Chapter 770 It’s good to be back
Corvine ended the mindlink and looked at all the curious gazes in the room, his expression carefully neutral even as the weight of the news settled over him.
“It’s nothing serious. Gamma Jasmine is back, and the pups are excited.”
Kael could feel his heart thumping hard against his ribs as all gazes fixed on him, a weight of unspoken questions pressing down on his shoulders with a force that made it hard to breathe.
He quickly rushed out to see Jasmine’s back, his feet moving before his mind could catch up, every step driven by a need he had tried and failed to bury. She was surrounded by the pups, their small bodies pressed against her, their laughter filling the air with a bright, pure joy that made his chest ache.
So he only smiled and stepped back, giving them the space they deserved. However, he noticed that her hair looked different.
It was still red, but it looked shinier, more vibrant, or maybe it was just the way the sunlight caught it from where he stood watching her. The color seemed richer somehow, alive with a depth that pulled at him.
Remembering she had intended to stay for two weeks, he decided to allow her to have her time with the kids, to let her settle in before he approached. The restraint cost him more than he wanted to admit.
Seraphine was leaving the gym together with Voren when she received another mindlink from Damon, his voice urgent and confused, cutting through the quiet of the hallway with a sharp edge of worry.
’Sera, Quinn says she’s hearing two voices. One claiming to be her wolf, and the other her beast. What’s that supposed to mean? They even gave their names and are telling her they want to come out.’
’Just a moment.’ Seraphine ended the mindlink and turned to Voren, her eyes wide with a mix of surprise and rising urgency. “I think Quinn is awakening.”
“Tell Damon to bring her here.”
As Seraphine was passing the message through the mindlink, Voren reached out to Corvine, his voice sharp with authority that left no room for delay.
“Corvine, tell all leaders to wait behind and have the warriors clear the gym of all equipment.”
All leaders were already there except Jasmine, so Corvine mindlinked her, his voice carrying a note of apology that he hoped would soften the interruption.
’Welcome back, Jasmine. I know the pups miss you, but we have an emergency leaders’ meeting in the gym.’
To his surprise, Jasmine did not sound amused. Her voice was flat, almost clipped, the reluctance clear beneath the words.
’Oh, okay. I wanted to see the leaders during the pups’ napping time, but I’m coming.’
Clearly, she hated to be separated from the kids, hated the interruption to her reunion, and the quiet disappointment in her tone made Corvine wince.
Equipment had been moved out, and the large gym was bare, the space echoing with the footsteps of the leaders as they gathered. The leaders stood around confused, their expressions moving between curiosity and concern, as Corvine informed them with a steady voice.
“Our King has something to tell us.”
“Damon should get here first,” Voren said, his gaze already fixed on the entrance.
Everyone except Seraphine frowned, their brows furrowing with confusion that filled the open space.
“Isn’t he supposed to have a few days off?” Corvine asked, the question carrying a note of genuine puzzlement.
Voren smiled, a knowing curve of his lips that did nothing to ease the tension. “Yes, but this is about his mate. She’s a special kind of hybrid, and I only want leaders to be aware of…”
He paused when a shadow appeared at the entrance, his words dying in his throat as recognition hit him.
“Jasmine.” Sloane and Faye were the first to embrace her, meeting her halfway, their arms wrapping around her with a warmth that spoke of genuine affection and the kind of relief that came from seeing someone they cared about return whole. The hugs were tight and lasting, filled with the quiet joy of reunion.
“Welcome back. You look stunning.”
“Thank you, Faye and Sloane, it’s good to be back.” Jasmine smiled and embraced Seraphine and Liah, after pulling away from Faye and Sloane, her movements easy, her presence filling the room with something that had been missing for weeks. The simple contact seemed to settle something restless in the air.
Kael was momentarily stunned, his lips parting and refusing to close, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird desperate for release. The sight of her standing there, real and close, left him breathless.
“Jasmine,” he finally managed to say, his voice rough, uncertain, carrying every ounce of the emotion he had tried to hold back.
Jasmine smiled at him, her expression soft and genuine, a warmth in her eyes that hadn’t been there before, a quiet strength that made his chest tighten further.
