The Gamma's Dark Witch

8 - River Scars

(Nisha)

The next day, we went back to the ravine. It was still intact; at least they were wise enough not to try to go against us and do anything while we were sleeping. We worked slowly and nervously, I kept glancing at Zephyr, but I knew she would tell us if someone was approaching.

That night Soleil met him alone at dusk. I sat up at the edge of the loft, hugging my knees, and waited for her return. My shadows settled around me like a blanket, comforting me from a dull aching hollowness I couldn’t find words for.

Soleil came in quietly; if it weren’t for her blazing hair and the soft creak of the old door, I wouldn’t have known she was there. She walked on silent feet to the middle of the room and sunk deeply into an armchair.

I watched her by the dying embers of the fire. The soft glow seemed to get trapped in her hair, illuminating it. Her face was wary, her eyes softened showing a glimpse of her age. Her pale fingers clenched her guide, her talisman, and she traced the outlines of it. She looked so normal; it clenched my heart to see her this shaken.

“Nisha?” Her soft voice floated up to me, but she didn’t look up from her charm.

I unfolded myself and climbed down the ladder. She pinned her wary smile on me and motioned to the floor beside her.

I sunk down and laid my head on her lap, her fingers intertwined with my hair, and I took a deep breath. This was something that she used to do more frequently when I was first made. I had more questions then and a sense of dread that took a while to shake. Soleil comforted me and talked me through it all. I watched her milky fingers trace the outline of the pendant that I now had memorized before closing my eyes and letting her comfort me into oblivion.

- -

I woke with a start. The room was cold even though there was a thick blanket tucked around me. I was lying on the chair where Soleil sat, but she wasn’t there. The fire was ashen, and the air was quiet and still. I reluctantly shook off the blanket and stood as quietly as I could and tugged on a thick shawl, and slipped out under the last light of the moon.

The moon’s rays were bright even though I knew they were about to start fading. Twinkling stars above seemed to smile at me, and I smiled back, grateful for the company. I settled into myself, letting the darkness take over, and jumped through the shadows as fast as I dared before the sun took them.

I could sense it before I saw it—the hollow emptiness of a place where they built their home. No embers were left in the fire pit; no bodies warmed the beds. I didn’t have to trespass on their land to know that they were gone.

(Cam)

A group is here to see the Alpha. They came on foot, but we have them in the system - A guard at the gates linked me.

I’m with The Alpha now; send us their descriptions and only allow those who are necessary up to speak with us.

I informed Jackson and linked some men to escort them into the packhouse and keep an eye on them. Even though they were in our system, and I had just updated all of our security protocols, I wanted extra eyes. I didn’t understand who these people were, but I knew we would find out soon enough.

- - -

A man walked in, and I offered him my seat. He politely declined, but I insisted, going to stand behind my Alpha so I could assess him and keep an eye on the situation. He was familiar, but in a way that I couldn’t place. It annoyed me as I flicked through my memory.

He was at the pack recently, possibly part of it. But then why would he leave?

“Alpha Jackson, Gamma Cameron.” The man lowered his head slightly, taking off his hat. His face was tanned with deeply etched lines. He wasn’t old, but years outside in the sun aged him past his years.

“My name is Ethan Murphy, formally of The Red Ridge Pack.” I looked at Jackson, his jaw ticked, but he didn’t give any other sign of recognition.

I glanced at the security footage to his side; he really needed to keep it better hidden. Nothing out of the ordinary, no other threats. The people that he came with were standing in the front hall, looking wary and nervous even through the slightly grainy picture.

“Yes,” Jackson replied, his voice cool and even, “You recently re-settled as The Blue Lake Clan? How is that going?”

The Red Ridge Pack, I remembered that from years ago—one of the first mismanaged packs that Jackson took over as Alpha. Jackson had a reputation as being a ruthless Alpha, but he only challenged the packs that needed his assistance. The remaining members of those packs swore alliance to us, and we have not had any trouble with them since.

A few of the Red Ridge members, an extended family, wanted to try to start again closer to their home pack. They, well, Jackson, technically owned the land, and Jackson gifted it to them. They left late last year, if I remembered correctly. I made a mental note to check on the dates.

Ethan glanced between Jackson and me; a pained look crossed his face. “Not so well, Alpha.” He rubbed the back of his neck. He was nervous.

“What happened?” I cut in. The man’s wary gaze met mine.

