The Rise of Lunar's Light (The Story Before Mateless)

Timothy’s Pov:

Weeks passed without so much of a hint of the nest. It was almost as if they took what they needed from Eclipse before they moved on. The only thing which has kept my attention was Jennings and Madeline’s behavior. If the witches had truly moved on, then Jennings would have told me where it was he sent Joseph’s father and brother.

As for Madeline, she continued to be abnormally difficult. I accepted Amethyst’s death hit her hard, but there was something more to it all. She was far more abusive and combative than ever before. I could no longer ignore the slight stench of rot coming off her.

“Must we search again? The witch is dead, her mate is long gone. Home is the only thing we should get back to,” Madeline growled as I entered the dining hall of the pack house to join her and Jennings. “Once we’ve freed Eclipse of their infestation and I’ve wiped out every one of those beasts,” I hissed back.

She growled as her reply before she pushed her food away and stormed off. “Madeline, you will be back here in 15 minutes, as your Alpha I order this,” I snapped.

She stopped dead, turning to face me. Her eyes appeared to almost glow crimson red. “As you wish, Alpha,” she gritted her teeth with her hands balled into fists. I watched the warrior storm off, completely out of character.

“Jennings, new plan. See that your men are ready. Something tells me we are going to find that nest today,” I beamed, taking my place next to Jennings. “As you wish, Elder,” he stammered. I glanced at where Madeline should still sit. A sinking feeling consumed my heart. I understood I’ve lost not only my beloved Amethyst, but Madeline as well.

I ventured to her room and knocked on the door before the expected time of our departure. “What do you want, wolf?” she snapped, showing the lacking friendship we once shared. “Madeline, perhaps you are right. Amethyst is long past, and I’ve kept us here longer than I should have. Should our hunt turn up nothing today, we will return home. I hope you will forgive me; you know I’ve always loved you as I have Amethyst, right?” I smiled weakly at her. She smiled and motioned for me to join her on her bed.

“Of course, it’s why I’m angered by the death of that witch. You mourn for her and yet you still have me,” she whispered seductively, pulling me close to her. Carefully, I brushed her hair from her cheek, allowing my fingers to trail down her neck.

She let out a soft moan as her lips left a trail of soft kisses on my jaw, drawing ever closer to my lips. Before her lips contacted mine, I pulled away. The stench of rot overwhelmed my stronger than average senses. “We should get this over with,” I whispered.

“I am ready Alpha, let us be done with this mess and be back in our own pack,” she grumbled, pushing past me. Her armour and her sword were discarded in the room’s corner, with a thin layer of dust covering them. Madeline would never leave these in such a manner. I said nothing and closed the door behind me. I would address this matter later.

As I made my way to Jennings’s office, I smiled inwardly. For today, I would find the nest and Madeline was the key to my success. “Good morning, everyone. I wish to thank you all for your continued efforts in the hunt for the nest of these beasts who are plaguing you so. If after today, we find nothing, my Gamma and I will depart as I will be satisfied they moved on. I would not be diligent in my post if I did not explore every inch of this land before I departed,” I announced.

The room was filled with the sour smell of decay and rot. This didn’t escape my attention. Carefully, I glanced over to Jennings, his eyes locked on his office floor. Madeline watched him, far closer than I was comfortable with.

I casually walked over to Jennings’s desk to point out our next search point. “So, my child, how does it feel to be in the viper’s nest?” the Girl laughed. “Do not worry, those daft beasts don’t have a clue that your mother is the one talking to them, planning their deaths,” she beamed.

“It’s been rather enjoyable to watch them believe they fooled us. When this is all over, you will forgive Jennings for all his trespasses. He has done nothing in this time but pray to us, to tell us what and when he can about the enemy. They keep a close eye on him. I shall reward his loyalty,” she demanded. The eyes of all seemed to land back on me, causing the hairs on my neck to stand on end.

“We all clear on the plan?” I asked with a devilish grin. Grunts and grumbles rang out as the men who were accompanying us filed out of Jennings’s office and out the door in order to shift for a two-hour run.

Once we arrived at the appointed area, the hairs on the back of my neck prickled and the stench of rot filled the air. Either they were no longer worried about me discovering what they were, or we were closer than I expected to the nest. “Madeline, stay close to me,” I linked. Hoping she would obey my plan. “With pleasure, my Alpha,” she replied, almost as if she was trying to flirt with me.

Her body brushed against mine. I allowed her pace to match my own, as I hoped she suspected nothing. And thankfully, she didn’t. Allowing me the opportunity to sink my teeth into the back of her neck. My venom forced her to shift back into her human form as the nauseous taste of rotting flesh and blood dripped into my mouth. “Ah, Covenness I presume?”

