This is work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright© Avery Song , 2021

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Format: Avery S.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgement

Wolf Rejected Blurb

Aurelia Delianna Clementine

1.  Prologue: The Ultimate Betrayal

2.  Guilty Before Being Proven Innocent

3.  Muted Recovery And Sudden Introductions

4.  Mischief Around De Luca And Charm

5.  Pay Respects And Lady Natasha

6.  Tension Between Friends And How Much Time Is Left?

7.  Unfair Circumstances And Hidden Savior

8.  What Are We? Enemies Or Lost Lovers

9.  I’ll Always Hate You And Love Me From Afar

10.  My World Came Burning Down With My Sanity

11.  Revenge Of A Clementine

12.  The Rise Of Aurelia Delianna Clementine

13.  Leave And Sweet Old Karma

14.  New Packs In The Heart Of Nyc

15.  Ask For Help And Lonely

16.  Invited Chances And Step Forward

17.  Follow My Essence

18.  Jealous Tension And I Think I Love You

19.  Danger And Unexpected Initiation

20.  Misfit Assistant And Yearn For Freedom

21.  Drowning Bestie And Missing Lover

22.  Fear Of Uncertainty And Fight For Me

23.  Forced Reality And Lost Flower

STAY CONNECTED

WOLF AWAKENED

Prologue: Forbidden Fruit

ABOUT AVERY SONG

Also By Avery Song

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you for purchasing WOLF REJECTED.

This story is dark, yet beautiful. I hope you all enjoy it, and thank you to my new and loyal readers for giving this book a chance.

Special thanks to my amazing Mom for blessing me with the gift to write and supporting me in all aspects. I pray to continue making you proud as I strive towards success.

Finally, I thank God for giving me the strength to achieve my goals.

Without Him, I would be nothing.

AVERY SONG

WOLF REJECTED BLURB

S.O.S

Psychotic wolf hybrid witch on the loose.

I repeat…

Aurelia Clementine is about to make this new pack of fame, fortune, and dominating lust beg for salvation at the hand of her trusty bitch!

Or fist? Same shit

I, Aurelia Delianna Clementine, used to have all my screws intact as the strongest and sole hybrid of the Clementine family. With magic that could destroy NYC with a snap of my fingers, it was a good thing my inner mini-wolf had more sanity than me, especially after I lost a chunk of myself when I was rejected by my best friend.

One incident that was nothing but a blur of past memories destroyed a future I envisioned for us, but it was now a lost fragment as I was now living my best life with my bestie CEO, Willow De Luca, and her stalker “not my boyfriend” Onyx Charm.

When two new packs enter NYC, I take it upon myself to have some fun with the group of unique shifters that fall into the category of misfit toys, but what I didn’t expect was to meet him again.

Ace Ezra Maximus.

My once best friend - or should I say, my destined mate who rejected me?

In a world of darkness and threatened lineages of power, I’ll have to prove to him and his dangerous pack that I’m not the helpless hybrid he abandoned way back then.

I may be crazy, high on happy pills, and talk to myself from time to time, but he’s about to face the consequences of breaking a Clementine.

They’ll all enjoy a taste of betrayal.

“ In the world of NORMALCY, is there truly a spot for a MISFIT like me?”

1

PROLOGUE: THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL

“Aurelia!!!”

M y body went flying back. The impact of the charging attack was far too much for my little body, which was now consumed by pain. Crippling, mind shattering pain that made a scream escape my raw throat.

The shrill shriek didn’t sound human. My ringing ears couldn’t decipher exactly if that was even from me as I continued to soar through the air.

The world of darkness, trees, and magic was all fading away, my teary eyes beginning to blur as they took in the last sight of the serene, starry sky. Lights of teal green and purple danced while the twinkling of the stars seemed to grow brighter and brighter.

Every bit of sensation began to fade from my body as a cold numbness took its place. I went from blazing hot from the inside out to frigid cold like a snowy oasis.

Inhaling felt like sharp needles now layered my lungs, piercing deeper with every inhale, and remaining in their place as I exhaled. The agony was nothing as I prepared for impact, knowing that seconds from now, my pain would only heighten.

My physical pain was the least of my problems. It was nothing like the emotional agony I carried in the depths of my broken heart. The beating organ of my emotions and the love I carried for the people I adored.

Tonight was the ultimate betrayal.

Someone I cared about and trusted broke that very commitment, and to me, that was the biggest level of dishonesty. No matter my age or level of innocence. The strike of a blade had not only cut through the strings of my hopes and dreams but pierced my heart, which banged against my burning chest.

I tried to remember what had caused me to react. What had triggered and riled every strand of emotional distress that beat through my mind, body, and soul, and ignited the magic force inside me to seek revenge, at only nine years old?

The anger I’d held onto for years had let loose this very moment, and somehow landed me floating through the air like a feather slowly descending to the ground.

I knew that was a mere illusion in my sluggish mind, and it only took seconds for that broken mind to catch up to the approaching reality. The impact felt like my body had become a bunch of rocks and upon hitting the ground, things cracked and left me completely frozen while all that was left were muffled screams and ringing.

“Aurelia! Aurelia! What did you do?! Why did you do that?! Lia?! Lia?! Don’t…this…Aurelia. Rel…Aur…Lia!”

The closest voice had to be the loudest, but in my world of cold numbness, it was barely cutting through the ringing sound. They were calling my name, attempting to reach me in this state between consciousness and unconsciousness, but I couldn’t respond.

I can’t move…. Am I breathing? Where are Mom and Dad? They’re going to be angry. Where’s Ace? Wasn’t he here? We were playing. He let me do the magic trick with the black strings…. We…we were going to get married, weren’t we? We told someone. Who did we tell?

“What…on here?!”

“Aurelia?!”

“Who…this to our child!”

“It…Ace!”

“What? No! It wasn’t me! SHE did it!”

“He…only lies!”

“You did this! Why are you acting like you’re innocent?”

“Take him away!”

“No! I…let go! I’d never hurt Aurelia! I’m…innocent! Help Aurelia! Don’t let her die!”

“Hurry! To the medical house.”

“Code Blue!”

“My daughter!”

“Help!”

“AU…LIA!”

Everything was fading away, including my consciousness, but I was afraid to be alone. This world was too dark, and I was afraid of that very darkness, just like this whole world of stillness.

The muted voices were all gone now and though my slight senses could catch onto the flowing warmth that fought to reach me, it struggled to get past the wall of numbness.

It’ll never reach my heart in time.

I suddenly was overwhelmed with sadness and fear. The sadness was my own, but the fear of the unknown and approaching punishment wasn’t. It felt familiar yet foreign, and it was as though those emotions were connected by a thread on the side of the world I was slipping away from.

I was drifting downward, like I’d fallen into a river and could no longer swim up to the surface. I needed help to move - to breathe - but who would save me now? Who would possibly be my savior?

When I reached the bottom of the drifting waters, I was once again surrounded by darkness, but screams and cries cut through from all directions - voices of anger, power, and fright striking through my walls of protection.

I was standing now, my hands covering my ears as I tried to scream. It was silent, while the rest of the room grew louder and louder. I screamed for it to stop. For the pain and shrill voices of commanding force to leave me be.

All the pressure to be perfect, the orders to make my parents proud, the endless rules, the lonely world, the agony of wanting to be loved by one person around me and not be adored with fake smiles and friendships overwhelmed me.

I found a real friend. A person I could see myself being happy with. He gave the sweetest smiles, and though he wasn’t a witch, he fit the other side of me.

He completed me.

Now, I wasn’t so sure. All I felt now was emptiness, and that feeling was absolutely terrifying. The strings of magic that I’d gotten so used to feeling since my creation were gone now, and that only added to the boiling fear of hopelessness.

I was slipping away to this world of endless screaming, and as they argued about all my flaws, a single voice cut through it all.

“AURELIA!”

I thought it was a single individual, but the tone of the voice had a doubled effect. It was amplified like two individuals spoke as one, but it was then that I was able to open my squeezed eyes.

The darkness was still around me, but I noticed the two threads of strings that glowed with solemn tranquility; one was of a teal green nature, while the other was gold. The colors were the only things that brought some sort of peace in my state of desolation as I took in their thin appearance that wrapped around my wrists and directed me to a path.

I was hesitant at first, but the strings continued to glow and give me enough courage to walk forward. The further I walked, the quieter the rest of the world became, and as I got closer to a tiny speck of light, the warmth began to grow - starting from my heart and spreading outward.

Each step brought encouragement, and though the wounds from the pain I’d endured still lingered, I suddenly held hope.

No matter the stressors of this world, regardless of the disappointment and the sense of failure instilled in me by those around me, they guided me to a path of warmth, love, and opportunity.

I no longer feared the unknown or the consequences that brought me into this predicament. All I cared about was reaching the end of this long tunnel.

To reach the end and find out who held these two strings.

As I approached, the light grew brighter and brighter, until my eyes couldn’t remain open any longer. It didn’t matter anymore then, because the streams of light barely dimmed with my lids closed.

My attention was focused on the two silhouettes that seemed to blend with the light. The strings that wrapped around my wrists led to those two figures that stood there with the burning auras.

The teal string led to the figure on the left, while the figure on the right was engulfed in gold, and was where the golden string ended. I knew this was the path I had to decide upon. To determine which string would be cut while the other was preserved in its perfect nature.

Perfection.

Wasn’t that the very reason I landed in this predicament? Because I broke all the rules, the expectations of the Coven, and the council that leads our magic union? It’s not like I ever belonged. I was different and only accepted because of my name alone.

That was what led to my rebellion. That was what made me wish to do something I’d always wished to try, and that was what landed me here - at the fork in the road of light that demanded me to choose yet again.

Choices. I hate choices. Why do I always have to choose?

It didn’t matter where I was - whether it be among the world of light or the realms of darkness - I was always forced into making a decision and now I was tired of it all. It was only a matter of days until I’d be ten years old and I was damn tired, having been every witch’s puppet.

No more decisions. No…. Fuck choosing sides!

I had the energy then to tug on the strings, and instead of snapping both of them, I willed for them to both come my way. If I couldn’t decide on what to cut, I’d simply tug them both to my sides, and together, we’d make our own path.

We’d be the source of rebellion - a group of misfits who no longer played by the rules.

I’d do all of this while maintaining the power they feared the most.

Maintaining the magic force that continues to make the Coven tremble at the idea of anyone else having my unique abilities.

The glowing figures moved to my sides, and when I opened my eyes, I noticed their glowing hands in mine before their intense spheres bored into mine as they acknowledged what I’d done.

I awaited their anger, expected my rule-breaking tendencies to deliver me the consequences I wholeheartedly deserved, but nothing happened. Instead, the warmth that hugged my hand began to spread, and suddenly, the world around me began to seep with color. The darkness was accented with gold and teal, the sky beginning to become a blend of both tranquil colors as the full moon made its appearance.

Lowering my gaze only revealed a new world, and the two strings on my wrists now moved to wrap around my biceps while symbols of magic formed along my flesh, leaving me to stand in a field of roses that mimicked the very colors of the symbolic strings.

“Where am I?” I squeaked the question and was shocked at my own voice. I stood there in nothing but a black dress while my white strands of hair lifted upward due to the wind that passed me.

The aroma of the roses tingled my nostrils, but what worried me was how peaceful this place was. A place I’d never seen or heard of before somehow brought me more peace than the very place of my birth.

No rules, no expectations to destroy. Just me, nature, and the full moon.

“You’ve had a harsh upbringing, my half-child.”

Half child…

I should have lifted my head up to where the booming yet calming voice came from, but I couldn’t help but hang my head in shame.

My hybrid qualities would never leave, no matter how much I prayed to be normal or accepted. It hurt to think of how disgusted I was with my own being, and yet it was the society I lived in that justified my way of thinking.

Justified my worth…or, in my special case…worthlessness.

My family name was what kept me alive. My magic was what forced the Coven to put up with my wittiness. And the mystery behind what my wolf would be was what kept me close to the Pack House and the alliances they carried.

Other than that, I’m a hindrance in all areas of life.

“Lift your head, Aurelia.”

“Am I even worthy to be here?” I lifted my head after asking the question, surprised by how big the full moon was now as it took up the majority of the sky. Viewing its beauty up close suddenly brought tears to my eyes as I lowered to my knees and looked upward, the idea of the identity of the voice flooding my mind.

“Mother Moon?” My voice trembled, not out of fear but nervousness at the idea of the sacred being in the sky being in my presence. For as long as I could remember, Father spoke of our savior, Mother Moon.

She was the spiritual essence that protected wolf shifters, the being that shielded us from the evil of the lands and guided us along our journey on the surface of life.

With her blessings, a time would come when you’d find a mate compatible with you, and through her continued guidance, you would be delivered to the moment when you could fulfill your destiny.

She was at the level of what many would call a god - a master of her own element that peaked at the strike of midnight. Even as a hybrid, her presence and importance were just as vital in the wolf realms as it was the witches, for many spells were required to be done at the peak hours of the night, when the walls between the normal and spiritual realms thinned tremendously.

“No matter the blood that runs through your veins or the magic that inks itself along your flesh, you are one of my children, Aurelia, no matter half or whole. You are worthy to stand within these lands of the In-Between, but you must not delay, for time is ticking away.”

“Time is ticking,” I wondered to myself. “The land of the In-Between? Is that where I am?”

“Yes, Aurelia,” she replied. “The land between life and death.”

“I…died?” I was in shock at the possibility, and even when I tried to remember what brought me here, it was impossible. My mind was blank, like a sheet of white paper, and nothing was bringing back the memories of the past I’d currently forgotten.

“Do not worry, half-child, for the strings of hope and fate have tied themselves to you,” Mother Moon assured me.

I looked at my biceps then, noticing the strings that were still wrapped in place and glowing with vibrancy like the flowers all around me.

“Mother Moon? Can I go back?”

“You can,” she admitted. “But the task ahead will be a long, lonely one.”

“Long and lonely?” I pondered, wishing she’d bless me with more information.

“Some have betrayed you, and such actions will cause you a lot of heartaches. Not just you, but those who will be tied to you. The path I had written for you has been tampered with, and thus another reason why I’ve brought you here.”

The winds picked up, which made my hair blow wildly as the petals of blue and gold lifted in the sky and danced all around me. That was when my eyes grew wide as I watched my white strands begin to glow like the illumination of the moon, each strand beginning to shift into a transition that left me gasping at the beauty of color unfolding before my eyes.

My white strands were now two tones: the roots of my hair were now teal blue, and my strands slowly shifted to an extraordinary gold. It was the most unique color style I’d ever witnessed, one that only extremely powerful witches and shifters carried.

It was far different from those who carried pure white strands during their ultimate stages of absolute power - a gift many people assumed I carried simply because I’d inherited my mother’s powerful hair genes.

“I’ve gifted you with the power I rarely give to my children. You will need it to protect yourself from what those filled with enviousness have set out for you.”

“Why…why do people hate me, Mother Moon?” I genuinely asked. “I did nothing wrong,” I voiced the obvious. I could imagine this spiritual woman smiling as the soft giggle that echoed through the sky gave me a bit of hope and invited more peace to thrum through me.

“Aurelia, you are a blessed child. One born of a very powerful Alpha and an extremely gifted witch. Your birth was a controversy in the lands of power, but the being who blessed your birth prayed that I’d always have a hand in your protection. I’m fulfilling that very promise, but I’m also protecting you from those who never have good intentions for any hybrid children,” she explained. “You’ve done nothing wrong, and it’s not my place to tell you exactly what you did right to lead you to this place, but what I will do is secure the bonds that you’ve now created.”

“Bonds?” I instinctively looked to the strings as my hair finally finished its transformation and the breeze calmed. My long strands fell to the sides of my face, and I couldn’t help but admire their phenomenal beauty.

“Those who wish to prevent your future uprising have only worsened their consequences, for the challenges ahead of you will change your innocent views of this world, Aurelia.”

“They…will?”

“Sadly, my half-child.” She clearly pitied me, but I didn’t understand what there was to be sad about if I wasn’t dead yet. “The path ahead of you will be filled with trials and troubling tasks, Aurelia. You will be hated by many, excluded by your own, and feel like nothing but an outcast. Such trials will attempt to push you off the edge of sanity, but the strings that wrap around your arms will keep you grounded. They will do their duty to ensure you get through the trials ahead. This doesn’t mean you won’t be wounded or scarred in the process, but no matter the marks of agony and heartache drawn upon your raw heart, strive forward, and remember that you are blessed by both sides of your unique spectrum. You are loved by me, Mother Moon, and by the Goddess of Magic and Creation who wishes nothing but your victory.”

My body began to fade then - starting from my toes and beginning to move up my feet. I didn’t freak out at first, but I was more saddened at the idea I’d most likely never experience this again.

“Mother Moon…will I ever see you again?”

“One day, Aurelia. A long time from now. When that time comes, it will again be brief, and your mind will be on something far more important than me.”

“More important than you, Mother Moon?” I couldn’t grasp that which seemed to amuse her as she laughed.

“A challenging path brings those who will come to aid you in this difficult journey called life. Do not fall for those who smile but their emotions don’t twinkle in their eyes. Be with those who don’t hide their anger and frustration. With individuals who have dark pasts but remain loyal to those they rank as high as family. Your magic will always tell you who is friend and who is foe, and if one shows you all the signs, do not react. Create the perfect web to catch them in their own deceitful plans.”

Half my body was gone now and I could hear the echoing of voices calling my name.

“You must return now, my half-child, but do not fear the darkness. Walk boldly through the valleys of deceit, hate, and enviousness, for I have laid upon you a veil of protection, and those bonded to you will never leave you alone to tackle the journey on your own.”

“What…if I feel like a misfit, Mother Moon?” It was the last thing on my mind as tears pooled in my eyes. “Is it okay to be an outcast?”

“It’s better to be the only one in the room with brilliant hair like yours than to be a commoner of hate who only wears black,” she reasoned. “It’s okay to be a misfit, my half-child, for misfits are the individuals the world overlooks. And it may not seem like it now, but that’s the best advantage you’ll carry on this new path. Embrace your uniqueness, stand tall as a rarity amongst your kind, and I vow that you will not be disappointed at the end of this race. You will be loved in your own unique way, and be surrounded by those who will never want you any other way.”

My hands and head were the last pieces of myself that were beginning their fading transition. I had to rush to say my final words, afraid my voice would be gone seconds later.

“Thank you, Mother Moon. I’ll let Father know of this! I love you! Please protect me…and those…I love.” I struggled to finish as my consciousness began to drift like my fading body, but I caught onto her humble words as my being faded into twinkling fragments.

“Farewell, Aurelia. You will rise to your position and fulfill the destiny I’ve chosen for you. No matter the obstacles, you will be the light within the darkness.”

When my consciousness returned, something brushed my cheek, but it was sharp and brought a worrisome prick to my heart. I forced my eyes open, no matter the shooting pain that ran through the rest of my body.

I numbed it all for a glimpse of who was next to my bed, but I was left in confusion as those cold teal eyes glared back at me.

The room was full of darkness. Only the glimpse of a stream of light that came from the window to my right was what aided my sight to confirm who stood there in the small room.

“Ace.”

That was the name I’d given him, the one we’d done the ceremony with and vowed to keep instead of his real name that he disliked with a passion.

He stared at me with voided eyes, and I took in the cuts and bruises all over his flesh. He had to have been beaten, but there was a sense of brokenness he carried that made my heart speed with worry.

It was one of those looks I’d only seen twice in my life prior to this moment, and it was the look that showed up on those who were exiled from the pack. It clicked in my mind then, and I lifted my hand up as the stream of my blood rolled down the cheek where I’d been sliced.

I looked to his hands but saw no blade. My worry wasn’t about the stinging pain I was feeling, but the look of desolation that reflected in those teal eyes that were always filled with light.

“Ace…what…” I was trying to speak but it felt impossible. My throat was dry and hurt, just like the rest of my body, but I needed answers.

Why was he beaten? Why did he look this way? Where were we? What happened?

“I hate you.”

Those three words somehow did more damage than the aching pain that crept through my body. It was enough to ignite tears - the very emotion I’ve always struggled to portray to even him.

“Protecting you is the reason why I’m an outcast,” he whispered as his own eyes filled with tears. He began to step away from the bed, step by step as the shadows began to shield him from my sight.

“I’ll never love you. Never see you as mine. You’re the reason for all of this, yet I’m the bad guy. All because I loved you,” he whispered bitterly. “Not anymore. I can’t let myself anymore. I’ll perish. My wolf will perish. We’ll both perish.”

He moved further away, his words holding a haunting quality that made me wonder if this was real or a nightmare. I lifted my hand up to him, my heart begging for me to do something - anything - to stop him from leaving me.

From abandoning me.

“Don’t…go,” I choked out as tears left my eyes and rolled down my cheeks.

It stung further as the salt of my very tears spread on the new wound, but it only reminded me of this unraveling ending - an end to our relationship that had just seemed to start. We’d been friends all this while. He was my only friend while the rest treated me like dirt. If he left me, I’d be alone again, and that was probably the most frightening thing out of all of this.

A lonely existence.

He paused as the tiny stream of light reflected on his face as his tears fell. He didn’t want to do this, I knew it in my gut, but something was forcing him to, and I needed those answers.

“Ace,” I whispered. “Tell…me.”

“Never,” he whispered and gave me the saddest smile. “Until I’m proven innocent, I can’t say anything more.”

He moved away into the shadows, but his final words drifted to me.

“I reject you, Aurelia Clementine. May Mother Moon never bring us back together. Or…I’ll kill you.”

I was confused by what he meant, and I wished to move, but I flinched in pain. Clenching my other hand made me realize I was holding something in my palm.

Glancing down, my eyes widened as I stared at the special item that Ace cherished. It was his mother’s heirloom, a pendant on a rope necklace. The circular piece held a design that meant something in a certain language, but what always caught my attention was the gemstone that pointed downward from the spiraling piece.

It was once clear quartz, but now it was soaked in blood that made it red. It now made sense what had pricked me, but why? What did it mean?

This was his most precious thing, and yet he gave it to me before telling me he hated me. Why was he going to leave such a valuable heirloom behind when it was created to protect him?

There were so many questions, and yet a wave of dizziness hit me like a whip. I had to fight it off. I tried to get out of bed, clenching the piece in my hand and praying for my magic to protect it with every beat of life in my heart.

The silent vow clicked in place, the tingling sensation of magic rushing to the palm of my hand to do what I asked. I only lasted three steps before I fell to my knees, feeling drained and in so much pain I wanted to scream.

Instead, I cried - my silent tears morphing into heavy sobs until someone was bound to hear me.

It didn’t matter who entered the room as I cried my heart out, for I’d somehow lost my best friend and had no clue how or why. What hurt the most was that he hated me, and I may never find out the reason.

Why would my best friend reject me?

It left me feeling bitter and angry, but as much as I wished to let out the rage that burned inside me, my body just couldn’t keep up anymore. All of this sudden change was too much for me, and I didn’t fight the arms of darkness that embraced me.

Mother Moon warned me that my path would be a lonely one…but just how painful will this journey get in the land of wolves and magic?

2

GUILTY BEFORE BEING PROVEN INNOCENT

“She’ll make a full recovery, but my concern revolves around her mental state.”

“She will recover! She’s a Clementine. We’ve all been through our own set of tragedies in life. She’ll get over him.”

“Madame, this is more than just a tradegy. You do understand what this incident triggered, correct?”

“It’s insignificant! We’re paying you top dollar to attend to my niece while her parents are off to investigate the matter. Do your job!”

The knock on the door was what drew my attention from the void of emotions bubbling within me. The sound was followed with a creak before the medical doctor stuttered, “Mistress Valentine!”

“You younglings still calling me that? It’s been ages and yet you all carry on.”

The elderly voice cut right through the darkness that seemed to cloud my vision, and I turned my head to my left to see Grandma Clementine.

Everyone else called her by the title she earned as the only female that fought through magical wars of the past: Valentine. It was her war name, meant to hide her roots with the Clementines.

Grandma was the eldest living Clementine alive, and I feared she’d be gone soon.

She was the only one who seemed to be on my side.

“Elder Valentine, what are you doing here at this hour? You shouldn’t be wasting your energy on this.”

“It’s not wasting energy, Beatrice. Isn’t Aurelia my granddaughter?” She reminded my aunt as if she’d clearly forgotten. “It’s only logical that I swiftly come to check on her after receiving the news that my daughter and her husband are journeying overseas to track the attacker.”

“We all know that outcast of a child is the one who did this! He plotted against our family and caused this disaster! It’s the ultimate betrayal to our Aurelia!”

“We don’t have solid proof of that,” Grandma reasoned. “It’s best we wait for the investigation to be completed before taking action.”

“Action has already been taken, Valentine,” Aunt Beatrice huffed bitterly. I frowned at her words, mimicking Grandma’s dismay as she eyed Auntie carefully.

“Define ‘action’?” Grandma emphasized as she narrowed her eyes of gold.

“His parents will be killed shortly for his betrayal.”

Grandma gasped, as did the medical doctor, but it was my wide eyes and acknowledgment of what she just said that made the furniture in the room shake.

All eyes went to me, but I was already fighting to get out of the bed.

“Aurelia!” Aunt Beatrice hissed, but I was fighting to move - fighting for my magic to take me where I had to be to stop what was about to transpire.

“Aurelia, wait!” Grandma urged, but my foot landed on the floor, my magic soaring to my toes and igniting my request as the dimmed world of the medical room faded away and I stood on the muddy ground.

Rain beat against my bandages, and I struggled to remain standing as I lifted my gaze to the horrible sight.

“Aurelia?!” a woman hissed. It sounded like one of the Elders of the Coven, but my eyes were transfixed on the beaten bodies of two individuals, who had been beheaded.

And there in front of them stood Ace…my best friend.

“No…” I whispered and without thinking, ran forward to try and do something - anything.

My legs gave out before I could even pass Ace, but his little arm reached out to catch me as if he expected my tumble. I tried to push through his hold, but he easily held me back, his gaze completely hidden while he continued to stare at his dead parents.

This was my fault. All my fault. I have to fix it. I have to…

“Let go! Let me heal them! Let me do something!” I begged. There had to be some sort of spell. Something that could return their heads back to the bodies and retrieve their souls. They were innocent, just like Ace.

“Aurelia!” I was yanked from Ace’s grasp, my body being lifted with magic until I floated in the air. “Do not interfere, Aurelia!” I realized it was Aunt Beatrice again, but Grandma’s voice questioned what had transpired here.

“What is the meaning of this? Neither I nor my daughter and her husband approved of this level of punishment!”

“Due to the severity of this hybrid’s actions, we determined he and his family deserve the ultimate punishment of death,” an Elder in black announced. “Without our swift methods of healing granted by Mother Moon and the Goddess of Magic, we would have lost the next successor to the High Court. This is the highest level of betrayal, especially against someone taken into our ranks out of pity.”

“You don’t have enough evidence!” Grandma hissed. “You will not kill the boy!”

“Your say is invalid, Mistress Valentine. We’ve already voted on the decision with the approval of Beatrice. The scale is tipped on the side of death and no one can override that.”

My eyes were wide with fear as I absorbed what they were saying. I struggled against the bind that continued to hold me back, all while I watched Ace’s hands curl into fists. The rain was surely hiding his tears, and my own drops of water rolled down my cheeks.

“No! Ace is innocent! Ace didn’t do anything! You can’t do this!”

I couldn’t remember what happened, and that was the biggest downfall in this situation because it meant they wouldn’t validate it. Someone had to have known that. Someone must have made me forget, but I didn’t know what spell to use to make me remember.

I was a helpless child trying to save my best friend.

“You can’t kill him!” Grandma stressed again. “He’s her mate!”

“And from his very words, he rejected her a few hours ago,” another Elder voiced. “I’m sure you understand what he’s done, correct?”

“Elder Valentine! Can’t you see what a threat this boy is?” Auntie emphasized. “He almost got Aurelia killed by communicating with our enemies! He instigated an attack that could have led to your own child’s demise, along with her husband. He even went to the lengths of activating this mate bond years earlier than usual with whatever voodoo magic he claimed from those rotten bastards and rejected our Aurelia! He’s doing everything in his power to break our prodigy and yet you’re defending him! Old age has clearly blinded your judgment.”

“We don’t crucify until proven guilty! Until then, he is innocent! I will not allow this.”

“It’s too late,” the main Elder announced, and I darted my gaze to Ace at his grunt. I watched as snakes of black with glowing green eyes began to wrap around his feet, trying to pull him into the muddy ground.

“NO!” I screamed. I’d seen this happen once before. This was how they sacrificed misfit wolves. How they got rid of those who weren’t fully caster nor fully wolf. If they held no benefit, they were pulled into the ground, where their magic was stripped out of their bodies and they were buried alive.

It was one of the most agonizing deaths, worse than being beaten and killed, because the snakes would feed off their bodies for days if not weeks until they finally perished.

The more magic you carried, the longer you’d have to live beneath the depths of the earth.

I tugged on the binds harder, and though I could see Ace’s lip trembling out of fear, he muttered, “Don’t, Auri.” The usage of my nickname made my eyes widen further, just as he turned to look at me with orbs of hate.

One eye was bleeding out, and I wondered if he could even see with it, while the other was filled with various emotions. It didn’t matter how old you were, you could see the immense hate in that single sphere that was overflowing with tears. But I could see even more than that.

I could see the regret, fear, sadness, agony, and the hardest one to pick out of that pile of misery: love.

I hadn’t completely grasped why he rejected me. Did he know he was going to die hours after? Did he do it so I would be able to be with someone else? Why would he reject me and give me something of immense value? Why was this all happening now when we’d experienced the best day of our lives?

Our mate bond had triggered early. His parents had witnessed it for themselves. We’d told my parents and the Coven this afternoon and then gone to play as they had their meeting.

Then…boom. Everything fell apart, and now I’d been rejected by my best friend, who was sinking to his death.

“I told you if I saw you again, I’d kill you,” he whispered, and though the others heard it as a threat, it was the complete opposite.

“You wouldn’t, you liar!” I snapped and gritted my teeth. The power within my mind was watching this all unfold in the hidden darkness - the place I’d told her to remain so no one would see what I’d already unlocked.

Ace told me to keep it a secret, just like he was doing, because those who had early wolf awakenings were always pulled out of their peaceful lives and pushed to train to be the best. He told me I deserved to have fun, just like he wanted to enjoy being a kid a little longer, even though he’d just turned twelve.

I’d be ten soon, and we had everything planned out. We’d have fun as mates and learn how to control our wolves in silence. His parents were trustworthy and far more loving than my family, who cared about power and rank.

We were supposed to live life differently. Why was that being taken from us now?

“Stop the snakes!” Grandma ordered.

“Did you not hear him? He admits that he would kill Aurelia! Did you lose your hearing as well?”

“Don’t make me interfere,” Grandma threatened.

“The decision is final! Let him face his fate!” Auntie retorted.

Ace was already waist-deep now, but it was his whimpered scream that made the hairs on my arms rise as I noticed one of the snakes had bitten his left bicep.

That sound reached the shadowed space in my subconscious, and there her eyes opened to reveal teal orbs with twinkling gold. My magic suddenly doubled in power, and whatever bound me in the air shattered at the mere thought of it keeping me captive from Ace.

I dropped to the floor, the impact catching the rest of the adults’ attention as I raced to Ace.

“AURELIA!” Auntie screamed my name, but the howl in my head from my wolf translated to a surge of power that rushed outward in a shockwave that sent everyone flying back. I didn’t care who I hit as I reached Ace.

His eye locked onto me, shock filling the single orb that was shifting to an odd color of orange mixed with hues of blue. His breathing was erratic and his skin was suddenly pale, and I knew the culprit was the damn snake.

I immediately clawed at it until I was pulling it with all my might - my feet beginning to sink into the same quicksand that was doing its best to pull Ace further into its grasp.

“Aur…Auri…” Ace struggled to speak, and I knew the venom was beginning its paralysis effect. I’d studied about these creatures by force, one of the many lessons thrown upon me because I carried the surname of Clementine.

It was why I didn’t act my age, knew too much for my own good, swore when I wasn’t in my family’s company, and wished for so much better. Wished to be free from this controlling lifestyle of perfection I knew I’d never achieve because I was the only hybrid in the family.

I was just like Ace, and yet his parents were gone.

“Hang on, Ace. I’ll save you. I have to save you! You’re my mate!”

“Don’t…Don’t you…I…rejec-”

“I don’t care!” I snapped and ignored the way my heart clenched at the word. I’d pushed those emotions aside from the moment I woke up from unconsciousness. I didn’t want to relive it when my attention had to be on helping him.

Helping the boy who rejected me.

I wouldn’t jump to conclusions. That’s what Grandma always taught me. She said she wouldn’t watch me become a puppet like she’d once been. She’d trained my mom to do the same. She’d taught me to be a rebel, to go against what was tradition, even if it meant us getting in trouble for it.

I’d surely receive punishment for my actions, but if Ace died…my heart wouldn’t just shatter.

It would bleed out so much sorrow that nothing would be able to bandage its broken core.

With a hiss, I pulled the snake’s fangs out of Ace’s arm, before proceeding to tug the others off him. I couldn’t do anything about those already within the ground, but they wouldn’t be able to bite him until he was completely submerged.

I then moved to hook my arms under his armpits and began to pull as much as I could. I wasn’t strong in the slightest, and I was coming to realize it as my efforts did nothing to help, but suddenly a burst of magic came from in front of us, and a tall man emerged from the spiraling gateway.

My head lifted up to see the man - his intense eyes of silver meeting the two of us before he acknowledged what was happening. With a tsk, he reached out and yanked both of us out of the ground like it wasn’t a sinking hole of doom before he carried us over few steps to the left where a patch of grass was.

He dropped us in haste. His arrival ignited an array of gasps, but I was moving and laying Ace on his back as he began to shake uncontrollably.

“Ace! Ace!” I didn’t know what to do because I wasn’t sure what was wrong with him - his eyes rolled back while he continued to shake violently.

“A seizure,” the man snapped. “The venom is already causing damage.”

“Ace. No…” I bit my lip hard and the helplessness grew before immense anger began to burn through my body and I tried to remember everything about the snakes.

Until a solution popped into my mind.

“M-Master L!” multiple voices announced as the man rose up to look at the group. They literally bowed to their knees and pressed their heads to the floor.

“Who gave you the authority to act?!” His raised voice shook the earth, but I used his statement to my advantage, since no one was looking at me. With a deep inhale, I leaned down and practically chomped Ace’s arm with my lips while I began to suck as much venom as I could in one go.

The taste of it was absolutely disgusting, the sizzling liquid making my entire body fill with dread just from the deadly flavor. I sucked as much as my mouth could take before turning my head to spit it all out. The action caught Grandma’s attention.

She was the only one not on her knees, but her usually squinted eyes were massive as she realized what I was doing.

“AURELIA CLEMENTINE! Stop!”

That got the man to turn around as I took another deep suck of the venom - the amount far less than the previous suck.

Master L cursed under his breath and tried to grab me, but my eyes lifted to glare at him and a barrier deflected his hand that tried to stop me. He seemed shocked by the move and tried again, but I only further heightened the protective wall as I spat out the venom and struggled to breathe.

The taste was unbearable, but Ace wasn’t shaking anymore. I wasn’t sure if he was breathing, but I had to get everything left of the venom before I checked. The third time was the hardest because the world felt like it was spinning while the temperature got extremely hot.

By the time I finished, my face was drenched with sweat and my head began to pound mercilessly. My wolf whimpered. She was suddenly gone from my head, which was growing heavier, but I pushed through it all as I moved on top of Ace and began to shake him with my clammy hands.

“Ace!” I repeated his name, again and again, my voice cracking as my throat grew tighter by the second. He didn’t deserve to die. I knew he was innocent. There had to be a mistake, yet no one wanted to help me.

“Aurelia.”

I flinched. The heaviness used with my name forced me to look up, and I saw that Master L stood tall as he looked down at me. “Let me help.”

Help. He’s…going to help.

I was scared he was lying, but his eyes didn’t give me that same deceit as other adults. Plenty of adults in the Coven praised me with fake smiles and held their disapproval of my “showing off” skills to their not-so-private corridors and whispers.

My magic fell before I could command it to, and he was on his knees as I moved off Ace. He began to press against Ace’s chest, all while the other Elders tried to move closer to us.

I may have felt weak, but I glared at them with enough anger that they stopped in their tracks. Even Grandma didn’t move another inch. But it was Ace’s gasp for breath that tugged me over to him as he coughed and began to shake.

