Chapter 14

Madeline sat and watched everyone slowly drag themselves into her room. She noticed Gretchen and Vita were dealing with a bad hangover, but she knew better. Her brow lifted in curiosity when Tabitha and Marco walked in without remorse for the night before, nor did Colson. Deak, on the other hand, was not looking as bad as Vita, but she could see something had affected him. After they all found somewhere to sit, Madeline got up and moved to the front of the room to look at all of them. “So, how was the party last night?” Madeline asked with curiosity laced in her voice. Vita groaned as she cradled her head between her hands. “I couldn’t tell you. After you left, everything seemed just a blur,” Vita answered. Tabitha looked at her with surprise. “Really? You don’t remember us going to the after-party with Esha? It was amazing. They had so much food and drinks; the DJ vibed that place like no other. I hope we go to another party like that again!” Tabitha exclaimed. Marco nodded in agreement. “That was better than any other party we’ve attended, including the Mating Ceremony we just had with the pack.” Madeline’s lips fell into a thin line as she listened to the wolves’ reaction to the party. She turned to her granddaughter. “Gretchen, what did you think?” Gretchen shook her head. “I’m with Vita; I can’t remember anything after the first party. I’m just grateful I had Colson looking over me.” she said as she leaned back on Colson with a smile. Colson’s wolf purred with happiness; he enjoyed knowing that his mate felt safe with him. Madeline asked Colson, “What did you think about the after-party?” “It was an eventful one; I spent most of the night keeping my eye on Gretchen. I didn’t try any of the food or drinks they offered. I felt they thought I was rude for not taking what they offered.” Madeline nodded in realization at his words. “So, you didn’t have anything and can remember the whole night. Tabitha and Marco said they ate and drank the night away and yet don’t have a hangover to show for it. Vita and Gretchen had a bad reaction to it.” she said aloud for others to hear her thought process. She then finally turned to Deak. “Deak, you’ve yet to say anything about the night.” Deak stood behind everyone, standing close to the window as he looked at the view. “I can’t remember much from the night. I’m not hurting as bad as Vita is, but I woke up with a headache and unable to remember the night,” he confessed. “Hmm,” Madeline said, taking in what Deak said about his reaction. “What’s wrong, grandmother? We probably just drank more than we should have, and we’re dealing with hangovers. Vita and I are just lightweights that can’t handle our alcohol,” Gretchen admitted. “There wasn’t any alcohol at the party, Gretchen,” Colson corrected. Gretchen turned to look at him with a confused look. “And I ensured you didn’t have more than two drinks. Vita and Deak were the same, they didn’t drink much at the party either,” Colson told her. “How did you get everyone to leave?” Madeline questioned. “Your friend Logan came in and helped me get everyone back to the hotel, it took some convincing to get Tabitha and Marco to leave, but he seemed quite convincing and got them to leave.” Madeline sighed. Her heart fluttered when she heard Logan’s name and how he came to her rescue again, just like he did when she was here the last time. It was time to explain to them how Silver City lived. “I need to tell you about the time I came to Silver City when I was about your age,” she admitted. Everyone looked at her with a curious look, but she had their attention. Madeline took a deep breath before she began, “When I was eighteen, a few friends and I decided to have a girls' trip to the beautiful city. Growing up in a small town like ours, you feel crowded and need to see something new and different. At least, that was how I felt. I needed to be free, even if it was only for a short time. You see, I was betrothed to my husband when I was fifteen. I was supposed to marry him out of high school. But I pleaded with my mother to let me go on this trip, just this once, and promised her I would return and marry him to keep the coven lineage strong.” She looked at her son Zachary with tears that burned her eyes. Zachary nodded to his mother in understanding. His father was not an easy man to live with. “So there I was, eighteen, ready to see how the other side lived in the city. It was everything I expected it to be and more. We were partying all night with the local covens, not giving care to the world. But I wouldn’t feel right the next morning. I would feel drained and with horrible headaches. My friends, they didn’t feel anything. They weren’t from the same coven as me, and a few wolves too. It bothered me that I couldn’t keep up with my friends when we would go out and party. So I continued to push myself. I met Logan at the next party and immediately knew I was in love,” she said with a smile. “He was handsome and kind, he never pushed me to eat the food they were offering or drink the drinks they were making, but we still had fun. He was fun. I never felt anything like I did when I was with him. He was everything I wanted in a man, and he felt the same about me. But I knew it wasn’t going to last. My promise to my mother constantly hovered over me like a ticking time bomb. It wasn’t until we had been there for about a week that I noticed my friends changing. Like their essence was being drained from them. It wasn’t clear what exactly was happening until we were offered the opportunity to live in Silver City forever and the promise of being young as long as we continued acquiring guests to visit here. I couldn’t believe it; the city I thought was so majestic was nothing more than a succubus living off others to survive. My friends instantly agreed, but I couldn’t. It wasn’t right. I needed to leave, but they refused to let me go. Logan helped me escape from there. He offered to take me away so we could be together forever, but I knew he had secrets he was hiding from me too. I left before he woke up the next morning and never saw him again.” “Until now, you mean,” Tabitha corrected her. Madeline sighed and nodded her head. “So, if the city was so bad, why did you agree to let us come with you?” Tabitha questioned. “I thought it would be safer if we were here to watch over and protect you.” “But you weren’t there. You left us without warning us about what could happen,” Tabitha accused.