An aery mist was settled upon the woods, hiding the tallest trees under a blanket of clouds.

I tightened the hold on the collar of my rain jacket, counting down the minutes until I could  shed my skin for my fur. The male next to me stood tall and impassive, but I could see the same want in the stiff posture of his shoulders. Long, dark hair was braided on his back, its texture appearing like silk under the light rain. My guide for the next few days. Alpha Thaddeus had warned me about his Gamma: a man of few words who preferred fur to skin. A man who had spent so much time as a wolf that even his human side was lupine. I was fine with that.

We were to leave soon.

The two Alphas were with us, Alpha Thaddeus now whispering some parting words to his Gamma. Robert was at the pack house, waiting for his Alpha to return in order for them to leave for the Silverblood's grounds. Hercules was on my side, his eyes on the woods ahead. Droplets were trapped in the thickness of his dark strands, glinting like tiny diamonds. I traced his profile with my eyes, marveling at the sharp beauty of his features. As he could feel my gaze on him, he turned to look at me. We stared at each other, neither of us willing to look away. Hercules nodded, a droplet following the lines of his cheek, and I understood what he meant, even if words were not used. I nodded back. I shifted my attention on the Red Claw's males and noticed that they had stopped talking.

"A car will be waiting for you at your return Lara," Alpha Thaddeus said, " to escort you back to the Silverblood pack."

"Thank you."

It was time to go. The sooner we left, the sooner we would come back.

The Gamma began walking towards the trees, his braid swinging with the momentum, while taking off his clothes. I did the same, starting with unzipping my jacket. My actions, however, were halted by a strong hand gripping my forearm. I was spun around and clashed against the warmth of a hard chest. I held his forearm in response, enjoying the steely firmness of it under my fingers. Hercules pressed his cheek against mine, his stubble gently scratching my skin. I marveled at the sensation, at the intimacy of his gesture, and then inhaled the scent that was now dominating each of my senses.

A sign of respect and affection.

Cheek to cheek.

"Be careful, ànthos mou."

His lips brushed against my earlobe and I tightened the hold I had on his arm, goosebumps raising wherever his breath fanned my skin.

"I will."

Eyes closed, I inhaled one last time, willing for that scent of chocolate and spices to implant itself in my brain. Calming. Soothing. Comforting.

"I will," I repeated.

Hercules slowly pulled away, releasing the grip he had on my arm. I did the same, our eyes meeting on their own volition. In their depths, I could read the words he didn't dare utter.

I will be waiting for you.

He had been waiting for me for a very long time. Words flashed in my head, but I payed them no mind. I was too scared of what I would find in case I did.

—————

Fucking rain.

It hadn't stopped raining for the entire journey.  Finding shelter had not been hard, but soaking fur was not a pleasant feeling to have all day long, for two days straight. My wolf had been enthusiastic about roaming those woods, even if at first she had been tense and wary about the male who was with us. But she had soon understood that the silent wolf was not a threat: brooding yes, but not dangerous. Not to us, at least. We had agreed, after studying the male's powerful grace, that he definitely was a deadly predator. Even the carcasses we had left behind were likely to think the same. Better yet, had likely thought the same before his teeth had pierced their throat.

His russet wolf was in front of us, powerful paws trying to avoid puddles on the ground. We had spotted a column of smoke raising in the sky one hour ago, a sign that we were approaching the cottage of the Healer. The male slowed his pace down and we followed his actions, halting beside him. The trees gradually thinned out, revealing a large clearing behind. On the other side of the area, a stone cottage stood, surrounded by what looked like a well-tended garden.

I trotted behind a big trunk, willing my body to shift from fur to skin. My beast retreated in the back of my mind, her attention on our surroundings in search of possible dangers. I stretched my limbs and neck, the muscles readjusting to this form. I hadn't been in wolf form for this long in a very long time and, even if I had enjoyed every second of it, my body needed time to adjust itself. I hastily put on the clothes we had carried with us, the straps of the bag in which they were folded damaged by our jaws. I hoped they would last for the journey back. Emerging from behind the trunk, I noticed that the male was still in his wolf form, eyes focused on the cottage ahead. He wasn't going to join me then. With a nod in his direction, I departed from the trees, entering the clearing.

With each step towards the cottage, my heartbeat rose.

It was a mixture of nervousness, foreboding, expectation...even a bit of fear. Fear that this journey would be useless. Fear that I would go back empty handed. Fear that the mysterious flower would turn out to be a dead end. Fear of...failure.

