I had always been told how cunning witches could be, and not to trust them. Isador looks mischievous in her black flowing cape too.
Even though I don't know what she would expect from me after helping me, I come to a conclusion that I have no other choice at this very moment. I also think of the fact that I would get two wishes when I actually came for just one. It was a win for me, really.
It was already night time by now and the humid air caused my hair to stick to my face.
I brushed them off.
”Fine then. Let's get to it.” I say.
Isador smiles at me.
She looks like she could have been in her mid-years but the way she spoke and her voice said something different. So it was hard to really know.
She guides me a little further into the forest until we stand before a dingy looking hut that stood on the stump of a tree, with a thatch roof and a wooden staircase leading to the front door.
It was the perfect symbolism of a witch's hut. I had read of in old archives about witches, in my pack's library.
Not only was she creepy, but her house was too. She walked in — or rather climbed in, without looking back to check if I was following her.
Due to the severity and urgency of the situation at hand, I followed her in, without having a second look on how my surroundings looked.
The smell of burning incense slammed my nose immediately I walked in, while she sat yoga style on the floor.
I immediately sit with her.
"I need to warn my former pack the Night Valley pack that my pack has turned on them and that they need to escape. They've already set out! Please it's an emergency." I plead with her in a rush.
Isador says nothing but bring out a map.
She spreads it out and mutter some incompressible words under her breath. She closes her eye as she does this. Midway, she opens her eyes and slits her palm. She does it mercilessly and smoothly without flinching, as though she had done done it so many times before. The blood drips on the map and stick drawings of an army shows on the map heading to the Night Valley pack.
"The Blood Moon pack are only half an hour away from them. They are closing up on them in lightning speed. I don't know if there's much we can do at this point. What do you want to do?"
"No! We had a deal. Do something."
Was she about to back out?
"I never said I was backing out." She says, as though reading my mind.
“You can use your mindlink connection to speak to your brother."
I sigh defeatedly, "It got weak after I mated out of the pack."
"Then let's strengthen it."
Isador says and interlinks her hand with mine and I feel a bolt of charge course through me, which makes me almost faint.
I suddenly feel a connection to my former pack and to my brother Dante who is Alpha.
Immediately I'm in, Alpha Dante feels me as he says, "Rose."
Dante is my twin and growing up, we had an inseparable bond. He had never really been a fan of Jacob, even though he was my mate.
I reply in an unconventional way, "Dante, yes it's me. You guys have to run."
There's a moment of hesitation then, "Okay! What is going...? How... how did you get in my..."
"Dante please you and the rest of the pack should run! Now! My pack is coming to attack yours. Jacob issued the order. He's gone mad. Please just go!" I say in a rush cutting him mid sentence as this was more important and whisper the last part as a huge lump formed in my throat and my eyes watered.
"Gather everyone now! You need to leave. You have half an hour."
"Okay. Okay. I'd do just that."
Then he begins yelling that the emergency bell should be rung. They all gather and he relays his message urging each to leave.
I am still in his mind and I hear him and what's going on there. He shouts to the remaining wolves, "We don't have much time! Go! Go!! I'll meet you soon."
Once the last set were successfully sent out, Dante's Beta and elders stood with him but he also shouts at them.
Hesitantly, they leave.
I cry out, "No! Dante please run! They'll be here any minute!"
"I'll make sure no one is left and go too." He says to me through the link.
He runs around looking for any person who may still be around.
Just then, I see the Blood Moon pack wolves through the blood movements on the map that they were already there.
"Shit!" Alpha Dante say.
I believe he must have heard the sound growling and snarling wolves. I begin to weep.
"GET OUT OF THERE!!!"
But it was already too late
From where I am miles away, I am afraid at what they would do to my brother and I shake in fear.
The wolves had shifted to their human form after seeing an empty pack. But Logan isn't the type to give up too easily. He came on an assignment and he'd deliver. Whatsoever the circumstances. His order was to slay everyone in the Night Valley pack for the curse they had brought upon the Blood Moon pack by giving the an infertile Luna.
I still can believe my mate could do this.
