Rejected Mate and Following Fate - Awakening Book
Chapter 84: Follow Them

“Maybe we can speed between goal posts?” I point out, meaning from perch to perch where thecrows are, we could hyper speed then wait on them to move, and go again. Which is exactly whatwe do the second we see them land further on and move to go. Racing to the next set of trees inthe blink of an eye and the birds move again, in a game of follow me.“I hope to god this is not some crazy idea and we're not just following some random flock of ravenswho are just trying to get away. I mean we're kinda just assuming.” Meadow quips in and I giggleout of pure nervousness and frustration and also doubt. Maybe she's right and were insanelyfollowing birds that have nothing to do with this. We just assumed, given Sierra’s text and then theirfreakish behavior that we should, and who knows, maybe their curiosity has them come to us, butmistrust pushes them to move further away when we get too close.We hyper speed to the next set of trees that are further into overgrown landscape, light failing us, asthey land on and do this four more times, covering a fair bit of distance in the shortest time. Theymaybe can't speed like we can, but by air they can cover further ground than a normal human canwalk, in a third of the time. So were making progress and we seem to be heading into denser woodand more of a forestry sort of weird space that's neither green and luscious or sandy and rocky, butsomewhere in between. It's like a drying up, almost dead wood but dense enough to seem like it'snot. Eerie, something haunting about it as shadow’s lengthen across the ground and noises of nightcreatures start to come out subtly around us. We move fast, ignore the building anxiety that soon itwill be pitch black and hope we are heading somewhere less rural, that maybe there's a house at theend of this trail.“This place is weird” I point out when we stop again and wait for the birds to move, kicking awaydead tumbleweed that's grazing my ankle and taking note of the terrain that's way too abundant inplants for the desert like soil beneath us. It's almost mystical in itself that something seeming so dryand arid can have so much vegetation.“I get creepy vibes too.” Carmen admits in a low voice, seemingly aware that we're not alone outhere in the wilderness as multiple eyes start to shine from distant brush. Large and small animalstaking note of our alien presence and peeking because they can obviously tell we're not justwandering human. Animals tend to avoid the scent of wolves at a very large distance in this outerworld.We move again as soon as the birds settle once more, this stop and start game that's becomingtiring the farther we plod on. We have come off the path a few trees back and now seem to bewading through wasteland of some sort with no sign of houses, manmade light, or roads in thefront where we're heading. Just dead trees blocking our view and lots of rocks for as far as the eyecan see.“I've got no signal on the cell either.” Carmen sighs, aggravated, and hands Meadow back her cellshe had brought from the truck. “So, we can't even check with Sierra if we're heading the right way.”She adds with a furrowed brow and a stern expression making my last traces of hope fizzle out, likebeing drained of the last ounces of energy."God dammit” Meadows chirps in and slides it into her pocket after checking for herself. Mutteringunder her breath about cursed witches and damned nightfall, which only serves to make my hacklesrise and my skin goosebump all over as the sun edge further down towards the horizon and the airturns cooler for lack of it.I look up at the sky at the last dregs of fading light and back at the birds and really start to wonderat the likelihood of vampires being out here in this nothing space by chance if darkness comes fullybefore we get anywhere. It's looking likely and even though we have nocturnal vision, I would ratherhave found a safe haven before they can come lurking out from their holes and crevices to walk theworld. I know with my gifts it's harder for vampires to really take us down and I know Meadow canhold her own, possibly Carmen too, although I haven't witnessed it yet, I would rather not have tofight and battle for survival if we don't have to.Three more tree stops, and we can't see the truck behind us anymore at all as its so far away andobscured by the trees and rocks we have passed. This seems to be taking us much further than anylocation Sierra sent and I'm starting to wonder if this is even right. My gut telling me that weshouldn't be so trusting, and maybe we shouldn't keep trying to push forward without an end insight.