I could clearly see the garden now: plants and herbs finely pruned and fertilized, their leaves of the shiniest green tones. The soil was expertly divided, rows and rows of orderly bushes creating shapes on the ground. The smell was divine: lavender, rosemary, thyme, mint..all meshing together to incite your senses. The Healer's cottage looked like an oasi in the middle of the desert. A place out of dreams. I followed the path on the ground, marveling at the comforting beauty of this place. Bees and dragonflies fled around, passing from flower to flower. The picture this place portrayed...it was a picture of peace. Of calmness. Of relax.

A red wooden door stood in front of me, the hinges and pommel made of brass. I took a deep breath, preparing myself to knock.
Here we go. Now or never.
However, I didn't get the chance to make myself known as the door swung open from the inside.

Lemongrass, verbena and honey.

A woman, tall and willowy, stood on the threshold. Her face, aged with grace, was framed by a complex hairstyle of braids the same color of the night, interrupted only by streaks of white and silver. The most astonishing feature, however, were her eyes: gray as metal, they seemed to be carved out of iron. Even the steely firmness of them contributed to the fact. But as marvelous as they were, something seemed off about them. Something that even my wolf was trying to grasp.

"Come in, Alpha Female. I was waiting for you."

Her voice evoked in me the images of crackling fire, of smoke, of burning wood. Rasping, but at the same time calming and comforting. When her words registered, however, my body tensed. How? How could she possibly know that I was coming? She disappeared inside, her linen tunic swirling behind her. I had no other choice but to follow her.

As soon as I entered, plumes of scented incense reached my nose and I barely refrained from coughing. As soon as my sight adjusted to the curtain of smoke, I could see that I was in a sort of working room. Dried herbs were hanging from the walls, knifes, scissors and even a sickle placed next to them. The center of the room was occupied by a majestic wooden table, its surface occupied by more herbs, mortars and candles. The Healer was in front of a stovetop, stirring something on it. It seemed like this place had no electricity; like it was frozen in time.

"Tea is brewing. Take a seat."

"I don't..."

"A cup of tea won't delay the questions you have for me. Sit."

My wolf growled in the back of my mind, unpleased by the authority this woman was casting upon us. None could boss us around. I didn't like her attitude either, but we were in a situation where a battle of prides was best to be left out. So I swallowed back a growl of my own and seated down on one of the chairs surrounding the table. The woman soon followed, placing a tray with a teapot and two cups on the table. She served the tea and then sat down, her unnerving eyes fixated on me. I couldn't stop myself from studying them and the same sensation as before came back. There was definitely something off about them...and then something clicked in the back of my mind.
She smelled like a werewolf, and yet....

"I can smell the wolf in you, but I can't see her presence in your eyes."

She brought a cup to her lips and blowed on it, the fumes coming from the tea swirling furiously under her breath.

"My wolf was the price I had to pay for my Sight."

What the hell was she saying?
She kept staring at me, now slowly sipping from her cup. I actually didn't know how to respond to her. What she said made absolutely no sense to me.

"The Moon Goddess blessed me with the gift of Sight, but in order to master her gift I had to sacrifice my wolf side. Now, I can hear Her talking to me and have visions of the near future."

My wolf whined, sadness heaving over her at the thought of her missing sister. Yet again, I was proved of how unfair the Moon Goddess was, of how her gifts were curses in disguise. I wanted to shout at the woman in front of me, asking her how she could have sacrificed the other half of her soul for the Goddess, how she could call it a gift. But I didn't. Even if every part of me was begging to. People relayed on me. I couldn't blow this up.

"The Goddess told me that an Alpha Female with hair the same shade of wheat would soon come to me. So I waited. And then I saw you in my visions."

Good Lord, the last thing my sanity needed was to discover that there were people able to talk to the Gods and to see the future. But then, nothing surprised me anymore. She could tell me that she was a descendant of the Salem witches and I would believe her. That was how fucked-up I was. Even if I didn't voice my thoughts out, I could swear that she understood what I was thinking. Her sharp eyes wouldn't leave my face, studying every reaction of mine. That kind of unnerved me.

"So you know why I am here then?"

"That I don't know. But first drink your tea, it's getting cold."

My patience was running thin. I didn't want her damn tea, I wanted answers. However, I did as she said, picking up the remaining cup. It was still warm, even if not scalding hot. I brought it to my lips, sniffing its scent. It smelled good. I took a sip, a mixture of flavors exploding on my tongue. The Healer hummed, pleased with my actions. I hoped now that I had drank her tea she could start answering my questions. Apparently, I was mistaken.

