I said and did nothing. As if I didn’t hear what Red said. I was shocked because Red was determined to ask me to leave Ethan.
“Do you hear what I said?”
I nodded but still didn’t reply. Finally, after taking a deep breath, I said, “I can’t.”
“Can’t or won’t? The difference is huge.”
“Both. I can’t, and I won’t.”
“Do you prefer death?” Red looked away. “Though it’s easy if you are dead. You will set Ethan free. Yet, it will place him in a guilty position like before.”
“What do you mean?”
Red said nothing. Then he shook his head. “You should wait until our Alpha tells you. Otherwise, you have another choice: leave.”
“We have marked each other. Ernie and Ethan told me that it was like both of us had married.” I stared at him. “So, unless Ethan tells me directly or indicates that he doesn’t want me anymore, I will stick with him.
“You’re a stubborn girl. It won’t do good for anyone, you know?” Red shook his head. “You’re still young. You can get any man you want, but not our Alpha.”
“Why? Why do you dislike me so much?”
“It’s not personal.” Red then stood. “I have done talking. It’s up to you now. If you know what’s good for all, leave our Alpha.” Then he left me.
I was still staring at Red’s back until I couldn’t see it anymore. Then, finally, I bent my head and let out a long sigh. “What should I do?” I almost touched the mark, yet I stopped when my hand was halfway to reach my neck. “Ethan, please come back soon. I need you.”
***
~ Ethan ~
Meanwhile, I walked into the area of Crescent Island. As a special ability werewolf, I can teleport wherever I want. Yet, Crescent Island is witches’ territory. So they create a strong magic barrier so no one can teleport themselves when the visitors are in the area. However, anyone with teleport skills can still move themselves to leave the island.
Crescent Island is a small island covered with thick fog. No one dares to visit the place unless they are witches, special abilities, or desperate people who need the witches’ help.
It had been days since I searched for Ruby Miranda. Ruby is a powerful witch and the only one who can help me. That was why I strived to find her.
Suddenly, I felt a thud in my heart. I placed my hand on my heart. What happened? Is something wrong with Helena?
I immediately opened my mind link. Yet it was like a thick cloud covered the link. So, I reached for the backpack, took my phone, and immediately called Helena.
Helena picked up the call on the first ring. “Ethan? How are you?”
“I’m still on my trip. Are you okay?”
Helena said nothing for a while, but she said, “Yes. How about you?”
“I’m okay too. I just felt something was wrong. So, I called you to check.”
“I just feel … tired.”
“Oh, you should get some rest.”
“Yes, I’m on my way home. I’m on a bus now.”
“I see. I’ll buy you a car once I go home.”
“No, you don’t need to. I’m okay. It’s more practical using the bus rather than driving a car.”
“Well, if that’s what you want.” I was about to say more, but the thick fog suddenly lessened, and I could see the surrounding. So, I immediately said, “I need to go now. I’ll contact you later.”
“Be safe!” Helena said. But I had ended the call before I could hear what she said.
I put the phone back into my backpack. The fog is like a barrier to outsiders. If thinner, the magic field can sense that the visitors’ intentions are good. Yet, if it remains the same or thicker, it detects the visitors’ bad or evil purposes.
I took a deep breath and continued walking until I met a young and beautiful woman.
“Hey, handsome. It seems you’re a stranger. How about you stop for a while? You can rest for an hour.” The young woman ran her fingers to my shoulder. “Maybe we can entertain each other too.” She smiled, showing her neat white teeth.
“Thanks for your offer, but I’m in a hurry. Can you point me to Ruby’s place?”
“Ruby? Why do you want to meet her?” The woman stroked my shoulder and then my chest. “She’s an old woman. No fun to meet her. You’ll find more entertainment here.”
Suddenly, there was a house behind me. I stared at the home and knew that the young woman was a witch. However, delicious food smells filled the air. My stomach growled immediately.
“See? Your body is screaming. You need to rest first and fill your tummy.” The woman pointed at the house. “With a hundred Moon dollars, you can get a meal inside. If you add another two hundred, you can get water to take a bath.”
Since I didn’t know where Ruby was, maybe the woman could be the help I needed. “Very well.” I grabbed my backpack and gave the woman three hundred Moon dollars. “Here you go.”
We walked inside, and it was like a casual motel. No one was there, only the young woman and me. She nodded at me. “Please have a seat first. I’ll prepare your food and water.”
It was a small wooden house. There were only two tables with two chairs each, then a door to another room. Again, another delicious food fragrance filled the air. My stomach was protesting again since I saved the food by eating once daily. I hadn’t eaten yet for today.
The young woman came back after twenty minutes. She brought a tray with a clean plate and cutleries and a glass filled with mineral water. Then she walked inside again, and in a minute, the woman brought roasted chicken, macaroni cheese, stirred green vegetables, and a creamy corn soup. “Enjoy your meals.”
I nodded. “Thank you.”