"We will find him, together," says the witch, gently.
No. I don't trust her. Something's off about her, and I just trust my instincts, the instincts that warn me to stay away from that woman... I growl again, warning her not to approach. I know something is off, and I won't let myself get trapped in this lie. I just... want my mate. I step back again, closer to that tombstone, but... that's not my mate, I know it in my heart. My mate is alive, I haven't lost him. My mate... My Liam.
"Enough, Luna, let's go back."
I don't trust her, and I know she lies.
"What have you done to me?" I growl.
"Nothing. You're like me now. There is nothing here."
"What is that?" I ask, glancing at the tombstone.
This time, she stops and chuckles.
"This? Don't you already know, Luna? It's your mate's. You know it, right? He is dead. I killed him."
Those words hit me like a dagger in my heart. No, no, no, Liam isn't dead. I don't believe her. I can't believe her. Liam isn't... I can still feel him! There's no way my mate is gone. I need to ignore her words. Each time she speaks, her voice... I even forget that other name each time she calls me Luna. I'm not Luna...
Mara! Mara, answer, please!
I smile, keeping my eyes closed. That's right. That's my name. Mara. My name, so bright and so warm, like... like a flame. That's right. I'm Liam's mate, Mara. I'm not Luna.
"Enough," hisses the witch. "You're coming back with me. I killed your mate."
"No, you're lying."
"It's the truth," she continues. "I killed your mate, Luna. I killed the wolf you loved so much, I killed the one you loved the most."
I feel my heart aching, my throat tightening, the tears coming up to my eyes. No, no, I can't believe her. I can't give in. This... This isn't my pain, she's just trying to make me feel like it is, to confuse me. I need to get out of here...
Mara, wake up, please! Mara!
How do I wake up? I'm not asleep! I'm awake, and trapped here!
"...Liam?"
Mara! It's me, babe. Come on, come back to us, please. Wake up! Mara, wake up!
How do I wake up? How do I get back to him? I ought to remember. I keep my eyes closed, trying to ignore what I hear, what I feel. That snow under my feet isn't real. This cold isn't real, neither is the sound of the leaves rustling in the trees, or the sounds of the forest. I can't trust any of this.
Liam... I need to focus on Liam's voice. I feel him. Moon Goddess, it's so strange, but also... so warm. I smile without thinking, absorbed by our bond. I can feel him... His warmth, his presence by my side. He's here, he's alive, and he's with me. I am alright. I feel... his hand on my shoulder. I smile and grab it. It's faint, but I can feel his large hand, his gentle fingers grabbing mine back. Moon Goddess, I'm so relieved. He's really there... I can feel him, my inner wolf feels him too, like we're complete again. Oh, I feel like crying...
"Stop it!" she screeches. "Your mate is dead, and I–"
"Stop lying!"
I finally open my eyes, and this time, I'm sure. The snow, the forest, none of this is real. Whatever she did to me, I can see through it now. Perhaps because I know, everything now feels... so fake. I can see her illusion wavering. Everything turns into some weird shades, like an image unable to settle in my eye. The only thing that doesn't change is the butterfly. I see it fly and land on the tombstone. It flaps its wings a couple of times, and I stare at it, like my only point of focus.
"Stop your stupid illusion trick," I growl.
This time, she just stares, but... the witch. She's not real either, is she? I can see through her lies, now. This is all... fake. I take a deep breath.
I am Mara Jones, Liam Black's mate. It all comes back to me now. Moon Goddess, how long... have I been here? I was really in the she-wolf Luna's place. All this time I spent here, in this illusion... I've been here for years! No, no, it can't be. As the panic rises, the hand on my shoulder seems to fade away. I try to hold on to it, but the anger, the pain comes back to haunt me. I didn't leave them behind. I couldn't have. I didn't... I look around, hope to see a sign, something, anything to help me out of this nightmare. I want to see my mate, I want to know he isn't dead, that everything's alright. This is a dream, but doubt creeps in, to make me waver, and I can't stand it.
My eyes finally land on the butterfly. That blue, mesmerizing butterfly, that looks so peaceful and pretty inside this nightmare. I take a deep breath.
"...Help me," I whisper.
