Chapter 29

Chapter 29

“Arrrrgh!” Shamira let out in frustration. “Why is this taking so long? I am ready to attack now!” Shamira said as she paced in the great room. Jonas staring at her shaking his head smirking to himself.

“You have always been an impatient one, Shamira. Relax will you? If we attack too early we could definitely lose. We need to make sure the other supernatural communities stay out of it. We have already gained hundreds more warriors from the riff raff of the other supernatural communities. If she does have the elemental stone in her possession, then you know more than anyone what enhancements she will have access to.” now addressing her more formal like.

“Uuuhhh! But the longer we wait the longer they can prepare!” throwing and waving her hands in the air as she speaks.

“If you want my assistance then you will wait. And not a second before.” the stranger said, sitting in a chair playing with her nails. Her crossed legs dangled off the side arm, the top leg bouncing playfully.

“How did you get in here and who are you!? I do not remember anyone saying we needed your help?” Shamira spoke venomly to the mystery woman as she appeared out of nowhere.

“Who I am does not matter.” she said, sitting up throwing her legs out in front of her before standing from her seated position. “My family is the reason for this… feeling you all have towards each other.” waving her hand around like her comment made everything make sense.

The intruder was dressed in all black. She was wearing a black shirt that went partly up her neck over black slacks covered with a black leather trench coat. Her eyes were a deep gray swirled copper color that accented her flawless bronzed skin. Sandy blonde hair pulled into a high ponytail that swished down her back almost touching her waist.

“Excuse ME! I don’t do as you say… everyone! Does as I say! I AM the Queen Elder of the lycans… not the likes of you.” Shamira seethed, starting to turn a shade of red as her anger flowed throughout from her comment.

As if Jonas remembered something important, his head snapped up before saying, “Lucia.” all eyes shot to him as the single word spoken left from his lips.

“What?!?” Shamira yelled at him, her aura still spilling over with her anger.

“Aaahh! So you have heard of my mother.” she smirked as she addressed Jonas emphasizing the word ‘have’. His eyes momentarily wide before recomposing himself, crossing his arms over her chest like it was the most obvious thing.

“I have. However, There was never any mention of her having a child?” he questioned as he approached her slowly in a stalking manner.

“Well, let’s just say that it wasn’t a big public affair.” Smirking, acting nonchalant about the comment like it was the most obvious thing.

“If you are who you… claim to be. Who is your family exactly?” Jonas was probing her for truth. She just laughed wickedly and wiped a pretend tear from her eye when she finished. Staring at him intently in the eyes, entering his mind without consent, showing him of her past.

Jonas was frozen in place as soon as she made the direct intense eye contact. Shamira tried calling out to him with no prevail, noticing something was off about the situation she grabbed his arm teleporting him from his current position away from the unwelcome intruder.

“She… you… it can’t be possible.” was all he could stutter out when he came out of the trance upon the movement. Shamira asked him over and over what he was muttering about. The woman just laughed as she stood there watching them.

“Oh, but I assure you it is… and was.” slowly started to circle them. Her hands neatly folded behind her back.

“What do you want?” Shamira questioned, still not liking her intruding in her home without being invited.

“What all scorned women want of course. Revenge. Revenge for my mother. Revenge for the running and hiding. Revenge for all those who loved and were cast out for being chosen not destined.” She spoke out, stopping, turning to face her directly. This time however, it was menacing when she did. The dark magic in her could be felt throughout the room. Like a spider engulfing every inch of it with its web. Leaving nothing untouched. She was powerful, knew it, and made sure others did too.

“Who do you think has been getting this war moving? My family's plot of revenge has been in motion since way before you were born, Shamira.” holding her arms out, slightly titly her palms up as if showing them this was all in the plan. Moving her head side to side slowly as she made her point.

“How are you still alive then? Witches do not live past a given lifespan, and your mother’s story is from centuries ago?” Jonas questioned her credibility again even though he saw into her memories.

“Well. Jonas is it?” speaking to him more informally than before making large circles in her pacing around them. “I am a hybrid. Half witch… half wolf. I seemed to have gotten lucky with the werewolf genes” Reading the expressions on their concerned faces she started laughing again.

“You are the daughter of Alpha Dirk?” Jonas said, but it came out more like a question. She nodded her head once sideways while giving a small curtsy and a smile before saying, “although, he wasn’t an Alpha at the time he was with my mother.” standing straighter folding her hands in front of her.

“I am Layana, hybrid; daughter of Witch Lucia and Wolf Dirk.” she introduced herself as she stood smirking. Reaching out her left arm making a sphere while saying witch, and extending her claws on her right hand mentioning wolf. Eyes turning a shade darker as she did.

Shamira and Jonas looked at each other then back at her. Shamira started walking slowly. Placing her hands behind her back inside the other thinking before turning to address Layana, who had already retracted her witch and wolf sides. “So. Layana?” tilting her head slightly at the mention of her name. “Are you our friend or…?” asking, leaving the question open ended for her to complete.