“A…Auri,” he struggled to say, but I could see Master L’s concern as he scooped him up, looking at me and then over his shoulder to Grandma. “Get her medical attention this instant, or there’ll be permanent brain damage.”

He rose up then as Grandma rushed to be by my side. I struggled to get up, but suddenly my legs wouldn’t work. “Wait…Ace.”

“Master L! Why are you interfering? He’s guilty, just like his parents!”

That made Master L stop in his tracks before he looked over his shoulder to glare at all of them.

“The culprit of the incident was located in Dubai.” His announcement silenced them all as he lowered his gaze to me and Grandma. “The Hunter family was notified by a source to inform your Coven, but whatever occurred happened far too late to deliver the proper message.”

“Ace…Ace.” I struggled to say his name, trying to grasp what he was leading to. Master L probably felt pity for me because he jumped to the point as his hands began to glow and cloak Ace in purple glowing light.

“Ace Hunter is innocent like Aurelia Clementine claimed.”

No one else said a word and for a brief moment, I noticed Ace’s eye was slightly open and on me.

“I…told you!” I struggled to say the words that began to slur. “He’s…innocent! Inn…ocent!”

Master L’s eyes softened as I continued to struggle, but Grandma’s hands landed on my shoulders and suddenly a light of blue and lime green began to cloak me, similar to what was happening to Ace.

Whatever was trying to silence me paused in movement, but I couldn’t move either while my eyes began to close. My ears could still grasp what was being said, and I heard it all while my almost closed eyes still kept hold of Ace’s.

“We were informed that the source of the information was accurate!” an Elder emphasized.

“And who was that source?” Master L’s voice was deep and threatening. When no one answered, he huffed. “Ah. Now you know how to defend one another, but you killed two respectable individuals who took safe haven in your community and almost slayed their hybrid son because he’s not one of us, right?”

“We were following the traditions we’ve abided by for years, Master!” Auntie declared.

“Old traditions that should be obliterated!” Grandma snapped. “When my daughter returns, we will change these rules once and for all!”

“That won’t be the case,” Master L whispered, and the world fell silent before Grandma whispered, “What do you mean?”

“We have no time to go into detail. Seeing as you’ve encouraged this boy to reject his chosen mate, you’ll have no objection to me taking him. Attend to Aurelia. A meeting will be scheduled about this incident.”

I took one last glance at Ace, feeling as though it would truly be the last I’d see of him. I knew without a doubt that he’d hate me now. Thanks to me, he’d been accused wrongly, outcasted, his parents killed before his eyes, and almost died.

He was being taken away to somewhere and I didn’t know how to follow, and even if destiny wanted us to be together, it was clear we’d be torn apart.

“Master L.” Grandma’s voice trembled, but my eyes grew weaker until they closed, and I began to slip away. It didn’t stop me from grasping his final words as he surely began to walk away.

“The killer was confronted by your daughter, Valentine. The result…led to your daughter and son-in-law’s demise, along with all the witches and wizards in tow. There were no survivors. We will talk further when the children are stabilized.”

I was falling there and then, but the scream from my grandma would surely haunt me in the years to come.

The damage of being found guilty before being proven innocent.

3

MUTED RECOVERY AND SUDDEN INTRODUCTIONS

“She hasn’t talked in two weeks, doctor! There has to be something that can be done!”

I was trying to ignore Beatrice - I’d given up calling her Aunt - but it was like she was purposely speaking loudly so the entire private district could hear her pleas.

“You’re just going to be a mute forever?”

I moved my eyes away from the window next to my bed, my half-opened orbs meeting the child pretending to try to “be my friend”. The whole “interacting with your age group” therapy was stupid because it wasn’t going to suddenly make me speak. I had no intentions of wasting my energy when I barely had enough for myself.

My world was crumbling from left to right, and I was supposed to play with children? It was seriously laughable because Beatrice never wished me to be like other kids.

You’re the only daughter of the Clementine family.

You can’t play with just anyone, Aurelia!

Why are you playing with these peasants? Did you forget who you are?

You’re beyond these toddlers, Aurelia. Find someone with the same intellect as you! These children won’t benefit you.

You have to study! Not play.

You have to train! Not mingle with lower witches and wizards.

Aurelia! You’re going to be our prodigy! You have to learn from the best.

It felt like my childhood had already been stolen from me. Years I should have spent playing like anyone else my age were stripped because of who I was supposed to be, who I was going to become if I followed every single step on the path I was born to walk upon.

My childhood had been good in the beginning, when I was raised by Mom and Dad, but by the time I could walk, their duties grew bigger, and Mom couldn’t ignore the pressure of the Coven.

What was the Coven? Ah, the people who told you what to do with your life.

Witches young and old all wanted to be a part of the Coven. Any witch could join a coven, but there were various ones that were differentiated by rank. When witches spoke about the Coven, they spoke of the ultimate one that was just below the High Court.

I’d only learned about the High Court a week before my world went to chaos. It was the highest level of magical beings who lived in a different universal plane than our world.

It was weird to think about it, but Mother was chosen to sit upon the High Court chair, but she was pregnant with me. Grandma had been chosen back in her time, but she was pregnant with my mother. Due to this, the last one to take the chair was my great-great-grandmother, or at least, that’s what they told me.

I was never sure who to believe.

Beatrice and Grandma didn’t see eye to eye at all. They didn’t get along, they ran the Coven completely differently when they were in control, and it was becoming clear that some enjoyed Grandma’s way of leading the Coven while others enjoyed the controlling power Beatrice carried.

To be honest, I enjoyed my mother’s way of running things the most. She was harsh sometimes because witches especially had a bit of an attitude - or that’s what she’d tell me - but she was always fair and would acknowledge anything bad she saw.

She’s…gone now.

It had been two weeks since the attack against me. It was apparently organized by someone in Dubai: a bad connection or someone who didn’t like us. I wasn’t exactly sure what validated them to come and attack Ace and me, but they did it so Ace would be blamed.

That led to Ace rejecting me, his parents being killed before the news of his innocence reached the Elder’s ears, and that was when we were told my mom and dad were dead.

They were killed after stopping the potential culprit from apparently hurting a lot of people. I’d overheard something about an explosion that held magic properties that would take out not just a few states, but wipe out the US, Canada, and potentially Mexico.

I’d overheard their discussion while I feigned unconsciousness. The explanation was detailed, but my brain managed to comprehend most of it.

Everyone that followed my parents perished with them, and the last two weeks had been a whirlwind of mourning.

The news hit Grandma hard enough to land her in the medical center for witches. I wasn’t sure if that was where I was as well, but with her health in jeopardy, the Elders were scrambling and nervous about what the future held.

Witches didn’t die as easily as one would think. Normally, a witch would die of old age, or, historically, due to wars and battles that stole every bit of their magic.

Mother’s death didn’t fall into that category.

It was obvious the adults would deem it as murder, and that led to various investigations from different standpoints.

Apparently, human officers would have to get involved, as well as the Coven, High Court, and the shifter who owned that land where they passed away. From the conversation, the person who owned the land was a powerful Alpha shifter, and he’d be here to speak with Beatrice - who was currently in charge due to Grandma’s ill health.

Then there was me.

Since waking up and “receiving the news” from the Elders regarding my parents’ deaths, I’d been monitored by a spell crafter witch who essentially worked with various medicines to help with my transition and healing process.

From the long explanation that held little interest to me after getting confirmation of my parents’ passing, I had multiple issues that affected my health.

The poison I’d consumed had done some damage to my brain, and they had yet to determine what the long-term effects would be. As of now, the obvious effect was my hair.

I was born with golden locks, like my mother, that carried a glow to them, especially when I used magic. As of now, my roots were a neon teal, the color mimicking the eyes of the venomous magical serpent that had every intention of killing Ace.

When they began to scold me for interfering, I actually laughed. It was a manic laughter that sent them rushing for the nurses to put me under because I’d clearly lost my mind since I was laughing at people of authority.

They didn’t know that their actions were hilarious. They were scolding me, a child they’d forced to adapt to this dark world around us, for saving my fated mate who they’d falsely accused. They’d killed his remaining family line, literally killed him before Master L appeared and saved him, and yet I was in trouble.

They were trying to use the whole rejection status against me.

“Now you’re Wolf Rejected, Aurelia! Look what you’ve done to yourself?”

Fucking laughable.

I’d been unconscious when my birthday came along, but I was officially ten years old and all they cared about was who they would force me to marry down the line?

Apparently being Wolf Rejected meant I was essentially screwed in the mate department. I wouldn’t find a new mate or feel the strings of the bond I’d experienced with Ace.

I was destined to never have a true fated mate again. That’s what they concluded. Would it be weird to say that I didn’t believe them? That my moment with Mother Moon was valid and I’d find my rightful person when I was older and wiser?

Mother Moon said my path would be lonely like the path of a Lone Wolf. With wolf in my blood as well as witch, I was only considered valuable because of my last name.

If not for the Clementine blood that courses through me, I’d be a misfit, as they liked to call hybrids, and left for mockery.

Nevertheless, I had no friends. My slight swearing tendencies and “know-it-all” attitude got me in trouble every other day, and I guess my thought process was getting closer to a young adult. I didn’t really fit in with the witches and wizards who were more worried about their performance level in witch school than anything else.

Witch school. More like a bully camp.

That was where this girl in front of me came from, and she’d only volunteered to come and be a “good” friend by being here to play with me for attention. She was a good actor, I’d give her that much, but a friend?

Fucking fake bitch.

The girl’s eyes went wide before she was glaring at me.

“What did you call me?!”

Oops. Did I say that out loud?

I simply smiled while my eyes narrowed at her. The action must have really freaked her out because she rushed off the bed and was opening the door in three seconds flat.

World record.

“Miss Beatrice! Aurelia’s eyes look like a snake and she called me a fake bitch!”

“What?” Beatrice gasped while the doctor arched an eyebrow at the girl.

I was already looking out the window, wondering if Mother Moon would opt out of letting me live and take me away from this place.

I wouldn’t deny the fact that I was beginning to wish for death more and more. It made sense, right? I was a rejected wolf with no possible chance of being mated to another. I had no friends, no parents, and if Grandma was the next to go…there really would be no reason for me to stay here.

Ace was gone, taken by Master L to be raised wherever he resided because no one would offer to take care of him, even though he was obviously innocent.

The Elders - a disgraceful bunch of old witches - wouldn’t even acknowledge what they did wrong. They kept stating that a source had informed the Coven of the betrayal and immediate action was taken by “those in command” which resulted in the passing of Ace’s parents and injured him to the point that he was taken to another country for treatment.

No other questions, statements, or validations. You either accepted it or you didn’t.

Why did I have to be born into a family like this? I was forced to belong in two worlds, and yet neither wished to fully embrace me.

I’d tried to find others like me, children who carried wolf traits but held a bit of unique magic to them. Witches called us hybrid misfits. We were the oddballs in the group and I’d known that since much earlier in my life.

Father had mentioned wolves called us hybrids “Endangered” - wolf shifters with born traits that were so rare and unique to their hybrid qualities that there were only a few of their kind. The word endangered meant a certain species or race was in danger of disappearing forever.

Due to this, they were either cherished or outcasted based on their heritage, background, and abilities.

I’m just here because I’m a Clementine. That’s what the Elders always say behind my back.

The Elders were the “wise,” selected witches that sat upon the higher seats within the Coven. Their knowledge was ranked higher than the magical power they carried, but getting a specific chair on the Coven meant you had to be mighty powerful.

Mother believed I’d be able to get a seat on the Coven without problem, but maybe she thought that because she assumed her presence would aid in that decision.

She’d been dead for two weeks, and it was becoming clearer that they didn’t want me anywhere.

All this emphasis on my care was all for show. To prove how important and valuable I was as a Clementine. Since I was the only child, I guessed I was the last bit of the generation until I had children of my own.

The thought made my eyes narrow at the mere thought. To let someone else experience what I had simply because they were of our precious blood? Never.

“Aurelia.”

I blinked out of my daze, realizing I was being spoken to. My head slowly turned to Beatrice and the Doctor, while my “friend” stood at the end of the medical bed with her hands on her hips.

I bet she was excited to see me in some sort of trouble.

“Aurelia! Did you say something?” Beatrice emphasized.

I just stared at her with bored eyes, before turning back to look at the window.

“You adults sure are stupid.”

The boy’s voice caught my attention, as it did the rest of my company. All eyes turned to the door to see two boys.

I blinked a few times because I’d never seen these individuals in my entire life, but there they stood, at the entrance of my private medical room.

The one who spoke drew my attention the strongest. I didn’t know if it was the way his pink and white aura danced around him or the fact I was seeing a boy with pink hair, but there he stood.

He had to be the same height as me, and I wondered how old he was. He wore black pants, a black dress shirt, and a pink tie. His hair was gelled back, but a few strands fell in front of his face as if he’d been running around and doing something entertaining.

His hands were in his pockets and his black shoes tapped impatiently, but it was his eyes that were uniquely striking to me - orbs of turquoise that carried their own sense of power.

The boy next to him was taller and had to be older because he carried a bit of muscle to him. Maybe he was Ace’s age, but his black hair was tied up in a tiny ponytail, while his tanned skin carried certain magic incantations I’d never seen on a child.

You’d have to be extremely powerful to withstand the pain the powerful tattoos carried, and it didn’t matter how many times I’d asked, I wasn’t allowed one.

This boy, however, had a few that peeked out of his short black sleeves. He wore black sweats and silver shoes, looking far more casual than the other boy, but his eyes were jet black with a ring of silver around each iris.

The final individual was a tall man. He had to be the adult watching over them. He wore a black suit, his hands were behind his back, and his silver locks were perfectly styled. He looked like a butler to me, but his aura was magnificent to watch. He had to carry magic of some kind, and he reminded me of Master L because of the silver locks and striking silver eyes.

His expression was rather neutral, like the taller boy. The boy who was the center of attention suddenly had his eyes on me, and I didn’t know whether to blush or frown.

“What’s the meaning of this?!” Beatrice hissed and pointed to the pink-haired boy. “How dare you come down to this area?!”

“Madam Beatrice, hold on.” The doctor tried to calm her down before he looked at the boy. “William, what are you doing down here? Your appointment is done.”

William?

The boy shrugged but was looking over to the girl at the end of the bed.

“You guys are stupid,” he emphasized again as he rolled his eyes. “You really sent this dandelion of a bitch to comfort her?”

I was speechless and had to fight my jaw from dropping, while everyone else but William’s crew of individuals seemed absolutely shocked.

“W-What?! You’re a little brat! You can’t call me that bad word!” the girl emphasized.

“Bad word? What are you? Five? I’m seven, and if adults can use the word all the time, so can I, bitch!” he snapped and pointed at her. “You’re trying to act like an innocent Lucy, but you were telling the other kids in the hall that you were only here to help the Clementine girl because you want money and bonus points in your crappy witch school. If you’re going to act the part, at least try.”

“W-What?!” Beatrice gasped, and the girl nervously shook her head.

“H-He’s lying! He’s just a he-she jerk!”

He-she? What does she mean?

William laughed and nudged the older boy to his right. “Onyx! She’s calling me a he-she. Isn’t that hilarious?!”

Onyx didn’t seem amused by the name-calling, but he faked a low laugh before muttering, “Funny how a girl who’s here to get gender construction therapy has opinions about someone else.”

The girl’s whole face went red, and William further laughed.

“Awww. It’s funny how people like to make fun of me, William De Luca, the only son of Alpha Roberto De Luca, because I like to expand my magical abilities and jump between genders. I swear, I wish witches tried to be like wolves. We mind our own fucking business.”

The doctor didn’t look like he had much to say, but I didn’t think it mattered to William as he looked over to his left side. “Viktor, can we make things quick? I’m bored and hungry. I hate wasting my time being a moral child.”

“Yes, sir.” Viktor bowed in understanding before he looked to Beatrice. “Madam Beatrice, I’m here on behalf of Roberto De Luca. I’m sure you know of him and his accomplishments, so I won’t waste your time. Shall we speak business outside?”

Beatrice looked shocked before she quickly nodded.

“C-Certainly! Sorry for my rude behavior. I didn’t know who you were, or who the child was.”

“Better adult than you,” William dryly muttered.

I swore Beatrice wanted to say something, but she held her tongue before turning her gaze to the girl. “Lucy! Out! I will have a private talk with you and your parents shortly.”

The girl’s eyes were wide with fear before she glared at William, who literally skipped into the room with his hands in his pockets until he was in front of her.

“See ya, innocent Lucy. Let me know if you need any teachings on how to be a boy.”

“Boys don’t skip!” she snapped at him, her eyes filling with tears.

“Oh really? Are you now a male expert? Why don’t you take your pants down and show us if you’re really a man?” he tossed back. “I can.”

Once again, her face was red - and I couldn’t blame her - before she rushed out the door, crying for her mom. Onyx casually walked into the room, his eyes looking at me temporarily before he looked at William.

“You’re in a bad mood today, huh?” he concluded.

“Wasting my time because the doctor hasn’t signed my prescription is stupid. I have people to beat up!”

That made the doctor flinch before he literally bowed in William’s direction.

“I-I’m terribly sorry, Sir William. I’ll get those prescriptions done right away and ensure your discharge is confirmed.”

“Good, or I’ll enjoy letting Papa Dearest know about what an incompetent fool you are and we’ll see how long you’ll keep that medical license of yours.”

“My apologies, sir! Please, I’ll get right to it!” The doctor didn’t wait for anyone to interfere as he rushed past Viktor and was gone. Beatrice literally stared at the boy before she huffed.

“Shall we begin our discussion?” she offered to Viktor, who nodded slightly and ushered her to the hallway.

“It’ll be quick,” Viktor assured her and looked to William and Onyx. “William, Onyx, can you keep Miss Clementine company?”

“Whatever,” William replied and walked over to the side of my bed as Onyx got a chair and placed it perfectly for William to sit upon.

“I’ll watch,” Onyx concluded as if he were speaking in some sort of code.

Viktor didn’t seem worried in the slightest, while Beatrice looked at me.

“Aurelia, I won’t take too long, alright?” There was that fake, sweet voice she used in public to emphasize how much she cared for me. I couldn’t help but look away, the window my new best friend, while I hoped to zone the world out again.

I hate it here. I hate it here. I hate it here.

“Did you know if you’re rebellious enough around adults, they’ll just leave you alone?”

I blinked and looked over to my left to see William, leaning his chair back with one leg resting on the other and his arms crossed. He reminded me of a little villain, but his proud smile didn’t reach his eyes.

Isn’t he faking it?

I couldn’t understand why he was here, and maybe it showed in my eyes because he pouted his lips. “If you’re wondering why I’m chilling here, it’s simply because of business. I’m too young to deal with Papa Dearest’s bloody nonsense, so I have to chill with the powerful kids. Apparently, the only one who fits that category is you.”

Me? Powerful?

If I was powerful, I would have been able to save Ace. If they thought of me as important, they would have listened to me when I emphasized that he was innocent.

If I was rebellious, would they have done otherwise? Would they have actually listened to me?

“Why aren’t you talking anyway?”

My gaze once again returned to William as he observed me. “Your vocal cords aren’t fucked up.”

All I could do was stare back at him, wondering why he could easily swear and ask direct questions. If he was actually seven, we were three years apart, and he was obviously younger.

Younger and yet he was able to put even Aunt Beatrice in her place.

He leaned a bit too far in his chair, but the legs didn’t skid back as Onyx placed his hands on the sides of the chair to stop it from falling. William just looked up at him, and I noticed the way he smiled.

That was a true, genuine sign of happiness.

“It could be due to trauma, William,” Onyx noted calmly as he fixed his chair back into a sitting position.

William chuckled darkly, the low sound rather menacing for a child, but he was back to leaning while he focused on the window.

“We’re not human kids who are barricaded in a wrapped-up lie that this world is pure and innocent,” he huffed. “This world of shifters is full of darkness.” He paused to emphasize what he had to say next, his blue orbs meeting mine. “Yet I’m already beginning to see that the world of magic is far darker than even ours,” he whispered. “I wonder how long you’ll last before it breaks you?”

I just stared at him as he analyzed me in return.

“Speak,” he encouraged, but I lowered my head.

I didn’t deserve to speak a word. Why would anyone care? Did it save Ace from getting hurt? No. Did it stop them from killing his parents and almost killing him? No. Speaking wouldn’t bring my parents back to life. What’s the point of this voice when you’re screaming in a room where everyone doesn’t want to listen to you?

Where you’re nothing but an outcast in a field of perfection.

“If this was your last minute of life, would you just sit there without speaking a word?”

My chin was unexpectedly lifted by the sharp pinch of a blade, and my eyes widened at the sight of not a boy, but a girl. My golden orbs only expanded further as I took in how beautiful she looked as the moon took the opportunity to reveal itself from the grey clouds and shine her glimmering light through the window.

William was a child of fierceness, her eyes filled with the same pulsing confidence she held as a boy, but her skin was a surface of soft perfection, and her lips were a lighter pink and fuller.

She wore a black blouse with a fluffy, sparkling pink skirt that matched her bubble gum silky strands of hair that were long and practically floated in the air. She stood on my bed, her feet now bare as if she’d forgotten to wear shoes, but it didn’t steal away from how stunning she looked in my eyes.

How powerful a girl of her age appeared in comparison to me.

The blade didn’t frighten me in the slightest, the pinch of its sharp edge only reminding me that I was clearly alive and seeing this with my own two eyes.

Her previous words repeated in my mind.

“If this was your last minute of life, would you just sit there without speaking a word?”

“A-Aurelia,” I choked out the single word, watching the way her eyes narrowed at my statement. I could feel her disapproval of my stuttering expression, and I couldn’t help but feel the need to be more confident like her.

She was three years younger than I, and yet she probably projected to the world that she was far older. I couldn’t let her overpower me, and the thought made me swallow the lump in my throat before I stared at her with as much fierceness as I could.

“Aurelia Delianna Clementine.”

My voice may have been soft from my lack of speech the last two weeks, but it was clear enough to make this girl smile brilliantly, showing her glimmering white teeth while her eyes softened with pride.

“That’s how you do it,” she replied just as the door opened.

I expected Beatrice to scream at the dagger that held my chin up, but Viktor’s voice crashed through the room.

“WILLOW! AURELIA! DOWN!”

I couldn’t understand what he meant, but my head slowly moved to my right to the window, my gaze locking onto the man in black that was three feet away. The distance may have been far, but it became obvious with a blink of my eyes that he wasn’t here to simply stare.

With a gun covered in magic incantations in his grasp, he was surely here to kill.

There was no chance for me to move in time as he pulled the trigger, but my sight was suddenly blocked, as pink circles of magic burst into existence.

If my eyes could get any bigger, this was the time. I watched this girl jump off the bed to the ledge of the window. The dagger that had kept my head up was now a gun with pink incantations.

Words couldn’t describe what happened next for the sound of a single gunshot was mixed with multiple shots that shortly stopped with the burst of shattered glass.

I should have braced myself for the impact, but I watched shadows of black create a glass wall in front of me. The tinted, protective surface couldn’t possibly dim the oozing power of magic that made this girl’s hair glow furiously of pink and white.

The room was silent as the wall of black shattered - revealing six bullets that fell on the white blanket that laid upon my lap.

“Willow!” An authoritative voice barked out the girl’s name, but she remained in place with her gun pointed at the culprit who began to fall back - a bullet hole right in his forehead.

The thump of his body against the lightly snow-covered grass still didn’t encourage a word from anyone else. I noticed that Onyx wasn’t inside the room, but outside as he approached the broken window.

He reached right in front as he lifted his gaze to look up at Willow.

“The other two are dead,” he said as if he were disappointed with the predicament.

“That’s no fun,” Willow admitted before turning around to look directly at me. If the previous sight of her didn’t empower me, this view here and now did, because I wasn’t acknowledging a child.

I was acknowledging a girl who had just saved me from my doom.

“See?” she began and twirled her magical gun like it was a toy. “It would have been a shame if you never got in your last set of words.”

Her grin only further spread across her lips as she peered into my shocked eyes.

“Willow De Luca,” she introduced and gestured her free hand over to Onyx. “And Onyx Charm. He’s my stalker.”

“Friend,” he grumbled.

“Sure,” she brushed off like it wasn’t important. “I don’t care if you don’t have a lot of friends, nor do I care about what got you here.”

The gun in her grasp turned into a wand with a blink, and she pointed it directly at me.

“When you remember what a rebel you are, no one can fill you up with bullets.”

Her words shocked me, and yet they felt like the best words of advice I’d ever heard. I gathered the courage to speak before she could retract her wand.

“What if I’m crazy?”

The question made Beatrice gasp in shock, but I ignored her as my eyes remained on Willow’s. I expected her to answer, but instead, she laughed - long and hard until tears were forming in her eyes.

“Then crazy sure loves company.” She beamed and twirled the wand in her hand. “The world mocks children who are crazy, unique, and different. Shifters with magic are no different. You call them misfits, don’t you?”

When I slowly nodded, she giggled and lifted her arms up like a conductor ready to lead an orchestra. “What a better way to prove your worth than by letting the world think you’re a little looney. After all, if you’re not going to fit in, you might as well enjoy standing out.”

She smiled and looked past me. “Ah. Papa Dearest is here. Best I go,” she declared, and I looked over to see a shorter man of muscle in a fitted suit. He stood next to Viktor, looking upset, but it didn’t necessarily appear as though it was directed at Willow.

To my observation, he looked a bit relieved with a dose of pride.

“Willow?” I whispered as she dropped to the floor and began walking towards the man. She paused and glanced over from the end of the bed to look at me, along with the rest of the room.

“Will we see each other again?”

She actually looked intrigued by my question, but her eyes further lit up as she smirked.

“Probably,” she replied. “I like you.”

That’s all she said as she skipped over to Viktor, ignoring the man who I could only assume was her father by the similarity in their eyes.

“Viktor, I’m hungry.”

The poor man seemed taken aback by her statement, as if watching a child kill someone wasn’t a big deal.

“We’ll pass by McDonald’s on the way home,” he quietly replied.

“Score!” she replied and she looked to her side. “Onyx, I’m stealing your toy.”

I didn’t even realize he’d returned from outside and stood next to the little girl. Even from the side glance of his face, he didn’t seem bothered as he shrugged.

“Sure.”

“And your fries,” she concluded as she began walking out of the room as he followed.

“No.”

“Why not?! I need them more than you! I gotta grow big and strong!”

“More fries is only going to make your boobs grow faster.”

She gasped in the hallway. “LIAR!”

“Mhmm,” he teased.

She huffed, “Viktor! I don’t want McDonald’s!”

Viktor sighed and looked to the man next to him. “Please feel free to go to the car, sir. I’ll handle the cleanup.”

“Hmph,” he replied and looked to Beatrice. “You’re lucky we have an agreement or I’d let you clean this mess yourself.”

“W-We’re grateful for our new contract, Alpha Roberto,” she reasoned.

“De Luca,” he corrected. “Magic wasters don’t need to call me by my Alpha title.” His cold eyes briefly looked at me and I felt the intimidation of his gaze trying to belittle me.

I bit my lip as my wolf in the back of my mind suddenly opened her eyes and lifted her head. She glared at the man, growling at him in my subconscious. But what surprised me was Willow’s return as she skipped into the room until she was at the side of my bed.

“Here you go!”

I lowered my gaze to the offered toy. It looked like a pocket mirror, one that was pink with various colored jewels. I couldn’t help but accept it. I opened it to see it was a mirror.

What surprised me was my eyes that glowed vividly, the golden glow carrying a mix of teal and neon green. It almost made me flinch, but I was left mesmerized by the sight.

“Why…are you giving me this?” I asked.

“So you can see your potential.”

That seemed to catch everyone’s attention as I looked up to her. She leaned in further and whispered, “Papa Dearest only intimidates those who have potential. That’s what you look like when you rebel against all those who try to silence you. Remember that and maybe we’ll remain friends when we meet again.”

With that, she twirled around and skipped to the door. Stopping at the door frame, she looked back just as Roberto turned away and walked over to the door.

“See ya, Aurelia Delianna Clementine,” she said loud and proud. “Better remember me when I’m older and stronger!”

She was gone for real with Roberto in tow. Viktor turned with a bow before he replied, “We’ll keep in touch. The bodies will be removed before we depart.”

He left us and the silence in the room grew thicker, but my attention returned to the pocket mirror as my eyes met my reflected ones.

Willow De Luca…and Onyx Charm. A boy who can turn into a girl and his stalker friend?

Their arrival, introductions, and departure were the weirdest confrontation I’d ever experienced in my existence in this world, and yet the smile that crossed my lips made my eyes twinkle as a bubble of laughter escaped my lips.

Crazy…does love company.

4

MISCHIEF AROUND DE LUCA AND CHARM

~TWO YEARS LATER~

“AURELIA!”

I continued to twirl my wand in my grasp, wondering when I’d be able to replace the stupid wooden thing that did absolutely nothing to heighten my magic power.

Why create something out of fucking wood that barely channels a speck of power? I could do better with a stupid dildo.

“Are you supposed to know what that is?”

I smirked at my wolf - Aries – the question leaving me giggling.

A mind of an eighteen-year-old in the body of a twelve-year-old. Fucking hilarious.

“Or slightly psychotic.”

Yet you adore my moments of pure insanity.

“Sadly. They amuse me more than this bitch.”

Now, now. Didn’t you say I shouldn’t swear like a sailor?

“I said that when we were in front of Grandma. I actually respect her, unlike this taunting mess.”

“Elder Valentine! Tell your grandchild to stop disrespecting me!”

There was a sigh, and my ears twitched at the sound as I seemed to tune in to the world around me. Pausing in my twirling fest, I leaned further back in my chair and let my head sink back to see Grandma standing there in the traditional clothes of the Elders.

She even wore her witch hat, the dark purple velvet fabric always being the favorite accent to the magically cloaked attire.

“I’ve been here for five minutes, Beatrice, and she’s yet to say a word.” Grandma already sounded tired and the discussion of my disobedience hadn’t even started.

It was a daily occurrence and seeing as today was Friday, I wasn’t necessarily surprised by Grandma’s exhaustion regarding this matter.

I’d entered my “rebellious” teenage years, and boy, was I making sure everyone struggled when assigned to deal with me for a few hours.

Except for Grandma. She deserved my attention. She’d earned it, in comparison to these fake adults.

It was because of the Clementine blood that ran through my veins that I continued to take this bullshit. I may have been the most powerful Clementine to date at my current age, but I knew there was far more I had to learn and discover in order to one day be a part of the Coven.

That was my goal. To sit upon one of those chairs in the Coven and have a backbone that made me worthy enough to be heard when spoken to.

For my opinions to be heard, my suggestions to be considered, and my power to be acknowledged by those around me.

That meant I had to be on the Coven, and it would take me settling into “witch school” to get closer to that goal. Once I achieved that, I’d aim for my next objective.

A chair amongst those on the High Court.

The very chair my great-great-grandmother had sat upon. We may have always gotten a spot in the Coven, and were always offered a seat on the High Court, but I wanted to be the one to actually sit upon that glorious chair and prove to them what a misfit like myself could do.

It would take persistence, determination, and finding a pack that would heighten my chances in the realms of magic and shifters, but I wasn’t going to stop myself from dreaming.

“Her silence is what’s disrespectful!” Beatrice snapped back, and I only smirked as Grandma’s eyes met mine, which were surely a reflection of mischief. “She clearly has hearing problems at this point!”

“I’m sure she can hear just fine,” Grandma voiced and her lips quirked up slightly as she followed with, “Hello, Sweet Aura.”

I giggled, following with a wide grin. “Grandma, you’re always changing my nickname. It was Lia last week, Auri the previous week, and AuriLu at the beginning of the month.”

I could hear Beatrice’s seething growl as I corrected my leaning posture only to slide my chair further back so I could lift my combat boots onto the desk, and turned my head to look over at Grandma once more.

“Also, I can hear just fine. I can’t control when my selective hearing kicks in.”

“Selective, huh?” Grandma’s smile only widened as her eyes twinkled, just like mine. All those lovely lines upon her face only emphasized how old she was getting, and yet she held her shrinking posture like she wasn’t inching closer to two hundred years.

Who knows how old she is. I’m only guessing based on her saying she was in her one-nineties at a witch gathering a year ago.

“You see, Elder Valentine! This is exactly why she has no respect for me! You encourage her rebellious behavior.”

“If it keeps her attending your classes until she officially starts witch school, I couldn’t care less,” Grandma concluded. “End class early. I need Aurelia.”

“Score!” I cheered and was up with my unopened bag over my shoulder in three blinks.

And at her side in five.

My swiftness clearly took them both by surprise, but it was the low chuckle at the door that grasped my attention.

Lifting my gaze, I saw a tall male with shoulder-length black hair, his current muscles fighting against his silk black shirt that was professionally tucked into his black pants.

His silky strands were tucked behind his ears, showing a silver earring and a peek of what surely couldn’t be a tattoo for his age. Then again, who was I to judge?

“Always have energy when it comes to skipping, and yet you nag at me and William.”

“Onyx? What are you doing here?” I inquired.

“Roberto has business. We came along since we don’t have shit to do,” he replied.

“Where’s William?”

“Bullying some weak kids.” He said it like it literally wasn’t as bad as it clearly was.

“Mr. Charm!” Beatrice practically growled. “What have I told you and specifically William about bullying wizards and witches on OUR school soil?!”

I rolled my eyes and wanted to comment, but Grandma let out a huff.

“Oh hush, Beatrice. You know those brats deserve it. Don’t go being an observant adult when shifters are standing up for themselves but a blind fool when you see those exact students attempting to call William De Luca names because he can be a she. They always try to make it seem like being a woman is a misfortunate event, but they love to squirm when Willow turns into William and kicks their asses.”

I grinned at Grandma’s protectiveness and flicked my long neon-teal-to-striking-blonde locks. “Exactly. Don’t go trying to act like that group of six wizards aren’t assholes! They bully me after class all the time and you don’t say shit.”

“You should be able to defend yourself without my aid,” Beatrice argued.

“Correct,” I replied and with an added spin of my wooden wand, I broke it with a mere blink.

Okay, maybe I burned it to ashes with a blink. Oops?

“So it only seems fair that William can defend himself when being bullied by wizards who have no business bullying someone of as high a rank as him,” I voiced and began to walk towards Onyx. “I swear, you must be getting old, because you and the rest of the administration seem to forget that A, William is William fucking De Luca, son of Robert De Luca who we’re in contracted partnership with thanks to his growing fortune and power on Wall Street, and B, no one else can change their gender like William. So, if I was an administrator, I’d be training William to be an asset instead of looking at him like an enemy, but who am I? I’m just a crazy twelve-year-old enjoying her rebellious stage and waiting for Lady Natasha to finish up my med regimen.”

That shut her up as I reached Onyx. He was sporting a sloppy grin, clearly approving of my response before he pushed off the door frame that squeaked in relief after the strain of his leaning body. I really couldn’t believe Onyx was my age - or slightly older, since he was already thirteen - but his body was surely that of an older teenage boy who worked out.

Whatever Roberto was doing to train him specifically was clearly working, but no matter how many times I tried to pry into what he was doing, Onyx would never answer.

‘It’s too dark for your pretty magical head’ he’d say. Hmph. Asshole.

Clearly, William was doing something else in regard to his physique because he wasn’t gaining muscle the way Onyx was. It didn’t mean he couldn’t kick anyone’s ass. It was just he hid it extremely well with his thinner frame.

It had been a while since I’d seen William as Willow, and though we’d only recently met again after two years, I wondered if she looked similar to me.

I’d grown taller since our last encounter, since puberty had hit me at age eleven. I hadn’t cut my hair; the strands were nice and long and still carried the venomous dye of neon teal that made my blonde hair just as striking.

The combination always subjected me to bullying, but I didn’t give a shit. It wasn’t like I hadn’t tried changing it. My hair couldn’t handle dye - as in, whenever we tried dying it regularly or magically, the color would slide right off like oil against a layer of water.

The reminder always made my heart ache - just like in this prime moment - as that hollowness deep in the depths of my soul continued to suck in the air from its surroundings like a black hole.

If I dwelled on it too long, my magic would begin to react to the desolation it delivered by finding an outlet that always made glass shatter and the ground ripple. That was the reason why I’d been moved to my stone room with magic wards so I wouldn’t potentially destroy the entire structure during my nightmares.

Right. Nightmares.

Those were just one of my many problems that lingered even after two years. The day Ace looked into my eyes with intense hatred while his body was bruised, cut, and obviously in tremendous pain was ingrained in me.

