37

Mika starred in disbelief. He had never seen the White Witch away from the falls. As far as he knew she was tied to the falls, or so he thought. It must have cost her a great deal to come to him. Mika went to his knee at once and bowed his head, still in his partial werewolf form. Seeing their alpha give respect to their guest, the pack did the same as they gasping in disbelief of her presence. There was a momentary shuffle of bodies moving, and whispers but soon after the room was so quiet that you could've heard a pin drop. She gazed around at the wolves showing her respect but she humbly titled her head back in acceptance to them. Returning to Mike, she smiled at him. He glanced up to see her ultramarine blue eyes filled with kindess and saddness too. Even with the emotion they held, their coloring was shocking, almost as if they glowed a blue hue.
"Please alpha, you honor me. Rise." her voice was just as gentle as he had remembered. "But know me now as Cordelia as your White Witch."
"I have failed." he had stood, shifting back to his human form but maintaining his head bowed.
Cordelia laid her hand on his jaw line making him face her. "No, you have over come so many obstacles. Your people have a home now. And you have saved lives."
"I lost her's." he admitted. She blinked at him as if he had said something in another language. "Why do you think that?" her voice light and soft as if she was speaking to a child.
Mika looked at her, every word he wanted to say died on his lips. He could not admit to her that he failed to save his mate. "White Witch please come. Let me show you those who have fallen. We will honor their sacrifices." Cordelia smiled warmly following Mika as he lead her up the stairs and down several long hallways then again down another set of stairs that she could tell lead further into the earth. The smells of sage burning, and the earthy scent filled their nose.
Mika pushed a large wooden door flooding thier little space with the warm glow of many candles. The ladies who had volunteered to clean the bodies had been hard at work doing just that. So far the only body they had attented to in their short time was Ari's. They had lit several bowls with white sage and allowed the smoke to trindle up into the air. Candles littered the area, however because of the cool stone walls the heat from the candles did not make the room stuffy but a comfortable even.
Cordelia nodded to the ladies who bowed in respect to her as she entered their work space. She moved quielty into the large room, dragging her grey cloak around her feet. Mika came to Ari's head and looked down once more at her.
The women had washed away the blood that had been splattered all over her body. They had found a cream colored sheet covered her bare body. Mika could see his mark was still on the crease of her neck, the red almost bright against her now pale skin. His heart did a flip. Cordelia looked over Mika's face and then over Ari's. Her smile was soft and sweet, not sad or even showing empathy.
"Why do you grin so?!" he snapped. His voice barely above a whisper as he tried to hold back his anger.
"Alpha do you not feel the threads?"
He blinked a few times as her words."The threads?" She folded her hands infront of her,"Yes the threads that bind you to her, and she to you. Surely you knew she was your fated?"
"Yes, I knew there was something more between us.." he began before she cut him off. "Then you feel the threads, the *pull*?"
He looked at her oddly, knowing that his very cells were making him stay close to ari. That he craved to be near her even in death.
"Then call her home." she said simply.Cordelia had said it in such a way that it was as if a mother was asking a young child to tie their shoes. The child would know how to, but would be hopeful that their mother would just do it for them. He scruntched his brows and held his head,"I am not sure that is something I know how to do witch, she has past."
"No child, she has not. She stands before the Veil but unable to pass through it. You have a choice; follow her and you both pass from this world." Mika's anger rose at the thought of leaving his people behind without a leader. A low growl began in his throat from his beast that was not intintial. She just rose a delicate hand, palm facing Mika,"Or you call her home. Bring her back from the veil."
"So I can save Ari? She lives?" his heart was racing at the thought of holding her again. Of living thier life together after all. He settled himself he was still not sure how to get her back from this place called the Veil.
"What is the Veil?" he asked as he stroked Ari's still head.
"The Veil is the gateway into the afterlife. Souls from all creatures go there. In the past it has been known as Elysium from the Greeks, Heaven and Hell by the Christians, Wakan Tanka by the Native Americans, Valhalla by the Norse, and Akhirah by the Muslims. It has many, many names but in the end it all is the same. You are sent to a afterlife. Depending upon your belief is the reflection of your afterlife. At this time Ari is standing like in a waiting room."
"Why?" he still didnt understand why Cordelia believed Ari could be brought back, he didn't hear a heartbeat, saw no breath?
"That has more to do with her blood line than anything I suppose." she sighed.
He eyed her warily,"What do you mean?"
"Well much like Drax wanted her due to her ancestory to make offspring for him, the fool did not realize he had misunderstood her gift. Her blood line gives the gift of life- that has nothing to do with offspring. It is bringing back those who are lost- or without life. She is a Guardian of mankind. a conduit. Whatever powers she comes in contact with she will mimic to protect those around her. Did she recieve any of Drax blood?" Mike thought for sometime. "I can not say yes or no to this. He had open wounds as did she." she nodded in understanding. "And your own?"
Mika looked at her in those blue eyes, piercing his soul as he held them."Yes, I gave her some of mine when I marked her in hopes of bringing her back." Cordelia smiled with open pleasure,"You did well young alpha. You did well." she patted his shoulder in praised as she spoke.
"So will she be wolf when she returns?" his heart sped up at the idea of them running together.
"No. I am affraid that is not the same. She will take on some of the traits-strength, speed." she lifted the sheet to look over Ari's body. She smiled as she looked over the bare flesh. "Healing." she laid the sheet back down. Mika quickly lifted the sheet up himself to see the wounds that had been there hours earlier were now gone. The only mark on her flesh was his. "How long will this last?" his breathing quickening as he tried to contain his happiness. "That I am not sure of. But know this, should she ever take in another's blood she will absorb some of their gifts as well. And some of them are not gifts at all but curses." she warned. He nodded at her warning, knowing damn well he would never want Ari to face the Wendigo again and gain anything from that creature.
"Okay I am ready for her to return." he laid the sheet down placing her right hand on top of it, and to the right of her slender body.
Her smile still just as sweet, "What is your heart telling you to do? What is it that you desire to do above most?" Mika thought for abit. Honestly rattling her around like a rag doll until she told him exactly what to do to get Ari back was most promianint in his mind, but he reframed from do such. Without so much as a breath he bent down and brushed his lips to hers. Even though the rest of her skin had been cool, her lips maintained their warmth and softness. He only placed one single kiss on her lips, saying a silent prayer that she return to him.