DAHLIA
Three weeks had passed since I delved into Keilah’s memories, and the weight of what I’d discovered consumed me. Each day felt like a battle against time and the turmoil within me. I sifted through every detail, every emotion, desperately trying to piece together the puzzle that could either spell salvation or destruction. The burden of knowing bore down on my shoulders, a relentless weight that threatened to crush me. But I couldn’t afford to falter.
In frustration, I scattered my hair, feeling the weight of uncertainty pressing down on me. How could I prevent it from all coming back to Keilah, potentially turning Alpha’s heart into a dark stone forever? I was a witch, damn it. I had to find a solution before it was too late. “I need to figure this out,” I murmured to myself, the urgency of my task gnawing at my insides.
“What would my witch be thinking about?”
Zac’s voice startled me from behind, and I gritted my teeth in irritation. “It’s nothing,” I replied curtly, attempting to brush past him, but he caught my hand, pulling me back.
He took a few steps closer, his eyes searching mine. “Is there anything I should know?” he asked, his tone serious. “You’ve been different these past few weeks, always troubled, always preoccupied. And it’s something to do with Ralph and his mate, isn’t it? Have you uncovered new information?”
I resisted the urge to snap at him, feeling the pressure building inside me. Lord, I hated every piece of him, but I have to act cool. “Why do you assume everything revolves around those two?” I asked. “I have my own personal concerns to deal with.”
Zac’s expression hardened, his gaze unwavering. “That’s where you’re wrong, young lady,” he said, his voice cold. “You have no right to think about anything other than giving me information about Ralph. I need every bit of intel that will help me take him down from his alpha position. Until that day comes, you don’t have the luxury of indulging in your own thoughts.”
I bristled at his words, feeling a surge of defiance rising within me. “And who are you to dictate what I can or cannot think?” I retorted, my voice tinged with anger.
Zac’s jaw clenched. “I’m the one who’s giving you a chance to redeem yourself,” he replied sharply. “Just a snap of my fingers, and you’re out,” he warned, his tone razor-sharp. “Don’t forget that.”
For a moment, we locked eyes in a silent battle of wills, the tension thick between us. Then, with a curt nod, he spoke again, his tone final. “Am I clear?”
I held his gaze for a moment longer, feeling the weight of his expectations pressing down on me. With a resigned sigh, I nodded. “Crystal.”
As I made my way upstairs, my mind ablaze with a flurry of thoughts, a sudden rush of air followed by the sharp crack of splintering wood jolted me from my reverie Before I could even register the commotion, a massive wolf thundered past, narrowly avoiding a collision with me in its frenzied sprint. It was the alpha’s wolf.
Instinctively, I extended my senses, delving into the turbulent emotions swirling within his wolf.
Fear. Anger. Desperation.
Without a second thought, I knew I had to pursue him. Whatever had driven him to such a state must be of grave concern, likely involving his mate. With swift resolve, I retraced my steps, bounding down the stairs and bursting out of the mansion, seamlessly shifting into my own wolf form as I plunged into the dense forest, my heart racing with urgency.
As I sprinted through the dense undergrowth, my focus solely on catching up with the alpha’s wolf, I was abruptly halted by the unexpected appearance of a brown wolf blocking my path. In that split second, before my instincts could react, I recognized the familiar aura surrounding the wolf-it was Jay’s.
“Stop, Dahlia,” Jay’s voice resonated through the mind link, jolting me from my urgency. Confused, I shifted back to my human form, and he followed suit. A momentary flush of embarrassment tinted my cheeks as my gaze involuntarily flickered over his perfect body. But the urgency of the situation pushed aside any distraction; I needed to focus, so I focused on his face.
“Jay, I have to go. The Alpha needs me.”
His response, however, veered the conversation into unexpected territory. “What relationship do you have with Zac?”
His question caught me off guard, leaving me momentarily speechless. “What are you talking about?” I managed to utter, trying to regain my composure.
“I heard the whole conversation between you and him,” he replied, his expression intense.
“Please tell me he’s using you because he knows who you are.”
I gaped at him, at a loss for words. “What are you talking-”
“I know you’re a nexus witch. I followed you last time and saw everything,” he interjected, cutting off my protest.
As Jay noticed the fear in my eyes, his expression softened, a hint of concern flickering in his gaze. “Dahlia, I don’t give a shit about you being a nexus witch,” he said firmly. “What I need to know is whether you’re working for Zac or not.”
