LYDIA'S POV

　　We finally broke the second layer of illusion, but there was still a mystery as to why we were still here. Then, I recalled that I initially came here to fight the demon. Without defeating him, we couldn't escape this place.

　　"Lydia, what are you thinking?" Evan questioned, his concern evident.

　　I took a deep breath and explained the rules of the assessment. As I spoke, he silently cursed under his breath.

　　"I'm sorry, Lydia, but this was all Jason's plan," Evan revealed. "He hired witches to trap you in this illusion, but thankfully, you broke it. Your true assessment starts now."

　　Brandon stepped forward, his expression resolute. "But don't worry. Since we're here, we will fight this together."

　　I felt a surge of gratitude but also a pang of worry. "But let me warn you," I began, my voice serious. "This demon is dangerous. I felt its power when I first entered this illusion. If you want to leave, you can, and I'll understand."

　　Evan's gaze hardened with determination. "Do you really think, after what we've faced together so far, that we're going to leave you alone now?"

　　Brandon nodded in agreement, his eyes full of resolve. "We're in this together, Lydia. We're not leaving without you."

　　I realized that with them by my side, I had a chance. We had faced our worst fears and come out stronger. Now, it was time to face the final challenge.

　　We turned towards the ominous shadows that marked the presence of the demon. The air grew colder, and an eerie silence enveloped us. My heart pounded, but I knew we were ready.

　　"Let's do this," I said, my voice steady. "Together."

　　We moved forward as one, a united front against the darkness. The ground trembled beneath us as we approached, and the shadows coalesced into a towering, malevolent figure. The demon's eyes glowed with an unholy light, its presence exuding a palpable sense of dread.

　　"Evan, Brandon be careful. He is extremely fast and dangerous." I warned them once again.

　　"We'll be careful," they both assured me and I nodded.

　　I waited for the demon and realised one more thing, this illusion is mine so I can fight this demon however I want just like i fought Alpha Cameron.

　　I guess that was my cheat sheet for this assessment.

　　I waited for the demon to strike but I realised that he deliberately making me wait so all three of us went in different directions to get this all over with.

　　Just when I was alone, I felt the darkness closing in on me and I knew that my plan worked.

　　He wanted me alone so that he could attack me and I was ready with my claws, just when I realised that he was about to attack me I turned and clawed at him and I heard a satisfying scream of him which alerted Evan and Brandon and they both were by my side, but he recovered quickly and this time he was angry.

　　The next attack was quite brutal, which I didn't see coming and it threw me to the other side of the void. But that didn't stop, I rushed towards him with full speed and I signalled Evan and Brandon to do the same.

　　Evan mindlinked to remind me that we'll have to remove his head from his body to defeat him completely.

　　Evan and Brandon rushed the demon from both sides, grabbing his arms to immobilize him. With all my strength, I jumped onto the demon, claws extended, and tore his head from his body. As soon as I threw his head away, the rest of his body disintegrated into ashes.

　　We stood there, panting, the silence of the void enveloping us. The oppressive darkness lifted, and a sense of peace washed over us. The demon was defeated, and we were finally free.

　　Evan and Brandon turned to me, their faces filled with pride and relief. "We did it," Evan said, his voice filled with emotion.

　　"Yes, we did," I replied, feeling a deep sense of accomplishment and gratitude for my mates. I knew now that they were keeping their distance from me because of their duties but I also knew that they loved me and cared about me deeply.

　　"Now I am only waiting for this illusion to break. Why is it taking so long? Is it supposed to take this much time? Why aren't we waking up?" I threw question after question into the void, desperation creeping into my voice.

　　"Now that you mention it, defeating the demon should have ended this illusion," Brandon pointed out, his eyes scanning the surroundings with growing concern.

　　"What if all of this is Jason's doing? He is involved with the witches," Evan reminded us, his face darkening at the thought.

　　There was nothing left to fight, yet we were still trapped here. I decided to try mind-linking Cathy. She shared werewolf ancestry, so it might be possible to establish a connection, even from this strange place. Taking a deep breath, I concentrated on reaching out to her.

　　"Cathy, I need your help," I called out mentally, hoping she would hear me. After a moment of silence that felt like an eternity, I heard her voice.