CHAPTER 6

REBORN WITCH

Seraphina's POV

"Mate. Mate," my wolf growled inside me, the words reverberating through my mind. My heart tightened as I looked up, locking eyes with someone I thought only existed in my past life— a life where I was broken, weak and vulnerable. Yet he stood before me, alive and undeniably real. My mate.

Moon goddess, why would you do this to me?, I screamed internally, struggling to mask the swirl of recognition and dread brewing within me. His hands extended towards me in a bid to help me up. But I ignored it, forcing myself to stand up.

"You should watch where you're going," I said, my voice sharp, firm and detached. Without waiting for his response, I brushed past him and made my way towards the door.

"Hey," his voice followed me, firm and laced with curiosity. I stopped in my tracks, exhaling through clenched teeth, before reluctantly turning to face him.

"Have we met before?" He asked softly, his gaze searching mine with unsettling curiosity.

"No," I replied, my tone clipped.

His lips curled into a faint knowing smile. "I think we have. You seem to be avoiding me."

"I don't care what you think. It's irrelevant anyways." My tone was firm and final.  Spinning on my heels, I strode out of the café, ignoring the weight of his gaze piercing into the back of my neck.

Once outside, I let out a shaky breath, my fingers trembling as I gripped the strap of my bag.  Memories of him surged, unbidden and unwanted. He ruined me once— him, Lucian and Lyra. Never again, will I let them.

How could he be here? My thoughts spiraled as I walked down the alley home. Once inside the tiny cozy room—a sanctuary compared to the cruelty of the Darkmoors mansion—I leaned against the wall trying to steady my racing heart. My eyes darted around the modest space, scanning for comfort in its simplicity.

But something was off.

The room...was off. A few of my belongings were scattered on the floor like someone had been here. My pulse quickened. "I'm imagining things," I muttered to myself, kicking off my shoes.

The evening dragged on, restless and heavy. Dinner was tasteless as I picked up the food, my appetite buried under unease. Sleep eluded me and when it finally came, it was fitful, haunted by fractured memories and shadows that refused to stay buried.

The next morning, I forced myself into a semblance of normalcy and made my way to the café.

"Hello," I greeted Matty, my coworker, with a strained smile.

"Hi," she responded, her voice low and filled with unease. She leaned forward, then glanced around before speaking. "Did you hear? Some dangerous men..... murdered a man alongside his family with black magic yesterday," she added, her voice laced with fear.

"What?" My brows furrowed. "Who would do such a thing?"

"They used black magic," she whispered, her voice trembling.

"Black magic," I echoed, my tone etched with skepticism.

Matty nodded solemnly. "Be careful, Sera. It's real and they are very dangerous."

I forced a polite smile but couldn’t shake her words. Throughout my shift, her warning echoed in my mind, an uneasy hum that refused to quiet.

The night was eerily silent as I walked the dark alley home, the soft glow of streetlight barely piercing the darkness. My breath hitched as a shadow darted across my path, every muscle tensing with fear.

Then it happened again—something fast, slipping between the shadows like smoke. My heart skipped as Matty's words replayed in my mind. Black magic.

I wanted to run, to get to the safety of my room that was just a stone's throw away, but something pulled at me. What if someone got hurt because I ignored this?

Against my better judgment, I followed the shadows into the forest. The dense trees loomed overhead, their branches clawing in the moonlight. My footsteps faltered when I realized how far I had gone. Just as I attempted to turn back, the shadow materialized before me.

A woman stood there stark naked, her silver hair cascading down her body. Her gaze locked into mine, as fear coiled around my chest.

"I brought her here," she said, bowing.

I spun around at the sound of footsteps. An older man emerged leaning on a walking stick, flanked by several younger men. A sinister grin played on his lips as his gaze locked into mine.

"The reborn mother witch," he declared.

"What?" My breath hitched.

"Yes," he continued, his voice smooth and commanding. "The reborn mother witch."

Shock rippled through me. "Reborn? Mother witch? I don't... understand," I stammered, my voice breaking.

The man laughed, the sound cruel and sharp echoing through the forest. "Only an ordained witch can get the chance to be reborn," he said. "Embrace your true self and walk the path destiny had laid down for you."

"The destiny path? And what's the destiny path?" My voice trembling but sharper.

"Take charge of the world. To make yourself superior over every other creature," he answered. "We run an assassination lair," the man said, his voice cold and deliberate, the words hanging in the air like a dark cloud.

"You've been the one behind those murders. Haven't you?" My voice barely audible.

The man's smirk deepened, his confirmation enough. My blood runs hot.

"You don't know what you're capable of," he said. "With your strength, you can easily take charge, take revenge on your enemies, crush them beneath you."

"No," I spat, taking a step back. "I won't."

Before I could move further, my legs were frozen, an unseen force keeping me rooted.

I shot him a glare. "You did this… Right?"

He didn't respond, instead he gestured towards the men behind him. "Take her."

Rough hands grabbed me, dragging me through the forest as I thrashed and screamed. The cold dampness of prison greeted me, it's walls suffocating.

"Torture her, until she's ready to cooperate," the old man ordered, his voice devoid of any emotion, and then turned to leave.

My heart pounded in fear as the men advanced, their dark gaze promising pain.