Lily's mind rewired immediately; a resurge of affection for Marisol and a renewed sense of purpose filled her. She hadn't been forgotten after all, and now she felt a tinge of guilt at thinking Marisol's sense of relatedness so weak. She vowed to herself to continue to be there for her friend, even as an unseen supporter in the background.
"Would you like me to show you around?" Lily offered awkwardly, still a bit thrown off at being in the presence of a literal legend.
Before she could get an answer, though, a wave of energy swept through the air.
'Danger.' A warning follows immediately after, 'We are under attack. The east border has been breached.'
"What is it?" Nicole asked, expectant, and Lily regarded her with wide eyes.
"Rogues!" She cried, "Redwood is under attack. That means Guinevere is making her move."
Without another word, both women break into a sprint in the direction of the pack house, in search of Marisol.
The demons that had been whispering darkly into Lily's ears, fueling her negative emotions in a quest to fully infest her mind, hovered behind, resigned. Their master wouldn't be happy if they returned without a soul. The young lady had been the perfect target, and now they'd lost her. They needed something else, something better.
Somewhere within the pack house, Marisol sat cross-legged on the floor of Leticia's chamber, her eyes shut tightly as she focused on her breathing. Next to her, Leticia watched intently, guiding her through the meditation with gentle instructions.
"Focus, Marisol. Feel the energy coming to life within you. Embrace both sides and let them flow together as one. As you."
Marisol nodded, her brow furrowed in concentration as she attempted to merge the disparate energies within her. It was a challenging task, one that required her utmost focus and control.
Steadily, she tried to channel them both, coaxing completely different energies to accept her being a worthy vessel. On one side, she felt the primal essence of her wolf, fierce and warm. On the other hand, she sensed the ancient power that coursed through her veins, mysterious and potent. For too long, these energies had remained separate, and to harness her full potential, she needed to merge them seamlessly.
With each inhale and exhale, Marisol sought to bridge the gap between these two aspects of herself. She visualized threads of energy intertwining, weaving together to form a harmonious whole. It was a delicate balance, requiring both focus and surrender.
Just as Marisol felt herself beginning to achieve a semblance of harmony between the two energies, the tranquility of the moment was shattered by the sudden sound of the door bursting open. Cedric stormed into the room, his expression urgent and panicked.
"Marisol, we're under rogue attack. We need to go, now!"
Marisol's eyes snapped open, her meditation broken by Cedric's abrupt entrance. She staggered to her feet, feeling disoriented and lightheaded from the sudden interruption.
Leticia, equally taken aback by the intrusion, rose to her feet as well. "Rogue attack? Where are they coming from?"
Cedric's jaw tensed, "They're Guinevere's rogues. They're breaching our borders and attacking in unprecedented numbers. We need to act fast."
"That's too sudden. What do they want?" Leticia probed further, and Cedric growled in frustration.
"I don't know, and right now, I don't care. However, we noticed that they were not targeting the residential areas. It's like they're deliberately avoiding them and remaining within the forest."
Leticia's eyes bulged as she connected the dots.
"It's a distraction." She gasped, shaking her head. "Guinevere is using the attack to draw our attention away from something else."
Marisol and Cedric exchanged skeptical glances, unsure of what to make of Leticia's theory.
"But what else could she be after?" Marisol asked, eyes narrowing as she tried to get a read on Leticia. For a while now, she'd begun to feel uneasy around the witch. She was almost certain that there was more to everything she revealed.
Leticia stroked her jaw in thought, "I'm not sure. Alpha Cedric, get your pack members to safety and withdraw your troops from the forest. If the rogues follow, then we'll be certain that I'm wrong. Marisol and I will stay here and try to gather more information."
Marisol furrowed her brows as soon as she saw Cedric's features morph into one of distaste. He was about to reject the idea, but she spoke before he could.
"She's right," Marisol said softly, facing Cedric and pressing a quick kiss on his cheek. "Go. Get your people to safety." She urged, "I'll be safe here, don't worry."
Cedric grumbled but turned to leave nonetheless.
As soon as they were alone once again, Marisol turned to face Leticia, her expression leaving no room for argument.
"Alright. Cut the crap. Enough with the pretense and mystery. What are you hiding?"