Connor’s mind was restless. Days passed with a constant restlessness in his thoughts. He couldn’t get the matter of Rowena’s pregnancy out of his mind.
Every day Connor waited for the latest news from Mariah. He often asked Marcus for updates on Mariah, but to no avail.
“Mariah has begun to move, Alpha, but she still hasn’t been able to locate Rowena’s whereabouts in the Amerotha forest,” Marcus reported one morning, bracing himself for the outburst that might come from Connor. “It appears that Rowena has anticipated our movements, Alpha.”
Connor did not say anything, but his expression spoke volumes. Marcus’ report was not what he had hoped for.
Marcus went on, trying to calm Connor. “But don’t worry, Alpha. Mariah will continue to monitor the Amerotha Forest. As soon as there’s any information, no matter how small, she’ll report it immediately.”
Connor’s face hardened and faint wrinkles formed on his forehead. He shook his head slowly. “This is why I don’t like dealing with witches. They’re cunning and always find ways to cover their tracks,” he said, his voice dripping with disgust. “Just look at what happened the other night. She easily fooled our warriors who were after her. She escaped so easily.”
The more Connor thought about it, the angrier he became. He had never imagined that his well-trained warriors would fail to capture Rowena. If they had succeeded, he wouldn’t be so worried now. Everything would have been resolved that night and the fact of Rowena’s pregnancy, which posed a great risk to him, would not exist.
Connor’s anger boiled over. The child Rowena was carrying had the potential to be a disaster for him and the Nimbria Pack in the future. In short, there was a chance that the child would seek revenge on him, following the law of nature often seen in the world: Death always requires another death.
Connor’s focus was on the child’s identity. Wolf’s blood and witch’s blood flowed in its veins. It was a hybrid, and that made Connor even more desperate.
Connor was sure he wasn’t the only one who didn’t like hybrids. It could be said that no one liked them, and for good reason.
Generally speaking, hybrids were creatures born from inter-species unions-whether between werewolves and humans, werewolves and vampires, or werewolves and witches-which often resulted in them having unique traits from both parents. They could become rare beings whose strengths and weaknesses differed from those of ordinary werewolves.
Hybrids were often viewed with suspicion and distrust. Most packs believed that the purity of werewolf blood was something to be preserved, something to be passed down from generation to generation. In other words, hybrids were seen as a threat to the purity and stability of the pack, as they carried the legacy of other species that contradicted the values werewolves held dear.
One of the main reasons hybrids were often disliked was the uncertainty surrounding their powers. They were never fully werewolf or fully anything else. They existed between two worlds, not entirely bound by the natural laws that governed those species. This led to doubts about their loyalty and made them a potential threat to the cohesion and strength of the pack.
Connor’s concern was more specific. Rowena’s child would benefit greatly from its mixed heritage. Ignoring the possibility of an identity crisis, a werewolf-witch hybrid could potentially possess numerous strengths.
Connor growled. Disturbing visions filled his mind. The Nimbria pack might be facing a formidable hybrid, one that was both powerful and cunning, considering that Ivan and Rowena were no ordinary beings. It was entirely reasonable to assume that this hybrid would become an extremely powerful werewolf, far stronger than Ivan, given the added advantages of Rowena’s bloodline.
“We have to get rid of the baby. If necessary, we may even have to get rid of Rowena,” Connor declared with determination. Then he turned his eyes to Marcus. “Your plan will be useless, Marcus. It will all be for nothing if that hybrid is born into this world. You know that, don’t you? No magic will be able to harm it.”
Marcus nodded. “I understand, Alpha.”
Marcus didn’t want to waste any time. Perhaps seven or eight months remained before Rowena’s baby would be born. So, he contacted Mariah to stress the importance of this crucial task.
To Mariah, Marcus said, “You have no choice. Make sure that baby never becomes a threat to us.”
*
Mariah let out a long sigh. For a moment, she looked at Usher’s peaceful face as he napped, then glanced out the window and stared blankly into the distance.
Her mind felt full. Her heart was restless. The reason was that Marcus had contacted her again last night, emphasizing the task she had to complete in the near future.
Mariah had agreed to the mission. After all, she had no power to refuse. But that didn’t mean that she could easily carry out the responsibility. On the contrary, she still hadn’t figured out how to complete the task.
