CHAPTER 16: STRANGE ALLIES.

WILLOW.

"What would you like to order?" the party blonde girl chirps in front of me, startling me and interrupting the scrying I was trying to do.

I don't get it.

I should have found the brat now but I can't.

The thread I had placed on her should have given me a clear direction as to where she is at. But nothing.

Could she have gotten to Damien already?

How?

She is practically a noob in this world, she knows nothing.

How is she evading me?!

"Um, hello? What would you have?" the annoying voice asks again.

I turn to glare at her, fiercely. It is enough for her to take two steps back.

"Uh…"

"Willow," another voice interrupts, a deep, familiar one. "Are you terrorizing another poor human again?"

"Human?" the blonde squeaks.

I lift my eyes to see my dear friend and Alpha.

"You took your sweet time," I snap.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I see the girl hurry away back to the counter and begin pointing at me.

"I am a busy wolf, Willow," he says as he takes a seat across from me. "I can't drop my business and come to see you at the snap of your pretty fingers."

"I called you two days ago," I tell him.

"And I was busy."

I drop the argument and watch as he calls over a waiter, another one this time.

"Hi, I'm Dave, what can I get you folks?"

"What is your special?"

"The brisket soup."

"Great, we will have two plates of that."

"Actually," I interrupt. "A coffee would be just fine for me."

"Willow."

"That would be all," I dismiss the boy.

He eyes us suspiciously as he walks away.

"You could try and be nicer," the arse says.

"Forgive me," I say sarcastically, "But, I am not exactly in the right frame of mind to be nice. I can't find her."

He raises an eyebrow at the statement.

"Up till now?" he asks. "Didn't you put a thread on her?"

"I did! I still can't find her."

"What are the chances of that? What could stop you from finding your thread?"

"Only one thing comes to mind. Damien."

"You believe she has found him? How? She doesn't know anywhere or anything."

I grimace at the statement.

"The girl is unfortunately too smart. She can figure things out quite fast. I don't know if it is just her or the power that helps her assimilate that fast."

"Hmm. Unfortunately, I can't exactly show up at his pack without an invitation. The man is a lunatic. Can't you find a way around it?"

"And, pray tell, how would I do that?"

"You know… your dark magic" he means towards me as he whispers.

"In order for me to do that, I will need someone pure, a virgin. Untouched, hasn't even kissed a boy. Do you have any idea how hard that is?" I say deadpan.

"Well, it is your lucky day, there is one right over there," he says with a nod at the counter.

I look over and see the same blonde girl attending to an old couple.

"Her? Are you sure?"

"I can smell her. She is as pure as she was the day she was born."

"Huh. That is perfect. Now, I just need to lure her way and harvest her," I say.

"Ugh. Please, there is no need for you to inform me of your… procedures. And don't worry about getting her. There is a ravine a few leagues into the forest, close to some broken pillars of a displayed mansion. Let's meet there by ten."

"Okay, sure."

"So, now, would you have some brisket soup?" he asks as he takes my hand across the table.

I smile at him, feathers settled.

"Sure, why not?"

MAYA.

The bar is dark, stinky, and old.

How people can comfortably settle in places like this is always beyond me.

"Looky here boys," an irritating, grating voice sounds to my right as I stare out the window. "We have got ourselves a lady."

I throw a side glance and see some burly, pot-bellied men, wearing shirts three times smaller than their actual sizes, all of them leering at me like they have never seen a woman before.

Disgusting.

Thank goddess I am a wolf and not human.

I look away from them, fixing my eyes at the entrance of the lot, waiting.

"Hey! I am talking to you," one of the wretched creatures snaps.

I do not answer.

"You bitch."

A hand on my shoulder quickly finds itself not only dislocated but with all its bones pulverized.

He squeals like a pig.

"Manse!" one of them slurs, before looking at me with a rage filled look and charges at me.

One well-placed blow to his throat drops him like a log, grasping at his neck.

"You bitch!"

"Really, the same insult? Get some information already," I taunt as I grab the flying fist of the third guy, pull it towards and under my raised hand, and flip him over my head.

He crashes out the window.

Ah, shit.

I didn't mean to destroy property.

I turn to the last man standing, who is staring at me like I have suddenly grown multiple heads.

"Your turn?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.

He doesn't answer.

Instead, within five seconds, he vanishes from my sight.

"Yeah, I thought so," I mutter as I turn back to my seat, ignoring the crowd of spectators and clearing the shards of glass off my table.

A slow clap from a single person echoes behind me. Turning, I see the person I have been waiting for, the rogue scent heavy on her.

"Remind me to never piss you off, ever," she says as she sashays over to my table.

"You took your sweet time, sister."