“We should turn back. I don't like this, and I don't see an end to where we're going.” It's Meadow,verbalizing my exact thoughts, sounding pensive, looking overly alert, and I guess she too is feelingit. Picking up on the empty air, the cold aura of this place, and the suspicion of foreign eyeswatching us from all angles. It's hard to defend when out in the open like this and we have notactical advantage, especially with only three of us. I turn to her with a stiff expression, my stomachsinking at the thought of coming this far only to now give in. I know it's what I wanted, what myinstincts are screaming at me, but my heart is telling me it’s not the right thing to do. I want Coltonhome, sooner, not later, and waiting another night seems like an endless eternity. I open my mouthto try and talk this out and am rendered mute as a stranger's husky brogue echoes around usclearly."Well, that would be a shame, seeing as you only just got here.” A female voice startles us fromsomewhere to the left, sounding almost smug, definitely confident, and so clear and loud it ringsthrough as if spoken right at our ears. We can't see anyone at all, and we all turn instinctually, clawsripping out and teeth baring as we crowd together back-to-back to make one fierce bubble of wolfaggression. Leaning down, poised and ready to turn as eyes glow with intention and every red alertsignal explodes inside my body."Who are you? Who said that?” I call out harshly, my voice laced with a growl as my heart hammersthrough my chest like a ward rum and a rustle of some nearby bushes alerts us to a dark figureslowly walking into the clearing. We three seem to shift into an almost crawl pose, so ready to fightand take down our intruder, hackles rising, blood pumping and unified in both awareness, alertaggression, and yet heavy wariness.She steps into view, although shrouded in shadow but I can still make out that she’s wearing a longblack cloak, hood up which is oversized and seems to frame her head in a sinister way. Her entireface and body is concealed in both fabric and shadow and she stops just within vision to look at usfrom her bold position, no hint of fear at all. The largest of the ravens flies over and lands on heroutstretched hand which appears when it gets close, showing a smooth almost youthful skin as itappears from under dark cloth and a slender wrist adorned with bangles and vintage jewelry. In thedarkness her skin is so pale it almost glows like a beacon and we gawp at her in both apprehensionand surprise. I figure we all had ideas on what a three-thousand-year-old witch would look like andso far this isn't it."Why, aren't the lass you've been looking for? So why are you planning on toddling away?” heraccent is thick, sing songy, and foreign. I guess Scottish, if that's where Sierra said she was from. Itsounds a little rustic, yet warm and she has a pleasing voice to listen to that pulls you in andintrigues. No hint of any kind of American twang at all and yet she peaks clearly in an almostteasing and clear way."Are you Leyanne Cruden?” Meadow queries, even though we both know this can't be anyone else.Lurking out here with these birds, wearing a stereotypical witch's cloak and showing face as themoon hits its highest point. She's definitely spooky and my nerves twang so tight I reckon it won'ttake much to snap them fully.“Depends who's asking? Depends on what they want?” she laughs, a low almost husky andseductive sound, like rolling waves, that echoes around us eerily and the hint of bold confidenceand lack of fear completely unnerves me. She doesn’t seem to care that three highly aggressivewolves are homed in defense and she is the target.“I'm Alora Santo, Sierra Santo sent us to replace you because we need your help.” I relax my stance andturn my claws and teeth away, nudging Meadow and Carmen to do the same in a show that we'renot here to harm her. Only Carmen obeys with a sigh and straightens up beside me, while Medsstays in protector mode, sticking to me like glue. I can feel the vibrations from her as she growlsunder her breath and refuses to relent.“I know...... there's not much that goes on around here that I don't know about. My birds have verygood ears. So, welcome, Miss Alora Santo.” She smiles, showing whitest teeth in the hints of herpale face, just barely visible from the shade of her hood and yet it still makes my unsure of her.Every cell in my body is in alert still, stiff and bristled all over because something in me doesn't wantto trust this stranger yet.I squint at the crows and recall her words, casting a glance at Meadow, not entirely sure what shemeans about birds and ears and certain we never once mentioned her around these damned birds. Ithink she’s maybe a little bit insane, or else she’s making she knows more than she does."So, if you know why we're here, then I guess we shouldn't beat around the bush and ask if you willhelp.” It feels kind of rude to just invade her territory and blurt it out, but it's put me completely offkilter having her seem to know who we are and so smug about it. She's not exactly welcoming andso far, she seems to like indirect answers and word play. It doesn't really signal a friendly soul.