Irene blinked as the scenery of her dream changed. One moment she was in a garden surrounded by nature, the only thing that brought a little bit of comfort to her devastated heart. And the next she was inside her bedroom, surrounded by things that reminded her of her mate. And said mate was sat on a chair her eyes full of longing and something else Irene couldn't name. Looking at Seulgi brought back emotions Irene had been trying to bottle up. This wasn't the first time she had dreamt of her mate. Dreamt that everything that happened was just a bad dream and the reality was the one they lived inside her dreams. But something about this particular dream felt off. Usually Seulgi would be smiling, or holding Irene as she rested a hand on the Omega's belly where their child lay. But now, her mate had a frown as she assessed Irene with disapproval. "You idiot what have you been doing to yourself?" Seulgi groaned. Huh? In those dreams Seulgi never spoke, another factor why this dream seemed off. Irene blinked rapidly. "Seulgi are you real?" "Of course I am princess." She snapped, rising to her feet. She reached out and touched Irene's face, down to her neck and stomach. "You've slimmed princess and I don't like it." She grumbled disapprovingly. "Why aren't you taking care of yourself? Do you want to ing harm the baby?" It took a while for Irene to grasp what was happening. Seulgi was real– not real in sense of real, but real in this dream– she had deliberately visited Irene's dream. "How are you here?" "Used our bond to link a connection." Seulgi said, hands going back up to touch Irene's neck. "What's your brother doing not taking care of you." Now understanding the situation, Irene pushed Seulgi away, creating some space between them. "If you cared you wouldn't have left." Seulgi rubbed her temple, exasperation written on her face. "It doesn't matter. I just wanted to make sure the baby is fine." Irene scoffed. "My baby has nothing to do with you." Seulgi had the nerves to look offended. "I put that baby in you, of course it has everything to do with me." What had Irene expected from a selfish she called a mate. "Now that you've seen how the baby is. Go. I don't want to ever see you again." "I am not leaving until I make sure my child is safe." The alpha growled. "As you can see it is safe." Irene pointed at her belly. "So off. And stop growling at me." Seulgi just stared at her without words as though shocked by something. "I am gonna break the bond–" "What?" Seulgi snapped. "You can't." "The hell I can." Irene snapped back. "The baby needs it to nourish and be healthy." Irene knew that much, but she didn't want to accept it."Sehun had given birth without a bond. So can I." "You're not the same Irene. I hate to admit it, but Sehun is a strong bastard. He can survive the impossible." "Are you implying I am weak." Irene frowned. "No" Seulgi shook her head. "You're one of the strongest women I've met. But you know as much as I do, Sehun's isn't your average omega– I don't know how to put it without offending you." She made as though to hold Irene, but the Omega took another step away. "But he's different." Irene shook her head, disregarding what Seulgi meant. "Why?" Instead she asked the one question that had been eating at her insides. "Why?" Seulgi blinked, "Why did you betray me, and the pack?" "Because I am a jerk. I've told you from the beginning, I am no mate material" She shrugged. But Irene noticed the twitch of her lips and the slight tremble she was trying to hide. "How did you survive it? Survive leaving me when it's against your instincts? And don't tell me our bond was fake, because I know and can feel it in my bones, it's very real. You're my soul mate." "Probably because I wasn't as attached?" Seulgi lowered her head as though avoiding eye contact. "You're lying Seulgi." Irene said, so sure of herself. "Did Samael promise you something?" Head snapping up, Seulgi's eyes widened in fear, something Irene had never seen on her before. "Don't ing say his name or he's gonna know I am here." She looked around frantically as though searching for any sign of the demon, and only relaxed when nothing happened for a while. "What are you hiding from me?" This time it was Irene that took a step forward, and ironically Seulgi took one back. Seulgi huffed out a breath that blew stray tendrils of brown hair off her forehead."Look I don't want you tangled up in my ." "I want to be." Now Irene was certain something was up, she wasn't about to let it slide. Seulgi shook her head. "I don't want you to." Her eyes were pleading. "I can feel it Seulgi. Something's up and I want in" "No!" Seulgi growled. "You won't." "I will save you from whatever it is you're in." Irene said. Seulgi's shoulders slumped and her lips twisted into a tired grimace."I am a lost cause Irene. Don't