Page 7 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate
“A witch?” He looked up. “I thought the purge three years ago had eliminated most of the witches.”
“Most, but not all,” Xavier confirmed. “And not the ones that matter.”
Dominic continued reading. According to the file, the target had been living under a human identity for the past five years, working as a librarian. “She seems…ordinary.”
“Deceptively so,” Xavier said, leaning forward. “Our intelligence indicates she’s been channeling significant power—enough to register on our arcane sensors from three states away.”
Dominic flipped to the next page, scanning the energy readings. They were impressive. “What’s her connection to demons?”
Helena exchanged a glance with Xavier before answering. “We’re not entirely sure. But there have been…incidents. Three of our hunters have gone missing in her vicinity in the past month. The last one managed to send a partial report before disappearing. He indicated demonic influence.”
“That’s why we need her captured, not killed,” Xavier added. “When she undergoes the ritual, her powers will be neutralized, and she can provide us with some much-needed intelligence.”
Dominic bristled at the mention of the ritual. “You want me to bring her in for a forced marriage.”
It wasn’t a question. The Hunter Organization had been practicing the ancient ritual for centuries. The practice was sanctioned as a necessity, a way to prevent witches from becoming vessels for demonic possession.
“You’re the only one we trust to control her,” Xavier answered, but ignored the main question. “Your resistance to magical control makes you the perfect hunter for the mission.”
Dominic closed the tablet, his expression impassive. “When do I leave?”
“Tomorrow morning. You’ll have three days to observe, then capture. We need her here for the dark moon.” Xavier’s gaze didn’t waver. “Now, this is for your ears only, Dominic. We’ve detected an unsettling increase in demonic activity within our own ranks. Three hunters have turned in the past month.”
What?
“Turned?” Dominic’s attention sharpened.
“Possessed,” Helena clarified. “Their wolves corrupted by demonic influence. We had to put them down.”
That was disturbing. Werewolves were naturally very difficult to possess, their dual nature making their body very difficult for outsiders to control. For three to fall in such a short time suggested something far more sinister at work.
“You think she’s connected,” Dominic stated.
“We know she is,” Xavier replied. “Now we just need to find out if she’s a willing participant or a pawn.”
Dominic saw that this case was definitely for him. “I’ll find out.”
“Good.” Xavier stood. “The full dossier will be uploaded to your secure server. Review it thoroughly. You know what I always say, assumptions kill.”
Xavier’s tone gave Dominic pause, but all he did was nod. “Understood.”
Helena stood as well, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Be careful, Blackwood.”
Dominic’s mind was already formulating strategies as he left the Council chambers. He made his way through the labyrinthine corridors of the compound, nodding to hunters he passed. He knew exactly where he wanted to get to.
The tech division was in the east wing, its design a stark contrast to the functional design of the rest of the compound. Glass walls separated various workstations where specialists monitored supernatural activities across the globe. At the center of it all, surrounded by multiple screens displaying scrolling data, sat Adrian Cross.
The blond man didn’t look up as Dominic approached, his ice-blue eyes fixed on the code racing across his primary monitor. Dark circles beneath his eyes testified to his marathon work session.
“I need everything you have on a witch in Chicago,” Dominic said without preamble.
Adrian continued typing for several seconds before finally looking up. “The librarian? I’m processing the data now.” He rolled his chair to another section where a printer was spitting out pages. “Unusual energy signature. Doesn’t match any known witch patterns.”
Dominic took the stack of papers Adrian handed him. “Specifics?”
“Most witches channel one type of energy,” Adrian said in an exhausted tone. “This one definitely doesn’t. Multiple signatures, like she’s tapping into several power sources simultaneously.”
“How is that possible?” Dominic flipped through the printouts, studying the energy graphs.
