Chapter 14
Jared
Huxley lured me over to Hunter’s Moon with the promise of a cold beer and hot meal after our demon lesson.
It’s safe to say today went a lot better than yesterday’s shitshow.
Not that I blame Hux for what happened, especially not after he explained how abnormally large my power surge was.
Apparently it’s not enough for me to be a demon—I have to be an incredibly strong one at that.
The idea’s going to take some getting used to after going twenty-eight years thinking I’m human.
Once again, the place is busy, but we manage to snag a couple of stools up at the bar.
“You did really well today,” Hux says, passing me a menu.
“You’re a good teacher.” I was hesitant to try again after the power surge, but we realised that since then, even with the amulet on, I can still access my magic, just a diluted version. Huxley’s taken to referring to the pendant as my training wheels—mildly insulting but not inaccurate.
“With how quickly you’re improving, I think you’ll be ready to try taking the amulet off again pretty soon.”
The now-familiar tug in my chest becomes more insistent, drawing my attention to a table over by the stage.
Selene. When Hux gave me the rundown of what abilities I can expect to have as an insight demon, he didn’t mention anything like the strange pull I feel towards her.
I’m worried it’s a bad sign—according to Hux, I’m already much stronger than the average demon—so I’m keeping it to myself for now.
Greedy for any glimpse of the witch I’ve quickly become enchanted by, I watch her talking animatedly with a blonde and a redhead.
Her dark hair is loose around her shoulders, and her full lips are painted the colour of fresh berries.
A dark-purple top contrasts beautifully against her pale skin, and black jeans highlight her waist and sinful curves.
I’m not the only one who’s noticed how gorgeous she looks either.
Some arsehole approaches their table, and I stifle a growl.
Something else I’ve noticed since connecting with my magic—I’m experiencing more…
primal urges. Huxley laughed himself silly for five minutes before assuring me it was normal.
He’s delighting in what he’s dubbed my ‘demon puberty’ a little too much.
Selene shuts the guy down, and he shrugs off the rejection, heading back to his friends.
I’m about to head over there to say hello and shoot a death glare at anyone else I catch looking her way, when a large shadow falls over our section of the bar.
“What can I get for you?” A gravelly deep voice asks.
My polite smile falters the moment I lock eyes with the man behind the bar.
“Hey, Garrett.” While I suspected he might still work as a bartender, with everything else that’s been going on I’d almost forgotten running into Garrett was a possibility. Now that he’s here in front of me, I’m not sure what to say.
My former best friend freezes in shock. His reaction makes me feel a little smug—Garrett was never the type to rattle easily.
He looks different. Older, though that’s not unexpected.
Yet, where I feel like the last few years have chewed me up and spat me out, it’s obvious Garrett’s been thriving.
The dark waves he used to be self-conscious of now brush his jawline, and he’s even more built than before.
At 6ft 4” Garrett’s never been small but, back when I knew him, his build was almost lithe—now he looks like he could break a tree trunk in half with his bare hands.
“Jared?” He blinks down at me, dumbstruck. “What are you doing here?”
Nice, jackass. “Are you fucking kidding me? That’s all you have to say?
” My angry words take us both off guard, but I don’t think my ‘demon puberty’ is to blame for the outburst. On my drive to town, I imagined what it would be like to see Garrett again, but that did nothing to prepare me for the hailstorm of emotions battering me right now.
Part of me is relieved he’s safe. The rest is fuming he’s been doing so well while I’ve been alone all this time.
“Wait, you two know each other?” Hux asks, gaze ping-ponging between us.
“I thought you were dead.” Hux’s mouth snaps shut, and Garrett’s forest-green eyes go wide.
They might have nothing to say, but my anger has no problem filling the silence.
“Years of friendship and you just disappeared. Nobody knew where you were. For two weeks I thought something terrible had happened. I was worried sick. Then what do I get? A text. A fucking text, Garrett.”
“Jared. Don’t you know who he is?” Hux hisses, laying a restraining hand on my shoulder. “You shouldn’t be talking to him like that, especially not in here.”
I shrug off his warning, scoffing, “I know exactly who this arsehole is.” I glare at Garrett, who’s finally recovered from his shock.
“I’m sorry, Jared, but if you’re here, then you know why I couldn’t tell you what was really going on.”