In my nightmares, his parents would stand behind him, their decapitated heads hovering in the air next to their beheaded bodies that stood close to one another as if supporting their poor son.

I hadn’t seen him since the incident, and I pondered every day if I’d ever see him again. From the view of the Elders, Beatrice, and other family members who knew of those events, I should have been enraged by the mere memory of him.

Now that I was a bit older and knew the extent of his rejection that still applied to my body, I guess I understood their “concern” - or desire to ignore the wrong they did. Being rejected by one’s fated mate that Mother Moon chose just for you was like a forbidden act.

The rejecter was going against Mother Moon’s plan and the rejected essentially had to suck it up. From research, those who decided to go against Mother Moon’s plans were rewarded with misery.

And misery loves company.

A few say that Mother Moon wasn’t all about that “I reject you” life and would make new threads in the destined partners’ lives to force them to meet again and again until they essentially had no choice but to be together.

I’d yet to determine if that was true or false.

It took months, with the help of Grandma, to find that much information, and that was where we reached a dead-end. There were so few rejected mates that it wasn’t even within the newly written scriptures for wolves.

It was just something that wasn’t supposed to happen, an anomaly in a world of normalcy.

In a world of normalcy, is there truly a spot for a misfit like me?

Until I figured out the truth and what path it would lead me to, I simply had to continue living the way I currently did - which was going to force me to attend some stupid magic classes.

It felt a little stupid to me because my childhood was filled with books instead of toys, magic spells instead of fun adventures with other kids. Every single moment of my wakeful hours was spent learning to be the best Clementine I could be.

Why would I waste energy now going to school like I was just any other commoner witch?

“I will see you tonight at the meeting, Beatrice.”

“Yes, Elder Valentine.”

She didn’t sound pleased at all about my departure, but again, I couldn’t care.

Since my parents’ deaths, I’d come to despise Beatrice.

She was a bitch, like many quietly whispered in the halls. With my mother’s passing, she got certain levels of control, and boy did it go to her head. You might as well assume she was the lead Coven Elder with the way she acted, and even my child-like state of mind could see what a pain in the rear she was becoming.

It was one of the reasons why the Coven begged for Grandma to fill the spot my mom left behind. It was that or Beatrice, and it had become clear that no one wanted the second option.

Grandma was far older now, and the death of her daughter took a toll on her. She tried to hide it whenever Mom’s death anniversary approached, but the sadness that would flood her wise eyes made my heart ache in remembrance.

My mom and dad were so busy with life that they barely were around as I grew older. I didn’t resent them for it, but as I grew older, I wished to know them better. How powerful was my mom in the realms of magic, and what kind of wolf shifter was my father? Was he an Alpha? A Beta? There was so much mystery around him, it was rather frustrating.

I was coming to realize the older I became that witches weren’t as friendly to wolf shifters as they tried to convey on the outside. During our supernatural conferences and such, they tried to be the best of allies on the surface, but behind closed doors, we could see behind the masks that covered their discomfort.

Our connection with the De Lucas was a perfect example. The Coven worked with Roberto De Luca because of the sweet benefit of a power boost. The De Lucas were currently one of the most powerful families in NYC due to the magnitude of deals and apparent financial opportunities the world boasted about on television every chance they got.

Behind the scenes, he was what some would call a villain in human flesh. He was a harsh Alpha and a strong one at that, though his appearance didn’t give me those vibes.

From William’s behavior, I could see tiny bits of possessiveness and his usual qualities of undermining anyone who tried to belittle him in this spectrum of our world, but who knows what it was like on the side of the wolves.

They never would know that my own family called me a misfit whenever they thought I wasn’t in the room. I wondered if William’s magic abilities and gift of changing into a female were looked down upon in the realms of shifters.

I actually didn’t know if William was actually male at birth, or if a female Willow changed into a boy.

I’d yet to figure it out, but maybe it was because it took a while before William and Onyx trusted anyone. The two of them seemed extremely close, a friendship that sometimes looked more romantic in my eyes, but I wanted to get closer to them.

I felt like I could connect with William especially.

We waited outside for Grandma before following her lead as she walked through the tall halls of this stone castle. I liked to call it witch haven because all those who attended here thought this place was some sacred castle that would bring them fame and fortune because the Clementines funded its creation.

Every individual that inherited magic from birth should have been trained by their family members, but I guessed this school was created because some still lacked knowledge and access to literature that was created specifically for magic users.

The school system didn’t replicate that of other typical magic academies. No one had time to hold your hand or make sure you did A-Z correctly. Classes were short, and only a rushed block during the day. The moment the bell rang, you went on your way and pretended that the place didn’t exist.

There were after-session classes designed for those who struggled with the swift system or held questions about specific magic topics, and there were a few specific sessions created for gifted individuals that focused on higher caliber spells that were related to a certain subject taught during the day.

To everyone else, getting the privilege of being accepted into such a private school was a blessing beyond words, but to me, it was a waste of time. I’d been trained in all of this and more, leaving these classes to be redundant in nature. I was intrigued with the gifted classes and how specialized they would be, but you could only attend those by going to regular classes.

Again, a waste of time.

“What are you doing here, Onyx?” I inquired, deciding to give up on thinking about this stupid school. I wouldn’t be able to get myself out of attending, with stuck-up Bitchy B riding my ass about it, so I might as well distract myself with other matters.

“Roberto had a message to bring to the Elders,” Onyx calmly replied. His hands were in his pockets as he easily kept up with our rather fast footsteps. Witches hated wasting time in places where the magical surroundings could be manipulated so easily. It made us slightly anxious, and thus everyone walked like we were all in some sort of competition.

“He’s on campus?” I inquired because he was rarely around here. Shifters were always in their high-end, luxurious forest, sitting in a circle, and probably sipping adult juice.

“Apparently,” Onyx replied.

“Is William joining us?” I inquired but noticed Grandma had stopped down the hall with her attention to the left. My ears picked up on the commotion before we could even reach where she stood, and from the rush of bruised-up boys, I could guess exactly where William was.

“Where are you all running to, huh? I thought you all said we’d settle this with magic.”

I came to a stop just behind Grandma as she turned her full attention to the cowering boys at her feet. Our gazes lifted to see William standing only a few short steps away, arms crossed, feet outstretched, and looking as if he were ready to take on a kingdom of witches and wizards for fun.

What I wasn’t expecting was the wild, glowing energy that bled off him like wild flames. The dancing neon surge of pink and white held hints of prism colors that took my breath away. My speechlessness only caught Grandma’s attention briefly before she returned her eyes to the pleading boys on the floor.

“What’s the meaning of this?” she barked impatiently. The boys flinched at her harsh demand before bowing their heads to the floor in complete obedience. Grandma had barely used any authority in her voice, but it got the reaction she surely wanted.

“T-The he-she jerk attacked us, Elder Valentine!” the leader of the wizard group announced and pointed back at William with his quivering hand. “He broke our wands!”

“Broke is an understatement.” William chuckled as if what they were saying was far too amusing to him. His eyes noticed me, and for a brief moment, he stared as if he were seeing me for the first time.

Those blue orbs slowly raked down my body then returned back to my face before he shrugged. “Their wands disintegrated due to the mere spike of my magical energy. Maybe if I wasn’t provoked while waiting for my girlfriend, there wouldn’t have been spilled ashes.”

Girlfriend?

Why everyone looked at me at that exact moment was going over my head because I stood their cluelessly before all eyes were back on William, who smirked like he’d won this argument.

He then began to walk forward, which made the boys squeal like girls and rush to hide behind Grandma.

“Elder Valentine! He doesn’t even go here! Why are you letting him hurt us?!” one of them spoke, but their gazes gravitated to Onyx. The tall male was looking down at them with his darkened black eyes with rings of silver.

I didn’t know what was with his heavy look, but these boys didn’t stand a chance.

“W-We’re lying, Elder!” a boy to the far left declared. “W-W-We were making fun of Aurelia for being all stuck-up and William didn’t like it and decided to teach us a lesson for the next time we try to insult his girlfriend!”

“Yes!” the others quickly agreed, and I really wondered what the hell they were seeing in Onyx that made their faces pale and look like the poor guys were summoned from the dead.

Elder Valentine sighed. “Onyx. That’s enough,” she urged, and that only heightened my curiosity. I tried to focus solely on his aura that was masked so well and almost gave up until I saw a flash of energy.

A second’s glimpse of a massive black entity that appeared within a cloud of thick shadows.

I fought against the gasp that almost left my throat, while William arrived next to me and suddenly reached out to hold my hand.

“Next time you try to talk smack against my girl, I’ll enjoy teaching you all a lesson you surely won’t forget,” William vowed.

“Y-You’re just talking big because of your dad!” one of the boys bravely voiced.

I expected William to bitterly answer back, but there he went, laughing his head off and grabbing our attention once more as his eyes closed briefly.

When he opened them, I could see the deadly heaviness that made him look like a sleeker, younger version of Roberto, whose smug smile could ignite goosebumps all along your arms.

At least, that was what it did to me.

“If you really think I talk big because of Papa Dearest’s bank account, you wizards really need to do your research. I don’t rely on my father to defend me or those I care about,” he boldly declared as he lightly squeezed my hand. “Say one more thing, and I’ll gladly show you what a third-degree burn feels like. That’s the temperature range I used to make your wooden sticks go bye-bye.”

“Elder Valentine! Do something!”

Grandma merely looked over her shoulder. “All five of you to my office to discuss the rules regarding bullying fellow students on the premises.”

“Student?” I questioned and looked right over to William as he further grinned in delight. The other wizards were just as shocked as I was.

Grandma carried on, “Gifted students are included in the school attendance list and myself and the rest of the administration will not tolerate bullying. To my office, now!”

They looked baffled as they forced their shaking limbs to respond to their needs, and shuffled down the hall towards Grandma’s office.

With a sigh, Grandma looked over to William, only to frown while her eyes moved to his lower half. I decided to follow her gaze to confirm what had stolen Grandma’s interest.

One, William had changed to Willow, and Two, she was missing her skirt.

“I can see why Viktor told you to wear shorts and a training bra under your clothes today,” Onyx pointed out. “Couldn’t hold onto your counterpart any longer.”

Willow slipped her hand out of mine to flick her long locks while she looked completely unbothered by her incomplete, uniformed attire.

“He doesn’t know shit!” Willow declared with a huff.

Onyx sighed. “Still mad that he woke you up for our apparent gifted class?” Onyx offered as he casually walked to her side and snapped his fingers. A long-sleeved sweater that seemed to belong to our mage uniform line appeared and he passed it to Willow.

She smirked and took it before wrapping it around her waist like she was setting a new trend with a black blouse, black shorts, and tied sweater around her waist to complete the fall season look.

“With no warning, we’re woken up to come over here to register for these private, twice-a-week classes like we’re in the classic Potter movies Viktor puts on as ‘background noise’ because it’ll make us feel like magicians. What bullshit!”

“Aren’t you too young to swear?” Grandma acknowledged.

Willow crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m ten!”

“Nine and a half,” Onyx corrected while sliding an arm over her shoulder. “And Viktor’s looking for us.”

“How do you know?” Willow huffed. “I didn’t get to say hi to Aurelia.”

“Hello, Willow,” I greeted and watched her eyes slowly look over to me.

And her face began to grow red.

“Run away!” Willow declared and was tugging Onyx away before I could say anything. Onyx managed to raise his hand and give us a backhand wave goodbye while Willow was muttering loudly, blaming Onyx for something I couldn’t comprehend.

That left me with Grandma, who was shaking her head but carried a slight smile.

“Those two would be good friends for you.”

“Huh?” I looked down the path they had gone once more and pouted my lips. “What makes you think that? William or Willow is problematic and Onyx…well, he’s just scary in his own way.”

“They would get you out of your bubble,” she noted and turned away.

“Bubble?” I questioned with a deep frown.

“The world is passing you by, my grandchild, and you’re floating in a bubble of uncertainty about who you are and what you wish to be,” she acknowledged before she changed the subject. “Wait in the private lounge. I’ll go deal with those boys and we’ll head to where I wish to go this evening.”

There wasn’t room for discussion because she walked away before I could reply.

Grandma didn’t have much patience lately, or at least she worked as if time were truly running out for her and she didn’t want to waste a second of it.

Lifting the hand Willow was holding, I repeated what was said earlier. “Girlfriend,” I whispered. “That’s cute.”

Lowering my arm, I looked up and down the empty halls and sighed.

“It’s not my fault I don’t know who the hell I am. Nothing can change that. I’m still young. There’s plenty of time to figure that out…right?”

It was a question to the Universe, for no one else would be able to answer it for me.

Reaching for the necklace I had hidden, tucked beneath my attire, I took it in my grasp to stare at it, and then again was assaulted with that pang of pain that reminded me of the past.

“Who cares,” I muttered and tucked it back into place. “I’ll have plenty of years to come to figure that out.”

If only I could be confident about my words.

5

PAY RESPECTS AND LADY NATASHA

“G ood choice of flowers, Aurelia.”

I smiled slightly at Grandma’s praise as I continued to follow her lead. She was walking slower as we took in the various gravestones and multicolored leaves that decorated the cemetery.

Coming here always made my heart grow heavy while a lump would form in my throat. Lowering my gaze as I heard another individual’s footsteps, I took in the colors of the floral bouquet and remembered how my mother enjoyed flowers.

I wasn’t into them because of the sad memories they delivered with their sight. I knew whenever I had to grab a bouquet, it was because we were heading to my parents’ graves to pay our respects.

Passing the individual made my nose twitch as my nostrils picked up the scent of pine and a hint of mint. It was an odd and unique mixture, but it lingered around me as my heart clenched in dismay.

Coming to a stop, I looked over my shoulder to see the individual who was already at the entrance of the cemetery, entering an exquisite-looking car that surely cost a lot of money.

There was no way to see past the tinted windows, but the hairs along my arms rose as goosebumps took over. My heart quickened in beat while I tightened my grip on the stems of wrapped flowers to aid my hands that grew clammier by the second.

I bit my lip to try to give myself a moment of physical pain - an attempt to fight against the emotional turmoil fighting desperately to consume me.

How can passing by a person make me feel like a broken soul?

“Aurelia.”

The soft touch to my shoulder seemed to wash the pain away, and I looked to my left to see Grandma was back at my side, her knowledgeable eyes softening at my teary ones. I hadn’t even realized I was on the verge of tears until they escaped my grasp and rolled down my cheeks.

“Grandma?” I didn’t understand, but she knew perfectly as she pulled me into a hug.

“Don’t cry, my dear. Just take a few deep breaths.”

I followed her instructions and my tears soon stopped. It was such a confusing experience, but Grandma didn’t acknowledge it until we reached my parents’ graves and noticed the fresh bouquet of flowers already placed upon the grand mural.

“He normally comes at the end of the month. Wonder what changed,” Grandma began as I crouched down to place the bouquet of flowers next to the other set that was a mix of blue, purple, and light green roses.

Next to ours, which was an array of red, orange, pink, and yellow roses, it was like comparing hot to cold.

Fire to ice.

“Grandma…was…” I couldn’t finish my sentence because I was frightened to acknowledge who that was. It made my mind want to get lost in a whirlwind of wonder. How was the one destined for me living like he hadn’t left me behind with a hole in my heart?

How is my best friend living far away without me when the mere thought of him rekindles the pain from two years ago?

“I believe so,” she replied and from the tone of her voice, she didn’t just “believe”. She knew without a doubt that the person who walked past us was Ace.

“What…is he doing here?” I decided to ask the prime question while my voice trembled.

“He visits his parents’ graves every month,” Grandma revealed. My eyes couldn’t help but navigate to the far right, noticing two large gravestones that were polished, the entire spot cleaned of any fallen leaves.

Two large bouquets of similar color coordination as the frost bouquet before me rested upon their murals of honor. Their unnecessary deaths had caused a bit of an uproar for days after the mourning of my parents and all those who had fallen.

Many couldn’t see the justification behind the immediate crucifixion of Ace’s parents, and the results helped us update our traditional mage laws that centered around punishment. Many concluded that we didn’t live in the olden days when a person should be killed before examining the incident that played a role in bringing misery to someone with higher status.

I agreed with the changes, even if my opinion surely didn’t matter, and even back then as I’d forced myself to see the world as a far darker place for anyone - especially misfits - I was grateful that we could agree they deserved to be buried in the higher grounds of the cemetery where fallen heroes of magic were laid to rest.

“He must have come early to have cleaned our grave as well. How generous of him.” Grandma sighed. “At some point, he’ll be attending the academy.”

Her announcement made my eyes widen as I looked at her.

“You’re not serious.”

“I am,” she admitted. “I’m unsure when since he’ll be getting private lessons from Master L. He doesn’t need to attend daily. We’re working on negotiations because of your situation.”

My situation?

“How is this my situation?” I disliked the mere word of trying to burden this circumstance on me. “He rejected me!”

Grandma looked my way, her eyes softening at my obvious anger.

“Sorry, my dear. I should have worded that better. I say ‘your situation’ because of the instability of your magic when it comes to your emotions. I know you’ve been working on it, but it’s clear that your emotions can easily manipulate the elements around you, and it’s dangerous. Putting you and Ace in the same room at this stage wouldn’t be a good idea.”

“Then he can go to another school,” I huffed. “We’re not the only magical academy in the lands, and besides, who gave him permission to attend, anyway?”

“Surprisingly enough, Beatrice.”

My eyes further widened before I literally growled. “Why?! I don’t understand why you guys give her all this power when she clearly likes to see me suffering! If it wasn’t for her, my parents would still be here!” I stomped my foot and a gust of wind rushed upward, lifting our strands of hair and clothes as leaves surged upwards before beginning to fall slowly.

Grandma remained calm and I could tell from her slightly amused orbs that she was pointing out an obvious fact. I huffed and flicked my hand to force the leaves to rush behind us so they didn’t rain upon my parents’ graves.

“I don’t know what her ploy is, my dear, but from Master L’s reply to Beatrice’s plans of Ace attending, it’s clear he’s not ready to commit. For now, he will take classes in the vicinity in which he resides until we can conclude that you both can handle being in the same space as one another.”

“Grandma…” I trailed off because I wasn’t sure what I could say to stop this from happening. It felt like an attack against me to have him attend our academy, and even more painful because of the fact that Beatrice was purposely organizing it, knowing my obvious connection with Ace.

“No one outside of the family knows of your connection with Ace, Aurelia.”

“That doesn’t mean that it won’t come out. What if he spills it to make my life a living hell? It’s not like I’m not an outcast in my own community because I’m a hybrid. Him attending is going to make things worse and that’s just not fair to me. Or him, for that matter! This is just opening wounds that haven’t even finished healing, Grandma.”

“Ace is a hybrid like yourself, Aurelia. Do you believe it’s fair that he doesn’t get the privilege of taking the same classes and gifted sessions you believe are wasteful?”

“I believe they’re a waste because I’ve had all this knowledge drilled into my mind for years!” I snapped. “I’ve never been treated as a child. Why are you all now going to try and treat me like some imbecile who knows nothing about magic?!”

My anger stemmed from a lot of things I’d simply kept within because there was no one to listen to my frustrations anyways. Everyone was on the side of the Elders and their evil leader Beatrice, who clearly wanted to make my life miserable.

No one ever wanted to tell me the open truth about what landed me in the predicament where Ace got outcasted by our community and lost his parents, and two years had gone by.

Would I have to be an adult before I could demand to know the truth and why I was being forced to play to their tune when so many hated me to begin with?

Grandma said nothing, and I let out a huff.

“If you were planning to have me attend the gifted classes like William and Onyx are doing, I would have happily complied if it meant not wasting my time in other, lower classes that have no objective of teaching me new knowledge or broadening my understanding of our vast magical world,” I elaborated. “But just throwing me in a schedule of classes that only leaves me listening to the same set of information that has been drilled into my mind since the moment I could walk while my peers make fun of me for being a smart ass is simply inconsiderate and it only hurts more that I have no one who is willing to stand up for me. I’m pushed into doing anything that the world deems beneficial to me, but where is my opinion? Why isn’t anyone asking me what I want?”

It actually brought tears to my eyes as I shook my head.

“Grandma, you’re the only one who even takes the time out of your busy schedule to talk to me or come to the cemetery with me like it’s a tradition. No one else seeks to spend time with me. I want to be friends with people, but my mere last name pushes them away, and William and Onyx are normally at the Pack House and I can’t just waltz in there,” I complained. “I’m a hybrid and yet I feel completely out of my element in the realms of wolf shifters. I don’t have a pack of my own, and the wolves, aside from the two individuals I know, won’t even bat an eye my way. No one will let me mingle with a Pack House to see how wolves interact with one another, and I’m stuck in my chambers studying until my brain explodes. None of this is fun. My life has never been fun, but even when I mention that to the silly therapist she only concludes it’s a phase. That everything will get better. What’s going to get better when the world that struggles to acknowledge my existence doesn’t even want me walking upon this world’s soil?”

Grandma looked like she truly pitied me and reached out to lightly grip my shoulder with her wrinkled hand.

“Aurelia, I’m sorry. I never meant to make it seem like you don’t have a voice. I can’t vouch for the others for I’m not around nowadays to witness the way they treat you, but your opinion is important, just like your livelihood,” she reasoned. “I was considering letting you be trained by Lady Natasha seeing as I’ve received your entrance tests and it’s obvious that you have more than enough knowledge to skip a few classes.”

“Lady Natasha?” I sniffed and looked to Grandma as she nodded and gave me a comforting squeeze. “You mean the one who does my medicine?”

I knew about her, but I didn’t know much aside from the obvious fact that she’d been aiding with my medical treatments for my ongoing brain injury that might as well be considered permanent. It wasn’t something crippling - per se - but if I didn’t balance my magic and emotions, it led to bad consequences.

I’d had a complete meltdown last year and it had landed me in the hospital for a week. She’d helped create various medicine to aid me during the time when the best medical doctors couldn’t figure out what to do.

“Lady Natasha is an extremely strong witch and elite herbalist. She’s actually looking for an assistant and wants a hybrid.”

“Wait…she wants a hybrid?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing as I wiped away my tears. “Why not a witch?”

“Lady Natasha is a big advocate for hybrids, especially wolf hybrids with witch blood. Her husband is a wolf shifter from Korea who came overseas and met her.”

“Korea?! And she’s married to a wolf shifter! Like Mom and Dad,” I whispered. Some may have wondered why this was so surprising to me, but it was because the possibility of wolf shifters and witches coming together was rare.

Even rarer when it came to having kids like me.

There were just so few of us, and that was why it was so easy for witches to call us misfits. I’d rather be called an endangered species than a misfit, which clearly means I don’t belong. It was hard to embrace something that the world looked down upon, and even though I did my best to build a wall around my emotions, it was a hard battle within myself.

“Yes.” Grandma smiled at the way my eyes surely lit up. “I was thinking once we’re done, we could pass by and introduce you. Maybe you’d like the atmosphere. We have to pick up some of your medication refills.”

“That would be nice,” I whispered as I looked at my parents’ graves once more. Grandma squeezed my shoulder a little further and I looked to see her serious face as she looked at me.

“Grandma?”

“I know our ways of raising our children are rather emotionless and task-driven,” she admitted. “If it was my way, I’d change it all, dear Aurelia. I really would.”

“It’s not your fault, Grandma,” I whispered. “Why…why is it okay to make us children feel…so useless when we’re working as hard as we can?”

Grandma looked like she could cry. “We’ve created a world of magic that isn’t very kind to the innocent, my dear. It’s a world that rushes everyone to rise to the standards of our ancestors, and though it’s righteously unfair, it’s a cycle we’ve struggled to stop,” she confessed. “Without power and money, it’s almost impossible to have a real stance in our supernatural world. I know that shouldn’t be a disadvantage to someone of your age and limitless caliber, but it’s a tricky situation that needs some sort of solution. It’s not your role to try to change it, but it’s something I wish I had the power to fix with a snap of my frail fingers.”

“Was Mom trying to fix it?” I inquired.

“She was,” Grandma admitted. “It was why she stood out amongst many. Why she had so many enemies and individuals who wished nothing but her downfall. Her love for your father only encouraged the hate, and the fact they gave birth to someone as powerful as you are is why not everyone wishes to see you prosper,” she admitted.

She tried to hide her sadness, but it was impossible as she looked to the sky while a soft gust of wind passed us.

“You’re going to be someone great, Aurelia. I feel as if that pedestal has already been created for you to stand on.”

“What if that pedestal is going to put me in the same cycle as Mother, you…and, well, anyone else who tries to go against what’s always occurred in our world?”

“I don’t think you’ll be able to go down that cycled route, Aurelia,” Grandma admitted and her eyes held a glowing mist to them as the sunset’s rays shone upon us. “You’re not destined to walk upon a path like any of us Clementines. It doesn’t matter how hard we try to put you on a strict path to the top. I don’t think you’ll be able to follow that path, not because of who you are, but because of what your Mother Moon has for you.”

I followed her gaze to see the sight of the moon in the orange sky. I was surprised to see it so early, but the sight of the glowing symbol calmed my troubled heart just a little.

“I know it’s scary being a part of two worlds, Aurelia, and the situations you’ve experienced already in your childhood has made things harder for you, but no matter the stressors placed upon you, I want your teen years to be spent on finding who you wish to become. Find a path that you’ll be able to walk upon when it’s your time to pull away from the strings that wish to keep you on someone else’s agenda. You’re clever enough to understand my wise words, but know you are destined to be someone great and will have people by your side who will support you the entire way.”

“Would those people be like William and Onyx?” I inquired. Her smile spread across her face as she closed her eyes briefly.

“Those two will become very special in your life, my dear. Cherish their bonds, even though you’ve yet to fully establish them. They may be the little pack you need to be around until you’re ready to make your own.”

“I’m going to make my own pack?” I actually giggled at the idea because it seemed impossible. “I’m not an Alpha, Grandma.”

“Who knows?” she admitted as she opened her eyes to look at me with those gleaming orbs of pride. “You could be. We should ask Natasha.”

“That would be interesting. It’s obvious William is an Alpha. He gets all cocky and prideful when I’m around.” I rolled my eyes. “Calling me his girlfriend. So weird.”

Grandma laughed. “Did you ever think he may have a little crush on you?”

“Huh?” I blushed at the thought. “He can’t have a crush on me! He’s a girl…or…turns into a girl…um…” I trailed off.

“William is a girl and changes into a boy,” Grandma revealed.

“Wait, really?!” I gasped. “I thought it was the other way around?”

“That’s what she wishes to project, but I’m one of the few who knows it’s really the opposite. We keep it a secret due to a magnitude of reasons. Wolf shifters aren’t very kind to Alpha females, especially foreigners. It’s not safe for Willow to be as she is in plain sight with the way her father is rising in the community. It may result in an unexpected catastrophe.”

“Does…that mean Willow is in danger?”

“For now, no,” Grandma admitted, but the lines on her face worried me. “In the future, maybe.”

“Grandma, can you find a way to help me get closer to William and Onyx? I…want to be their friend…but I’m kind of scared and nervous…that if I get close to them…”

“Things will repeat themselves, like with Ace?” she concluded. I nodded, and she sighed. “I’ll do what I can to help you,” she assured me. “I know it’s hard to state this when the future is uncertain, but do not give up hope with Ace.”

“But he rejected me. It’s over.”

“Rejection usually means that, but there’s always a chance of redemption when you understand the real reasons for one’s actions. I can’t defend Ace, but I’m certain he must have had a reason to do what he did. Until you find out the truth of that day, work on yourself and using your pain to push you forward.”

“Okay, Grandma,” I whispered and watched her smile blossom on her face.

“Shall we go visit Lady Natasha now?”

“Yes, please!” I beamed.

Rejection may bring a chance of redemption…. I wonder if that’s true?

“HUH?” I stopped at the sight of Willow and Onyx exiting the cozy-looking home. Onyx was holding Willow’s hand and she was giving him an annoyed look that had him smirking.

Without thinking, I quickly hid behind the nearest tree, catching Grandma off guard as she looked over to where I was clearly hiding.

“Oh. Elder Valentine,” Onyx acknowledged as they noticed Grandma and proceeded to approach her. I don’t know why I further freaked out, but I cast a quick spell to hide me amongst the darkness of the trees.

Grandma had already moved her gaze away from me at the call, and she smiled sweetly as Willow and Onyx approached.

“Good evening, you two. Surprised to see you again today,” Grandma noted.

“Good evening, Elder,” Willow acknowledged but her eyes were looking around. “Where’s Aurelia?”

“She’s meeting me here,” Grandma obviously lied. “Why? Did you miss her already?”

Willow began to blush before she shook her head. “I was just wondering!”

Grandma chuckled softly, the sound reminding me of all the times she’d been amused about picking up on something that always seemed to fly over my head.

“Aren’t you two too young to be dating?”

They both blinked before looking at their joined hands. Willow’s face went vivid red while Onyx shrugged. “We’re not dating, Elder. Willow just likes holding my hand in unfamiliar places.”

“Don’t say that!” Willow huffed. “It makes me look weak!”

“No, it doesn’t,” Onyx reasoned. “Just means you rely on me to keep you safe.”

If her face got any redder, I was sure she would pass right out.

“Shut up! I don’t like you!”

“You mean you don’t love me,” Onyx corrected. “You totally like me as a friend.”

“Well, duh!” she huffed.

“Does Onyx not fit your liking, Willow?” Grandma inquired.

“Huh?” Willow paused and looked at Onyx. “I-It’s not that!”

“Then?” Grandma was clearly being far too curious and that only told me she was doing this all on purpose.

“Onyx is too committed. If he falls for me, I’ll be doomed with a stalker for life! Therefore, I have to enjoy a few options before I take him seriously!”

I was actually impressed with her answer, especially when she was surely younger than both of us. I don’t know why I let my age try to delegate what people knew or didn’t know about the world around us and our levels of maturity in the shifter world, but seeing glimpses of Onyx’s and Willow’s personalities only made me want to be their friend even more.

“Ah.” Grandma was just as impressed. “That’s very mature of you, Willow. I’m sure Aurelia would love to hang out with both of you. It’s hard to find mature individuals in her age group.”

“We’re already friends,” Willow huffed. “We just don’t get to see her because she’s studying all the time.”

Huh?

“Oh really? Is that what Aurelia told you two?”

Onyx shook his head. “No. We’ve actually tried to come over to the Coven House to visit Aurelia when Roberto or Viktor have business. They take us along because we request to come to see Aurelia, but-”

“That B.I.T…” She actually paused. “Ugh, I don’t care. Bitch B! She stops us!”

“Who’s that?” Grandma inquired.

“Madame Beatrice,” Onyx replied with a slightly annoyed look. “We’ve been trying to hang with Aurelia for years, actually.”

What?

“Why has Beatrice been preventing you from seeing Aurelia?” Grandma actually looked concerned by the news. “Aurelia self-studies for the majority of the afternoons and evenings. I’m assuming most of these business meetings occur around that time due to your Alpha’s commitments, correct?”

They nodded.

“Yup,” Willow replied and shrugged. “Whenever we’ve asked, an Elder or servant would come out and say Aurelia was busy. We try once a month and it’s always the same. It’s tiring, so I figured Aurelia doesn’t want to be our friend, so…”

I was speechless at their words as Onyx bobbed his head.

“I’m sure she has a lot on her plate and doesn’t have much time to fool around. It’s understandable. We just would have liked to hear it from her instead of these individuals who probably just want to push us away because we’re wolf shifters and aren’t witches like her.”

“Just because your wolf qualities are dominant, that doesn’t mean you’re not eligible to interact with Aurelia or anyone you’ve made contact with in the Coven House,” Grandma acknowledged. “There’s been a clear misunderstanding. I’ll have to attend to that when I return this evening.”

“Does that mean we’ll be able to hang out with Aurelia?” Willow questioned. “I’d rather hang out with her outside of school. We’re not normally there when she is. Today was rare.”

“I’m sure Aurelia would love to hang out with you both,” Grandma stressed. “She could use some good company. It’s rather tiresome to try to interact with immature witches and wizards. They don’t take kindly to hybrids.”

“That’s stupid,” Willow huffed. “Why do you even call them misfits? There’s nothing wrong with being half-wolf, half-witch. In fact, it’s pretty cool! They’re just jealous!”

Onyx chuckled. “Only those with fragile egos need to make a term to belittle ones who are uniquely different. Confirms that they have power.”

“Like how bullies like to call you Bulky to make you feel bad about being all muscled like a wrestler?” Willow inquired.

“Exactly,” Onyx replied. “Doesn’t bother me, and that’s why it doesn’t deliver them the satisfaction of feeling better about themselves.”

“What if I call you Bulky?”

Onyx smirked while his eyes actually lit up. “You can call me whatever you like, Willow.”

“Hmm. Weird Stalker,” she huffed and pouted her lips before her eyes looked past Grandma. “Oh. Viktor’s here.”

My gaze moved to see the very man in question standing at the end of the house path that led to the parking area.

“Best we go,” Onyx announced and bowed his head just slightly at Grandma. “Goodnight, Elder Valentine.”

“Tell Aurelia if she can’t have friends over, she can come by the Pack House,” Willow stressed. “Viktor said if she has permission from you, he’d allow it since he keeps an eye on us when Papa Dearest isn’t around.”

“I’ll surely let her know,” Grandma assured them. “I will work on this issue regarding you wanting to visit Aurelia. When it’s solved, I’ll inform Viktor for you both.”

“Cool!” Willow cheered. “Bye, bye!”

Grandma smiled and waved as they began to walk away. Onyx let go of Willow so she could skip all the way to Viktor before she hugged him briefly and began to explain something before pointing to Onyx.

It felt weird to watch them from afar, but I noticed how Willow practically blossomed into a happy little girl around Viktor and Onyx, the three of them talking a bit before Viktor gestured to the car.

I watched them disappear and even waited until their luxurious black car drove out of the spot before moving from my hidden space.

“Even though their lives are hard behind closed doors, they’re able to be respectful to those on the outside,” Grandma muttered mostly to herself as I walked over to stand next to her once more.

“They’ve tried to visit multiple times…and I didn’t know,” I quietly stated.

Grandma sighed as she shook her head. “I’ll get that worked on, okay?”

“What if Beatrice or one of the other Elders try to think of a way to push them away again?”

“If I can, I’ll speak with Roberto myself and figure out a beneficial agreement that will allow you to visit the Pack House more often.”

I was shocked by her statement as she turned around and began to make her way to the house. I couldn’t help but catch up before my hand reached to hold hers in hopes of stopping her movements.

“What is it, Aurelia?” Grandma asked as she looked at me once more.

“But…why…why would you do that?”

“I’m going to assume that by having you at the Pack House, there’s a good chance no one will be up your throat and monitoring you while you spend time with your friends. I will still discuss what we’ve discovered tonight and my disapproval regarding it, but I’d rather you be in an environment where you can have fun and not be monitored by anyone.”

“Why would the Elders or Beatrice monitor me for spending time with Willow and Onyx?” I was smart but I was struggling to wrap my head around that thought.

Grandma actually looked hesitant at the idea of answering, but she eventually replied, “Let’s just say that the other Elders worry that you’ll become too friendly with Willow.”

“Too friendly?” I questioned. “With Willow? What’s wrong with being friends with Willow? I thought this whole contract thing made us…on good terms?”

“It does leave us on neutral terms.” Grandma emphasized the word ‘neutral’ as she turned to give me her full attention. “However, they specifically fear you two will get along rather well. Too well.”

I frowned because I still didn’t understand.

“They don’t want us to be friends?”

“Let’s just say they believe Willow would be a bad influence on you.”

“Why? She’s…well…” I paused to think accordingly. “William is problematic in nature, but that’s like all the wizards. The only difference is he’s a wolf shifter with a lot of magic, which makes him different. He may not necessarily be like me, since I don’t think his mom is a witch, but we’re similar. Willow hasn’t ever been problematic…though I can’t say much because I’ve barely interacted with or even seen her until today. Plus…we’re just kids. Why would they want to stop us from being kids?”

“It’s complicated, my dear,” she whispered and reached out to cup my cheek with her hand. “But I’ll try to find a way to bend the rules for you, okay?”

“Won’t you get in trouble?”

She chuckled and gave me a wide grin. “I’m far too old to get in trouble, my dear. I worked very hard for every strand of grey in my hair, and though I’m becoming frailer by the year, it doesn’t mean my reputation from all I did in the past is fading away. Do not worry about me. I’ll figure out a way.”

She reached for my hand then and squeezed it gently.

“Someone has to be on your side and vouch for what you want, right?”

Her words made me tear up as I swallowed and nodded.

