113. Delsanra

RAYHAN

It had been two days and nights yet still, she managed to escape us. I was one of the best trackers in The Black Storm Pack. Despite being an Alpha, I had the ability to blend in well. I was fast, sharp and nothing got past me. Well, not until now. This little witch was impressive despite the fact her powers were sealed, but I was beginning to doubt that, especially with how well she was hiding her tracks.

That was until now, when we finally rounded in on her. The difference? I hadn't slept and we hadn't stopped - I'm sure the witch needed sleep more than us wolves.

We were now on some rocky terrain, dense with forestry. She was smart to stick to paths near water, but that also meant there would be plenty of trees around. We had been searching high and low, I had a feeling she was retracing her steps too. The sun would soon set and I needed to find her. The other problem was that there were some Manangal in these woods. We had come across three already.

Uncle had said there was a high chance for some to still be out there, and it seemed like it was true.

"Alpha." Lola said quietly as she landed next to me, passing me a pair of pants as we shifted back.

Lola was the daughter of the current Beta, and she would be my Beta when the time came. She was two years older than me, strong and one of my closest friends.

"What is it?"

"Shall we proceed, or do you plan to go alone?" She asked, pulling on the oversize shirt.

I flashed her a smirk,

"We need answers, I think going alone would work out better. I'll mind link you if things go wrong. Just be on the lookout, if she tries to get away, knock her out.

"Got it." She said, cracking her knuckles.

"Really Lola, she's as weak as a newborn pup. Go easy on her." I said as I walked closer to the faint scent, looking down at the river thirty feet below the cliff edge.

"Oh? Then she shouldn't get past you, should she?"

"Well… I have to be a gentleman. I can't go hitting women." I said lightly, as I gave her a small nod, glancing at the few men who were with us. They knew their job and each one nodded before I jumped off the jagged edge and landed on my feet upon the ground below.

Now to find the witch… I scanned the area, smirking as I looked at the rushing river, the upended tree, some hedges… Where are you hiding, witchy? I looked back at the upturned tree roots… She is only sixteen and is said to be very small. I sniffed the area, getting closer to the tree, a smirk of victory crossing my lips.

Oh, this little mouse has nowhere to run to now… I saw the piles of nettles and thorns that were piled together and my smile vanished. A sliver of guilt rushed through me as I moved the prickly bushes, tossing them aside. There she lay in the fetal position, her knees tucked into her chest, her pure white hair, which was patchy with dirt, covered her face. Her heartbeat was very faint, I wondered how I didn't pick it up, but I guess with the rushing river… and it seemed she was so exhausted that she didn't even hear me approach.

She was tiny… If I didn't know she was sixteen, I would have assumed she was about twelve. Bruises, runes and wounds covered her bare arms and legs. A fresh rash thanks to the nettles added to her already battered body and I stepped back, feeling stabbing guilt rush through me. Did we push her to resort to this? She knew she was being followed…

Her scent of orchids and ylang-ylang drifted into my nose and I crouched down, reaching out, but before I could even touch her, she jolted up. Her startling blue eyes were wide with fear, a fear that soon turned to anger and hatred.

"Stay away!" She shouted hoarsely. Her voice was soft, but it held strength.

Everything I had planned went out the window. I was not going to manhandle a girl who had been through hell from the looks of it… even if she was a witch. What Kiara said now made sense.

"Alright… I won"t approach. We just have some questions." I said softly, raising my hands in surrender.

She glanced at me, then looked away, shaking her head bitterly. She didn't believe me.

"We just want to know, what day Endora will attack." I asked quietly.

"First… Let me go."

"Now I can't do that, can I… I need an answer first, then you're free to go." I said softly.

"She'll find me and kill me if I answer that, but then again, you dogs wouldn't care if I die, right?" She spat.

For someone so young, she held a lot of hatred. I ignored the insult and ran my hand through my hair.

"If you tell us, I can take you to wherever you"re going. To safety." I suggested.

Our eyes met and I took a moment to look at her properly. She was a pretty thing behind the bruises and cuts. Severely malnourished but with about fifteen or twenty kg weight gain, she'd look pretty good.

"And why should I trust the kind who has abused me?" She asked quietly.

I saw the darkness and pain in her eyes. I wonder, what has she been through?

"I'm not asking you to believe me, I just want an answer… If Endora attacks, many innocent people will die."

"You mean werewolves. What's wrong with that? You are all monsters anyway."

I could smell the fear from her, yet at the same time, she was still saying whatever she wanted.

"Not all of us, I would remind you that the witches have done a lot of harm to us as well… but that won't get us anywhere. Look, I won't pretend that I like your kind or pretend that we are going to get on. But we really need to know and what do you think? Once Endora's done with us, she will let you go?"

I didn't like the fact I was using that line on her, but we were running out of time.

"She'll come for you and whatever power you possess…" I looked her over, I could faintly smell that she was a witch, but there was nothing that showed she was strong or full of darkness. Perhaps it was the runes, I had heard about witches suppressing powers by such means…

"Why do you want to stop her?" She asked quietly.

