Chapter 64: Rejected by My Best Friend & Alpha

VIVIAN'S POV

"This is where we found you."

I looked at the ground where Killian was pointing; spots of blood were still covering the ground—my blood. Looking at Killian's face, I could tell he noticed, too. Chris's jaw was tense. No one was happy to be here, but they wanted answers.

I looked towards the tree line, feeling a pull. Chris and Killian watched me, waiting for me to react to my surroundings. I started walking, letting myself be guided. As we continued to walk, the tugging felt stronger. I'd been here. I'd come this way.

"Vivian? Where are we going?"

I held up my hand, silencing Chris. I needed to feel, not talk. I paused, closing my eyes, and turned, heading in another direction, further into the forest. Where were we headed?

Ivy started whimpering. She wasn't happy that we were returning to where we came from. Something here had scared her. The closer we got, the more I questioned if we should turn back. Chris and Killian would have to deal with not knowing what had happened to me.

I turned to say just that when I heard it. The laughter. The same laughter from my memory. "The wolf came back."

Chris and Killian's eyes shot to me as they flew into the air, suspended by their ankles. I twisted around, looking for where the laughter came from, joined by others. But I saw nothing. Ivy was whimpering loudly now, begging me to leave.

Suddenly, a figure appeared. A woman dressed in what looked like a dress made of leaves and vines. Her hair was knotted and unkempt, leaves and twigs haphazardly twisted throughout. She had dirt smeared across her face. Her eyes were icy blue, and her grin displayed brilliantly white teeth. "You came back."

"Who are you?" I stuttered.

Another figure appeared to the side of her, almost out of nowhere. They were dressed similarly but shorter. Then, there were others appearing, eight of them in total. And they surrounded me.

Killian yelled down. "Get away from her!"

The first woman held up her hand and flicked her wrist. I stared up at Killian as a vine slithered up his body to his mouth and wrapped around him to silence him. Chris opened his mouth to protest, and then a vine did the same to him.

I turned back to the woman. "How did you do that?"

"We are the Mothers of the Forest."

"I've never heard of you. How do you know me?"

"You don't remember?" she asked, stepping around me, looking me up and down.

She nodded toward one of her friends, who stepped forward and lifted her dress to expose her leg. Her leg had three deep cuts across it. It looked like it was healing. The woman leaned in. "You did that to Tatiana."

I gasped. "I'm so sorry."

She clapped her hands together. "It was nothing compared to what we did to you."

She continued circling me. "I don't remember. Can you fill me in? Please."

"Oh, wolf girl. Why should I do that? You spilled our blood. And then come back here. Trespassing and demanding answers."

I tightened my hands into a fist. "If you thought what happened to Tatiana was bad, wait until Chris and Killian shift. Killian is an Alpha."

The woman laughed. "And now you're threatening us? Girl, once we ran into you, we prepared. Don't you smell it?"

I sniffed. "No."

"Mooncrest Bloom. You may not be familiar with it. I wouldn't blame a simple wolf for being aware of nature like we are. But we've adorned ourselves with this lovely flower, so any shifter in our presence can't shift."

I narrowed my eyes. "So what do you want from me then?"

"I want you to apologize to Tatiana."

I looked at the woman, who didn't have an expression and stared blankly at me. "I'm sorry."

"Thank you. Now, for the information you seek, that doesn't come freely. I must get something in return."

"I just apologized. What else could you possibly want?"

She stopped in front of me. "But you do have something I want. I didn't realize it before, but I do now."

I stared at her, my nerves building. "And that is?"

"You're not a normal wolf girl. I can feel it. No, no. Something is special about you. I need your blood."

I gagged. "My blood? For what?"

"I need your blood to strengthen a spell I'm creating to strengthen the forest. To protect it. And I believe your blood is the key."

"Then why not just kill me and take it?"

"Your blood must be given willingly—the blood of the willing. I only need a little. Just...a bowl."

I held out my hand, hearing Killian and Chris making moans of protest against their vines. "Take it and tell me what happened."

The woman grinned and pulled out a small dagger. She motioned to Tatiana, who produced a small bowl. I waited as the bowl was held beneath my hand, and then the woman quickly slashed my hand. I cringed as blood began pouring from the gash.

When the bowl was filled, Tatiana came and collected it. I pulled my hand back, holding it against my shirt, trying to stop the bleeding. If I couldn't shift, I'm unsure how well my healing abilities would hold up around Mooncrest. The woman didn't look too concerned for me. "I did my part. Now spill."

She smiled. "Thank you. To answer your question, you came through here, trespassing the first time. And you smelled like the other one."

"The other one?"

"We attacked. You fought back. When we realized you were not, in fact, the other one, and I was quite impressed by your fight to live; we let you leave. But we all assumed you'd die."

She shrugged, turning away from me and motioning to the others. Chris and Killian slowly started to descend downward. I chased after her. "What other one are you talking about?"

The woman sighed, spinning around. "Now you have more questions?"

"Yes. You only gave me part of the story. What other one?"

"The one who is set on destroying our forest. She used to practice her dark magic with the trees. The one with hatred in her heart."

I stared at her. "Sarah?"

"Is that her name? Her hair was the color of the setting sun. She's evil. You smell of her. Stink of her. But...there's a goodness. I can sense it now. I can't sense evil. Before, I could only smell that stink."

"She's my half-sister."

"That would explain it then."

I chewed my lip. "What are you guys really?"

"Some call us Druids."

Chris and Killian were now fully down, shoving away the vines that had tied them up. Killian spoke up first. "Get away from her, Vivian!"

"Shut up, Kill."

The woman smiled. "I like you."

"We're at war with her."

She glared. "Do not take this war into the forest, or you'll find another force to be at war with."

I held up my hands. "Never. But if we had you on our side, this war could be much shorter. Come back with us, side with us. We could use your help."

The woman looked over at her friends. "We don't fight."

I scoffed. "Could have fooled me."

"We defend."

"If Sarah wins, do you think she'll leave the forest alone? She thinks she owns everything. Don't you want revenge for what she's done?"

Her eyes glinted with hatred. "She has killed so many spirits."

"Then fight with us. We can beat her."

Killian walked up behind me. "Vivian, don't. We don't need her."

A vine shot out and slapped him in the face. I stifled a laugh. "Killian, please. The women are talking."

"If we do this, I'll need another favor."

"Name it."

She looked at Killian. "His blood."

Killian glared at her. "As if, forest hag."

I gasped. "Killian!"

The woman just grinned. "Blood or no deal."

I grabbed Killian's arm. "Come on."

He groaned. "Fine. But not until we've won the war."

The woman tapped her lip. "Deal."

I grinned. "Deal."

She held out her hand, which I grabbed. A zap of electricty went through our hands. I cast a stunned glance at her. "What was that?"

"Our word is binding."

"Who are you?"

"I am Sylvara. I am Mother Nature."