Talia and Axel were sitting on the ground and observing Cassandra who was busying herself around a massive rock that was angled like it was resting on the edge of a hill. Other than its smooth surface, nothing stood out, but Cassandra was confident how that's where the portal is.
Talia leaned backward to rest on her elbows and she took a deep breath.
The weather was pleasant. The sun was high on the cloud-speckled sky, and the refreshing light breeze carried the sweet scent of wildflowers.
It was a perfect day for lazing around, but Talia couldn't relax. They were about to step into the unknown and as much as she didn't want to think about potential dangers, she would rather think about that than about the fact that Damon left for the Dark Howlers pack without knowing who she was.
Talia cursed herself. If she didn't mark Damon, none of this would happen. She caused such a commotion, yet here was Axel, sitting by her side and being supportive. She was not used to people being kind to her (other than Damon, of course).
"Thank you for doing this, Axel.", Talia said. "I know it must be hard to turn your back on people who raised you."
Axel's chest tightened. He wanted to remind her that those are her parents also, but he knew she saw them as strangers, and probably bad ones because they abandoned her, and he couldn't blame her for it.
"I don't see this as turning my back on them.", Axel said. "They were so focused on the safety of our pack members, that they couldn't see how they were the ones oppressing their own people. What they did to Alpha Damon is inexcusable and I hope that one day they realize that."
At the mention of Damon, Talia pressed her lips into a line. There was a question she feared to hear the answer to, but she couldn't ignore it. "How long will it take him to reach the Dark Howlers pack?"
"For a normal werewolf, two days. For him, a day probably."
Talia nodded. That would give her a month in here to figure stuff before he reaches home. She was grateful for this phenomenon. Looking at the flat rock, Talia wondered what was on the other side. "Is there a way to know if the time passes differently in the other realms?"
"There is, actually…", Axel said and fished a small device from his pocket.
It looked like a compass with two dials. The white dial was moving slowly while the golden one stood still.
"The white dial shows the passing of time here. The golden one is also moving, but at a rate thirty times slower than the white one and it shows time in the human realm, how we call it. My father gave me this when I went through the portal the first time, to remind me that every day I spend outside is a month for them and that I shouldn't stay longer than absolutely necessary."
Talia observed the device curiously. "How will this help when we pass through the portal?"
Axel smirked. "If you pay attention to the white dial, you will see that it's actually two of them, there is a blue one. This button on the side will put them in the same position. The blue dial shows the time passing in this realm, and the white one shows the time for wherever you are. Right now they are moving at the same rate because we are here. When I pass through the portal to the human realm, the white dial moves at the same rate as the golden one."
Talia understood that once they pass through that portal, if the white dial moves slower compared to the golden one, she will be in a predicament. She is already pressed to get this resolved as soon as possible, and if the time with witches moves slower than in the human realm, in a matter of hours months could pass for Damon. Who knows what the situation will be when she returns?
Her anxiety was obvious.
"I know it's hard, but try to focus on things you can control, and allow others to happen. We will deal with them as they come.", Axel said.
Talia shook her head. "Sounds easy." But he was right. There was no point in dwelling on things that didn't happen yet. "What are we going to do if the people on the other side are hostile?"
Axel shot her a side glance. "We are not pushovers. I might not be able to take down Alpha Damon, but I am the best fighter in my pack, and you are amazing." He smiled a little. "I was worried before we came here but now, I think it will be alright. This portal was closed for a long time and I'm sure they don't have guards watching over it. The other side probably looks plain just like this rock here. Our biggest problem will be to find where witches are."
Talia hoped it will be that simple.
"What happened to your mind-link?", Axel asked. "I can't reach you. Did you shut it down somehow? It would be useful if we can communicate stealthily while in there."
'Liseli? What do you think?'
'It would be useful, but you will need to practice separating what you want to share. I can do an on-off switch. If I turn it on, all your thoughts will be available to Axel and any other member of the Midnight Guardians pack until you learn to control it.'
'Everyone?'
'There is a range limit, but you are a strong Alpha, so there is a chance that your range will cover this whole realm.'
Talia remembered members of the Midnight Guardians pack that gathered on the lawn earlier that day. They were now eating and drinking to celebrate Alpha Talia and Alpha Axel, with the belief that their new leaders left to further research that will allow everyone to leave this realm and find their mates. Well, in a way they were not wrong.
Talia thought how opening her mind to all of those people would be unsettling. She was looking forward to doing that with Damon. He said that he will teach her about everything.
Talia put her hands over her face while trying not to think about Damon, but the more she tried, the more his face appeared in front of her closed eyes. His smile that made her stomach flip every time… serious expression while focusing on the documents in front of him… anxiousness when he thought that something was wrong… his heated gaze that made her feel naked no matter how much clothes she had on…
"Talia?"
Axel's voice got her attention.
"I'm sorry, Axel. I am not ready to open up in such a way." If Axel gets a hint of what was on her mind, she wouldn't be able to face him. "Give me time, please."
"It's OK.", Axel said while lifting his arms in the air. "We will make it work. I was just asking. No pressure."
Talia smiled a bit at Axel's flustered response. What was that about?
