31

She opens her eyes but keeps her hand steady as the chain manipulates itself and tugs the stone towards a part of the world to her left. She follows gently, allowing it to guide her as though somehow, it’s now a little life of its own, a dog on a leash pulling it’s master home with impressive strength for such a feeble little object.

We watch in awe as it tugs her until it reaches the American states and draws up nearer to where we are in the north, pulling up past the border. It lingers around New Mexico before pulling the tip down and planting with an aggressive dip on an area within that section of the map. It’s just left off the center of New Mexico on this map and at least in our part of the world and not overseas in Scotland!

“She’s not that far. That’s like a seven-hour drive if we don’t stop.” Meadow chimes in, squinting at the map carefully and obviously a little frustrated we don’t have a more specific and detailed map to get a more precise location. We have a vague spot on a map that condenses the entire world and she’s right. Arizona to New Mexico is not that far but we will have to drive.

“The biggest problem is getting out past the fog.” I point out and Meadow frowns, taking a moment to think hard and then focuses on me with a very serious expression.

“Your powers, you can clear a path until we get out. Hopefully the fog isn’t widespread. That means you and I, chica, we have to go together.” I quiet and think of what she says, seeing the possibility in it and nod as I agree without hesitation.

“It’s too dangerous. You can’t go out there. The pack is circling its own people ready to take on any of you who venture out. What about vampires? Or the witch that did this?” Sierra grasps my hand and clings on tight, painfully so, gripping my fingers with white fierceness, eyes washing with instant tears and fear, and her light of hope seems to vanish in the reality that I might go out and not return either. She sees me as her second child and her intense maternal need to protect me almost chokes me half to death as I feed from her panic.

“If we don’t then how else are we supposed to save them? We can’t wait on the spell ending, because it might never. Are we supposed to leave them out there, like they’re dead? What about when we run out of supplies, or the witch finds a way to breach our border?” I respond anxiously, trying to keep my voice steady and patient as though dealing with a fearful and fragile child. Knowing that she’s right and it’s not safe but at the same time, it’s our only solution so far. I can’t live without Colton, even if he’s close and cursed for an eternity. I can’t live with my pack in a zombified state of feral, pacing our borders with a bloodlust against our own kind.

“There has to be another way. Maybe that’s not what the book meant. Maybe I’m wrong.” Sierra releases me and goes back to yanking books to her, a look of pain on her face, determination to find a different path as tears fill her eyes while flicking through them somewhat erratically.

“You said the books will give an answer. And they did. If she’s as powerful as you say, then we have to do this. It can’t be a coincidence that a Scottish witch is seven hours away from us when we need her. That the book jumped to her name, and the bottle so freely dragged us to where she is. Maybe the fates are pushing us to her?” I point out. Afraid that what we’re about to do is not safe but determined to save Colton and bring him home. To save Cesar, the subs and my extended pack. I once doubted the fates and yet they never abandoned me. They brought me to her, to my new home, to my love, and so many answers I never knew I needed before. They brought me to position of Luna and I have learned to never judge, doubt, or ask questions when the fates are showing me a path I may not understand.

“The fog, Alora.” Sierra despairs, but this time it’s Meadow who chimes in. Her own face set with a stubborn air, knowing this is what we need to do.

“And the only way we can think so far to get rid of it and take its power away, is right here in front of us.” She taps on the little symbol of Leyanne Cruden’s mark in the book beside the locator spell and narrows her eyes. “Can you take it away? Break the spell? Can we? No, nosotras no podemos so we go get someone who can.” Meadow is in harsh mode, that version that often talks sense into me when I am dwindling. The commander who stands by Colton’s side and I see a return of some of her fierce now she has her sights set of doing something to undo what’s happened.

I lean over to grasp Sierra’s hand and as I pass the vial close by my wrist, where she left it, it starts to glow crazily bright so that it instantly stings my eyes and I gasp and recoil.

“What the hell?” Meadow and I sing out in unison and Sierra slumps down and cradles her face. A whimper of agony as fresh tears roll down her face and she seems instantly defeated.

“The potion is calling out to its maker…. you need to take it with you. It’s a token of proof. That you come from this home and this bloodline. It’s a sign Alora, that the book was right, and we shouldn’t argue. It’s our answer…. even if I don’t want it to be so.” She cries softly into her palms and my heart pines for her, feeling the despair and knowing the why. I know there is only fear and genuine concern at its root, because she doesn’t do well with danger or loss since she woke. She’s afraid that I won’t come back, in the same way Colton hasn’t and she can’t bear it. Sierra isn’t as strong as she once was and the thought of the people she loves leaving her is something she is working on.

“Colton can’t come home to us unless we do. And all three of us will be together again. Don’t cry for what needs to be done. Look after our people, be their Luna in my absence. We will only be a couple of days.” I move to her and wrap my arm around her shoulder, rubbing her delicate frame and wishing I knew how better to take away her heartache and terror for what must be done.

“No, I should come.” She tries in a last attempt to cling to me but I only shake my head looking for a way to explain why she needs to stay. I need her to stay here and be safe, for my own sanity.

“We should keep our entourage to a minimum. Maybe just the two of us. We are what’s left of the strongest and with our powers combined we should be okay. Someone needs to lead the people and keep them sane.” Meadow tries to reinforce my decisions, voices what I don’t know how to explain, and Sierra stifles a sob loudly. Lifting up to turn and cling to me with a possessive hug around my body,

“Travel only by day, find a place to stay safe at night, never out there. Go to human places where the vampires won’t stray. Maybe there’s a way to use the protection spell on a vehicle, create a safe transport. Go fast, be swift, and then come home the same way as quickly as you can. Take no chances.” She urges us with a desperate begging in her eye, her face awash with warm tears that I try to wipe away, and I nod. Exhaling slowly so as not to let her feel the depths of my own worry and nervousness about how dangerous this trip may be.

“We have some preparing to do and we need to find a better map to narrow down our route, to at least a town. I want us to be ready to go by the next dawn. There’s no point in delaying this. I need my mate back, we need our alpha, and god knows we need our pack.” I state with determination and Meds agrees. Standing as though to make it clear we have things to go plan, start readying and it energizes the air around us with a new sense of purpose.

“Yes Luna, let’s get to it.”