Chapter 107
Daniel POV
I was clinging to my last moments with Charlie, worried about how long I would be apart from her while the other Alphas were around and trying not to think about what could happen if they didn’t believe Hyacinth and me about the vampire threat. I pulled Charlie closer as we rode in the back of the car to the cottage, I had seen the driver around during my first stay in the witch’s town but didn’t know his name. I was bitterly disappointed Dermot hadn’t come to pick us up and had neglected to ask the young warlock anything about himself or the situation when we disembarked the plane to find him waiting, I had hoped I would have the chance to apologise for my behaviour, but it was clear Dermot was avoiding me. I buried my nose in Charlie’s hair, relishing the scent, and allowing it to do its magic and calm my anxieties, as we passed over the threshold of the town.
“Daniel, I can feel your anxiety, talk to me? Maybe I can help?” Charlie whispered, her hand on my chest as she turned to look at me.
“I’ll be fine.” I tried to reassure her, but the way she cocked her eyebrow at me, let me know I had failed to convince her. “Alright, I’m a little worried about the meeting, there’s a chance that Eric will refuse to believe us because I’m the one saying it. And I had hoped I would get the chance to apologise to Dermot, it would’ve made me feel a little better.” I admitted, I brought her hand to my lips and kissed her knuckles softly.
“I’m sure he knows you didn’t mean it.” She tried to comfort me, but our driver’s snort burst that bubble quickly. “Got something to say?” Charlie almost growled at him, her anger flashed up and surprised me.
“It’s fine baby, I can’t blame them for mistrusting me, I did go on a rampage,” I said, as I tried to hide my sadness from her.
“It wasn’t a rampage, and it wasn’t your fault! It really wasn’t.” She added for the driver.
“Whatever you say, but don’t expect a warm welcome, from anyone in the town. We all heard about what happened with Dermot.” The driver replied, which deepened my regret and guilt.
“I bet, but did you also happen to hear that Daniel was crazed by the mate bond, that I’m the one that dragged Dermot away, which was probably a mistake, or that Dermot endangered himself by not thinking before he acted?” Charlie snapped, I could feel her protectiveness for me through the bond, and her anger at the way I had been portrayed to the town.
“No, I just heard about the crazy Alpha who shifted and nearly ripped my friend to pieces.” The driver replied dryly, obviously not bothered by the circumstances around the incident.
“He was crazed because of me, and the bond, because we hadn’t marked each other to avoid a war, to save lives, or didn’t you hear about the future where a lot of witches die.” Charlie snarled I could tell she’d had enough of the driver’s opinions, and I prayed to the goddess that he didn’t say anything else, her eyes had already turned purple.
“It’s alright baby, just calm down. Don’t upset yourself, everyone is entitled to their own opinions.” I interrupted.
“Of course, they are, they should just have all the information before running their mouths!” Charlie replied, more for the driver’s sake than mine. She kissed me softly, I think she was trying to reassure me she wasn’t angry with me, but my concerns had nothing to do with that. I kissed her nose, I hoped that being playful and silly would be enough to snap her out of her mood, and possibly avert her unleashing her powers on the poor young warlock who was driving us. I silently thanked the goddess as I felt her anger lift and heard a quiet giggle escape her lips.
“Let’s enjoy our last few moments together before we get to Hyacinth’s, and you have to leave? Please?” I asked as I ran my nose along her shoulder.
“Aren’t you going to the Alpha meeting too?” The driver asked Charlie, he looked at us through the rear-view mirror.
“No, it’s not safe for me to be around some of the Alphas,” Charlie replied in a clipped tone, still holding the young man’s opinion against him.
“Why?” He asked confused.
“I have a complicated history with one of the Alphas, and he could decide that the best way to get to me is through Charlie if he finds out about her, so he can’t find out I have a mate, let alone that she is here. Or your town may become the backdrop for a fight that would endanger the lives of anyone that gets in the way.” I warned.
“Is that some sort of thinly veiled threat?” The driver asked, his tone angry again.
