Chapter 79

ARCHER

I follow the witches inside the cabin, but Sage motions me to follow her to a room.

"You can place Mila down in here," she said, opening the door to a bedroom.

"This room is mine," she murmured as I walked past her and placed little dove on the bed. I ensured her hair was out of her face by placing it behind her ear. I turned around and noticed a blanket at the foot of the bed and grabbed it, placing it over her.

I couldn't help but stare at her. She looked peaceful.

"You care about her like a daughter," whispered Sage, which made me look at her, but my eyes went back to little dove.

"She saved me when she was a child," I murmured, "I will never forget that."

I looked up as Sage met my eyes. Her eyes were holding so much, but she wasn't letting any of it out to let me know what was up with her.

"She is intrigued by us," murmured Drack, moving slightly in my head. "She knows more about our kind but has never seen us up close."

I didn't say anything.

Sage sighed and turned to leave.

I quickly glanced at little dove once more as her soft snores filled the room. She needed to rest, but I needed answers.

I turned away and headed out the door toward what looked like a lounge.

There sat all four people that came here, with Luke on the side, staring at me.

I knew he was worried about Mila, and so was I.

I walked over to the opposite side of the couch and sat in a comfy chair. My eyes scanned over the four people in front of me, but realization swept in; they were all kids.

Drack sniffed the air, "They are all different shifters," he murmured, confirming my suspicions.

I glanced behind the couch where two of the witches were huddled together, but the one who was with me earlier stopped talking and stared at me. I knew she wasn't my mate, but something about her intrigued me more. Something about her had me wondering who she was, but I didn't know why.

Someone cleared their throat, making me look toward Sage, who stood in front of the fire.

Everyone stared at her.

"I know we all have questions," she said, but her eyes went to the four young ones and stared hard, "but the question I have is, how the hell did you know to come here?"

I looked back at the young ones, but my niece spoke.

"That would be due to me," she said as she looked at Sage, but her eyes went to me. "My father and I mind link each other. He told me that you were heading here, and I grabbed who would follow me and ran while Aria was away."

I stared at her.

"She is your mum…" stated a witch from behind, but growls erupted from all four children. "She may have birthed us, but she was no mother," spoke the boy, "she kept ones who would follow her willingly around, but some didn't." He looked between the others but glanced back toward Sage and me, "we were kept in cages like animals," he growled.

I felt rage fill me.

Drack wanted nothing more than to rip the witch's head off her shoulders.

Then a thought came; the boy said Aria had left.

"Where is Aria now?" I asked.

Alanna looked at me and shrugged.

"We don't know now," she said, "but when we left, she was about to get someone to spy in the pack that was holding the white wolf."

I growled.

She was trying to see if she was still there.

"She must know by now that she is here," spoke one of the witches; I think her name's Dalia, "she must have had word from her spies or even felt her magic."

I looked at her; that was a worrying thought.

"I know no one has been in contact with her as I killed a few," she said, glancing at me as I remembered the motel where some rogues came after us, but little dove saved us then.

"I killed the ones standing around," she said, pulling me back from my thoughts and looking back at her, "there were three in the bushes waiting; I had to kill them to make sure no one gave her any word about finding Mila."

I gave her a slight nod.

"What do we do now?" asked another youngster, making me look at him.

A slow smile itched the corners of my mouth.

"You all must be tired," I spoke, "I would suggest having some food and sleep; we all have a long day tomorrow."

All four youngsters look at me, confused.

I sighed.

"We need to figure out what the next steps are," I said, gesturing to the adults, "you four need to sleep."

There was silence within the cabin until the third witch spoke, "I have made some stew," she said, "you all can rest. It might be a while till Mila wakes up."

"Are we safe here?" asked the four children, who looked younger than the others.

"We are," Sage said.

"We have magic here," she said, lifting her hand to reveal a light forming in her hand, "We won't let anything happen to you or Mila."

I looked at her, feeling slightly better by the thought.

I glanced at Luke, who was grinning.

"Come on," he said, "let's eat, and then we can sleep."

I wasn't feeling hungry.

I watched as everyone made their way to the little kitchen while I got up and headed to the window to look out.

There was no one outside, but eyes were looking at us.

"There is a pack not far from here," Sage said, standing next to me, "they have given me their word that they will stand guard."

I frowned.

"They didn't do a good job moments ago," I muttered, with Drack grunting in agreement.

"The rogues must have timed the border change," she said as I looked at her. Her eyes were glued to the outside.

How she looked outside made me wonder who she was searching for or longing for, more likely the answer.

"Her mate," murmured Drack in my head.

I stared at her.

"So, why is he out and not here with you?" I asked, making Sage look at me, confused.

"What are you on about?" she asked, but I gave her a knowing look.

Sage stared at me for a moment, she opened her mouth, but someone else spoke before she could, "here, this is for you," the third witch said as she came over to us. She hands me a bowl of soup with a spoon.

"I'm not…" I start to say, but she says, "You are hungry; it's the adrenalin from the attack and everything else. Eat."

I hold the bowl of soup, and the smell hits my nose.

I can't help but close my eyes as the smell takes over me. It smelt delicious.

I opened my eyes to the witch, but I was only met with one as Sage walked away.

I glanced around the room and spotted her; her eyes were on me, but when she realized I was staring at her, she mouthed, "Not a word."

I stared at her for a few moments.

Drack stared at her but cocked his head to the side.

"I think she is scared of what her friends might think," he suggests as I move my eyes from her and look at the other witch.

"You know you should eat," she said, "before it gets cold."

I nodded.

I walked over to the chair and sat down. The witch took the seat opposite me and smiled.

"I'm Everly," she said, "in case you were wondering."

I stared at her, feeling slightly bad as I had never asked her name.

I moved the spoon up from the bowl and took a mouthful of stew. As the food went into my mouth, all flavors came at once, which sent my mouth into a watering mess.

It was out of this world.

I couldn't help but moan, which made Everly giggle.

"That's what I like to hear," she said but stopped herself. Her cheeks flushed at the realization of what she said.

"I didn't mean…" she said and went quiet.

"It's ok," I said with a smile, "It's beautiful. We haven't had anything this delicious in so long."

"I agree with that," Luke called out, heading back into the lounge and sitting next to Everly.

"Dalia has placed the children in another room to sleep," he said, looking at me. He knew I wanted to get to know Alanna, but with everything that went on moments ago, everything went out the window.

The cabin was silent as everyone ate the stew and kept to themselves.

You could sense the atmosphere around the room as everyone tried to piece together what was going on, but more importantly, what the hell were we going to do next?