Chapter 19

**Derric Shadow's P.O.V.**

I stifle a yawn as I shuffle into my bathroom, flicking the shower on. I brush my teeth as I wait for it to warm up. Once it's warmed up, I step into the shower, letting the hot water relax my tense muscles. After cleaning myself up, I step out of the shower and slip into some grey Calvin Klein boxer briefs, a pair of black slacks and a dark red button up. I leave it unbuttoned because I hear Jinx talking to someone so I open the bathroom door, stepping out to see my mom, Jillian, Jinx, and Jillian's sister, who is madly in love with me, Madelyn. Madelyn's eyes wander over my torso.

"Jinx," I say, raising an eyebrow at my mate "Everything alright?"

Jinx nods, stiffly. I nod, stepping back into the bathroom and shutting the door. I button up my button up, rolling the sleeves up to my elbows and pulling on some black socks and exit the bathroom, grabbing my dress shoes, pulling them on.

"So," Madelyn says "I see you've gotten a lady friend to take my place until you want to accept that you're my other half."

Jinx growls lowly, stepping towards her but my arm wraps around Jinx's waist, pulling her back against me. I lean down, placing my lips beside her ear.

"I'm yours," I whisper "You know that. Now, why don't you go and get showered and dressed and meet in my office?"

Jinx nods, slipping from my arm and heading to her own room.

"Madelyn," I say "Don't push my mate."

"She's not your mate," Madelyn says, crossing her arms "Your mate rejected you. The Gods blessed me with you. I know it. I feel it."

I look to my mom for help but she shrugs.

"Come on," Mom says "Let's go round everyone who needs to be in the office up."

I nod, following my mom. After thirty minutes, everyone except for Jinx is in the room.

"Ugh," Madelyn says "We don't have to wait on this pathetic female. She means nothing."

The hellhounds, bloodhounds and hounds bristle at Madelyn's words, growling lowly.

"Settle," Jinx says, entering the room "It's alright, my darlings. Hey, love."

Jinx leans on the desk between my legs and kisses my cheek.

"So," Jinx says "I just made a discovery."

"Alright," I say "What's that?"

"I'm connected to a hybrid," Jinx says "Half hellhound...half vampire."

"What," I say, leaning forward "Where is the hybrid?"

"On their way," Jinx says "With their Sire and their clan."

"Wait," Darian says "You're telling me we're about to have some very sweetly smelling red eyed creepy leeches on our territory and you have no problem with that, Alpha?"

Jinx looks at me.

"No," I say "We need to figure out if this is happening to vampires, too. If that means bringing them onto our land, then so be it."

They stare at me.

"So," I say "You want to introduce yourself, my love?"

Jinx smirks before nodding.

"So," Jinx says "A few of you already know who I am but for those of you who don't know, my name is Jinx and I am the Gaia."

Madelyn stares at Jinx.

"That's impossible," Madelyn says "There hasn't been a Gaia for millions of years. If that were so, why is all this happening?"

I growl lowly.

"Don't interrupt her," I say lowly "She is my mate and a much higher ranking wolf than anyone in this room, including the Council. So, unless you want to piss off every wolf on this territory, I suggest not pissing her off."

Madelyn stares before closing her mouth.

"As I was saying," Jinx says "A few months ago, I turned eighteen, thus being able to use my abilities. This is when the Council took me and I underwent training. While in training, I noticed some odd discrepancies that I brought to the Council's attention. Immediately, we realized we had a problem. The problem was that someone was snatching hellhounds and in order to cover up them snatching hellhounds, they began staging hellhound attacks...only they were improperly staged."

"That sounds an awful lot like the witch attacks," Jillian says "We thought they were hellhounds so I had brought the attacks to Derric's attention. I didn't even think about how it looked nothing like an attack by a hellhound."

Jinx nods, her body language stiff completely.

"So," My grandfather, Joe, says "This girl is the Gaia? But why are my grandchildren so freaked out by her?"

"She's also Derric's second-chance mate," Maya says, arms crossed over her chest "And she hasn't said a single word to any of us. I haven't even seen her speak to dad or Claradine yet."

Jinx's fists clench but Elder Martin stands up, wrapping his arm around her while Elder Henry goes to her other side, the two calming her down.

"Jinx has had many struggles in her life," Elder Henry says "Much too many for any eighteen year old to handle in just a few months. Jinx has things she needs to learn, one of which is how to love and trust again."

"What," Mara says "That doesn't even make se-"

"It does make sense," I say, interrupting my sister "When you've been abused from the moment you were a baby until you shifted and escaped at the age of eighteen. Jinx doesn't know how to love, nor does she know how to be loved. Her trust is completely shattered so yes, she is very untrusting and she may come off as cold. But I will not allow you to sit there and talk badly about how my mate is attempting to cope with such gigantic life changes in only a matter of months as if she is not in the room. Nor will I allow you to do it while she is out of it."