“It's getting late.” She points out, ignoring my question completely, in fact acting like I haven'tspoken, and instead looks to the sky with a sigh. I still can't make out anything about her featuresother than she seems to have a youthfulness to her. It's hard to put a finger on it, more than seeingher hand, but I get the vibes she is not that much older than Sierra physically. Mid-thirties at most.I've heard all about witches using anti-aging seduction, masking appearances to lure, and means topull in innocents to trust them...or was that sirens? I forget. The books down under the house haveso many supernatural species and I don't recall which sometimes, or what ones we should never bedrawn in by. Either way, her presence is giving me the heeby jeebies.“Not to be rude but, we are aware, and we don't like being out after dark, so if you could, you know,get to the point. You know who we are, what we want and hence.... we really need an answer.”Carmen comes right out with it in that haughty bitchy tone of hers, no warmth, only dry boredomand superiority, and for once it doesn’t annoy me. I mean its rude as hell, and I admire her total lackof fear around this witch, but she does have a point. I don't want to be standing out here like thisfor the rest of the night. This witch has no concept of how dangerous it could be for us, or the fact,we do still need sleep and food before dawn.“The jilted lover.... So full of anger and attitude. It's like you're a very full sponge, who has sooked upall the toxins in the world. A little squeeze and it all comes squirting out in the most unattractiveway.” She chuckles, that same girly, yet not young, sound that washes over us and the crow seemsto cackle in response along with her. An evil vibrating noise that grates on my nerves. I swear itlaughs at us. It's that same little window tapping asshole from earlier and I mentally add her deviousmini sidekick to my kill list should this turn bloody.Carmen on the other hand falls silent and glares at her with a great level of mistrust, eyes gleamingorange in the dark, full on hostility leaching out from every pore, given she does seem to know ahell of a lot. I'm certain we never said anything of the sort near her birds at all about carmen beingColton’s ex or my being the reason he left her."How do you know so much about us, and don't say your birds hears us. Because that's bullshit aswe haven't said a thing about her love life since we got here!” Meadow is the one with the hostiletone now, biting in, full on mama bear mode initiated as she steps in front of me and seems to growtaller. I can feel her unease and suspicion all around me, tainting the air and feeding my worry. Shedoesn't like this witch and she certainly doesn't think we're safe with her."Did I say it was these specific birds? You've come far my wee pets; you look like you needsomewhere to sit and maybe a hot drink to calm that unwise rise of attitude. Know who you'retalking to and learn when to be silent!” The tone loses that almost friendly air and that superioredge and biting tone change the atmosphere completely. It's an icy statement that makes Carmensound like an amateur in terms of scolding and there's a hint of power and superiority that can onlycome from someone knowing their skillset trumps yours. She slides back her hood as she steps fullyout from her space, releasing her raven to fly back to his perch, the rising moon glowing somehowbrighter at her command and we're faced with a woman who looks no older than her late twentiesat most.She's pretty in a wholesome sort of a way visually, yet shrouded in maturity, underlying darkness,and wisdom, that gives her an older presence. Not outstanding, unearthly, stunning beauty, but shehas definite attractiveness and a natural unmade up face with zero lines or wrinkles. She's seductive,yet somehow looks pure, untainted by the world and has a fire in her eyes that suggests she’s awarrior at heart. She has a likeability, a sense of calm and control that makes you feel like you needthis woman to tell you what to do next. A born queen, under her dark robes and almost Celtic style,flowing layers of longs skirts, boho attire, which has a mix of era's in one outfit. She looks exactlyhow I thought a witch should look, if she was eternally young and beautiful.Not bad at all for a three-thousand-year-old who has probably seen and interacted in more warsthan we can imagine. It's not her looks that pull you completely in though, it's her aura. There's anatmosphere around her, of great power, crackling energy, pure clear oxygen fizzing up the tempo,and the steady unruffled gaze as she locks eyes on me completely throw me off. Dark, almondshaped almost catlike eyes that have a hint of exotic beauty about them. Deep and endless and waydarker than Colton’s brown eyes. She's terrifying. Like the kind of woman who would kiss you on thelips before driving a steak right through your heart and smiling sweetly as she did so. She's utterlyintimidating.