He can’t be serious. “Right. You couldn’t tell a human that you were supernatural and moving back to your secret magical sanctuary hometown. Except you knew I wasn’t human, didn’t you?” I challenge.
“Oh damn,” Huxley breathes, not at all subtly sliding as far away from my righteous anger as his barstool allows.
“I didn’t know for sure—”
“Bullshit,” I snap. “You knew the truth the moment I remembered your stories about this place. You just didn’t care about me enough to tell me the truth.”
“Hey, that’s not true.”
“No? Then tell me, what was so important you had to bail without so much as a goodbye and a ‘by the way, pal, you’re a demon’?”
“My dad died. I had to come back to take over the pack.”
Oh. Right, then. Don’t I feel like an insensitive arsehole.
“Shit, Rett, I’m sorry.” The once-familiar nickname slips out without thought.
“It’s alright. You didn’t know, and it was years ago.” Yeah, but the death of a loved one never stops hurting. Time only transforms the sharp agony of recent loss into a different kind of pain, one that sneaks up on you when you least expect it.
“Even so, I know you were close. You’re still a dick, but I am sorry.”
He huffs out a small laugh. “Apology accepted—as long as you accept mine too.”
I sigh in defeat. He’s got me there.
“Fine.”
Garrett grins, and it’s then I see the younger version of him I used to know.
Maybe it’s a mistake to give in so quickly, but after everything I’ve been through lately, the chance to have my friend back is too much for my resolve.
I’ve been fortunate to meet some great people during my first week here, but there’s nothing like old friends.
“Here.” Garrett places three beers on the bar between us. “Let me put your food order in at the kitchen, and then I’ll join you two.”
He’s waylaid by a few other customers as he tries to make his way out from behind the bar but soon enough, he balls up the black apron from around his waist and tucks it under the bar.
“So, you’re a demon?” He asks, settling on the stool next to mine.
“Yeah, didn’t you know?” I thought that was why he told me about Crystal Lake.
Garrett shakes his head. “No. I suspected you might be supernatural, but I couldn’t get a read on what type.”
“What tipped you off that he wasn’t human?” Hux asks. “His amulet completely blocked his magical signature.”
“Nothing at first, but eventually I started noticing small things that didn’t add up.
His reflexes were quicker than a human’s should be.
He never got sick. Not even when a nasty bug went round everyone else we worked with—we were the only two unaffected.
Then there were his gut feelings. They were too accurate not to be supernatural in nature, but I had to be sure. ”
“So you told me about Crystal Lake, knowing if you were wrong and I was human that the sanctuary town wards would make me forget.”
“Yes.”
“But what about after that? I passed your test. Why didn’t you tell me the truth then?”
“I was waiting for the right time, but then I got the call about my dad and…” His shoulders slump in defeat. “I didn’t handle it well.”
Something dawns on me. “Wait, earlier you said you had to take over the pack after your dad died. You’re the Alpha?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t be modest, Rett. He’s not just the Alpha of Crystal Lakes’s pack, he’s the youngest Alpha to be appointed and he’s got a seat on the supernatural council,” Huxley explains proudly. It’s obvious the two of them are close.
“Supernatural council? Like the town council?” I read about that in the welcome booklet.
Hux groans. “You really need to talk to Giles.” At my confused frown he continues, “He’ll give you a reading list that will cover everything you need to know about the supernatural community.
Reading the welcome booklet was a good start, but there’s still so much you don’t know.
You need to get caught up before you put your foot in it with the wrong person. ”
“Is that why you were freaking out over me yelling at Garrett?”
“Yeah. You’re lucky the two of you are friends. If anyone else spoke to an Alpha, not to mention a council member, like that, they’d be in deep shit.”
“Oh.” I turn to Garrett. “Thanks, I guess? Although considering you left me thinking I was human for years, I think the scale’s still in my favour,” I joke.
He snorts. “There’s the Jared I know. So, what kind of demon are you? I still can’t tell.” His thick brows pinch together.
“Don’t worry, you’re not losing your touch—it’s because I’m still wearing this,” I explain, tugging the amulet out from beneath my shirt to show him.
“Damn, that explains so much.” He reaches for it, eyes full of curiosity flicking to meet mine, then asks, “Can I?”
“Sure, just don’t take it off.”