Lyra’s POV

She mumbled something and the fire vanished.

I watched, astonished.

Witches didn’t exist in this region, not since the war that cleared them. Wasn’t Thakros’ father the one who led the war?

She fell on her knees, pleading.

“Please, mistress,” she begged. “Everyone knows I’m a witch and I have no powers, really. It’s just a trick.”

I lowered my brow. After eight hours coming to this place against my will, the last thing I needed was a witch who lied.

“Who are you?” I demanded. “State your name.”

She bowed. “Kaia. Your humble slave.”

“Slave.”

Of course. The Eastern pack had slaves, maltreated and unpaid. I stared at her dress. It was badly torn and terribly dirty. I figured she had been wearing that gown for years.

“If you’re sure it’s a trick, surely, you wouldn’t mind playing it before the Alpha. He should be entertained by it.”

She shook her head, stretching her hands for my shoes. I backed away, afraid her hands might be hot from the fire I had seen earlier.

“Alpha Thakros shouldn’t see me,” she begged.

“Why?” I asked.

“He has great expectations from -” she stopped and shook her head more. “He can’t see me.”

Alpha Thakros’ cruelty wasn’t news. I had heard about his wickedness and it was that quality that had made my father decide he would make a perfect partner to his wolfless daughter.

“Stand,” I commanded.

She stood, head bowed. I felt pity for her being a slave to Alpha Thakros. His cruelty towards women wasn’t hidden. But she was a witch.

“You’ll perform before the Alpha tonight,” I said.

I had been told that the Alpha was out hunting and would be back tonight. Maybe if I welcomed him with news that he had a witch hiding in his pack, I could strike a deal with him.

“I’ll help you,” she said. She pointed to my tummy without looking up. “Your pup. I’ll seal his scent so the Alpha can’t find out.”

I covered my stomach, sudddenly feeling naked.

“What are you talking about?” I demanded as though she was lying.

“I can smell your pup. Eight weeks old.”

I bit my lips. Speaking about the pup only reminded me of the betrayal from Prince Kaidos.

“Be quiet!” I declared.

She was right though. All along the journey, I had thought of what to do. Even though the pup was partly Kai, it was mine. All my life, I had been rejected by my father. I coulnd’t do the same to my pup.

And now, a witch claimed she could help me hide his scent. But for how long would I hide it from Alpha Thakros?

“And when the bump starts showing? What would I tell him?”

“I can…” she paused.

“Speak up.”

“I haven’t attained that level yet - but I can in a couple of weeks if you help me. I’ll unmask the scent and create an illusion in his head that the pup is his.”

I laughed. She must think I was a fool.

“Are you making fun of me?” I snapped. “If you’re so powerful, why are you still here?”

“With your help, Mistress, I can get the right herbs for the reawakening of my powers.”

I folded my hands. “And why should I believe you?”

“I’m just a single witch. What strength do I have against the powerful wolves of this pack?”

That was a given.

“Do it,” I said.

She raised her head now and I caught her green eyes. “Pardon, miss?”

“Hide the scent of my pup,” I said. “And if you can’t reawaken as you said you would, I would chop off your head personally.”

She stepped forward and I braced myself for trusting a witch.

Her hand was against my tummy and she mumbled something ancient.

“Lados geek vamos selenti…hide the scent of the pup from the mate as soon as the marriage is consummated."

She backed away.

“Are you sure this would work?” I asked.

She nodded.

I scoffed. I didn’t promise the witch any loyalty.

I stepped out and called the attention of two of the enforcers assigned to me. “Seize her!” I commanded. “She’s a witch and I’ve seen her remove flames from her fingers. Keep her locked until the Alpha returns. She’ll be my gift to him.”

And my negotiation.

My father may have thought he had gotten rid of me, even Kaidos must have thought so too. But I was surely returning to make them all pay.

The maid, stupefied by my betrayal, fell on her knees, and begged.

“Please, mistress,” she cried. “Please, don’t send me to Alpha Thakros.”

There was no going back from my decision.

I stepped out of the room to meet Aresia. I had promised her a lot of food today after battling with me the previous day. But she had journeyed with me for eight hours today. I needed to see if she was alright.

“Where are the stables?” I asked the enforcers clouding me.

They pointed. “Over the meadow.”

I nodded. “I want to be left alone,” I declared. “I’ll summon you when I need to.”

I saw the hesitation in their eyes but they didn’t follow me when I moved away. The journey to the meadow was a stretch. I was depleted and all I could think of was if Aresia had had enough food and water.

I heard her cries the moment I neared the stables. My heart broke.

“Oh, Aresia,” I cried.

I hastened towards the stable when suddenly, I felt the air strain with the striking of an arrow. It landed right in front of me.

I followed the direction of the arrow. A man dressed in a warrior’s uniform stood a few meters from me. He had a quiver of arrows.

“Who are you?” I demanded.

He walked towards me with a smirk I wanted to slap off so desperately.

“I should be asking,” he said. “But seeing that I’m in a good mood... Alpha Kael, cousin of Alpha Thakros and Alpha of the remaining West, Wolfswood pack.”

Wolfswood pack? What was that?

The Wolfunion was divided into three. The southern pack, the eastern pack,and the Western pack. The Northern area was the dystropian region, occupied by the humans. I was well versed in geography to be fooled by a man dressed like a clown.

“Now, I’ll ask the question,” he said. “Who are you?”

There was no point introducing myself in a title I didn’t want to be addressed as. I drew my sword from my scabbard.

“I’ll let my sword do the introduction.”