, but I heard it's even sweeter than human."

Amy gasps, anger washing over her face as she points a stern finger at him and hurdles more insults.

I cock an amused brow as I watch them argue back and forth, offended, frustrated expressions crossing their features as they continue their childish spat.

In between incessant arguing, my keen ears suddenly pick up an impossibly faint noise from far in the distance. It's so quiet that I wonder if it isn't just my mind playing tricks on me. Brows furrowed, my humor quickly disappears as I slowly rise to my feet.

"Did you hear that?" I ask curiously, question directed toward both Alex and Amy. My voice goes unnoticed as it's lost in their loud bickering.

I roll my eyes silently, but my irritation is quickly replaced by another wave of confusion as I distantly hear the same eerie noise from at least a few miles away. Patience stretched thin, I growl in frustration as they ignore me completely.

"Can you two shut up!" I snap, my loud voice booming through the living room.

Their squabble immediately comes to a halt as they simultaneously turn toward me with shocked expressions.

I huff out an annoyed breath before stalking toward the window, eyes dancing over the scenery as my ears strain to listen for any other sounds.

I tilt my head in puzzlement as I'm barely able to see the outline of a bellowing, gray cloud while it rises from the forest, outlined in the pale moonlight as it cuts through the horizon.

"What the hell is that?" My quizzical voice splits through the air.

I swiftly go to the glass door, fumbling to unlock it and slide it open with a forceful thud.

The smell of a burning fire overwhelms my senses as I step onto the porch, taking in the mass of dense smoke while it looms over the treetops, disappearing into the darkness of the sky.

Another sound pierces through the night air, clearer than the first two, and this time, I know that it's someone screaming.

Mind racing, I realize that the only thing for miles in that direction is the pack grounds.

Immediately, my face drops and my heart pounds against my ribcage, urging me to run that way, toward the rising smoke.

"The pack," I mutter in shock, gaping at the ash wafting through the sky.

Dread crashes over me, and I suddenly snap into action, my aura flaring at the idea of threat and my body thrumming with intense power. Without a second thought, I grip the wooden rails of the porch, swinging my legs over them, and letting my body drop toward the ground.

Deafening wind rushes and swarms around me, tangling my hair as I fall. Eventually, I land to the hard earth in a lunge, clawed hands digging into the short grass. My head snaps up, eyes crimson red and full of bloodlust while I look over my surroundings. Ignoring the panicked yells from Amy and Alex above me, I race into the woods, traveling faster than a bullet.