“We were settled as well as we could be.” His face held a whisper of a smile. “Right on the banks of the river where my parents were born and their parents before them.” Poetic, I thought. Get to the point. “The river dried up suddenly, barely a trickle. It was our primary source of life. It fed our crops and provided fresh water for us. We built our pack around the river, old fashioned like.” He dipped his head, but his eyes misted over.

“How long ago?” Jackson asked.

“That the river dried?” Ethan asked, and Jackson nodded. “About a week; a little longer. We went to scout the reason, and that’s when we ran into the problem.” His suntanned face turned ashen.

“What problem?” I probed.

“Witches.” I breathed in sharply. Ethan’s eyes hardened, and he looked at me. “They changed the flow of the river with their witchcraft.” We had to figure out their motives; then we could assess their potential route, see if they could be heading closer to here even though that river never came close to our borders.

“But why?” Jackson asked the question I was about to.

He shrugged. “We don’t know. We went to confront them, an unearthly sort.” He shuddered. “We thought it was a fluke, some sort of natural occurrence, but it wasn’t.” His face turned sour.

“I’m assuming the witches didn’t give you back your, uh, water?” Jackson asked.

“No.” Ethan’s mouth was in a thin line. “We tried to reason with them, even tried to intimidate them at first, but they were powerful. She pulled the sun down to the earth.” He shuddered at the memory. “It was obvious they wouldn’t back down. We came back here to ask for a temporary stay while we figure out our next move.” He hung his head.

“Granted,” Jackson replied, “Get Lucas and Isla to see to the arrangements.” Jackson glanced at me, and I nodded in confirmation. “Now, tell us about these witches. If we are to go up against them, no detail will be too small.”

“We couldn’t ask you to do that, Alpha. We aren’t technically a part of the pack anymore.” Ethan’s eyes widened.

“It’s what's right.”

“I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of it.” Ethan shook his head violently. “We just need a bit of time to recoup and figure out where to go from there. We have seen enough unneeded bloodshed in this lifetime.”

“But it was your land. We cannot let witches terrorize it.”

The man sighed, showing his age. He seemed wary, someone that has seen far too much for one lifetime. “I understand, Alpha. Do what you must if you think its right for your pack. I do not want to put any of my men or women on the line. I would be fine to let it go and move on.” There was a heaviness to his words. Someone that has lost a home and then lost the one they tried to re-build. I tasted anger, the injustice of it all at the hand of dark magic.

“Did they give you a reason?” I asked, “For taking your source? For re-routing an entire river?” I couldn’t keep the anger out of my voice. How many others relied on that? How many others set up their packs or homes near it?

“No.” He shook his head. “We tried to reason, but-” He clamped down and shook his head again, closing his eyes for a brief moment. “It doesn’t matter; we just want peace. I don’t want to go back and face retaliation. We will find a new place and start again. We are resilient.” he said, his face set in determination, but his voice wavered.

“Let us know what you need; my Beta, Lucas, if you remember, will be meeting with your group to decide living arrangements. Stay as long as necessary, forever if you choose.” Jackson said calmly, but I could sense how tense he was.

“We will work to-”

“No.” Jackson cut him off. “Relax, that is an order.” A smile curled on the side of his lips, and Ethan offered him the first real smile of this encounter.

“Yes, Alpha.”

“When you’re settled, I would like to speak with you again about all of this.”

“Yes, Alpha. Thank you, Alpha.”

“Welcome back.”

“It’s good-” Ethan’s voice broke. “It’s good to have a place to turn to that feels like home. Your hospitality, your help, It is more than we could have ever hoped for.”

“You’re one of us. We take care of our own, even if you choose to start a new path,” Jackson stated, and I felt pride at his words. Jackson was a great Alpha, and I was honored to be his Gamma. Many wouldn’t take back in pack members that willingly left. Many wouldn’t provide safety for them after a challenge. Jackson was a natural protector to all wolves, and that extended beyond our pack.

“Alpha, Gamma.” Ethan nodded deeply and turned his back on us.

As soon as the door closed, Jackson turned to me. “They didn’t re-settle far, a few hours by car. I want to find out more information but inform the warriors to be on alert for a potential threat before we decide a course of action.”

“Yes, Alpha. When you’re ready to move ahead with a plan, I have some ideas.”

“You’ll be the first to know.” He gave me a broad smile, but it was tinged with wariness. “I’ll inform the Northern Campus. The witches aren't close, but too close to be ignorant about, especially if they are impacting innocents,” Jackson said.

“I agree.”

I wondered for the first time if one of those witches might be my mate. It filled me with a thick icy dread and a glimmer of hope I tried to suppress—D.amn mate bond.