waste your time on me." "I am not giving up on you. So you're either gonna tell me what the hell is going on, or we're both stuck in this dream." She spread her hands, hastily casting a simple spell to bind them in the dream world. "You're an idiot." Seulgi said, making futile attempts to leave the dream world, but when she realized Irene wasn't joking, she leaned heavily against a wall. Resigned "Why do you think I left in first place?" "You tell me." "Because I don't want you involved in this Irene. I don't deserve you and sure as  hell you deserve someone better." Irene waved a hand ."Tell me what's going on. I'll be the judge if you deserve me or not. I don't have much patience." She took her seat, sending a look she knew her mate understood and waited. Seulgi had a hard set to her jaw, her eyes defiant, and it told Irene the Alpha didn't want to go into details. But at same time Seulgi knew Irene wouldn't back off easily. With a loud sigh, she began to speak."I met this person when I was 12, i told you I hated my fosters as much they hated me. So I ran from them" She shrugged. "He took me in. Fed me, clothed me, he was the first person that ever asked me what I wanted. At that time I thought he was just another person trying to lure a little girl– as you know I am suspicious in nature and his kindness didn't sit well with me. So once again I ran and fended for myself for a couple of years before he found me again. He told me his offer still stands, and I took it." She scrubbed her face. "He took care of me like a father would for years, and one day when he was out of town, I went exploring and met Lisa that lured me into her pack and I became I fighter." She moved away from the wall, and began pacing the room. "But he found me after years and saved me. Gave me a good life that no one ever did." "Let me guess, this person was Samael?" " I told you not say his name." Seulgi turned sharply to glare at her. Irene raised both hands."Alright alright, I will use S instead of his full name." Seulgi nodded, before resuming her pacing. "You're right. It was him." "And you felt in-debted to him? That's why you helped him achieve his purpose." She glared at Irene once more. "You might not understand because you were born with a silver spoon. I had to." She shrugged. "So did he know we're fated when he sent you our way?" "No that was something we both didn't see coming. And he wasn't happy about it." Irene hummed. "Carry on." "I came into this pack with Ill intensions, even after knowing what you are to me, I continued to resist– or at least tried to. Until I couldn't anymore. Even during our mating, I still had the intension of completing my mission." "But something changed along the way." Irene nodded to herself. "And you couldn't. Then something happened. Did he force you?" "No!" She said and Irene knew she was lying. "He didn't have to." She lowered her head, lips trapped between her lips. Irene instantly stood up, closed the space between them and placed a hand on Seulgi's chest, casting a quick spell. Before the Alpha could react, she had pulled away, a gasp escaped her as she stared at Seulgi with wide eyes. She had a diagnosis and had hoped it wasn't the case, but unfortunately it was exactly that. Irene had been taught all about demons since she was a child, and knew how manipulative those creatures were and would go to any length to achieve what they wanted, such as. "Bloodworm, he fed you his blood, that's why you were scared of calling out his name, he could track you. No the point is; he could control your blood, force you to do his bidding, whether or not you wanted to. He made you see through my mind, get the passcode to the tomb room, somehow– probably with strong magic, made you get him what he wanted in a way no one would notice, then let you stay so you could find out where the last piece is, when he realized your cover had been blown, he took you away as quickly as possible." The knowledge bought mixed feelings, at one point she was glad Seulgi didn't betray her because she wanted to, on the other hand she was afraid of what Samael might do to her mate. All the demon had to do was snap his finger and her mate would seize to exist. Even the baby inside Irene could be in danger. Her blood boiled with a simmering rage that threatened to burn through her skin. Rage at the impasse she’d found herself in. Rage at the hopelessness of the situation. And fear for everything Samael had or would make Seulgi do. "I was right, you couldn't do it. So he forced your hand." Shoulders slumping, head still lowered, Seulgi reminded quick. "You wanted me– us all to think you're a jerk, so one of us would step in and kill you. That way your soul would be cleansed." Irene walked over and moved her hand down to clasp Seulgi's. The Alpha's familiar soft, yet strong hands made