Chapter 56: Chapter 56

[Tyler’s POV]

It was a small thatched cottage which appeared to have seen many years. The carriage ride to this cottage, while following the instructions on the map had been so long, but since I had already begun the journey, I couldn’t turn back. I just hoped that all the troubles were worth it in the end, and that I finally got a solution to restore my Pack to its former glory.

I knocked twice on the door, but there was no answer. Apart from the rustling of trees, there was no other sound coming from around the environment or even from the house. The cottage was in a quiet area, and I suspected that it was either I had lost my way or there was no one at home; preferably the latter.

I looked around, and not seeing anyone, I tried opening the old wooden door whose paint was washed off with holes in it. As expected, the door was opened and it made a creaky sound as I opened it wider and stepped inside what was the darkest room I had ever laid my eyes on.

“Hello, is anyone here?” I called, but I got no reply.

I bit my lower lip, reasoning that she might have stepped out and would certainly come back soon enough. I closed the door gently behind me and stumbled due to some small bottles left carelessly on the ground. The curtains weren’t open, but I figured she would probably prefer it that way, and even though I was inclined to help her clear up her mess, I knew better than to interfere with a witch’s property.

I just walked around the cottage, looking at all the potions, spell books, broken pots and plates, crossword puzzles and other related stuff that didn’t appeal to me.

For a witch that had lived for four hundred years, she sure didn’t enjoy a luxurious lifestyle or maybe she just couldn’t afford it… but how would you be alive for four centuries and still be poor? That seemed like a waste of life.

“Don’t you know it’s rude to go into someone’s apartment without their permission?” an icy voice called from behind me so suddenly that I was nearly startled, but I relaxed and decided to just joke around.

“Funny how you’d refer to this as an apartment,” I said, then turned around to regard the owner of the voice, but the person I saw standing right in front of me chilled me to my bones.

I would recognise that face anywhere, and even in the darkness, my werewolf vision shone brightly and casted a bright light upon her. It was the vampire’s friend, Celeste.

Like the first time I had seen her, she was dressed in a black sleeveless dress which was tight and was long up to her ankles. Her straight long hair was let down and descended widely across her shoulders and back, and she had applied highly intense gothic makeup, which still scared me a little bit.

“What are you doing here?” we both asked at the same time, looking at each other with extreme disgust.

“This is my house. What are you doing here?” she asked.

I let out a sigh in realisation. “Just when I thought our paths would never cross again. I can’t believe you’re the witch that was recommended to me. I should get going,” I said, and turned around to leave.

“Good riddance,” I heard her say under her breath.

That instantly got to me, and the next thing I knew, I turned around and walked back up to her. “On second thoughts, I can’t leave just like that,” I said.

“What do you mean? Do you need a whooping on the ass before you leave?” she retorted, and she said it like she meant it.

“I’ll ensure you do nothing of that such to me. I remember what you did to me the last time fully, and I promise you… I’m not here to cause trouble. I need your help,” I said.

“And why do you think I would help you in any way?” she retorted.

“Because I desperately need your help. I came from miles away and that should mean something, shouldn’t it?” I inquired, raising my voice.

She smirked as she pounded some hideous-looking things in a small mortar. “If your journey would bring back Nivera, then it would have meant something, don’t you think?” she asked.

I bit my lower lip. “You knew about her death?” I asked.

“Of course.”

“Then, why didn’t you or the vampire show up? I really was expecting you and even had flyers pasted everywhere to ensure you both didn’t make it out alive if you did show up,” I said to her.

She shrugged. “We knew it was pointless. Nivera already placed a huge curse on you, and you were all bound to suffer it soon. Or am I wrong? How has life been treating you? Aren’t you here because half of your pack members are dead and you’re always cornered by your enemies no matter what you do? Isn’t your Pack going down the ranks everyday? Like Nivera had said, your Pack would soon cease to exist and no one would remember it even once existed,” Celeste told me, smiling mischievously.

She then turned around to turn on her stove and put a pot of water on the fire, while my blood boiled and my fists tightened in cold anger.

“How did you know about all that?” I asked.

“Nothing gets past me, Alpha Tyler,” she said, her voice laced with mockery.

“You were wrong about something though. Only a quarter of the Crescent Pack has died,” I said, as if that made a big difference.