"She's not your mate," Madelyn says "I am. Why do I need to ke-"

"Derric," Jinx snaps "You better tell the little witch to shut up before I rip her esophagus out with my canines and eat it for dinner."

I immediately get up, walking to Jinx.

"Calm down," I say softly "Why are you so on edge?"

"I don't know," Jinx says "My wolf is uneasy and I don't know why. She's just pacing around in my head and then on top of that, I can feel everyone staring at me and then you've got Ms. Witchy Woo over there who wants to continue to deny that I'm your mate and tell everyone how she's your mate and you're not doing anything about it."

"Jinx," I say softly "Breathe, love."

Jinx takes a shaky breath.

"Alright," I say softly "Sit down, relax. You're my mate as I am yours. You know that, I know that. Nobody can tell us otherwise, okay?"

There's a tap on the door before it opens.

"Alpha," A hound by the name of Josh says "An Alpha Sinclaire is here...he said he's got something to discuss with you."

"Oh for the love of the moon goddess," Jinx says "So I have to see his face now?"

"Relax," I say "Bring him here."

Josh nods, exiting the office.

"Alpha Sinclaire," Maya says "You know him?"

"Yeah," Jinx says "I accepted his rejection days after my eighteenth birthday, only hours before leaving with the Council."

Maya looks at me in shock. After twenty minutes, my office door opens and Alpha Pierce Sinclaire walks in.

"Alpha Pierce," I say "How lovely to see you again. What brings you onto my territory today?"

"The hellhound that attacked my warriors," Alpha Pierce says "One of those warriors turned into a bloodhound, killed half my warriors, and then died from hellfire in his blood stream. Care to explain to me how that happened, Alpha Shadow?"

"What," Jinx says "Why did I not feel that? Why didn't I..."

"Jinx," Alpha Pierce says "What in the name of the Moon Goddess are you doing here?"

"Elder Henry," Jinx says "Why didn't I feel that? I feel when one comes into existence after transitioning from any other type of wolf into a bloodhound, so why didn't I feel this warrior? I'm connected to all bloodhounds."

"I'm not quite sure," Elder Henry says "Have you done anything with the bloodhound's body?"

"No," Alpha Pierce says "Besides bring it with me in a casket."

"Good," Elder Henry says "Helena, Nikida, go with Jinx and check out the body."

Elder Martin straightens.

"Elder Henry," Elder Martin says "I don't believe that is a go-"

"I won't be far," Jinx says softly "Derric will sit next to you until I get back, okay? If you feel like you're going to lose control, just let him know and he'll tell me to come back."

"Okay," Elder Martin says, nervously "Just...just hurry."

"I will," Jinx says "Come on."

The three women exit my office.

"So," Alpha Pierce says "My mate is here."

"Ex-mate," I say, crossing my arms "She's my mate now...and my Luna. You rejected her, so the Moon Goddess gave us both a second chance at being mated by mating us together. Now, if you'll excuse me, I do have an Elder to sit down and keep from losing control."

Alpha Pierce steps to the side and I slowly approach Elder Martin who lifts his hand. I take it and he relaxes.

"Derric," Elder Martin says "Is that you?"

"Yes," I say "I'm right here, Elder Martin. Just calm down. Jinx and Elder Nikida will be back in just a few moments."

"Alright," Elder Martin says "Alright."

He keeps hold of my hand, squeezing it tightly as I feel the tremors racking through his arms. After twenty minutes, Jinx comes running into the office, Elder Nikida and Elder Helena on her tail. The two rush to their mates, trembling with wide eyes. Jinx ruffles through the papers, her eyes flashing between black and gold.

"Vincenzo," Jinx says "Come here."

Vincenzo immediately gets up, going to Jinx.

"I need you to calm down," Jinx says softly "I feel your wolf fighting for control. If you need to, step out and go find Lindsey and take some time to calm down. Elder Nikida, take Elder Martin downstairs and make him some green tea with sugar and cream to calm his wolf down. Elder Martin, take your time drinking it, let your wolf settle down. Darian, I'm not going to hurt you or anyone else in this room so settle down and relax. Derric, I really need your help to find a specific paper."

"Alright," I say "What paper, love?"

"The medical forms," Jinx says "I remember a few of them saying something about bloodhound DNA being found inside the wounds."

We ruffle through the papers.

"Got it," Jinx says "See? Look right there. Traces of hellfire, wolfsbane, silver and bloodhound DNA."

"That's not possible," I say "You can't turn into a bloodhound by being scratched or anything."

"No," Jinx says "But you can turn into a bloodhound if you're injected with hellfire, wolfsbane, silver, and bloodhound DNA."

"So what," I say "These people are not only snatching hellhounds, they're creating bloodhounds?"

"Yes," Jinx says "But not just any type of bloodhound."

"Jinx," I say "What type of bloodhound are they creating?"

"I don't know," Jinx says "But whatever type of bloodhound it is...it cannot be controlled and I cannot feel it."