Hazel and Maeve

Chapter 5

-Maeve POV-

“Motherf*cker.” I hiss out while dodging one of Arsenio’s hits.

He doesn’t let up, forcing me to block another hit. Although, he did leave me a small opening by doing that. I use it. Punching him on the right side of his face. He wasn’t expecting it, so it caught him a little off guard. Making him stumble a bit.

I should have stopped there. I should have bounced on my feet as he came back at me, but I didn’t. I took his stumble to kick him right in the stomach. Instead of my foot connecting, he grabbed it within his hands. I let out a sigh just as he smirked at me.

“Mistake.” Is all he utters out before putting me on my ass.

I hiss out as pain shoots up my back from the fall. I quickly tap out before he has a chance to come at me again. I am done. Arsenio just chuckles as he walks off the mat. Throwing an arm over my face, I try to take in deep breaths.

“Here.”

I huff while sitting up. Removing the arm off my face, I use it to grab the water bottle from him. “Thanks,” I mutter while uncapping it. I down the water in what felt like seconds.

“You know what you did wrong.” It wasn’t a question. It was said as a fact.

Rolling my eyes, “Yes, I know what I did wrong.”

Unfazed, “Then tell me.”

“I took advantage instead of just taking a step back.” I try to say with a calm voice, but I can feel my anger slowly rising. I usually have a better hold on it, but I am all out of whack today.

“Yes. You need to remember that just because there is an opening does mean that we take it. Don’t get cocky with it, and control your anger. I can see that this is pissing you off. Anger will do you no good when it comes to fighting or within your life. It will cause you to lose focus. Making you take damage either from an enemy or from yourself. Clear your mind, focus on your target, trust your gut, and breathe.”

I nod while taking a deep breath. “I got it. I don’t mean to let my anger get to me right now, but I just got so much s**t going through my mind.” I let out a sigh. “I really do appreciate all of this, though. You have really helped me.”

“I know you do. If you didn’t, then I wouldn’t be here every single morning for the past 3 years. I have seen your improvement. You should be proud of yourself.” With those words, he makes his exit.

I sit there for another second before pulling myself off of the mat. Making my way to the locker rooms, I need to shower and change. I have a meeting today with Uncle Apollo. He told me that Ace might have some ideas about who this stalker could be. I am still unsure of how I feel about Ace being involved, but I don’t have much of a say right now. He is in it now.

30 minutes later, freshly showered and sporting some sweats, I am finally headed off to the pack house. My mouth quickly waters as soon as I enter through the back doors. I follow my nose to the kitchen, where I catch Aunt Holly pulling a plate out of the microwave.

“Right on time. As usual.” She says with a smirk while holding the plate out to me.

Now, my Aunt Holly is not actually my Aunt. She is mated to Ace, who happens to be Uncle Apollo’s best friend. Although, they are really like brothers, so that made Holly family. In this family, we really don’t care about titles or that they don’t really make sense to some people. We all love and care for each other, so that is what really matters.

I take the plate from her with a smile. “You couldn’t keep me away. Your food is always the best.” I say just before shoveling a big bite of food into my mouth.

“Yeah, yeah. Butter me up.” She jokes.

I make small talk with her while eating my food. Once I finish, I wash off my plate before putting it in the sink. I kiss her cheek as I head out. It doesn’t take me long to reach my Uncle’s office. Pushing open the door, I freeze.

Dante and Echo are in here.

“What are they doing here?”

“Shut the door and come get in here.” Uncle Apollo says while completely ignoring my question. I do as he says, for now. But I don’t move away from the closed door. I lean against it. “Dante and Echo are here because they have met thousands of creatures, and we need their help. So quit that s*it.”

“We just want to help. Let us help you, Maeve.” Echo speaks with a soft voice. I feel myself crack.

Before I can even say anything, Dante is speaking. “Echo and I have heard of creatures that have the ability to invade dreams, such as this faceless one did. Although, he is not the one that blurred his face.”

“What do you mean?” What do you mean by that?” Uncle Apollo and I ask at the same time.

“Your power is the reason.”

“How is my power the reason for hiding his face?” I demand/ask.

