Everyone had just sat down for dinner when Liam turned to Zayn, telling him that Phoenix was close. He could smell him, along with two other scents he didn't recognise.
"He's with people?" Ares asked, peeking through the blinds in the kitchen, seeing nobody until Liam pointed them out.
"I sense a demon," Lilith said. Micah and Eloise agreed, but Athena stopped them before they could stand.
"His parent," she said. "It must be. I can't be wrong about this."
"I'm sure you're right" Vincent agreed and turned to Zayn. "Your opinion matters to Phoenix. You should be the one to talk to him."
Zayn stood, regretting leaving his food, but a member of his pack needed his attention.
"Are you coming?" he asked Liam, who hesitated, but stood too and followed him to the back door.
Nobody panicked when the boys left because Liam was stronger than most and he has shown what lengths he will go to to protect Zayn.
Although, that didnt stop them from peeking through the blinds to watch.
A strong smell of roses was pulled through the warm summers air as Phoenix and his parents crouched by the fence at the bottom of the garden.
The boys approached, carefully and calmly.
"Phoenix, what are you doing here?" Zayn asked, stopping when the man and woman next to him looked like deer caught in headlights.
"Um, well, I- " Phoenix stuttered and his
mother put a protective arm around him.
"I think you know why we're here," she said.
Zayn crossed his arms, not taking his gaze off the Gamma wolf.
"I want you to tell me the truth. I'm your Alpha, and you shouldn't keep secrets from me, no matter how big they might feel. We need to trust each other Phoenix."
The Gamma wolf's heart almost leapt out of his chest. His throat felt dry, and his hands were sweaty with nerves, but he found the courage to tell his Alpha the truth.
"I'm not just a Gamma wolf." His voice was small.."I'm a hybrid of a demon and a werewolf" He looked at his parents, blinking back his tears.
"I'm a demon," his mother said.
"And I'm a werewolf" said his father, standing proudly with his family.
Zayn allowed some silence to pass before he smiled.
"Nana was right," he mumbled to Liam. "Phoenix, thank you for being honest, and I don't care that you're a hybrid. I think it's cool and useful for me to have you in my pack. What made you try out for my pack if you've spent your life hiding?"
"Not to sound intruding, but we watched your home when my mate sensed demons, and it became obvious to us that you are okay with them being in this world. All we want is peace, and we know Phoenix will finally feel accepted in a pack like yours."
"Your son has excellent fitness, and regardless of whether he is part demon or not, I would have still whether he is part demon or not, I would have still chosen him to be in my pack. It felt right."
Phoenix was grinning from ear to ear at Zayn's words.
"Thank you Alpha, it means so much to us."
"Would you like to meet mine and Liam's family?" Zayn asked, shuffling aside for them to see the peeping eyes through the blinds.
"I knew, in this day and age, generations are much more accepting of change and what is right for every type of person."
Liam knew Phoenix's dad meant to say 'the generations are more accepting of gay werewolves, so why wouldn't they accept his relationship with a demon? Though, he knew he meant no disrespect or negativity. Sometimes, Liam wished people would say it how it is. He's gay and finds male bodies attractive.
Zayn glanced at him with a frown, and if he were in his wolf form, his hackles would be up from his jealousy.
"It was just a thought," Liam said in his head and smiled when Zayn grabbed his hand and squeezed it tight.
"Just be yourselves, that's what we appreciate the most," Zayn said, barely keeping his mouth away from Liam's cheek.
Ares and Eirene were first to greet Phoenix's parents, who now looked very anxious.
"Welcome, I'm Eirene, and this is my mate, Ares. We are Zayn's parents. It's great to meet you both," Eirene said as friendly as she could.
"Hi" Phoenix's mother said, looking around the kitchen with a nervous frown. "I'm Stella-" A sudden squeak of chair legs across a tiled floor stopped her in mid-sentence. Lilith had stood up with her mouth wide open.
"Oh my Satan," she breathed, nudging Eloise hard enough for her to stumble. "Look at what the wolf dragged in."
"Lilith!" Stella gasped, equally as shocked. "What are you doing here?"
"I think I should be the one to ask you that!"
Lilith hurried over and pushed Stella's mate out of her way and hugged her. Nobody knew she was capable of such actions. "You left one day and never came back. We were supposed to run our coffee shop together, for always."
Stella hugged back like Lilith was family, but in fact, she was an old and dear friend.
"I found my mate, and I fell in love." She pulled back and examined the woman who she missed with all her heart. "You look exactly the same."
"You look a lot older." Lilith glanced at Phoenix, then at her mate. "I suppose, ditching me for this life was the right choice. I forgive you for not saying goodbye."
