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17. Farvale

A sudden, violent windstorm whirled around the three of us. The strong gale felt like it is carrying an invisible fire within as I felt heat against my skin. The hand clutching mine gleamed purple light. The woman a few feet from us remained standing on her feet, orange eyes warily observing the change of our environment yet her face remained calm. At my side, the witch had a distant glare on the ground and a heaving chest. The harder he glares at the ground, the hotter the wind gets.

"Zander." I put a hand on his shoulder tightly. He didn't even blink, so I moved my hand on his cheek, and taking my other hand away from his to do the same with the other side. "Zander!" He finally lifted his head and brought his eyes up to met mine. For a moment, the heat of the windstorm grew more intense. Then, it all instantly stopped. His jaw is clenched as he took a step back from me. After three blinks and one glance at his surroundings, his lips curled into a frown.

"I'm sorry." He took another step away from me, shaking his head. "I didn't mean to do that! I'm sorry! I just felt so - I'm sorry, Astoria." He then turned his attention to Ivy, who has yet to move from her spot. "Who are you? How do you know who I am?" His emotions must have caused the windstorm. He is Alexander Farvale, the only surviving member of his coven. That means his family, who was in that coven, are gone.

"I'm the alpha of the Gaia pack. My pack stayed at Queen's Garden along with your coven." She is an alpha of a werewolf pack. A leader. From the books that I just read, alphas are portrayed to be really powerful and strong. Not only is she attractive, but she can also kick my ass. Wow. "I've been looking for you for a very long time."

Zander clapped his hands with a deadpanned face. "Congratulations. Let me tell you what you won: absolutely nothing."

Looking at the two sacred beings, I've made a hypothesis that to be sacred also means to be pretty and strong. Because they are both really pretty and strong. What am I even doing here? It's like they're Wonder Woman and Superman and I'm Batman. I'm basically chopped liver.

"You have no idea how high the price is for your head." Ivy responded with a chuckle, her angry eyes squinting at the witch.

"My head?" He retorted, unfazed by the threat. "Why would you want just my head if you can have the rest of me, which would look so much more attractive as a whole? Not that I'd let you have me. No offense, but you're not my type. Your claws are sharper than mine and I won't allow such competition in a relationship."

Ivy's face scrunched with confusion, furrowing her eyebrows before looking at me. My own reaction to his words are the same as hers. I don't know what goes on in his head. If I had the power to look inside it, I think I'd both me amused and scarred at the same time.

"It's hard to believe you are the last witch of the most powerful coven." Ivy commented, scanning Zander while cringing. "Perhaps we are all really doomed, after all."

"Most powerful coven?" I repeated, glancing back and forth the wolf and the witch. "Really?"

"No." Zander answered at the same time the brown haired woman said yes.

"Out of all the covens, for years, Ignis coven was the most powerful, just as the Gaia pack and Cassini vampire clan were the strongest of the others." Ivy explained, dropping more unknown words and names. "Unfortunately, all members of the coven are dead. Or so everyone believed. There was a rumor that the Farvale's youngest son had either ran away during or after the attack of the Aquila coven. Out of desperation for help, I had to believe that it's true. I needed it to be. And so, I searched everywhere for a long time and now here you are. And I'm going to need you to come with me."

I stared at Zander and waited for him to make a decision with my heart beating fast with anticipation. However, no words came out from him. He just zoned out, eyes wide but staring at nothing in particular. He's not even blinking. Ivy may have broken him. I was going to shake him to wake him up again just like last time, but he snapped out before I could move. "Hold on." He held up his right index finger. "Let me ask Astoria." My lips parted at the sudden mention of my name. "As the owner of my soul, do you wish to give me away to this complete stranger who chocked me, scratched me, and tackled me to the floor, all without even telling me her name?"