FOUR DAYS BEFORE THE COMBAT
CYNTHIA VELVELA
Cynthia rushed through the forest, almost tripping over an overexposed root. She blinked out the tears that were about to fall as she stumbled on another tree root, falling face flat. She let out a wail as the tornado moved towards her with incredible speed.
"Logan…" she whispered, but Logan wasn't there to save her today. She knew her end was near, and all she could do about it was to give up. She had never seen something like that in her life. She sniffed and sucked in one last breath before she closed her eyes, succumbing to the surge of wind that was blowing against her, sucking her into the tornado-like a malfunctioning vacuum cleaner.
Cynthia paused as she heard the far-off rumble of the tornado die down. Then another rumble came, but this time it was from the sky. A storm was fast approaching, which was the normal weather here in the Lichen Pack. But tornadoes weren't. And it bothered her. It was obviously a witch's conspiracy.
She gripped her emerald green pendant tightly, ready to get up to get back to the Pack. But after she straightened up, Cynthia sighted a shadow that was two shades darker than the surroundings. Her heart pace increased as she whispered "Who is there?" but nothing replied to her.
"Cynthia." She heard a voice behind her and she swiftly turned her body to face it, almost stumbling to the ground. It was Kevin, and he was together with a woman. A witch. Kevin was with a witch. "What are you doing in the forest alone?" He asked softly.
"Kevin. What the hell are you doing with a witch?" She whimpered, taking a step back from them.
"Calm down Cynthia, I am not here to harm you." He replied. He put his hand through his hair as he turned to face the witch who was standing adjacent to him with a black cat straddling her neck.
“You made that tornado right? To hurt me? I’m going to tell your brother this and you're going to regret it, Kevin.” She threatened.
Kevin gave the witch a knowing look and she closed her eyes, then she started to recite some foreign incantations. Petrified, Cynthia tried to run back in the direction of the Pack but she was stopped by an invisible force. The witch trapped her.
“Please let me go, Kelvin,” she begged. On a normal day, Cynthia would be the feistiest of the female werewolves, which was one of the reasons she was the mate of the most powerful and strongest pub there was in the whole three packs. “Your brother will kill you if you do anything to him.” She said, backing up to the nearest tree.
“My brother will do nothing to me, Cynthia.” He said, his eyes turning a shade darker than it already was. Even from their lengthy proximity, Cynthia almost sensed the dripping detest Kevin had for his brother. And it surprised her.
She had never seen half-siblings that were as close as Kevin and Logan are. It was incredulous that Kevin suddenly had a personal grudge against him, which was making him go as far as trapping his mate in a forest with a witch.
It wouldn’t be news that Alpha Morris had banned any sort of interaction with the black cat witches, but Kevin went ahead to invite one of them to the vicinity of their Pack.
“What do you want from me?”
“I want to propose a deal to you, Cynthia. And after that, you would kiss the hex planted on your family goodbye.”
“You think I’m a fool, Kevin? A hex cannot be undone, especially the one done by these obnoxious witches.” Cynthia blurted with loathing for the black cat coven dripping with every word she spat out.
He smirked, burying his hands in his pants. And when he brought it out, it was accompanied by two minuscule silver mirrors. he hesitantly- yet curiously collected it.
“What is this?” She asked, clutching the mirrors in her fists.
Kevin gave the witch another knowing look and she recited an incantation that broke the trapping spell.
“I care about you Cynthia, I really do. I want you to go home and try this on one of your family members. But it only works for a person. If it works, you’ll have to pledge your loyalty to me. You would leave your mate.” He said.
Cynthia’s lips parted to speak but she could barely utter anything. She didn’t know what to feel about this. Betraying Logan was not an option, but if it was for her family, she would do it without thinking twice; especially after seeing them suffer for all these years. It was painful seeing your parents and siblings locked with a chain, and slowly turning into monsters.
Her father bit off his tongue and her mother had her mouth bleeding every day because she was always trying to consume her inner mouth. They had become a sight to be pitied and the only thing Cynthia could do was watch. She couldn’t even recognize who her family was anymore. She would have given up on them- like the rest of the people that had hexed family members- but she refused.
“What do I do with the mirrors?” She asked him almost silently.
The black cat witch stepped forward and passed her two neck chains.
“You will pierce the mirrors by their frame and hang it on a person. Then sprinkle this,” she passed her a powder from a little clay pot. “All you have to do is wait and watch as the hex disappears. How many years has it been since it was implanted on them?”
She swallowed bitterly, “12 years.”
“The hex takes 20 years to absorb into the body stream. Your family would be okay.” The witch gave her an assuring smile, and all Cynthia wanted at that moment was to brutally decapitate the witch.
But she didn’t. She had more pressing matters to worry about. She placed the stuff she was given to and bolted as fast as she could toward their family house- where they were kept.
She was going to do this and hopefully, this would be the end of their suffering.
