The Alphas Guard

Chapter 19

Her eyes were greener than I'd ever seen before. Almost as though they were a lit up torch. It unsettled me just how they shone in contrast to the darkness of the cursed forest but I didn't speak up. I couldn't. The sole fact that Haya, my own mother, was standing right in front of my ripped my vocal cords right out of my throat.

I simply didn't know how to react.

"I-" I stuttered, "I saw you bleed,"

Haya tilted her head, brows furrowed, "I'm so sorry, but I don't recall ever meeting you, warrior,"

My heart twisted painfully, forcing my chest to cave.

"What do you mean you don't recall meeting us?" Slaiman exclaimed, slapping his a hand to his chest, "We're your pups!"

She stared back at us in silence, her head tilted with that confused expression staining her warm face. Her eyes shone with guilt, at the fact that she didn't know who were.

My eyes lowered, "Her memory was wiped,"

Slaiman snapped his head to face me, "What do you mean wiped? People can't just wipe memories-"

"Memory gollems, Slaiman, they give you two options. Fight them or feed them your most treasured memories," I swallowed my tears before facing Slaiman, "we were her most treasured memories,"

His jaw ticked, "Where can we find them?"

"Sorry, but I don't know what either of you are talking about it," Haya interrupted.

"Memory golems also wipe your encounter with them so they can feed off of you more, but it seems you've escaped them," I explained, "if it's not too much to ask, could we seek shelter at your cottage?"

Haya paused, eyeing Slaiman and I before she nodded, "I will need something in return though,"

Classic mother move, I thought, smiling.

"Anything," I said.

"One of your swords and more knowledge of whatever creatures roam these grounds," She shrugged, "if you don't want to go through the hassle of talking about these monsters, then I'll have both of your swords,"

"I think I'll take the first option," I said, tone duh.

"Pity," Haya mumbled before turning around, "follow me, then. Make sure to walk in the shadows,"

I know, I wanted to say, look mama, I know so much about all of this! Are you proud?

We followed her silently through the woods and spotted a few creatures running into caves, desperate to hide. Nobody, not even that 10-foot monster I'd killed, wanted to be the witch's next meal and I understood why. Walking was a task but I was grateful that Slaiman let me lean against him.

I wouldn't have been able to walk if it weren't for that small action.

Slaiman bumped my shoulder into his on purpose, catching my attention.

"Doesn't this all seem a bit odd?" He asked, "I don't- none of this feels real, Leila. Mother doesn't even feel real. She doesn't smell like she used to,"

"If you stay in here long enough, your scent depletes. Try and smell me," He sniffed my shoulder at my command and sighed; proven wrong, "see, you can't,"

"This place is too complicated,"

"It is," I agreed.

Finally, we reached Haya's place. It was a cottage made of perfectly cut logs stacked upon each other. It evoked something inside me, pulled at a stray string in my heart the more I stared at it. I could have sworn I'd seen it before as well.