Damon sat on his sofa as his mind raced with thoughts. He was present in his living space but his mind had reached places beyond him. He was dressed in dark shorts and a burgundy shirt.
The sun had long moved to the middle of the sky. The air was cool inside the house. Ciara came to stand beside him and noticed his absentmindedness.
"Damon? Are you okay?" Ciara asked.
All her wounds earned from Alexia's knives had been bandaged and they were slowly healing. She wore a dark strapless dress.
Damon hadn't seemed to hear her because he remained lost in his own world. Ciara moved closer to him and tapped him.
"Damon?" She called.
He flinched at that moment and looked up at Ciara. His movements startled Ciara but she composed herself.
"What is it?" He asked her.
"I noticed you were lost. I just wanted to know what you were so lost in," Ciara explained.
"It's nothing. I just— I'm okay. I just need to be alone," Damon told her.
Ciara felt like he was pushing her away. All she wanted was to be by his side. She felt neglected.
"Okay. If you need me, I'll be in my room," She announced and walked out.
There was only one person she directed her anger to. It was Alexia. She put all the blame on Alexia. Her relationship wasn't working with Damon anymore and it was because of her existence. It was nerving Ciara badly. She should have just killed her the day they raided Alexia's grandparent's home. The hunters deserved it. They had murdered Ciara's parent and that was why she hated them immensely.
Damon waited until she was gone and he focused again. His mind went back to the moment when he and Alexia's eyes met. Something strange had happened. He had felt strange. He had felt different yet it was in a good way.
He pushed away all thoughts of Alexia. He wasn't supposed to. He had to completely erase her from his mind. She did not deserve to own a place there and he wasn't going to have sleepless nights because of her.
A knock resonated on the door. He caught the scent of the one who stood behind the door. It was Richard.
"You can come in," Damon said using their link.
The door came open and Richard stepped in. He was all smiles. His skin glowed. He always had perfect brown skin. That was his greatest asset. He was wearing a t-shirt and cargo pants, a pair of boots and a leather jacket over his top. It was all black.
"It was about time you showed up," Damon told him as he came to sit beside him.
Ryan must have smelt him come in because he came racing down. When Richard saw him, he got on his feet and enveloped him in a big hug.
"You little devil! You thought you could come and escape meeting with me?" Ryan joked amidst laughter. Ryan was only wearing a t-shirt and a pair of shorts just like Damon.
"I missed you too man!" Richard said as he led Ryan to the same sofa Damon was in.
All three of them relaxed. "What would you like?" Damon asked Richard.
"Just water is fine," Richard said.
Damon nodded. "Amelia, bring some water," He instructed using the link.
A few seconds passed and Amelia brought them water to drink. She served each person and each of them drank to their fill. She left them and went on with whatever work she was doing in the kitchen.
"I'm still surprised by all that you told me the other day," Richard began.
"It is true. It really happened and I feel it's going to happen again," Damon explained as he waved his hands.
"It seemed very impossible for all clans to stay under one roof but a few nights ago, that was achieved. In desperate situations, compromises can be made. I understand that statement now," Richard said while nodding his head slowly.
Damon sat upright on the sofa he shared with Richard and Ryan at the moment; as he had more to say. "There's even something on the prophecy," Damon continued.
Richard cocked his brows high. "A prophecy? What does prophecy have to do with this?" He asked.
"Everything," Ryan said after a long time of being silent.
"There's a prophecy about a second chance mate and the one stained with blood," Damon went on.
"Who did they speak of in the prophecy?" Ryan was asking.
"Apparently, they say it is me. Alexia and I. I'm not ready to accept that part of the prophecy yet, either is Alexia," Damon said.
"Wait, wait, hold up. You're going to fast here. Who is Alexia?" Richard asked while holding his hands up.
"Alexia is the Huntress who is his supposed second chance mate," Ryan explained.
"Oh!" Richard was only able to exclaim.
"She also happens to be in the same clan that murdered Alzrey," Damon said.
Everyone in the room went silent. This was the first time he had mentioned his late mate's name since the day she was buried.
"This was all written or planned by the Moon goddess?" Richard asked.
"Sometimes, I even question the capabilities of the moon goddess," Ryan voiced out honestly.
"So what are you going to do about it?" Richard asked his Alpha who was also his friend.
"That, I don't know. Which is why I have friends. You both are going to figure it out for me," Damon told them. He was dumping all his responsibilities on him.
"What have you been doing so far Damon?" Richard asked.
"I've been ignoring both sides. That's the only way to keep my sanity," Damon answered.
Richard remained quiet as he thought of his next words. Damon didn't want to hear about Richard's opinion just yet. So he switched the topic of their discussions.
"You said you saw red-eyed wolves some nights ago; where exactly did you see them?" Damon asked.
"I saw them in Greenville," Richard answered.
"What were you doing in Greenville, I thought you moved to the city?" Ryan asked.
"Malia had some scores to settle over here. Right now, she's with her parents," Richard explained.
"Have you told her about who you really are?" Damon asked Richard.
Richard threw his eyes away. He couldn't look them in the eyes. His demeanor showed that he hadn't told her a thing.
"I get that you're scared, but you need to tell her. What if she finds out from somebody else?" Ryan asked.
"I'm on Richard's side here. What if he tells her and she freaks out? She doesn't need to know. You guys will be fine. Just finish whatever you both came here to do and flee while you still have the chance. At least you can protect her," Damon advised.
Ryan shook his head in disapproval. "There's no way you can hide it from her forever. What will happen when you both have kids? Your child will be a werewolf and she'll notice it first. She'll be way angrier when she finds out you kept it from her for that long. You need to allow her to make her choice," Ryan debated.
"You're right Ryan. I have to tell her. Soon enough, I'll muster the courage to tell her. I promise," Richard said as he stared intensely at nothingness.
Ryan tapped him on the back for moral support. Damon smiled at him. At least Richard still had his mate and he wanted him to protect her as well as he could. Damon didn't want any of his friends to go through the pain of losing a mate like him.
Suddenly, Richard's expression morphed into pain. He knitted his brows together and his eyes were wide open in shock. He grabbed his chest in pain and bent over.
"Richard, what's wrong?" Ryan was the first to ask while Damon grabbed his shoulder in concern.
"It's Malia! She's in danger!! Malia is in danger!!!" Richard exclaimed while still grabbing his chest in pain.
"What do you mean in danger?" Ryan was still asking but Damon was way ahead of them. He grabbed his car keys from the dining table where he had dropped it. Then he came back to his friends.
"Malia is in danger! I need to help her! I need to save her!" Richard blabbered.
"Then get up and let's go save her!" Damon roared in his face.
As if that was all the strength he needed, Richard abruptly got up and started to lead them out of the house so fast.
"We're taking my car," Damon announced.
"Hand me the car keys, I'll drive!" Ryan said.
Damon threw the car keys and he caught it. They got to the car. Ryan and Richard got into the front seats while Damon got into the back seat.
Ryan revved the car alive and it started to drive out of the place. Richard still held his chest but Damon thought the pain was already decreasing.
Richard had nothing to worry about. They were on their way to save his mate. She was going to be just fine.