Hera

Life is not to be lived alone.


An obvious fact that was seen everywhere. In a colony of ants or hive of bees, in the way that a forest is nothing but a collection of other living things and how the body operates because of a group of systems.

It also showed in fucking mind control created by a group of sadistic bastards.

Their hold was proving difficult to break and it annoyed the fuck out of me. There was no way I was letting down Xander but time wasn't on my side.


Goddess knows how long I had before they woke up.

'Excuse me?"


I opened my eyes to see the young man that was with Sonia.

Ash.

'I'm sorry, I could see you through the window, when you didn't reply as I knocked, I thought something was wrong."

'It's okay. What do you need?"

Sending him away won't bode well for his image of the pack that Alpha Xander is trying to build. But he needs to hurry.

'I just wanted to thank you."

'Oh?"

I wasn't expecting that.

'You didn't send the beta…Sonia out, giving her connection to Antonio. I want to thank you for that."

His eyes showed that he was sincere. What a gem.

'What matters is that she had no part in Antonio's plans. She also has Alpha Xander's gratitude for taking care of the pack in his absence."

‘Grey is safe. For now. The sorcerer hasn't noticed him yet.' My wolf said.

‘It is to be expected, our mental shield is impenetrable.'

‘Hmm…'

She was keeping an eye on everyone as I spoke to Ash. She was also weakening the mind hold.

'You're a volana wolf aren't you?"

Eyes narrowed, 'Sonia told you?"

He wasn't in the room or around it when I told her. There's no way he would have known without Sonia telling him.

Ash looked down, avoiding my gaze. I watched him, keeping my powers at bay. Years of experience and sheer instincts made me alert.

It's been years since I was hunted for my identity but that could change in any minute.

'No, not really."

I waited for him to continue, there was no point in being hasty and staining my hands with innocent blood.

'I..." He took a deep breath and looked up, staring directly into my eyes. 'My mom was a volana wolf."

My eyes widened, but.

'Just your mom?" I asked, still suspicious. Volanas could only mate with volanas, there was no special case where the mate was a different specie.

'Yes. She rejected her mate and fled with her lover, a werewolf."

'Huh."

‘Well, I wasn't expecting that. I don't think she was in this area, we would have been able to sense her.'

‘Yes. I'll find out why he told me about this. Keep an eye on the others.'

‘The hold has weakened a great deal. The only people that should be under the hold are those who had sex with the sorcerers and Antonio.'

I sighed. Having sex with sorcerers always makes things more complicated.

'Sit down Ash." He complied. 'Now, Tell me why you really came to me."

Ash eyes darted around the room nervously. I waited. It wasn't news to me that my aura made people nervous, uncomfortable some times but I wasn't going to change it. Goddess knows it has kept me alive in numerous occasions.

'I'm a hybrid," he began. I wish I prepared tea or something. 'Although my werewolf side is dominant, I can still use the few abilities I got from my volana side."

How does that work? Does he have two wolves, is that possible? Or was his wolf a werewolf with volana traits?

I ignored the giddy part of me that was curious because I might have a child with Liam. It was too early for that.

'That being said, I was passing by your house after leaving Sonia's. I had already decided that I'll thank you later in the presence of the Alpha. But, I picked up something resisting you, my curiosity got the better of me and here I am."

He's truly a volana. Volanas are able to sense when one of their kind is using their powers. It was just an unexplainable mystery that was part of us.

'What do you know about mind hold?" I asked, a new plan formulating in my head.

Ash visibly relaxed, 'A lot. My mom drilled it into me." A fond smile appearing on his face as he thought about her.

'Did she teach you how to do it?"

'She did but it's something she forbade me from doing except in crucial times," he replied with a frown.

'Oh."

‘Her mate was a bastard then,' commented my wolf.

‘Yeah.'

The picture was very clear. Ash mother had suffered greatly under her mate, maybe her parents were oblivious to it or maybe she just wanted to leave. So she did so and taught her son with a fervor that was almost paranoia.

Deciding to put my plan into motion because while my wolf was succeeding in weakening the hold, it was still to slow for my liking.

'A whole pack is being mind held by dead sorcerers. I've been able to release some of them but the sexual bounds are proving to be a challenge."

Ash was frowning hard when I finished. 'I will help you."

'Thank you," I offered my hands to him. 'Close your eyes."

Immediately, I saw him in my head space. We stood facing the shield that was transparent in some areas, showing that some had been released, but black in most part.

Seems like those sorcerers went around sleeping with anyone remotely interested.

'I've never seen anyone this huge before," Ash noted.

'Thank the goddess for that."

I glanced at my wolf that was watching us from the shadows, Ash hasn't seen her yet.

'Ready?"

'Always."

I smiled, grateful for his confidence and shut my eyes, going to work.

I don't want to be occupied with this when we faced Antonio, luckily, Grey was still safe.