Logan was so annoyed with Gamma that he threatened to remove him from his post if he didn't produce Kevin. The guards were shattered all over the Packs in the quest to get him and somewhere sent to the human world too.But they all came back empty-handed. This angered Logan who alleged that some of his elected had collided with him to cause havoc.Mike and the maid walked in when Logan was so annoyed.“Father!” Mike called.Logan, who was in thought, looked up and saw his pub.“Mike!” he called.“Father, don’t be distracted. Your brother isn’t in the Packs. He was in a far land. But be prepared for an attack today.” Mike said.“Attack? Who?” Logan asked in surprise. He knew that Mike was only saying what he saw spiritually.“Your brother and Alpha Benjamin, the former Alpha of Oasis of Pashtun, were planning to bring in an Army. Just set up and face them,” Mike said with a mature mind.“Okay Mike, thank you,” Logan said as he smiled.He now realized that Mike was a gift for him from t
Kevin kept running until he felt an arrow drive into his leg. He halted to gaze at his invader. Since the arrow won't affect him. He pulled the arrow off his feet. As he gazed in the invader's direction, he was shocked to discover who it was.“Alpha Benjamin!” he called as his mouth opened in shock.“I am still wondering how my rival came under my lion den?” Alpha Benjamin mocked.“So this is where you have been?” Kevin asked.“I just ask you a question before you ask yours. Was it because I used a pet arrow? I have the full arrow to divide your heart.” Alpha Benjamin threatened as he brought out an arrow and set it toward Kevin’s heart.“Don’t shoot!” Kevin pleaded.“Now tell me what made you come to Negra town?” he asked as he lowered the arrow.“I don’t… know.” Kevin stammered.“You don’t know? I wanna shoot your heart and send your head over to the stupid father of yours.” Alpha Benjamin threatened with seriousness. He had vowed to kill anyone from the Lichen Pack. And seeing Kevi
The next day was the combat day. Everyone prepared for the event. There were many merriments provided. Every werewolf wanted Alpha Logan to be the head of the Alpha because they respected him and also loved himNo one would want to miss the occasion except for Kevin who was having a sexual escapade with the witch. They had sex every hour and none of them could want to leave each other presence.“Since today is combat night, will you be going to the Mansion tomorrow?” Kevin asked.“Yeah, I think you will accompany me but hide,” she suggested. Kevin was happy, he had wanted to suggest this.“Yeah, I will do that,” he said.“You are such a darling,” she said and kissed him. They had another sex until they slept off.**The hall for the combat was full to bum. There was the Alphas introduction and then the introduction of those who will work with them in each Pack.Beatrice was shocked that Logan had added her father's name to his list. He had asked for her suggestion on the list but she
The witch watched as Kevin ran toward the Lichen Pack. She chuckled. She had gotten rid of her rival. She could now have him all to herself. She needed to get him before he got to the Lichen Pack. So she appeared to him, grabbed his hand, disappeared with him and appeared in her bedroom with him.Kevin wasn’t shocked at the way he was transported but he was shocked to meet himself in the same bedroom he had sex with the witch. He twirled around and saw her standing by the corner watching him.“Why do you bring me here?” he asked.“I brought you here because I don’t want you to attack your brother.” She said and her statement annoyed Kevin.“Why should I not? They just killed my mate.” He lamented.“No one killed your mate. I did.” The witch said and Kevin was shocked.“What why!!” he asked.“She needs to go so you can have your post back. If she is alive. You will never be an Alpha.” The witch lied. Kevin stared at her in disbelief.“I don’t understand you.” He said.“Her curse was so
Cynthia was so annoyed when Kevin walked out of the witch's house. It was evident that he had a nice time with her. Because his behavior was the same way he did when sexually satisfied.All the questions on her mind were unsaid. She wanted them to get back to the house before she could ask him the questions. What they came for was not even discussed in her presence.Immediately they got to the place they now live. Cynthia stood in front of Kevin.“Will you tell me what you and she were doing inside her house?” She yelled at him.Kevin only stared at her. She looked disgusted in front of him. The word of the witch about her curse kept ranging on his head. He could never answer to a curse mate, he thought.He ignored her, smirked disgustingly, and walked to the bathroom they shared.Cynthia fumed in anger. She stood thinking about what she had done to warrant such behavior from him. Was it because of the witches’ death? She asked herself. “No! It couldn’t be.” She said to herself. Then
When Logan and Beatrice woke up, it was ready at two pm. The first thing that welcomed them was the crumbling of their stomachs.“Hee!” Beatrice groaned.“Sorry, dear. I will get you some food to eat.” He said and she nodded.He walked to the door and saw a guard.“Get me some food in the kitchen,'' he commanded them.“Yeah, my lord. We have found Beta Kevin and his mate.” The guard said. And Logan was annoyed.“You must be the one who confirmed him as the Beta, get away from here. I will give you five minutes to get the food here.” He said and the guard dashed away.Logan went back in. and laid beside Beatrice.A maid walked in with the guard and food.Logan beckoned them to serve them in bed. And they obeyed.“Get word to the other new Alphas to see me in an hour's time,” Logan said to the guard. And he dashed out.The maid waited until they finished eating so she would pack the plates.**The Alphas gathered and concluded to get Kevin a house among the elite of Oasis of Pashtun wit