her heart hammered. She felt a tingling of desire rush through her, but ignored it as Seulgi lifted her head to smile . The smile didn’t quite reach her eyes, though. No, they held a cold edge, dwelling on the tension in the air and the dilemma before them. "Now that you've figured it out. You should know it's the only way to free my soul." Irene shook her head. "No, we'll find a way out." "You're smart princess, and you know the only way out is either he dies or I do." "Then I will kill him–" Seulgi let out a laugh, full of bitterness with a shake of her head. "You can't kill him, he's too strong. The simplest way is to end it with me." And Irene reeled when Seulgi opened her mind for the Omega see the strong hold Samael had on her. She would have collapsed if not for Seulgi's protective arms around her. She would protect this, at all cost. Their babe deserve to have both mothers."Tell me what you can about him. You're connected, you have to know his weakness." "That's the problem, princess. He doesn't have any." Seulgi buried her face in the crook of Irene's neck. Irene shook her head."It doesn't matter. We'll fight him. Together." She cupped Seulgi's face, resting their foreheads together. "I don't want you getting hurt. I cannot lose the one thing that brought meaning to my life. You're right princess something did changed. I fell in love with you, and I wavered. He couldn't allow it, thus he forced his blood in me and took mine into his body, binding us, the way he could control me with either the blood in me or the one in him." She leaned to kiss Irene's forehead. "I can't lose you. He'll kill you to get to me, because he knows you're my weakness. A weakness I rather have than any strength in this world." Irene couldn't help the tears running down her face as she held tightly onto her mate. "I love you so much. And I am not gonna let that demon take you away. This away." Seulgi kissed her, full of of longing. "I love you too." She whispered against Irene's lips. "But I mean it princess. Don't try anything smart or stupid." She stepped back as her figure became transparent. "Tell Sehun, the blood moon is due in a few days, S had used magic to speed up the process, whatever he needs to do should be done quickly. I have to leave before he noticed." Was the last thing she said before disappearing altogether. Irene let out a cry, reaching out  desperately to hold onto her mate that was no longer there. She flail and the next thing she knew was the scenery shattering. When she opened her eyes, she laid there unmoving for a moment. She would have to stop mopping and fight for her mate, so she could free her from Samael. They deserve a happy life together with their child. And Irene would make sure it happened. With a determination she hadn't for days, Irene got to her feet and made her away out. She needed Sehun. **** Sehun stared at the dagger, then to his grandpa that gave him an engorging nod. After two days of discussion with the Kims and their members, Mr. Lee had urged him to seek out help as quickly as possible, because something unexplainable was happening. The blood moon they had thought to be weeks away was due in one week or probably days. It was unknown what had caused the changed and scientists were currently raking their brains to figure it out, which Sehun knew they wouldn't be able to, because whatever was at work wasn't science, but powerful dark magic. According to Jungkook– that had recently gotten back after visiting his father in the underworld– Samael had joined forces with several princes of hell, high ranking demons and powerful necromancers to speed up the process. Sehun didn't have time to waste. His grandpa was right, he had to act now while they still could. It had been difficult to convince Kai he needed to do this alone. His mate was scared to send Sehun alone into the unknown. But Kai wasn't the only one scared. Sehun was afraid of many things, the impending war, that would cost lot of lives. How to keep his friends and family safe enough to deal with the threat. He nodded at his mate and Kai closed his eyes channeling his soul energy, to feed Sehun the necessary energy he needed to create the portal. With a sigh, Sehun closed his eyes as well, following his grandpa's instructions as he allowed the power in him into the dagger. And waited. There was a vibration, and Sehun opened his eyes to see the dagger glowing. He held it out, chanting the spell Mr. Lee taught him and with precision, threw the dagger forward where it hovered on its own. The room shook for a brief moment, and with it came a swirling green light where the dagger was. The artifact had disappeared. But Sehun knew it was only for a brief moment, the moment he crossed over, the portal would vanish and the dagger would return to him until he needed to use it again. "It'