Chapter 19 - Damien

A demon on my lands.

It’s the kind of thing that makes my skin crawl and every muscle in my body tense up like I’m about to fight for my life—because I might be. I sit at the head of the table, drumming my fingers on the wooden surface, trying to keep the frustration in check. But damn if it isn’t hard. There’s a demon lurking in my territory, and I have no idea where it’s hiding or when it’s going to strike next. The three packs bordering Glory Town may have cleared their differences, and the other two aren’t blaming me for Patrick’s death, but the pressure hasn’t let up. If anything, it’s worse.

I glance across the table at Alec, who’s taken over Patrick’s alpha duties for the East Hills pack since Patrick’s death. Apparently, the demon zeroed in on their senior members, and they didn’t have any left. The shifters who remained were in no shape to lead, so Alec stepped up.

He has family who married into East Hills, a couple of cousins. He grew up visiting their territory and learning their traditions, their politics, and, more importantly, he’s one of the few people they trust to lead them through this mess.

He looks just as worn out as I feel, but he’s handling it like he always does—cool, collected, and about as reliable as they come. It’s the reason I wanted him as my beta.

Gary is sitting next to him with his usual scowl plastered on his face. If Alec is the calm in the storm, Gary’s the guy holding the lightning rod, always ready to challenge every decision. Not that I don’t appreciate the honesty, but sometimes, I just need a damn break.

“We’re sure it’s a lesser demon?” I ask the two.

Alec nods and glances over at Gary before meeting my gaze. “Yeah. We’re sure. The markings on the shifter it attacked, the way it moved—I’ve done my research, and it all points to a lesser demon. Kind of like a pet to something… bigger.”

“Bigger?” I lean back in my chair, rubbing my temples. “So, what? We’re dealing with a demonic lackey while the real threat is still out there, waiting for the right moment to strike?”

“Basically,” Alec confirms. He’s calm, which is good because I sure as hell don’t feel calm right now. “It’s common. Lesser demons do the dirty work for the more powerful ones. It explains why it was so erratic during the attack—following orders but not necessarily thinking for itself.”

“Great,” I grumble. “So we’ve got a mindless monster tearing up shifters, and now we’re supposed to sit around waiting for the boss to show up?”

Gary lets out a low grunt. “I don’t like it, either, but it makes sense. If there’s a bigger demon out there, it’s going to be smart. It’s going to use the lesser one as bait to wear us down before it goes in for the kill.”

“And we’re just supposed to sit here and wait for it?” The frustration bubbles up, and I can feel the edge creeping into my voice. I hate waiting. Hate not having a plan of attack.

And more than anything, I hate that I have to factor Jade into all of this.

Because she’s not going to sit by and watch this happen. She’s already pushing herself too hard, trying to make up for Patrick, trying to save everyone. It’s like she thinks the world will fall apart if she doesn’t carry the weight of it on her shoulders. And if she keeps going like this, it’s only a matter of time before she gets hurt. Or worse.

Alec reads my mind like he always does. “Jade’s going to be a problem, isn’t she?”

I shoot him a sharp look. “Your sister is not a problem.”

“That’s not what I meant. You know she’s going to take this on herself, and she’s already exhausted. If we go after the bigger demon, she’ll try to lead the charge, whether or not she’s ready.”

I bite the inside of my cheek. He’s right, and we both know it. “She’s been pushing herself too much,” I say. “I’ve tried talking to her, but you know Jade.”

Gary snorts, clearly amused. “She’s stubborn as hell, that’s for sure. You’ve got your hands full with that one.”

I glare at him, and he raises his hands in mock surrender. “Just saying.”

“It’s more than just stubbornness,” I add, trying to ignore the knot tightening in my chest. “She’s feeling guilty about not saving Patrick. And now, with this demon on our doorstep, she’s convinced she has to be the one to stop it.”

Alec leans back in his chair, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “Then we need to find this thing before she does. We can’t let her take it on alone, especially if she’s running on fumes.”

“And how do we even do that?” Gary asks, his voice laced with skepticism. “The damn thing’s hiding. We’ve got no trail, no leads.”

I let out a slow breath, trying to rein in the frustration that’s been boiling under the surface for days now. “We’ll start with the lesser demons. If they’re pets, like you said, then they’re bound to slip up eventually. We keep an eye on the borders, get scouts out in force, and as soon as one shows itself again, we take it down. Maybe then we can trace it back to whatever’s controlling it.”

Gary shrugs. “It’s a plan. Better than sitting around waiting for it to attack again.”

“Right,” Alec agrees. “But Damien, you need to keep Jade from running herself into the ground. She’s important to this, yeah, but not if she’s dead.”

I grit my teeth. “You think I don’t know that? I’m doing everything I can to protect her.”

“Then protect her,” Alec demands. “From herself, if you have to. She’s powerful, no question. But she’s got to be smart about it. We all do.”

Protect her from herself. Easier said than done. Jade’s not the kind of woman who sits on the sidelines, and if I tell her to back off, she’s more likely to dive in headfirst just to prove a point. But I can’t let her get hurt. Not for this, not for anything.

“We’ll handle the demon,” I insist. “But I need you two to back me up. We need more muscle than any one of us has in our packs individually. We need all of us.”

Gary grunts his agreement, and Alec gives a sharp nod. “We’ve got your back, Damien,” Alec says. “We’ll work together on this one.”

We’re up against something big, something dangerous. But I’ve got my pack, and they’ve got me. Together, we’ll figure this out.

Now, I just need to make sure Jade doesn’t get herself killed in the process.

And that might be the hardest part of all.

