Chapter 253

Lila’s POV Hazel was in her hospital bed when we arrived at the Calypso Pack Hospital. It only took us about 25 minutes to get there from the city. We wasted no time. She was looking for a lot better than when I last saw her. Hazel’s wounds were healing nicely, and she didn’t look as thin and wasted away. She was still hooked up to a couple of different machines; one was monitoring her heart rate and the other was pumping her with a liquid fluid. The heart monitor had a steady rhythm, which was definitely a good sign. As we entered the hospital, her assigned doctor was the first to greet us. “She will be able to return home in the morning, Alpha. She’s going to need plenty of rest and to keep up her hydration. But she’s looking good,” he said, glancing at Hazel with a fond smile. “Thank you for caring for her, Doctor,” Enzo said in return. “You look exhausted,” I pointed out, sitting by her bedside. She gave me a faint smile. “I was given some medication yesterday that kept me asleep all evening last night and day today,” she said. “I haven’t been sleeping much because I’ve been so worried about the village, and they thought it would help me. I don’t think they anticipated I’d be asleep this long.” “You mentioned on the phone that you can feel Jazzy’s magic,” Enzo said, stepping toward her. My eyes widened at his words. “What?”

I gasped. “It’s true... I can feel her dark magic at play. But it’s more than that,” she said, her eyes darkening. “I can feel darkness.” “Darkness?” I asked, furrowing my brows together. “I’ve only felt this once before,” she explained. “A long time ago. Jazzy has conjured it before.” “She conjured darkness?”

Enzo asked. “How is that possible?” “It takes a very dark heart and a sacrifice to do it,” Hazel explained;

her expression was grave. “I don’t know what she could want with darkness though. The first time it was only to cause mayhem to let out the anger she felt when our parents died.” “Mayhem...” I breathed; it wasn’t a question. I grabbed Enzo’s arm as the thoughts of the mayhem at school yesterday surfaced in my mind. “Enzo, could it have something to do with what happened at the election yesterday? “What happened?” Hazel asked us quickly, looking between us. “We were having an election for President of the student committee, and during this election everybody who has magic became powerless,” he explained; her face turned mortified as he explained the events that unfolded last night. I thought, for a moment, that she was going to jump out of bed and run from the room. I had never seen anyone look quite as terrified as Hazel felt and it made my stomach twist into a tight and unsettling knot. “That sounds like the mayhem she would cause, yes....” She said, shaking her head with a worried expression.

“He has returned to our lands; but for what reason, I am unsure.” “He?” Enzo asked, furrowing his brows together. “Darkness is a person?” “It takes the form of a man; though, it can take many different forms.

He goes by the name Zagreus. He’s a dark demon that if given a sacrifice will do her bidding.”

