The Shadow Howlers

Jameson arrived at the palace at the same time he received a mindlink that the sisters were dead, Psyche was alive, and she was back with Eros. He sighed in relief as he approached the palace gates where guards were watching him.

“Hello, my name is Jameson. Andrew is expecting me,” he said with a smile. The guards didn’t say anything as they mindlinked Gunnar. When they opened the gates, he bowed to them slightly.

“Thank you, good men,” Jameson teleported to the palace doors. He could have done that to begin with, but he didn’t want to cause any unnecessary alarm. Just as he was about to knock on the door, it opened and Andrew walked out.

“I’m glad you could make it. Please come in. I let everyone know you were coming.” Andrew led him inside, and Jameson’s eyes went right to the two pups who were standing front and center in front of everyone else. He was taken aback slightly as they glared at him.

“Andrew said you’re like him and here to help. How do we know you’re not here to hurt someone?” Polly demanded. Jameson tried not to laugh at how fierce they were trying to look. They didn’t have many little ones where he came from and these two had to be some of the cutest ones alive.

“I would answer them if I were you. When they thought I was a bad person, they used their power and covered me with glitter. I’m still trying to get it out of certain places,” Helios said. Jameson looked back at the pups.

“I promise I am only here to help, and I have some good news as well.” He said, looking at the woman behind the pups. She looked so much like Psyche, he knew she had to be Selena.

“What news?” Trisha asked. She and Polly were still on the fence about glittering him.

“Aglaura and Cidippe have been killed. Psyche called in a favor from one of the worst demons in the underworld. He wants to kill all gods and goddesses, but apparently he likes Psyche. She is now back with Eros.” Everyone stared at him in shock. They were relieved, but they also knew it wasn’t the end.

“That’s great news. At least that’s one less thing we need to worry about. Now we have to deal with Achyls,” Selena said. Everyone looked towards Nyx, who was standing with her arms around Lachlan.

“We will deal with her, and when she’s dead, I won’t create another monster like her again," Nyx said.

“Why did you make her? Don’t you like pups like us?” Polly asked. Nyx smiled as she squatted so she could be face-to-face with the two pups.

“I love pups like you, and you two are my favorites. I was just really sad and thought I would make people so I wouldn’t be alone anymore.” She explained. Trisha and Polly studied her, and not for the first time Nyx thought they seemed older than they were.

“Are you still sad?” Trisha asked. Nyx smiled and shook her head.

“Not anymore, because I have met all of you. I will make it right and get rid of Achyls so she can’t hurt anyone else.” She said as she stood up and went back into Lachlan’s arms. Jameson watched the interaction with interest. He was sure there was more to the two pups than anyone realized. They were quiteperceptive for their age.

“Psyche said she and Eros are working on getting more help to stop Achyls. She will most likely call in the help of other witches. Selena all the time I’ve spent with Psyche, she only thought of two things: you and Eros. It broke her heart that she wasn’t able to see you grow up.” Jameson felt he owed it to Psyche to let her daughter know that she was always thinking about her. She had cried many times for the daughter she thought she’d never see.

“Thank you for telling me. It’s still hard for me to believe that not long ago I was a deaf and mute omega and now I’m a queen and a goddess. This is still all a bit overwhelming,” Selena said. Bianca hugged her and smiled.

“I always knew I liked you. Even when no one would let me communicate with you.” Bianca thought about all the time she spent at the pack, not knowing what her parents were doing. If she had any clue, she would have asked for help a long time ago.

“You were the only one who cared enough to acknowledge me. Everyone else ignored me. Which I guess in some ways that was better because it could have been a lot worse.” Selena looked at Zaiden and he frowned. If he could bring everyone back from the Last Moon pack, he would just so they could be killed again.

“How do you beat witches?” Polly asked. She and Trisha had every intention of helping when the fight came.

“We have to fight evil with evil. I can be just as evil as they are, but I can’t do it alone. You all will have to fight the witches while I go after Achyls. From now on, any conversations we have about our plans need to be in a secure place. Achyls can change her form so she can be the cloud in the sky or the rain falling outside. We must assume she’s always listening.” Nyx replied.

“The office is secure. That is where we will have all future meetings. Let’s go eat breakfast and then we can begin to plan, just in case the witches come before Psyche and Eros send help,” Zaiden said as he led everyone to the dining hall. Jameson was pleased with his decision to leave the other realm. He felt like now he could make a difference.

Sabnac returned to the underworld feeling better than ever. He felt likehe’d accomplished something good by helping Psyche with her sisters. It made him feel something inside that he usually didn’t feel. Happiness. Even when he had killed other gods and goddesses, it didn’t make him happy. He just did it because he was angry that they were always happy and he wasn’t. Now that he did something that made him feel good about himself, he wanted to feel that again. On his way to his house, he heard a conversation about Achyls planning an attack on Earth at the lycan palace. Sabnac knew that was where Psyche’s daughter was.

He wasn’t sure it was a good idea for him to go to Earth, but he felt like he needed to. Sabnac didn’t have any bad intentions, but he didn’t want to make it worse. He decided to reach out to the one person he trusted.

“Psyche, can you hear me?”

“Yes, I can hear you. Is everything okay?” Sabnac smiled. Only Psyche would care enough to ask that question.

“For me yes, but I heard that Achyls is planning an attack on your daughter’s palace. I thought maybe I could go to Earth to help keep her safe. Do you think they would accept my help?” Psyche didn’t say anything at first. The truth was she was too stunned to speak.

“You want to help Selena? Why? What made you decide you wanted to help her?" She asked carefully. She may have sought his help, but she wanted to be careful before sending one of the most evil demons from the underworld to Selena’s doorstep.

“I know it’s not something I would typically do, but helping you made me happy. I’ve never felt that before. I need something else to make me happy. I promise I have no plan to hurt anyone on Earth other than Achyls and her witches. Can I please help?” Psyche smiled and shook her head in disbelief. Was Sabnac actually begging her to help so he could be happy? She chuckled slightly.

“Of course you can. I’ll mindlink Jameson so they know you’re coming. No need to give them a fright.” Psyche replied.

“Thank you.” Psyche looked at Eros, smiling once she closed the mindlink.

“You’re never going to believe this. Sabnac wants to go to Earth to help Selena. He said helping me made him happy, and he wants to feel happy again.”Eros’s mouth fell open.

“That’s incredible. His poison and unique talents can counter Achyls with the help of Nyx. I knew you were special. You’re even making demons want to be good.” Eros kissed her as she mindlinked Jameson. Maybe with Sabnac’s help, Selena and the others would have a fighting chance.