Raised Among Alphas

62 - Witch

Alora POV

It wasn't much. It was barely enough, but somewhere deep in my chest, I had the faint feeling of my mate bond connecting me to Ithax. With every passing minute in this darkness, our bond was growing stronger. 

Maybe it was Thana recovering her energy and with her our mate bond. Maybe it was my mind playing tricks on me for how much I missed him. His grey eyes, his rough touch, his marble skin, and his stern complexion, memories of him kept flooding my mind. 

I don't know how long I had been sitting in this cave. I don't know how much longer my skin can withstand the embrace of the silver. I don't even know how I can get out of here, at least not without Thana. 

At this point, I don't even know what I know. Aside from the fact that I know that I need to get out. 

"They are almost here" The rushed voice of the rogue Alpha echoed in the caves. 

"Where is she?" A woman asked him, her voice almost... celestial. Something like I've never heard before. 

"Over there" The Alpha Rogue's voice had a hint of panic in it. 

Clearly, something had him in turmoil. Maybe someone, maybe Ithax was actually getting closer.

As their steps got closer so did light. The Alpha Rogue came within sight accompanied by the most beautiful creature I had ever seen.

She was stunning, with violet eyes, moonlight skin, curly hazel hair, and delicate yet sharp features. She was wearing a grey long tunic-style dress and had with her an ancient-looking book. A witch. She must be.

"Leave me with her." She turned gracefully to the rogue. 

"I trust you, Valerie. Do not disappoint me." The rogue shined her a pearly white smile and then walked away without even looking at me once.

"Alora Lorcan, you won't be needing these anymore." The woman whose name I suppose is Valerie stood in front of me and with a single wave of her hand the silver that covered me shattered into a million little pieces, glowing in the dark resembling the stars, and I was free.

"Are you a witch?" I asked trying to make some sense of my current situation.

"Yes. You must know your mate is getting closer. He should be here in about ten minutes." She said in that melodic tone standing still like a statue.

"Is this a trap?" I asked standing up from the ground, my legs shaking and my body adjusting to the newly acquired freedom from the silver. I couldn't shake off this feeling that something bad was going to happen.

"In a way it is. Vincent won't hurt him, and you'll go back with your mate. But sacrifices must be made for such privilege." She said standing perfectly still, her eyes never leaving mine.

"What do you want?" I am not even sure I wanted to know the answer to that.

It doesn't matter how perfectly and beautifully intimidating Valerie was, I couldn't feel threatened by her. She carried a peaceful energy around that more than afraid, I felt safe. Even under these circumstances.

"Your mate upset the balance of the ancient blood in the forest. The earth suffered from it and with it, we witches did too. For centuries the Forest had been our last safe refuge, but with the wolves in war, our survival is at risk." 

"And you think siding with the rogues will help you restore the balance?" I interrupted her, not too happy at her underserved resentment towards Ithax. 

"Vincent offers us safe grounds." She replied.

"Jathred would offer that too if you asked. The Desert isn't a threat to witches." I was speaking the truth. No one I know from the Desert would complain about witches, not even the Elders. If anything they would've loved to know the legends are still alive. 

"Many years ago, to end the Blood War, pacts were made. For as long as the Varon blood governs the Desert, witches can't cross the border without losing their magic. The Forest wolves were the only ones to protect us and our magic was bound to their borders ever since. In exchange for our safety, we protected them from the rest of the continent and their mate bonds had remained between Forest wolves. Until 24 years ago when your parents met, and then again when you met Alpha Ithax." Valerie remained in her usual stance, stoic. 

Me on the contrary, I was shaking to the bone. Why did we not know any of that?

"Why?" I asked her. I had so many doubts, but this one took the crown. 

"That I do not know... yet. Magic is grounded in balance. If the world upsets that balance, magic responds to it." 

"I... I... I am gifted." I stuttered unsure to reveal that to her, even though I assumed Vincent could've told her already. But for some reason, I wanted to make sure she knew. 

"None of the Desert Elders had seen anything like it before, is that related to the unbalance?" I added. 

"What kind of gift?" She didn't know. I definitely sparked her interest. 

"Soul reader. I can see the desires and fears of the soul." I explained as short and precise as I could. 

"Show me" Valerie took a step closer to me, without losing her radiant posture, but obviously desperate to see proof of my gift. 

I stared into her violet eyes. It was... complex. Her mind wasn't the usual labyrinth I've seen in wolves, not even the decked force I saw in Dylan's vampire mind. Valerie was different, reaching her soul felt like running through the marshes, fields of energy swarmed me almost drowning me, but they didn't feel, dangerous. They were even beautiful, like a chaotic beautiful wilderness of power. 

I was navigating through her soul, not even knowing which direction I was heading to, until eventually I saw a face. Not any face. A face I knew. A face I love. A face I grew up with. 

I retracted from her mind, knowing that panic was taking over me. All air left my body as I desperately tried to put into words what I just realized. 

"You can't hurt me. You can't hurt the Desert." I said between gasps. It was more an affirmation than an observation. 

"What did you see?" Valerie lost her goddess-like posture, as she held on to my shoulders forcing me to face her. 

"You..." I breathed in, not wanting to say the words out loud, too aware of how selfish I was. 

"Talk!" Her ethereal voice hit a pitch I didn't think could be possible for her.

"You are mated to Kasthor Varon," Reality hit me like a bitch to the face.

Here she was, the woman I dreaded for the last three years. The woman who would become Kasthor's only love. The woman who would take my place in his heart. 

It didn't change anything knowing I had a mate whom I love. It didn't matter I knew I had given up Kasthor already. It still hurt, because I am selfishly fucked up.

"How? How do you know that?" Now Valerie was the one with a million questions.

"He is your greatest desire" I admitted choking back treacherous tears. 

"This changes everything" Valerie was now talking to herself more than me. 

"Shift. We are going to fight our way out of here. Most of Vincent's wolves are here against their will, but there are several loyal ones. We are going to cut the head of the snake and drag down those who would follow him." Valerie in all her glory, meant business. She was bracing herself for war, and that had me fired up.

"Thana?" I reached for my wolf, feeling her as strong as ever since the silver left my skin, and then again when we were able to tap into Valerie's mind.

"Let's fight" Thana's malevolous tone resounded in my mind.