[Tyler’s POV]
Meeting with the witch, Celeste, had made me understand how I could save the lives of the people I had left. If the other werewolf communities could find a way to go through my Palace gates, it meant that we were not safe even in the Palace that was expected to be a safe haven.
When she spoke about Lucien, the vampire whose face still haunted me in my dreams from time-to-time, I remembered the world I had gone to when I was in search of Nivera. It was a whole different world, beyond the knowledge of any of my werewolf counterparts, and it got me thinking. If I could get my people to that world, they would be safe.
Since it appeared that they were mostly humans, nothing was stopping us from migrating there and pretending to be one of them, while we were werewolves in secret. I had no idea on how to go about it, but it seemed to be the only way out for all of us.
I couldn’t just let the Crescent Pack go extinct like that. I needed to do something, anything at all, to save the Pack.
It was for this reason that I had come straight to the whole new world; New Orleans was its name, and I had just been walking down a particularly busy street, wondering how to go about the amazing plan I had in mind. I wondered if moving to the same place as the vampire was a wise choice to make.
I had been worried that he would just spring up one day to fight me after what happened to Nivera, and had even spent a full year, holding a weapon close to my bed, so I could be prepared to fight him and get rid of him. Perhaps, he hadn’t even liked her that much, I later reasoned and my fears weee put to rest for the most of it.
“Before you think of bringing your wolves to New Orleans, you must know that you would need to identify yourselves, show evidence of where you used to live, as well as many other things that I’m too tired to talk about right now,” a husky, yet feminine voice said behind me.
I turned around and saw a woman, no more than forty. She had on a leather coat, a brown floral three-quarter length dress and leather boots. Her hair was dyed purple and she chewed gum aggressively, with her arms folded as she smiled at me.
“I’m sorry; do I know you?” I asked, quite confused.
She began walking, and motioned to me to walk with her. I did so because I needed to know how she had known of my plan to move here.
“What were you talking about?” I inquired since she went mute and didn’t say anything again.
“I was trying to say you need to know a lot of things and have a lot of documents to process your migration. This is not the werewolf world where you can just decide to settle on a land and make it the home of your Pack. Things are different here and you’d need someone to help you out, and I can be that someone,” she stated.
“Even if what you’re saying is true, how do I know that I can trust you when I don’t even know how you knew my plans? For all I know, you could be working for my enemies,” I said, still surprised .at her.
“If it’s Lucien and Celeste you’re worried about, then you need not be afraid. They’re also my enemies, and I’ve needed you for some time now. I wasn’t sure if I could trust you until you attempted to kill Celeste. She’s the greatest witch alive, but you, Tyler, managed to almost kill her. It made me sure that I truly need you,” she said.
“Wait. The witch didn’t die?” I asked, wondering how she must have escaped the terrible fire.
“No, she didn’t, but if we work together, she would be dead in no time. All you need to do is take my hand,” she said, then stretched out her hand.
I eyed her outstretched hand, weighing my options. “How can I trust you? Who are you?” I asked.
“I’m Jocelyn, and like all my predecessors, I’ve been tasked with getting rid of Celeste. She used to be one of us until she decided to join hands with the vampire. She has overstayed her welcome in the land of the living, and I need to make history and be the one to send her to the Eternal gates of hell and suffering,” she explained.
“I see, but what’s in it for you?”
She simply shrugged. “I’ll become the Queen mother, not just for the witches here in New Orleans, but beyond and above the horizon as well.”
“And how about me? What’s in it for me? Don’t go on rambling about my need for documents and whatnot. That won’t cut it, and I can easily find someone to help me out with that. Tell me, Jocelyn, if I take your hand, what would I get in return?” I asked.
A mischievous smirk played around her lips. “You’ll get the thing you want the most in the world,” she said.
“And what would that be?”
“A son,” she responded, with a smile.
“How is that even possible? Malia can’t…”
“Who cares about that barren redhead? You’ll get a son, Tyler… a boy that looks exactly like you, and is smart and strong. I promise you that,” she said.
I stopped walking and faced her. She looked up at me, with an unflinching gaze.
“You’re being serious,” I noted.
“Of course, I am. However, for that to happen, we need to get rid of the vampire;” she explained.
“What does he have to do with me having a son?” I inquired.
“With time, you’d know. For now, just have it at the back of your mind that we’ll work together, and once our enemies are defeated, I’ll get to become the Queen mother while you’ll get a heir to your throne. Deal?” she asked.
It was then I noticed her hand was still stretched out and I shook hands with her without giving it any further thought.
“Deal,” I said, sealing the fates of the witch and her best friend, the vampire.