“Kael, how have you been? And where is…”
She didn’t land, her words trailing off as Damon arrived with Quinn, his arm wrapped protectively around his mate as if the world itself might try to take her from him.
Jasmine raised a brow, her gaze flickering between them with open curiosity. “Is that Damon’s mate?”
Everyone nodded as Damon embraced Jasmine, his voice warm with affection that carried the easy familiarity of friendship.
“Red, you’re back. Meet my mate, Quinn.” He turned to Quinn, his smile softening into something deeply tender. “Quinn, Jasmine is the leader I told you about who left for Paris. She’s a model.”
Quinn smiled at her, her expression open and friendly, though a flicker of nerves still lingered in her eyes. “Nice to meet you, Jasmine. You are stunning, just as all the other women, especially Sera and Liah.”
“Thanks Quinn, and you are breathtaking. Welcome to the family, and I promise you’ll love it here.” Then she paused, her brow furrowing with sudden interest. “Wait, is she human?”
“We are still cracking her,” Voren said, his voice dry, though the weight of the unknown pressed beneath the words. “She’s the reason I called you all.”
Then he nudged Seraphine, and the latter smiled, knowing what he meant by the nudge, the silent understanding between them as strong as ever.
“Quinn, can you tell us your experience so far?”
Quinn’s cheeks turned red like tomatoes, the blush spreading from her neck to her ears until her whole face felt warm. “Must I say it in front of everyone?”
Seraphine smiled, her voice gentle but firm, carrying a quiet reassurance meant to steady her. “They are family, and are all here to help. No need to be shy.”
“Okay.” Quinn took a deep breath, her fingers twisting together in her lap as she gathered the courage to speak. “Whenever Damon makes love to me, I feel different. Like my body is trying to tell me something I can’t grasp.”
She paused, her voice dropping to something almost like a whisper that still carried through the quiet gym. “Then this dawn, I began hearing the voices like I used to do in the dream, but this wasn’t a dream, and it wasn’t just one voice but two. One of them introduced herself as Nyra. She claimed to be my wolf. And the second introduced herself as Veyrax, claiming to be my beast. Now they are both telling me they want to come out.”
Seraphine looked at Voren, and it wasn’t surprising his gaze was also on her, a silent conversation passing between them that held both caution and resolve. This was a mystery, an unknown, a danger they couldn’t predict, and the weight of that truth settled over the room.
But Voren took the risk. “Okay, tell them to come out.”
“Here?” Damon asked, his voice tight with worry, his arm tightening around Quinn’s waist as if he could shield her from whatever was coming.
Voren shrugged, his expression calm, unreadable, though the authority in his posture left no room for debate. “This space is huge enough, and we are all capable of defending ourselves if they get violent. The point is, I’ve never seen or heard anything like this before, and my wife is making a case study on it.”
He paused, his voice carrying the weight of authority that made every leader straighten. “It shall be documented in the werewolf archives to be added to the pups’ training materials.”
Seraphine agreed, adding, “Since we don’t know what it is, we can’t let her change forms outside the pack. Her energy can attract attackers.”
Everyone was nodding in understanding as Damon pointed out, “But she has to undress.”
Voren glared at him, his eyes sharp with a mix of amusement and challenge. “Do you have time to undress during a war, Damon, or are you just too broke to buy your mate new clothes?”
Damon felt attacked by the jab, his jaw tightening, but he knew Voren was getting back at him for teasing him two nights ago. After all, Damon wasn’t broke. He was far from it. The teasing only made the tension in the room feel a little lighter for a moment.
His attention settled on his mate, his expression softening into something deeply protective. “Quinn, I’ll be here all through. If you feel uncomfortable with anything, just tell me, okay?”
Quinn nodded, but suddenly, her voice turned broken, a cry of pain escaping her lips that cut through the gym like a blade. “It hurts.”
As soon as they heard the cracking of bones, they knew what was happening, the sound filling the gym like the snap of dry branches underfoot, sharp and final and impossible to ignore.
“The first time hurts for everyone,” Seraphine encouraged her, her voice steady and warm, filled with the quiet strength of someone who had walked this path before.
But none of them were prepared for what Quinn carried.