Chapter 105 - Unexpected alliances

**Hopes pov**

I try to enjoy a cup of coffee in the coffee room at the clinic. I miss the warmth of Callum’s arms. After we left Dirk, he held me for a long time. I hate being like that, cold and threatening and I was a shaking wreck as soon as the door closed. Callum knows me and was quick to catch me. He held me on the couch in the common room for a long time before I calmed down and started to feel normal again. The afternoon at the clinic also strengthened me. We had started a type of group therapy for some of the hunters’ prisoners. We sat together and Luna connected to all of them and then got them to connect to each other through her, their wolves could socialize mentally and comfort and help each other. It was emotional but it worked. I take a deep breath and thinking about filling my coffee cup a third time but a link opens before I can make a decision. Kevin’s voice sounds nervous.
“Luna! Alpha! You’d better get back, we’ve got visitors.”

I feel the nervousness of the pack as I jog up towards the pack house. Callum arrives at the same time as me. The afternoon sun is low and the gathering of people in front of the house casts long shadows across the courtyard. I see Kevin, Joe, Leo, Lucas and Olivia. And some other curious pack members. I also see several I don’t recognize. Callum takes my hand and pulls me to him in an act of protection. Zara’s head pops out of the crowd and she has an annoyed expression as she approaches us.
“Zara, what’s going on?” I ask without taking my eyes of the people behind her.
“I have no idea, they’ve apparently been called here.”
“We haven’t called anyone..who are they?” I feel Luna trying to feel unknown wolves, but there are none, so, not werewolves.
“Relatives...” Zara squirms a little uncomfortably.
“Relatives of whom?”
“Me...and to Grandma Zandra”
“Oh...” I look towards the crowd and one by one they turn towards me. The silver colored hair is dominant and I see similarities in many. Not close to Zara’s but you can see the kinship. An elderly woman approaches us and her smile is genuine.
“Luna Hope, Alpha Callum...I apologize for arriving early and unannounced, we thought you had been informed.”
“By who?” Callum’s forehead is in deep creases and I can feel Beacon close to the surface and on guard.
“By Ambrogio of course..he is the one who called us here.” The woman looked surprised that we are clueless and I turn to Zara, she should know what her so called mate is up to. But the pale frightened face I meet is not of one who knows but of one who is terrified.
“I swear, I know nothing about this.”
“Calm down, I believe you..help me get everyone into the dining room and we will sort this out.”
I link Greta and get the answer that she is already busy with refreshments and snacks..of course she is. There are fifteen people besides Zara, nine women and six men. “Hope, what is this?” Callum links me as he impressively welcomes our guests and pointing witch way they should go.
“I have no idea, I asked Joe to try to get hold of Tony for an explanation.”
Before we ourselves have time to enter, three black cars drive up, all with tinted windows and I suspect who it is that has arrived. Luna growls in annoyance in my head. A door on the car in the middle opens and a woman steps out. Her clothes are as black as her long hair, her skin porcelain white and her lips a dark red tone. She reminds me of the mother in the Addams family but several times more beautiful…and in pants. She looks at the sun and a smile plays on her lips as she mumbles something to herself and clasps her hands above her head. Heavy dark clouds suddenly appear in the sky, obscuring the sun’s late rays. She lowers her arms and turns to the car and I’m not surprised when Ambrogio steps out. His eyes find Zara and stay there for a few seconds before he looks at me and his face breaks into a smile and to my surprise it doesn’t make me sick. Zara takes a step back and I feel her wolf shake.
“I won’t let anything happen to you, go in to the others and wait for us there” She nods when she hears my link and rushes inside.
“Hope! Alpha Callum! It’s nice to see you again” His outburst surprises us both and as we watch him take long strides towards us we stand in silence.
“Ambrogio, you seem to have recovered well..I must say this is a surprise, not to mention all the witches that arrived before you.” I am caught of guard as he embrace me with a hug and as Callum growls he chuckles.
“Oh come on Alpha, I thought we were past such petty jealousy” He pats Callum on the back, like an old friend..weird.