“Look, we're sorry. It's been a long journey and a lot of stress. We don't mean to be rude; we justweren't sure if we could trust you. Or if you are her...Leyanne Cruden! You still haven't confirmed!” Itry for the smoothing over and calming things approach, my mediation skills as Luna, but shethrows her head back and laughs heartily. Like she just heard the funniest joke of the year and isn'tshy about expressing her amusement.“You come looking for me and yet I'm the one that's not to be trusted, oh pet.... You really are a bitbackwards. Who else would I be?” It's a chuckle, as she regains composure, wipes a tear form thecorner of her eye and shakes her robes around her to rearrange them back to neatness. I'm startingto think this one is a bit insane.“Truth be told, you can't trust me... you can't really trust anyone. Everyone has a line that they'llcross for the right persuasions, even my kind. No one is every truly trustworthy, even your sistershere.” She smirks, rolling her r's in her sing song accent, hearty scots, and walks a step forward toclose the gap between us and it takes all my will power not to step away. She's suffocating with justa foot forward, that energy eating me alive and I realize it's my ability to feel others that's causing it.I can sense, taste, feel, her brimming power and incomparable amounts of magic within herpossession. Like she carries a constant death fence of electricity around her at all times. It makesSierra seem human in comparison.I want to venomously defend my Meadow and maybe even Carmen too, but sense tells me to bequiet and ignore her insults concerning my being able to trust my pack sisters. This witch seems tolike word play, and maybe mind games, and I definitely do not trust her. I have never met anyonelike her before.“I would die for her. So you can eat that and choke on it, Chica.” Meadow loses her cool, spittingvenom, obviously offended enough to not stay quiet as her pride is bruised and I grasp her hand toquiet her, and groan at her words. Flinching inwardly that this witch just told us to heed her andhere Meds is, poking the bear.“Want to prove it? I mean, I'm willing, and we do have a nice quiet night for it.” Leyanne chucklesagain, that hearty, brash, mocking laugh, throwing back her cloak over her shoulders to reveal asculpted upper bodice of her dress, sort of romantic and flouncy around the neckline, with jewelrythat give her a completely earth momma vibe that's not entirely weird. I kind of dig it but it'sdefinitely something that would stand out in the human world, unless sit was some sort of cottagegore convention. Even without the huge black cloak with an extra pointed long tail on her hood. Thegirl likes to look the part of what she is, I guess."Are we wasting our time? Should we just leave?” I blurt out in frustration at how this is going andstep in front of Meadow again, reinforcing my position as leader, hoping to god we can just turnand go and replace another way if this isn't it. My mate is back there, he needs me to figure this out,and I don't want to waste hours of my life on someone pointless who just wants to spur my girlsinto fighting."So quick to give in, wee one. Not much Luna quality in that. Do I scare you? Are you intimidated?”She whispers it in a mock tone, smug and winking as a smile haunts her full lips. No sense of herbeing rattled by us at all and I wonder just how powerful she is to stand up to three glaring femmesand not give an actual crap about consequences. She turns her back on us, throwing us a gleefullook over her shoulder and gestures with a tilt of her head. “Follow me, if you're brave enough, and Iguess you'll see if I was worth the journey. Don't dawdle.... it's dark, you know?” She sniggers withher last sarcastic words, and seems to sway off with a steady walk, looking like she owns this landand is walking a red carpet, rather than a dirty sandy scrub with nothing around.She doesn’t wait on any kind of response at all, so sure of herself and our need of her, and walks offinto the darkening wood to seemingly disappear. We hesitate, all three standing firm and throwingglances to one another, expressions ashen, faces pale, before Meadow shoves me forward to follow.ooo