“Yes,” I affirmed and gave her the biggest smile I could muster. “Thank you, Grandma.”

“Anything for you, Aurelia.”

“I knew I sensed your arrival!” We turned our heads to the entrance where a woman with bright red hair and golden eyes appeared. Even from afar, her beauty alone took my breath away as the tall woman came down the stairs and approached us.

Her skin was perfect, like a doll that deserved to be in one of those glass cases where witches put very important magical artifacts on display. Her hair was long and curly, her movements making it bounce. She held the perfect shape to her body that made her look like a famous model or celebrity.

“Grandma Valentine! Why are you standing out here when there’s a nice, cozy spot in my home for you to relax upon?!” the woman stressed as she reached us. Her golden eyes looked over to me and she squealed in delight. “Did you bring Aurelia here?! Ah. She’s such a beauty and her aura is magnificent.”

“Hello,” I quietly replied and couldn’t help but shuffle over to hide a bit behind Grandma. I wasn’t good with meeting people who looked outstandingly beautiful. It was nothing against them, but it made me feel as if I didn’t deserve to speak to such godly beings.

“Aww, don’t be shy my dear,” she encouraged and actually crouched down so she’d be closer to my level. “I always intimidate people because of my height, but I’m really nice! Plus, you two came just in time. I finished a new batch of cookies! My previous guests ate the last batch. I swear, growing shifters always have stomachs that resemble black holes.”

“Cookies,” I whispered. “I’d love some cookies.”

I hadn’t had cookies in a good while. Since my mother’s passing, no one would ever bake any for me. Food was whatever was planned for the Coven, and Grandma was far too busy to bake with me. Without any friends, it didn’t seem like something fun to do alone.

It would just remind me of what I’ve lost.

“Then let’s make way while they’re hot! You can have as many as you’d like, and I can always bake more.”

“I…want to bake some,” I shyly confessed.

She squealed and clapped her hands as she rose up. “I’d gladly bake one more set with you now to take home with you! We have plenty of time since I’m finalizing your medicines. They need a bit of time to sit and solidify so we can bake cookies while I speak with Grandma Valentine! How does that sound, Aurelia?”

“That would be nice,” I admitted with a genuine smile.

“Excellent!” she squealed and gasped. “Ah! How silly of me. I’m Lady Natasha! You can just call me Natasha, Aurelia. My husband is out for a little run with the full moon out, but he’ll be back later and gladly introduce himself.”

“Do wolves have to run on the full moon?” It was a legit question because as much as I studied about magic, there was barely any information on wolves in my possession. I’d tried asking when I was younger but was always denied.

“Not all the time,” she admitted. “Right now you’re pretty young. I’m not sure your wolf has awakened yet, but as you grow older, it’ll be good to run during the full moon. It empowers you.”

I looked at Grandma, who was quietly observing me, but there was something in her eyes that encouraged me to say what I was wishing to state to Natasha. My wolf peeked up from her little corner in my mind, her silent presence reminding me of how obedient she’d been throughout the years of secrecy.

With a nervous swallow, I gathered the courage to whisper, “My wolf’s name is Aries.” I put a finger on my lips. “Shh. It’s a secret.”

Natasha blinked a few times before she crouched down once more and leaned in close.

“Your wolf is awake?”

“She’s been with me for a while,” I confessed. “I like to keep it a secret because whenever I ask about wolves, the other Elders and professors tell me it’s not important. I don’t have a pack or anything, and aside from Willow and Onyx who aren’t really my friends yet…or, well…they haven’t been allowed to see me at home, I don’t have any other wolf shifter friends.”

Natasha frowned and looked to Grandma, who gave a slight nod.

“Well, that isn’t good at all!” Natasha huffed. “Wolves thrive on being in a pack or at least being around their kind as they grow older. Aries sure must be lonely all by herself within your mind, don’t you think?”

Slowly I nodded. “I don’t want anyone to take her away from me.”

That made Natasha frown as she reached out to cup my cheeks.

“No one has the power to take someone’s wolf away from them. There are some who deal with delays or what we’d call late bloomers, but once your wolf is awakened, no person or power can steal them from you. However, neglecting their needs is very dangerous. It can lead to severe consequences if you’re not careful. It’s a good thing you told us tonight. We can work on it.”

“Does that mean I’ll be able to learn more about wolves?” I asked. “I want to know more…and still work on my magic. I want to do both.”

Natasha grinned with confidence as she looked to Grandma before rising up.

“We can do a lot more than learning about wolves. I think you’d benefit Willow and Onyx. They’re actually very curious about further heightening their magic abilities but lack a lot of knowledge due to limited resources at the Pack House. If I can work a schedule out and get it approved by Grandma Valentine, I could get you three taking classes here. I’ve already made an agreement with Viktor on the dates and times that would suit their schedule. It’ll probably be twice a week for them, but if you’re up for it, Aurelia, I’d gladly have you over as many days as you’d like to learn more.”

“Really?!” This felt like a dream come true. To get a chance to be away from the Coven House, learn about wolves and magic, and potentially get time to spend with Willow and Onyx and be…friends.

“Certainly. Let’s head inside and figure something out,” Natasha encouraged. “I’ve been looking into getting an assistant, and I was hoping for a hybrid who would benefit from my teachings and activities on both spectrums. I’m the main herbalist for the majority of Pack Houses in NYC. It would be nice to have a little helper who can learn and aid me with the creation process. It will be time consuming, but if it works well with your school schedule, it would be very beneficial, rather than some of the classes they make you take.”

She spun on her red heels, her white dress flowing gracefully with her movement.

“Inside! Let’s get talking and baking!”

She practically skipped back, and I couldn’t help but look at her like an angel falling from the sky. Grandma reached out to stroke my head, and I looked at her as her eyes twinkled in delight.

“Sometimes life is hard,” she whispered. “But there are good people who wish to see you succeed. You just have to vent to the right people, and they’ll vouch for you when you need it the most,” she assured me.

Her words made a brilliant smile form on my lips as I bobbed my head in agreement.

“You’re the best, Grandma,” I praised. “I love you.”

“As I’ll always love you, my dear Aurelia,” she replied and offered her hand.

I placed mine in hers, and we made our way into the inviting house. For the first time in what seemed like a long while, I felt a glimpse of hope upon the horizon.

I’ll find a way to become who I want to be.

6

TENSION BETWEEN FRIENDS AND HOW MUCH TIME IS LEFT?

SIX YEARS LATER…

“WHY DO I have to attend this stupid party again? Oh right, because I’m a Clementine. I swear, if they made it grander like ‘we need you to be undercover and solve the mysteries of our magical heritage,’ I would have gone along with it. Fucking stupid.”

The soft giggle made me pout as I looked over my shoulder to see Lady Natasha enter the room.

“Are you finished?” she inquired.

“No!” I huffed. “And I’m not crazy! I just like to talk to myself…a lot.”

She smiled brilliantly as she walked over to where I was organizing the appointments. “Willow’s appointment is almost done. I’m giving her a few extra minutes in serenity mode. Her magic spiked again.”

“Again?” I questioned with a furrowed brow. Pausing in organizing, I turned to face Natasha as she reached me. Her sad expression told me there had to be more to the story.

“Natasha, what’s going on with Willow? I know she still has some PTSD from well…you know…”

The incident.

“It’s a magnitude of things, Aurelia,” Natasha reasoned. “I’m sure she’ll share with you soon. You’re her best friend after all.”

“Lately…it hasn’t felt that way,” I muttered as I hung my head a little lower.

“Why is that?” Natasha inquired.

I let out a long sigh and didn’t hide my worry as I expressed my thoughts.

“Ever since…the suicide thing…well, I guess it’s not suicide when someone pushes you off a fucking cliff,” I muttered bitterly and had to clench my fists to tame my magic. “Since that incident, things have been a bit rocky.”

“It’s already been two years. Her phantom pain has lessened and the medication you’ve been helping me create is really aiding in keeping her stable mentally.”

“Ya, but it’s not helping her stress levels. Maybe it’s just me, but she looks so damn stressed, and frightened, and just angry. There’s all these negative emotions, and I feel as if I’m not close enough to figure her out.”

Natasha sighed and reached out to pat my shoulder before moving to stand next to me.

“Willow’s dealing with a lot, Aurelia,” she quietly whispered. “That incident was only the tip of the iceberg. I don’t know much, but the individual from Dubai who committed the hate crime did it simply because Willow’s female. That’s what the recent records show.”

“They were updated?!” I gasped and looked at her with wide eyes. “They’ve been blank since the incident.”

“They were blank because they didn’t want to make a case against him,” she admitted with a bit of an annoyed face. She wrinkled her nose like she’d smelled something disgusting while her golden eyes darkened.

“When you have money and connections, Aurelia, you can get away with a lot of stuff. Since this man has US connections in the government, they wouldn’t charge him. It doesn’t matter that we have piles of reports regarding the lingering damage Willow’s experiencing. It doesn’t matter that she’s mentally unstable, even after two years, and has to take medication for probably the rest of her life. They don’t care that the incident made her suicidal multiple times, or that what happened still haunts her in her nightmares. Willow’s whole life could crumble, and these individuals in high places and suits wouldn’t give a damn. It’s so fucking frustrating, and yet there’s nothing we can do unless we throw money on the table.”

“And why haven’t we?!” I stressed. “We were there when Willow was literally dead and needed almost every Elder to help revive her. This alliance should make it so we help one another when we need it. They know if push came to shove, Willow would be there for me. Why would that suddenly change when it’s the other way around?”

Natasha’s look of pity should have answered my question, but I couldn’t help but huff in frustration. “Don’t tell me. Aunty B down on Bitch Street denied any financial funds.”

When she slightly nodded, I gritted my teeth. A glass behind me cracked, and we looked over to it before I rolled my eyes and flicked my wrist to fix it up with a dose of magic.

“Stupid weak glass,” I grumbled while Natasha managed to smile. “Why did the file suddenly update then if we didn’t contribute for the case to move?”

“It updated because the man in question is dead.”

That surprised me, and I turned my head to look at her with wide eyes. “Since when was he dead? There…was no news about that. If he’s so powerful and rich, wouldn’t it be all over the news or at least in the Supernatural Times or something?”

“He’s been dead for six months, actually,” she admitted, which shocked me even more. “They’ve been keeping it on the down-low because they believed it was an assassination.”

“Someone killed him? Who would have possibly…” I trailed off when Natasha gave me a slight smirk before moving from her spot and taking a few steps forward.

“No footsteps, fingerprints, or lingering magic. They believe it has to be an endangered shifter who could have done the deed. They don’t have the tools to pinpoint specific shifters with unique abilities. I guess you can figure out who decided to pull the plug.”

Fuck…Onyx?

Since the incident with Willow, Onyx had been missing in action for two years. It was as if he one day decided to ditch, but it was shocking because he pulled out of the bond with his pack to do so.

I knew for a while now Onyx was growing feelings for Willow. Even as we became friends and she grew older in her element, I knew just from the way he looked at her that he was falling hard for her. I never really grasped why they hadn’t dated yet. Willow was always using the excuse that she wanted to explore other options first.

It didn’t stop either of them from doing little things like kissing or just making out in general. I tried to pretend that it didn’t bother me, simply because I didn’t know what I wanted.

Did I only like men…or did I like women? With Natasha helping me the last few years with my brain injury, I couldn’t fault it as the culprit of my difficulty in figuring out my sexuality.

Natasha kept saying I was young and had plenty of years to figure it out. That I should try new things and not be afraid to try both sides of the gender spectrum. Maybe I was being picky because I’d yet to have my first with anyone.

There was just an anxious bubble of worry whenever I thought of being intimate with someone, and it may have been because of that hollowness in my heart that was clearly permanent.

Even after all these years of not seeing Ace, I wondered what it would be like to be with him - to be in a heated relationship that reminded me of the way Onyx gave Willow so much attention and bits of affection.

I could no longer deny the dreams I’d been having involving Ace, some of them more sexual ones. I simply couldn’t stop them from transpiring when I closed my eyes at night. It was like I had some sort of longing syndrome, but again, without much knowledge about Wolf Rejected individuals, I just had to figure things out on my own.

I’d been able to find a bit more information over the years in the Pack House, but those who were rejected by their mates normally took their lives. I wasn’t in any mental state to do that to myself on Ace’s behalf, especially now that I knew that just because he’d rejected me, it didn’t mean he was off scot-free either.

We were both damaged goods, and either we could fix it or try to make some sort of agreement so we could move on with our lives.

The only person I could potentially see myself dating was Willow - or William, if I had to tell the Elders. I was coming to understand many of Grandma’s teachings regarding our family heritage and the rather controlling dominance they claimed upon us.

If I dated anyone, I’d have to let them know, but I was hoping to keep it a secret if I had a shot with Willow. We were best friends, after all. No one would know that we were intimate between the sheets.

The problem again was Onyx, and with him not around, I guess it made things tricky.

To advance or not advance?

“Is Onyx back?” I inquired.

“He is.”

The reply didn’t come from either of us, and I looked to see Willow coming out from the private relaxation room. She was rolling one of her shoulders but was comfortably wearing a black sports bra and sweat pants.

Her hair was up in a messy bun, but she reached up to tug the hair tie out and let those long pink strands down.

I couldn’t help but watch every movement, my body doing weird things as my eyes slowly scanned down her body.

To say Willow was becoming extremely attractive was an understatement. It started a year ago when she began to take boxing classes. I never understood the need for it, but Natasha had mentioned she piled up a lot of anger inside of her and she needed an outlet.

That outlet ended up being cage fighting, and with Viktor’s aid, she’d been training her body for the underground ring for a year now. That did a number on her body, and now she was taller and had a six-pack, and her muscles only heightened her seductive beauty.

She didn’t need to take gifted magic classes as often anymore, only once or twice a month, but when she did and arrived as Willow, I could tell every wizard in existence was checking her out during the evening classes.

During the day, she was William, and he had definitely gotten a few growth spurts over the years. Now he was a bit shorter than Onyx, or at least he was the last time we’d seen Onyx at his height, and William was just as fit in his male form with a six-pack, bicep muscles, and chest pecs. He looked like a model without even trying.

My hormones were surely approving of his heightened looks, but no matter Willow or William, they were both changing in personality.

William was getting quieter. His rebellious ways were done with smooth executions behind closed doors, and I felt like he gave off a persona that proved he was dangerous when tempted.

Willow, on the other hand, was bolder and expressed her confidence without a hint of remorse. It was as if the moment she switched back from William, she was on a stage to emphasize her femininity in a way that demanded to be seen.

I hadn’t commented on it much, but as Willow got older, it was one of those many traits I was picking up on, and though I was older, I felt like she was passing by me in this new, heightened level of maturity that I’d yet to grasp.

It was weird and hard to explain to another to try and understand why it felt that way, but it was like I was being left behind while the rest of the world was evolving - progressing into powerful individuals while I was left at a standstill.

“Thank you for the extra minutes, Natasha,” Willow went right along as she lowered her bag to retrieve a sweater. I’d been so lost in my thoughts I hadn’t noticed the scars around her back and the side of her ribs.

“I’m sure you needed it,” Natasha replied with a small smile. “Things have been rough lately?”

Willow huffed with a slight smirk. “Since Onyx hasn’t been around, Papa Dearest likes to give me double’s worth when it comes to shaping me up for the world of shifters.”

I frowned because I wasn’t understanding what that meant. Shouldn’t I have grasped what she was trying to say?

“What do you mean?” I ended up asking. “His training is giving you scars. How is that considered appropriate in shaping you up?”

Willow looked my way as she gracefully slid her arms into the long-sleeved sweater that didn’t look like it was her size - but from the aroma of it belonged to Onyx - before answering, “The side of the wolf life is too dark for ya, Aurelia. Don’t need to taint your beautiful mind.”

“You’re not tainting anything,” I reasoned with a pout. “I can handle it.”

“Sure,” Willow replied. “Anyways, Onyx is back. Did you need something from him?”

“No…” I trailed off as she picked up her gym bag to rest over her shoulder. “Why? Are you going to see him?”

Her eyes darkened just slightly as she shrugged. “He’s my stalker. He’ll probably be around. I’m heading to the ring tonight so if you text, I won’t answer until the morning.”

She looked to Natasha. “Thank you once again, Natasha.”

“Keep up with your medication regimen. Aurelia’s been helping me heighten the doses, but if it begins to feel ineffective, you just call me, alright?”

“Mhm,” Willow replied.

She was going to leave, but I decided to follow. “Hey, Willow?”

We came to a stop before the door. “Are things okay?”

“I’m fine, Aurelia,” she dismissed me.

“I mean with Onyx returning and all. I tried to contact him, but he hasn’t really been responding.”

“We’ve been busy with some things,” she replied and turned her attention to me. “Why? I thought you said you didn’t need something from him.”

“It’s just…” I bit my lip because I didn’t know what to really say.

Why does it feel like they’re so distant from me?

“I don’t know. You two feel kind of distant, you know?”

“Well, it’s been two years since we’ve been apart. It’s not like we’re going to be all buddy-buddy again. We’ve changed a lot in just a few weeks. So imagine a few months, if not years.”

“I understand that, but…like…I don’t know. Like…are you two dating or something?” I don’t know why that slipped out of my mouth and hearing it with my own ears made me blush while Willow arched an eyebrow my way.

“Why? Intrigued about dating me?”

“N-N-No!” I defended. “I mean…it’s not like I wouldn’t date you…but uh…Onyx seems a little in love with you. Like…wouldn’t he want to be your first? I mean…ugh!” I groaned and pinched my nose.

Opening my eyes, I noticed how emotionless Willow’s expression was, and that made my heart skip a few beats in worry.

“Willow?” I whispered.

“Willow, I believe Viktor is outside,” Natasha noted.

“Ah.” Willow seemed to snap out of whatever void of emotionless daze she was in and looked to the door. “Probably. He’s driving me to the ring so I’m not late. I should go.”

“Wait, Willow!” I couldn’t help but grab onto her wrist, but I didn’t expect to be immediately flipped and pinned down to the ground the next second.

I was speechless as Willow’s face was inches from mine and it was filled with so much anger, I would have sworn she wasn’t my best friend. My wolf inched right to the surface protectively, but I held back my growl while my wide eyes took in Willow’s threatening gaze.

“W…Willow.” My voice was quiet and I tensed up when the door opened to reveal Viktor.

“Willow,” he warned, his voice sharp and yet low. “It’s just Aurelia. Calm down.”

She bit her lip before she let me go and was up so fast, I was left dumbfounded on the floor. She stared down at me before she let out a huff and reached for her bag.

“Viktor, can you put my bag in the car? I’ll only be a minute.”

He didn’t say anything but nodded and accepted the bag before exiting the home, leaving us in tense silence. Natasha hadn’t even moved, but now that Viktor was gone, she slowly approached until she was standing next to Willow.

“I knew from the tension in your shoulders and wrist that you’ve been upping your self-defense skills,” she muttered before she very gently brushed Willow’s cheek. “What’s wrong, Sweetie?”

Willow didn’t say anything, but I could see in her blue eyes that she was fighting so many emotions at once, I felt like it would consume her. The darkness that seemed to cloud her aura alone proved something was wrong and I’d completely missed it.

“Papa Dearest took things too far,” she quietly muttered.

“You’re referring to the punishments?” she asked, and I couldn’t hide my confusion because I couldn’t grasp what she was talking about. Punishments? Why would Willow be punished? She was fifteen and did everything Roberto asked of her. She put up the front as William to entertain the news and get people talking about the De Luca empire during the day while handling herself at night as Willow.

I was her best friend and I felt like I was doing my best to be there for her, and yet she couldn’t tell me what was going on.

“Sort of,” she whispered. “Onyx…had…to be punished for going away for so long…so…he…” She just couldn’t finish, but it had to have clicked in Natasha’s mind because she took a deep breath and pulled Willow into a hug.

“Okay. You don’t need to say anymore. I get it.”

She pulled back and gave her a comforting smile. “Do you think you can make time tomorrow?”

“I can,” she quietly replied.

“Why not come over and we’ll have some tea and talk things through? I can make some medicine that can help you sleep better and aid in relaxing the tension in your body. Would that be helpful?”

“Ya,” she replied. “It would.”

“Good.” She smiled. “Get going. If I can finish it tonight, I’ll let Aurelia drop it off in your locker during your matches.”

“Thanks, Natasha,” she replied.

“I don’t understand,” I quietly muttered, trying hard not to seem intrusive, but at the same time, I was frustrated that I wasn’t following this conversation.

I couldn’t figure out what the problem was.

“Aurelia,” Natasha began, but I got right up to look at Willow directly.

“I don’t get what the problem is! Why are you being punished? Like…you never do anything wrong. You’re always doing everything Roberto asks of you, so why would he punish you? And what does Onyx have to do with it? He went away, yes, but…he shouldn’t be punished either!”

“You don’t get it, Aurelia.” Willow shook her head.

“Then help me get it!” I snapped back.

“You’re too innocent to understand, Aurelia!” Willow hissed.

“Innocent?! How?! I’m older than you. Ya, I haven’t dealt with the same things you have, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know anything.”

“You see through the eyes of a witch, Aurelia.” Willow sighed. “You don’t know what’s in the shadows of a wolf shifter.”

“Then why don’t you tell me?! I don’t get it!” I exclaimed. “What did Roberto make Onyx do?! Why are you both being punished? Why aren’t you helping me understand? I’m your best friend, yet neither of you will talk to me about it!”

“We’re trying to protect you, Aurelia!”

“Protect me from what?!”

“From our world!”

“But I’m a part of that world!”

“You won’t fucking get it,” Willow snapped and was ready to walk out the door. I shouldn’t have done it, but I reached for her hand again as I snapped, “What did Roberto do?!”

She had to have expected my move because she moved and suddenly I was pinned against the door with her body pressed against me. It didn’t matter what I did to try to get out of her hold.

It was as if she suddenly weighed double her weight and even though I wanted to ignore it, the crippling fear began to rise at the idea of what she could do.

I knew she’d never hurt me, and yet I questioned it.

“William,” Natasha stated the word in warning, and only did I now realize why her weight had shifted and why I struggled to move.

“What do you think happens when a girl walks into an alleyway all alone at night and a douchebag decides to take every advantage of the opportunity?” His husky voice teased the side of my neck, making me further freeze up as I couldn’t help but paint the scenario in my head.

“I…I don’t know,” I whispered, and he only pushed me further as I felt his hardness against my backside. I swallowed as he took a deep breath.

“I don’t need to be a wolf shifter to smell your fear, Aurelia,” he whispered.

“I’m….not afraid of you,” I whispered, though my voice trembled.

William merely chuckled. “You’re not afraid of me, I know that, but you’re afraid of what I could do, right?”

When I didn’t answer, he simply continued, “You never get to see the dark side of our world because Onyx and I would rather take every whip of pain if it means you don’t have to endure it. You want to be a part of our pack and the things that happen behind closed doors, but I’d tear this world upside down if anyone tried to break you the way they try to destroy me and Onyx,” he vowed. “Some wizards may be douchebags, but you know why they would never touch a pretty strand of hair on your head, Aurelia? Because you’re a Clementine. Because one wrong move would wipe out their generation. Onyx and I get away with being close to you because of the financial power and beneficial gain my surname delivers, but do you believe if I wasn’t a De Luca, I’d be able to be around you?”

His words held so much weight as I struggled not to tear up.

“Who else has been allowed to be your friend, let alone date you? Who’s been allowed to lay their hands upon you and not received consequences? Your name gives you that moment of protection, Aurelia, but even though my name does similar in the outside world, I won’t be as lucky within the realms of my pack, so that’s why Papa Dearest has to show us the dark side of our world.”

Dark side…

I didn’t want to ask for the truth because I was frightened of the reply he’d give me, but to my shocking surprise, he decided to spill the beans.

“Roberto is the strongest Alpha in NYC, so do you think he wouldn’t prepare us for the probability we’ll be kidnapped? On the off chance I’ll be taken into a tiny dungeon and beaten and fucked like a submissive bitch?”

I froze at his words, and it must have given him the right message because he let go. I stood there while he let out a huff.

“As Papa Dearest’s prodigy, I have to play my part during the day while in the depths of the night I’m beaten like a chained dog. The scars you see are mere remnants of what he does…and he decided I was of age to see what would happen if I was kidnapped and in the possession of a savage pack of males, only he decided to do the perfect roleplay with Onyx as his punishment.”

My eyes widened and this time I didn’t stop the pooling of tears as I slowly turned around to see his eyes - to see those glassy orbs of blue that stared back at me as his lips trembled.

He…forced…Onyx to…

“This world is cruel when you’re a nobody, Aurelia, but when you’re a somebody with a title to uphold as the only heir to a growing throne of jealous savages, you have to endure the worst of the worst to become the best of the best,” he whispered as a tear went down his cheek. “Even if it breaks you, again and again. No matter if it opens wounds that feel impossible to heal. At the end of the day, you just have to suck it up because it’ll make sure that if you’re placed in that situation that wishes to ruin you, you’ll become a survivor and not a victim.”

He turned away, and I stared at his back as he muttered, “Don’t worry about Onyx and me. We’ll figure shit out. We always do. But to answer your question, yes. He’s my first. But I’m in no way ready to date someone right now. Not until I figure myself out. Until then, just keep being your pure self and don’t hesitate to try someone else who deserves to be your first.”

He took a steady breath. “I’ll use the back exit.”

That’s all he said as he walked away with his hands in his pockets. Neither I nor Natasha said a word as the sound of the back door opening and closing shut echoed through the room. I didn’t know how long we stood there in silence as the minutes went by, but eventually, Natasha stood before me and placed her hands lightly on my shoulders.

“You know he cares dearly about you,” she whispered. “He doesn’t want you experiencing what he’s going through…and though it’s hard to understand, wolf shifters…they sometimes have to raise their kids with pain to shape them to have a side that can’t be manipulated by the enemy.”

“Even….if…” I struggled to speak. “Roberto forced Onyx to…”

I just couldn’t bring myself to say it because, despite our recently tense friendship, I knew what Willow wanted in that department. That she wanted her first to be with someone she trusted, and though she trusted Onyx, I don’t think either of them would have gone that route.

Onyx loved Willow, and he’d never force himself on her.

Unless he was controlled to do exactly that.

“Wolf packs do things differently, but with Willow’s circumstance…it’s something that wolves like Roberto are willing to do if it means an absolute stranger isn’t taking that from her.”

“But!” I lifted my head to look into her sorrowful eyes, while tears ran down my cheeks. “That’s just…fucked up! How the fuck is that fair?! Why…why…that has never happened to me! I’m half-wolf and never treated that way! That’s illegal, Natasha! Forcing people to do things! That…ugh!”

The entire thing just made my head hurt as I shook my head.

“Aurelia.” Natasha placed her hands on my cheeks to force me to look at her.

“You don’t deal with those things because of many factors. Your family name does play a role, but because you’re already so heavily infused on the side of magic, wolf shifters won’t mess with you, unless they wish to put up a fight. I know you want the best of both worlds…but sadly, some sides of the supernatural world are dark, cruel, and aren’t worth experiencing,” she explained. “Grandma Valentine makes sure you’re protected without knowing who is overseeing your protection. I know she has agents that monitor your safety, but I’m sure there are those who are at a closer distance to make sure you’re protected from the same threats Roberto is trying to protect Willow from.”

She let out another heavy sigh. “I won’t deny that it’s fucked up, but if I told my husband what happened to Willow, he’d see it from a different viewpoint. I can guarantee that. Is it wrong? Yes. But…if it means Willow won’t be imprinted by a complete stranger who will use that against her…. It’s complicated and weird from an outsider viewpoint…but this is something she has to deal with and Onyx will have to work things out with her.”

“How do you know if they’ll get through it? How…how do you…”

“If Ace walked through this door and told you that he rejected you to protect you, could you forgive him?”

Her question was so random and shocking because I didn’t think she knew the full extent of what happened to me and Ace. I was sure Grandma had to tell her in order for her to get the full scope of my brain injury and how it came to pass, just like you told your family doctor how you got injured so you could get some sort of solution, but it still left me speechless as I absorbed her words.

“That…has nothing…” I tried to say but Natasha shook her head.

“Think about it. If someone cared about you enough that hurting you would ensure no one else took that spot of bringing you agony in that limelight, could you one day forgive them when you knew the truth?”

I couldn’t answer because I wasn’t sure.

“You don’t need to answer this now, Aurelia, because you’re young, and I’m not trying to say that what happened to Willow and Onyx is approved by my standards, because it’s not. But in the eyes of Roberto, an Alpha who has probably seen the darkest things happen to his own pack congregation and the shadows of the wolf shifter world, I’m sure he’d rather Onyx take away Willow’s innocence than any of his enemies who are surely desperate to try to kidnap Willow and break her,” she elaborated. “Willow has a good line of protection, and with Viktor as her bodyguard and Onyx as her stalker, it’s something that may never happen. However, if a day comes when Willow gets kidnapped, nothing will break her, and that’s what I feel Roberto is trying to accomplish.”

“Even if it means Willow and Onyx may never be friends again?” I whispered.

“That may be what you see, Aurelia, but I don’t think that’s how things will turn out between them. Trauma…it goes either way, really. Either pain can tear two people apart, or bring them even closer to one another. They may want a break, and that’s acceptable, but between you and me, I feel Onyx and Willow have gone through enough horrible situations that they wouldn’t cut each other off entirely. They depend on one another in some way, whether it’s physically or emotionally, and I feel they’ll find a way.”

All I could do was nod, but it didn’t help me cut through the unsettling feeling in my heart.

“How about you wait a bit and get this medication to Willow? I’m sure if you leave in thirty minutes, you can reach there before she starts her match.”

“I owe her an apology,” I quietly confessed. “I…was frustrated that I couldn’t understand her viewpoint and only opened a can of worms.”

“She won’t judge you, Aurelia. Willow cares dearly for you, just like she does for Onyx. I know it’s hard to see how important you are to her, especially when she’s dealing with her personal struggles, but she cares a lot about you. Trust me,” Natasha assured me. “Want to help me with the medication?”

“Okay,” I replied.

It didn’t take us long to finish and with Natasha’s spellwork, she opened a portal for me to walk through that landed me right where I need to be - Willow’s changeroom.

I called it hers because she was the only girl who currently survived the craziness of cage fights at her age. I doubted many knew she was fifteen because she looked older, but the training she was getting from Viktor was helping her make a name for herself.

I didn’t know all the details, but I’d come here a few times to do deliveries like these when she wasn’t feeling well after matches. I felt like it was such a risky sport, but from Natasha’s point of view, it was doing wonders for Willow’s mental health.

She really understood Willow and I knew she had a talent for understanding each of us because it was a part of what she specialized in, but it made me wish I didn’t feel so incompetent.

It made me wish to be as knowledgeable as her in these fields so I could contribute to my friend’s healing.

Looking at the bottle of medicine in my grasp, the apology attached, I was going to walk out to place the goods in her locker, but the click of the door opened, and I froze in my hiding place while keeping my magical walls up.

“You don’t have to be here,” Willow announced, and I slowly peeked slightly to the side to see her entering with Onyx. One look at him threatened a gasp out of me because he’d changed.

A lot.

He was bulky before, but now he was full of muscle and looked like a bodybuilder. He could easily pass as one of the fighters here, and from his shirtless attire and simple black shorts, I wondered if he was planning to participate.

Willow walked over to her locker and opened it up to grab a water bottle and what looked to be a medicine container.

“You don’t look well,” Onyx quietly countered. Even his voice was deeper. “Didn’t you just finish therapy?”

“I did,” she replied and opened the pill container to toss two tabs into her mouth before she spun the lid of the water and chugged it down in one go. “It was fine.”

“And?” he pressed.

She looked like she didn’t want to talk about it, just like back in Natasha’s house.

“Aurelia confronted me about shit and it didn’t go well.”

He didn’t say anything, but I could tell from the growing tension in the room, he wasn’t pleased with the news.

“She knows what happened,” he finally answered.

“Don’t know, honestly,” Willow replied. “Aurelia’s different, you know? She doesn’t get the privilege to see and experience what we do. I know she hates it, but…” She trailed off as she pinched her nose for a moment. “It is what it is.”

Onyx moved the moment Willow swayed slightly, and he caught her before she could get the chance to fall back.

“I…didn’t need your help,” she grumbled, but could barely keep her eyes open.

“You’re not fighting today,” Onyx concluded.

“You’re not deciding that for me,” Willow grumbled back.

Onyx didn’t say anything, but he bit his lip.

“Willow…I…”

“Can we take a break?” she whispered. The room grew silent with her question and she sighed. “I knew you’d be a silent jerk.”

“You want to be with someone else?”

“I’m not sure,” she admitted and managed to open her eyes fully. “I’m okay.”

She tried to push away from him, but he only tightened his hold around her. She seemed to stiffen, and Onyx grew just as stiff, but neither of them moved.

“I pinned Aurelia down out of reflex,” she confessed with her head down. “Then I pinned her to a wall. She probably hates me.”

“I’ll talk to her,” Onyx whispered. “She didn’t know I was back and…I just didn’t have the mental capacity to answer her text messages. She won’t hate you. It’s okay…to feel the way you feel and react the way you are.”

“Yet you won’t let me push you away,” Willow huffed.

“I’d go crazy, Willow.” Onyx’s admission was so low I almost missed it. “I wouldn’t…be able to fucking function.”

“Yet you were gone for two years,” she muttered.

“You and I know exactly what I did.”

There was another long silence before she sighed and only moved to turn in his hold. She lifted her head slightly, but Onyx moved her back until she could rest against the locker next to hers. It didn’t stop him from being close as he leaned right against her.

“If…you want a break, you can have one,” Onyx finally answered. “But if I don’t like the guy, it’s a no.”

She weakly giggled and managed to roll her eyes. “Who said it was a guy?”

That made Onyx pout as he muttered, “I’m being replaced by a girl.”

“I mean, I’ve got options, don’t I?” she reasoned, but her eyes were seeking his approval in his. He let out a grunt, and I was surprised when he moved right in to kiss her long and hard.

“Can…we still be like this?” he practically begged. “Until you’re in a new relationship. I’ll never overstep when you’re officially dating someone…but for now…this…”

“We can be this,” she whispered in confirmation. She somehow knew exactly what he was addressing, and her approval alone gave him immense relief as he sighed and kissed her again.

“I’m sorr-”

“I don’t hold that against you, Onyx,” she quietly muttered, and his eyes widened as they met her calm ones. “It happened. It’s in the past. It was never your intention and you’d never hurt me. I just…need to see what it’s like with someone else before we can commit. Who knows. My wolf is gonna awaken soon, even if I’m a bit late, but we’ll figure things out sooner or later.”

She moved to hug him, which surprised him as he tensed up a bit but soon hugged her back.

“I just…I don’t want to lose you, or Aurelia, for that matter. In the whole world…you two are the only ones I can truly call a pack.”

“You won’t lose me, Willow,” he whispered as he hugged her even tighter. “And Aurelia will understand. I’ll text her when I get you home, alright?”

“I’m not…going home, Bulky…fucker,” she huffed, but he caught her the moment her knees buckled. I wanted to reveal myself, but the lock on the door made a beeping noise, and it opened to reveal Viktor and another man.

“I knew she looked unwell,” Viktor huffed before he helped Onyx lay Willow onto the bench.

“She had a rough day,” Onyx muttered.

“If she can’t fight, I won’t allow it, but I need someone to take her place in the matches,” the other male, who had to be the organizer, stated after the door was closed.

“I’ll stay,” Onyx announced. “As long as I can take her to the car.”

“I’ll give you some time. Fifteen minutes?” the organizer inquired.

“That’s good,” Onyx replied.

“I’ll get to it,” he assured us and left.

Onyx easily scooped Willow up before Viktor pressed a hand upon her forehead.

“I’ll see if Natasha can prescribe her something that will let her sleep through the night while rejuvenating her magic. She didn’t look too well when she got into the car after her therapy, but she had a bit of confrontation with Aurelia.”

“She told me.” Onyx sighed. “We haven’t been very forthcoming about what happens…you know.”

“I understand,” Viktor replied. “It makes sense. You two vowed not to tell her due to her Aunt, right?”

What?

“It’s stupid.” Onyx went from frustrated to pure anger in what felt like three seconds. “Yes, wolf shifter life is shit, but fuck. How long are they going to let Aurelia stay in the closet? Do they think because of her witch qualities that she’s immune to getting hunted? They can pay whatever amount they are to keep their security tight, but it’s only a matter of time and it’s sickening to think they’d risk that to keep Aurelia in some sort of bubble.”