Amethyst’s Pov:

“Come now Joseph dear, you must eat more. You are wasting away. Look at you. An Omega looks stronger than you. Hard to believe you are a Beta and that thin,” the innkeeper scolded. Almost in a grandmotherly sort of way. Her words warmed my heart as I grinned at her. Her warmth to us in the weeks since our arrival felt as if it was more than repaying the Goddesses. It was almost as if there was some deeper connection that I was missing.

She sighed before she cleared our plates. I glanced at my mate; he appeared as if he had aged considerably since we arrived. He was steadily losing weight. Joseph’s once vibrant eyes were now dull and lost most of their luster. He was always tired, and I feared the witch in his memories was correct. I was fighting a battle for him; one I couldn’t win.

“My love, perhaps you should rest some more,” I whispered, placing a kiss on his temple. He acted as if he wanted to argue, but the Innkeeper beat him to it. “I agree with your lovely mate, dearie. Go rest, keep your strength up,” she smiled. Reluctantly, he nodded and made his way to our room.

“Your mate, is he not well?” The innkeeper asked, her voice filled with concern. I took a moment and studied her as she packed a basket of supplies. She has done it every morning since we arrived. Today, during this conversation, I sensed something different about it.

“About as well as someone can be when their heart beats with in another being,” I sighed. Her eyes darted swiftly to mine, studying me closely. They held not only confusion but anger as well. “Speak plainly girl, you can’t mean what I think you are saying,” she growled.

The atmosphere in the room shifted slightly. Why had I not seen this before? “A nest of witches kidnapped my mate and stole his heart to ensure he could not mate with me. The woman I seek stole his heart from that nest, leaving her daughters in its place. Therefore, I need to find her; I need to save Joseph,” I explained.

The old innkeeper’s eyes flooded with tears as she dropped what she was doing. “Abigail never told me that,” she whispered to herself so low she could not have guessed I heard it.

“Please, I beg you, before it’s too late. Take me to her,” I pleaded. Anger washed over her face. She nodded as she grabbed the basket and stormed out of the inn at such a speed, I never would have thought possible for a woman of her age. She led me down a path to a cottage on the cusp of the village. The slight shimmer of the cottage took me by surprise. It, too, was enchanted with a blood seal.

“Abigail, open this door at once. You’ve got some explaining to do,” the innkeeper snarled. “Abigail,” she shouted a little louder. “You will open this door at once or I will force my way in,” she seethed.

Still, there was no word or movement from within the cottage. Rage billowed from the innkeeper as she tore through the blood seal as if it was nothing more than a spider’s web, knocking down the door. Shrieks of terror rang out from a young girl as she darted into a dark corner of the room, sobbing. My heart ached for the child as I went to comfort her.

“Mother?” a shrill voice cried. “What are you doing?” she spat, venom dripping from every word. I stopped in my tracks.

“Mother?” I choked out, astonished by this revelation. I peered from one woman to the next in utter disbelief. “Abigail, how could you? How could you steal your own son’s heart knowing it would bring his death about?” The innkeeper snapped, barely able to keep her rage in check. “You, you are Joseph’s mother? Joseph is part witch?” I blurted out.

“Amethyst dear, sit down before you hurt yourself,” the innkeeper demanded, pushing me into a chair while I attempted to catch up on what was going on. “Mother, the Covenness wants him dead. Why waste his heart when I can save Victoria?” Abigail screamed. “Hope was not lost. It was you who lost all hope,” the innkeeper growled.

“You foolish girl, you ran from your mate. You ran straight to those rejects and that false God hoping to give you what? Instead, it tainted you, poisoned your mind and body, almost costing you your daughter. And yet, the Goddesses still blessed you, saving her. Again, you ran to those things. Now I find you betrayed your own son? Did the Goddesses not tell you he was special and blessed? You stole his heart and denied him those blessings,” the Innkeeper growled.

“The Goddesses did not save her, I did. They only prolonged her suffering!” Abigail yelled. Those words snapped me back to my senses. “No, you condemned your son to death. You will tell me how to save him,” I snapped. Surprised by my outburst, both the innkeeper and Abigail glanced in my direction.

Abigail dragged her eyes over me. She was judging me just like Gretchen used to. “I remember when you were born weak blood. Now you think you have the power to overthrow a God because you are a High Priestess, all because your Goddesses say you are?” Abigail mocked.

“Never call me weak blood,” I hissed. Instantly, the temperature fell, forming a thin layer of ice which encased everything around us. “Calm down, the both of you, or the whole nest, will be on top of us,” The Innkeeper scolded. “You will fix this damage you caused with Joseph; you are his mother. What you did is not right,” the innkeeper demanded.