I urge Dante as much he could as he could, even though it might hard as he was dealing with wolves that cam pick up scents. Someone may have already caught his scent.
My heart pounds badly that it hurts. It feels like I am right there with him.
Hot tears runs down my cheeks.
Dante is a part of me and I'd hate for anything to happen to him.
It didn't taken up to three minutes to find Alpha Dante.
Beta Logan forces Dante kneel before him, which he struggles to do and other wolves wrestle him down. I feel the energy of hatred and anger come off Dante as his wolf, an Alpha is upset to be made to kneel before lowly wolves.
He tries to fight and without a moment's hesitation his head is cut off by Logan.
"DANTE!" I scream ad the mindlink disconnects.
EPILOGUE 2018 A Maybach gears up after the traffic lights turn green. There's a man in a suit in the back seat. He's looking out the window and staring at the billboard of an author and popular model. She's beautiful. He thinks, and he continues staring until his phone rings. "Hello?" "Liam, will you still make it for the meeting?" "Yes, Zach. I'm on my way. There's no traffic, so I'll be there in about five—" The car comes to an abrupt halt. He hears the sound of crash and mutters a curse under his breath. He will not be getting out of this one easily. He looks up and sees the angry driver of the other vehicle already slamming their door closed. He turns to his driver. "What happened?" "I don't know. She just stopped abruptly. I have no idea why. This woman is obviously crazy." He pinches his forehead and comes down from the car after his driver does. She is furious and crazy because the way she's already raving about her bashed car has him taking cautious steps forward.
NIKOLAI Winter's giving birth. I'm as anxious as a live wire. I'm pacing the halls of the house while the midwives and the pack physician deliver our son. Hunter is with me. He's carrying his daughters and feeding them breakfast on the dining table. The house has been gloomy for months since Tara died. This is the first thing that has brought joy to all of us. Our son. I can't wait to meet him. I wonder who he would look like. Deep down, I want him to look like his mother. I smile to myself, and Hunter calls me out. "Pull yourself together. You are embarrassing me." I clasp my sweaty palms together. "I guess this was how you felt when the twins were born." Hunter smiles genuinely. He doesn't do that anymore. There's no reason for joy in his life, and I truly feel sorry for him and for everything he's been through. He lost Daphne and lost Tara, and to think he will always have the memories lodged in his head is pure torture, even for me. "Yes. I'm pretty damn sure I felt much wors
WINTERSix Months Later...It's been six months since Daphne and her father tried to destroy us. Six months since we've heard anything about her whereabouts. Life seemed to go on in contast paranoia that they would be back, especially for Nikolai. I'm almost due. My bump is large, like someone trapped a volleyball inside there. The pack doctor examines me. He says I keep getting weaker and weaker. I've told no one about the conversation Isador and I had the night of Hunter and Tara's big escape. But I know why I'm being diagnosed as weak. I have little time left with my son and mate. It's breaking my heart.I know Elkan didn't survive his brothers wrath. Killian killed him and his triplets before Hunter could make do with his promise. It's beating him up, but he doesn't show it. The fact that he failed those innocent children. It only means one thing, though. Killian owes use all a life, and he will pay up when the time comes.The pack doctor shakes his head. "Your temperature and bl
HUNTER They had beaten me to a pulp, but they were going to need more than that to end me. I just need to know if Tara is alright. Since Daphne carried her into that separate room, I have seen nothing and heard nothing. My wolf is terribly weak. I struggle against the chains. I've been doing that for hours. Killian came and asked Daphne when she was going to kill me. She may hate me now, but I know she can never do something as horrendous as that. Daphne still loved me. I couldn't kill her as well if given the chance. There was just something holding us back. She stalled my execution date until two days from now. Meaning, Nikolai has 48 hours to rescue me successfully, or I have just that amount of time to break free before they sell her off to Ander. I need to save her, or else I won't forgive myself. I struggle against the chains bound to the ceiling above. It hung me up. I pull with all of my might, but nothing can save me from the weakness freezing my wolf out. I feel helpl