“They want to make her into a puppet,” Viktor calmly stated. “It’s what they do. So when they need her to play the role, she’ll do it. Plus, with her brain injury from the past, they believe if she witnesses the bad side of this world, it’ll make her insane.”

“If she’s sheltered until the bad side of the world whiplashes in her face, it’ll have the same effect,” Onyx huffed and shook his head. “I don’t wish trauma on anyone, but whatever plan her Aunt and those Elders have is going to backfire so fucking bad, and if I and Willow aren’t there for Aurelia, she’ll be doomed.”

He shook his head and sighed. “I’m gonna take Willow to the car. Can you get her essentials? I’ll force her to take a few days off.”

“I’ll get to it,” Viktor assured him.

“Thanks, Viktor,” he replied. “Sorry for any hassle.”

“You’ve done nothing of your own will to cause me trouble,” Viktor calmly answered. “Get going; I’ll be right behind you.”

“Okay,” he replied, and Viktor helped open the door for him. He closed it briefly and headed to the locker, but he walked right past until he was standing where I was hiding.

“I’m going to assume you brought what I was most likely going to ask for.”

I gawked as my hidden facade dropped, leaving me like a deer in headlights with the medicine in my grasp.

“You forget I’m half warlock, huh?” he concluded, and he was completely right because I’d totally forgotten. With a slight nod, I offered the medicine to him.

“Thanks, Aurelia,” he replied and inspected the attached note before he smiled just slightly. “I’ll make sure Willow gets your note.”

“T-Thank you, Viktor,” I whispered. He nodded and began to walk away, but I couldn’t help but whisper, “Will I ever understand the shifter world?”

He stopped but didn’t turn back.

“Maybe,” he replied. “Though, if you want someone to be completely honest with you, I don’t think you could handle our world as you are, Aurelia.”

He paused as if he were thinking of what else to say, but he continued.

“It takes experiences to change you, and everyone carries a story about why they do the things they do. Whether you’re a hero or a villain in this world, everyone has a story that pushes them to become the individuals they are,” he explained. “You’ve yet to experience that changing factor that will make you realize what you wish to gain in this vast world. You’ll find it when you begin to rely on your wolf more than your magic.”

His observation hit dead-on because he was right. I only relied on my magic and barely involved my wolf, which was surely wrong in a sense.

“Time will tell, Aurelia, but know Onyx and Willow want the best for you, even if that means keeping things hidden so you continue to enjoy the light of the world,” he concluded. “The dark side is a sad reality and it makes it so you can never grasp that golden innocence again. Maybe you think it’s a curse…but to them, it’s a blessing.”

With those words, he headed to the door. “Tell Natasha my words of thanks. Make sure you get going. You have a party, remember?”

His words reminded me of the party that would be happening in an hour or so.

Shit! I forgot.

“Thank you!” I called out. He gave a wave and was gone, giving me the moment I needed to walk to Willow’s locker and sit down on the bench. I noticed it was still open, and with a reach of my hand, I opened it enough to see the hanging pictures of us.

A picture of William and me, a picture of Willow and Onyx, and one of three of us with Willow in the middle.

I couldn’t help but reach for the picture of me and William, taking a closer look as I let out a heavy sigh. “Maybe I need to lose my sanity to feel like I fit into this world.”

Was it inevitable? And if so…how much longer did I have left before my time was up?

7

UNFAIR CIRCUMSTANCES AND HIDDEN SAVIOR

“Wow. We actually got privileged with a Clementine in our presence.”

“I wonder how much they paid her family to make her attend.”

“Had to be a hefty bargain for her to be here.”

“She’s not all that pretty anyway.”

“Did you hear De Luca’s son from the wolf pack is interested in her?”

“Oh please. That has to be a rumor.”

“If they dated, there would have to be some big money exchanged for that.”

“Right?! Plus, De Luca’s son is fucking hot.”

“Isn’t he only sixteen?”

“Ya, but imagine one or two more growth spurts. Look at that guy who always follows him around. He disappeared for two years and came back looking like a chiseled god.”

“I don’t know why they even want to be close to a Clementine. Clearly, they’re benefiting in some way.”

“Fake it until you make it, right?”

The group of gossip-spreaders burst into laughter while I worked on sipping my alcoholic drink. I knew the moment I was dropped off at this luxurious mansion that I wouldn’t like the vibe.

Even though I was eighteen, I hadn’t gone to a party yet. I felt like a complete noob trying to play within an elite-level videogame with 99 teammates. The intense magic in the air, the squealing laughter and ongoing gossip all around me, and the constant stares and points in my direction were beginning to tug on every string of patience I carried.

When I was younger, I envisioned partying with a group of friends. Being like those girls in the movies that would go out in nice dresses and live it up. I expected to have a good time, get lost in the music and chatter, and maybe make some friends at an event catered to witches and wizards.

Yet, I was surrounded by bitches and guys who couldn’t keep their eyes off me.

I’d used magic to complete my look, wearing a rather conservative black lace dress that went well past my knees to the floor. It was nothing like what everyone else was wearing: short dresses with shimmering rhinestones, sequins, or feathers. Their hairstyles varied between curls and pinned up in a crown style that made them look like royalty.

I was the oddball because my dress looked like I was entering a ballroom while my striking hair was straight, down, and just didn’t fit the vibe I’d originally hoped for. After all, this outfit was the only thing approved “worthy” by the Elders and Beatrice, and I was beginning to realize what a dumb mistake it was to think they would choose a suitable outfit for me with their traditional ways.

This party didn’t seem worthy of me wearing a short dress and showing some skin. The music thus far was boring, and it was becoming clear that many only attended this to either hook up with old friends, rekindle relationships, or gossip.

And I was the center of attention.

Even if Willow and Onyx were available tonight, it wasn’t like they would be allowed to attend. This party was for approved witches and wizards of high ranking, but boy, did I wish I was a nobody just so I could go home.

The Elders actually expected me to stay the full duration of this party, and even booked a single room for the night at the royal villa just behind the mansion. It felt absolutely pointless, especially for a gesture I didn’t ask for, and the only benefit was the suite so I could be at peace.

Heck, I could cry in frustration and no one would hear me, thanks to those lovely soundproof walls.

Events like these reminded me of the constant words of others - the recurring theme of me being a puppet to my family.

Wasn’t this a perfect example of exactly that: forced to attend a bogus party of elite witches and wizards whose purposes were to gain connections that would bring them higher in the ranks of power instead of being friends and enjoying the given night.

I obviously couldn’t get on that level because I was far too high in the hierarchy to be approached by anyone. The thought encouraged me to drink more of my drink, hoping its powerful combinations would tug me away from my worries and allow me to relax.

Thus far, behind the whirling thoughts and bigger anguish in my mind, I could feel the aching loneliness this party delivered. It forced me to acknowledge yet again that I was a loner in this field of individuals, and when push came to shove, not one single person in this vicinity would come to my aid.

Unless paid to do so.

All these fake individuals wearing masks of smiles with hymns of laughter escaping their tainted lips made me sick. Behind their facades were horrible people who didn’t want anything better for the next person. All they cared about was their own success, futures, and what would give them the power to obtain all they desired.

It was disgusting.

I decided to grab another drink as the passing waiter specifically came to me the moment I’d sipped the last drop of my drink. My eyes scanned the crowd until I noticed a familiar man approaching - a man that made the very crowd go from wildly loud to extremely quiet.

My eyes widened at the familiar man, only he was slightly older and wiser. His aura alone could destroy this entire mansion if he gave it a chance.

When he reached where I stood, I could only bow my head in acknowledgment.

While multiple people dropped to the floor in kneeling grace.

“Master L,” a waiter announced and offered him a special beverage that sparkled with various colors. It had to be made just for him, and could anyone blame them for attending to this man like he was born royalty?

To be a part of the High Court was a privilege only a few individuals in the world got to enjoy, and here I was, in the midst of a man who could bring down nations with a snap of his fingers if he truly wished for it.

Now he was here, in our presence, something I would have never thought would have happened at these parties. It must have never occurred before, or the academy would’ve been buzzing about his grand appearance at previous events.

He had pale skin, long silver hair, and striking silver eyes that carried rings of prism and were filled with immense calm as he looked at me, accepting his drink without a word to the waiter. The man was back on his knee while Master L took a sip of his drink and then took a step forward, which landed him right before me.

“It’s been a long time, Aurelia,” he began, and his voice alone triggered shivers to run through my entire being. “Lift your head.”

I did as he asked before responding, “Good Evening, Master L.” Maybe my voice should have been quieter or held a gentle, girly tone to it, but my greeting held a bit of power that granted me acknowledgment as a few in the background gasped at the slight harshness in my tone.

He should have been mad or insulted, but his smile only furthered before he surprisingly chuckled; the sound nothing short of angels singing hymns to heaven.

“Is my power a bit intimidating?”

I couldn’t help but be honest as I lifted my hand to show him the space between my thumb and index finger. “Just a smidge. Aries wants to come out and bother you.”

It wasn’t necessarily a lie. Aries had been asleep before, clearly bored from all this unnecessary gossip that translated to rubbish in her mind, but Master L’s arrival had her up and a little too close to the protective glass surface that tamed her within my subconscious.

I may slack in the wolf department, but I’d shifted a few times, and Aries was a little more dangerous than I. She was smart - very smart - and though the only wolf training I’d been granted was from Natasha’s husband, it confirmed she wasn’t one who liked to lose to anyone.

She was no submissive wolf, and in a space surrounded by magical individuals, that wouldn’t turn out too well. Any threat would be eliminated, and I didn’t want to be labeled as a mass murderer at eighteen.

Hadn’t even gotten laid but somehow became a killer. Sad times.

“Ah,” he replied with a playful grin. “Aries as in your wolf, correct?” When I nodded in return, he seemed further pleased. “I’ve yet to see her in action, but I’m sure she’s unique in her own way.”

He seemed to notice the quietness in the room - or my growing nerves - before he offered his hand. “I’d like to discuss a few things with you in private,” he began, and I knew that would set everyone else in this room into chaos the moment we left. “Would you do me the honor of following me, Aurelia?”

“Gladly,” I replied and placed my hand in his. He ushered me forward, and I swore, a carpet that resembled glass was already laid out for him - or well, us - to walk upon. I hadn’t even noticed it previously, but did it matter?

This man was walking royalty in the eyes of everyone in the room, and he deserved the best of the best for just breathing. I sometimes wondered how much of his magic and presence balanced our magical world. What was his contribution in the realms above that us mages knew nothing of or weren’t granted a glimpse of, that were hidden and only revealed to those High Court members to do as they would to keep our realm of magic spiraling with life?

There was so much mystery regarding what the High Court’s duty was, and it was a place I one day wished to sit upon at my own discretion. I think that was what I wished for the most if I was going to be a part of an organization that helped the balance of the universe.

As of now, my family only wanted me to be a part of this power gamble for their own discretion and opportunities - to lift the name of Clementine to an even higher level of glorification so that many would bow to their demands behind closed doors.

We walked through the intense silence, no one speaking a word, even after we’d exited the main ballroom and walked down the hall.

I noticed the number of uniformed individuals lined up against the wall, their uniforms of white and blue looking mesmerizing with the tall white walls of the mansion that gave off a vintage vibe.

“Ace always tells me not to barge into parties because I cause a scene,” he quietly commented, and it felt as if he were talking to himself for a second, but the mention of Ace made my throat tighten like I was dying of thirst.

“Does he?” I managed to state before I continued, “I guess I can see why…but these guards weren’t here before.”

“Ah, yes,” he agreed. “The rest of my fellow court members don’t like me going to events solo. Something about me being a target or whatnot. If I’d attended with my beloved, it wouldn’t be necessary, but apparently, I’m on the ‘weaker’ end compared to my mate.”

I couldn’t help but stare at him with a baffled expression as we came to a stop at a door guarded by two men.

“What?” he decided to ask out of clear amusement.

“You’re weaker? How?” My eyes went up and down him like he was some sort of ghost. “What? Where? When?”

He rewarded me with a chuckle as one of the guards opened the door and gestured for us to enter. We proceeded to do such and waited for the doors to close before walls of ice blue shot around the cozy, vintage meeting room.

It had two chairs and a little table in the middle with a vase of flowers that was near a fireplace, while the other half of the room was open. The walls were decorated with various hand-painted art, but it was the wallpaper that grasped my attention - the color forest green decorated with golden flakes that stole my breath away.

And continued to remind me of what I continued to wish to forget.

It may have been a different shade than those evergreen eyes, but the shade of color always brought out those same bitter emotions and left me on the verge of suffocation.

Would I ever be able to get out of this cycle of rejected hell?

“Much better,” he announced as he let out a long sigh. “It always feels stuffy in public places like parties with a bunch of stuck-up individuals who believe mingling with one another will take them anywhere close to the top.”

I couldn’t agree more and yet his words left me rather speechless because I never expected him to be so…chill?

Aries was just as intrigued as she slowly sat on all fours and laid her head down. She didn’t retreat to her usual spot, remaining inches from that wall so that if things went south, she’d be there for me.

However, I was sure both of us could feel the calming vibes radiating off of him. He didn’t seem like one to put us in harm’s way.

At least, that’s what our instincts were telling us.

“You’re a lot cooler than I would imagine.”

“Did you know before I ascended onto the High Court I was an assassin?” he tossed back at me, which made my face pale in three seconds flat.

“Hmmm. I always wondered why my beloved said that’s a bad ice breaker. I’m starting to see why,” he admitted as he walked over to the fireplace. With a snap of his fingers, the fire crackled to life - the glowing hues of color dancing against the walls and making the room light up further.

It really did make this meeting place a cozy room where you’d wish to spend time with family and dear friends, like in the movies. It held that level of nostalgia that I’d yearned for throughout my years but lost before I could truly grasp how it felt to be surrounded by loved ones.

To sit in front of a fireplace in the arms of my mated love, surrounded by his warmth and the tranquility of the room around us.

“You intrigue me.”

My eyes lifted from the fireplace to Master L, his comment slowly settling in before he carried on. “Though the one you cherish in your heart is the very reason for the intense burden his rejection has delivered upon you, the idea of giving that up frightens you.”

I frowned at his words as he stood before the fireplace to give me his full attention.

“The reason for me bringing you here, Aurelia, was to ask about your feelings for Ace.”

“Feelings…for Ace?” I repeated. My voice should have been laced with resentment and a touch of bitter annoyance, but it held immense hesitation. The topic made me feel uneasy.

“Yes.” He nodded, clearly ready to get to the point. “I come down to NYC and the lands of humans and supernaturals often on Ace’s behalf. Obviously, due to the past, he was parentless and I’m sure no one would have adopted him due to the initial claims against him by your family and Coven.”

“Grandma didn’t accuse him,” I defended immediately. “Neither did I. We knew he was innocent, but the Elders and Auntie Bitch overpowered our vote!”

“Auntie Bitch?” he inquired.

I groaned. “Beatrice.”

“I’m aware of your viewpoints, Aurelia. I read the final reports of the incident and where you stood in all of this. Though the Coven tries to dismiss your opinion due to the fact that you were a child, the court concluded your statement was valid due to your high magic affinity.”

What? Why…why was I never updated about this information?

My confusion only encouraged him. “That doesn’t explain why, after so many years, you still care for him. You’ve yet to see him all this while. Why haven’t you moved to another?”

“It’s not that easy,” I pointed out. “It’s not like I never wanted to see him again. He was supposed to attend the academy classes, but the years came and went. It’s not like I can just dial the phone or send a magic note to him…not like I haven’t tried but it never works.”

“Did you know Ace’s application to attend your family’s academy got declined?”

My eyes doubled in size as I stared back at him in obvious shock.

“I guess that’s a no,” he concluded. “It was stated that for the safety of your mental health and wellbeing Ace should attend another school that could provide him with the gifted classes needed. Even with my slight interference, it was concluded that the professors connected to the gifted classes would come to his home and provide the knowledge he needed for a year.”

“I-I never knew that!” I gasped and had to calm myself from being angry. The idea that Ace was forced to take things privately and essentially isolate himself for me was absolutely ridiculous. It made me extremely upset that I was being used as the “in-betweener” in this situation. “I was never told a single thing.”

“I’ve come to see that’s a normal occurrence with your family. They love to make the moves in silence and let those tied to those regulations be the victim of circumstance. Childlike, if you ask for my personal opinion, but I guess this proves your family has some sort of vendetta against Ace. I wonder why?”

He arched his eyebrow in wonder as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Ever since that attack that I can’t even remember happened, they’ve blamed Ace for my…mental deficiencies,” I huffed in frustration and couldn’t help but pace. “This is unbelievable and unfair! My whole life I’ve been sheltered for the ‘sake of my sanity’ and told that if I don’t do this, I’ll go crazy, and if I don’t do that, I’ll also go crazy! Everything is about me breaking my mind and unleashing whatever possible mayhem they can think of, or frankly, overexaggerate, and now I’m finding out about all these things they’ve been doing to protect me?!”

It was insulting.

“I have two friends, Master L, and I barely get to hang out with them because my family says I need to study and focus without distractions. All my peers make fun of me for being a Clementine or quote ‘a know-it-all bitch with all the resources to make her great,’ my relationship condition is called Wolf Rejected, and the only thing that I can find about it is that Mother Moon will lead the two together again and again until we figure shit out, which is probably a lie because that’s yet to happen, and now you’re telling me that my own family has continued to terrorize Ace, my ex-best-friend/mate. For what?!”

“Your guess is as good as mine, Aurelia,” he replied as he watched me carefully. “You shouldn’t be this angry.”

“Why shouldn’t I be?” I snapped back with enough force that the flames shot outward. He had to have sensed it because he was next to me in a blink while the flames howled out in a wolf silhouette.

I quickly lifted my hand up to calm the flames, the two of us watching as they began to diminish to their normal levels of crackling force. I took a deep breath, then let it out.

“Do you know how frustrating it is to be an adult and yet the world around you thinks you’re but a child? Or what about the fact that everyone is trying to protect me for ‘my own good’ but that means keeping secrets left and right and pushing anyone that has goodwill for me away! My best friends are suffering, and I’m not allowed to grasp the true extent of the torture they experience because I’m half-witch, and yet I can’t grasp the full opportunities of being a witch because to my own kind, I’m a misfit! I’ve been sheltered because of my birthright, cradled due to the fear of me losing it, and while this is all transpiring before my eyes, I have to quietly wonder what happened to the man I know was destined for me.”

I paused to further calm myself as I shook my head.

“Do you know that even after all these years, I still wonder about Ace? I wonder about where my mate could be now that he rejected me. Obviously, he has every right to hate me. To despise me and wish to have nothing to do with me. I’m probably the curse he wishes to break once and for all, and maybe rejecting me was exactly what he had to do to be free. I don’t know,” I whispered the final part as my eyes got lost in the dancing flames.

“His parents died because of me. His life was ruined because of me. If your beloved ended up causing you misery, would you still stay with them?”

He stared into my pleading eyes, and I watched his soften while they heightened with wisdom. Moving to face me once more, he took an added minute to think about my words before answering, “I would.”

I didn’t know what else to say, but the prime question was obvious.

“Why?” It came out without me registering it.

“Many love to judge with their eyes,” he began as he twirled his hand once to retrieve some of the flames from the very fireplace. Those golden-red energies flowed around his spread fingers until they hovered in the palm of his hand.

“Everyone loves to see what’s on the outside, what is visible to the eye and easily interpreted without further explanation or thought. When you look at this, what do you see?”

“Fire,” I stated the obvious.

He nodded. “Exactly. Fire,” he agreed. “So what if I told you this was ice.”

My frown was enough to make him chuckle as he bobbed his head just slightly.

“See? If I said this was ice, you’d tell me ‘No, that’s fire’ or look at me like I’m crazy, right?” he offered and I nodded in return. “Your reaction is understandable because you’re looking with your eyes and gathering experience as your evidence to state the truth if someone else asked if I was carrying fire in my grasp.”

I watched with great interest as the flames disappeared with a wink and I gasped because they revealed a block of ice in the shape of the very flames. I looked at him while he assessed my reaction, and his amusement only heightened.

“So what about now?”

I took a moment to speak because I stared at the block of ice as if it weren’t real.

“It’s a block of ice,” I emphasized. “But it can’t be true. It has to be an illusion or something.”

“You could be right,” he agreed. “But why is the block of ice an illusion and not the fire?”

He had a valid point, but I used common physics. “The ice would have melted from the heat of the fire,” I answered.

“That would be the right answer if you’re human,” he reasoned. “But why couldn’t I have created a thin layer of magic around the bulk of the ice to protect it from the intense heat of the flames?”

“You…have a point, but I would have seen you holding a block of ice when you were summoning the fire,” I countered.

“I also agree but were you fully focused on the palm of my hand, or were you mesmerized by the way the flames wrapped around my fingers before gathering within the palm of my hand?”

Shit…

“I was looking at your fingers,” I confessed shyly.

“Then you were focused on the heightened problem unfolding before your eyes instead of looking at the underlying causes that instigated the problem,” he revealed the ultimate truth in his analogy, and the ice disappeared to show two sculpted children - a girl and a boy.

With a blink, the girl had dazzling flames wrapping around her body while the boy had tiny flakes of snow falling upon him.

“Now what happens when the world wants to see the one side that’s easily understood rather than move the curtain to see the truth behind what’s hidden?” he pondered.

I watched the girl rush to the boy, and the two of them held hands. The reaction at first was like water and oil, the elements unable to mold into one another. Instead, the flame began to hide within the captivity of the ice - the flakes beginning to wrap around the flame as if to shield it from the outside world, until it was on the boy while the girl was invisible.

“From what I just showed you, what would you think happened to the girl?”

“She was swallowed by the snowflakes,” I whispered.

“But do you think she was swallowed?”

“No,” I voiced the truth. “She’s just cloaked by his frost.”

His eyes further softened as we both lowered our gazes to see the flakes unravel the blanket around the girl figure, and her flames burst outward like a phoenix being freed to rise up into the world.

“Until I can learn the truth about what occurred, I could never crucify my mate like the rest of the world.”

“But he rejected me,” I pointed out. “Isn’t that the same?”

“Rejection is survivable,” he declared with a deep voice that sent shivers through me. “Crucifixion is not. Once your heart comes to a dramatic stop, that’s the end of the road for you. It won’t matter if you were innocent. It wouldn’t even matter if you were guilty. You’ll be dead and have no ability to prove what truly occurred until someone of a higher caliber and resilience is able to uncover everything needed to replay what happened in that place, time, and moment.”

“No one was there when the incident happened. I mean, I don’t think so. We were coming home to say were mates. I’ve never been able to put the pieces of the puzzle back together after that. It’s a blur of black and no matter the years, therapy, and various medications, I can’t piece it together.”

“It’s not because of you, Aurelia,” he voiced. “It’s because whatever magic was laid upon you that night doesn’t want you remembering what needs to be uncovered.”

“The magic?” I couldn’t grasp what he meant.

“Magic is an entity, correct?”

“Yes,” I replied. “Magic is a living power like anything that courses through our universe.”

“Then what if that power isn’t afraid of what can break you?” he suggested and lowered his voice further. “But that revealing the truth hidden behind that cloak of ice will destroy you?”

“Isn’t that my decision to make?” I questioned.

“Yes,” he agreed. “But at what cost? As a child, were you capable of defending yourself from the various enemies that surely wished for your demise?”

“No,” I admitted.

“Then how about now? If your family didn’t provide certain means of protection, would you be able to defend yourself?”

“Yes,” I replied but my voice didn’t give him reassurance at all as those eyes of silver narrowed.

“If they cuffed you with an object that cut off your magic, would you be able to defend yourself?”

I wanted to reply, and my parted lips only encouraged me to say something, but I fought to hold my tongue as I thought about it. Compared to Willow who did cage fighting, I had no clue how to do combat without magic. It was as if the mere idea of doing such a thing had never crossed my mind until he brought it up. I didn’t have special trait abilities like Onyx, who could summon the very shadows. Those were traits that couldn’t simply be bound or sealed off unless with extremely well-crafted collars that were used to chain wizards and witches that committed high offenses in the realms of magic.

“Do you see what you lack?”

“Yes,” I replied.

“So you understand why the magic that shields you from knowing the truth continues to hold back those memories. Until you’re able to grow physically, emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually, you won’t be able to truly discover the truth that occurred that day long ago.”

“But what about Ace? Couldn’t he?”

“He could,” Master L admitted but grinned. “Yet he has his own set of problems to deal with and compared to you, I personally believe he knows exactly what happened and is carrying the consequences upon his aching shoulders.”

“But if he knows the truth, why didn’t he say so?”

“And who would defend him?” he countered, which shut me up real fast. “Last time we all remembered, only you and Valentine defended him, and though the incident that followed the attack proved to be a set-up to kill you and many other individuals in the process, this cold world proved to a little boy that when you’re truthful, you never receive the sympathy you deserve. When the rest of the world lies so a situation favors them, that’s when everyone else will bow to their tune even if it means the sole truth sayer bears the weight of that hard truth for the rest of their life.”

“But that’s just…”

“Wrong? Unethical? Evil?” he offered as he lowered his hand and walked to the fireplace so his back faced me. “That’s how this world is, Aurelia. This is the world that you’ve seen through a tiny scope and have been unable to digest with your own eyes.”

He paused as he let out a sigh.

“There’s going to be a moment in your life when it’ll feel like everything is crumbling down. Everyone experiences it, some more than others, but when it happens, you’ll realize how alone and utterly cruel this world can be. This world that looked so beautiful and filled with bliss in the eyes of a child turns as the ugly truth that whiplashes into your life does everything it can to shatter you. When you get hit, the harsh reality makes you question many things you’ve learned from those influences in your life - good or bad. Your experiences determine what will come next for you, but it lies in your hands to determine whether you will strive forward regardless of the harms and dangers that lurk in the shadows or be led astray until you’re attached to a bunch of strings and become the puppet of the grand puppeteer in this world called life.”

He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, they carried a magical essence in them as he looked into my eyes. It was like he could see through me - my past, present, and what would possibly be my future.

I couldn’t determine what his expression meant. If he was happy, sad, or taking great pity for me. “Let me ask you one thing, Aurelia.”

I waited for him to continue while the room grew tenser.

“If life ended the moment I walked out of this room, would you be satisfied with the life you’ve lived thus far?”

The question was one I’d never been asked before, and it left me standing there while the heavy inquiry echoed within my head. Even Aries sat there in a state of wonder, her wise eyes staring into the man like he could see her very existence.

The question should have been something I could answer in a nanosecond, and yet I stood here for seconds trying to debate on something my heart knew the answer to.

I couldn’t bear lying.

“No.”

“And who would you put the blame on for that?” he offered. “Your family for holding you back? For the past and the hatred people carry because of your name? Maybe you could blame Ace for being destined for you and deciding to reject you? At the end of the day, when you face Mother Moon in a field of flowers, who would you blame for the dissatisfaction of this world?”

“Myself,” I quietly stated the truth.

His small smile made me want to cry as I blinked my eyes and hung my head low in shame.

“Master L…I feel stuck,” I confessed. “Expectations. Dreams. Obvious realities. I want to break out of my cocoon and fly…but how much longer do I have to remain in that nestled space of toxicity?”

“That’s for you to decide, Aurelia,” he whispered and surprisingly lifted my chin up with his tender hand. “I’ll tell you a secret, Aurelia.”

My ears perked up as he leaned in close to whisper in my very ear.

“You shouldn’t be afraid of the Coven when they’re obviously afraid of you.”

What?

He pulled back as I gave him a confused look, and he only nodded to affirm his statement.

“Tonight, I want you to go against whatever orders your family wishes for you. See what being a rebel feels like. See what it will deliver by being a strong, empowered woman and playing by your own rules. Do this, and see if it’s worth it.”

“And then?” I quietly asked as he let go and took a step back.

His smile was priceless as his eyes danced with merriment. “Then continue to rebel while you search for the real reason why your family is so worried about your sanity.”

He had to have known something, but he was already heading to the door.

“Be safe, Aurelia,” he encouraged as he reached the door. “Not everything is as it seems, but know that behind the scenes, there are a few of us gems wishing for your prosperity. Don’t let it be stolen by those who wish to ruin you for their salvation.”

Ruin me for their salvation…

“Have a good night, Aurelia.”

“T-Thank you, Master L!” I quickly stated before he opened the door and closed it behind him - leaving me in the quiet room. Letting out a sigh, I looked at the fireplace before feeling the vibration of my phone.

Thank goodness this dress had hidden pockets, but the number on the screen already left me dreading their existence. With a sigh, I quickly picked it up after the fourth ring.

“Hello?”

“It shouldn’t take you so long to answer the phone when I’m calling you.”

“You’re not very high on the ‘important’ scale,” I muttered at Beatrice’s statement.

“Disrespectful child,” she huffed.

“I’m eighteen. I’m old enough to fuck someone, so I don’t see what you suddenly did to earn my respect when you’ve probably disrespected my very existence.”

“We’re not having this discussion now!”

“Says the woman who called me,” I grumbled. “What do you need?”

“The Elders and I have decided that we’ll be setting you up with a wizard from California.”

Wait, what?!

“W-What?! Wait. What do you mean set me up? Who said I’m on the block to date anyone?”

“You’re eighteen, Aurelia. You should already be dating someone by now. Your mother married at twenty, and though he wasn’t originally approved by the Elders, he held great offerings to compensate.”

“Hold on. So you’re trying to set me up with someone?” I gasped and couldn’t help but snap my fingers and attempt to mimic the protective wall Master L had done to try to keep our conversation within these very walls.

“Why yes. Why else would we encourage you to attend the party this evening? It’s a mingling party for wizards and witches to make ‘connections.’ I thought you would have grasped that and the reason why we booked the suite for you to use with your chosen partner of the evening.”

“She’s not fucking serious right now!” When I say Aries was pissed, I meant she was about to burst through this wall and fuck shit up.

“You’re not telling me that you expected me to have a one-night fling with some randomly chosen guy, are you?” It was almost appalling to even speak about, let alone think about the mere idea. “I’m not going to fuck a random guy tonight!”

“I wasn’t necessarily encouraging that,” Beatrice bitterly snapped. “As I previously stated, we’ve chosen a very intelligent wizard from California. He’s from a well-off family with many connections in that state. He graduated from his magic academy with honors, has multiple business offers, and is looking for the perfect wife who would benefit him in the long term. We figured it would be the perfect night for you two to mingle and get closer.”

“Mingle and get closer,” I repeated. “Meaning have sex and be in a relationship of beneficial circumstances,” I translated. I was seething with anger, and my body was shaking uncontrollably at the reality that my family considered me a scapegoat.

The mere fact they wished for me to give away my virginity to some sleezebag of a boy because he was rich in another state and had “connections” was the biggest pile of bullshit I’d ever heard of.

“If you wish to see it that way, that’s on you, but you should be grateful that we’re taking these means to set you up with someone!”

“I NEVER asked to be set up with anyone!” I exclaimed. “Fuck. You’re setting me up with a literal stranger, but you won’t let me do shit in regards to anything else! I can’t go shopping without your permission, can’t mingle with my friends that you’ve been purposely pushing away any chance you get. You guys control my fucking life, and now you think you can set me up with some sick fucker with connections because he’s rich and will benefit our FAMILY?! Not even considering my feelings. If you care so much about money and connections, I could have fucking dated William!”

“You will not date that bad influence.”

“Bad influence? He’s MY friend that actually stuck around, compared to the fake people you wished for me to hang with like Lucy Bitch and all those other girls who make fun of me because I rely on my family name to do everything!”

“Lucy is not a bitch,” she defended. “You just never gave her a chance.”

“Now you’re defending her? Oh fucking boy. Please, go adopt her. She’ll be a way better Clementine than I.”

“Stop this rebellious nonsense, Aurelia!”

“Rebellious nonsense my foot!” I snapped back. “All of you try to control me like I’m a fucking PUPPET! I’m fucking tired of it! I will not fucking meet your California douche. I will choose my relationships, and no one is going to steal that right away from me. And if I want to date William, I certainly will!”

“You’re not dating him.”

“Keep telling yourself that, and even if I decide not to, I’ll just go find Ace and date him!”

“How dare you try to bring up that murderer!”

“HE’S FUCKING INNOCENT!” I screamed, and the flames shot out of the fireplace and wrapped around me like I was about to summon a fucking demon from hell. My rage couldn’t be rated on a scale of one to ten, but I wished she could see how mad I was. That she could feel the scorching heat leaking off my very skin as I defended a man I’ve been fighting for since the day he rejected me.

“You keep defending a man who hasn’t even served his time for giving you such a mental illness! He’s the reason your parents are dead and yet you’re defending him!”

“My mental illness was due to MY decisions! I’m the one who fucking took the venom to save him! It’s my fault for whatever shit happened that gave me brain damage, and regardless of the past, I won’t allow you to continue to use MY mental illness as a whip to keep lashing out at a man who’s done NOTHING wrong to me!” I let it all out as I clenched my fist that shook violently. “He rejected me because anyone in that situation would have fucking ditched a girl and her horrendous, fucked-up, power-hungry family that stole EVERYTHING he loved. He’s been trying to pick up his life and you keep being a fucking bitch!”

“How dare you, Aurelia!”

“How dare YOU stop him from attending OUR academy?! I bet if I told Grandma, she’d be furious to know that Master L helped multiple times with the application process for Ace and you rejected his access because of ME! You dare use me as a fucking excuse for someone to not receive the wizard training they DESERVE, yet you’re trying to lecture me and get me to open my fucking legs like some kind of slut?! As if my own classmates don’t make fun of me enough. Might as well make it on the front page of gossip. Clementine fucks California boy for a mega-business deal!”

I laughed while my head began to pound mercilessly.

“That’s enough, Aurelia!”

“I fucking hate you.” My voice was suddenly emotionless as I glared at the painting on the wall in front of me. The very piece of decor began to melt like the heat in the room was too much for it to survive. “I hate you so fucking much. You, the Elders, this stupid fucking system. No one cares about me, but you all love to use me to get the sympathy of the world. You’re ruining my reputation and don’t even fucking care because as long as you get your money, connections, and fame, why should I matter?”

“Aurelia. I said that’s-”

“You. Do not. Control me!”

I didn’t grasp Aries’s control until it was far too late to stop her. It was hard to explain how I felt, but it was like a part of me was still in control of myself while the rest was behind the scenes, watching everything happen before my eyes.

“A-Aurelia?”

“If it wasn’t for Grandma, I’d be done with all of you. We move to your tune out of the respect we carry for her, but trust me. This won’t last forever,” she vowed. “One day you’ll be so fucking afraid of us that you’ll bow down to our very feet. Do your worst here and now while you still have some control over me, but there are two things you’ll never have the right to do from this very moment onward. You will not stop me from hanging out with Willow or Onyx, and, most important, you do NOT control my love life. I will fuck whomever I wish to fuck! I will date whomever I choose to date. You, the Elders, or anyone else will not steal away my right and if you dare try, I’ll fucking break my own brain into shattered pieces and fuck this world up.”

She was completely silent as I laughed cynically and whispered, “You know I have enough power to do exactly that. I’ll self-destruct and taint the very Clementine name for all eternity. Wouldn’t that be a grand finale? Then you can reap the rewards for being the ultimate failure for pushing me straight into the hands of insanity while facing jail time for my committed deeds.”

She didn’t have to say anything for me to know she grasped everything I said. The nervous gulp was enough to give me the satisfaction to end this.

“I’m not coming home tonight. I want no security watching me tonight or I’ll kill them and publicly blame it on you for not giving me my meds as punishment for not mingling with your California candidate. And if you want this boy to make connections with us, why don’t you go fuck him yourself. I’m sure a cranky bitch like you would love to get anything seeing as no male can stand you.”

I hung up the phone with those very words and I didn’t think as I tossed it right into the fireplace.

We watched it burn before Aries pulled back, giving me full control again. I felt dizzy to the point that I backed up until my legs hit the vintage fabric of the chair and I sank into its firm cushions. With a groan, I pinched my nose and blinked a few times, trying to get rid of the black spots before attempting to tame the thrumming headache that was assaulting my senses.

The knock on the door was completely unexpected, and I could only mentally curse as the door opened to reveal a young man with platinum blonde hair and black eyes. From his attire, he had to be one of the attending wizards here, but he was holding a silver tray with a wine glass containing what looked to be water.

I fought to hide my agony and anger with a blank expression as the man smiled and began to make his way to where I sat.

“Good evening, Miss Clementine. I was instructed to bring you some water,” he explained as he reached me and bowed his head. “I couldn’t find you in the main dancing hall, but Master L informed me you were in this room.”