“It’s a plea for help, to avoid anyone getting hurt,” I replied, I could feel Charlie getting irritated, and found myself relieved and saddened that we were pulling into the drive of the cottage. I glanced at the clock on the dash, it was only eight, so we had a little time to relay the information we had to Hyacinth, and get Charlie somewhere safe, but it would be closer than I would’ve liked. The driver stopped outside the front door, and popped the trunk, he exited the car quickly to retrieve our bags as we climbed out of the back seat. Aine was stood in the doorway and embraced Charlie soon after she got out of the car, which gave me time to have a quiet word with the young warlock, who was placing our bags on the driveway. “I don’t expect anyone to forgive me for what I did, least of all Dermot, but I am sorry, and I would like the opportunity to say so to him myself. But if Hyacinth decides that I won’t be welcome here after this is all over, I will respect that. I had hoped that we could strengthen our relationship, between the witches and the Lycans, and if my actions have jeopardised that in any way, I will be the poorer for it, but I will accept the consequences. I would never knowingly hurt Dermot, or anyone who isn’t trying to hurt someone I care about, that includes Hyacinth, and by extension, you and everyone else in this town.” I extended my hand, in friendship, but the warlock just looked at it and me dismissively, and walked away, he left me and the bags in the cold morning air. I picked up the bags and followed Charlie and Aine inside the house, disappointed, but not surprised by his reaction. I walked into the now familiar parlour, the breakfast spread laid out on the table, Charlie was already sat there with Hyacinth, who was also giving us a rather frosty reception.
“Daniel.” She nodded towards me, with none of her usual warmth and cheer.
“Good morning, Hyacinth, you look particularly lovely today.” I smiled; I was hoping to break the ice a little.
“Thank you, but we are short on time, so let’s skip the pleasantries, and get down to business, shall we? What did you learn on your trip?” Hyacinth asked coolly.
“Quite a bit actually, but we would like to keep it between us three for now... Charlie has some doubts about the validity of what her father told her mother.” I replied, as I put the bags down and took a seat at the table.
“Fine, I can agree to that. So, what did your mother say exactly?” Hyacinth asked she turned to Charlie, but she didn’t seem able to reply.
“She said that Charlie’s father is a God, the oldest son of the Goddess of all creation, and the brother of our moon goddess,” I answered for her, as Charlie stared at her hands, unsure of what to do or say. I could feel her reluctance and reached over to hold her hand, as Hyacinth absorbed what we had told her.
“So, that would make you...?” Hyacinth asked after several moments, obviously, she was struggling to accept the new information.
“A demi-goddess or she will be, after she turns twenty-five on Monday, you were right, the binding spell is linked to her age, which was changed by her mother and aunts to protect her from her uncle,” I explained, as Hyacinth stared at us both incredulously.
“So, the other legends? They could be true? How is this possible?” Hyacinth asked, stunned by the news.
“Charlie’s mother didn’t know much, but she did say that Charlie’s aunts were the creators of all life on this planet, so some of them could be true.” I offered.
“Amazing, I had no idea! I assumed that they were all just stories, I never dreamed that they could actually be true!” Hyacinth gasped.
“I wouldn’t put too much stock in this theory, my mother is blinded by her love for my father. But we will find out on Monday, if I am what my mother claims, my aunts will come and find me to teach me about my powers, and how to use them hopefully.” Charlie finally said before she took a sip of her coffee.
“Still, it would explain a lot. I’ve never met anyone whose future was blocked from me, I’ve always been able to see something, even if it was just their impending natural death. But I saw absolutely nothing from you... I wonder.” She muttered to herself, she stood and retrieved a book from the shelves in the corner of the room. “The story about the granddaughter of the sun goddess, do you have any idea who that could be?” She asked suddenly.
“The way Charlie’s father explained it to her mother was, his parents were essentially, Hades and Persephone, he was Ares, and his siblings were the other gods and goddesses from the Greek myths, but he didn’t go into much detail, just to say that his youngest sibling, the god many refer to as Zeus, was jealous and bitter. He used the religion of man to pervert the image of himself and hurt his siblings, he despised that his siblings could do things he couldn’t, so he placed himself as king of the gods, or the only god, to humiliate them and his parents.” I relayed the information we had been told, with one eye on Charlie, mindful of how she felt about what we had been told.
“Fascinating! I wonder how much is true.” Hyacinth replied as she retook her seat, still shocked but also excited by the possibilities.
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