Katia noticed Zor's nose twitching as people came and went carrying out Doc's instructions. After Mark and Lorn had left, Zor kept sniffing toward the foot of the bed. Katia inhaled deeply, just as Selene asked, "Do you smell that? It smells like puppies and frog guts in here." She wrinkled her nose waiting for Katia to reply.
Katia responded, "Leo, who is your friend?"
When no one answered and the smell continued, Selene implied Katia was still not completely healed: "Um Ti, no one is there. Oh no! You've returned even more coo-coo than you were. Your mind didn't heal, it got worse."
Katia stared at her sister like she had grown two heads, "Lili, did you lose your powers or something?" She was motioning her head toward the foot of the bed, "If you focus you would understand why I asked Leo the question. Must suck to be more wolf than goddess now."
Selene rolled her eyes and then focused her sight on the foot of the bed. She saw the outline of a little boy and what looked like a very ugly man with gargoyle features. The more she looked at the two figures, the less she knew how to describe the one. He wasn't handsome, but he wasn't hideous; he was just odd-looking. Selene looked at her sister and mouthed that she could see them. Katia smiled back at her sister and yelled, "Get 'em, Zor."
Zor lunged for the little boy and licked his face. The cloaking spell faltered, and both figures appeared completely. Leo was wiggling on the foot of the bed, and a very big wolf was wagging its tail and licking him in the face. The little boy was laughing and screaming in delight. The bedroom door slammed open and two big burly Alphas came rushing in. The little boy and the wolf continued to play not bothered by the two men standing there scowling. Katia and Selene looked at the two men and pointed to the hallway, where Mark and Kane appeared. The other two men grabbed Alpha each and led them back out of the room. Closing the door behind them as they left.
Katia said, "Poor Lorn, he looks so. I know why I don't want Nathan here right now but why don't you want your mate in here?"
Selene blushed and said, "I was not prepared to wake up and find my mate here. I did not know how to react, and between the two, they were getting in the way of Doc and Cora. Besides, why, in the name of Mt. Olympus, did you choose him as my mate? He rejected you, remember?"
Sighing, Katia began to explain, "Li, yes, Alpha Lorn did reject me. However, he regretted it and traveled to Snow Moon to speak with Blood Meadow pack members who had left to follow me. He wanted to explain his actions, his regret, apologize, and swear his pack's loyalty to Moon Toucheds."
"I bet he did. He realized just how much he had given up and wanted to get it back. You just gave it all right back to him." Selene huffed.
"It wasn't like that at all. He was sincere. From that day on, Lorn and his pack have been our friends and allies." Katia declared.
Selene was still scowling and irritated, "How will I know it is me he wants and not really you? We are twins almost identical. He could easily substitute me for you."
Katia argued, "He never got to know me. He took what he saw in the moment and rejected me. Alpha Lorn learned from that mistake and he deserves a second chance. You deserve a strong, caring wolf like him to be your mate. You know how hard it is for our wolves to admit when they are wrong."
"Hmmm, seems like you take your own advice and remember that little tidbit with your mate," Selene muttered back.
Katia looked like she had been slapped in the face, "I already have. I just need time to figure out what to say and what to do. I am not sure I want to go right back to the way things were. I want, I don't know what I want but I know the way it was will not work now."
Leo's little voice piped in, "Katia, do you know about the new legend?"
Katia turned her attention to their guest and smiled, "No, sweet boy, I have not heard about it. Maybe you could fill me in but after you introduce your new friend to us."
Leo climbed off the bed and took Demon's hand. Leading him closer to the bed, he introduced him, "Moon goddess Katia and Selene, this is my best friend, Sir Demon."
"It is very nice to meet you Sir Demon," Both women said in unison.
Demon stared at their outstretched hands and wondered what he should do. Then he stepped forward, took hold of each lady's hand, and kissed it. "It is my pleasure to meet you. Wait there are two moon goddesses? "
Both laughed, but only Selene answered, "Yes, we are the twin goddesses of the moon. Sir Demon, I imagine because of your name that you are a demon of the Underworld."
