"How incompetent can you worms be?!" a voice thundered through the dark, cavernous building. The cloaked figures around the long stone table bowed their heads, trembling.
"G-Grand Mistress…"
"She… she wasn't alone…"
The tall woman with emerald-green eyes turned slowly toward the two who dared speak. Her gaze glowed brighter, dangerously so.
"Trying to justify your incompetence only sickens me," she hissed—and with a flick of her hand, the two figures erupted into flames, their screams echoing through the room.
Silence returned.
Vienna returned to her seat at the head of the table, exhaling through her nose.
"That was excessive, Vienna," came a weary voice. A woman stepped out of the shadows, arms folded.
Vienna leaned back, uncaring. "I despise when things don't go my way, Sonia."
"I understand, but you know who you're dealing with—Alexander Quinn," Sonia said, her tone even.
"She's manifesting," Vienna stated.
Sonia's brows lifted, the weight of that truth settling heavily between them. "Then we must move faster."
"What about my children?" Vienna asked.
"Almost complete," Sonia confirmed with a nod.
"Excellent. We need to strengthen our forces—tenfold, no, a hundredfold. More blood, more power," Vienna whispered with a satisfied smirk.
"And the councilman?"
Vienna's expression twisted into a scowl. "He will be handled."
"I hope so. There's something... off about that pureblood," Sonia said, eyes narrowing.
---
Artemis trailed behind Alexander, hugging her coat closer. The forest air was biting cold, her breath visible in the morning light.
'Why are we out here? Is he going to try and kill me again?' she wondered nervously.
"Artemis," Alexander called suddenly, making her jump.
"Ye-Yes, Master?"
He glanced back at her. "What did you feel when the tea spilled on you?"
She blinked, brushing away an insect. "Uh… nothing? It felt cold," she replied honestly.
He hummed, then stopped at a clearing deep within the forest. She halted beside him. He turned to her with a gentle expression.
"Have you been feeling anything strange lately, bunny?"
Artemis hesitated, then nodded, fidgeting with the hem of her coat. "Yes."
"Can you explain?"
"Well… I sometimes feel like I'm sleeping too much. I don't always remember what I was doing before I black out," she admitted, cheeks pink with embarrassment.
Alexander's expression softened. "Something's happening with your body, Artemis."
Her eyes widened. "Wh-What?"
"The day I found you… you passed out," he reminded her gently.
"I thought I was just exhausted," she murmured, voice shaking. "What's… happening to me?"
Alexander reached forward and hugged her tightly. "Nothing serious. I don't fully understand it either, but we'll figure it out—together."
Her eyes welled with tears as she clutched his sleeve.
Then, he smiled and asked, "Do you like dogs?"
She blinked. "Wha—? That's so random… but yes, I love dogs."
"Perfect."
He whistled, long and sharp. The ground began to rumble. Heavy thuds approached.
Artemis's eyes widened. "What is that?!"
Crashing into the clearing came a massive black dog with glowing red eyes—easily twice the size of a horse. It let out a haunting howl.
Artemis shrieked and buried her face in Alexander's chest.
He chuckled, stroking her back. "This is Draco. My hellhound."
'Hellhound?!' Her eyes snapped open. So the black blur I kept seeing from the balcony… was this monster?!
Draco's crimson gaze fixed on her. He growled, inching closer.
Artemis peeked up at the enormous beast. Their eyes locked.
Draco stilled.
'As expected,' Alexander thought with a smile.
"He likes you."
"Wh-What?" she sputtered. Likes me? That thing was just looking at me like a snack!
Draco's tail suddenly wagged. He barked—and in a flash, his giant body shrank down to the size of a large puppy. He bounded toward her, tail wagging furiously.
Artemis stared, slack-jawed. "What… just happened?"
Alexander crouched and petted the now-pint-sized hellhound. "He's not an ordinary wolfdog."
Draco's origins were tragic. Alexander's father had found him centuries ago, orphaned after a Gorgon attack. The hellhound had trusted no one—until Alexander. They'd been bonded ever since.
Tentatively, Artemis reached out and stroked Draco's head. He leaned into her touch, tail still wagging.
"Master—" she started, but then her ears rang violently. "Ah!" She clutched her head, stumbling as a surge of memories flashed through her mind.
"Artemis!" Alexander dropped Draco and held her face, alarmed. "What's wrong?!"
She panted, shaken.
Alexander's worry deepened. He could feel it—her powers were awakening, and she was becoming unstable.