“As of now, you can consider me a friend.” Layana replied, intersecting the invitation to interrupt, although a hint of something unknown flashed in her eyes with the comment. Shamira, not fully trusting Layana, never took her eyes off her. They stared at each other for seemed like eternity before Jonas cleared his throat gaining their attention. Neither willing to concede to the other.

“Until we speak again, then.” Layana smiled, and with the flick of her hand she was gone.

“Who the hell was that Jonas?!” Shamira was livid at Layana’s intrusion, confessions and instant removal of herself.

“Calm down Shamira. Layana is the daughter of the scorned witch Lucia who was thrown aside when Lucia’s chosen mate abandoned her for his destined mate. Apparently, Layana has our extended life capabilities with her wolf hybrid side.” Jonas was concerned at the awareness of this new news.

He paced thinking, mumbling every so often. He could hear Shamira speaking, but she was like a muffled sound in the wind to his ears. “She could be helpful. They wouldn’t expect her at all.” he mumbled out loud, tapping the tip of his finger on his chin. “Yes, Layana could be our secret weapon.” he mumbled again, emphasizing the word our. His eyes twinkled with the last thought while a diabolical smile stretched across his face. “Come Shamira, there’s much to prepare for.”

~Layana POV~

After leaving that spoiled brat, Queen Elder Shamira, Mayra, my wolf wanted to go for a run. She whined that she needed to stretch her legs. Sometimes having a wolf was extremely irritating. Always something, either this or that. Lately she won’t leave me alone about a mate. I mean good grief who needs a mate when they just take what they want and leave you. Broken, pregnant and alone. If I learned anything from my mother, it was that mates were way too overrated.

‘Just let me out for a little while. I’ll behave.’ Mayra was trying to bargain with me to comply. Last time I didn’t let her out for almost a month. She went stir crazy to the point she took over and wouldn’t give me back control for almost three months. It was disgusting watching her eat. Thankfully we have come to an understanding that if she’s allowed to run about she won’t eat things that will make me puke in my mouth, and… I can undress first. Hate having to replace clothes.

‘Fine. But a quick one. I need to get back and check on things with the coven.’ This must have made her happy because I could hear her purring with delight. Taking off my clothes we shifted. The first time I shifted willingly with clothes on I destroyed them. They weren’t salvageable at all. I loved that outfit. A learned lesson. Now, I always undress if it’s not an emergency shift.

As soon as the last of the clothes were off, Mayra didn’t hesitate to shift and take off running. My wolf isn’t a large wolf. I’ve been told by some of the older coven members she looks more like a red dog or large fox than a wolf. But Mayra is quick, that was one thing in her corner.

‘Mayra what’s wrong with you?’ I could sense something was off by the way she would run sporadically in one direction just to slow down enough to catch wind of something and take off again. She wouldn’t speak to me. She can be incredibly frustrating at times.

‘You’re going too far out. If you get us killed going onto a pack territory! I swear Mayra…’ I may be a witch and go where I please, but I will cloak myself while crossing over into the forbidden. Mayra knows better than to tread on other pack land without consent. Placing all my concentration into her, I casted a cloaking spell over us. At least now no one will be able to see us. Hopefully it will last long enough to get us away, unsure with her stubbornness right now.

‘Someone’s out there. By the lake.’ she finally spoke. ‘What lake Mayra?’ questioning what and where she was going.

‘Can’t you smell it? Just over there threw the forest.’ She wasn’t making sense as she spoke, but continued to run harder. I couldn’t smell anything out of the ordinary. I could barely smell the lake.

‘If you don’t stop and give me control I will put you under lock and key for a year!’ I spat at her before she finally stopped running. Slowly peeking her head out of the thick underbrush. Yep, it was confirmed she wasn’t listening to me.

‘Why can’t he see me?’ I heard her say to herself. ‘Uncloak us! He can’t see us!’ she whined and bellowed profusely.

‘You’re starting to give me a headache. Who can’t see us? Why do I care? I don’t want us to be seen.’ She didn’t like my response as she snapped back, ‘Mate! Mate can’t find us like this!’ I could feel my heartbeat accelerate as my head started to swim. ‘NO! I don’t want or need a mate!’ She fought for full control at my words.

‘We need mate, and mate needs us.’ Mayra fought hard to push me out. The magic in me was not allowing her, making her angrier. She fought with me, still scarcely cloaked, before I was barely able to take control back. I heard her claim defeat as she receded backwards in my mind huffing and whining her disapproval.

Curiosity got the best of me though. Still cloaked I stepped out of the brush standing face to face with a very tall, very strong featured, hard body man. My body having a mind of its own, as it quivered at the sight of him. His nostrils flared as his eyes flickered. Looking though he was fighting against his own wolf. ‘Are those his children?’ I thought to myself more curious of the creature in front of me.

I was now naked, shifting back without clothes, slowly walking around them as the boys looked scared wrapped around his legs. He had a determined look on his face. Intently staring out into the brush I stepped out from. I could feel Mayra peering over my shoulder in the back of my mind like a stalker. She wanted to see him too, just not to the point where she made me angry with her. ‘That’s him, Layana. He’s our mate.’ was all she would say, purring.