"What herbs do you taste in it?"

That was it. I had been patient enough.

"I'm not here to talk about tea blends. I'm here because I need answers."

The Healer smiled, her lips turning up in a calculating smile, but didn't loose her composure. She kept on sipping and then placed her cup on the tray, her eyes always on me.

"Answer my questions and I'll answer yours."

Old, cunning, smart, insufferable crone. I wanted to wipe the satisfied smile off her face, but apparently the only way was to play her game. I took another sip, focusing on the flavors on my tongue. I could taste mint and maybe a bit of licorice, but the mint was too prominent, masking the other flavors.

"Mint. And maybe licorice, but I'm not sure."

The Healer hummed and nodded her head.

"Ah yes, that's a peculiarity of mint. If used in the right dose, it can cover other tastes and scents. Its flavor is very strong and I'm impressed you could taste licorice as well. But there was even a bit of echinacea. Half mint, a quarter of licorice and a quarter of echinacea."

What the fuck? I was seriously wondering if the old crone had lost her mind. Maybe the fumes and the incense had made her go crazy. Probably yes. I couldn't understand why she was rambling about tea blends with me; I was not the Queen of England nor I appreciated tea that much.

"Alright child, a deal is a deal. Tell me what brings you here."

Thank God now we were talking business. I rummaged through my pants' pocket, searching for the piece of paper I had put there before entering the clearing. Unfolding it, I passed it to the Healer.

"I'd like to know about this flower."

She deeply studied the paper and then sighed, passing it back to me.

"Why do you wish to know about this flower?"

"Because I hope it could be the answer for the unanswered questions I had."

The Healer nodded, her eyes now passing the dried herbs on the wall.

"I must warn you. If this flower is the answer to your questions, then the outcome most probably won't be good. We call it Wikat's kiss."

The name was familiar. I had already heard Wikat's name, but I couldn't recall in which occasion. But something in my mind was willing me to remember, to remember because it could be important. I would think about it later. For now, I was too captured by what the Healer was saying.

"For centuries healers have tried to hide its existence and they supposedly succeeded, at least until now. My ancestors slowly stopped teaching about this flowers to their acolytes for its memory to fade away, but somehow its name still remained among our ranks. My teacher taught me something about the Wikat's kiss, but not much. I'll tell you what I know." She paused, then resumed. "It's an extremely rare flower as it grows only in very specific areas. And we should be thankful for that. Its beauty and colorful appearance catch the eyes of the beholder, but in reality they mask its true nature. It's the most poisonous substance existing for werewolves, even more than wolfsbane. And that's why we have kept it hidden."

My heart was pounding hard against my chest. I couldn't believe it. A path. A path to follow. Finally, I had a possible path.

"How? How it works?" I found myself asking.

The Healer shook her head.

"We don't know. We only know that the werewolves who were subjected to it all developed illnesses."

"A cure? Is there a cure?"

She looked at me in the eyes, a shadow passing through her gaze.

"No. We never found a cure, even if my ancestors had tried hard."

My heart sank in my chest, but I couldn't let it stop me. I had finally found a path. I could find this flower and try...I was no biologist, but had connections, I had colleagues.. I couldn't stop now, not when I had merely begun.

"You said that this flower is extremely rare and it grows only in certain places. Where can I find it?"

She looked at me, her expression guarded. I knew that she was pondering about telling me or not, pondering if I was worth breaking the oath to her ancestors for. She then exhaled a breath, muttering something about her breath.

"There is only one place in America where the Wikat's kiss grows."

"Where?"

Her gaze fixated on me. Her eyes were hard and sharp, now resembling swirling metal.
Then she uttered,

"Alaska."

———————-

Okay, so. I don't like how this chapter turned out, even because it's an important chapter. A very important chapter. I don't like how I wrote it, but I wanted to publish something for you guys. So, here it is. I'll probably check for grammar mistakes tomorrow.

Quite a few informations in this chapter, eh?
What do you think about it?
Finally Lara seems to have a path to follow...what do you think will happen now?
Let me knoooow! You know I love to hear your theories!

Ps: it would mean a lot to me if you could check out my latest story, "A Cinder's wish."  It's just a chapter and it's completed. It's a retelling of Cinderella that I wrote for the contest "Rewind the Classics." I wrote it in like 24 hours...but I kinda like how it turned out! I'd love to hear your thoughts about it.

Kisses!