I shyly start the bike and get farther away from Sylviana's house. I am thankful for the clues she left me, but somehow, I know my heart isn't there. I have Liam's current position stuck in my mind, and I know I gotta go there. I have no idea what is waiting for me, but I just know I need to get to wherever he is. He left so fast, and I still have a lot of questions. The ones at the top of my list are actually about our relationship, so...
I finally dare accelerate a little once I recognize some of the buildings of the White Moon Clan. Selena's territory, basically. I keep heading north. A few crazy people still outside glance at me with curious eyes, but I ignore them. I just want to find one werewolf, I don't care much for the others who are starting to follow me.
Driving a bike is even more amazing than I had thought. It follows my every move, ready to take any direction or turn at my demand, and feeling my weight merging with the motorbike is simply amazing. I enjoy this ride, careful of my surroundings. I can't afford to kill anyone, I think. Moreover, although I have a rough idea thanks to the map, I need to find that location by myself... It's easier than I thought, but not in a good way.
I can't describe that feeling, it's like something is constantly pulling me toward Liam. I'm not even aware of it sometimes, but it's like a knife, planted deep inside my heart. An aching pain, whenever he ignores me or leaves. Does it make any sense for me to fall for a stranger? Who supposedly hates me, nevertheless. I don't get it. I don't understand why I'm always craving his presence, looking for him subconsciously, and even worse, always able to tell where he is. Moreover, I can't help but think he feels the same. Why else would he always be around whenever something happens to me? He is strangely caring toward me for someone who so often tries to avoid me.
I follow my instincts and that pull until I get back into the familiar part of the territory. One bonus to riding a bike is that, with a helmet and a leather jacket on, no one can recognize me. People glance at the shiny engine, but they don't care much about who's driving it. Moreover, in this rain, the few pedestrians I see are just running to find shelter from the rain or get to their destination quickly.
I really like gloomy, rainy Silver City. For someone so sensitive to rain, I'm strangely fine with the downpour. My headache is still there, but it's not a pulsating pain like before, just a slow one. I can manage just fine, and I have other priorities too. I keep going, past the northern territory, until I find the border. Thankfully, I feel it right before I hit it. I suddenly hit the brakes, and the bike stops right there.
I almost forgot about that damn thing. If only there was a way for me to get past it! I know Liam is out there, and it's horribly frustrating that I can't get to him. What do I do now?
I keep telling myself I need to sort things out. I'm aware of how hot-headed I am, but this time, I need to find the solution without burning myself. I take off the helmet and leave it with the bike. Keeping his jacket to hide the keys in, I get closer to the barrier. I can feel it, as if some electric tension was stopping me. It's somehow... weak. Weaker than next to the tree. Is it because it’s farther from the source? Or someone weakened this area? I decide to walk alongside it, looking for some sort of weak spot. I remember feeling it was weaker in some parts when Nora showed it to me, and if the overall wall is even weaker here...
Bingo.
I find one spot where I can barely feel anything. It's tiny, but there's definitely some hole here... Is this what that witch was looking for to try and sneak in? I check it with my arm first, and it goes through. It's like pushing into something buttery, there's a slight resistance, but nothing I can't take.
I slowly squeeze myself in, fighting a bit. I don't want to enlarge the loophole, but it requires some strength for me to push my way out. I almost get on all fours since I have to crouch so low.
Once I'm finally out, I get up, a bit tired. It must have looked ridiculous from the outside, seeing me crouch and squeeze myself through some invisible wall. Even now, everything probably looks normal to most people. Seriously, I wish she had added some sort of door to this. With a “no visitors allowed” kind of sign, even...
I don't have time to lose. I'm not supposed to be out, and I still haven't found Liam. I run into the forest. I have no idea where I’m going, but somehow, I have no issue finding my way in. It's like some strange instinct, telling me which area to avoid, which path to take. Like a mute, quiet voice inside guiding me. It's nice, but I have no idea how to deal with all these new feelings; I'll add them to the list...
I suddenly slow down. I hear something on the side, and growling too. I feel more movements, like branches shaking suddenly, and bushes and the ground being hit violently. I hold my breath and get closer, trying to stay as silent as possible. I can recognize Liam's wolf growling, but nothing about whoever he is fighting!
"Oh, who do we have here…? The baby witch..."
I stiffen and glare at wherever the voice came from.
To my surprise, a woman suddenly steps out, looking completely unafraid and staring right at me. Her clothes are dirty, probably from the fight with Liam, but she has that cunning smile on... Overall, she’s really pretty. Her long, brown hair is braided over her shoulder, and she's wearing a long, sleeveless tunic with a unique patterned design. She has a mix of Caucasian and Hispanic features and skin color, but her heavy makeup blurs my guesses.
She smiles wide with her brown-colored lips.
"Who are you?" I ask, defiant.
"One of your sisters, of course! Little witch, did no one teach you anything? You look so lost..."
What the heck is she saying now? I don't like her manners or how she acts. She looks out of it, with her arms moving around and her strange mannerism.
Suddenly, Liam jumps out of the bushes, still in his wolf form. He briefly growls at me but comes right away to stand between me and that woman. While he only growled softly at me, most likely annoyed by my presence, he is furiously threatening that witch. I frown at his muddy paws and the injury on his shoulder. He looks furious and not in good shape. The witch loses her smile a bit, seeing us together.
"Oh dear, did that wolf already get to your head? Don't let them corrupt you! Werewolves are known to use witches to their hearts' content..."
"What are you talking about?" I ask, a bit baffled.
"Long ago, us witches used werewolves as allies to protect us. Despite our magic, we are still women, physically weak. So, we'd use werewolves to help us stay away from the greed of men. Yet, the werewolves are now allying with humans and getting greedy as well! I had no idea this city was taken, but... you work for the werewolves, don't you?"
I frown. Is this city taken? Does she think I am Silver City's... official witch? I am not sure what I am supposed to say.
"I don't work for the werewolves," I retort. "I’ve only worked for myself so far."
"Oh... So how did you make this one so attached to you? He looks like he's protecting you like they protect their fated mates! Witches can't be a werewolf's fated mate, so... did you compel him to do this? You don't look like a Dark Witch, though... No, you're too green for that, aren't you, dear?"
What the heck is that woman talking about now? Fated mates? What's that? I've heard werewolves talk about mates and all, but the way she says it, I feel like I missed a chapter. About that Dark Witch thing too. The way she says those words do not match the little bits of information Liam gave me. I glance down at the black werewolf.
What did he hide from me? There are some things I just don't understand, and this woman doesn't look like she's about to cause me any harm either. I am a bit... lost. She notices and smiles a bit more.