“Ambrogio..what are you doing here?” I try to get him to calm down so I can understand what is happening.
“I come with great news and the greatest of gifts!”
“Please, I’m too tired for riddles, speak plainly!”
“Absolutely, of course! But can we take it indoors? Tatiana is skilled but her magic is not limitless.” Callum and I look at each other..that’s a big step, inviting the father of vampires into our home. Without saying anything we smile and give each other a weak nod, we crossed the line a long time ago and we will always be grateful for his part in my rescue.
“Sure, follow me” Callum turned and walked in and we all followed him, even Tony and Brad who got out the car and five more silent tight-lipped men who I have no idea who they are. Callum doesn’t lead us to the witches in the dining room but instead takes us to the living room. Greta comes in with glasses and drinks but rushes out probably uncomfortable in the presence of strangers .
“Speak!” I say when everyone has found their place in a chair, couch or standing guard by the window.
“I’ve come for Zandra.”
“What do you mean you’ve come for her? I’m not letting you take her anywhere!” I felt Luna tense up at the idea he was going to take her oldest and best friend.
“I’ve come to wake her up, to bring her back to us.” He leaned back and actually looked happy as he smiled at me.
“Tell me how...”
A moment later I’m staggering back and forth between Callum and the fireplace. What Ambrogio told me was as unfathomable as it was cruel, but at the same time I could somehow believe it. I had seen it, Zandra’s emotions when she talked about him, her anger at what he had done and the strength it took to hold on to that hatred. I also saw the love, no matter how she tried to hide it, it showed in the hurt look when she heard that the Gods gave him a mate, I felt it when she flew over us and saw that not only I was ok but he too.
“A witch can put herself to sleep and she can stay there for a while, longer than a normal human, a week without food or liquid is no problem, two even but then it’s time to wake up. A witch as strong as Zandra…if she wants to hide, she can create a whole new world and escape into for a very long time.” Tatiana’s voice was full of admiration as she explained her theory.
“The only problem is if she decides that that world is true, and our world ends up being a faint dream or a distant memory. This is when we can see her life signs here weakening.”
“How do you mean? We haven’t seen any change, neither for the better nor for the worse.” As soon as I said the words out loud, I felt sadness at how true they were.
“Hope, look me in the eye and tell me what you see.” Ambrogio came up to me and while he ignored Callum’s disapproval, he looked me deep in the eyes. They were as golden as I remembered them. Zandra’s gray streak was there too…my hand flew up and covered my mouth to hold back a cry. They were so faded, it didn’t even resemble her color anymore...just a memory of it. Callum was quick to put his arms around me and he too noticed the change in Ambrogio’s eyes.
“How are we doing this?” I heard a faint panic in his voice, no matter how strong his facade was, I knew him and I knew that the fear of losing Zandra was great.
“It’s going to take something really strong to get her out of there.” Tatiana started.
“Like a mate?”
“I wish it were that simple but in order for him to reach her the barrier around her and the world she built has to be torn down”
“Ah! Hence the sixteen white witches in the next room?”
“Correct, but only white magic can’t tear white magic, not as strong as Zandra’s.”
“So, I suspect that’s where you come in?” I asked. She giggled in response, more girlishly than I expected.
“Precisely, I’m as dark as they come darling and diluting their white magic is no problem, I have it down in no time, however, convincing her to stay here...that will be your problem.” She gives me a cocky smile and takes a sip from her glass.
“What do you get out of helping us with this? If I understand correctly, Zandra is your complete opposite? Shouldn’t you be pleased that she’s not…” I’m having trouble putting the words together but Tatiana knows what I mean.
“If we were at war sure, I wouldn’t want Zandra as an opponent. But there hasn’t been a war between witches in over a thousand years. We have different ways of practicing our magic and we stick to our own, but I’d be lying if I said I do this for free. I’ll let Ambrogio settle the bill with you, I’m dying to see my cousins in the next room.” She winks at me before snapping her fingers and heading for the door. The five men respond to her signal like obedient dogs and follow her.