Lena remained in the same position, she could hear Ashina's heavy footfalls as they ran off. She closed her eyes, choosing not to dwell on the hurt and pain the young girl was feeling. She also had a right to her pain and grief, she owed no one, least of all Ashina, the privilege of sweet-talking.
Soon, Ashina's footsteps faded away and the blessed silence returned, settling over the house like a wet blanket. Lena relaxed on the couch, looking out the window. In the darkness, she could only see the yard and nothing else, but it didn't matter. She was there because that spot had always been Ulva's favorite. He loved to sit there when he wanted to think and she had come to know it as his quiet spot, he hated being disturbed when he sat there.
Now, she was coming to understand why he enjoyed it so much. There was a form of peace that came from the silence and the emptiness. It was enough to replace every terrible thing she had been feeling since the start of the day. In her heart, she felt this gaping hole, it hurt her so much yet she couldn't express herself. She was angry, she wanted to lash out, she wanted to scream to the world like Ashina did, but she couldn't work up the energy to do that. She couldn't work up the energy to do anything.
Because nothing mattered anymore.
Just then, she felt the atmosphere change a bit. It was as if the temperature in the room dropped a few degrees. Her ears stood on end as she listened hard. In a reflex action, she sniffed, hoping to pick a scent. And when she did, she latched onto it and inhaled deeply.
Realizing who it was, she relaxed again and didn't even turn to face her visitor, "I know we're creatures of the night, but can you guys keep your condolence visits to daytime?"
"Why?" Agnes asked as she slowly stepped out of the shadows, she then pushed the door open and walked in, closing it gently behind her. "So many things can happen under the cover of the night. Things that you would never expect."
"That's a terrible way to start a condolence visit," Lena told her with a grunt.
Agnes only shrugged at her, "That's not what I'm here for, girl. I watched Ashina run out of here, why was she in such a hurry?"
Lena only shrugged, "Guilt?"
"You have to be specific, Lena. What kind of guilt?"
"How would I know? Why didn't you ask her when you saw her?"
"Are you out of your mind? You expect me to go chasing after a young wolf that looks like she's having a meltdown. Come on, I thought you liked me."
The witch took her seat in the same spot Ashina had only recently just vacated, she clasped her hands together and smiled wryly at Lena as if waiting for her to say something.
"Let me guess," Lena said finally. "You also have something to tell me."
"That would be correct," Agnes told her. "But I'm also here to listen."
"Well, you're in the wrong place because I'm not in the mood for chit-chat right now."
Agnes only chuckled as she looked around the house, "It feels different now, knowing that he's gone and never going to come back. The house feels too big, too empty."
"I'll cope," Lena said crisply. She kept her voice tart because she didn't want to encourage further conversation.
Agnes though, didn't seem to get that, "for some reason, all this reminds me of my mother. You know she told me a lot about you, right?"
Lena glanced at her, eyebrows raised.
"Relax, just good things, I promised." At Lena's tilted head, Agnes amended her words, "Fine, not all good things. She told me about how you two were best friends. Growing up, you were joined at the hip and basically terrorized the Borough. You taught her hunting as a wolf and she took you along during witches conventions and the like. You two did just about everything together. That was so sweet, right?"
Lena remained quiet, and Agnes continued, "A wolf and a witch, who would have thought that would be such a pair. But then, years later another wolf and another witch became lovers, although that was short lived. But story for another day, right?"
"Uhm… Agnes, are you going somewhere with all this?"
"Of course I am, you don't think I'm just babbling, do you? I'm telling you that I know of your close relationship with my mother, I know all the nasties you two were up to back when you were young and foolish. There wasn't much you could teach my mom because she wasn't a wolf, but you on the other hand, there was so much you could learn about witchcraft and magic."
Lena shifted slightly in her seat, "I learned quite a lot, but I'm a wolf, I can't do magic."
Agnes nodded, "yeah, that's sad, right? But you don't have to do magic, do you? All you need is a little knowledge and a little gut and you can manipulate spells that have already been cast by a witch. It's not exactly doing magic. It's more of shifting and adjusting. You understand, right? If it's that easy, then anyone at all can do it, don't you think? It's as simple as turning off a couple of candles in the basement."
Lena placed her hands over her lap, but she said nothing.
Agnes stared at her dead in the eye, "it was you, right? You sabotaged the magical barrier."
Lena's eyes snapped up at her, "excuse me?"
"Stop… just stop it! You know me, I wouldn't come here unless I'm sure. Hell, your fucking prints were all over the damn thing, so don't you dare try denying it."
"Well, I don't know what you're talking about Agnes. You're suggesting that I messed up the barrier and allowed the hybrids to come into the Borough and kill my mate. And I'm your only suspect because I learned some spells with your mother? Are you fucking kidding me?"
"Why did you do it?" Agnes asked.
"Get out of my house!" Lena surged to her feet.
"Just answer the damn question! Why?"
"If you don't leave now, the Borough will lose its only witch tonight."
"Of course, that shouldn't be hard for you. After all, killing Ulva wasn't so difficult, was it?"
With a howl of fury, Lena flew at the witch. However, Agnes was ready. Her hand flew up at once, trapping Lena in the air. Then with a flick of her wrist, she sent the wolf crashing hard into the wall.
The moment she hit the floor, Lena jumped right back up and ran back to Agnes, but with another spell, she shoved the wolf back against the wall, pressing her hard enough to send huge cracks all over it.
"I won't ask you again, why did you betray your mate? Why was Ashina here tonight? Did you two work on this together?"
"You crazy bitch!" Lena cried, her fangs jutting out of her gums as she struggled to fight against Agnes's hold over her but she was powerless against it.
Agnes pushed her harder against the wall, giving it everything she had. She watched as blood began to trickle from Lena's nose, it was as if she was crushing the wolf against the wall.
"Talk!" Agnes cried, "fucking talk, you traitor!"
Lena's clawed hands bunched into fists but she was still unable to break free. She stared daggers at Agnes, growling with venom. The young witch stared at her for a while, she could see that torture wasn't going to get her anything from a seasoned wolf like Lena. With a deep sigh released her from the magical hold.
Lena fell to the floor, coughing heavily as she spat blood from her mouth. She was breathing hard as she stared up at the witch.
"You don't wanna talk? Fine." Agnes told her. "However, know that this is not the end. I will get to the bottom of what happened. And if I find that you had something to do with your mate's death…" she thought about it for a while, "just don't let it be what I think, okay? I really loved Ulva, so it would suck for me to have to kill you."
The witch turned and began to walk out of the house.
"You really think I'd do something to hurt Ulva?"
Agnes turned to her, "I know you loved him dearly, Lena. But I also know that you both have been acting strange in the last few months. You've been fighting quite a lot, especially this past week. Now, how you run your home is none of my business, but it becomes my business when it leaves the Borough without their precious alpha.
"So no, I don't think it. You might not have killed him with your hands, Lena. But I know you had something to do with the hybrids coming here. And I'll find out, trust me."
The door swung open as she got close to it, before she walked out she turned once more, "FYI, I spelled your house so you can't leave. I can't have you walking around the Borough when I'm not sure of your loyalties. So, this will be your personal prison, remain here until we're done with the investigation."
Agnes turned and walked out of the house without even a backward glance.