She began to cackle hard and loud in an unending, annoying manner. After what seemed like ages, the laughter stopped. “Oh, Tyler. Apparently, you’re not current with the news. While you were busy journeying at night, your Pack was invaded. Your lovely warrior, Jerry, is dead. One of the twin-sons of the Gamma is dead. Your father-in-law who was already half-dead with all other persons in the clinic, including the Pack doctor lost their lives as well. Your Chief warrior, Larry, barely made it out with a scratch. Luckily for you, the gates in the Palace are strong and now, the rest of your people are hiding in fear there,” she revealed.

I was driven by rage and immediately squeezed her neck tightly, smothering her with my large hands, but she didn’t beg for mercy. She simply laughed at me, making me more aware of what a loser I was.

“Please, help me. You have to help me. What should I do? I’ll give you anything you want, just help me out,” I said strongly, still with my hands wrapped tightly around her neck.

She grinned. “What do you expect me to do? Reverse an irreversible curse? Listen carefully, the next time your Pack is invaded, the gates in the Palace would be successfully removed, so you can use that information and think for yourself instead of being a hypocrite and seeking out the help of a race you’ve spent your whole life fighting,” she said, in between chokes.

My hold on her neck only got tighter and I looked her dead in the eyes. “I am asking you, tell me how to stop this!” I thundered.

Her gaze rested on mine and as she looked at me, she shook her head sorrowfully, then scoffed. “You don’t need my help. Apparently, you know how to get out of this,” she said.

I was confused. “What are you trying to say?” I asked.

She swallowed hard. “Even after five years, what I see remains the same. Lucien should have heeded my warning and gotten rid of you when he still could,” she muttered, but I heard her clearly.

“Lucien?”

Just then, she uttered some magical incantations, taking me unawares and I flew across the air, bounced upon the ceiling, was driven into the wall and finally landed on the crooked table which my back broke in half so that I came crashing down on the ground with extreme pain not just in my buttocks, but everywhere.

I was still trying to regain myself, when she said some incantations again and hurled me across the opposite direction and crashed me into the bookshelf filled with dusty old spell books. I was worn out and tired, and then she approached me, chanting a long and frightening incantation.

“Why are you doing this? I didn’t come here to make trouble,” I said, panting hard.

“Maybe you didn’t come here to make trouble today, but I have to take your life so you don’t cause trouble in the future,” she said, then resumed chanting her incantations.

“Please, let me go. I have a daughter, she needs her father,” I said, realising the one thing a child like Talia could be good for.

“Oh, please. Don’t act like you care about that poor little girl,” Celeste said.

“Yes, I admit it. I’ve been an asshole to my daughter and to my wife. You said my Pack doesn’t have much time left. At least, let me apologise and make it up to them. If I am to die, at least, let me die next to my family,” I said, and tears streamed down my eyes. It wasn’t even that hard to cry, taking in the pain Celeste had caused me by flinging me in every possible area.

She wasn’t as cold-hearted as I had initially thought she was, and I saw her soften up a bit. She seemed to be calculating what to do, but in the meantime, she had stopped chanting the incantation and I seized that opportunity to get back on my feet and before she could comprehend what was going on, I grabbed a rag from the floor and gagged her mouth with it, so she couldn’t utter any more incantations.

She seemed so furious and raised her hands to do something to me, but I was quick enough to tear off my shirt and tie her hands together. Her eyes were wide with shock and she struggled to be set free, while making muffled sounds.

“You witches always think you’re all that when you’re useless without your mouth and hands. Do you know what they did to witches when I was younger?” I asked, kicking her till she fell, then I stomped all over her while she cried and made muffled screams, wriggling in excruciating pain.

“They burnt them,” I said, answering my own question.

She casted one look at the stove as though she could tell what was on my mind and began shaking her head, and clasping her already-tied hands together, pleading with me to spare her life.

“How dare you try to kill me?” I spat at her, then I kicked away the pot on the fire and knocked over the stove which immediately exploded, and soon, the fire began to spread in every direction of the house.

She kept making muffled screams and tried to fight her way out of her bondage, but it was impossible.

I smirked as I left her cottage engulfed with smoke and fire. In a deserted area like hers, there was no one that could possibly even save her. At least, meeting her had helped me without her even knowing. I knew exactly what to do now. I knew how to get my people out of this mess.