NOVEL NEXT 350 Camila and Elsie
"No one is out there, Violet. You are safe," Graeme reassured her, leaning forward in his chair and letting his arms rest on his legs.
"How can you be sure? Someone was able to take our own supposed Luna away," she said, terror making her eyes look wild as she accused every corner of the room.
Graeme bowed his head and sighed. What could he possibly say to that? It was true, and he had failed to protect her—his own mate. He wasn't going to let anyone else suffer a similar fate in this pack.
"I have something to do, and then I will be back to check on you," he told her, rising from the chair without giving her another opportunity to object.
She pulled her legs closer to chest on the bed, clutching them against her as if they would protect her from whatever it is that was haunted her mind. She nodded quietly.
"Try to get some rest," he said before leaving.
When he closed the door behind him, he could hear her whimpering. Seeing Violet in this state was upsetting. She was certainly capable of manipulation, he knew that from their history together. But everything about her demeanor now was genuine. These were true fears and beliefs she held about his mate and the mysterious male who had marked her. He needed his fucking memory back, and fast.
When he tracked down the alyko who had returned, he was relieved to see that there were two guards on either side of the door. They greeted him as he passed, knocking before entering.
"Graeme, you are such a sight for sore eyes," Elsie, the smaller one smiled as he entered. "You were just a pup when we left. You have grown," she laughed.
He took note of how she used the word 'left' as if they had simply decided to move from the pack. That was one hell of a euphemism. But what was she supposed to say? When their deaths were staged and they were taken to a vampire's alternate dimension?
"We feel the same way," he said gruffly, walking forward to allow himself to be embraced by the two adults who remembered him from before he had even shifted for the first time.
"So handsome," Elsie smiled, patting his cheeks. "Just like your father."
"And you both look just as I remember you," he smiled.
"Yes, it is a peculiar place we were in," Camila said as she made her way back to sitting next to Charlotte.
Charlotte had aged so much during the time that her sister was gone, becoming a wise elder while Camila still looked to be middle aged—still with a smoothness to her features where Charlotte's had become wrinkled and thin like delicate tissue paper. The sisters looked overjoyed to be reunited.
"I have heard a little bit about it. Time sounds to be different there," he said.
"Yes, it felt like we were there for ages and ages, but the sun never went down. It was almost like the sun was on a loop, moving around the horizon rather across it," Elsie said, using her finger to trace the path of the sun's orbit in the air.
"I met the woman who is responsible for creating that world. Nedra is her name," Camila said, turning to Charlotte. "She is the most powerful alyko in existence, they say, but she is trapped there like all of us were. I still don't understand how we suddenly returned as if it was the easiest thing… even she couldn't do that."
Charlotte, Graeme, and Sylvia who was sitting next to the huddled pups all listened patiently. These would be stories that would live on in this pack forever… the alyko who were taken and survived, not even aging upon their return. Lucas' words about those in the pack who would fear their arrival alighted once again in Graeme's mind together with an acute unease. Would he still face the challenge of convincing this pack that the alyko were not witches to be feared?
"We have someone here who is familiar with that world you were in, but I am sure you can help us even more. My mate has been taken there," he told them.
"We heard, Graeme. I am so sorry. We will help in whatever way we can, although we were confined the entire time we were there. I'm not sure how much we can contribute…" Elsie spoke, turning to Camila in question.
"Was she the one who sent us back? She is alyko as well, according to Charlotte," Camila said.
"It seems likely that she had something to do with it," he replied, the thought of his mate being capable of returning these lost females to their pack once again blooming pride in his chest.
"Extraordinary," Camila replied. "The Moon Goddess has chosen a powerful mate for our Alpha." Everyone in the room hummed their agreement or, in the case of the three pups on the bed, stared on in wonder.
"Is there anything you need that I can get for you?" he asked.
"No, we are very comfortable," Camila scanned the faces of the pups, ensuring that she was not mistaken. They were too shy in front of the Alpha to speak up if there was something they needed.
"We were discussing the talisman," Charlotte spoke now, her voice even and measured even in such a joyous time. "They have never made one…"
"But we can try," Camila interrupted. "I can try and Elsie said she would try as well. It is not an easy enchantment, though. It may take some time, I'm sorry."
"I understand," he said, trying to disguise his disappointment. "My father's talisman must be in the woods somewhere. We will continue searching for it. Please don't exhaust yourselves with trying. If it can't be done, we will find another way."
"Your mate is strong. She will find a way to break the enchantment," Camila reassured him.
"I am sure you are right," he smiled. "The important thing is that you have returned. Was Maggie well? Was she kept with you?"
"As far as we know, she has been well," Elsie nodded, looking to Camila for confirmation.
"Maggie is a powerful alyko in her own right. She was kept separate with others of similar ability. Perhaps that is why she did not return with us," Camila added.