Stella chuckled and shook her head like she couldn't believe her luck.
"My ageing process changed when I entered this world. I don't know why, or how, but my guess is it was the angels. Those elders are really strange with their ways of planning things for this war."
"They're sitting up there, quaking on their clouds. I don't blame them," Lilith sighed and crossed her arms, turning back into the cold-hearted demon she was before. "You have a kid then? Weird."
"I do" Stella smiled and wrapped an arm around Phoenix. "And a husband, Carmine."
"Nice to meet you. Stella has told me everything about you. You're a horrible person," Carmine said, offering his hand for Lilith to shake, which she did with a loud cackle.
"That's me," she smiled, liking Carmine already. "I have so much to tell you, Stella."
"We can talk after I meet these families," Stella grinned, feeling a spark of excitement, one she hasn't felt since connecting a bond with Carmine. Her entire life collapsed around her when she fell in love, and it took hundreds of years to set it straight.
"It's a small world," Ares thought to Eirene.
"Isn't it just," she replied and wrapped an arm around his waist. "I think we should look into making an extension on this house. Phoenix and his family need somewhere to stay"
"You want them to stay with us?"
"They'll be safe here. The Gamma population almost doesn't exist in Britain because they connected a bond. How many people will try to kill them again if they find out they are still living? Phoenix is in danger, being the first ever demon and werewolf hybrid."
"You have a point." Ares had always pictured himself settling down with Eirene and his son, then one day Zayn will move out and start his own family. He never thought he would be living in a busy household with supernatural beings from other worlds.
He sighed and wrapped an arm around his wife, hugging her against his chest. He still has dreams of one day settling down, but right now, he wouldn't change a thing and views himself as lucky to be given such extraordinary opportunities.
"Have I told you that you smell nice tonight?"
Zayn asked and sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his hair with a towel. The steam from his shower spilt into the bedroom and was sucked out of the window. The wind was strong this evening.
"Yes, four times, actually," Liam said, sinking further under the duvet.
"Well... you smell nice." Zayn tossed the towel across the room and picked up his water bottle from the bedside table. He leaned down and kissed Liam on the forehead before making his way to the kitchen.
It was getting late, and everyone but Eirene and Ares had migrated to their rooms.
"Hey son," Eirene said as he entered the kitchen.
Zayn eyed them as he turned on the tap.
"How's heat going?" Ares asked.
"It's tough," Zayn shrugged and took long sips from his bottle, wondering if he should open up or go to bed.
"You're doing well though."
"Yeah." Zayn leaned against the counter, feeling a little sore from the workout this morning.
"I miss the cabin." He dreamt about the small hut last night, and woke up thinking he was still in it. That was when life was simple and easy.
"We'll rebuild it. Then it can be a little retreat for anyone who needs a bit of time away from all of this chaos." Ares tilted his head, seeing how Zayn was a little distracted.
"Come here" he said with open arms.
Zayn didn't hesitate to let his parents embrace him. Their comfort means so much.
"Have you got a lot on your mind?" Eirene asked, settling the side of her face into her son's chest.
Zayn nodded against Ares' shoulder. "We all
have. It's hard to keep up."
"I thought I'd just gotten over Liam being a God, then the demon's and Micah turn up, then Reyana tries to kill Liam, then I look for a new pack, then Vincent reveals how he used to be a God, then Phoenix is a hybrid. It never ends."
"Do you really want it to end though?" Ares'
asked. "It's exciting, and the Malik's are going down in the history books forever. I couldn't be prouder."
"It is exciting. I just hope this is the last major thing we have to deal with for a while. Liam's finding it too much." Zayn hugged a little tighter, and maybe Liam wasn't the only one who struggled.
"We do too," Eirene soothed, rubbing his back.
"The only thing you need to concentrate on is getting to know your pack."
"I can't believe I have another one. I still forget when I wake up that I'm not gonna see the omegas again."
"Good. They're toxic, and you got rid of them at the right time. You're young, and a complete pack change will do you good." Ares pulled back, smiling at his child with a loving warmth only a father could emit. "You should get to bed, it's late, and Liam's waiting for you," he winked.
Zayn rolled his eyes and tried not to blush. "That was mildly disturbing." He turned to leave, but Eirene squeezed him tighter.
"We love you, son," she muffled, taking a moment to cherish her child.
"We do," Ares beamed, ruffling his hair. For the first time today, Zayn felt a burst of relaxation, knowing that everything will be okay.
"I love you both," he replied and made his way back to his room, ready to comfort and nurture his mate.