"Because many innocent people will die, family, friends, loved ones… She won't stop until she gets what she wants, and that is to rule."

She looked at her hands and I saw the number of cuts that covered them. She seriously needed to see a doctor…

"Endora will attack in nine days… On All Hallows Eve. The night when-"

"When darkness is at its strongest. Halloween…" I said, how could we have not seen that…

"But that's not what she needed… She is looking for the moment the barrier to the underworld is at its weakest…"

She gasped and I looked at her sharply, seeing the runes beginning to glow a deep orange.

"What's happening, are you-"

"Don't touch me!" She recoiled from my touch as she began trembling. Her eyes were filled with tears.

"2.39 am. That is the moment she will try to resurrect the dark witches of the past. You need to make sure she doesn't succeed. That is the moment she will also be at her weakest. She will-"

She whimpered as tears of pain filled her eyes.

"Ok, look, stop." I said.

I knew a spell when I saw one. She was hurting herself, to tell the truth. "It's fine, I understand-"

"No! She will not attack the pack of the Lycan king." She broke into hacking coughs, whimpering in pain.

I wanted to do something, but there was nothing... Her words hit me and I wondered what she meant.

"She will start her attack where the first witch is buried, the ground near the…"

We heard a loud hiss and she looked up sharply. A Manangal, shit! The rotting putrid smell hit me and I stood up.

‘Ray there are too many!' Lola's voice came through the link.

‘Don't worry about me, protect yourselves. I'll manage!'

Just then, I saw two of the creatures come rushing towards us. I turned to the girl who was staring at them, bending down and scooping her up. My heart skipped a beat when her eyes met mine, pure shock clear in them. But we didn't have time to stop, I broke into a run. She was as light as a feather. She didn't touch me. Her arms were wrapped around herself.

"How the hell did they get here?!" I growled, glancing back at them.

"To make sure I never speak."

"Then why- Fuck!" I hit the ground when a Manangal lunged at us, slashing through my back, its disgusting scent filling my nose.

Delsanra went tumbling and I looked at the large cliff ahead. Panic filled me, but she stopped rolling a few feet from the edge. We had nowhere to go. There was the river far below, but that would do us no good… I stood up, lunging at the first of the Manangals.

It lurched towards me, its claws raised. I glanced back at her, seeing another two rushing towards her. I shifted, ripping it apart before I growled, leaping through the air and knocking them away from her. One fell over the edge and I tore the other one to bits.

The taste of their blood in my mouth, I looked at the last one as it rushed towards her. I jumped forward and bit down on its neck, ripping it apart. Blood splattered everywhere and I shifted back.

"Where will they attack?" I asked. "Only tell me, if you"re able to…"

She looked up at me, her eyes filled with confusion and curiosity.

"The Pack of the Deimos Prince." She mumbled, gripping her hair, as she screamed in agony. The runes on her body were now turning a burning red.

"The Blood Moon Pack…" I looked at her sharply, reaching to help her up. "Look, I know someone who can help."

She recoiled from my touch and crawled to the edge of the cliff. Her eyes filled with fear as she looked at me.

"I gave you the answers you wanted..." She staggered to her feet as she neared the edge.

"Delsanra… If you jump, you will die."

"And if I stay here… I die." She countered.

I saw the trickle of blood from her nose and realised she was dying anyway. With the state she was in, there was no guarantee I'd get her back to Kiara in time.

I looked at her. Her dirty white hair was blowing in the sharp wind, the setting sun made her hair glow. Mixed with the blood and dirt were fresh tears. Her plump lips quivered as she looked over the cliff.

She was scared…but she felt it was the best option. That hurt.

Why did it hurt?

"Why did you help if you knew it would kill you?" I asked softly, watching her chest rise and fall as she looked down below. I moved closer, wanting to pull her away from the edge.

"Because you have those you love…I have no one." She said, looking at me through her tear-filled eyes.

I swallowed, feeling her pain myself. I didn't get it, but something about this farewell was messing with my head. I had to stop her, surely there was somewhere she could go.

"The daughters of Hecate always ask for something in return for helping. I know… I am darkness…but even then, may I ask for a favour?" She whispered, her soft voice carried on the wind. I nodded, thinking no, she was not darkness. The setting sun burned behind her and at that moment she looked… as if she didn't belong to this world…

"Don't stop me."

My eyes widened as her words sunk in, just as she jumped.

"No!" I shouted, rushing to the end as I looked over the deep ravine.

All I could see below were clusters of trees and the narrow river filled with rocks far below. I scanned the area but could see her nowhere. There was no way she could have survived that fall… My heart was thudding and although I knew she was a witch… she had been innocent, another victim.

I stood up, my heart pounding and knew I'd never forget that tear-stained face. I closed my eyes, not knowing why this felt so painful.

Pull yourself together, Rayhan.

I shifted and ran back the way I had come. I needed to tell everyone what I had learned…