Chapter 180

Maeve’s POV

“I think she’s waking up.”

“She looks so much like Esmeralda, it’s crazy.”

“Sssh, give her some space.”

I woke to the sound of murmurs all around me, mostly women, but I could feel the presence of a man or two as well. The smell of a burning fire invaded my nose, and I felt the warm ambiance around me. My memory of what had happened was foggy, but the slight sting in my neck was familiar.

I winced as I moved, feeling a pain creek up my spine and spreading through my head.

What had happened to me?

I opened my eyes, expecting to have to adjust them to whatever lighting was in the room, but I was met with a soft glow of candlelight and lanterns. The room was fairly dark and comfortable to look around. I was on some kind of bed, and it was soft to the touch.

A woman stood over me; her emerald, green eyes shining with concern. Her dark curls crowned her face and with her tanned skinned, she looked goddess-like. She was beautiful and my breath hitched at the sight of her.

Her full lips turned upward into a smile once my eyes were opened and fixed on her.

“It’s good that you are awake,” she said, her voice soft as she whispered, I wasn’t sure why she was whispering, but it felt nice to hear.

“Is she going to be okay?” Another woman asked from nearby.

“She will be just fine. She just needs time. How about you all give us some space.”

There were some other words exchanged, but my mind was too clouded to hear them correctly. It didn’t take them long to leave and soon, I was alone with this beautiful stranger.

“You had been asleep for a while,” she informed me. “You are probably parched.”

Now that she mentioned it, my mouth was incredibly dry. I didn’t like the feeling and smacked my lips together in protest.

I almost felt… drunk.

What was wrong with me? Why was I smacking my lips together like a lunatic? And why wasn’t I freaking out right now?

I had so many questions on the top of my tongue, but none of them would leave my lips.

She disappeared but returned a moment later with a cup. She brought it to my lips, helping to lift my head. I wasn’t sure why, but I couldn’t really move myself and I appreciated her help.

The water was cold, and it soothed my dry and aching throat; I hadn’t even noticed my throat hurt until the water touched it.

When she took the cup away and placed it on the small table beside the bed, I peeked up at her through my lashes. She was watching me with a starry expression, tears in her eyes.

“D… do I know you?” I finally found my voice to ask; it came out raspy and unfamiliar.

She blinked a few times as if she was just realizing where she was and what she was doing.

“Sorry, no,” she said, clearing her throat. “We don’t know one another, but I do know of you. I just never thought I would see you again…”

I furrowed my brows; confused by her words.

“Again?”

She gave me a gentle smile.

“I’ve seen you when you were first born,” she explained. “I’m sorry, I’m being rude. My name is Mirage.”

Mirage? What a strange name.

The water seemed to be clearing my mind a little and it made me wonder if there was something else in it, like some kind of healing potion. The pain I once felt in my head started to fade and the loopiness that clouded my judgment and actions had dispersed. My awareness was starting to spike, and realization dawned on me.

I was in a stranger’s home.

Was I kidnapped?

Memories of last night came back to me and I quickly touched my neck where Eric had stuck me with a syringe. The mark was almost gone completely, but the feeling of betrayal and fear lingered.

“You do not need to be afraid, Meave,” she assured me gently. “You are safe here. Nobody is going to hurt you. You have my word.”

“Your word?” I asked, my voice coming out breathy. “I don’t even know you and you expect me to trust your word?”

“I know it seems strange. But believe me, I’m someone you want on your side… I’m someone you can trust,” she told me, a soft smile on her lips though it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“You kidnapped me… you took me from my home and—”

“I did no such thing,” she said, a bite in her words that made me stop talking completely. “You were brought to us. There was nothing more to it.”

“W…why would I be brought to you?”

She was quiet for a moment; her eyes studying me briefly.

“Because this is where you belong… with us.”

“What?” I asked, my voice coming out barely audible. “I… I don’t understand.”

“I’m not sure how much you already know about us, but we are the remaining members of the Red Oak Tribe.”

My mouth nearly fell to the ground at her reveal. I stared around her face, the shock nearly consuming me. The Red Oak Tribe was the human witch tribe that my mother was from. But it was also the tribe that my father had rampaged and killed all because I was born.

“That’s a lie,” I said, shaking my head. “My father… Alpha Burton killed the entire tribe.”

Sadness flashed through her eyes, and it seemed for a second that she got lost in thought. I wondered if she was remembering that horrid night that my father went through the tribe and killed everyone in his wolf form. But it didn’t make sense that she and the others here would be a part of that tribe… they would have been dead by now if that was the case.

She had to be mistaken… or lying.

I didn’t know this woman and I wondered how much I could trust her. Then again, there was a large part of me that did trust her. I wasn’t sure why, but I felt myself hanging onto each word she spoke, waiting for her to explain herself.

“He didn’t get to all of us,” she finally said softly. “There were a handful of us who got out alive. We remained in hiding since that terrible night. Nobody knows that we exist.”

I blinked, confused by all this information.

How had they gone unnoticed for all these years?

“How many of you are there?”

“6 of us escaped,” she told me, much to my surprise.

I sat and pondered that information, my heart weighing heavily in my chest. That meant that this woman and the others here knew my mother. Tears filled my eyes before I could even stop them and I wrapped my arms around my body, suddenly feeling cold. It was then that I realized I was wearing a thinly laced nightgown, and I gasped at my revealed body. I clutched the blanket and covered myself the best I could.

Mirage chuckled.

“We didn't have much nighttime attire for you to wear,” she admitted. “Your clothes were dirty and ripped so we discarded them. “One of the girls is in the process of making you some clothes.”

I raised my brows.

“Making me clothes?” I asked.

She nodded.

“Most of the things we own were created by one of us,” she explained. “It’s difficult to get recourses here sometimes… but we manage.”

I stared around at my surroundings, realizing I was in some kind of shed. It was small with no windows, and it was set up like a typical bedroom.

“There are some on the outside who know of our existence and send up some supplies when needed,” she continued. “But for the most part, we are on our own here.”

“Where exactly are we?”

“The Lost Island,” she answered.

My entire heart fell into my stomach. I stared at her, my mouth hanging open once again. The Lost Island?

That was a prison island where they sent the most vicious prisoners in the world. Anyone would be stupid to come here willingly unless they had a death wish. I stared at this woman with disbelief written all over my face.

How dare she tell me I was safe when I was in the most dangerous place in the world?

I quickly threw the covers off my body, not caring that I was wearing little clothing.

“I need to get out of here,” I told her, running my fingers through my disheveled locks of red hair. “My mate will be worried about me once he realizes I’m gone. I can’t stay on an island with prisoners. I’m preg….” My voice trailed off as fear consumed me once again.

I quickly put my hands on my belly, praying I would feel my baby kicking or something to indicate that his little life was still going.

“Your son is fine,” she told me, her arms folding across her chest. “You have nothing to worry about Maeve. As I said, you are safe.”

“Safe?” I scoffed. “I’m in the most dangerous place in the world and you call this safe??”

“We have survived here for many years without any incident,” she assured me.

“I can’t be here. I need to leave.”

Just as I reached the door and touched the handle, her voice stopped me.

“There is no way off this island… not until Eric returns for you.”

My entire body felt frozen by her words.

“Eric brought me here…” It wasn’t a question, but I needed her to confirm it. I needed to hear her say the words.

“Yes,” she finally said after a short pause. “Eric brought you here… he brought you to us… he brought you home.”