“For some reason, your power is hiding his face because of a reason. Powers work in mysterious ways, and yours are no different. Powers you had as a child are no longer with you as the ‘dreaming the future’ one has stuck with you. It has grown into something that is unheard of. Now, I have some thoughts on why your power is hiding his face.” Before I could ask what they are, his knowing smile stopped me. “You will become more aware of his smell, presence, how heavy his steps are, how tall he is, and you will be able to study the places he shows you. Those places could give you clues to where he is. Becoming aware of him will give you the chance to sense him before he may even stop foot onto this pack land. Hold onto the things that you can see, and not the ones that are blurred.”

“He is correct.” Uncle Ace speaks, causing everyone to look over at him. “You may see this as torture, but in truth, this will help you more than you ever know.”

The weight of his words settles deep within me.

“Now,” Echo says with a clap of his hands. “Onto what this creature actually is. From what we have heard, this creature has wolf in them. The problem is the creature has something mixed within him. Being able to control dreams/invade them is something that dark witches can do.”

“But he is more than just drinking some dark witch potion.” Dante cuts in.

“Yes. We think this creature has dark witch mixed within their DNA. Along with some demon blood.”

“Demon blood?” Uncle Apollo asks.

“Yes. A dark witch would be able to explain why he was able to enter your dreams, but not the burns. Demon blood explains that.” Dante answers.

“You see, I think this creature wants you despite their demon side. Their demon side will want their true mate or whoever they have their eye on.”

“And when you fight with your demon side, the demon side will become angry. Basically, forcing their body to heat up when he is not around the one he truly wants. You were burned with hellfire. The demon in this creature does not want you, so the demon is fighting back.”

“Wouldn’t that end up getting her killed?” Uncle Apollo cuts off Echo and Dante.

“No,” Echo answers with a slight tone in his voice that does not go unnoticed.

“Explain.” Uncle Apollo demands.

“She would just get burned every single time that this creature touches her. Maeve’s wolf would heal her just to….” Dante’s voice trails off.

We all knew what he was going to say. To be burned all over again.

“What the f**k is this thing?!” Uncle Ace asks. Anger laced his tone.

“A demon wolf mixed with dark witch.” Echo answers.

“Although, the demon part of this wolf would be a descendant from hell,” Dante adds.

“So where does this leave me? How will I fight a demon wolf dark witch thing?” I ask with almost no hope in my tone.

“You will not be fighting this thing..”

Dante ends up cutting off Uncle Apollo. “That, my dear, is up to you. You are the one that will have to get yourself out of this situation. You will have to use your dreams to your advantage to find details that will end up helping us, help you.”

“Unless she meets her true mate.” Echo throws out there.

“What does that mean?” I ask with a flat tone.

“Her true mate would be able to see her dreams while making it harder for this creature to grab her or capture her. It would throw a wrench in this creature's plans. Especially if it is who Echo and I think it could be.” Dante finishes saying with a smirk.

“How would you two know who my ‘could be mate’ is?”

“Our lips are sealed. Sorry, dear.” Dante says while Echo makes a show of acting as if he is zipping his lips shut.

“Whatever,” I mutter while slumping down the office door.

Just as I fall to my butt, My Uncle Apollo speaks. “Are you still wanting to keep all of this a secret? Even after hearing what this creature is?”

I nod. “Yes. We will keep this quiet until after my 18th birthday party. I will bear these nightmares and this truth for a little while longer so my sister can live in peace. So she can get the party that she has been planning. She deserves this. This pack deserves to live in peace for a little while longer, as well.”

“This is why you were given this gift,” Dante says with a whisper.

Ace slaps a hand down on his knee. “Let us have a kick-a** birthday party before everything goes to shit.”

Everyone laughs while I pull myself off the floor. Dante and Echo get up to leave but make sure to hug me while walking past. Ace takes his leave, making sure to kiss my forehead on his way out.

“I am proud of you, Maeve. What you are choosing to do is something that only Kings hope to achieve.”

Uncle Apollo’s words cause tears to fill my eyes. I don’t say anything as I run over to him. He smiles while opening up his arms to me. I hug him with everything in me.

-Unknown POV-

“Are you sure you want to go to that party?” I didn’t miss the hateful tone that my mother used, especially in the last word spoken.

I snapped my gaze to her as I felt my eyes harden. “Me going anywhere is not of your concern. You will do your best to remember where you fall now that I am the King.”

“I just hope that you aren’t mates…”

Before my mother could finish her sentence, I slammed my hand down on my desk as I stood from my chair. “You will not speak the rest of that sentence. Get out of my sight, or I will cut out your tongue.”