He had a shy essence to him and I could tell he was nervous. With a sigh, I worked on rising up and accepted the glass.

“Thank you,” I muttered. “Who instructed you to find me?”

I asked and raised the glass to my lips to drink. He couldn’t reply as the very liquid froze to solid ice. I frowned and lowered the glass as the two of us stared at the clear, frosted liquid.

“I didn’t do that,” he pointed out.

“Me neither,” I admitted with a sigh.

Then the entire glass froze solid, the frigid chill enough for it to slip from my very grasp and shatter on impact against the ground.

“Oops,” I whispered and let out another sigh. “I’ll get someone to clean that up,” I suggested and moved past him.

“Ah, hold on!” He grabbed my wrist to stop me from moving any further. I looked back at him as he gave me a nervous grin. “I can do it! Please, Miss Clementine. Just rest. You don’t look well.”

His comment made me further pout. “I don’t look well?”

“Uh…well. You’re rather pale.”

I could only imagine what I looked like. Tonight was just going downhill and I honestly just wanted to leave rather than entertain this boy.

“Well, I think I should go home if I look so horrendous,” I concluded and tugged my wrist out of his grasp. “I apologize that I can’t entertain you or whatever reason you had for bringing me some water, though your kind act is well received.”

I began walking to the door. “Please apologize to whoever sent you. Maybe another event will serve as a better time to discuss whatever you wished to speak about.”

I grasped the golden knob of the door. I turned and pulled on it, only to realize it was locked. I tried again, only noticing my barrier wall was still up.

“I’m such an idiot,” I huffed to myself and tugged at the strings of magic to unravel the previous protective spell. I was still working on perfecting my spells, and that one was just on the list of being improved for my own benefit.

Only the action didn’t make the magical walls disappear.

My body was suddenly pressed against the door, and the pinch of a sharp object against my neck left me frozen solid as a low chuckle made my body grow cold.

“I have to admit, you are such an idiot.”

The deep voice made fear trickle through me, but I took the risk of pushing back against the guy just to spin myself around to try to face him.

“ELAVA RA-” I began my spell to teleport myself but his hand struck out and claimed my neck, slamming me against the door, his grip immediately tightening along my neck.

The nervous, shy-looking boy now looked like a venomous enemy. His eyes of black were now voids of hatred - intense emotion that I couldn’t fathom was specifically directed at me.

“What an innocent lamb you are,” he hissed in glee as he chuckled lowly. “Is this why they always have security around you? Because you’re an innocent fool? What a shame.”

I struggled for breath as I fought to call for my magic, but nothing was flowing as more fear spiked through me.

Aries!

My wolf, who was always in her usual spot, was suddenly nowhere in sight, and my fright took the form of my widened eyes while the smirking man further smiled at my revelation.

“Can’t find your wolf?” he inquired. “I figured you’d try to use her in this situation so I made sure I came prepared. It amazes me that you’re the one I’m being forced to marry. A pathetic, crazy bitch who can’t even defend herself against a predator.”

He laughed loudly and then sighed dramatically.

“If you’d just drank that glass of spiked water, this would have been a lot easier. I would have taken you to that lavish suite your aunt booked for us so I could have a good time with you.”

He moved in closer as if inspecting my face.

“At least you have some looks. Your body is curvier than how I like my women, but you’ll do. A few days of no food will make you thin as a stick. Then we’ll groom you up to be a little submissive misfit and I’ll have my perfect wife,” he stated with glee. “And that wolf of yours? Ah…she’ll never fucking see the light of day again. Only darkness, which she fucking deserves.”

I gritted my teeth as I fought desperately at whatever was holding me down. I couldn’t stop the tears that were pooled in my eyes out of pure frustration at my obvious carelessness. How many mistakes would it take for me to realize how weak I was?

Now the idea of Aries being stuck in whatever dark paradise this evil fiend had placed upon her was pushing me into a desperate corner to get out of this man’s grasp, but I couldn’t fight the heavy force that kept me trapped.

And it was making me regret everything.

I regretted being such a mindless fool and hoping by waiting things out, I’d be able to gain my own independence and figure this shit called life out. All I’d been doing was learning every bit of knowledge in books, discovering every spell that would get me perfect grades in any exam.

But now I was in a dangerous situation and I couldn’t do anything. Absolutely nothing.

The gasp of a hiss was followed with a scream of panic - the sound forcing me to open my eyes to see the man release me as his hand was literally freezing. It started from the fingertips of his dominating arm and was spreading upward at a fast pace.

This was my chance to move out of the way, but I was frozen out of sheer fear.

I…need help.

The thought reminded me of when Ace was dying in my grasp, and the memory brought his face into my vision that was blurring with black spots.

“Ace,” I hiccupped as my tears spilled down my face. “Help…I need…help.”

It felt like my world was caving in, each breath becoming a struggle while the black spots continued to spread through my vision. I couldn’t pass out now, and that was only encouraging the approaching panic attack to consume me while I shook violently in fear.

The sound of shattered glass was followed with alarms going off in the halls, the added sounds making things worse while my enemy’s arm was continuing to freeze.

“Fuck! You cunt. Stop the freezing!” He got off the ground and was going to punch me with his left hand, but his fist slammed into the hand of another.

My eyes widened at the crazed sorcery, as did my enemy’s, because there was a single hand holding his fist back, yet no one stood before me. We watched as the hand squeezed back, until the guy was screaming in so much pain he crumbled to his knees.

“How fucking dare you?” The familiar voice left me speechless as my eyes further widened at the sight of the unraveling magic. The hand began to morph into an arm of silky black before the rest of the being’s body became visible.

Silver locks that transitioned to a neon teal, like my hair, came into fruition. The individual was a few inches taller than me. I knew that aura of power, just like I knew the aching force within my heart that began to clench its racing surface.

Ace?

“You think because you have money you can touch my kitten?” His voice trembled with animosity and his aura only further grew. “Go run to your little family of wealth and see if you can save that arm of yours. And if you dare cause trouble for my mate, I’ll end every single person you love. Every. Single. One. You hear me?”

He let go and the guy didn’t delay to shuffle back before his entire being was engulfed in inky black magic that stole him away from his spot.

Whether his disappearance was the reason my legs buckled or I just couldn’t tolerate the spike of panic running through me, my body was falling forward before I could stop it, but Ace somehow caught me and lowered me onto my hands and knees as I shook violently.

“Shit,” he cursed, and I expected him to leave me there. Why on earth did he even help me? I felt so pitifully weak, and it made sobs escape me as I fought for breath like it wasn’t surrounding me.

“Dammit, Auri,” he cursed, and I was in his arms, breathing heavily into his chest. “You’re safe, Auri. Calm down.”

“A…Aries. I…can’t…feel…” I was trying to tell him about my wolf, but it was so hard to think and express what needed to be said. I couldn’t lose consciousness without seeing my wolf. She was the only companion who could vouch for me that this all happened.

She was always the one in tow that endured everything I experienced - good and bad.

“Aries…your wolf.” He didn’t seem sure, but he took a deep inhale and I felt his fingers press against my temples. Like a pop of my ears, the darkness that cloaked my mind was suddenly gone, and there was Aries. She whimpered and shook her body like she was trying to get the inky stuff off her flesh.

The relief only made my entire system drop, and I couldn’t even offer my words of gratitude because I was spiraling into a realm of darkness that looked far too comforting.

My hidden savior.

8

WHAT ARE WE? ENEMIES OR LOST LOVERS

“A urelia?”

Aries’s voice drifted within my head, her presence enough to tug me out of the captive web of sleep. My body felt so heavy, like I’d conjured a magnificent spell that stole away my glimmering vigor. I felt a tad sluggish in the mind department, my consciousness balancing between the realms of sleep and the land of wakefulness.

A voice near me caught my attention, the depth giving me butterflies, if that was what that nervous fluttering in my stomach was all about. It was like listening to your lover on the other side of the phone line, only I’d never really experienced that feeling.

Well…aside from the few times William had been flirting with me. Did that count?

“You can inform them that she’s in a safe location for the night. No way was I going to bring her to that suite they specifically booked for that douche of a fucker to have access to. What if I wasn’t the one on protective duty, Master L? That fucker was going to force himself on my Auri!”

My…Auri?

There was a pause before he grumbled, “Just because I fucking rejected her doesn’t mean she ain’t mine! You know I don’t care if that’s not how it works.” There was another moment of silence as he was clearly listening to the person on the receiving end.

“There’s a difference between someone who actually gives two cents about her and some complete stranger who literally wants to rape MY mate.”

It sounded like this individual was pacing, but it was the statement “my mate” that had my heart clenching like it always did when I recalled what I was.

Wolf Rejected…unworthy of my mate’s love.

“Why am I angry? Did you expect me to be happy? Sad? Confused? If you’re calling me to reverse the spell I put on that bastard’s arm, I will not. Let it rot his limb so he’ll never touch what doesn’t belong to him. If it wasn’t because of Auri’s fucked-up family, our future would be fucking different!” He sounded so mad. It was as if he were finally getting everything that had been pent up inside of him out for the world to listen.

For my own ears to hear.

“How is it okay to turn a blind eye to the real truth that happened that night, Master L? Tell me? I was the happiest…fucking person in the world. I’d awakened my wolf early, found my destined mate, and got to make my parents so damn proud of me! All of that changed because someone decided that I’d be nothing but a hindrance to Aurelia and her power-hungry family and ruined everything! My parents were tortured and beheaded before my eyes. I still have fucking nightmares about that very incident. I wasn’t allowed to return to a place that accepted us like refugees entering a country because of THEIR wrongful error of judgment. I had to reject my mate because they threatened to fucking kill her. And if you didn’t arrive when you did…I would have been dead. Then what would have happened to Auri, huh?”

My heart picked up the pace as his words began to register in my mind - the information connecting the various dots and confirming that this man was indeed Ace.

“Since that day, nothing has come easy for me. I’ve had to work double to be seen, triple to be heard, and no matter how many times I state I’m innocent, that tainted reality of the past still haunts me. Every day, I have to protect a woman who would have made me the happiest in the whole damn universe, but I can’t enjoy her. I can’t be around her. I can’t even comfort her when she’s boxed into a situation that makes her feel so damn useless. I have to watch as her family is doing everything to keep her in line because they failed with Elder Valentine and Auri’s mother! They’re so damn desperate and everyone on the outside knows it and yet we can’t do anything?! Like, when is it enough?!”

My heart felt like it was shattering because I was finally hearing the truth. Finally understanding a glimpse of why all these years had gone by and why I couldn’t wholeheartedly hate my best friend even though he brought and continued to bring pain.

I could tell from his voice and the heaviness of the conversation that my mate - or ex-mate - was in just as much agony as me. He’d lived his life being absent from me via sight, and had been watching me from afar. It all made sense now.

How he’d leave flowers on my parents’ graves whenever I decided to solo visit and of course when I went with Grandma. Those quiet times when I’d wait for the car after working with Natasha into the late evening hours and how it felt like someone was watching me from the shadows.

It amazed me how I mentally wished I had someone watching me, like how Onyx watched Willow from afar, but it was becoming crystal clear that my guardian angel and savior from what had occurred earlier was indeed Ace Hunter.

Ace took a few breaths and sighed. “I can’t do this much longer, Master L,” he finally admitted. “I can’t continue to turn a blind eye whenever this family wants to use Aurelia for their own games. I only have a year left. I can’t leave and worry about another man touching Auri like she’s a fucking doll. She’s more valuable than that. She deserves to be respected and loved correctly. She should be the one in the driver’s seat, and not abused. Don’t you think she’s been emotionally and mentally abused enough?”

His voice cracked then, and it shocked me that he cared so dearly for me.

In my imagination, I could see the little boy with a heart of gold. The boy who would give me a tiny gathering of dandelions and run with me through the fields. We’d laugh and even cry when one of us got hurt. He was my best friend, and I lost him over what?

A powerplay that happened right under my nose…by my own family?

It made me sick just thinking about it, but I struggled to remain still as I listened to Ace’s words. “I don’t care what strings you have to pull Master L…and I know I’m not your real son like your other two sons…but…please,” he literally begged and took a struggling breath. “I’m not strong enough to do a single thing. I don’t have the list of connections, or the shiny ranks, and I definitely don’t have enough money to make people listen to me. Once I reach twenty-one, I’ll be able to do what needs to be done to go up the ladder, but…until then, can you do something? Anything?”

A moment of silence ticked by. “No one else can date her. Willow? Who’s…oh. William? Onyx’s close friend…hmph. If they’re interested in each other, I’m sure that would make her family go crazy. He’d treat her with more respect than anyone else. Tsk. I’m getting outwitted by a boy who can be a girl. Unbelievable. Ya, ya, put my broken ego aside. Fine, but no one else.”

He paused as if he were thinking about it. “Until she can be happy without me.”

Why did it hurt so much to hear the valid truth in his words?

I could finally paint a picture of who my ex-mate had become and realized second after second that he wasn’t a terrible person for rejecting me. He’d clearly done it to protect me.

But protect me from what?

“I know the sacrifice I’ll have to make to get your aid, but if doing that means I have to give up this gig, so be it. That bitch of an aunt is the reason why I’m in this predicament. She doesn’t want me protecting Aurelia as constant punishment, so be it. It’ll make leaving NYC easier.”

He’s leaving?

He let out a long sigh before he whispered, “Sorry. I shouldn’t be speaking so disrespectful to you. I’m just…frustrated,” he quietly admitted. “I know one day it won’t be like this. One day I’ll have the power, connections, and money to do what needs to be done to be seen. To be taken seriously. Only one more year to completely craft my magic, and then it’s time to go away and train my wolf. I got the approval today and I did perfectly fine with the physical. The ticket to Russia is already booked. I’m not sure what base state I want to be in. Not New York, somewhere else. I guess I’ll choose whichever state tries to pick a fight with me first. I don’t need to be like other Alphas who wish to rule the state. I just need the perfect set of cards to create the perfect flush: a few powerful elites that are misfits like me. Everyone likes to look over us because we’re hybrids…but give me time. That’s all I need to become the threat that will force people to bow to my will.”

The quietness flowed for far longer than I expected, and I questioned if I’d dozed off - or better yet, if this was all a dream.

“Thank you, Master L. I know…you’re leaving soon to get back to business in the high realms, but…” He struggled to speak as he sniffed. “Thank you for raising me. For not…abandoning me in this fucked-up world. I know I don’t express my gratitude enough, but I cherish every lesson you’ve taught me. Maybe I’ll get to meet your sons one day, but I appreciate your kindness and offerings.”

He sniffed again, and it was like he was fighting every bit of himself to not break down and cry.

“I’ll stay until morning. I have Onyx’s number due to business. I’m sure if I tell him this will reach William’s ears. The more I think about it, the more I realize he probably has a thing for her. Ugh. Maybe it’s a good thing I’m being fired in the morning. Won’t need to see my kitten be loved by someone better than me.”

He laughed at something that was said.

“Yes, I call her kitten because she purrs like one when she sleeps, and no, that hasn’t changed since the day I met her.”

I wasn’t sure whether to be insulted or to swoon over the odd nickname that you’d surely give to your lover and not the girl you had to toss away for her own sake, but who was I to judge?

I’m the fool trapped in a box that her family set up to watch her downfall. Surely anyone else would further mock me for my stupidity.

“Thank you, Master L. Yes. I’ll check in once I know Auri is safe with William and Onyx. Okay. Yes. I’ll make sure to be careful. I know who Westley is. I’ll be safe if he tries to plan something against me. Clearly, others have realized I’m not an easy mouse to catch, and Aurelia has protection even after I leave. It’s all for the best. Alright. Mhmm. Yes, tell her we’ll definitely enjoy a tea party or two before I leave for training. Try to have a restful night.”

He hung up the phone after they exchanged goodbyes, and I debated whether to wake up or to wait. I was still mentally absorbing everything that had been said, but more importantly, I was beginning to grasp how toxic my family was.

If it wasn’t for Grandma, Natasha, Willow, and Onyx, I’d be nothing but an outcast in my own family. I bet they wished to tug me along to every bit of their tune, and all the warning signs were there.

How can I run away from my own family?

I wasn’t even close to being a threat. I lacked in knowledge in multiple areas and had yet to grasp enough information on the Coven to try to blackmail them like rivaling forces attempted to do - and failed. Not to forget that I still wasn’t at a strong enough level to be in the same magical rank as anyone. Physically, I didn’t stand a chance. No training, no self-defense knowledge. I was literally a walking target and I knew nothing about how to defend myself in a situation that blocked out my ability to use my magic.

Or the ability to use my wolf.

That was the first time I’d ever experienced that, and it was beyond scary. Never would I have thought it would be possible to disable Aries from aiding me, and somehow this boy named Westley was able to do that with no problem.

From the sound of things, he could be a threat to Ace, and who knew what strings he was pulling to make sure I wasn’t thrown into that situation again.

The memory flashed before my eyes, and I was whimpering and wishing to curl up in a ball the next second. That level of hopelessness only triggered my fears of the past. Fears of watching those I cared about slip away, and seeing Aries disappear from the comforting spot in my subconsciousness triggered that sensation.

That panic feeling made it feel like I was sinking into a void of death.

I whimpered again and turned onto my side, fighting for breath as the memory simply repeated itself again and again. Nothing had happened and yet all I could think of was what could have happened if Ace hadn’t shown up.

Master L had warned me. He’d told me point-blank to be careful, and not even five minutes had gone by before I was in a situation where I couldn’t defend myself. I was so fucking lucky, and the mere conclusion only reminded me of Willow.

Reminded me of what happened at Natasha’s place only a few short hours earlier.

Was that how it felt? When your control was stripped from you and you were left with nothing but your mental capacity to take in every stroke of pain brought upon you at every angle? To be a trapped bird and watch the person who carried the key to your captivity do whatever they wished to you, even if it meant you’d be destroyed goods after?

Even if those deeds would leave scars that would never heal?

The older I got, the more exposed I was to the growing reality that our world was nowhere near as good as I’d mentally imagined. Every instance made me doubt that there was good in this world, and I was beginning to realize just how far behind I was compared to Willow and Onyx.

They knew the severity of this world first hand, and Roberto was the one ensuring they endured the worst of the worst in his grasp instead of an outsider enjoying the satisfaction of empowerment at the sight of breaking them.

Even if it makes him a bad guy in the process.

This feeling was so hard to grasp, and it only made me wish that I hadn’t pushed every damn nerve to know what happened to Willow. That I would have stopped being so damn curious and let her have the space she deserved.

I’d experienced a mere fraction of what she had, and what hurt more was it was from someone she loved. I was put in a situation by a stranger, and that alone left me trembling and whimpering in this foreign bed like a wounded animal in the middle of the road.

“Aurelia.”

The touch to my shoulder only made me further whimper, but there was that aroma of pine with a speck of mint, before arms of warmth pulled me right into that protective grasp that held me like they had earlier, until I’d been consumed by darkness.

“Auri, wake up,” he urged me, but I was scared to do that. Frightened to accept that what had happened had indeed occurred. His arms tightened around me, and he let out a sigh - his hot breath brushing against my neck.

“Just for tonight…we’re not enemies. We’re just…we’re just us, Auri.”

I struggled to calm down but his words gave me the push to move my arms to hug him back. I missed his touch so much. Missed our silly banter, addictive laughter, and the shared hugs we’d enjoy the moment we saw each other.

I yearned for those early childhood days where life wasn’t this stressful and we could just take it a day at a time with one another. I craved having someone at my side, having a person who always had my back no matter what.

It didn’t matter if the other witches and wizards tried to paint me black and blue, Ace would defend me, even when his peers made fun of him for having a crush on me. He was my solid rock, and that was all taken away from me.

The safety net that would have been honest with me from day one compared to the rest of those around me.

What would have happened if I didn’t have the few people in my life that kept me sane? Would I have ever spoken a word again after my parents’ deaths? Would I have met Ace again like I was now? Would I have lived long enough to even reach this moment in time?

“Why?” I whispered into his chest. “Why…why is the world…so evil?” I questioned.

He didn’t answer, but he rubbed my back, allowing me to cry as I gave in to the overpowering emotions that dared to consume me. I needed to let them out. To cry every single tear and be in the arms of the man who should have been mine.

I didn’t want to worry about the past or the future. Just for this moment, I wanted to live right in the present.

To get lost in this fantasy just for tonight, enjoying the arms of my fated mate who truly adored me.

“That’s just how life is, Auri,” he finally whispered. That was the answer that everyone gave. That life was just that: unfair, cruel, and destroyed the hopes and dreams everyone had as a child.

It was sickening to me, being in a disgusting world like this. I only wished to do something about it. To have some sort of control over my circumstances and protect those I treasured. Could I live knowing my friends could potentially be hurt because of me? Could I continue to be a puppet to a family that only had power on their agenda?

Why couldn’t my wish for my knowledge, power, and stability be granted with a snap of my fingers? What route would I even take from this moment onward?

I cried until my tear ducts were dry and my whimpers softened. It took me calming down to notice the swift beat of Ace’s heart that drummed against his chest, leaving me to wonder what he was thinking about.

He probably pitied me, stared down at me like a lost kitten in an alleyway that begged for attention in the chill harshness of the pouring rain.

Pushing myself away from him, I tried to gather my strength and get off what I was coming to acknowledge was a bed. The sheets were black, just like the room, which was decorated in the charcoal shade. It didn’t necessarily look like a hotel room, but it was so neat, I wasn’t sure who lived here.

“You’re not in any state to leave,” Ace muttered as I avoided his gaze.

“I’m just a burden to you,” I grumbled back and managed to get off the bed with my wobbly feet. They felt so heavy that just dragging them across the black tiled floor felt like a mission in itself.

I didn’t even manage five steps before my knees gave out and I was on the ground.

“Fuck.” I muttered the swear word and was left to sulk as my eyes filled with a new set of tears.

The heavy sigh from behind me only made me want to give up on this damn conquest to get out of here.

Can’t I just shrivel up into a dark void and never be seen again?

The soft touch to my head was unexpected, as was seeing the very man in question crouching in front of me. It was truly the first time I was seeing all of him, and my eyes grew bigger as they moved from his head down to his toes.

His hair of silver had now shifted to a lime blonde that was far too similar to my venomous roots, while his eyes were teal blue with specks of orange. It was like he was in another form of himself, but his attractiveness and his calm expression made my heart skip a few beats while I admired his creamy white skin.

He wore a black t-shirt and simple black pants. He looked so casual and yet so fucking hot in comparison to all those wizards at the academy that worked overtime to look good and attract the flock of girls that would throw themselves at them for one night of sex.

His aura was the most fascinating thing to look at - a mixture of orange, teal, gold, and silver. The combination was unique and the colors blended with one another so marvellously. I knew right away that he hadn’t allowed himself to slack off with his potential that was recognizable when we were but babes.

After stroking my head a few times, he moved his hand and lightly flicked my forehead.

“Ow,” I muttered while blinking my glassy eyes.

“You were never a weakling when we were young. What changed?” he whispered as if he were truly curious as to why I’d become this person.

“You rejecting me,” I huffed. “Asshole.”

I wanted him to get mad, but he simply smirked and lightly rubbed the spot he’d flicked.

“Still hate me?”

The odd question made me huff in impatience as my pooled tears ran down my flushed cheeks. “You and I both know I never hated you.”

I lowered my head to avoid his gaze as I muttered, “Just for tonight…can’t we be truthful with one another?” I was taking a shot at this, but there was nothing to lose. “We don’t need to talk about the incident…or why you rejected me…but can you just answer my questions with honesty?”

I waited for his reply, until he finally whispered, “Fine. Just tonight, Kitten.”

Pouting at the nickname, I gave him a look. “Kitten? Really?”

“You seethe like a kitten,” he replied. “Snore like one, too.”

“I do not snore!”

“You wouldn’t know.” His smile further spread across his delicate lips and I was almost taken away by how relaxed he looked. It was as if we’d gone back in time to the days we were completely open with one another, and nothing had fought so hard to tear us apart.

I miss this…. No…I miss him.

“I miss you.” The words couldn’t help but escape me, and I wasn’t sure I regretted it yet. I was waiting for his reaction. For the anger to flood his eyes and for his built-up hatred for me to consume my very being with a simple look of venomous fury. But his eyes were like twinkling pools of the ocean with hints of sunset rays as he whispered, “Me too, Auri. I miss you, too.”

It was the first time in what seemed like forever that someone had spoken honestly to me. Like I was worthy of just the truth with no other bullshit attached. Was this what I craved? To be seen and heard, to be honest with another without worrying about the consequences?

Without second-guessing if their words were truth or a lie, or wondering if their statement was said because my family wished for me to know such knowledge, or fabricated to leave me in a state of foolish belief.

I decided we needed to talk about something - anything to keep me from breaking down into a slobbering mess for what surely would be a third time.

“Where are we?” I inquired.

“My place,” he replied. “Well, it’s my place until tomorrow evening. I could push it to one more night if I blink my eyes enough.”

“You’re moving?”

He didn’t look like he wanted to talk about it as his eyes moved from mine and he seemed more focused on my strands of hair that he’d begun fiddling with as a distraction.

“I don’t think I’ll have much of a choice but to leave, Auri,” he quietly admitted. “There are consequences for me interfering.”

“From who?” My voice held that stern bitterness, like something disgusting had infiltrated my tongue’s senses. “Beatrice?”

“Probably.” He honestly didn’t seem like he cared anymore. “Or the Elders, or anyone else who’s on your family’s payroll.”

“That guy could have…” I struggled to say the word as the mere memory made me shiver. Ace obviously noticed before he got up and walked to the thermostat as if I were cold. It took me a minute to realize I wasn’t in my dress but rather in a t-shirt that surely belonged to him.

“It won’t happen again,” Ace emphasized as he worked on the knobs of the thermostat. I watched his back while admiring his height. He had to be Onyx’s current height from the looks of things, but being two years older, I was sure he’d have one more Alpha growth spurt to go.

“You can’t guarantee that, Ace.”

“In this case, I can,” he declared as he looked over his shoulder so I could see the intense determination in those colorful sunset orbs. “I’m not losing my job for nothing. May piss him and his rich ass family off, but he can’t do anything else to me that can ruin me.”

“How do you know for sure?” I whispered. “He could seek revenge.”

“The only revenge that would make a piercing in my cold, broken heart is hurting you,” he muttered as he looked away and further whispered, “And since he won’t be allowed to get near you, there’s nothing else to use against me.”

He waited a few added seconds before adding, “My parents are dead, Master L is untouchable. There’s no one else that’s considered important to me. I have no other commitments here in NYC the moment morning comes and I’m officially fired.”

“Ace.”

He turned around to give me his full attention as I got to the point.

“You’ve been forced to protect me this entire time?”

“Basically,” he confessed and shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “The Elders thought it would be noble of me to dedicate myself to your safety after the incident and trial that cleared my name by proving that I was indeed innocent. I’m sure they hated the fact Master L had legally ensured that the incident that occurred and left my parents beheaded would publicly acknowledge their error in their swift judgment. They were doing me a favor, in their eyes. Offering me a job to be near someone as important as the youngest Clementine member was an honor for an orphan like me. Even if Master L took me in, nothing is official in paperwork. I didn’t want to be a burden, nor did I want to give anyone the impression I wished to have a part of his inheritance when he eventually passes away. I just wished to be given access to knowledge and a roof over my head. So…I’ve been living here ever since.”

“By yourself?”

He could see the sadness swarming in my eyes.

“By myself, Auri,” he replied, his eyes empty of emotion at the memory. He closed them briefly as if trying to push away those thoughts. “Master L helped me settle in and learn the ropes of the city, and if I needed him, he was a call away. I made the decision to be alone. To not be a burden to anyone. If I remained by myself, who would come and accuse me of being the one to blame for their demise? No one.”

“But…aren’t you lonely?”

The question made him chuckle and he moved to sit in front of me on the floor.

“Why would it matter? Aside from you, my parents, and Master L, no one else in this world cared about how I felt. My parents were dead, Master L busy with his duty on the High Court, and I wasn’t allowed to let you know I existed, let alone leak out the fact I was always close by.”

“The time at the cemetery,” I whispered.

“That wasn’t planned by me,” he admitted. “Master L requested us to visit on the way home one night. Guess he wanted to give you the reassurance that I was surviving. Who knows?”

“Why…aren’t you mad at me?” He looked right into my eyes as I validated my statement. “I’m at fault. It’s literally my fault that your life went from perfect to upside down. All because of my family. I didn’t know they were forcing you to protect me from afar. I only found out they were denying you access to the gifted classes from Master L hours ago. A tiny part of me wanted you to attend…so…we could talk…or something. I just…don’t understand why you’d even help me. Or save me. I should be your enemy. Wouldn’t that give you greater satisfaction?”

“I wanted to.” He didn’t lie. “I tried to, but at the end of the day, who was the one left suffering?”

“What…do you mean?” I wasn’t grasping what he was saying.

“You keep emphasizing how I lost my parents that night but didn’t you lose yours as well?” he acknowledged. “I was taken in by a man who gave me a level of independence no one else would give a kid. I got my time to grieve, had my share of moments when I was taken in, comforted, and empowered by the parental individuals in my life that wanted to see me prosper. I was respected in the environment I was introduced into, and I got to meet people I wouldn’t have met because of this misfit status magic users love to label us with. Due to tragedy, I was forced to grow up, and though it’s hard every fucking day, it’s getting me closer to my goals. I’m moving step by step closer to where I want to be, and no one can stop me this time.”

He looked to my chest and very slowly reached out as if to see what my reaction would be. When I remained in place, he lifted the necklace I always carried around my neck. My magic had to have been low for it to be in view, but his eyes admired it carefully as he wrapped his fingers around its frame.

“But what about you? You lost your parents, were called crazy and mocked by your peers. You were almost killed and needed security around you all the time. Isolated in your home to never mingle with others unless it was for academic reasons. Drilled to study, forced to learn. Your goal was to get the best grades, and that was it. Did you ever get to have fun? Ever get to let loose? Your outlet is the brief moments you have with that William boy and Onyx. You get a bit of freedom when you work with Natasha or spend time with your grandma. At the end of the day, you’re stuck in a cycle. Exactly where your family wants you to be. So let me ask you: are you anywhere close to the individual you want to be? If the world flipped upside down at the brink of morning, would you be able to walk out of this place confidently, knowing you’d be able to survive if the world was truly ending?”

He speaks in a way like Master L.

“No,” I replied.

“Then, to me, I can’t be mad at you for the past you had no control over. Especially when you’re suffering in a toxic environment that you’re not able to bend or fix. If I wanted to ditch NYC right this instance, I could. I’d have the ability to go anywhere and start fresh, while you’re tied down because of the blood running through your veins and the power you carry that’s at a grand level in your family’s eyes.”

“I can just leave,” I reasoned as he let go of the necklace to meet my desperate eyes. “I don’t need to pack anything. Just leave a note for Grandma, Natasha, Willow, and Onyx and I can go away. I could come with you?”

It was obviously wishful thinking, and he knew that, but he gave me his attention as he slowly shook his head from side to side.

“You wouldn’t be able to escape your family, Aurelia. Not in the shape you’re in.”

“I know I’m weak, Ace.” I wasn’t going to beat around the bush with that prime factor. “But they’re probably afraid of me. Of what I can achieve.”

“I won’t deny that, Kitten,” he confessed and very gently reached out to stroke my cheek. “But if your grandma asked you to stay, would you say no to her?”

The idea made me frown as I envisioned the very scene within my mind. Grandma’s wise eyes, her wrinkled expression scrunched up in worry at the mere idea of me being away from home. She’d been through so much throughout her lifetime. Did I really want to contribute to her agony?

“No…but,” I began and groaned as I rushed my hands through my hair in frustration, “I’m fucking trapped, Ace. I can’t…fuck. I can’t go home and just act like what happened at the party…didn’t frighten me.” I looked into his eyes as I whispered, “It was so scary…and I couldn’t do anything. I tried to use my magic and it didn’t work. I tried to use Aries and he just blocked her out in this sheet of darkness.”

There was the stem of anger that took over his eyes until they were now glowing orange while the ocean blue was barely visible.

“He’ll never lay a finger on you again,” he growled his vow, and it made Aries come out from her corner and approach the surface. She wasn’t going to trigger my shift, nor was she going to put me in the back seat, but she was close enough for her essence to project through my eyes.

“That’s something only those taught by a Master should know how to do. It’s basically forbidden, but Master L taught me it just in case. He didn’t want the chance of me getting kidnapped or hurt because of my association with him. He trained me to defend myself.”

“If I’m stuck here, I have to do the same,” I whispered. “I have to figure out a way to protect myself…but I don’t want them knowing that. I’m so tired of everyone knowing what I do.”

“Why not be trained by William and Onyx?”

I looked at him in confusion as I answered, “They would know.”

“You do realize the security that watches over you can’t go past Pack House property, right?”

The news left me staring at him like he was the most interesting blank wall I’d ever witnessed.

“Guess that’s a no,” he stated to himself and relaxed back on his hands while his legs remained crossed. “The moment you reach the first gated entry, you’re under the protection of the De Lucas. That Viktor guy who bodyguards William is in charge of the security unit. We’re meant to wait there until you leave and exit those gates.”

“But I’d need a reason to go there more often.”

“Date someone in the Pack House,” he casually offered, and I gave him a look that forced him to add, “Not seriously. Make it into an alibi or a rebellion against what happened. I don’t know.”

“And who would you approve of?” I offered. “Because there are probably barely any options that reach your level of ‘Don’t touch my mate’ approval.”

He pouted at my statement, looking slightly irritated that I remembered that part. “William.”

My cheeks actually began to blush, and he watched me while his eyes narrowed in scrutiny.

“You have a crush on him.”

“I-I don’t!” I fired back far too quickly to not look like a guilty kitten. “I mean…he’s had a crush on me or, well…maybe Willow. UGH. I don’t know. Onyx loves Willow. You can see it in his eyes. No way I’d be able to date her.”

“Have they made it official?” he asked, the reminder forcing me to acknowledge what occurred earlier today.

“No. They haven’t really dated. Just on and off, but Willow wants to try something new. I’m not sure if that means dating a girl…but…ugh. I don’t want to date her just to come over to their Pack House more often.”

“You’re right,” he replied. “You want to date her because you’ve had a crush on William for a while now and just ignored it.”

“How would you…” I trailed off as he actually smirked. “Oh no.”

Something dawned on me, and his smirk only widened until I crashed into him, my hands on his throat a second later.

“You did NOT read my diary! I’ll murder you here and now if you dare did!”

He actually laughed even though it was a strained mess of a sound while he patted the side of my hips lightly. “Crazy Kitten, you’re going to kill me,” he choked between struggled chuckles.

“That’s the punishment for reading my personal stuff!” I shrieked. “Die!”

“This…makes me wish…these walls weren’t…soundproof,” he choked.

“Ugh,” I groaned and decided to let him go. “Nevermind. I hate you.”

He sat up and watched as I got up. My legs weren’t as heavy as before, but my gait was clearly off because Ace had his arm hooking around me a second later - pulling me close until my lips were inches from his.

“Dammit! Why can’t my body just work!” I heaved in frustration.

“You like to be hard on yourself a lot,” Ace muttered and I rewarded him with a glare. He merely smirked and suddenly lifted me up.

“Oh shit!” I shrieked and couldn’t help but cling to him as he walked me to the washroom. He lowered me to my feet and left me standing in the middle of the black-and-gold marbled space.

“Get comfortable,” he encouraged, already at the door. “There are fresh clothes on the counter. I have a few more things to pack.”

He was gone before I could say anything - the door closing behind him. It was impossible to ignore the way my heart beat and the rushing of my blood pounding in my ears.

I was coming to grasp that my life thus far of suffering and misery was not because of the events that led to me being isolated, but because of the source that fought to ensure I never went out of line.

That I always did what was needed to survive and nothing more. No friends, no love on my own agenda. To be the perfect Clementine that gave the family the fortune, name, and reputation that they needed. All at the cost of my happiness.

“Do you think that’s why Grandma separated with her love?”

Aries’s question frightened me a bit because it was so random, and yet, Grandfather was never mentioned unless Grandma was reminiscing about the past for some important reason.

“That could be it,” I whispered. “We should ask her.”

Taking the opportunity that Ace gave, I decided to take a shower. The warm beads of water aided my muscles that were so tensed up from the long day in relaxing. I rubbed my flesh as if I were covered in mud, hoping to get rid of the stench that Westley left upon me.

I could smell hints of smoke I hadn’t picked up previously, and my nostrils flared in anger at the reminder of what had occurred. How he almost broke me and how I couldn’t even do a damn thing.

