AN OFFER SHE CAN'T REFUSE

Hag

SABRINA POV

I seethed.

I was tired of the idle threats, especially towards my mates.

"You're so big and bad! Come and get me!"

I felt a warmth penetrate my whole body, knocking me to my knees.

"Is that all you've got?! Pathetic!"

Then I saw her and I wasn't certain what to make of this hag standing before me.

"You're not even affiliated with Danita... "

She cackled, her ugliness overtaking any beauty she may have had before turning evil.

"I'm the rightful heir of the Moon dynasty. Your powers should be mine and all I have to do is suck them right out of you. "

"I'd like to see you try," I said, standing up and pushing forward.

The hag smiled.

"You'd be surprised at what I have up my sleeve, Sabrina.. "

A door flew open and I saw my mates chained to the wall, battered and bloodied – near death.

I ran to them, but when I reached the spot, they disappeared.

"It's all an illusion. Why don't you show me the truth?!"

"That is the truth! You'd sacrifice yourself for them and that's my plan. It's simple, but it's better than going out of my fucking way to Coors battle strategy and armies like that stupid ass succubus. She's taking up too much time!"

"Back the fuck off, hag!" I levitated her with my mind and it was the first time I'd ever done it. I realized it could all be an illusion and made the mistake of letting my mind wander. The hag fell to the floor and crawled across it like a life-size crab.

"Silly girl. So powerful yet so naive and innocent. You aren't ready yet, but you won't need to fight once I've drained you of your powers. "

"How will you do that?"

"Hudson, of course. "

"Hudson!"

I saw him come into view and he was in his wolf form, on a leash, pacing back and forth in front of an open fire.

"He loves you so much, I'll give him that. "

"Hudson!" I ran to him, tossing the robe off and kneeling down at my mate's side, "What are you doing to him?!"

"Draining him, of course. Old magic."

I rolled my eyes. Old magic my ass.

"Back!" I moved the hag to the back of the corridor, continuing to do so as I took Hudson off the leash, "Can you shift?"

He linked to my mind.

"No... " He nuzzled me, "Don't listen to her, Sabrina. She's a deceiver. "

The hag was at it again until I took everything I had and pushed her pathetic blubbering self back into whatever hell she'd spawned from.

The world went black, Hudson was gone and I found myself wandering through nothingness.

"Hello?" My voice echoed back to me, "Hudson?"

"He's not here," Another voice replied, "I apologize for the inconvenience and for my daughter."

"Who are you?" I couldn't see her well, but then I could sense her, "Jillian?"

She came into view and I gasped. She was beautiful, but empty, lost and sad.

"What is this place?"

"The Dark Realm. It's where I ended up when I went against the Kingdom for my daughter."

"The hag?"

"She wasn't always that way, but she was deceived like the rest of them. Augustus could never have children with me or anyone else except for Queen Esther, but Lily never accepted that. She was... she was... "

"Can she be redeemed?"

Jillian sighed.

"She's been waiting for you, Sabrina, watching your soul float through the Realm until your parents conceived you. I once thought she was redeemable and perhaps I still do,but you see what deception, anger and greed has done to her? Even jealousy? Envy?"

I felt bad for this woman and I vetted her in my mind. She wasn't deceiving me.

"I'm stuck here with her as long as she lives and breathes. She's my only child, Sabrina, and I've been trying for so long to save her. I don't think I can sit back and watch her hurt you or your mates. Her beauty will also be restored, as vain as that sounds, if she ciphons your powers into her. "

I didn't want Jillian to lose Lily, but I had no choice.

"If she was banished here, how is she able to do anything? And please don't say old magic... "

Jillian managed a chuckle.

"That and friends on the outside, of course. The Dark Realm isn't a place we ever want to be, it's lonely and heartbreaking and we die a little every day. She hasn't left until a few months ago when we... When the entire Realm could sense you, " Jillian paused, "Don't be deceived into sacrificing yourself for some greater good unless it's on a battlefield. They lie, Queen Sabrina. "

Then, I woke up.

My heart was racing, my mind was cluttered, and Hudson wasn't with me.

"Hudson!!"

I threw myself out of the bed and rushed through the house, screaming my mate's name until I came across Sebastian and Q, sitting in the kitchen.

"Where's Hudson?!"

Xander walked in, eating an apple, and glaring at his brothers and then back at me

"What do you mean? He was with you?"

I rushed passed him and out the front door, calling for Hudson until my lungs burned.

"Sabrina?" I saw him running towards me and I took off in his direction, tossing myself into his arms, "Are you OK?" He tried to look me over, but I wouldn't let him, I was clinging to him like he'd disappear forever.

"Where did you go?" I sobbed.

Hudson held me, swaying us both back and forth.

"I just went to talk to my Dad...I'm so sorry. You were sleeping so peacefully."

"Tell me where you're going from now on, Hudson. I can't lose you."

My other mates had surrounded us by then, looking more concerned than ever.

"Sabrina, what is it? What happened?" Xander held my shoulder, rubbing it gently.

"We have to gather the Council at once, Xander. There's a new threat to the Realm and we have to get ready to fight."