Page 44 of The Alpha's Fated Destiny

We are led to one of those huts where a mat has been placed on the floor. One of the women sits with us, eagerly asking questions about our travels and where we came from. Alex and I try to answer her questions to the best of our abilities, without revealing too much.

Three more women enter the hut, and soon, the mouth-watering smell of beef stew and fried vegetables fills the air. My stomach rumbles in appreciation.

"It's so refreshing to see new people in the village." One of the women who arrived later shuffles forward, carrying a pot of food.

I try to help, but Alex and I are told to sit.

"I feel so refreshed already, just hearing of your travels. Shifters rarely travel by our village anymore." The woman who baked the fresh bread sits down heavily on the ground across from us.

"Really?" I lean forward. "How long has your coven been here for?"

"Oh." The women exchange smiles before turning their attention back to me. "We've lost count. Centuries. We're one of the oldest covens."

Alex is served a big helping of food while I look at our hosts. "So there are no young witches here?"

Sadness flickers in their eyes. "We're too far away from human cities. We had young ones, but they were more interested in the world beyond our village, and they left. Now it's just us."

"Just the six of you?" Alex sounds surprised. I understand his surprise because I remember seeing a lot of women.

"No." They chuckle. "There are quite a few of us. Right now, some are in the forest, picking herbs, and some are in the fields, harvesting."

"What do you grow?" I ask.

"Everything. The fields provide us withnourishment. We have everything we need in this village, as did our ancestors before us. Now, eat. You've been traveling for a while now. Some good hot food will warm your tired bones."

The food is delicious and although the witches keep us engaged in conversation, but I can feel my eyes drooping.

I would like nothing more than to curl up in a soft bed and sleep.

My vision blurs from exhaustion and the spoon falls from my grasp.

***

When I wake up, it's to an unfamiliar ceiling.

There is straw beneath me.

My stomach is churning and I force myself into a sitting position before turning to the side and throwing up.

I don't know what is in my stomach but each time I throw up, my skin crawls.

Gasping for breath, I try to reach for Alex, needing him.

Something's wrong with me.

Something is very wrong with me.

But when there's no response from beside me, I turn my head, only to realize that my mate is nowhere to be seen.

Chapter 10

Sophia

Confusion fills me.

Where am I? And why isn't Alex here?

A strange headache is brewing in my temples and I groan. The sound is immediately followed by another wave of nausea and I vomit once again. Sludge exits my mouth—dark, foul-smelling sludge that makes me gag at the sight of it.

---