The witches landed in the city hall of Red Woods, the entire covenant. They landed with such grace and intimidation that even the wolves felt themselves at fear of these creatures.
The unknown figure was the one who led women and without asking, they walked into the city hall, straight to Zhiliary's office. They didn't knock, they didn't even open the door. No, the women simply walked through the walls as if they were ghost.
Zhiliary was stunned, getting up so fast, her chair flew back. She looked at the women, the several who were in her office. She gulped and then quickly composed herself. The Alpha smirked at the witches and bared her canines.
"Is this like a fear tactic?" She joked with them; however, they didn't joke back. In fact, they were silent until one stepped forward and removed her hood.
"Its nice to meet you Zhiliary," Tany said. "You were the one who I saw when I was fourteen."
"Tany...Tania?" Zhiliary whispered. "You're one of the powerful ones." She laughed, her voice husky. "Yes, I wanted to mate with you."
Tany tilted her head. "You wanted to mate with a fourteen year old."
Zhiliary remained quiet, refusing to walk in that trap. She rubbed her nose and walked back to her chair, picking it up.
"We will help you but," Tany said. "We need that tree. The Groken and you won't have it. You try and take it, we'll kill you."
Zhiliary took in a deep breath. That wasn't what she wanted to hear. That Groken meant just as much to Apex than...
"Also," Tany began. "You will conquer more. We know you will. You will NOT conquer Faelock or the Bayous."
Zhiliary leaned back in her chair, letting out another laugh. "You have so many demands!"
"Are you going to step up to us?" The witch asked, knowing the answer. Zhiliary remained quiet, coming to hate these witches.
The witches stared at Zhiliary, their stillness more unnerving than any shout. Leather boots sank into plush carpet fibers with no sound, robes brushing desks but disturbing nothing in the afternoon light slicing through blinds.
Zhiliary's glasped her hands on her chair's armrests, the wood groaning under her grip as her wolf nature warred with cold calculation. Sweat beaded above her lip despite the office chill, each droplet sharpening her scent of pine and iron panic, she hadn't ever smelled her own fear but she hated to admit these witches gave her that.
The wind howled against stained-glass windows like a caged beast, mirroring the churning in her gut.
Sous and Kara laid in bed together that night. Sous was playing with Kara's belly button after having just made love. She kissed the Omega's stomach, causing Kara to laugh, and swat Sous away.
Sous sat up and leaned back against the head board, smiling at Kara who leaned into her. They listened to the snow storm that was taken place outside, even being able to hear the slap of the white crystallized object hit the window.
"Have you heard anything from Pamoen?" Kara asked, her voice soft.
"No..."
They were silent again, with Sous looking down at her mate. She saw the woman was biting her lip, similar to how Sous would pick her lip when anxious.
"What are you thinking?"
"Zhiliary got to her."
"Zhiliary won't hurt you," Sous said.
"Yeah...she would hurt you," Kara reminded the Alpha.
Sous rolled on top of Kara; she kissed the Omega on the side of the neck. "How about...we go visit her, surprise her, like on her birthday?"
Kara nodded her head and looked up at Sous. "I wish..."
Sous looked into Kara's eyes...
"I wish you never dismissed her," Kara finally said. Her voice soft, about to break. Sous gulped, seeing her mate on the verge of tears. "If we lose her...I will never forgive you," Kara whispered.
Sous wiped away the tear that fell down Kara's face. She got out of bed, putting her pajama pants on. She left the room with a heavy mind.
The hallway was cold and dark. Sous' feet slapped against the polished wooden floorboards as she paced towards the living room. Moonlight filtered through the windows, casting sharp geometric shapes across the furniture.
She collapsed onto the couch, burying her face in her hands. Kara's whispered words echoed in her skull like a drumbeat: I will never forgive you. The scent of Kara's distress mixed with the sharp tang of Sous' own anxiety sweat.
Outside, snow piled against the windowpanes, muffling the world. Each gust shook the old glass in its frame, creating a low, mournful vibration Sous felt deep in her ribcage. She focused on the pattern of frost creeping across the pane fractal, intricate, coldly indifferent, tracing its progress instead of the guilt gnawing her insides raw.
She got off the couch and went to the front door, putting on her clothes to sustain her in the snow. She went to her shed, turning on the overhead light, looking at the dead fish that hung from their hooks.