His words struck me with a mix of relief and trepidation. Swallowing hard, I summoned the courage to confess the truth. “Zac… he’s using me,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “He discovered my secret, and now he’s exploiting it.”
Jay’s expression darkened, his jaw tightening with a barely contained anger. “Damn it, Dahlia,” he muttered under his breath, frustration evident in his tone. “I knew it.”
“I’ll explain everything, Jay, I promise,” I said earnestly. “But right now, I have to find the Alpha. Whatever’s happening, it’s urgent.”
“Alright,” he relented, his voice softening once more. “Let’s find the Alpha together.”
“We won’t catch up with him in our wolves,” Jay stated, his tone practical. “You know he’s faster than the rest of us. We’ll need a car.”
Nodding in agreement, I fell into step beside him as we made our way back to the pack house. “Do you know where he’s heading and why?” I asked, trying to keep pace with his strides.
“He’s heading to the Crimson Castle,” he replied solemnly. “That’s where his mate has been taken by the Vampire King himself.”
The news hit me like a physical blow, and I gasped in shock. “Did you see it? How come I didn’t sense his presence?” I asked, bewildered by the revelation.
“No one did,” Jay explained grimly. “That’s what he does-masks his scent through the air, making it nearly impossible to track him.”
After quickly throwing on some clothes at the house, we hit the road with Jay behind the wheel, his expression grim with determination. The tension in the car was palpable, the urgency of our mission weighing heavily on both of us. I stole a glance at him, his jaw set as he navigated through the winding roads with focused precision.
After a long, tense hours-long drive, the castle finally came into view, the evening sky casting an eerie glow over its ancient stone walls. We found a perfect spot to park the car, hidden from view, before getting out and shifting into our wolf forms. With a shared understanding, we bounded up through the forest hill, our senses keenly attuned to our surroundings.
Reaching the top of the hill, we shifted back to our human forms and crouched down amidst the foliage as we surveyed the castle below. From our vantage point, we could see the imposing structure clearly, its dark silhouette standing stark against the fading light of the evening sky.
“We need a plan,” Since we are outnumbered, we need a plan on how to get in. Jay murmured, his voice barely above a whisper as he kept his gaze fixed on the castle. “We can’t just charge in blindly.”
I nodded in agreement, my gaze focused. “Agreed,” I replied, my voice low. Hope those bloodsuckers don’t touch my alpha. Let alone his mate because I’ll fucking murder them over and over again. Jay said through clenched jaws.
For the alpha I am not sure, I started, but for keilah, nothing will happen to her. Jay turned to me. What do you mean? He asked.
I held up my wrist to show him a delicate thread tied around it. “She has the same around her wrist. It’ll block any evil supernatural forces, like those vamps from reaching her.” It’s the same thread that will guide us in and out unnoticed by the vampires. His eagerness to assist was palpable. “How can I help?” he asked, turning to me expectantly.
“No need,” I assured him. “I just need to recite a few small incantations.” With that, I shut my eyes and began chanting softly, utilizing the thread on my wrist to hone in on Keilah’s exact location.
In an instant, I felt the energy coursing through the thread, a tingling sensation that seemed to connect me to Keilah’s presence though her thread seemed distant but it doesn’t affect its power from working, as long as it’s on her wrist. With each word, the power grew, swirling around me like an invisible shield.
Sensing the strength building within me, I focused on combining the energies of both threads, intertwining them in a powerful fusion. The air crackled with magic as the threads pulsed with newfound intensity, their protective aura expanding.
Drawing from this newfound power, I channeled it into my words, weaving a potent spell that reverberated with olden force. With each syllable, I wove a web of influence, reaching out to the vampires’ minds and stirring them into a frenzied state.
As the chant reached its climax, I could feel the spell taking hold, the vampires’ thoughts twisting into chaos, their instincts driving them into a wild frenzy. With a final surge of energy, I released the spell, the echoes of its power lingering in the air around me.
Opening my eyes, I met Jay’s gaze, a sense of satisfaction coursing through me. “Let’s move,” I said, the urgency of our mission now heightened by the potency of the magic I wielded. With a shared nod, we shifted in our wolves and set off, determined to rescue Alpha and Keilah before the vampires could regain their senses.