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“Darkness acts as her slave?” Enzo asked. “She can control it?” “Nobody can truly control darkness; but if they have a common goal, he will work with her and do as she please. Just as long as she does what he pleases as well.” “A sacrifice?” I asked, finding it difficult to use my voice. “In order for him to form fully, he needs a sacrifice. He feeds off the blood and beating heart of purity. But that one sacrifice won’t be enough to keep him around. She will need to sacrifice again soon if she wishes to keep him even longer. Like a payment for his deeds.” “Why would they make students at the school powerless?” Enzo asked, shaking his head. “It’s not making sense.” Hazel was quiet for a moment as she thought about how to answer that, but then her eyes widened. She didn’t have to say anything for me to understand where her head had gone. This time, it was me who answered. “Darkness enjoys mayhem; so, if it caused mayhem at your school, then that pleases him. However, I fear it’s more than that. Jazzy wouldn’t conjure him again unless she truly needed something from him.” “Could it have been a test?” I asked, looking up at Enzo. Enzo looked at me with a worried frown. “A test? Like she was trying to see if the spell would work?” “Yes,” I answered. “But what could she be planning that requires everyone to lose their magic and abilities?” We were quiet for a moment as that question weighed in the air. “How did she even align herself with darkness in the first place?” Enzo asked and I could see he was growing angry. “How did she discover this Zagreus?” We both looked at Hazel who had gone pale. “When we were young, our parents died because of a Volana wolf...” Hazel began to explain, making me gasp in horror. “It was difficult for us both, but Jazzy was much younger and took it even more difficult. She grew angry and self-isolated despite my efforts to get her to open up and talk to me. She spent a lot of time in my mother’s garden. I’m not sure how it happened because I wasn’t there... but I ended up finding our gardener dead. That’s when my sister started to become a dark witch. This darkness she called Zagreus was the one who gave her dark magic. I never understood it myself, but something happened that hurt him enough to slither back to wherever he came from.” “If Zagreus really has returned to our land, what are we going to do?” I asked, staring up at Enzo who had a grave look on his face. “You must stay away from her,” Hazel warned. “She’s incredibly dangerous and now that Zagreus has returned to her, she’s even more dangerous. There’s no telling what she will do. Especially because you are a Volana wolf. She hates Volana’s more than anything. I don’t doubt that it has something to do with your kind.” “We don’t even know where she is,” Enzo murmured, clearly aggravated. “If I can feel her magic, she isn’t far,” Hazel said. “I’ll send my warriors back out and look for her again,” Enzo assured her. “We also need to figure out how darkness was defeated the first time,” I said. I shivered at the very thought; I stepped closer to Enzo, not wanting to be apart from him. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” he said, wrapping me in his arms. “That’s a promise.” Hazel looked uncertain and worried. “We will return tomorrow to help you home,” Enzo assured her, grasping her hand gently. “Get some rest.” “I will,” she said. “I can’t wait to get back to my village and to my own bed. I’m sure Luna Selene is doing a fine job at keeping them protected, but with this new knowledge that darkness has been conjured, I worry for them.” “I understand,” Enzo said. He took a hold of my hand. “See you tomorrow,” I said to her as we left the hospital room. My heart was pounding rapidly against my ribcage; I felt so sick. By the time we got back to his car, I was deep breathing and trying hard to contain myself. “Hey,” he said, reaching over and taking hold of my hand again. “It’s going to be okay. I promise.” “If darkness really is lurking around, I’m not sure how we are going to protect the nation from it. What do you think she’s planning on doing?” “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.” “Do you think Xander would know?” I found myself asking. “You don’t think they’re working together, do you?” He was quiet for a moment as he thought about that. “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “Maybe.” “We should find out.” “I will find out,” he said, putting extra emphasis on the word I. “You are going to stay far away from all of this. It’s too dangerous for your involvement.” “I can’t just do nothing,” I said, pressing my lips firmly together. Sitting around and doing nothing has never been in my nature. “You can’t get involved in this, Lila. Especially because you don’t have your wolf right now.” I knew he was right, despite not wanting to believe it. I decided not to argue with him any further; I stared out my window as Enzo drove through the pack ground and toward the packhouse. I stared up at the night sky I frowned; it seemed even darker and hazier than usual. There wasn’t a star in sight, and yet it didn’t seem all that cloudy. I wondered if it had anything to do with Jazzy’s darkness.

....

Enzo’s POV Xander was exactly where we left him, rotting in the dungeon cell under the packhouse grounds. He wore cuffs that kept his wounds from healing. He had two black eyes and some nasty cuts on his face.

He was bruised all over and his clothes were badly torn and covered in his blood. I found myself smiling at his tormented state. Bastien must have had a lot of fun with this asshole. Xander sat against the cold cement walls, trying to maintain his unsteady breathing as he glared up at me though his swollen eyes.

“Haven’t you had enough?” I asked stepping toward his locked cell and staring down at his pathetic body. “I could end your suffering if you just tell us the information we seek.” I swear I saw a smile glimmering on his lips. “And what information is that, Alpha?” “Cut the shit, Xander,” I seethed, grabbing onto the cell bars. “Who sent you here?” He choked out a laugh, spitting blood onto the ground. “I gave an oath I wouldn’t say, and I don’t break my oaths,” he replied. “Are you working with that dark witch, Jazzy?” I asked in a growl. “Did you help her escape?” “And align myself with darkness? I think not,” Xander scoffed. “Why are you after Lila then?” I asked, my anger boiling over. “Who said I was after her?” He asked as he coughed more blood onto the ground. “You kidnapped her, you asshole!” “And yet she couldn’t escape on her own without you helping her,” Xander hissed. “She’s doomed for what’s coming.” “What the hell are you talking about?” I found myself asking.

“Let me out, Enzo,”Max whined within me.“I want to rip his throat out and tear into him. Let me out so I can fuck him up!”

“You better talk soon, or I’ll let my wolf have you,” I warned. Xander only laughed which turned into a gross hack. “You’ll find out soon enough and when you do, you’ll wish you never locked me in this cage.

Mark my word, Darkness is coming and he’s coming with a vengeance.