Chapter 11 - Damien

The moment we step onto the scene, the smell of death barrels into me. Blood, iron, and something else—something darker and more sinister—hang in the air.

I force myself to breathe through it, to push past the instinct to wrinkle my nose and gag. This isn’t the first time I’ve walked into something like this, but it never gets easier. Especially not now, with Jade and Gray flanking me, both of them on edge.

Gray takes the lead, naturally. His territory, his pack, his problem. That’s how he sees it, anyway, even though we all know this is a hell of a lot bigger than his little patch of Red Arrow land.

“Over here,” Gray says, his voice low and gravelly. He doesn’t look at either of us as he moves toward the spot where the last body was found. His shoulders are rigid, and I can see the strain in his jaw as he tries to keep his emotions in check. Gray may be a hardass, but even he’s rattled by this. Who wouldn’t be? His pack is under attack, and there’s no clear enemy to fight.

Jade follows, but she’s been silent and withdrawn. She hasn’t said much since the vision hit her back in the woods, but I can feel the weight of her thoughts. The tension inside her is like a live wire, and I can’t blame her. Hell, I’d be overwhelmed, too, if I were in her shoes.

But this is the part where I need to keep my cool. For her. For the pack.

As we approach the murder site, the scene is even worse than I expected. There’s blood on the ground, dark and sticky, staining the earth like a bad memory that won’t fade. But it’s more than that. The whole area feels wrong, like the air is heavier here, charged with something unnatural.

Jade kneels beside the spot, and her eyes scan the ground. “There’s something here,” she mutters, barely loud enough for me to hear. Her fingers brush the dirt, and I can see the way her face tightens as she feels it, whatever it is.

Gray tromps forward to get a better look. “What is it? Magic?” He says it like the word leaves a bad taste in his mouth. Typical. For a guy who’s used to leading a pack of shifters, you’d think he’d have gotten over his hang-ups about witches by now. But nope. Old prejudices die hard, especially with someone like him. Guess I can’t really talk, but at least I’m trying.

Jade scrunches her nose. “I’m not sure. But there’s definitely something dark here. This isn’t just an ordinary attack.”

Gray scoffs. “Of course it’s not ordinary. It’s a murder. But are you telling me there’s magic involved?”

“I’m telling you there’s something here that shouldn’t be,” Jade snaps, getting to her feet. “Something dangerous. If you think this is just a rogue shifter gone bad, you’re wrong.”

I step between them, raising a hand before Gray can fire back. “Enough. We’re not going to solve anything by arguing.”

Gray glares at me, but he backs off, pressing his lips into a thin line. “Fine. But I want answers. And I want them now.”

I glance at Jade, whose face is pale. Her brows are furrowed in concentration as she tries to piece together what she’s feeling. I don’t push her. I know she’ll tell me when she’s ready.

We continue searching the area, and it doesn’t take long before Jade tenses. Her eyes widen as she turns toward me and says, “Damien… over there.”

I follow her gaze to a cluster of trees near the edge of the clearing. There’s something strange about the way the shadows cling to that spot, like they’re thicker and darker than they should be. My gut clenches, and I move toward it with Jade and Gray close behind.

As I get closer, I feel it, too. It’s subtle at first, like a faint vibration under my skin, but it grows stronger the nearer I get. There’s a darkness here, something that doesn’t belong. I’ve felt it before, back when we were dealing with rogue witches years ago. It’s the same but different. More intense.

I stop in front of the trees and stuff my hands into my pockets. “There’s something here,” I grumble as I crouch down.

Jade kneels beside me and runs her fingers over the dirt again. This time, I see it: faint markings, barely visible in the soft earth. Symbols, maybe. Whatever they are, they’re not natural.

“Shit,” I mutter under my breath. “What the hell is this?”

“It’s not good. These symbols… they’re part of a ritual. Dark magic.”

“A ritual?” Gary questions. “Are you saying a witch did this?”

“I’m saying someone is using magic to fuel these attacks. Whether it’s a witch or something else, I don’t know. But this isn’t just random violence.”

Gray’s face twists with anger, and he all but snarls, “So, you’re telling me that all this time, we’ve been hunting a ghost? A magical killer?”

“Not a ghost,” I cut in. “But yeah, magic’s involved. Whether you like it or not, we’re dealing with something bigger than just shifters.”

Gray swears under his breath, and his eyes flit toward the bloodstained ground. I can see the conflict in his expression—the need to protect his pack, the frustration of not knowing how to fight something he can’t see. But before he can say anything else, a new voice cuts through the tension.

“Well, isn’t this a lovely gathering.”

We all turn to see Patrick Martin, alpha of the East Hills pack, striding toward us with a smug look on his face. His black hair is slicked back, and his eyes glint with something I don’t like—something that feels too much like amusement for the situation at hand.

He glances around the clearing, taking in the blood, the symbols, and, no doubt, the tension between us. “So, what’s the verdict? Are we dealing with a rogue witch, or should I be worried that one of my own shifters is next?”

“We’re still figuring it out,” I admit.

Patrick’s eyes flick to Jade, and his smile tightens. “Of course you are. But from what I hear, it’s either her,” he points a lazy finger at Jade, “or there’s another witch running around causing havoc. Not that I’m saying I buy the gossip.”

