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With renewed hope, I continued to check on the progress around town, mentally cataloging the various security measures and improvements being made. My thoughts drifted back to Tori, the witches at the Moonlight Café, and the allies we were amassing. If we could weaken our enemies’ power by severing their connection to the witches, we could potentially turn the tide of this brutal conflict.
As I walked through the town square, I felt proud of the progress we were making. The buildings we were starting to takeshape, and Blackwood Creek was becoming something greater than it had been before.
“Ridge,” Clawson greeted as he approached, scanning the area. “I thought you should know that Eleanor has just returned with her sister Julia.”
“Thanks, Clawson,” I said. This could be the opportunity I’d been waiting for, Eleanor might not be interested in what I was hoping to do here, but her sister might. At the very least, it would give me a chance to try to reason with both of them. “I’ll go find them.”
Making my way toward the Moonlight Café, where I assumed the sisters would be with Lola, I prepared myself for the conversation ahead. Eleanor hadn’t been easy to deal with. Hell, she’d dismissed me and Clawson at Lola’s office like we were nothing but dirt she’d tracked in. Hopefully, Julia would be more amenable. From what Eleanor had said about her being persecuted by humans, she’d at least understand some of what we were going through, and I hoped she would be open to discussing the matter of the hostile witches.
The two sisters were standing outside the café.
“Good afternoon, Eleanor. Lola is inside,” I said.
“I’ve got eyes, alpha, I can see,” Eleanor snapped. “This is my sister, Julia.” She pointed to me. “Julia, this is Alpha Ridge Blackwood.”
Julia and Eleanor looked remarkably alike. They were of similar height, and had the same chocolate-brown hair with subtle highlights. That was where the similarities ended. Julia’s personality was a complete departure from her sister’s, and she gave me a warm, inviting smile.
“Good afternoon, alpha. Thank you for inviting me. It’s lovely to meet you.” Unlike her sister, she held out her hand.
I shook her hand enthusiastically. “Likewise, Julia.” I offered her a genuine smile. I glanced at Eleanor, who was clearly notthrilled about our meeting. “Shall we go in and catch up with Lola and my mate Tori?”
I opened the door, following behind the sisters as we moved to the table where Lola and Tori sat, watching us curiously. I introduced Julia to Lola and Tori, and she acknowledged them both with a friendly smile. Eleanor hung back.
Tori saw Eleanor standing silently behind her sister and stood. She went to the testy witch, a smile of gratitude on her face. “Eleanor, thank you so much for everything you did for us,” she said, sincerity pouring out of her. “I wasn’t in the best frame of mind that day, so I apologize if I came across as irritable.”
“It’s fine. No need to thank me.” Eleanor gave a curt nod.
Before Tori could sit down again, I suggested, “With introductions out of the way, I was hoping we could talk about something important. It concerns the safety of Blackwood Creek and all who live here.”
“Of course.” Julia turned her concerned gaze on me. “What can we do to help?”
“Why don’t we take a walk so I can explain what I have in mind?” I took my wallet from my pocket and pulled out a few bills, tossing it on the table. We made our way out, and as I opened the door, a gust of fresh air greeted us before we stepped outside.
“This way.” I gestured toward the town square. Eleanor and Julia walked alongside me, while Tori and Lola followed closely behind, ensuring they could hear what was being said. As we strolled along the cobblestone path, I told Julia my thoughts on the situation. “The hunters have become a significant threat to all of us, humans and paranormals alike, and their alliance with dark witches has made them more dangerous than ever before. We need to find a way to reason with these witches, or at least put a stop to their aid.”
“An ambitious plan,” Julia mused, her brow furrowed in thought. “Not impossible. I can try to reach out to the witches who are aiding the hunters, though I can’t guarantee they’ll be receptive to our message.”
“Anything you can do would be greatly appreciated,” I said. “Without their help, the hunters won’t pose nearly as much of a threat.”
Eleanor scoffed, rolling her eyes. “What’s in it for us? You think we’re just going to risk our necks for some wolves?”
“Enough, Eleanor,” Julia scolded gently. “Ridge is right. This isn’t just about them; it’s about all of us. Let’s at least listen to what he has to say.”
“Fine,” Eleanor conceded, albeit reluctantly.
“Thank you both,” I said sincerely. “I believe we can make Blackwood Creek a haven for all, a place where we can all live without fear. But it’s going to take a lot of work and cooperation.”
As we strolled through the town square, I pointed out various landmarks to Julia and Eleanor. The lively atmosphere was punctuated by children’s laughter and the hum of friendly conversations between neighbors. It was important for me to show them that Blackwood Creek was more than just a sanctuary for wolf shifters, but a thriving community where all paranormal beings and humans could coexist peacefully.
“Since the hunter problem worsened,” I said, “we’ve opened our doors to any shifter who needs refuge, not just our own pack. We want everyone to be welcome here.”
“Ridge issued an invitation to the vampires and the other shifters,” Tori added, and I could hear pride in her voice. It meant a lot to me to have my mate’s approval.
Eleanor raised an eyebrow, her skepticism still apparent. But as we passed the newly renovated park where families werepicnicking on the grass and kids were playing on the jungle gyms, even she couldn’t deny the sense of unity that filled the air.
“Look, there’s something you both should know.” It was time to reveal what I’d recently discovered about the hunter’s plans. “The hunters are concocting some sort of ‘mass cure’ to eliminate our kind altogether—”
“I’ve been working with one of the shifters who has been ‘cured,’” Lola interjected. “The spell is aimed to split the animal from the human, leaving the human with no memories of the supernatural or their animal. Whether it was intentional or not, after this shifter woke up, he began to display signs of mental illness. I’m told he is showing the same symptoms a shifter would if he were turning feral. When the illness tries to force a shift, without access to the animal, it puts the body under a huge amount of strain and causes fits. To a human doctor, this appears to be a mental breakdown. Eventually, the heart cannot keep up with the strain, and the patient will die a long, drawn-out death.”
