Page 89 of Hunted By Her Demon Wolves

Eilea’s voice cracked with emotion. “Will it be able to bring me back to my Amaroki family?”

The goddess cupped Eilea’s cheek, swiping away a tear. “I’m sorry, no. Only the crystal can do that. I can send you home from here, but only this one time.”

Tor swore and Eilea let out a sob, covering her face with her hands. Phoenix’s mates went to their mother, each taking turns holding and soothing her.

Phoenix eyed the goddess. Or was she a goddess? “Why this one time?” she asked accusingly. “Why not keep the portal open?”

“Because it’s not a portal.” She dangled the claw. “It is a key that can only open heaven’s gate once, a design by the creator to protect the inhabitants of heaven.”

So it wasn’t Amarok’s claw? “Aren’t you the creator?” Phoenix asked her.

Amara shook her head. “I’m not even a goddess. I’m more like”—she tapped her chin—“a guardian angel. This claw was gifted to me when I begged the creator to help the demons.”

Phoenix looked at Hecate. “The creator?”

“The maker of all things,” Hecate answered plainly, as if she should’ve known. “Thank you,” she said to Amara. “It seems we are in your debt.”

Amara shook her head. “It’s the least I could do after what happened to the demon wolves.” She bowed her head, her hands fisted by her sides. “I know Eilea has apologized for me, but I wanted to apologize on behalf of my mates as well.” She looked over Phoenix’s shoulder. “I was hoping Daeva and her mates would’ve come.”

“I’ll be sure to tell my sister and her mates,” Phoenix said, though she wasn’t sure if they would accept the apology, especially since it hadn’t come directly from Amarok and his brothers.

“Thank you,” she said on a breathy whisper, her large, glossy eyes making her look far too vulnerable for a goddess. “I was a young witch then. I met my mates shortly after Jezebeth stole Horatiu and Daeva’s souls.”

Hecate turned up her chin, looking at Amara as one queen would look to another. “You are not a young witch now.”

Amara splayed a hand across her heart, smiling. “No, I’m not.”

Hecate’s eyes narrowed. “The Amaroki call you a goddess.”

Her cheeks flushed. “I can’t control the names they choose for me.”

“But you are one,” Tor interrupted, looking at Amara as if she held the moon and stars in her eyes.

Amara bowed her head. “I’m only here to serve my Amaroki descendants.”

“You say you’re not a goddess”—Hecate’s eyes narrowed—“but I can sense your magic. It’s very strong, to say the least.”

“I’ve had many years to practice.” She demurely batted her eyelashes. “And it’s fueled by love.”

Hecate snorted at that, and Phoenix realized the demon queen was jealous of the goddess queen.

A howl sounded somewhere in the distance, echoing all around them as if they were in a canyon. Amara motioned to Eilea. “I’m sorry, but it’s time for you to return home.”

Eilea clung to Drakkon, burying her head against his shoulder.

“It’s okay, Mother.” Drakkon stroked his mother’s back. “They need you now, but we will see you again, and when we do, it will be for an eternity.”

Her other sons agreed, wrapping their arms around her once more.

Phoenix’s throat constricted at her mate’s display of tender emotion for their mother, and she could hardly believe she was fortunate enough to have these loving demon wolves as her mates.

Drakkon was right. Eilea had to go back to her Amaroki family. She couldn’t let her young children grow up without her.

Eilea pulled away from her sons and took Phoenix’s hands in hers. “Promise you will love them.” The desperation in Eilea’s eyes, the love in her voice when she spoke of her sons, was almost Phoenix’s undoing. Phoenix had a mother who’d loved her with the same fierceness, but she hadn’t appreciated that love until after her mother had sacrificed her soul for her.

“I already do.” She looked into Eilea’s eyes, emotion threatening to overwhelm her. “I risked my soul for them.” And she’d risk it again. She only wished that no one else had to suffer for her to do it.

Eilea stepped back when Tor loudly cleared his throat.

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