The Mother
Elijah.
"I'm sorry! I had to do it for me!" I yelled at him. I knew he could hear me. I needed him to hear it from me.
I honestly wasn't leaving because of him. I would never.
"There are probably several other things I could've done besides this."
Isaiah chuckled, "There definitely is â I'm sorry, I didn't tell you that just to taint the image of your parents."
"No, no please don't be sorry. You couldn't have known I'd ask for a boat and try to flee the country." I shrug.
He laughs, "Yeah, I would have never thought you'd do all this... It's not the wisest thing, he will find you."
"I won't be gone long enough for that to happen. He's my mate, I'll always return to him."
I had every intention of going back, I had every intention of being with my mate â whatever the costs. I just had to come into terms with those hypothetical costs.
"We're not really going anywhere. I'm just going to circle the Cape. We'll get off at Mossel Bay, stay there while the search for you is hot then head back to Cape Town and stay under the radar." He smiled.
"That seems smarter. Maybe we could live among the human's, it would be hard to sniff me out with theirs being so heavy."
"Yeah, especially since everyone seems to think you're fleeing the country. But if you stay right under their noses, they'll never know."
"Nathaniel though. He will find me and he will tell Alex." I say.
"Unless I cloak you. All I'll have to do is hold you to harness some of your power than do the cloaking spell on both of us and we're set." He grins.
Duh. I facepalm myself, I had completely forgotten that he can use magic too. Although it's probably a bit boring only being able to do it when there's something to harness.
"Let's do it."
He sat beside me and grabbed a hold of my hand, shutting his eyes he starts chanting. I hear the words but wouldn't be able to repeat them for the life of me. He keeps going and I can feel the power being sucked out of me. It doesn't make me want to scream but I do cringe. It hurts a little.
When he reopens his eyes the feeling subsides and I let out a slow breath.
"Done," He beams, "How do you feel?"
"Normal." I shrug, "Should I feel different?"
"No." He chuckles.
"How do you know spells? Do you have witches in No Man's Land?"
"No. But Natalia taught us a lot when we were still with her."
"Is she still there? No Man's Land, that is."
"Not exactly. She lives right on the border that separates Nate's territory to No Man's Land. She lives in a little cottage."
"Ah." I nod.
"You're still really curious about me, aren't you?"
"Yeah." I scratch my neck.
I would be lying if I said I wasn't, I know nothing about this wolf but I feel the connection. I know we're related because I have a slight pull that makes me care about him and want to protect him.
I guess that's what it was that day when Alexander was torturing him, I knew him 'knowing something about me' wasn't excuse enough to be as concerned as I was. Now it all makes so much sense
"The first time you ran through No Man's Land, I wasn't exactly out to get you. I was just trying to get to you. I needed to make sure it was actually you. I'm sorry for scaring you. I'm especially sorry for tripping you that other time. I just really needed you to get away from Nathan."
"Why do you dislike Nathaniel?"
"We were friends before he left No Man's Land." He says vaguely.
"So that's a reason to dislike him?" I raise a brow.
He chuckles, "Sarcasm is not appreciated when one is trying to help you escape your mate."
"Whatever."
I take the hint and stop persisting.
* * *
Isaiah was really good at dodging questions I quickly learned. We had spoken about a range of things before I fell asleep. During that time he didn't answer any questions about Nate or No Man's Land. He swiftly avoided them. I'll give him props for that because I didn't notice until later on that he had dodged my question.
Opening my eyes I immediately take note of the fact that I was no longer on the boat, in fact, I was no longer on sea. I couldn't smell it anymore so I knew we were kilometres away from it. I was on a bed in some empty room, just a bedside table sat next to the bed I was on.
The table was home to a lap and clock, the only other piece of furniture was a cupboard. Nothing more sat in this room, no adjoining closet or bathroom. Just a single door to come in and out.
Rising from the bed, I stepped off and smoothed over the duvet folding the blanket that had covered me. I placed it on the foot of the bed before I made my way to the door. I opened it and realised I was in a cottage across from me was one door, I assume that's the bathroom. Turning to my left I could see a small lounge with two couches and a television, a few steps to my right a kitchen.
On a couch, in the small lounge area, I saw Isaiah and I am going to go out on a limb here and say, Natalia. She sure as heck looked like Nathaniel so truly, it must be her.
So much for going to Mossel Bay, I scoff. Was she even to be trusted?
"Ah. You're awake," She smiled standing up, "I'm Natalia Gorbachev. Nathaniel's mother."
"Elijah." I shook her hand.
"He's told me a lot about you."
I just nodded. I never knew what to say to someone who already knows everything about me and I don't even know a lick about them.
I turned to Isaiah, "You don't want to talk about Nate but you'll speak to his mother? And how is this place safe? I mean, you said it's on the borderline of Nate's territory. I think that's a bit obvious," I turned to Natalia, "And doesn't Nate visit you? Won't he see me?"
"Does she always say so much in one breath?" She turned to Isaiah.
"From what I've seen, yes she does," He answered Natalia before turning to me, "This cottage is cloaked. For Nate to enter Nat has to allow him. Once she allows him she will cloak us and he will not even know we're here. He won't see, smell or even hear us. It will be like we aren't even here." He smiles.
"And he still can't locate us?"
"No."
"Alright," I nod, "How are you... I'm sorry I don't know what to call you." I nervously chuckle.
I didn't want to be rude and neither did I want to offend her.
"You can call me Natalia, I don't mind. And I am doing quite alright and you dear child?"
"I'm okay. As okay as a girl who thinks her parents might give her up can be." I give her a thumbs up.
She laughs, "Why are you running? Isaiah tells me your parents don't even know about Alexander."
"You told her about Alexander! You are unbelievable -"
"No. He didn't, Elijah. I can read minds, I can do just about anything. While you're asleep your thoughts are open. I will teach you how to close them. Alba or any Creature could easily read your mind. And I know you don't want that."
"Please teach me."
I was so tired of her son thinking my mind was a free for all, my goodness.
"I will teach you anything you like. My son is so fond of you, you might as well be family."
I laughed, "I do love Nathaniel. You raised him well. He's a kind soul." Isaiah scoffed hearing this.
"Calm yourself, Aiah." She hums. (Eye-ah)
I picked up the sense that Natalia was a very relaxed person. Like what I would imagine a hippie would be like. Her every word was like a pregnant mother humming a tune to her unborn child. Her voice was smooth like rubbing your fingers against silk, or rose petal. I'm pretty sure she walked around like she was floating on clouds too. She looked so graceful.
"Thank you, with all the anger I had deep within me during and after my pregnancy I was afraid he would turn into a very angry child." She sighed, "I was both puzzled and annoyed that he actually hadn't been angry. For a while I wanted him to hate the Russo's. Maybe a small part of me still does. But, I know now what kind of male my Nate is and I'm proud of him." She smiled fondly.
I took her in. Her white dazzling teeth, caramel coloured skin, hazel eyes, frizzy hair and small petite build. Natalia was truly gorgeous. In every sense of the word.
"How come you still look so young?" The words slipped before I could help it, "I'm so sorry! That's none of my business."
She laughed, "Don't fuss. It's alright dear. I use spells and such. Like I mentioned, there's not a thing I can't do." She smiled.
"Can you turn me into a Creature?"