54
“So you guys decided to leave tomorrow?” Layla asked.
“Yes,” Nora answered.
“I said I am not interested in ruling the coven. I don’t want to be burdened. After all, I have my husband and my daughter. I don’t want to be locked here.” She said with a grimace.
Layla walked towards her with a sincere smile.
“My mother should have been the one to take the throne instead of Athena. But she mysteriously died that night, so why are you trying to make me feel bad about taking the position?” Layla asked with scrutiny.
Nora whose gaze was passive, her lips slowly curved into a smile and she laughed out.
“For your information, I remember how you got here. How you were forced to be queen. No, how you pretended to be queen. How you instigated the Alpha king against witches. Ohh, yeah, I know my mother was the one who did that ugly thing but you added more to it, right?” Nora said with a smile.
“Just keep ruling in peace. Everyone’s got dirty linen under the neat one. See you when we see.” She said and intertwined her hands with Austin who perched on her side like a fly. Laura stared at her coldly.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!
“Aunt Nora,” The voice stopped her. Nora turned around to see Melissa who had a grin on her face. She ran towards her and breathed out.
“Are you going to take me out of here? I mean, please I will love to leave this place. It’s too suffocating for my liking,” She said and Nora smiled. She reminded her of her sister, Simone.
“No, I guess your mother has a reason for locking up here. Isn’t it, Layla?” She said, putting more force on her name. Layla knew that Nora knew.
But one thing she was still not clear about was why she was not talking.
“Everyone has their stories to tell but hardly do everyone gets to tell their stories,” Nora said with a glint in her eyes before walking away with Austin. Melissa slumped her shoulders and turned towards her mother.
“What does she mean?” She asked.
“Ask her,” Layla said and walked out of the hall without giving her a reply. Melissa hissed out. All she needed was to look for a way to leave the place. The love of her life was waiting for her and she knew it not be long before he barges in here and sucks everyones… She shook her head and went ahead to look for Ciara. Only her can help her now.
*
Ciara stood staring at Layla’s look alike. That is if it was.
“You want me to beg your mother to let you out?” She asked again as if she did not hear the first time.
“Why?” Damien asked from behind.
“My mother kept me hidden here since I was a child and when I was able to escape her clutches, she sent Ciara here to capture me back.” She said.
“Why do you want to leave was what I asked you?” Damien said and took a seat in the large garden.
“I just want to leave this place,” She said with brows furrowing in sadness.
“I can’t guarantee that she would listen to me but anyway, I will try. Only one condition.” Ciara said and Melissa’s ears perked up at that.
“And what is that?” She asked.
“You don’t go about doing all sort of forbidden things like rendering someone mateless or even cutting mating bonds.” She said and Melissa smiled.
“Hey, Nicole was my friend. How do you expect me to just sit aside when I could just help her. And yes, by the way, Alpha Damien. I am sorry for what I did. If Nicole had not asked me, I would not have done it. I am sorry.” She said and Damien looked at her for any lies or deceit. He found but he chose to ignore it. He knew she was out for trouble but he hopes it does not include him or his pack.
*
*
Ciara and the rest of them waved goodbyes at the witches as they crossed the bridge. Melissa stood on the tower and watch them leave with spite and venom and all kinds of rage written in her features. Her mother, Layla had blatantly refused to let her move out of these walls. She gave excuses like who was going to take over the keeper of the coven position and all sorts of excuses she could find. So Ciara could not do anything about it.
Soon after they crossed the bridge, they got into a forest. But not the earlier forest where they were tested.
They all walked their way with Austin holding unto Nora like his life depended on it and she would disappear any moment. While Ciara had her hands intertwined with Damien and Rose’s hands were also intertwined with Leo while Leticia walked alone.
“So Leticia, what about Brian?” Rose asked as faced her as they walked through the forest. Their steps was echoing throughout the forest.
“He is fine, I know how angry he will be when I get home. I told him I won’t be gone for so long. But looking at this, we have spent up to a week here.” She said and rubbed her arms.
“What’s your gift by the way?” She asked. Leticia looked at her.
“We are not allowed to tell others unless we belong to the same coven,” Leticia said and Nora nodded her head, indicating she was right.
“Ohh, that’s how it works. Maybe when we get to the pack, I will have mother teach me how this entire witch stuffs works.” She said, looking at Leo who just nodded his head. She knew he was tired but he needed to be with her. He needed to be a supportive mate.
“Mother?”
“Yes, sure,” Nora replied with a small smile and Rose nodded her head.
“And yes, what is the name of the coven you are from?” Rose asked.
“I am from the…” Suddenly, a huge fog appeared and there was swift movement in between them.
“Mother?!” Rose yelled. Then everywhere was cleared back. They looked around.
“What just happened?” Damien asked as he held unto Ciara.
“Rose!” Leo yelled and they all looked at him.
“Where is she?” Nora asked.
“I… don’t know, but we were here together,” Leo said as they looked around. He saw her locket on the floor.
“Someone came here and the scent… ” Austin sniffed the air.
“Just disappeared like that.” He completed.
“A witch was the one that helped him. Who is the person? My daughter? I just found her, I can’t lose her,” Nora cried out as she held unto Austin with tears brimming her eyes. She could not lose her daughter when she had just met her. When she has not even paid the price for not bringing her up. For being so weak that she could not fight for her. Leticia closed her eyes so that she could sense any being in the forest but it was… Dry and nothing was there.
“What did you find?” Nora asked her.
“They left.” That was all she said.
***
Three days after and Rose was yet to be back. Nora had forced herself to practice even when Austin tried convincing her that she should not. She disagreed and tried reaching out to her but it was blocked and unreachable.
Leo could not focus on the paper works. Even the pack members were starting to get worried about their precious Luna. In total, no one was at peace.
Ciara made sure to always pass a call across to Blake since Leo was busy trying to get some people to look for Rose.
Jeff was going crazy at the loss of his mate. He kept blaming himself that why was he not at alert when the fog came over them. He even distanced himself from Leo after they had an argument on whose fault it was that they lost their mates.
Since the witches were involved, they were hoping to get the Alpha king involved but Damien and Blake’s father advised against it. They knew that the witches once had a feud with the werewolves and that too the Alpha king but even though they had signed a treaty. Some witches were still going around causing chaos just like this one that had pulled the fog trick on them.
“What am I going to do, Austin?” Nora cried on Austin’s shoulders.
“Do you know how much I have fantasied combing my daughter’s hair even when I was in the cell? I kept hoping that she would come and save me. That she would prove mother wrong and break the curse. And guess what? She did. She did break the curse and proved the almighty Athena wrong but after that what? She has pulled away from me, how do you expect me to take that?” She cried on his shoulders and he could not do anything.
“We will find her. That is for sure.” He said, reassuring her with a squeeze on her shoulders.