I fought against the urge to cry and gritted my teeth instead while I closed my eyes. I stood there for a long time, the hot beads of water drowning me until it felt like the world was silent.

The world was completely still.

“Aurelia.”

Ace’s voice sounded close, and yet it also held an echo to it. I opened my eyes, but it felt like I wasn’t standing in the shower. I was standing in a field, fireflies and frozen beads of water all around me, and for a moment, the world was simply frozen while I noticed a man who stood far away.

He looked familiar and yet the sight of him began to make my head hurt. He stood tall, like a warrior with bulky shoulders and loads of muscle. His hair was bright blonde, and I mentally wondered if he was a wolf shifter.

The word left me like a forbidden whisper. “Papa?”

The grip to my shoulder snapped me out of it, my head swiftly turning to my left to acknowledge Ace’s glowing eyes of orange. From the stinging of my own eyes, I knew I’d activated my own magic that oozed all over the washroom, but it was the frozen beads of water floating through the air to the very ceiling that grasped my attention.

“Um…oops?”

“You’re trying to make tonight troublesome, huh?”

“Maybe it would seduce you into loving me?” I suggested. He cringed at my statement and I rolled my eyes. “You could have just gone along with it, jerk!” I punched at his chest, realizing he was shirtless and just wearing a pair of black boxers.

“Why are you naked?” I complained while trying to tame the flush that began to creep along my cheeks.

“Says the girl who is naked.” He sighed and let go of me to retreat out of the shower. “Get out of there.”

“You said I should get comfortable!”

“You’ve been showering for forty-five minutes, and from the looks of it, magically meditating for fifteen.”

“Magically what?” I inquired.

He further frowned before turning his head away as he headed to the door once more. “Come outside and I’ll explain.”

“Could have just told me here,” I muttered under my breath, but he closed the door to emphasize he wasn’t changing his mind.

He’s a jerk.

“He is being nice to us today. He hasn’t changed much, don’t you think?”

She had a point. Yes, physically he had changed - in a good, attractive way - and his personality had matured in an intriguing hot-cold way, but if he was being nice to me, how did he normally act around everyone else?

I may have gotten a glimpse during his conversation with Master L, but I was sure he acted completely different among those he didn’t trust.

Like a viper ready to show his fangs.

I shook my head out of my thoughts and looked around the washroom once more. The floating orbs of water made this washroom look like we’d opened a portal to a world of water and summoned bubbles.

While freezing time.

“I’m going to need Natasha to do a check on my meds,” I muttered to myself. After making sure whatever I’d done hadn’t made a horrid mess of Ace’s bathroom, I finished up and changed into the “clothes” he left for me.

Meaning a single t-shirt and no lingerie.

It may have been silly if I told this to someone else, but I’d thrown out the bra and panties I’d worn earlier. No way would I be reminded about this freak incident that still left my arms in goosebumps at the slight memory of it.

I knew it was still fresh and my reaction had to be normal - I think - but a part of me felt bad for being so affected by Westley’s actions. Not to ignore my family’s and the Elders’ desire to feed me to the wolves.

Walking out of the washroom, I muttered, “Clothes to females isn’t just a t…” I trailed off as I paused in my movement to see Ace mid-spell.

His eyes were closed as flames of orange-red danced around his half-naked body. Markings that had never been upon his flesh before suddenly took over his muscled arms, glowing in a vivid neon yellow while some symbols glowed in a gorgeous teal shade.

My jaw went slack as the spell surged into three different variants, proof he was not doing just one spell, but three at the same time.

“Protect thy walls until the sunset of this new day, shield our senses from any forms of manipulation, and heat our surroundings with warmth that will keep us safe until we part on our next paths towards destiny. Vera Le Na Firande Le Vu.”

The triple-threat spell rushed to complete the deed; the blue orb of power shot to the walls to shield them with their calming light, the green orb spun around the room and left a scent of forest pine and mint like a flying air freshener, and the orb of fire headed straight to the little fireplace that was opposite the bed.

In a minute, everything was complete and Ace lowered his arms and opened his eyes that were various colors that danced with possessiveness. When they met mine, I wasn’t sure if it was him or his wolf, but I heated up like a firecracker while his eyes slowly moved down my body.

The shirt he’d given me wasn’t as big as the previous one, hugging my body and just long enough to cover my butt. There was an odd sensation creeping through me, one that made me nervous as butterflies fluttered in my stomach and it felt hot right between my legs.

Mentally acknowledging it had me pressing them together, and he noticed the movement as his eyes stopped right at my lower region. Gulping the lump in my throat, I gathered my nerves and decided just to walk past him and jump right into bed in hopes of excusing myself as tired and hiding beneath the blanket.

“I’m tired so I’m going straight to bed,” I said so fast, I wasn’t sure it even made sense as I practically buzzed past him.

And didn’t make it to the damn bed.

My shriek left me as my entire body was lifted like I weighed as much as a twig, and before I knew it, there I lay upon the bed on my back while Ace stood at the end of the bed, his glowing eyes taking in every line of the black fabric that accented my figure.

His gaze was heavy and held a level of intensity I’d only see in the eyes of men in movies as they got lost in admiring the love of their life. I was innocent in many aspects, including the obvious reality that I hadn’t fucked anyone before, but you’d have to be a blind lunatic to not see the signs of what could happen if I allowed it.

The hunger in his eyes as he admires every inch of me.

I hadn’t realized Aries was so close to the surface, but doing so clicked something within me as my body further grew hot and a growing ache began to confirm what I already knew: I was getting “hot” for Ace.

I knew some female wolves went into heat at certain times of the year, and there was a possibility of triggering it from what the books stated, but there was just something about the way that Ace looked at me like I was the best fucking thing his eyes ever descended upon.

The craving made me bite my lip as if to make sure this wasn’t a dream, the move drawing his attention like a hawk.

“Ace.” My voice was breathy like I’d just finished an Olympic race and was out of air. “I’ve…never…I mean…” It felt so embarrassing to suddenly admit that I was a virgin. All my peers told the world that I was a slut behind the scenes and had sex with the gifted professors so they would give me perfect scores.

None of them knew the truth that no one had touched me, because if all you did was study and try to perfect yourself in the knowledge department, how would you possibly lose your V-card?

Unless your family sets you up to lose that for their own pockets.

“If you could choose anyone in the world to give yourself to, who would it be?” The question was asked with a thick voice of dominance that made my skin crawl with desire and my body hum for more.

I was fighting every nerve to remain still and not tackle this delicious man who would make me start to drool any minute now, but I slowly absorbed his words, and I knew he wouldn’t dare move without my statement.

He wouldn’t touch me without my permission.

“You,” I panted eagerly.

“Say my name, Kitten,” he urged.

“Ace Hunter,” I replied, and I watched his eyes darken as if I’d done something wrong.

“Starting tomorrow, I won’t go by that,” he confessed as he placed his hands on his hips and tugged on the waistband of his boxers. My eyes tugged away from his for a second, just as he began to slide the black fabric down his fitted thighs until he let go and allowed them to drop to the floor.

If only I could see them lying on the floor, but that wish dissolved as my eyes landed on his thickness. I’d admit here and now that I knew what a penis looked like - in books - but to stare at it in real life felt like I was acknowledging the first sight of alien life.

Compared to the diagrams and various drawn angles of the male body part that aided in ejaculation, his was long, thick, and even had veins. For eighteen, I could only mentally wonder whether penises experienced “growth” spurts.

I was beginning to realize that his rod of a banana was supposed to slide right into my juicy orange and my brain was working overtime to figure out how the fuck that was going to work. Many girls would complain that their first times were horrendous, and I was beginning to understand why.

Trying to fit a banana in a ring sour key wasn’t going to end well.

“Eyes up here, Aurelia.”

His usage of my full name had my eyes latched onto him in a nanosecond. I could see the slight amusement in his dazzling eyes at my impressed - and frightened - conclusion, but his statement prior to his order had finally registered.

“You won’t go by Ace Hunter?”

“No,” he admitted. “Ace Ezra Maximus.”

The name was so unique and extremely different from Ace Hunter. It had an edge to it, a dangerous energy that warned anyone who heard it that he wasn’t someone to mess with. His surname Hunter was softer and didn’t instill fear, but Ezra Maximus was certainly a name I’d label as an Alpha wolf.

A powerful Alpha wolf hybrid with intense magic affinity.

“Ace Ezra Maximus.” It rolled off my tongue with a natural flair, but my voice was more seductive in nature as I couldn’t help licking my bottom lip.

That’s all it took for Ace to be on the bed and inches from my face, his lips literally brushing mine as his breathing was close to that of a panting animal.

“Say that again,” he practically commanded in a way that made me want to do exactly as he desired of me.

“Ace Ezra Maxi-” He cut me off with a harsh kiss that sealed my lips and devoured them in a rushed movement. It was so unexpected, just like the wave of thrilling elation that flooded me. I was scared of taking away his control, but I couldn’t fight the urge to kiss him back.

It was just a tiny move as I pressed mine back against his when he tried to give me a moment’s break. All it did was ignite a deep rumble in his throat and he rewarded me with a kiss far deeper than before.

Things started with these heavy, desperate kisses that stole my breath and made my body tingle with so much happiness. That place in my heart that ached was still there, but it almost felt muted in comparison to the safety and overflow of happiness that were overriding my senses.

I was in Ace’s bed, being kissed by him, and he took it up a notch as one of his hands moved along my body until he lightly grasped my breast. It made me stiffen just slightly, the sensation so foreign to me, but he didn’t take offense to it as he continued to fondle me at a slow pace.

I was sure he knew I was a virgin and hadn’t experienced anything like this, and it only made me feel even calmer about my experience because it hadn’t stopped him from kissing me.

Hadn’t hindered me like my innocence did with so many other things in life.

“Ace,” I whispered when his hand left my breast to move down my body and reach the bottom hem of the borrowed shirt.

“Tonight, I’m gonna bring you nothing but pleasure. I’m going to treat you like the delicate woman you are. Just tonight…I’ll show you how incredibly precious you are to me. How much you make me wish to fuck up every single person who’s fighting desperately to tear us apart.” He sealed my lips with a heated kiss, his hand moving beneath the fabric to touch my flesh.

I shivered at the gliding tenderness of his hand as it moved up my flat stomach and returned to my left breast that he’d been fondling, only this felt so different in comparison to when he gripped me with the fabric.

He held me with a mix of gentleness and firmness at times as his fingers managed to pinch my nipple. It was just a slight touch, but the pain morphed into pleasure that had me moaning quietly.

The sound was new to me, and it only encouraged Ace to do that again, making my nipples become hard buds of sensitivity with a few teasing pinches.

I gasped when he did one final pinch, and that was when he slipped his tongue right into my mouth. I couldn’t stop him from taking over, my moans lost in his mouth as he didn’t hold back from kissing me with everything he had.

This was his moment to have every single bit of me. He’d craved this prime opportunity that I was sure neither of us probably knew we so desperately needed to enjoy, and though I wouldn’t let the buried feelings of pain and yearning ruining this moment, I knew we’d both be wrecked after tonight.

We were about to enjoy a taste of each other that we’d never get to experience again until who knew when? Once he left into the dark world as Ace Ezra Maximus, I knew he’d change, and a part of me knew the moment I left this hotel, I’d be forced to pave a new path for myself that would eventually lead to a new Aurelia. I’d keep my name as is, but this side of me would begin to wither and die.

And I’m sure Ace knows that, too.

This was his chance to enjoy me at my purest. To be the first to take my innocence away and pull me down a path of emotional suffering that would simply mark us with the desire to get stronger. To push us down paths that would grant us the ability to walk boldly into rooms and situations and know that everyone would acknowledge who we were - by name.

Everything was about to change, and though scary, I wouldn’t want anyone else taking my virginity away.

I couldn’t let anyone but my rejected mate take me to this place of blissful paradise.

“I want to see you naked,” he urged, and I further sat up as he leaned back enough to help me out of the shirt to reveal all of me. I wondered how I looked with the flickering light of the flames dancing against my flesh.

It was an image I’d always wonder about, but from the way Ace ran his eyes over my body in slow scrutiny, I felt like he was enjoying taking me all in.

“You’re so damn beautiful, Aurelia.”

The way he said it was as if he were out of breath, and when his eyes met mine, I knew he meant every word. The fire in them was practically dancing in pride that overcame the lust, and never had I witnessed someone hold so much affection for me.

“I want to taste you,” he warned, and I tried to figure out what he meant by that. He smirked from my obvious expression, but leaned in to whisper against my lips, “Use a protection spell now,” he urged. “Because I won’t be able to stop after this.”

My face grew so hot at his husky words, but I knew exactly what he was asking me to do: a magical incantation to make sure I didn’t get pregnant. There was more to wolf pregnancy than sex, but with mates, I wasn’t sure if those rules applied.

The spell was easy and so quick, I could do it without saying a single word.

“Done,” I whispered, and he didn’t delay as he took my lips once more. Then he began to move - trailing down every bit of my flesh and kissing me like every spot deserved to enjoy a moment with his lips.

Some kisses were longer than others, the sucking force and hints of bites that followed making me moan and further relax in this meadow of pleasure. I’d never felt so many sensations at once, and it made me grow hotter internally while my body tingled with more desire.

Ace took his time like we truly had the world ahead of us, and I enjoyed every bit of it as his lips dominated my body like he truly owned me. Maybe a part of him did - that broken piece remaining in shattered bits from the day he decided to make that protective choice, but it didn’t matter to me.

All that mattered was us in this sensational moment of love.

When he reached my legs, he further spread them and his hot breath brushed against my aching pussy. It was the first time I’d shown anyone down there, and though it wasn’t necessary for me to do what many others girls did to keep that region crystal clean, I’d kept it up just for the hell of it.

Clearly, it had paid off.

He admired with his eyes first, and I watched the way he smiled a dark grin that made his eyes soften with lust. “Glistening just for me, Kitten.”

My whole face was as red as ever, and all he could do was chuckle before he fit his head between my legs.

“Ace,” I began, my voice expressing my uncertainty, “what are you-”

He didn’t wait for me to finish as his tongue moved right along my folds, parting them just slightly before he reached up to my bud.

My back arched as I moaned at his touch, everything heightening at that single movement.

“Sensitive, Kitten?” he practically growled. “I love it. The effect I have on you, my pure, sweet queen.”

He licked me again and again, and when his tongue somehow managed to slip right in, I was a moaning mess. This was completely new territory, and I was astonished at how much pleasure this brought.

It was building something in my core that was growing stronger and stronger with every movement of his tongue, but it was when he started gliding it in and out of me that the volcanic sensation erupted.

“Ah!” My body grew rigid as I was overcome by an overwhelming burst of pleasure. I cried out in a long moan, and it only intensified because Ace wasn’t stopping his movements that were only making things more extravagant with my quivering pussy.

“Ace!” My voice was pleading with him, but he waited until he was satisfied to stop and suck the juices that came out from the thrilling orgasm. It was my first time ever experiencing such a thing, and it left me in a panting mess while my whole face was red.

“That…” I whispered and whimpered when Ace began licking me as if to clean me up.

“Was an orgasm, Kitten,” he whispered like this was a history lesson. He moved so that he was suddenly above me, and his lips lightly pressed against mine. The taste of his lips was different, and it made me wonder if this was how I tasted down there. It had to be because he’d just enjoyed a feast of my release, but it was something I was struggling to wrap my head around in this moment.

“Now, we need to make you wet again if you’re going to fit me.”

I wasn’t sure what he meant until his finger replaced where his tongue had gone. It was a single finger, but it felt so much bigger than his tongue that hadn’t stretched me out much. This felt different, and fuck, did it make me moan.

He worked it slowly, in and out, again and again until I was wet all over again and there was that climbing pressure that was rising with each stroke. He paused and I felt him slip in a second finger. It made me tense up a bit, and he moved to press his lips against my neck.

“Relax, Auri,” he quietly encouraged. “It’ll feel better if you relax.”

I was going to take his word for it because I trusted him. He waited for me to relax my muscles before he moved, and after a few extra strokes, I was beginning to enjoy it more than before.

“Faster, Ace,” I encouraged. I sounded a little hesitant, but I was mimicking what they would say in those scenes in movies when they were doing the deed in the shadowed bedroom.

“Good girl,” he praised and kissed me while his fingers worked their magic. “You ask and you shall receive.”

His voice was so different, husky and rich with so much possessiveness. I loved every bit of it, and it was showing me a new side of Ace.

When my orgasm came, I rode it out and let my cries of ecstasy reach the ceiling. It made Ace chuckle before he whispered, “You’re ready, Kitten.”

He kissed me one last time before he moved back onto his knees and worked on inching himself between my legs. I watched every movement and noticed that his length looked even bigger than before.

Maybe it was because I was closer? I wasn’t even sure, but it was veinier and had some liquid on the very tip of his length. He began to run it along my pussy, as if he wanted to layer it with my wetness, and I knew this was it.

This was the moment I’d always dreamed would be with someone I cared for. That the person who took me for the first time would care for me.

Despite our past and our current present, the man who stared at me with those orbs of affection loved me somewhere deep in his aching heart. We may both be broken from his decision, but I wouldn’t ignore the truth.

Ace loves me.

“Ready, Auri?” he questioned, and I blushed hard as I moved my hand to try to hide my face.

“Be…gentle, okay?” I peeked through my fingers and watched as he took in my expression. He let go of my thighs for a second just to move my hands away from my face.

“I want to see you, Aurelia,” he whispered with tenderness. “Every single expression, every single face. I want to hear every melodic moan. Let me enjoy seeing every bit of you. Can you do that, Kitten?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

“Good girl,” he whispered and grinned so brilliantly, it was like those days when he’d stared at me with nothing but happiness.

Not a speck of hate in sight.

He prepared himself again, and this time there was no going back as he began to inch himself inside me. It wasn’t painful at first, but then it felt like he hit a wall and that mere touch made me flinch.

“Relax, baby,” he encouraged, and I swallowed and nodded as I did what I’d done before. He inched slowly in again, pressing against the resistance until I was gritting my teeth and whimpering at the sudden snap of pain as he broke that barrier that tried to stop him.

He didn’t stop until he’d inched the remainder of himself in, and then he was completely still as I focused on breathing and not how utterly painful it felt. I’d known it wouldn’t fit properly, and it felt like something was leaking out.

It frightened me, even though I knew this had to be normal for a virgin, but then the tender touch of Ace brought me out of my swirling thoughts as he captured my lips.

“Breath, Auri,” he encouraged. “You’re doing good. The pain is going to go away shortly, okay? Just tell me when you’re ready for me to move. I won’t move until you say so.”

That made my heart swell and he kissed me again with a gentle touch that helped the pain begin to calm. When I felt like I could handle it, I broke the kiss to whisper, “Okay.”

“You’re ready?”

“Mhm,” I replied, but couldn’t help but lay my lips lightly on his. I wasn’t as experienced as him, but I just wanted to show a gesture of thanks for his patience. He smiled against my lips and took control.

And then he began to move.

I gasped at the movement but held on as his eyes encouraged me to work with him. I trusted him and I didn’t want him to think otherwise.

It took a few more strokes to get into a rhythm, but the pain began to diminish and a magnitude of pleasure began to wash over me. I was moaning now in enjoyment, and he was panting as he moved his hips and continued to thrust at the perfect pace.

I was adapting to his thick length, and my hands gripped his shoulders while he rocked into me again and again. His speed began to pick up until he was moving far faster than before and his breaths were rapid, just like mine.

We were moaning and panting heavily, and our eyes locked onto one another as that swirling sensation of power took over. It was like we were battling each other with our eyes while our bodies were enjoying the thrill of this burning rollercoaster.

I felt that rush of pleasure, and it was coming far faster than I realized.

“Ace,” I warned because I knew I was close, but from the way he was moaning, he was just as close to his first climax as I was to my third. This one felt different through - stronger and more intimate than the others. And just like that, we were cumming together.

“ACE!”

“AURELIA!”

We cried out each other’s names as our bodies stilled like statues - the wash of ecstasy bringing me a satisfaction I’d never dreamed of experiencing.

We collapsed onto the bed to breathe, his cock still inside me. It felt like I was quivering around his length. The aching pain was still present, and it felt like I’d be lucky to walk in the morning, but this feeling was sensational.

Being in his arms as I enjoyed this high of pleasure I never thought could be so grand was incredible.

It was so perfect.

“That…was amazing,” I breathed.

“Are you up for another?” he inquired and I couldn’t help but wonder if I was. The idea made me want to go again, and he moved his head from nestling into my neck to look down at me. “It’ll be less painful,” he assured me.

“How many times can we do it?” I felt like it was such a noob question, or it had to have been because Ace was staring at me like I’d accused him of murder. “Did…I ask wrong?”

“No,” he replied and his cheeks began to grow red. “I just…fuck.” He was actually embarrassed as he ran his hand through his hair. “I…wasn’t expecting that.”

“You’re…blushing.”

“Dammit, I know, Auri.”

“Just discovered sex and you’re leaving me.”

He met my sad eyes, and his eyes fought hard not to get swarmed by the heavy emotion. He was kissing me the next second, and he moved to whisper in my ear, “I know…that this is fucked up. I know that by rejecting you, I hurt you, and I…know this isn’t fair to you. For me to fuck you again and again knowing we’ll be far apart the moment the sun rises.”

He moved his arms to hug me, and it felt so weird with his cock still inside me.

“One day, all this unnecessary pain and anguish will make sense. It may feel like it’ll break us, but I’ll never give up until I become someone who people fear. Until I become someone who can walk by your side with no one’s permission. Though the pain will make you into someone different as time passes, I’ll work towards getting you back, Kitten.”

I hugged him back and the two of us silently cried into each other’s shoulders.

Ace Ezra Maximus was my first love. He was my best friend who meant the world to me. Now, he was the first to take my innocence away, just like he’d been the first to lay his lips on mine.

Tonight, I’d let these tears fall, and get lost in the waves of lust to come.

Tomorrow…will be a whole new route in life. One where I’ll fight to cut through the strings of my puppeteer. I will acquire my freedom.

9

I’LL ALWAYS HATE YOU AND LOVE ME FROM AFAR

~A CE~

HOW LONG HAVE we been doing this for?

I was running on autopilot, or at least my body was. My mind would be washed with pleasure every few minutes. Beads of sweat continued to run down every inch of my naked body, just like they did on the glimmering beauty beneath me.

The heat of the flames and the exertion this activity was delivering should have prompted us to stop hours ago, but I couldn’t find the urge to stop.

I didn’t want this moment to end.

My body froze as a climax rocked through me again, and I shivered while my chest moved up and down. My heavy pants barely made a sound because of how hard it was to allow my shoulders to rise and fall. To aid me in grasping enough air to go for yet another round.

I pulled out my length, but I was already moving - my hands grasping the delicate woman lying on my bed. Turning her on her back as her body shook with another round of aftershocks, I admired every quiver as my eyes devoured her immense beauty.

My rejected kitten, Aurelia.

Her soft flesh was covered in beads of sweat, which only emphasized her pearl creamy flesh. The illumination of the dancing flames from the fireplace made her look beyond mesmerizing beneath me.

Her breasts were small and perky, and those nipples were as hard as rocks from all the taunting I’d delivered while waiting for her to come down from her orgasmic high.

Just the sight made me move forward like a predator ready to devour their prey, but I had no means of eating up my kitten.

I’d already enjoyed her taste again and again.

A simple flick of one nipple made her whimper, her eyes closed while her arms lay by the sides of her head. Those gorgeous, silky strands were spread all over the black pillow. The transition of her teal neon roots to the striking blonde shade only reminded me of the very venom she’d sucked out of me.

The reason I somehow survived that fateful night.

I couldn’t tease one nipple and not the other, so I moved to the neglected bud and flicked it. Another rewarding sound contributed to the twitch of my cock that was ready for one more round.

I felt this would indeed be the last climax for both of us, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t spark my restless emotions about what the future had in store for us.

The moment I closed my eyes and opened them to see the bright morning sun, this blissful fantasy would be over, and the reality of what I’d have to endure next would be heavy upon my mind.

I’d have to deal with the consequences of interfering while on the job - even though it had been my duty to watch and protect Aurelia from threatening situations for nine years now. I’d interfered with business, and that always held punishments.

No way did I regret it, and if I had to, I’d do it all over again.

It would be no different if I was given the opportunity to go back to the hospital room on the day of the attack.

I was given two options: face death and take Aurelia with me or reject her.

By rejecting her, she wouldn’t be pulled into my demise, and though she was unaware of why those options were placed upon the table, I couldn’t let the loss of my life destroy her.

We may have been kids back then, but her devotion was beyond the loyalty of a wolf within a regular pack bond. It felt like she was the Beta to an Alpha. A second-in-command to their king.

Even when I obeyed the people who threatened and went with the rejecting process, it didn’t stop her from finding me - from seeing the end of my parents and somehow managing to save me from the grip of death.

Now years of separation led to this one night, and my scent was all around her. It wouldn’t wash off for days if not weeks, and that was exactly what I wanted. To remind all those in their stupid chairs of power that Mother Moon choose Aurelia for me.

I’d never had an issue with sharing, but never with someone who didn’t value how precious my kitten was. How valuable she was to my own sanity.

She didn’t understand her effect on me. How our distance was killing me more than the very venom that fought to overload my bloodstream and left me in a paralyzed state until I was submerged in the blood-soaked soil of my parents.

Those Elder fools and the powerful leaders thought forcing me into this protective role would encourage years of suffering. Though it sucked to not speak or address the obvious, at least I could keep an eye on her.

I could ensure no one else broke her heart the way I had.

She was my best friend. The one person I could share my deepest feelings with. Somewhere deep within, that role had never been replaced. I was simply waiting for the only one who could fill that void to return into my life.

I dreamed of a moment like this, when we could get lost in our connection and let the past sit on the back burner for a little bit. A solid piece of time when that hollowness in our hearts were memories of the past and the pleasure we enjoyed in the present would only pave the path to the future.

It was wishful thinking, until this moment in time, and I couldn’t be more internally blessed.

Aurelia opened her eyes just slightly, those wonderous orbs questioning my stillness even though the exhaustion was so obvious in the lines of her face. This last round would finish her, and by the time morning came, I wouldn’t be around to pick up the pieces of her broken heart.

Those golden orbs that surely held a segment of power in them proved to be a threat to everyone else in this fucked-up world of magic, but to me, they only held that level of pure innocence that begged to be seen.

To be loved, adored, respected, and acknowledged.

It hurt me to admit it, but I was too much of a “good boy” to be by her side. I tried to play by the rules, follow orders, and respect the boundaries made for me to follow.

That was the problem.

This world didn’t bow down to good boys. No one batted an eye at anyone who wanted to go down the route of humble nature. In the world of shifters, that was obvious, but in the heart of magic, it was only worse.

To them, I was a puppet misfit who followed orders because of something I didn’t commit. The wizards and witches mocked me behind the scenes and did everything they could to break my level of pride so I wouldn’t achieve a single thing.

They would never see my underlying plot, never understand the path that awaited me the moment I leave here a year from now. By the time they grasped where I was headed, I’d already be on Russian soil.

Ready to learn the darkest levels of magic for the sake of this beautiful light.

I leaned down until my lips brushed hers. They were just slightly parted, and barely any movement came from both of us, but kissing her tamed me in so many ways.

I’m going to miss my shining light.

“I hate…” she began quietly, her voice so weak and fragile. My softened eyes met her exhausted ones, waiting for her to finish what she’d started. “That you make me want to love you.”

I smiled just slightly, but there was no joy in the gesture. There was only sadness because we both knew this was the finale. It hurt…hurt so fucking much more than she’d ever know or realize.

Maybe I hadn’t done the rejection process properly, because, in this heightened state of desire, I could feel her raw emotions - the tumbles and spinning forces of sadness, lust, and intense admiration.

Her affection was hidden deep within, like a chest full of treasure that simply gave a glimpse of the pulsing force within its hidden chambers.

I wondered if she felt mine. Felt all those emotions I’d gained from loving her from afar. I loved her so fucking much, and the years hadn’t changed anything.

I loved her enough to let her be on her own without me dragging her down.

Without her family taking every advantage to destroy both of us.

“There’s a difference, Auri,” I whispered, and kissed her while I navigated the tip of my cock to her entrance. “I want you to hate me. Get mad at me. Despise me. Let all your broken shards pierce me.”

I began to slide myself into her, leaving her in a whimpering mess as she moaned and arched at my slow pace. I loved how she was still so tight, the walls of her pussy already quaking around my length that was growing bigger with impatience to get moving.

“You…ass,” she huffed, and I chuckled.

I couldn’t help but lean right in to whisper, “I love you.”

Her eyes managed to widen at the forsaken words, and I allowed my emotions to dance within my orbs. She needed to know that despite everything that had happened to us, I truly did love her.

No…I couldn’t stop loving her.

Our relationship was messed up, and I knew it would probably go to fucking hell the moment I entered my training, but she had to know the truth here and now.

“I…I…”

“Nothing in the past has ever changed how much I’ve loved you,” I vowed. “Though I can’t determine if the future will finally rip us apart, here…in the present…I love you, Aurelia Delianna Clementine.”

She stared at me with teary eyes, and I didn’t deny I was on the verge of shedding tears myself, but I wasn’t going to be ashamed of my truth. I wasn’t going to feel bad for being emotionally broken from hurting the woman destined for me.

Mother Moon made her so perfect for me, and the world was just trying to fuck it all up. Would they succeed? I wasn’t sure, but time would change us - ruin us - and if I truly deserved to be near this woman when I finished what had to be done to rise up in the ranks of power, then I’d return to her side.

If she’d let me by then.

“Idiot,” she muttered as her lip trembled and her tears fell down her cheeks. “I…never stopped loving you.”

“I know,” I assured her, and couldn’t help slipping my arms beneath her and pulling her up to hug her tightly against me. It felt so good being deep inside her while plastering her naked figure against mine.

This is the moment I’ll cherish when times get hard.

“This world is going to change us, Auri.”

“That…doesn’t mean I won’t love you anymore.”

“You may be right,” I admitted. “But people change, Kitten. I know I’ll change.”

“Even if we change…you can’t give up on us,” she mumbled into my shoulder. “No matter…the distance. No matter…our changes. What if I finally…I finally go crazy? Will you give up on me?”

Her mental health was always used against her. Used as a weapon for everyone to take advantage of her, like some sort of physical disability card. The only person not benefitting from her mental instability was her. It was tying her down, and even though she could feel in her hollow heart my unconditional love for her, she worried that her mental issues would keep me away.

“You’d be my Crazy Kitten,” I assured her. “My Crazy Kitten that I’ll have to encourage to love me again.”

She actually giggled. “I wouldn’t forget.”

“You never know,” I offered jokingly. “And if you do, I’ll have to come back and remind you who owns you.”

“Oh? You own me?” She sounded far too amused - and tired - but she further relaxed against me. “Your ass said you’d kill me if you saw me again.”

“And did I?”

“You died instead,” she teased.

Okay. That was kinda funny. Dark humor for you.

“I’ll try to keep to my word next time,” I offered.

“Only if it’s a time when I’m not a trapped bunny in a cage.”

Her words made me kiss the nape of her neck and hug her a little tighter. “You’re strong, Auri. You know that, right?”

She didn’t reply but only hugged me even tighter.

“I know it doesn’t feel that way now, and it may not feel that way tomorrow, but one day, in the years to come, you’ll see why so many are desperate to silence you.”

I hoped she’d remember my words. That she’d one day see the light she brings to the table and how dangerously powerful she is. Everyone was taking advantage because of her broken self-esteem.

Once she got a glimpse of the truth, she’d walk taller, be prouder, and acknowledge that she was a threat no one should be playing with.

“Would you ever try to silence me?” she whispered.

“Never, Kitten,” I assured her. I was confident in that. “No matter what role I have or side I play on, I’ll never silence you.”

“I wish we could run away,” she quietly admitted. “Run and never look back.”

“Sadly, we can’t run from destiny, Auri,” I whispered, my cock twitching inside her. She pulled back slightly as her cheeks grew red, and I tried to hide my embarrassment by looking elsewhere.

“My rod is just impatient,” I finally muttered.

“Clearly,” she said with a smirk. “You should call it a wand.”

“My wand in your what?”

“Cauldron.”

“That just sounds horrible.” I actually laughed, which was only making me horny from the damn movement.

She giggled and moved out of my hug to lie back down. “I’m glad…you’re my first, Ace.”

“Me, too,” I whispered back and dove in to kiss her. Breaking the passionate connection, I leaned back enough to admire the necklace that remained around her neck. “Always keep that with you.”

“Always?” she inquired.

“It protected my mother until she gave it to me. Now it’ll protect you when you need it the most.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll be protected,” I assured her. “My desire to survive will protect me.”

“Ace?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you going somewhere far away?”

“Not now,” I assured her. “Even if I have to give up this protective gig, I’ll be there when you need me the most, Auri. At least until I truly have to go far from here. When that happens…you’ll know.”

Maybe by then…I’d be able to truly let her go so someone else can enjoy her divine love.

She nodded just slightly, and we braced for what was to come - for the waves of pleasure that would be far stronger than the last.

“Ready, Kitten?”

“Crazy Kitten,” she corrected with a slight smirk. I actually huffed and rolled my eyes before gripping her hips and sliding my cock just enough for the tip to still be inside her.

“If I start calling you that, Auri, I won’t hesitate to be rough on you.” That was my wolf kicking in. He wanted us to stop talking and get back to fucking.

“Then be rough and call me Crazy Kitten,” she huffed.

“You may be a shifter, Auri,” I whispered and let my wolf inch closer into control, “but I’ll make sure you’re not able to walk after this.”

“Challenge accepted,” she whispered with a loving smile that made those gorgeous eyes twinkle. “Now fuck me, Ace.”

We got lost in each other’s eyes instead, the sadness returning with intense force. I wasn’t going to let it consume me here. I’d wait until I was gone from this area to let my tears fall and the sobs of heartache escape me.

“Embrace this, Aurelia.”

I hammered into her, and that kickstarted the theatrics of pleasure. We moaned, groaned, panted, and whimpered. We fucked and fucked, the movement as hypnotic as the aroma of our lust for one another.

I would never forget this.

Never forget the night that I went against the rules.

A night of frustration that could have led to tragedy.

A night that I took from another and was now reaping the rewards.

The night would turn into morning.

And though I’m sure this addiction would break me now that I’d gotten a taste, I’d mentally vow to get stronger.

To work harder.

To bend the rules again and again until they bent to my very tune.

The strings will be cut.

The master of control would be angered by my disobedience.

But the happiness freedom would bring, the pleasure it would deliver, would be worth it.

It would be worth it..if one day, I could walk beside my Crazy Kitten.

If I could hold her hand in public and show her what the world was like when you had everything.

Power. Money. Control.

It would take time. Commitment. Endless motivation to find a true pack of broken misfits like me. But it would mean I could enjoy this moment one day.

Enjoy Aurelia in all her beautiful glory within my grasp.

We were so close to ecstasy now, and I gritted my teeth to try to hold off a little longer while I enjoyed the magnificent sight of Aurelia as she moaned my name again and again.

“Ace! More. More…just…a little more!”

She was so close. I could see it, feel it, and I’d let us embrace the collateral combustion of our combined climaxes. We’d ride it out together until the darkness stole our consciousness and forced us to rest for the new day.

A new era.

“Cum, Aurelia!” I ordered and with one last thrust, we were thrown over the edge of blissfulness.

Our cries would haunt me in my dreams; her addictive scent of floral herbs would remain on me for days to come. Her taste, her touch, and loving smile would be my motivator in times of trouble.

No matter the pain that lay ahead of me, all I’d need to do was think of Aurelia, to remember the light at the end of the tunnel.

Farewell, Aurelia. I’ll be there when you need me the most.

~AURELIA~

WAKING UP WAS HARD.

Finding the bed empty, the warmth of the night’s festivities long gone while that side of warmth from before was just cold was devastating. I acknowledged many things; my body ached, there was a bit of pain with each step, and I had a slight headache after barely getting enough sleep.

Even the hot beads of water from the shower couldn’t get rid of the frigid hopelessness in my heart. That agonizing ache that left me crying like I’d lost someone far too dear to me on the tiled floor engulfed me.

This was the punishment for a rejected wolf - all for a captivating night of pleasure.

I’d yet to determine if I regretted it, but I knew even after the tears finally stopped, my body healed from the tremendous pain and ache, and my heart got back to its semi-broken state, that I’d be better.

I have to be better.

