Chapter 61

Paula

The whole day feels like a fever dream. Who could’ve imagined just two hours ago that now I’d be riding a goddamn wolf three times as big as my motorbike? It would’ve sounded ridiculous! And yet here I am, doing exactly that in the middle of the night like I’m in some kind of movie about werewolves and vampires. Wait, what if vampires are real too? I’ll have to ask Gray when…when everything is over.

I clutch Harry’s fur, staring in front of me, feeling my chest pull tighter at the thought of Gray. I haven’t gotten any visions about him since the one in the settlement, and honestly? I shouldn’t be complaining. It was a blessing—I’ve never had two visions at once. But my power is the only way to know if he’s alright, if he’s still…I shake my head, not allowing myself to finish the sentence, and look up.

God, I’d give anything to let him know we’re coming to get him.

Traveling on a wolf turns out to be efficient and even fun. Harry, Owen, and Abel are carrying us through the forest, three shadows of different colors flashing through the night. Even though it’s clear that they’re going nowhere near top speed, they still weave between the trees and jump over the roots as if it’s nothing. I can see and feel the true nature of their spirits, and it’s thrilling down to my bones to feel their power underneath my palms, the spirits’ magic thrumming on the tips of their fur.

It’s fascinating to sense Harry’s power, but…will Gray ever allow me to ride him like this? Will I ever be able to press myself closer to him and bury my face in the softness of his fur? I swallow and automatically grip Harry tighter as we jump down a steep rock. My thoughts keep turning back to Gray, I can’t help it. Whenever I lose focus and allow my mind to wander, it’s always him that I think about—and it’s time to admit that it’s been like that for a while now. Not hours but days, maybe even weeks.

It doesn’t make sense though. Why would I keep thinking about him? Gray doesn’t even like me, and his opinion about my powers is pretty damn clear. And yet…he kissed me, he touched me, we had sex, and I didn’t force him, right? I offered what I wanted to give, and I know it wasn’t just a simple ‘have fun and let go’ for Gray either. There was something deeper in his eyes when we looked at each other in the shadows of his room, and that memory gives me strength and so much hope to keep going.

We’ll find him, for sure. We’ll find him, and it’s gonna be alright. Everything is gonna be alright.

The race to the base of the mountain takes less than an hour, but even so, I feel my thighs and legs nag and groan a little as I climb off Harry’s back. When I mounted him for the first time, it felt overwhelming and dangerous, and in any other circumstances I’d have given up on the idea entirely. But if I wanted to go with them, I had to get over it, so I just clutched Harry’s fur for dear life while he walked around the settlement, letting out huffs that sounded like laughter whenever I yelped in response to his fast and sharp moves.

But Asya and Rorie clearly had no trouble adjusting themselves to their wolves, so I watched them, copied them, and allowed myself to trust Harry’s strength. I had a goal in mind—Gray, I was doing this for Gray— and after we started off, I dug my fingers into Harry’s fur and refused to budge even as he started to run. It didn’t take long to get used to it, and all that was left was to pray for my glasses not to fall off.

“Should I leave you a tip?” I ask, patting Harry’s neck with a jokingly patronizing tone.

Somehow, when he’s in his wolf form, I don’t feel like I’m talking to a man at least twice as old as me. Luckily, Harry doesn’t look offended. He only huffs in response, shaking his head, and when he looks up, I notice a glint of amusement in his brown eyes. Sweet. Perhaps, we can get along.

“Let’s see if we can cross the road,” Asya says from behind me. When I turn around, she nods at the treeline and gestures for both me and Rorie to follow.

We are exactly in the middle of the valley between Fox and Rabbit Mountains, the line of the highway dividing it into two parts. The same forests cover the slopes on both sides of the valley, but now I see the opposite side in a new light. The territory of witches, they said. What does that mean? Is it good because we are witches—or is it bad because we’re with shapeshifters? I’ve heard enough to realize the two don’t get along.

While I study the forest on the other side of the road, the lights of a car flash in the distance, and Asya glances behind her shoulder and gestures for the wolves to step back. We wouldn’t want a curious driver to bring the news about a pack of giant wolves into Raywald, right? We stay silent, watching the lights, but the car passes by without even slowing down.

“Okay, let’s go,” Asya says after a few seconds, checking both sides, and moves forward with a gesture to follow.

We cross the road as quickly as possible and disappear into the woods on the other side, my heart weirdly nervous at the thought of entering the unknown place. Well, it’s not entirely unknown—I spent plenty of time here when I was a child. But now, somehow, everything on this side of the road looks eerie.

“I think it’s better for us to walk on our feet,” Rorie says when Abel nudges her with his muzzle and nods behind. Clearly, he doesn’t mind carrying his girlfriend wherever she pleases.

“Harry said Gray is safe there for now,” Asya adds thoughtfully and glances at me as if waiting for whatever I have to say. Maybe they’re right, but the image of Gray groaning in pain is too clear.

The fear of losing time is strong, and I shrug nervously. “It’ll take longer.”

“But we will be safer. There would be no help from us if we get caught in another curse.” Asya looks at Owen for confirmation, and after a few seconds of deep thought, he nods and turns to go deeper into the woods. “Ah, honey, you aren’t going at the front, are you? You’ll trigger a trap before we even think about saving you.”

Owen grumbles in displeasure but stops, staring at Asya with what looks like a frown. But on a wolf, it doesn’t look that impressive, trust me. He glares at her for a long moment, but it doesn’t bother Asya at all—she holds his gaze with pursed lips and shakes her head until Owen grumbles again and visibly gives up. He turns away and allows her to go forward with an obviously annoyed expression.

“It’s an alpha thing,” Asya says when she catches my surprised glance, and Owen huffs somewhere to the right. I’ve always known they’re special, but damn, what a couple.

“Oh, guys, wait,” Rorie calls out suddenly and digs into her backpack. Is she gonna take out Abel’s clothes already? But no, Rorie pulls out a couple of little bags with hand-drawn weird symbols. “I picked up a few charms at home. They’re supposed to help find a missing person, but I think I can use them to find a better path.”

Huh? I blink, staring at the bags. Is she…Okay, I know she’s a witch, but I didn’t know it works like that. Is that why she insisted on dropping by her house before we went to the settlement? Damn, and I had been so annoyed about the delay.

While I look at her in confusion, Rorie pushes one of the bags back into her backpack while grasping the other one tighter and looks at Harry.

“Will you help me?”

He eyes the bag warily but nods, and the two of them take the lead, guiding us into the forest.

At first, it looks exactly the same as the one we just left. Same trees, same rocks, same scents. It’s not surprising, considering the mountains are almost a reflection of each other. But the further we go, the more restless Abel and Owen become, glancing around and exchanging silent gestures that I’ll never understand. I don’t need to hear them to feel it too. There’s a barely distinguishable buzz in the air that penetrates the eerie silence of the night, and even the air is tense and full of hidden eyes watching us whenever we step.