Chapter 5 The Meeting of Fate
Amara’s POV
The air altered as soon as Rowan crossed the Obsidian boundary. His wolf continued to growl low, his chest heaving with anger, but what stopped me was the hurt, untamed, and desperate expression in his human eyes.
"Come with me, Amara," he ordered in a gruff voice. Right now.
Despite my heart beating like thunder, I remained upright. "No."
He furrowed his brows. "You are Lichen's property. You are my friend.”
I moved closer and said firmly, "I belonged to Lichen before you cast me out." "Please pay attention," I pleaded. You turned away. You allowed them to curse me.”
He tightened his jaw. "I was mistaken."
Kian took a position next to me. "She won't be leaving."
Rowan's gaze flickered. "Remain away from this."
Kian didn't recoil. "No. Not until she is at last secure.
There was a crack of tension between them. Like a rope on the verge of breaking, I could feel the connection between them both and myself drawing tight.
I snapped, "I'm not a prize for you two to fight over." "I'll decide where to go."
Rowan's eyes grew softer. "Then pick me."
However, I said nothing.
Rowan discovered me at the crystal spring by myself later that night. Above, the stars glistened, yet my mind was troubled.
"Please, Amara." The sharpness had gone from his voice. "You must comprehend... I had no idea what Lilith was up to. I had faith in her.”
Slowly, I turned to face him. “Yes, she did lie to you. However, you still decided to think the worst of me.”
His hands shaking, he took a step closer. “She displayed to me phony scrolls, phony markings, and authentic items. I—I believed I was keeping the pack safe.”
"And who kept me safe?" I inquired.
He gasped.
“Rowan, I needed you. I needed my partner. And as if I were nothing, you let them cast me into a horrible jungle.”
With tears in his eyes, he fell to his knees in front of me. "I committed the greatest error of my life. I would stop at nothing to reverse it.”
I could still feel the pain in my chest from how he used to hold me. His laugh gave me the impression that everything was safe. But now I could also see Kian's face. His coziness. His constant presence.
I muttered, "I'm not sure if I can forgive you." "Not just yet."
A roar ripped through the darkness before he could say another word. Immediate. Terrified.
Both of us turned.
A warrior with blood on his shirt dashed through the trees. "There's an attack on the border village!"
Face hard, Kian emerged from the shadows. "By whom?"
The warrior gave a headshake. Not by whom. What? Beasts of the shadow. Wolves were cursed. Dozens of them. Nothing can stop them.
"The Hollow Witch"
I felt cold. The dream. The idea. The caution.
Rowan's tone faltered. "She's back."
We hurried back to the Obsidian Pack's center. The warriors hurried to prepare their defenses ready. Fearfully, elders whispered. Smoke and black magic filled the air.
I took Mira's hand. "We must take action."
"You're not prepared," she cautioned. "You just started to wake up."
"But more people will perish if we wait."
I sensed that tug once more that night when the moon rose blood-red in the sky. The magic. The wind's whisper.
A dazzling burst of light behind my eyes caused me to drop to my knees.
A vision then drew me in.
I was enveloped by darkness. Chilly. Never-ending.
Then I caught sight of her.
"The Hollow Witch"
With her face concealed by a veil and her robes trailing like smoke, she emerged from the shadows.
My breath caught as she raised it.
"Mother of Ryan?" I said.
Her eyes were terrible and limitless, like searing stars. "You recall," she remarked. "All right. That will simplify things.”
I remarked, "You should be dead."
She chuckled. "Death is a door.” “I just went through it."
"What are you looking for from me?"
Waves of strength rolled off her as she took a step closer. "You, Priestess. The key is you. Moon and shadow are connected by this bridge. I will burn everything you hold dear if you don't give me your soul.”
Gasping, I staggered back. "No."
She chuckled. "Death is a door.” “I just went through it.”
"What are you looking for from me?"
Waves of strength rolled off her as she took a step closer. "You, Priestess. The key is you. Moon and shadow are connected by this bridge. I will burn everything you hold dear if you don't give me your soul.”
Gasping, I staggered back. "No."
As she held up her hand, I noticed that Rowan, Kian, and the Obsidian Pack were all burning behind her.
"Select," she said. "Or they all pass away."
I cried out—
And awoke on the ground, trembling and out of breath.
At my side, both Kian and Rowan had pale, terrified faces.
But I was unable to talk.
Because I could still hear her voice.
"I'll burn everything you love if you don't give me your soul."
I took off running. My feet stomped on blood-stained mud. Smoke was heavy in the air. The night was full of snarls and cries. I pushed harder, my breath rasping in my chest. Amara, hurry up. You are needed by them.
Cottages along the Obsidian boundary were licked by flames. In the smoke, shadows moved in ways that were abnormal for any creature. The smell of decay, the iron tang of blood, and burned hair made me gag.
"Amara! "Follow me!" From someplace in the mist, Kian yelled.
I didn't listen, though. Ignoring the sting of ash in my eyes, I sprinted past the broken fence.
My heart tightened.
There were bodies all over the place. Wolves ripped apart, their blood scalding on the chilly ground. The throats of the villagers were torn out. Even worse, several of them had black eyes but were still moving and crawling.
Damned.
I went cold. In my head, Selene, my wolf, whimpered. They're deranged. That is what she did.
I moved closer. Writhing on the ground, one of the cursed wolves snapped its jaws. Under its fur, black veins surged. Darkness foamed in its mouth.
It rasped, "Please…"
I dropped to my knees. "I'm present. Stay put. I can assist.
"Amara!" Kian's voice approached once again.
I shut him out. I pushed my trembling fingertips on the wolf's forehead. Cold and clean, moonlight rose in my palm.
"Clean this pollution, spirits of the moon. "Set him free," I said.