NIKOLAITheir weapons are laced with wolf's bane and poisons of various calibres. We are outnumbered, and it's also impossible for us to win this war against Ander. My wolves are perishing all around me, and I feel helpless. Ander is on his horse wrecking havoc with the mighty scythe in his hand.I run for him, growling as my fangs gleam under the afternoon sun. He's about to hit one of my closest wolves from behind. I dive on his horse and throw him to the ground, cartwheeling and dodging the scythe's blade by a narrow miss.Ander roars, getting on his feet. It's between the both of us. I'm not armed, and I know I've got to be careful while going against that blade. Winter warned me about that, and I promised myself I would make it out alive.I charge at him, and he comes for me as well. We clash, baring our teeth. Our wolves around us are still going at each other. Still, it is clear that Ander is winning. He shoves me to the ground. I bring out my leg and swipe it across, making him
DAPHNE Tears burn my throat. It didn't occur to me that he would actually find my replacement. I still loved him deeply, but I couldn't disobey my father. If he chose me now, I would have abandoned everything and saved him from this hell. But the man I love is interested in another woman. This must be my karma. I walk into the barren room where Tara has been kept inside. I know she's scared, but I'm so livid that I could pluck out her entire hair. How dare she steal what is mine? "Ander would love to hear you survived his trap. He would take your sorry ass back and punish you for life because that is what you deserve." Tara starts begging. She knows what it's like to be slaved under Alpha Ander. Not to mention being punished eternity by him. It's pure hell, and I want to laugh at the terrified look on her face. I do laugh. "What? Scared, are we? This is what you get for taking what's not yours." "I didn't know you and Hunter were an item. I met him by chance and he said nothin
HUNTER I told her not to go. I told her I had to stay put right here inside the damned pack house, but she just won't listen. One thing I've learnt about Tara is that she's as pig headed as they come and can't take no for an answer. She literally dragged me out from the house to come and pick herbs in the woods. Her argument is that it's close by and we won't be gone for more than half an hour. It takes only a second for things to go epically wrong, but I don't know why I can't resist her anymore. When she speaks, she always finds a way to get to me, and she doesn't even do much. She only just has to say the word. I don't what to make of it, but I'm trying to school myself into making this the only time such would repeat itself again. Sure, she can pick her herbs for now, but next time, I won't consent to something as careless as this, leaving the pack house unguarded. She's in front of me, skipping happily into the woods. I'm always happy to see her smile. The sight of it just m
WINTER I dread waking up to this morning because I know what it means for us. Nikolai wants us to do this. He wants us to pay Jacob a visit, but I don't think I'm ready. Jacob was the man who hurt me. Although he seems repentant, I still can't tell what his heart would be like. I'm stepping out of the bathroom when he meets me halfway. Nikolai hugs me. Last night brought us a lot closer intimately. I was so darn sure I would have his babies after that. He made sure of it. But then, would the curse of Rose find me now that I am Winter. Will I still not be able to have kids of my own? "Hey, babe." Nikolai calls me, resting his forehead against mine. "You look stressed. Don't be stressed." "You know why I'm stressed." "I'll be right there with you. You don't have to be scared because you have me protecting you always." He has a point. I know he will never abandon me. Nikolai loves me so much. He proved that last night, and I'm certain he will always have my back in everything. I do
HUNTER I walk ahead as soon as I walk towards my room in the Alpha's home. She's right behind me in the next minute. I saw her hold back her words before Nikolai was out of respect. I knew the second she was in the clear, she was going to come at me with everything she's got. Funny enough, I'm anticipating it. I'm also anticipating seeing more of her in those pretty clothes. It's new for Tara. "Ever heard of give people their flowers, Hunter?" She crosses her arms as she falls in step with me. Nikolai and Winter have occupied the main stairs, so we are going all around to get to my room. Tara is just following me without a clue about where she's going. "That's the most senseless thing I've ever heard." She blocks my path, walking with her back when I don't stop coming forward. "Take that back." Tara slaps my chest. Coming from a werewolf, her hit does justice, and I almost break a wince. "I won't take it back, Tara. Because it's my opinion." "I found you empathetic at first