“Do they know where she lives?” Emily asks Hunter, who nods again.
“She lives in an isolated cabin in the woods. I told the guys already, and they're preparing to go after her. She might lead us to the dark lord.”
I nod, realizing how serious things are when Hunter doesn't crack a joke, even when Emily gives him another vial of the potion to be rubbed on our scent glands and mask our wolfy scents. He takes a vial for Tyler and Nicholas and disappears into the hall.
Emily turns to me, and I nod. “Come on. Let's go find this supposed witch.”
Chapter 6 - Hunter
The witch hunt leads us to the dark oak-pine forest, where we've gotten a lead about the woman causing chatter amongst the locals.
It's our only lead for now, and our group won't waste time sitting idly by for the warlock to wreak havoc on the humans in this town.
If we find her, she can lead us to the dark lord.
A faint light casts an orange glow in the distance between the trees, and I race forward ahead of the group.
“Found it!” I call over my shoulder, already geared up in fight mode like I was during black ops, kicking in the door. Wood snaps as the door smacks open, and I rush into the small cavity of the wooden log cabin, my feet stomping over loose floorboards.
“Hello! Anyone in here?!” I call out while I can hear the others surrounding the cabin. A quick search through every room, every possible space where the woman could be hiding, comes up empty.
“She's not in here!” I inform the others as they come through the door.
“You think she knew we were coming?” Tyler asks as he inspects the room, lifting a mug off the coffee table. “It's still warm.”
“If she did, she couldn't have gotten far,” Nicholas says as he lifts a photo frame off the ledge above the fireplace. He turns it over and shows us the picture of a young woman grinning as she stands next to the tree. “I'm guessing this is what she looks like.”
Delilah steps forward, reaching out a tentative hand toward the frame. “I might be able to see where she's gone.”
Nicholas nods as he passes the picture to Delilah, and she stiffens in that way she always does when she's having a vision. I go to the kitchen, rinse out a glass, and fill it with water, then take it to her just as the milky-white cloudiness in her eyes dissipates and her eyes turn to their normal shade of honey-gold hazel.
She meets my steady gaze, blinking fervently as I gently press the glass of water in her hand.
“Th-thanks…” she murmurs, but this time, it's not in the tone she used earlier tonight. It's genuinely grateful, and she chugs down the water as she turns to the rest of the group waiting expectantly.
“The woman is somewhere in the woods. Running…that's what I saw…she's running, disoriented, and fearful.”
“What is she running from?” Emily asks, to which Delilah shakes her head.
“I'm not sure. I can't see further than that,” Delilah responds. “But she's somewhere in these woods; I just can't pinpoint her exact location.”
Tyler nods. “Let's spread out, then. Em, you're with Nick. Hunter, you're with D. We'll check every corner, and regroup in half an hour. Use the mind link if you find anything.”
Giving him a firm nod, I turn to Delilah, who appears anything but pleased to be paired with me. But she makes no protest, remaining tight-lipped as she places the empty glass in the sink and follows the group out.
I do the same, and Tyler points out the directions for the pairs to sweep the forest in search of the woman. Delilahand I take the south and west area, and she immediately begins trekking into the woods.
“Hey! Wait up! We're supposed to be a team!” I call out after her.
“Shh!” she breathes through her teeth as she throws a glare at me over her shoulder. “Don't be so loud,” she growls in a whisper. “We don't wanna scare her off if she's out here.”
“We can still whisper, you know? You can't keep avoiding me. I am your—”
“Yeah, I know,” she cuts me off, rolling her eyes at me. “But this marriage is fake. It means nothing.”
“We can still be friends, D,” I offer, hopeful. “You don't have to keep shunning me.”
“I'm still pissed, Hunter. You didn't have to kidnap me and force me into it.”
