Chapter 45: Chapter 45
VEILWOOD
"What do you mean we should prepare for a burial?" Laura snapped at the witch. "We have another problem, you haven’t even attempted finding her, and now you’re speaking of burials. If you refuse to help us, I’d chase you and your fellow witches out of these lands."
Mozart let out a dry laugh at the Luna’s statement. "You speak like you’re doing us a favour."
Reynolds clasped his hand behind him. The guards stood by Mozart’s side. He had ordered them to bring her to the packhouse forcefully, since she refused to come when her presence was requested.
They asked for help from her in finding Maria, but she rudely told them to prepare a burial.
"You wouldn’t mess with us!" Reynolds gritted his teeth. "Can you find her?"
"I can’t." Mozart retorted. The Luna folded her arms, not believing the witch. "Prepare a burial."
"I don’t believe you," Laura snapped at her. Laura knew that the witches could do all sorts of magic. They had been cast out earlier for being too powerful and using their magic to cause commotion.
Mozart narrowed her eyes at the Luna who refused to be defeated.
"I will help, but on one simple condition."
"Spill it." Reynolds ordered.
"Step down as Luna and allow me to take your place."
"What?" Laura couldn’t believe her ears.
"You heard me well. Do it and I’ll help you."
"Take her away." Reynolds ordered his men. Mozart was whisked away and she kept laughing sarcastically as they carried her out.
"I can’t believe that witch," Laura said to Reynolds as she paced around restlessly.
The alpha’s face was masked with frustration. He just wanted to know if there was a chance Maria was alive. They had searched all the werewolf lands, and there wasn’t a trace of her body.
The other witches also refused to help until they received orders from Mozart.
"What do we do now? Is she really dead? We’ve combed everywhere." Reynolds listened to his wife’s questions without having any answer for her.
"What if Maria is already dead, and the witch wants me to step down for her when she can’t even do anything?" Laura continued asking.
"Are there any seers left?" Reynolds finally said something.
"I don’t know. Jada would know that since she trains them."
Jada’s presence was requested. She hadn’t stopped feeling guilty since Maria went missing. She couldn’t mention to anyone that she had encouraged Maria to travel and see Triton. She constantly wondered if Triton knew about the pregnancy yet.
"My alpha and Luna." Jada curtsied with a bow.
"Have you trained anyone who became a seer? Do you know them?"
Jada hesitated for a while before confirming it. Most of her students received elemental control skills. Solara was the only one that became a seer. "I know one, my Luna."
Laura gave Reynolds a quick glance, and a smile appeared on her face. "Can she help us to find Maria? The witch refused to help."
Jada took a deep breath. Solara didn’t have that kind of seeing ability. She saw things, yes, but not the future or the truth. Most of what she saw were spirits that lurked around.
The alpha and Luna gave her an expectant look. She stuttered before forming the words. "I’m not sure of that, but I’d send for her to come."
Solara arrived in a couple of minutes. Jada had already briefed her on what was requested for her, and she felt a bit nervous. She already knew that she couldn’t do what they requested, but decided to still honour the Luna’s invitation.
She bowed her head slightly when she arrived.
Reynolds started. "Jada must have told you why we called for you. Can you find Maria?"
Solara lowered her gaze in a disappointed manner. "I can’t. I’m not that type of seer. I only see spirits and ghosts. I’m so sorry my alpha."
Reynolds let out a deep sigh. "You may leave."
Solara turned to the exit, but paused and faced both of them again. Her gaze wandered nervously and she wondered if she should tell them this part.
"I can connect with another seer. I know when there’s someone else like me out there." She paused for a while to scan their reactions before continuing. "I can’t feel Maria’s connection anymore. I think she’s dead."
Laura’s face twisted as if the revelation made her taste something bitter. She struggled to compose herself. "Thank you Solara, you may leave." She said, forcing a smile.
After Solara left, Laura turned to her husband with an exhausted look. "What do we do now?"
"I don’t know. We give her a befitting burial perhaps." Reynolds said with a sigh.
"But we don’t even have her body for the burial. Should we try harder to convince Mozart?"
Reynolds placed his fingers on his chin. "Something tells me Mozart is lying about being able to help. She just wants to escape with the benefits."
Laura nodded her head in agreement. The witches were always scheming, and Mozart’s behaviour wasn’t surprising to her.
"So, we’d prepare for her burial?"
"Yes," Reynolds responded with a nod of his head.
While the alpha and Luna were together, Triton came inside. They straightened when they saw him.
"I thought you returned to Lycanthia." Reynolds said as Triton approached.
"I didn’t want to lose hope yet. I thought she could be found. I’m so sorry for the loss." He let out a deep sigh, then contemplated if he should tell them what was on his mind. He was guilty and felt like he wouldn’t have any peace until he revealed the truth.
"She...she was with my child."
Reynolds arched his brows like he didn’t understand what Triton said. "What do you mean?"
"What child?" Laura questioned as well.
"She was pregnant for me." Triton dropped the bombshell with great difficulty. "Both of us are rejected mates."
Laura squinted her eyes with disbelief and opened her mouth to speak but the words didn’t come out. She turned to her husband who was also short of words.