According to the prevailing historical accounts, the Amerotha Forest was a silent witness to several significant events in the journey of humans and wolves. According to legend, the forest was the site of the first encounter between ancient tribes and the wolves, who were considered the spiritual guardians of the forest. It was said that the Amerotha Forest was a rich source of wisdom, accessible only to those who understood the language of nature. In essence, a few lucky individuals were blessed by the Moon Goddess to receive such a gift, and one of those lucky ones was Ayla.
With the gift came responsibility. Ayla embraced both with open arms. She used the gift with great wisdom for the sustainability and well-being of the Frostholm pack, including praying for the Alpha who remained in bed, not knowing when he would awaken.
Morning after morning, too many to count, Ayla visited the forest of Amerotha with the same hope as before. Even before dawn truly appeared on the eastern horizon, she had prayed for Usher.
Ayla closed her eyes, clasped her hands to her chest, and expressed all her hopes and pleas in her heart. She waited for some message from nature that the Moon Goddess might give her, but none came. Only the wind and the rustling of the leaves accompanied Ayla. Nature seemed incapable of answering her wishes. So, she opened her eyes and saw the gleam of sadness reflected in them.
“Ayla.”
Ayla took a deep breath before she turned around. She forced a smile as she greeted the Beta’s arrival. “Garth.”
“How are you?” Garth asked, blinking as he noticed the jacket Ayla was wearing. “It’s colder than usual this morning.”
Ayla pulled on her jacket and nodded. “You’re right, but I didn’t have time to think about another jacket. This is the only one within reach when I left.”
Garth knew that Ayla was in a hurry. Ayla wanted to get to the Amerotha Forest as soon as possible to pray earlier.
“So, did you get an answer? A clue? Or anything?”
The smile on Ayla’s face slowly faded. “I’m sorry, Beta.”
“It’s okay. I know you did everything you could.”
Garth just wished he could get Ayla to The Palace. His and Scott’s plan from the other day remained his priority. He wanted Ayla to predict Usher’s condition. But the situation did not allow it.
Mireya tightened the security around Usher’s room. She provided the usual alibi, claiming she wanted to make sure Usher got some rest.
Garth was able to disobey Mireya’s orders. But he could not avoid an uproar. Especially with the previous friction, he could predict what would happen if he insisted. Chaos would break out and the situation would become even more chaotic. Eventually, the pack would become even more restless.
So, Garth had to hold back. The last thing he wanted to do was cause panic and fear in the pack.
Furthermore, Garth realized that fear would lead to more complex polemics. He was concerned that business rivals would take advantage of the situation, and most importantly, he was concerned that other packs would not miss the opportunity.
Garth had limited information within the pack. He had instructed Cora to announce that Usher’s condition was improving. All they had to do was wait for Usher to return. So, his goal now was to make sure that his words became reality.
“Jemma and I discussed the Alpha’s condition a few days ago, Ayla,” Garth said.
Ayla frowned slightly, a crease forming on her forehead. “What did you discuss?”
“We believe that Alpha’s illness is not medical,” Garth said, exhaling heavily. Ayla could see a hint of weariness on his face. “Earlier, Scott and I wanted to take you to The Palace to divine Alpha, but Mireya has tightened security. We won’t be able to enter Alpha’s chamber without a fight.”
Ayla shook her head. This was not a good idea.
“Alpha’s condition and Scott’s examination results, which showed no signs of illness, led us to believe that Alpha might be enchanted.”
Ayla’s eyes widened and her tongue went dry. “What? Enchanted?”
“That’s the only logical possibility, because on second thought, Alpha changed drastically after being near Mireya. Alpha seemed to lose her mind and no longer cared for others.”
“You’re right,” Ayla nodded and pressed her fingers together. She felt a cold sweat seep through her skin. “It makes sense that Alpha was enchanted all this time.”
“So, what about it? Can you help, Ayla?”
Ayla looked confused. “What do you mean, Garth? I’m not a witch. I’m just a Sacred Elder who’s been given the gift of divination. I-”
“Rowena.”
Just the name made Ayla freeze. She blinked stiffly. “W-what?”
“I actually came here this morning because of Jemma. She asked me to meet you, Ayla. She says you have a good friend.” Garth did not miss the flicker of surprise in Ayla’s eyes. He knew that Ayla understood his meaning. “Her name is Rowena and she is a witch. Is that true?”
Ayla did not answer right away. Instead, she collected herself for a moment. Then she nodded. “Jemma is right. Her name is Rowena. She’s a witch and a good friend of mine.”
“Can you contact her, Ayla? Can you ask for her help?”
Ayla could see the hope in Garth’s eyes. She should feel the same. “I can’t promise you that, Garth.”
“Why?” Garth asked cautiously, several possibilities running through his mind. “Has she gone somewhere?”
“Not exactly, but she has decided to get away from the hustle and bustle of the world. She’s tired and has decided to rest.”
Garth held his breath for a moment. “Can you try, Ayla? At least we should try.”
“Okay, Garth. I’ll try to meet her, but like I said. I can’t promise anything.”
Garth did not mind at all. “At least we still have hope.”
Because that’s the only thing that strengthened Garth and the pack now: hope.
*