Alec’s words stick with me the rest of the day, burrowing under my skin, settling into a place I don’t like to acknowledge. Protect her from herself. He’s right, and I hate it. Jade isn’t the kind of woman you can just tuck away for safekeeping. She’s got more fire in her than that, and I’ve never been the guy to put out that fire—hell, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t one of the things that drew me to her in the first place. But with demons lurking in our territory, it’s not just her fire I’m worried about. It’s what could burn her out before she realizes she’s too far gone.

By the time I get back to the cabin, my tension’s built into something physical, a knot in my chest that refuses to loosen. The minute I step inside, the normalcy hits me hard. Penny’s giggling in the living room, playing with her toys like nothing’s wrong, and for a second, I wish I could dive into that bubble. Pretend our biggest worry was picking up her scattered blocks and getting her to bed on time. But this is our reality, and my focus isn’t on playtime right now. It’s on Jade, and the fact that I haven’t seen her yet.

I toss my keys on the counter, listening for any hint of her. “Jade?”

“In here,” she calls.

I push the door to the bedroom open and find her sitting on the edge of the bed. There’s a spell book on her lap, but it’s closed. When she looks up at me, I can see it—the frustration she’s been trying to swallow, the exhaustion in the set of her shoulders.

“You’re back,” she says in a clipped tone. Not cold, but definitely not warm, either.

“Yeah,” I reply, stepping inside. “How are you feeling?”

“How am I feeling?” She snorts and tosses the book aside before she stands up and starts pacing a short, tight line in front of the bed. “Like I’m locked up in a cage, Damien. That’s how I’m feeling.”

Here we go.

“You’ve been pushing yourself too hard,” I say. “You need to rest.”

“I’m a witch, Damien. A witch. I’m supposed to use my magic. I’m supposed to protect the people I care about. You know that, right? But here I am, stuck inside like some porcelain doll, waiting for what? The next attack?”

“You need to recharge,” I tell her, trying to keep my voice calm though the frustration is bubbling just under the surface. “You’re overworking your magic. You know that’s dangerous.”

“What’s dangerous is sitting here doing nothing,” she counters. “Damien, if something happens again and I’m not ready—if I can’t protect Penny—how the hell am I supposed to live with that?”

She’s voiced this concern before, and I still don’t have an answer for her. Not one she wants to hear, anyway. The truth is, I’m terrified, too. Terrified of losing her. Of watching her burn herself out while trying to protect everyone but herself. And if that means keeping her inside the cabin, safe, then yeah, I’ll do it.

“You won’t be able to protect her if you’re running on empty,” I say, taking a step toward her. “You think I’m doing this because I don’t trust you? I trust you, Jade. But you’re exhausted. You’re going to collapse, and where does that leave us?”

“I’m fine,” she insists, even though we both know she’s lying. Her hands are trembling, and the dark circles under her eyes tell me she hasn’t slept more than a few hours in days. “Damien, I need to get out of here. You can’t keep me locked away.”

“I’m not trying to lock you away! I’m trying to protect you. Do you think I want to see you like this? Do you think it’s easy for me to watch you push yourself to the point of breaking?”

She blinks, and her anger falters for just a moment. But then she crosses her arms over her chest and juts her chin out defiantly. “I can take care of myself.”

“Yeah, well, you’re not the only one I’m worried about. I’ve got a whole pack to protect. And that includes you.”

Jade stares at me with her lips pressed into a thin line. For a second, I think she’s going to throw something, maybe that spell book, but she just lets out a frustrated breath and sits back down on the edge of the bed.

“This isn’t fair,” she says. “You get to go out and do what you need to do. But I’m stuck here, waiting. I’m not wired for this, Damien.”

“I know you’re not,” I acknowledge. “But we don’t have a choice right now.”

She doesn’t respond, just stares down at her hands. And as much as I hate to admit it, I know this isn’t just about Jade. The entire pack has been feeling the strain of the restrictions I’ve put in place since the attacks started. Hell, even Alec’s been hinting that people are starting to get restless.

As if on cue, there’s a knock on the door, and Alec walks in. “Sorry to interrupt,” he says, glancing between the two of us. “But we need to talk.”

I nod, grateful for the distraction. “What’s going on?”

Alec steps further into the room, shutting the door behind him. “The pack’s getting antsy, Damien. They’re used to freedom. You keep them cooped up much longer, and we’re going to have more problems on our hands.”

I let out a heavy breath, rubbing the back of my neck. “I know. I’ve been thinking about that.”

“Well, think faster,” Alec replies. “We can’t keep this up. People are starting to question whether we’re doing enough to keep them safe.”

Jade looks up at Alec, then back at me. “What does that mean?”

“It means,” I say, the idea forming in my mind even as the words leave my mouth, “we need to give the pack a reason to come together. We need something that reminds them who we are—strong, united.”

Alec raises an eyebrow. “And how do you plan on doing that?”

“We throw a party.”

Alec’s expression shifts from confusion to surprise. “A party?”

“Yeah,” I say, the plan coming together in my head. “We bring all three packs together—ours, East Hills, and Starfire Hollow. Somewhere neutral. Everyone gets to let off some steam and feel normal for a night. We keep it under control, but at the same time, we show everyone that we’re united. We’re not hiding. And this way, we can keep an eye on things without making people feel like they’re under lock and key.”

“A three-pack party?” Jade questions.

“Why not? We could all use a break.”

Alec chuckles, shaking his head. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but that might actually work.”

Jade’s lips quirk up into a small smile, and for the first time in what feels like days, I see a flicker of light in her eyes. “All right,” she says, standing up. “Let’s throw a party.”

I look between the two of them, feeling a strange sense of relief wash over me. Maybe this is exactly what we need. A chance to breathe. To remind ourselves who we are and what we’re fighting for.