* * * Jasper’s POV * * * There are still 45 minutes until the pack meeting, and I’ve decided to tell Sarah what I’ve found out. I find her sitting by the park watching Theia play. “Hi, you,” I say as I appear by her side and then laugh as I catch her and stop her from falling from the bench. It will take her some time to get used to how quickly I move. “Hi. Is everything OK?” She asks me. “I have some news to share with you,” I tell her and hold out my hand to her.She smiles as she takes my hand, and I can almost feel my dead unbeating heart restart. I lead her to the lake; it’s quiet here and calming. “I think I know who you really are,” I begin.“Jasper, I’ve always known who I am. I’m my own person, and Bobby and Nancy shaped me into the woman I am today,” she smiles as she speaks of her parents.“What I mean to say is, I think I know where you come from and what’s in your blood,” I say. I know these are the right words as her eyes widen. “But what if I don’t want to know?” S
* * * Jasper’s POV * * * Once Damian has entered Benedict onto the security system, we enter the pack through the gates and bid Damian good night. “So, what name shall I actually call you?” I ask him.“I prefer Alexander, so I would like to stick to that unless we are performing official duties,” Alexander tells me.“Very well. Are you coming back to mine? I will wake Sarah up and introduce you. I have so many questions: where is Sarah’s mother? Where has she been? How do you feel about being a grandpa? Why did Sarah’s power activate when I said her full name? …” I begin my tirade of questions.“Woah, Jasper, slow down. Her mother has remained hidden to protect Athena. She is currently working in a small pharmaceutical shop in a little human village. It works for her as she still feels like she is helping people. We create her a new identity every five years and move villages. We simply attract too much attention when together, although that doesn’t matter now. We can be together in
* * * Eve’s POV * * * “They were too late, they caught the vampires on their approach,” I tell the group as I read Jasper’s text message. My heart feels deflated, damn the traffic to hell. But I’m relieved to know my mother is safe,” I add. “Dammit. We need to out ourselves to the world. That way we don’t have to hide and can run in wolf form,” Max grumbles.“I know, baby. We should have used this opportunity to expose ourselves and deal with the aftermath later. How long before we arrive?” I ask him. “I would guess, 45 minutes to an hour. Why?”“I will let Jasper know. Why would vampires attack the Green Lake pack? They are friendly to vampires,” I muse, trying to figure it all out. “We will figure it out,” Max promises me. “Sarah, when do you think this snow will set? How deep was the snow?” I ask her, knowing a bigger attack is coming.“It’s hard to say. Maybe three or four days, perhaps,” she guesses.“It’s OK. I know it’s a lot to ask when you have just discovered your gift,
* * * Eve’s POV * * * “I have announced an emergency evacuation to the pack. They are to leave their belongings and meet at the packhouse. Those with babies will travel by car. The others with pups young enough to ride a wolf will travel in wolf form. It’s the quickest and safest option, but what of the humans who don’t know of our existence?” Alpha Reece tells us. “Max, is something the matter?” I ask him, noticing him typing furiously on his phone. “I have messaged the other Alphas and my father, along with the Alpha of the Sea View pack. I have told them all that there is a threat to every pack in existence and they should evacuate to New Moon immediately, without delay. Or to another location that is easily defendable. We can’t delay and risk being too late again,” Max sighs.“I hope they get there in time,” I say as I take his hand in mine.“We pray to the Moon Goddess, that’s all we can do.”“The humans that don’t know of our existence are about to be enlightened. There is no
* * * Eve’s POV * * * “He’s dead because he saved me,” I cry as I hold Allan’s head. “Eve drop the barrier, call the fire back, please,” Alexander requests.I hadn’t realised that my barrier was still blazing. I reach within for the connection and call the fire to rest within me. The land is scorched where the fire had stood, but I’ve been able to contain it and prevent it spreading to the rest of the forest. I still continue to cry for Allan. “Eve, you saved hundreds, Allan will be fine. His pride and ego may be a little bruised. But a severed head doesn’t kill a vampire, only setting fire to the severed limbs can kill us,” Alexander reassures me. “You mean he’s not dead?” I ask, wanting to make sure. “No, he’s not dead,” Alexander smiles.“What do we do?” I ask.“We return home and make sure the others have arrived safely. We protect those who need our aid, and we stop those who threaten the peace,” Alexander tells me.“But what about Jasper?” I fret, I can’t leave him. “He’s
* * * Eve’s POV * * * We carry Jasper’s dismembered body parts to Max’s and my home. Once he is laid on the bed and we have placed his body parts together, I pause to speak to him.‘You will be back together in no time, Jasper. We will use vampire venom to help speed up the healing process.’ “If we weren’t under threat of an attack, I would be tempted to place his body parts in the wrong place,” laughs Max.“He would kick your arse, and you know it. Now put his leg in the right place, the right way around and step back and let the vampires use their venom,” I scold him, but I can’t keep the laughter from my voice when he turns Jasper’s leg around with a sheepish expression on his face. “How does that work?” Max asks.“We bite his flesh where the limb was severed, and the venom will help the tissues knit back together. So to speak. I’ve never done this before.” Max and I watch, fascinated as the vampires' bite Jasper’s flesh, administering their venom. We stand waiting for five min
* * * Eve’s POV * * * “Jasper, once you have rested could you please tell us about the shadows and Richard?” Alpha Reece asks as we make our way to the door.“I will rest until after the prime ministers speech, and then we shall reconvene here. I don’t wish to speak about it more than once,” Jasper answers. “Of course. Rest well, and we shall meet again soon. Everybody please make sure you get breakfast, I will welcome the Lycans’ to New Moon and then prepare to continue the meeting,” Alpha Paul dismisses the group. Evolution built us to respond to disaster, yet not continuously so. We need to rest, to find peace within, to restore our health so that when called to action we are ready to move. And yet as I look at Jasper’s tired body, I realise that we may not get that chance to rest. “Thank you for helping me to get home,” Jasper says weakly.“It’s our pleasure. Please rest my friend. We all need a cosy place to hide at times, to feel safe and cocooned within, so that when the ne
* * * Eve’s POV * * * The alarms are still sounding as we rush from the meeting room and out of the packhouse. The pack grounds are in chaos, those with children are bickering about who will fight and who will stay with the pups, the young are scared and crying as they cling onto their parents and caregivers. Everyone, please do NOT panic. You are well protected and the safe house is just a precaution. Proceed calmly and quietly to your destination, we will protect you, Alpha Paul commands using his Alpha tone through the mind-link. The pack calms, only the young are frantic now and everybody goes about their business. “Are you worried?” I ask Alpha Paul. “I swallow my own fear to expand the safe zone of others, to become the stoic leader they deserve,” he tells me. “So, you have a safe house? We were only gone a short while,” I ask him. “I had planned to tell you on your return. We changed the doors and key codes to Charles’s underground hideout. We felt it would be a good pla