Chapter Five
The motorcycle ride stretched into silence, the hum of the engine the only sound filling the night. Ergimi clung to Scott's back, her thoughts a storm she couldn't silence. Every turn of the road carried her further from the only life she had ever known. She didn't dare look behind her. There was nothing left in that world—only whispers, humiliation, and grief.
The forest thickened as they pressed deeper. The trees towered like sentinels, their branches woven together, blotting out most of the moonlight. Finally, Scott slowed, rolling to a stop in front of two ancient trees. They stood side by side, massive trunks stretching upward until they vanished into darkness, their roots twisting into each other like clasped hands.
Ergimi slid off the bike, her legs shaky. "What is this place?"
Scott dismounted, pushing the bike to the side. "The boundary," he said simply, his voice carrying an odd reverence.
She frowned. "Boundary?"
He gestured to the trees. "Beyond this point, the human world ends. Everything on the other side belongs to the Netherlands."
Ergimi blinked. "Netherlands? Like… witches on brooms and all that?"
Scott didn't smile. "Exactly like that."
Before she could question further, he stepped between the trees. The air shimmered like rippling water, and when he passed through, the barrier swallowed him whole. Her heart lurched. She hesitated, but the thought of being left alone in this suffocating forest shoved her forward.
The moment she crossed, her breath hitched. The world exploded in color and sound. The sky stretched unnaturally wide, streaked with stars and two pale moons. Shapes moved above—witches riding broomsticks, their laughter echoing as they darted like black birds. One hovered in the air, levitating books around her as if gravity itself bent to her will.
On the cobbled street ahead, wolf-shifters padded in their true forms, fur glistening under moonlight, their eyes glowing faintly. Elves haggled at market stalls, trading vials of glowing liquid and herbs that smelled of wild thunder. Everything pulsed with magic, alive and untamed.
Ergimi stumbled to a halt, her chest tight. "Oh my God…"
Scott glanced over his shoulder, his expression unreadable. "Welcome to the Netherlands."
Her eyes darted everywhere, overwhelmed. "What are we doing here?"
"We need supplies," Scott said, weaving through the crowded street as if he belonged. "Before we head to Astex."
"Supplies?" She hurried after him. "What kind of supplies?"
"The kind we'll need to awaken your bloodline fully."
Her steps faltered. "I thought… I thought that already happened. Back at the house."
Scott didn't look back. "That was only your survival instinct snapping awake. That's why it hurt so much. You fought the change instead of embracing it."
The words sank into her bones like ice. She hugged herself, suddenly chilled despite the strange warmth of this place.
They reached a narrow shop tucked between two looming towers. The door creaked as Scott pushed it open, and the smell of old parchment, herbs, and iron filled Ergimi's nose. Candles floated in the air, casting flickering light across shelves stacked with spell books, jars of powdered minerals, and bones that didn't look entirely animal.
Behind the counter, a man with pale eyes and a smile that didn't reach them raised his head. "What can I get you, wolf?"
Scott leaned forward, his voice low. "Moonroot. Obsidian dust. And a vial of bloodflower essence."
Ergimi's brows furrowed, each name tightening her chest with dread.
The man eyed her, then smirked. "Ah. So it's for the girl."
Scott didn't respond.
The shopkeeper disappeared into the back. Moments later, he returned with a black satchel. The contents rattled softly as he set it down. "It won't be easy on her. You know that."
Scott slid a golden coin across the counter. Ergimi caught a glimpse of the strange markings etched into it—wolf runes and a moon crest. The shopkeeper snatched it quickly, his grin widening.
"Pleasure doing business," he said.
Scott lifted the satchel and nodded to Ergimi. "Come on."
Once outside, she finally asked, "So… are we going to Astex now?"
"Not yet."
Her frustration flared. "Why not?"
He gave her a sharp look, his eyes glinting beneath the moonlight. "Because tonight is the full moon. It's the only night strong enough to unlock what's inside you. If we wait, you may never survive the awakening."
Her throat tightened. "Survive?"
Scott didn't answer.
---
That night, he led her deep into the woods. The air hummed with magic, heavier here than anywhere else. Finally, they stopped in a clearing where moonlight streamed like silver fire.
Scott knelt, drawing a large circle into the earth with chalk. Strange symbols ringed its edge, pulsing faintly. He lit tall black candles at each point of the circle, their flames burning an unnatural blue.
Ergimi hugged herself. "This feels like witchcraft."
"It's older than witchcraft," Scott replied, standing. From the satchel, he pulled a small black pill and pressed it into her hand. "Eat this."
She eyed it suspiciously. "What is it?"
"It will dull the pain."
Her stomach twisted. "What if I don't take it?"
His gaze hardened. "Then you'll wish you had."
With trembling fingers, she slipped it past her lips. It tasted bitter, burning down her throat.
Scott gestured to the circle. "Stand inside. And whatever happens—don't leave it. If you do, you'll never awaken."
Her legs felt heavy as she stepped into the circle. The symbols flared to life, light wrapping around her like invisible chains. Panic scratched at her chest.
Scott began chanting, his voice guttural, ancient, the words thick with power. The air grew hotter, the flames taller, enclosing her in a ring of fire.
At first, she felt nothing. Then it hit—like knives slicing into every cell of her body. She screamed, dropping to her knees. The fire wasn't burning her skin but her blood, her bones, her very soul. Her vision swam, white-hot agony consuming her.
"Scott!" she gasped, clawing at the earth. "I can't—"
"Stay in the circle!" His voice thundered, unyielding.
Her body convulsed, her skin glowing faintly, veins pulsing like molten light. It felt as though her cells were ripping apart and knitting back together, evolving into something new, something alien.
Minutes stretched into eternity. Her throat shredded with screams until her voice broke. Finally, after what felt like forever, the flames collapsed, vanishing into smoke.
Ergimi fell forward, her body trembling violently. Her vision blurred. She barely registered Scott kneeling beside her, his hand steadying her shoulder.
"You're still breathing," he murmured. "Good."
Her lips parted to speak, but the words never came. Instead, a raw, primal hunger surged through her veins, overpowering thought. Her gaze locked onto him—his lips, his mouth, the pulse in his throat.
Before she knew it, she had leapt forward. Her teeth grazed his lower lip, and instinct took over. She bit, tasting copper. A groan escaped her as she pressed against him, her mouth sealing over his in a desperate, animal kiss.
Scott stiffened, his first instinct to shove her away. But when her trembling hands clutched his shirt, when her heat burned against him, his resistance faltered. For one reckless heartbeat, he kissed her back—rough, hungry, a clash of instinct and restraint.
Then, as suddenly as it began, her strength gave out. She collapsed against his chest, unconscious, her breath ragged.
Scott held her carefully, his chest rising and falling in unsteady rhythm. He wiped the blood from his lip, his gaze stormy.
"This is only the beginning," he whispered to the night.
Above them, the moon hung heavy, watching.