Leo jumped off the bed to stand next to his friend, "He is Sir Demon or Demon. He is my friend and lives here now You will be nice to him. He cannot help he used to ooze." The little boy defended the demon.
Embarrassed, Demon gasped, "Leo you cannot speak to the moon goddesses like that. He is just protective of me. I apologize. He does not mean to be rude."
Katia laughed, "Yes, he did. Didn't you Young Leo? He thinks because his father is our uncle, he can boss us around. I hope you do not allow him to do so to you, Sir Demon."
"Please, lady goddess, call me Demon, and yes, ma'am, I am from the Underworld. I live here for now, until my boss or Lucifer says I have to go back. I am hoping I never have to go back and maybe the Alpha Luna would do a blood bond with me."
Leo had climbed back on the bed and crawled to lay next to the blonde wolf which was lying between the ladies. "Have a seat, Demon; I am curious how you came to be here and our cousin's friend," Selene spoke with a sparkle in her eye.
Leo scowled at them and informed the two women, "I am your uncle, not your cousin, and you are my aunt."
Both of the ladies laughed, and Katia put her arm around Leo, "No, little one, you are confused. Your daddy is our uncle. That makes us cousins. I will gladly call you Uncle Leo, though, if you would like, and you can continue to call us Aunt."
"Maybe he has it right. You never know with how little branches there are on our family tree." Selene snorted. Katia chuckled and rubbed the child on his back. Leo had positioned himself so that he was lying on his side facing her but still inside the cocoon of her arm. As she rubbed, the little boy's eyes grew heavy, and he was asleep within minutes. Demon's ears turned forward, and he looked at the woman, boy, and wolf on the bed in awe.
He smiled then and told them, "You must tell Evelynn your secret because every night is a nightmare to get that little one to sleep. He will finally pass out after he wears himself screeching about how he is not tired and wants to play one more game. I did not know children could screech that loudly."
Katia smiled back at Demon, "He does that because he knows Evelynn will let him get away with it. His daddy would burn his butt for behaving like that. Enough of the little warlock, Demon; tell us how you ended up following this little terror around?"
Demon told them of living in the Underworld, of how he could not remember anything but living as a demon, and of how he assumed he was created by Hades, not one of those souls who was demented, cruel, or just plain horrible in life and sent to be punished for their injustices to others. He finished with Leo making himself known during the fighting and Demon knew who he was and that he was to kill the little warlock. He explained how the little boy saved him even though he knew Demon would probably kill him. Demon told them he could not do it and Leo had passed out. He carried him to where he had seen him come from and found the others. Demon let them know that he swore his loyalty to young Leo and was now his protector. His job for as long as he was part of the Moon Touched pack was to protect the little warlock.
"What do you mean for as long as you are here?" Selene wanted to know.
Demon finally sat down in the chair next to the bed and hung his head. "I disobeyed Hades. Eventually, he is going to call me back to the Underworld for punishment. When he does I will not be allowed to return. I doubt there will be anything left of me to return to this world. No one lives to tell about disobeying Hades, except for Lucifer."
"You are very brave Demon, and thank you for looking out for our cousin. He can be a handful, but he is important to our world." Katia answered for both of the goddesses. The women and Demon talk throughout the day. They each were in awe of the other's world and wanted to know more about one another. In a sense, they shared the joy of getting to learn another world together now that it seems the fighting is done and life can move forward. Just as they had come to that conclusion, Kane came stomping into their room and looked ready to strangle someone.
He stopped at the foot of the bed and glared at the two women on it. "You two need to grow up and deal with your men. Enough is enough. Get over yourselves and stop groveling in self-pity for what the universe has done to you." He turned and stomped back out of the room.
Demon squirmed in his chair and asked, "What was that all about?"
Selene replied, "Our cousin not bothering to find out the why of the situation."