Mariah had been trying since the order had been given. Whenever she had the chance to leave the palace, she had moved immediately to monitor the Amerotha Forest. But she hadn’t found a single clue. The Amerotha Forest seemed as quiet and still as ever, with no sign of human life.
Mariah was sure that Rowena had used her magic. As a result, she was powerless while time continued to slip away.
“Mariah.”
A voice ripped Mariah from her thoughts. She turned to see Ayla approaching. “Oh, Ayla.”
Ayla smiled. She glanced briefly at Usher in his crib before asking Mariah, “Is something troubling you? I’ve noticed that you seem to be daydreaming a lot lately.”
“Oh, no,” Mariah replied, shaking her head once. A smile spread across her face. “There’s nothing on my mind, Ayla.”
Ayla’s eyes narrowed slightly, skeptical. “Really?”
Mariah closed her eyes with a look of resignation. Then her smile turned into a slight chuckle. “It’s really nothing important.” Her laughter faded and she let out a deep sigh. “I just think about the war a lot.”
Ayla fell silent. Her face seemed to change.
“I still can’t believe we made it through those terrible times,” Mariah continued, looking at Ayla. Her eyes held a deep emotion, as if she was deeply grateful to have survived. “It feels like a miracle that we’re still alive today.”
Ayla nodded in understanding. She remembered how badly Mariah had been injured and was grateful that Mariah had made a full recovery. “You’re right. It all feels like a dream, and for that…” She reached out and took Mariah’s hand, squeezing her fingers with genuine affection. “… thank you for holding on and staying with us until now.”
Mariah froze. Ayla’s words had left her speechless. She cleared her throat before she spoke. “You don’t have to thank me, Ayla. On the contrary, I’m deeply grateful that you care so much about me.”
“That’s what we’re supposed to do, care for each other,” Ayla replied with wisdom. Every word she spoke was soothing and comforting. “Let us hope that these dark days will never come again. Let there be no more wars.”
Ayla’s words created an opening, and Mariah took the opportunity to speak. “You are right. I hope Ivan’s death will be the last sorrow we have to face. May we never know loss again.” Then she gathered her courage, trying to appear casual. “Speaking of Ivan’s death, I heard you had a close relationship with Rowena.”
Ayla blinked, seemingly surprised that Mariah would bring up the subject. She nodded anyway. “You could say that. Why?”
“Oh, it’s nothing, Ayla. I’m just a little curious,” Mariah replied more casually, noticing that Ayla didn’t seem suspicious of her in the least. “After all, not many werewolves befriend witches.”
A broad smile spread across Ayla’s lips, and even her eyes sparkled as she replied. “Fate brought Rowena and me together. Then, all of a sudden, we just became close.”
Mariah nodded quietly. “I see. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen you two together.”
“We rarely see each other, and that’s not unusual. We both have our own responsibilities and duties.”
The opportunity was right in front of her. Mariah proceeded with her plan carefully, moving forward with caution. “Don’t you visit her? I heard she lives in the Amerotha Forest.”
Ayla was silent for a moment, deep in thought, which made Mariah uneasy. Worry crept in, and she began to think of ways to steer the conversation so that Ayla wouldn’t suspect anything. She didn’t want Ayla to feel like she was being interrogated.
Mariah cleared her throat. “Um, actually, I-”
“To be honest, I wanted to visit her.”
Ayla interrupted. Her tone changed and something in her demeanor changed. It was as if something was weighing on her mind. Mariah decided to remain silent and wait.
“Lately, more than ever, I’ve felt a strong urge to visit her,” Ayla admitted, her breath catching in her chest. Emotions swirled in her eyes-longing, concern, and sadness. “I want to be there for her, but I don’t even know how to find her.”
Mariah furrowed her brow. “What do you mean, Ayla? Aren’t you two friends? Then why can’t you visit her?”
Ayla just gave a sad smile and said nothing more. Instead, she left after giving Mariah a quick, comforting pat on the shoulder.
Mariah dramatically closed her eyes. Her efforts had come to nothing. Ironically, an ominous feeling now settled over her. It seemed that even Ayla didn’t know Rowena’s exact whereabouts.
Mariah had reached a dead end. She had no idea how else to find out Rowena’s whereabouts. The uncertainty gnawed at her, and it came to a head one night when she overheard a conversation between Graham and Kendrick.
“I’ve confirmed it, Alpha. The anonymous letter warning us of the Nimbria Pack’s sudden attack came from Rowena.”
*