Taming Darkness
Chapter 32

~Tobias-

I'm no expert on Aleera's Phoenixes, but I can sense when something is off. They seem wild, uncontrollable, and utterly dismissive of everything around them. I've never seen them behave this way before.

I don't want to test my theory, but it seems they now view everything and everyone as a potential threat. Without Aleera nearby, they obviously have no intention of even pretending to be under any semblance of control.

I'm not the only one who notices the change in their behavior. Until these creatures replace their true place, their home, the fire within them will continue to rage uncontrollably. The only way to calm them is by replaceing her. Finding their Queen.

We decide to follow her untamable flock. The Phoenixes appear to have settled down, albeit slightly. They still act like crazed, wild birds that have just escaped a hunter's trap, desperate to replace their way to freedom. Just like my mates, they're as beautiful as they are terrifying. They complement each other beautifully, an unstoppable force that could set fire to any obstacle in their path, so we make sure to remain out of it.

My thoughts are violently interrupted when the Phoenixes abruptly change course in the sky, veering off in a new direction, and a sudden realization hits me like a ton of bricks-these magnificent, awe-inspiring creatures are leading us to Aleera. I need to pay more attention. I'll be damned if I'm going to lose sight of them.

However, there's no way to know for certain whether they're leading us in the right direction. This is a test of faith, and we blindly follow them, trusting they can replace her. We have no other leads to go off, so we can only follow her flock and pray they lead us to Aleera in time.

None of us can predict what twisted plans Lydia has in store for our mate. She has proven time and time again that she cares nothing for her family and is utterly indifferent to her daughter's well-being. The only reason Aleera has been taken is her power. I don't even try to entertain the idea that it is out of motherly love.

Lydia won't hesitate to kill Aleera if it suits her purposes. She's incapable of feeling anything for anyone apart from herself. Whatever emotions once resided in that woman's withered frame have long since rotted away, leaving behind a monster driven solely by greed and an insatiable [**t for power. It doesn't matter who it belongs to or the consequences of her actions; all she knows is how to take, steal, and demand.

The witch is more than willing to employ any means necessary to bring others to their knees and obtain what she desires. She commands a legion of devoted followers who are blind to her true nature. With them, she wields immense control and influence, but for someone like her, I know it will never be enough.

As my thoughts plunge deeper into my hatred for Lydia, I grow angrier and angrier. Why does she have such power over my thoughts? It's far too easy for her to worm her way into my psyche, yet it takes a tremendous effort to cast her out. I loathe how that woman dominates my mind, as she did for years as I hunted her.

For now, I must concentrate on Aleera and her restless Phoenixes, which lead us ever closer to the place where Lydia has taken her. I can only hope we're not too late. We need her. I need her.

Time slips away, and it's nearly impossible to keep track of where we are or what time it is. But when the Phoenixes eventually come to a halt, I finally pay attention to my surroundings. This is... strange.

The place we've been led to is none other than Aleera's old house, or at least, where it once stood. There is no house now, no building, just an empty field. Yet, the Phoenixes seem excited, their energy palpable.

"Where is she?" Darius roars in anger. We are relying heavily on these birds leading us to her, only for them to lead us here, startling all of us. Even the Phoenixes glare at him, unfazed by his beet-red face and labored breathing. Anyone who doesn't know him would be terrified if they saw him like this.

"F**k if I know!" Lycus chimes in, just as furious as Darius at being led on a wild goose chase. They both survey the surroundings, scowling with frustration.

I understand their anger, but someone has to be the voice of reason here. I growl deeply at them, fixing them with a piercing gaze.

"Shut up! We're here to replace out where Aleera is, not argue about a f*****g house we burned down over a decade ago! The Phoenixes brought us here for a reason. Besides, focus-can't you feel her? Because I definitely can, and so could you if you didn't let your anger control your senses!"

My frustration with their behavior seems to get through to them, and we all focus on the empty lot. Their eyes widen as they finally grasp what I already know. Aleera is close. We can't see her, she's just beyond our reach.

That's why the Phoenixes circle overhead, their presence heavy in the air. They feel her too. They're searching for any trace of their mistress.

I exchange wary glances with my mates. We know what we must do. There's no need for drawn-out plans or strategies. We split up, each of us scouring a different section of the area, systematically combing through the vacant lot for any clue we can replace in this vast emptiness.

While my mates continue to frantically search for her, my eyes return to the Phoenixes, our guides in this seemingly futile quest. If there's a way to reach her, they'll know. There's a group of them that hasn't moved from their previous positions. "Guys?" I call out to my mates, my gaze locked on the fiery creatures that have positioned themselves as if in celebration. They've found something; they must have!

The birds huddle together, their searing heat palpable. The air thickens with anticipation. As if on cue, the Phoenixes erupt into a kaleidoscope of colors, brilliant and vibrant, illuminating the sky. The heat of their unleashed power radiates outward, and I instinctively step back, awestruck. A deafening boom fills the air as their raw magic is released, sending shockwaves through the area and nearly knocking me off my feet.

They're screaming for her, calling for her to give them a sign of how they can replace their way back to her. They demand that she let them in, and they refuse to wait or waste any more time than we already have.

The Phoenixes' impatient cries grow louder, if such a thing were possible, and their movements become visibly more violent. My mates place their hands over their ears to block out the relentless wailing, but beyond the cacophony, something else catches my attention.

I take a step closer, squinting my eyes. With another powerful flap of their massive wings, I see it again. "Look, over there!" I point in the direction the birds were watching.

At first, it's hazy, as if we're staring at it through a mirage, with an extreme heat distorting the image between us. It's just a flicker, but I can make it out- Aleera's old house. We're watching the building through what appears to be a new portal, one the Phoenixes have seemingly torn open with their magic.

"Motherfucker!" I hiss in anger, kicking the rocks beneath my feet.

Darius stands beside me, placing a hand on my shoulder, his fingers curling around it to stop me.

"Lydia is good-better than I gave her credit for. Imagine protecting a house by hiding it in a different realm just to keep us away from our mate."

I shake my head in disbelief, my heart pounding with a mix of fury and anxiety. It's clear that we have to replace a way to cross through this portal and reach Aleera before it's too late. The clock is ticking, and every moment wasted is another moment our mate is in danger.

Without hesitation, my mates and I gather around the shimmering portal, the air thick with a sense of urgency. We can't afford any more delays; we need to replace Aleera now.

The Phoenixes continue to screech and swoop overhead, their radiant plumage reflecting off the wavering surface of the portal. We brace ourselves, steeling our nerves for whatever might await us on the other side.

Stepping through, the sensation is disorienting, like plunging into a pool of ice-cold water. Our bodies tingle with raw energy as we're hurled through space and time, our surroundings shifting in a blur of color and sound.

Moments later, we emerge on the other side, gasping for breath as we take in our new surroundings. We replace ourselves standing in the once-familiar living room of Aleera's old house, now a haunting shell of its former self. The air is heavy with a sense of foreboding, and the oppressive presence of Lydia's dark magic seems to cling to every surface like a suffocating shroud.

We wasted no time in searching the house, scouring every corner and crevice for any sign of Aleera. The desperation in our hearts drives us forward, refusing to let us give in to the despair that threatens to consume us. We have come too far, we refuse to leave without our mate.

As we search, we can feel the Phoenixes' fiery energy surrounding the house, their presence providing a beacon of hope that guides us onward. We press deeper into the heart of the house, feeling Aleera drawing nearer, her essence calling out to us like a siren's song.

With renewed energy, we push forward, eager to rescue our mate from the clutches of her twisted mother.