Jade bristles beside me, but I step in before she can respond. “She didn’t do this,” I declare, meeting Patrick’s gaze with a warning. “And we don’t have time for any bullshit right now.”

Patrick raises an eyebrow. “I’m not saying she did, Damien. But you can’t deny that wherever she goes, trouble seems to follow.”

Jesus, even Patrick has jumped on the blame-Jade train. I thought he had more sense than that.

“Back off, Patrick,” I growl, stepping closer. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, don’t I?” He looks from me to Gray and then back to Jade. “All I’m saying is, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck… well, you get the idea.”

My fists clench, and I take a step toward him, but Jade grabs my arm, pulling me back before I can do something stupid.

“Damien, stop. He’s not worth it.”

I know she’s right. Patrick’s just here to stir the pot, to see how far he can push me. And as much as I want to wipe that smug look off his face, now’s not the time.

“Fine,” I mutter, turning back to Gray. “But we need to figure this out. Fast.”

Gray gives me a sharp nod. “Agreed. But if magic’s involved, that makes this a whole different kind of fight.”

“I know,” I say. “But we’ll handle it. At least we know it’s not another pack.”

“I don’t like this,” Gray grumbles. “Magic, rituals… it’s all too much.”

“Welcome to my world,” Jade says dryly. “Trust me, I don’t like it, either.”

Gray’s gaze shifts to her, and for the first time since we arrived, his expression softens—just a little. “I’m starting to believe you didn’t have anything to do with this.”

Jade snorts. “Gee, thanks.”

Before the situation can escalate again, I step in. “Look, we’re not going to solve this right now. We need more information, more time.”

Gray sighs, running a hand through his hair. “You’re right. But if another shifter dies—”

“They won’t,” I cut in. “Not if we can stop it.”

Patrick watches the exchange with mild interest, his eyes glinting like he’s enjoying the show. I can’t stand the smug look on his face, but I know better than to engage him again. Not now, when Jade is barely holding it together.

I glance at her, noting the exhaustion etched on her face. This isn’t just a fight for her; it’s personal. And I need to get her out of here before it breaks her.

“Let’s go,” I tell her, grabbing her hand. “We’re done here for the day.”

She doesn’t argue, just squeezes my hand in silent agreement. I turn to Gray and Patrick. “We’ll regroup later. Right now, I’m taking Jade home.”

I keep my grip on Jade’s hand as we walk, leading her away from the mess of the murder site and all the tension. The woods stretch around us, and the further we go, the quieter it gets. It’s like the world is trying to offer her some kind of peace, but I know she’s too wound up to notice.

We finally make it back to the cabin, and the familiar warmth of the place wraps around us the moment we step inside. I close the door behind us, the sound almost too loud in the quiet. Jade doesn’t say anything, just stands there with her arms wrapped around herself like she’s trying to hold everything together.

“Penny’s with Alec,” I remind her. “You don’t have to worry about her.”

She nods but doesn’t look at me. I can see the exhaustion in her every movement—the way her shoulders slump, the tightness in her jaw. She’s holding on by a thread, and I hate it. I hate that she’s been through so much today, and all I want is to take some of that weight off her.

“Come on.” I guide her toward the couch. “You need to rest.”

“I can’t. There’s too much… too much going on.”

I don’t argue. Instead, I sit beside her, close enough that our knees brush. I want to pull her into my arms, to hold her and tell her everything will be okay, but I know Jade. She doesn’t need false comfort right now. She needs something real. Something steady.

“Hey,” I say quietly, tipping her chin up so she has to look at me. “What can I do for you?”

“I’m fine, Damien.”

“No, you’re not. And that’s okay. You’ve been through hell today. Let me help.”

She lets out a shaky breath, and for a moment, I think she’s going to argue. But then she surprises me. Her body leans into mine just the slightest bit, but it’s enough for me to feel it—the crack in her armor. She’s letting me in, even if it’s just for a moment.

I wrap my arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. Her head rests against my chest, and I can feel her heartbeat—fast and uneven, like she’s still wound tight. But slowly, as the minutes tick by, she starts to relax. I run my hand gently up and down her arm, letting the silence fill the space between us.

“You’re safe,” I murmur, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. “It’s okay now.”

Jade doesn’t say anything, but her hand reaches up, her fingers curling around the edge of my shirt, holding on like I’m the only thing keeping her grounded.

And maybe I am.

After a while, I feel her breathing start to even out, and her body grows heavier against mine as exhaustion finally takes over. Carefully, I shift, lying us back against the cushions so she’s tucked against my side and her head is resting on my chest.

Her eyes flutter closed, and as I brush a strand of hair away from her face, my fingers linger on her skin for just a second longer than necessary. There’s something about this moment—about her letting herself be vulnerable with me—that tugs at something deep inside me.

“Damien?” Her voice is soft, barely a whisper, and I almost miss it.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

I press another kiss to her hair. “Anytime, Jade.”

She falls asleep not long after. I watch her for a while, feeling the rise and fall of her chest against mine, and something inside me shifts. I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow or how we’re going to face the chaos still waiting for us out there, but right now, in this moment, she’s here. She’s safe. And that’s all that matters.

I hold her close, letting the weight of the day finally settle over me, and I promise myself that no matter what comes next, I’ll be here. I’ll protect her. I’ll fight for her.

Because tonight, this moment, it’s more than just a fleeting moment of peace. It’s a promise.