Page 77 of The Alpha's Sold Pregnant Mate

“You've done such a great job at making our soil fertile and our plants grow again,” he said to her.

“Why do I sense a ‘but’?” she asked.

He sighed. “The curse goes beyond the land itself. Like I told you before, our women can no longer procreate. This ritual… It just might help.”

“So… The wards that they're crafting will ward off the curse on the women?” she asked him.

“Hopefully. Yes.”

Esme looked back in their direction and saw each Shaman contributing offerings of sacred herbs, feathers, and stones. They imbued these offerings with the power of the natural world.

She noticed how they arranged these gifts with such reverence and respect as they placed them upon a makeshift altar. They moved their hands with practiced precision, weaving together the threads of magic that would form the protective wards.

The Shamans raised their voices as the bonfire burned brighter, enveloping the surroundings with its glow. They threw their hands in the air and looked toward the moon, calling upon their ancestors to lend their strength in their endeavors.

As their voices rose in a crescendo of power, Esme heard her name in a soft whisper. She didn't bother asking Asher if he had heard it because she realized that the call was from another realm.

She left him and started to follow the voice.

‘Esme…’

“Hey, where are you going?” He rushed after her, but she didn't reply. She just kept on moving.

Asher followed up behind in silence until they got to Apiana's tree.

Esme gently placed her palm on the bark of the tree, and her head suddenly shot up to the sky, directly facing the moon. Her body trembled for a moment as a loud gasp escaped her lips. Her eyes were stinging, and she felt them glowing.

Thousands of images flashed through her head within seconds, and she seemed to be traveling through a vacuum at the speed of light.

In the blink of an eye, she found herself standing in the heart of the woods, where the Shamans were seated in a circle, chanting. The woods seemed different. They were covered in snow, but it wasn't winter yet.

She could tell that the Shamans could not see her, so she moved about, smiling at the snowflakes dropping from the sky. She suddenly paused in her tracks, sensing another presence.

Esme looked into the bushes behind some trees and saw two different eye colors glowing in the dark—green and gray. She heard a growl from the bushes, and soon, a five-foot white wolf stepped out.

She cringed as it approached her with steady steps. Esme gulped when the wolf stopped before her and lowered its head. Cautiously, she reached to touch it, feeling the softness of its fur beneath her palm.

Esme stroked its fur for a while as it wagged its tail at her before stepping away to a small distance. Suddenly, a whirlwind blew around Esme, prompting her to hide her face behind her outstretched arms.

By the time the wind had vanished, Esme clearly saw a beautiful young woman standing before her. From her eye colors, she knew who it was.

“Apiana?”

“Hello, Esme.” She smiled. “It's nice to finally talk to you.” She walked up to her.

“You called me here?”

Apiana nodded.

“Why?”

“Two reasons actually: to thank you in person for the help that you have rendered my people so far.”

“You're welcome,” Esme smiled. “And what's the second reason?”

“Come. I want to show you something.” Apiana led her back to the spot where the Shamans were chanting. She wiped a palm in the air, and a terrible darkness hovered around them.

Esme could see Apiana's eyes glowing and felt hers glow as well.

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