I’d wasted so many years of my life trying to just do what I was told. Even when I rebelled with attitude and remarks, at the end of the day, I was again led astray and could have lost a part of me if I’d continued to be a blind fool.

How many warnings do you need to finally see the light?

I stepped out of the shower, not caring about the droplets that rained down onto the floor. I walked straight out into the room and to the standing mirror near the entrance door.

Standing there, I took in my entire reflection, acknowledging the kiss marks that covered a good chunk of my flesh. Ace had surely done a number on me, but I could only smile at my reflection because I could see an emotion I hadn’t seen in a very long time in the depths of my eyes.

Happiness.

My eyes glowed with a level of relief I’d dreamed of witnessing within myself. I’d always wanted to look in the mirror and not see a miserable girl going to the next event, meeting, class, or appointment that would determine what my next step in life was.

Today, I was looking at the woman who’d decided to spend the night with her mate. Even if we weren’t together and may never be able to rekindle what had been broken, it was the fact that I’d decided to let him touch me - hold me, fuck me…and love me - that set out a new path in the middle of the various ones laid out for me.

I wouldn’t be able to execute it immediately. I’d have to continue to play dumb a little longer, but there was a plan in place. As long as there was a plan, I could execute what needed to be initiated for me to grow in this dark world.

With a sigh, I decided to figure out what to wear. My magic was a little low, and I preferred finding something in this place before I cleaned it up and ditched. I wasn’t sure how I’d get home, but I was hoping to go to Natasha’s instead.

Anywhere but home right now.

I wasn’t letting my anger ruin these final moments in this place I hoped to keep in my memory. I was a bit sad on Ace’s behalf to lose the space he’d stayed within for years. It wasn’t like it was his choice, but I was sure it hurt a little.

Compared to wolves and other supernatural creatures, witches and wizards enjoyed spaces they lived in for a long time. It gave a sense of comfort, and the magic embedded in the walls gave a level of security a random apartment or house wouldn’t give until time passed.

I wonder if I can keep this place somehow?

My eyes caught onto the box on the bed, and I frowned because it hadn’t been there when I woke up. Approaching it slowly, I admired the blue box that was in the common shade of Tiffany Co. with a golden ribbon around it.

Its color combination stood out like my hair, which made me more suspicious at the fact I hadn’t noticed it before. I caught onto the little note on top, and the simple words actually made me smile.

“Suspicious, Crazy Kitten. A gift from the one you hate most.

“Be safe for me.”

- A.E.M

“He’s going to go with that name now, huh?” I whispered to myself. With a sigh, I worked on opening the box and was surprised by everything inside.

There was black lingerie, a black lace dress, black heels, and a simple, robe-like jacket. Beneath it all was another smaller box, and my eyes widened at the image of the latest phone on the front. It was one of those new touch screens that folded into a compact version, and from the looks of the color, it shifted from a bright chrome blue to a sparkly gold with hints of green.

He had to have seen me throw my phone into the fireplace.

I tried not to cry as I opened it and set it up, noticing how it was fully charged and already had the primary numbers - Grandma, Natasha, Willow, and Onyx.

The fact that he went out of the way by doing this when he was surely going to get in trouble only proved just how much Ace cared for me, even though we were supposed to “end” the affection we had for one another after our crazy night of pleasure.

After quickly changing into my clothes, I made sure the fit was right before I managed to tie my hair into a messy bun with the very ribbon from the box. Looking into the mirror, I admired myself and my new look before I lifted my hand that held the new phone to make a call.

With a nervous breath, I decided to call Willow first.

Only the ringing sound came from outside the hall.

“What?” I turned to the door as the phone continued to ring, and with five steps, I was in front of it, listening to low voices.

“I don’t know this number but it says Aurelia.” Willow’s voice came from the other side. “What happened to her other phone?”

“We should wait to let Viktor verify it,” Onyx reasoned.

My shock forced me to open the door, and there they were - Willow in black tights and a loose black tank top while Onyx was in black joggers and a black shirt.

The two of them were shocked to see my wide eyes, but not a second later, Willow was hugging me for dear life.

“You have some MAJOR explaining to do!” she snapped. “What the fuck happened last night?!”

Onyx walked in and closed the door, before locking it and even going out of the way to do some sort of shadow work that made the walls further darken with a sheet of black.

“We know about the Westley situation. Your grandma and Natasha are absolutely furious and handling it. Viktor brought us here after Ace tipped us off to your location”

“You…know Ace?” I questioned Onyx and he nodded just slightly.

“He works for your security department. He’s been guarding you for years. Similar role to me stalking Willow.”

Willow gave him a look as her eyes rolled before my gaze moved to her.

“Why are you in your girl form?”

“I skipped my meds.” She said it so casually, like it truly wasn’t a big deal.

“Why did you do that?” I questioned.

“When you find out at one in the morning that your best friend was supposedly set up to stay with some stranger douche with money, I doubt you’d be doing much sleeping.”

“How…did you find out? Does everyone know?” That was already making me nervous as I tried to remain still.

To remain strong in front of my friends.

“Only we know,” Onyx answered calmly. “We, as in me, Willow, Viktor, and surprisingly, Roberto.”

“Why does Roberto know?” I asked.

“He just signed an agreement with one of the High Court Masters,” Willow announced. “That’s something Papa Dearest wouldn’t refuse. Don’t know who the contact was that financially backed the deal, but apparently we’re dating.”

WHAT?!

“W-W-What do you mean we’re dating?! Like you,” I paused to point at Willow, “and me?!” I paused again to point at me. “We can’t date! We’re girls.”

“Says?” Onyx drawled out with a smug smile and an eyebrow raise.

“Uh…I don’t know?!” I didn’t have a strong enough defense, but this made no sense. “Why would Roberto and my family approve of this?”

“Your family doesn’t need to approve of it because the one who agreed to the deal was a High Court member,” Onyx reminded. “That’s above your family and the Elders, isn’t it? That’s why we’re trying to figure out who financially backed it up.”

“Financially backed it up…” I whispered.

“It has to be someone who knew that Westley fucker’s intentions, right? The guy basically wanted to buy you into marriage. I don’t know how much this person offered Papa Dearest, but it had to be double if not triple.”

“Wait! So…we’re married?” I asked with wide eyes.

Willow shrugged. “From what Papa Dearest told Viktor, the agreement is that we can date for as long as we wish and there’ll be no consequences if we decide to break up. The transaction is final. So if we don’t want to date, it’s not like that person or Roberto will get the funds or valuables exchanged for the business offer,” she explained. “He noted, though, that if we ever break up, no one else can bid for your love. The decision is under your discretion once you reach twenty.”

“Wait…so…I’m safe from Westley trying to buy me or my family trying to make me his wife?” I concluded in amazement.

Onyx’s eyes darkened at my statement, just as Willow frowned in clear anger, but she replied, “That fucker isn’t touching you, let alone going near you. As for your family, they can’t do shit. They just found out about the agreement and that’s why your grandma and Natasha are over there fighting their stupid nonsense. They want to use money to make a case and bring it to court, but because a Master signed the final documents, it would be a waste of money.”

“It has to be someone with a lot of money and connection to a Master in the High Court. Maybe Ace knows someone with that much money, but that’s probably impossible. I mean, he’s only twenty. He wouldn’t have millions in the bank like that.”

“M-Millions,” I whispered. “I don’t even have close to that.”

“Me neither,’ Willow admitted. “But I will! I’m working on it with a few business deals. I just have to reach eighteen. Three more years to go.”

“Wait. Is Roberto okay with us dating?” I questioned Willow. “I don’t want you getting in trouble.”

“He doesn’t care.” Willow didn’t seem concerned. “No one at the Pack House is going to care. They barely notice when I’m around, and outside of that, no one talks about me. It’s not like we’re going to be kissing sloppily in plain sight or something for everyone to see, like those girly-girls do to try to make others jealous that they’re with someone.”

The thought made me blush before I shook my head.

“But like…do you…um…” I trailed off and noticed how Willow was blinking cluelessly at me before my eyes moved to Onyx. “You can’t be approving of this.”

He arched his eyebrow yet again, and clearly got what I was referring to.

“Willow wants a break,” he announced like it was world news.

Willow blushed and gave him a side glare. “We WEREN’T dating!”

“Sure, Sugar,” he replied and purposely ruffled her hair.

“Stop calling me Sugar! I’m not sweet!”

“That’s what she said,” he replied.

“That doesn’t even make sense!” she huffed and proceeded to punch him. He deflected it like it was nothing, but I just watched them bicker while Aries whispered in my head.

“Even though Onyx loves Willow he’s willing to let us date her to get away from Westley?”

She spoke exactly what I was thinking about, and before I knew it, the two of them were staring at me with worried eyes.

“Aurelia?” they questioned, and I just smiled as my tears fell.

“Why…would you guys…help me?” The question was followed with sobs, and Willow was suddenly in front of me and pressing her hands on my cheeks.

“Aurelia! Don’t cry! Of course, we’d help you, silly! When you need help, you ask! Plus, we’re like packmates! We don’t abandon each other!”

“But…yesterday…”

“Is in the past,” Onyx replied and laid a hand gently on my left shoulder. “You’re stuck with us, Aurelia. We’ll always be here to help you. Like Willow said, all you have to do is ask.”

My sobs escaped me as I whispered, “I…need help, please.”

To get stronger. To be wiser. To not be such a pushover anymore.

“We’ll help you, Aurelia,” Willow assured me as she pulled me into a hug.

“We’ve got you, Aurelia,” Onyx replied and hugged me from behind.

It was the group hug between friends that would lead me to a year of mayhem.

A year that led to a haunting catastrophe.

10

MY WORLD CAME BURNING DOWN WITH MY SANITY

O NE YEAR LATER…

~AURELIA~

“GO. GO. GO!” I urged as we skidded to a stop just to go down a different hall. “Shit! This is the wrong way.”

“Move against the lockers.”

“What?!” I questioned.

“Where are those fucking brats?!” The scream of pure revenge made the hairs on my arms rise with adrenaline, and I gave up trying to be problematic and moved right against the lockers.

“William! You better have a good damn plan that doesn’t involve you kissing me!” I hissed.

That only ignited that smug smile of his that always had my stomach in a fluttering mess. My eyes widened as he slammed his hands against the lockers on purpose as if he were trying to bring attention to us.

I stared at him like he’d literally lost his mind, all while he merely grinned and moved closer until our lips brushed. “Now, Aurelia. What other plan would I have besides kissing you?”

“Will-”

Lips sealed mine just as squeaking sounds of sneakers were heard down the hall. I wanted to turn my head to see the sight approaching us, but those damn lips were holding me hostage. The longer they remained, the harder it was to not give in to their enticing movements. My lips fought back against his the moment my resistance caved.

My arms very slowly hooked around his neck, but I noticed the height change was lower than usual. My fingers went through those soft, pink locks, and we further pressed against the lockers that pinned me between the flat surface behind me and a soft cushion surface in front.

All it took was for me to open my eyes just slightly to confirm my speculations - William was now Willow, and we were making out in the quiet halls of the witch school.

Oops. So much for not kissing like crazy schoolgirls showing off their lovers.

Willow broke the kiss and even tugged my bottom lip, the action leaving me flustered while she smirked and took her time noticing the obvious group to my left.

“Hmm?” She blinked a few times and tilted her head at the very confused - and stunningly uncomfortable - group of magic users. “If I knew we’d have an audience, I would have kissed you longer. What a shame.”

The three guys and one girl flinched at the comment before the flustered girl flicked her hair and pointed at us.

“W-What are you two doing here?! You guys have to be the culprits behind the prank against Professor Beatrice!”

“What would make you accuse us of such a thing?” Willow calmly asked and purposely hooked an arm around my waist to pull me right into her left side. “We’ve been here making out for at least five minutes. Can’t get any privacy with how busy these halls get during your long days of classes and mayhem.”

The girl blushed, and I tried to stop myself from getting embarrassed as I decided to join the conversation.

“What’s the deal, Lucy? Do you really think I have time to play pranks against my aunt? Besides, Willow doesn’t even go here anymore. She wouldn’t know where Beatrice is located in this place. It’s changed this year because of all the construction being done, remember?”

Lucy was the girl my family had always tried to “make” my friend for whatever bullshit plans they wished for me that included this “teacher’s pet suck-up”. She was no different from how she had been in her younger years, aside from her long strands of hair and her attitude of entitlement that had gone up a few notches over the years.

She’d sucked up in every aspect of life until she got exactly what she wanted: president roles in student councils, special privileges, and gifted classes she surely wasn’t originally entitled to. Now, she was Beatrice’s assistant.

I couldn’t care less because my time in these halls was finally coming to an end the moment I left this place tonight. But no way was I going to leave without pulling a stunt or two.

And that required my girlfriend, Willow De Luca.

“Then explain why you two are here?!” she demanded.

“I came with my girlfriend to drop off my final forms for my Graduate of Honors Witch Diploma.” I answered like it should have been obvious. “Jeez. Just because I’m a Clementine, that doesn’t mean I get to skip obvious paperwork.”

Lucy gritted her teeth and moved her glaring eyes to Willow.

“You can’t bring your…girl…girl…whatever you are to these grounds!” she insisted.

Willow further smirked before she moved to stand behind me and slid her arms around my waist. I began to blush as I felt that pinch of magic - the switch so smooth it took a blink for everyone to grasp that Willow was now a smiling William.

“Why is that, LucyLu?” William sang with a husky voice that sent chills through me. “Would it be better if I was her boyfriend? I can fit that role pretty well.”

Lucy’s face was as red as these sets of lockers in the hall while the wizards standing behind her were speechless at the whole transition. Not many people saw Willow switch in the flesh, especially on this side of the magic spectrum. They knew William - Roberto De Luca’s son - enjoyed crossing dressing, but they surely weren’t going to acknowledge his magic was strong enough to actively switch his gender to a female.

Many magic-users with high affinities couldn’t complete the deed without consequences. I knew that from a few individuals who had summoned Grandma’s aid after trying themselves and getting stuck halfway.

Guess some aren’t used to having breasts and a cock though I’d yet to see a guy try and fuck up by having a pussy with muscled chest pecs. Talk about an intriguing mind fuck.

“You…shouldn’t even be allowed here, period!” she snapped at him. “You don’t even have enough magical power to be in this area of the premises.”

“Says who?” William inquired and sounded far too pleased to prove her wrong.

“Says me! The president! You can’t even summon a fireball, let alone conjure anything damag-” Her words halted in her throat for two main reasons: one, a fireball was now floating right before her face, and two, a blade had sliced by her cheek and was inches away from striking the wizard behind her.

Not to mention the twenty blades pointing in her direction, waiting for their master to command their next move.

“What was that?” William inquired. “I thought you were saying I, William De Luca, can’t summon a fireball or conjure something that could spill your blood upon these floors. Wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy the sweet scent of metallic delicacy on this fine evening?”

Their faces all paled and it only made William chuckle as he held me even tighter.

“You don’t need to know much about the wolf shifter world to know how dangerous my father is. Now times that by two and add a high enough magic affinity to join the Coven if you guys weren’t such supernatural racist fuckers to someone like me, who should be ranked in the endangered department,” he emphasized. “It’s best you walk away before my patience runs thin. I hate wasting my dating time with insolent fools.”

“D-Dammit! You’ll pay for this!” Lucy huffed but was backing away with her wizards as the blades faded but the fireball still hovered in the air. With a final glare, Lucy retreated with the guys and headed another route.

“She’s such a pain in the ass,” I muttered, feeling exhausted from the whole confrontation. William chuckled before my head was turned to the side - giving him the chance to give me a solid kiss.

“True, but we got to make out in the hall,” he hummed in delight.

“Why did you do that as Willow instead of William?” I genuinely inquired.

“Ah,” he replied as he let go of me so he could walk around to face me. Slipping his hands into the pockets of his casual black pants with a matching t-shirt, he replied, “When two girls are kissing, everyone gets uncomfortable, but if you see a boy and girl kissing, it ain’t a big deal. Figured I’d use their phobia against them and it worked.”

I was actually impressed, and so was whoever started clapping.

“That’s a good analysis, William.”

I looked over my shoulder to see Grandma, and, surprisingly, Onyx. The two of them approached us.

“Grandma? What are you doing here?” I inquired. “Especially with Willow’s stalker.”

“Is that my nickname?” Onyx huffed with an added eyeroll. “I don’t stalk Willow.”

Everyone, including Grandma, looked at him as the two of them came to a stop before me.

“That’s a complete lie.” The feminine voice confirmed William had switched back to Willow. “You’ve been stalking us since we poured the fish bucket on Auntie Bitch’s head during her lecture.”

“Willow!” I hissed and nudged her. “You just ratted us out.”

“Nah.” She didn’t seem worried. “Grandma Valentine is cool. Right, Granny?”

Grandma was all smiles as she replied, “Sure, though I don’t have my hearing aids on to confirm what you just said.”

Willow smirked while Onyx smiled slightly. His gaze then moved to Willow.

“Are we heading to Natasha’s before the ring? You said you needed some extra doses for the business trip tomorrow.”

“Right,” Willow replied. “Papa Dearest actually wants us to leave tonight. If we leave now, we could probably grab them. Viktor should be around. All I need to do is call him.”

“Business trip?” I asked, surprised by the news.

“Mhm,” Willow replied with a pout. “Papa Dearest has a mega deal tonight. We obviously won’t attend, but I think the fucker is worried we’ll be targeted if we stay. As if we can’t protect ourselves.”

“It’s a billion-dollar deal,” Onyx emphasized. “Those are hard to come by apparently. I’m surprised you don’t know, Aurelia. Clementines are involved.”

“We are?” I inquired and looked at Grandma.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Beatrice privately set it up. You know they dislike involving me since I have a higher position and talk sense in comparison to their power-hungry minds.”

“But you earned your position, Grandma. All of them are just jealous that you’ve lived so long.”

Grandma laughed. “Essentially. I have a few more years left within me. Got to see what kind of grandkids you and Willow are going to make.”

We were both red in seconds before I stuttered, “G-G-Grandma! We can’t make babies!”

“Hmm? Why not? Willow? Don’t you have a weenie when you’re William?”

Willow snickered while Onyx completely lost it.

“Fuck! Willow, change to William so we can confirm this weenie of yours!”

“Fuck off!” Willow huffed and went on a punching spree. It only made Onyx laugh harder. Those punches to his bulky arms were probably tickling hits rather than painful strikes.

“We’re leaving!” Willow announced and looked my way. “We’ll see you when we come back, Aurelia, but just text us if you need us.”

“Okay!” I replied and gave them both a wave. “Safe travels.”

“Make sure you pass by Natasha’s today, too,” Willow reminded. “Remember she wants to show her baby to you before her husband takes her abroad.”

“Oh shit! I forgot,” I cursed. “They’re leaving tonight?”

“I think so,” Onyx replied. “I think because she’s a hybrid, they’re debating on raising her in Korea or even Japan.”

“Wow,” I whispered. “I wonder if their laws are different there. Or at least the treatment of hybrids.”

“A lot different, from my research,” Willow replied. “I’d looked into it because I was curious. Their way of life with hybrids is much nicer. They accept them more and don’t call them misfits or anything. Her quality of life would be good there.”

Grandma nodded. “It’s also a good place for hybrids to hide their ages. Natasha and her husband have extremely strong genes. They’re worried the child’s magic affinity will be dangerously high before she even reaches one. I think they’re going to raise her in the village before taking her to the main city. That way they can change her age to fit with her affinity level.”

“Wow. That sounds so complicated,” I whispered. “But then again, Natasha’s been wanting kids for years, right? I’m sure she’d want the best for their firstborn. Wait. They’re both going? I mean, Natasha and her husband?”

“I think only her husband is going to take the baby over. Natasha said something about having a business deal of some sort tonight. I think with some power group whose boss needs their herbs or something,” Willow admitted. “I’m not sure about the deal since I overheard it on the phone when she was giving me a few extra minutes after my session, but I think that’s why she’s waiting.”

“What’s with all the deals?” I muttered.

Onyx shrugged. “Apparently there’s a big financial change coming and all races are anxious about the power dynamic shift. Some are saying they’re expecting a loss of a High Court member or whatever your special council in the clouds is called. Others are saying this is the time some royal members are discovered in the shifter department so they make multiple deals to try and secure those with royal blood won’t be ‘exchanged’ or worse, kidnapped.”

“I’ve never heard of that,” I admitted.

“It’s just shifter gossip,” Willow brushed it away. “They speak about it all the time in the Pack House. It’s annoying.”

“Ya. You never know what’s true or just overexaggerated for clout,” Onyx replied. “We better go. I’m sure Willow’s excited to see the baby up close.”

“Are you stupid?” Willow genuinely inquired, which had Onyx laughing as he reached out to wrap an arm around Willow’s neck.

“Do you want me to be, Sugar? I will for you.”

“Fuck off,” Willow groaned and pushed his face out of her personal space with her hand. “I’m committed!”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy being a third-wheel.”

“Go third-wheel some other couple!” she snapped.

“That’s no fun,” Onyx whined. “It’s only fun when I get to tease you, Sugar.”

“Stop calling me Sugar. I’m not sweet!”

“You don’t see me calling you Sweets, now do you?”

“Ugh. You’re an idiot.”

“An idiot who’s your best friend!”

“Viktor! Come take this fool off of me!”

My attention moved to the end of the hall to see the bodyguard in question waiting for them. “Just drag him with you,” Viktor suggested.

“His bulky ass is too damn heavy for that,” Willow whined.

“Aww, Willow. Want me to carry you? Huh?”

“Carry me and I’ll disown you.”

“Now I feel like a lost puppy in the wilderness,” Onyx complained and blinked his eyes like he was truly hurt by her words. “You’re really going to abandon me?!”

“Ugh,” Willow groaned. “Let’s go!”

She looked back at me. “Bye, Aurelia!” She moved her gaze to Grandma and bowed slightly in respect. “Have a good evening, Grandma Valentine.”

“Have a safe trip,” she encouraged. “Take care of Aurelia when you get back.”

“Obviously,” Willow replied. “I gotta protect what’s important to me.”

“Including m-?” Onyx began and Willow literally kicked his balls. “AH! Not my precious cargo!”

“Good. Maybe you’ll start using your pea brain. Say bye and let’s go,” she huffed and began walking without waiting for poor Onyx to recover.

“Her ways of expressing affection are so different,” Onyx whispered with a pout before he was up and waving at me. “See ya, Aurelia. Don’t get too lonely without us, or you’ll get spammed with calls from Willow.”

“I’ll try,” I replied with a small smile.

He bowed in Grandma’s direction. “Farewell, Grandma Valentine.”

“Safe travels, Onyx,” Grandma replied. “Thank you for all you do behind the scenes.”

Onyx’s smile widened at her praise before he gave one last bow and caught up to Willow. He moved to wrap an arm around her neck once more, and though she looked annoyed by it, she didn’t push him away.

It was obvious she’d been walking slower to wait for him, or else she would have reached Viktor by now. My ears picked up on their conversation as they grew further away.

“We should help Natasha name the baby,” Onyx suggested.

“I thought she had a unique name, like some really long, long name,” Willow replied. “I think Anastasia Olivia Adair or something that is kind of out of their culture. Natasha was saying she wants a name that would make it easier for her to travel or something, but they may put her name in acronyms.”

“Acronyms? Like AOA? That’s pretty unique. Why wouldn’t she go with Anastasia?”

“Who knows,” Willow replied. “Witch hybrid problems.”

“Well, it’ll be nice to see the baby before she’s gone to be raised elsewhere.”

“We’ll become her godparents and support her from afar!” Willow reasoned.

“Godparents, huh?” Onyx suggested. “So we’re dating now?”

Willow stopped to actually think about it before she stared at him in disgust. “No.”

“Ah. My heart.”

“Give up, already! We’re not gonna be together.”

“I’m gonna convince Aurelia to add me to the harem.”

“There’s no fucking harem!” Willow groaned. “And you’re a selfish bastard. You wouldn’t share me if it was your choice.”

“See, you’re not wrong,” he began. “But it would depend on circumstances.”

“Circumstances? What? You, Mr. Bulky Fucker of Selfish Banter, are going to share me, who is T.A.K.E.N by the way, with someone else? Or better yet, a group of people? Imagine if they weren’t as close as we are with Aurelia? You’d kill them with explosives or some crazy, fucked-up shit.”

“She’s not lying with that one,” Viktor pointed out. “You destroyed that guy’s arm who was checking William out the other day.”

“Wait, what?!” Willow gasped and looked at Onyx, who began to whistle and walk down the left hall.

“I sense that we must hasten to the car!”

“What kind of bullshit excuse is that! Who did you kill, Onyx?!” Willow was literally screaming after him.

“I didn’t kill anyone!”

“What have I said about your issues with hurting people who check me out?”

“Who gave him permission to look at -OW! Willow?! Ow! You shouldn’t be defending the dead!”

“You said you didn’t kill him!”

“Well, ya, but Viktor finished the deed so it doesn’t count.”

“Ugh! I can’t with yo-hey! Don’t carry me!”

Onyx’s laughter literally echoed to all the way here, and he sounded like an evil mastermind who finally got what he wanted. Viktor was still down the hall, watching the two of them get further away.

He looked down the hall then, and it was like deja vu from when I was younger as he bowed slightly in acknowledgment and headed down the hall to catch up to Onyx and Willow.

“The years have passed and yet it seems like some things haven’t changed,” Grandma quietly admitted.

“Ya,” I replied. “Grandma?”

“Yes, my dear?”

“Can you be honest with me?”

“Certainly, Aurelia. What’s on your mind?”

My eyes were still staring down the hall, but my heart began to quicken at the question shimmering in my head.

“Who do you think Willow should be with? Me or Onyx?”

She didn’t reply right away, her eyes following my gaze as we both stared down the empty hallway. “When you’re with Willow, you blossom a lot, Aurelia,” she began. “Your aura grows with power, your eyes light up with hope, and I get the feeling that around her, regardless of if she’s male or female, you feel safe in her presence.”

She took a deep breath and let it out.

“Mother Moon has plans for you, Aurelia. Just like our magical creators that have paved a path for you to walk upon. Do I believe you have a future with Willow? Yes,” she admitted. “But will it remain a romantic one? I think you know the answer to that one. Don’t you?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I sighed in defeat.

“I knew us suddenly dating would be rather weird, but I was curious. To date…well, a woman. It was something that also pissed off Beatrice and the Elders, and I just couldn’t help fucking them over with disgust whenever I’d walk hand-in-hand with Willow,” I confessed. “Despite…that, she makes me really happy, Grandma. She acknowledges me as hers, even though the world gives us looks when we show our affection in public. She’s not ashamed of me like others are because I’m a misfit, and not once has she brought up Ace or my rejection. Maybe she purposely forgot about it, I’m not really sure. I know she’s younger, and with adulthood hitting, she’s going to mature even more and we may fall out of love…but…”

“You don’t want to wait till that happens?”

“It may end badly,” I admitted my worries. “And more importantly…I don’t think I can stand seeing the sadness in Onyx’s eyes. He’s my best friend, too, but you’d have to blind to not see just how much he loves her. I thought maybe by dating Willow, he’d move forward and obsess over someone else, but I think her being taken only heightened his yearning for her. It’s impossible to ignore, and my fear is that if I keep it going, our friendship is just going to go up in flames.”

“That’s a possibility,” she agreed. “But there’s more, isn’t there?”

I glanced over to her, and those gorgeous eyes of her already read me like an open book begging to be chosen in a sea of literature.

“I don’t think I can be in a relationship right now,” I decided to say the truth. “Willow…. Goodness…she’s wonderful, Grandma. I know to her she has flaws and aspects of herself that she’s trying to work on as she approaches young adulthood, but she’s so mature, talented, and just so damn powerful. She doesn’t see herself the way I do. That empowerment she carries and embodies regardless of her gender sometimes leaves me speechless, to the point that I begin to feel as if she’s too good for me.”

I looked back down the empty hall and could only recall the moments I admired her from afar as she grew through the various stages in her life.

“Since the day I met Willow, she was like my saving grace, and I feel like that may not change until I do. I’ve grown within this year, I won’t deny that, and there’s plenty of room for me to continue to work on myself, but…”

“You don’t think you can do it while trying to give Willow your all?” Grandma concluded.

I smiled and looked back at her with sad eyes. “I haven’t told Willow…but I’ve been attending De Luca’s Pack House more often. Since the whole agreement and a word of ease from Viktor, I can be around there without Willow being present. I never stay there at night because Willow and Onyx warned me not to, but I get to check things out during the day, particularly when Willow’s doing business meetings on Wall Street.”

I paused as I tried to think my thoughts through before speaking them.

“The shifter life is so different from our world, Grandma. The consistent need to be relevant and prove yourself worthy among your own race dominates everything. There’s constant confrontation, and I know Aries and I aren’t ready for such tactics. I think what really was an eye-opener was how Willow and even Onyx handle it all. Willow’s wolf was supposed to have awakened by now, but she’s late and the ridicule is already beginning to bother her and even Onyx. They don’t show it, but I’ve seen certain confrontations, and they somehow manage to deal with it all. They don’t let the mockery and bullying get to them, even though I know each word of criticism stabs them and leaves invisible wounds,” I explained. “Willow doesn’t come to me with her worries. She doesn’t lean on me like she used to when we were friends. I know we’re getting closer now that there are fewer barriers, but I think she doesn’t want to burden me because now we’re lovers.”

“She’s trying to be the male in the relationship,” Grandma concluded with a knowledgeable smile. “As a man, you take upon yourself the duty to be the rock when your woman needs you. That sacrifice sometimes means not leaning on her when you have troubles that you think you can solve on your own.”

I nodded because that was what I’d assumed was true.

“That’s what I feel is going on…and I just think it’s unfair because at the end of the day, despite my issues and troubles, I feel it’s just a fraction in comparison to what Willow deals with. She has the pressure of the world on her as William during the day, and the moment she reaches eighteen, things are just gonna get harder. As Willow, it’s her time to let all that frustration out, and well…she needs someone who will be there for her. Who will always have her back, whether it’s dangerous times or times of comfort. Now that I’m nineteen, I feel like things are going to change and I’m going to have to figure out what I want to do, if I want to help take over Natasha’s shop now that I’ve been her apprentice for a few years, or if I want to do my own witch herbal practices. I essentially have to figure out my future, and honestly…it leaves no room for me to be there for Willow. That’s not fair to her, and I honestly believe the only person who can grant everything I wish to give Willow is Onyx.”

“You’ve really thought this through,” Grandma praised. “I agree with you.”

“You think I’m making the right decision?”

“I may be very old, my dear, but one thing I’ve been good at is telling who complements one another. I knew the moment I saw your father that he would be the perfect puzzle piece for your mother. It was the same way when I met the love of my life.”

She paused and bobbed her head. “To me, Willow needs Onyx and frankly, Onyx needs her. They’re two different souls, their powers just as unique even though they’ve yet to unlock their true potentials, but their similarities bring them closer, and their auras blend into one another like Ying and Yang. I’m unsure if they’ll be mates to one another even with Willow’s lateness, but my vision tells me that they won’t be a ‘fling’ forever. They’re healing from wounds and scars that weren’t in their power to avoid, but to heal, they need each other, and that’s why I believe you’re making the right decision.”

“But why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“Because I wanted you to experience what it’s like to be loved, Aurelia,” she admitted. “You’ve experienced rejection and periods of heightened love, but until Willow, did you ever experience continuous love?”

She had a valid point. “No.”

“That’s why I wished for you to see what it was like. Everyone needs experience to know what they want in life. You know what you need to do so that when love comes into your life again, you’ll have all the expectations and desires to bring to the relationship. You’ll also be more confident in yourself and be able to bring more to the table as an experienced woman. I believe Willow needed the same experience, and you delivered that to her. She was used to Onyx being around, yes, but now she can determine what she wants when she has to move forward.”

“What about me and Ace?” I quietly wondered.

Grandma sighed but it didn’t sound heavy. It was like she was lost in the wonder the idea brought to her.

“You two may be far apart, but unlike my love, I believe Ace will return. My only worry is that this world will change him, just like the world will force you to change into who you’re meant to be.”

“You mean being crazy,” I joked.

Grandma gave me a look and flicked my forehead.

“Ow! Grandma?”

“Ace told me to do that when you were small,” she hummed. “Don’t say stuff you don’t want to manifest, silly dear.”

I smirked, but a question came to my mind that I wondered if it would be best to ask.

“Grandma? Can I ask a personal question?”

“Sure, my dear.”

“What happened to your love? Why isn’t he around anymore?”

Her smile widened then as she closed her eyes. “I decided to let him go.”

“Let…him go? After you had Mom?”

“A little bit after,” she admitted and opened her eyes. The immense anguish in them tore at my heart as her smile only spread further across her wrinkled lips. “I loved him a lot. So very much that he was a part of my world.”

“Then why…why would you let him go?” I couldn’t wrap my head around it.

“Well…it’s similar to how you’re hoping to let Willow go.”

“Meaning you thought someone would be better for him?” I frowned at the thought, but Grandma shook her head.

“Oh no, my dear. My sweet beloved was my fated mate. He was destined to be with me, but I let myself walk a path that meant he couldn’t be with me any longer,” she confessed. “It was a choice between my role to rise up to the chair and him. The pressure rose to the point that the relationship was becoming toxic and having your mother complicated things further because she would only fall into this generational hole of misery. I came to the decision that my love would be best off without me.”

“So…what happened?” I whispered in anticipation.

“I rejected him.”

“Wait…what?” I gasped. “You…Wolf Rejected him?”

“Yes.” Her eyes were glowing glassy while they peered far away, as if the events of the past were flashing before her eyes. “It was the most painful and toughest decision in my life…and maybe that was why he didn’t survive years after. That man loved me like I was his world, but instead of us trying to work on ourselves, we got lost in our devastation,” she revealed. “He was so lost without me, and though many knew of our separation, old enemies couldn’t care less. They took advantage of that, and he fell into the spiraling doom that awaited him. By the time the news reached me, it was all for nothing, for I wasn’t able to take the chair. The reason is a bit complicated but one day I’ll tell you,” she assured me.

“Why don’t you think that will happen to me?” I inquired.

Grandma smiled then though I couldn’t ignore the single tear that ran down her cheek as she reached out to gently stroke my face.

“I knew from the moment Ace rejected you that things would go a different route,” she admitted. “You don’t see your strength, Aurelia, you manage to view situations differently than the norm. When Ace rejected you, what did you think?”

“That I lost my best friend and didn’t understand why?”

“Correct,” she emphasized. “Yet, did you allow those feelings of hopelessness to consume you? Did you allow it to affect the path you walked upon? Though the pain hurt, you never put the blame on Ace. You knew he was innocent, and yet any other person would have used that hatred and said he was guilty.”

“Well…I guess you have a point. Sure, initially it was a hard hit to me, and it was thanks to Willow and Onyx that I began to recover and speak again, but I guess that, too, was my choice to make. I could have remained in solitude, or succumbed to the hollowness that it brought to my life.”

“You’re strong, Aurelia. Wise in your own way. Knowledge comes in one of two ways. Your ability to absorb it through books and life experiences, and to absorb it from those of power who eventually pass on. One day when you rise to the Coven, your mind will be opened to many channels of knowledge that only our generation has been privileged to know. I tell you this so you understand that you’ll get to where you wish to be in time. When the moment is right, you’ll get opportunity to grow. Sometimes it will be out of sacrifice, and others times it will be through experience. Either way, you’ll achieve all you’re destined to. All you need to do is surround yourself with the right people to reach that destination.”

“Thank you, Grandma.” I beamed at her words of advice. “I’ll heed your words and cherish them.”

“Good,” she replied. “I suggest you see Willow first then, before she leaves. Their trip will be a few days, and though they’ll have their phones, I doubt they’ll be allowed to reach you due to privacy clauses.”

“Ah. Okay! Wouldn’t I ruin her trip by…breaking up with her?”

“Willow is strong-willed. She understands more than she lets on. Be honest with her. Both of you will be a little heartbroken, but it’ll be the first step for you both to move forward and some distance will help you heal.”

“Okay, Grandma,” I replied. “As long as you’ll have a movie night with me,” I added with a wink.

She cackled and nodded. “Sure, my dear. After Willow’s, go to Natasha to confirm what’s going on with the schedule. If she needs help taking over the shop, it will be a good time for you to step up since all of her client list have been served by you for a while now. They will be fine with getting remedies from you while she’s gone.”

“Yes. That’s a good idea. Are you going there now and then to visit Mom and Dad?”

“Yes, my dear,” she assured me. “I’ll be there and don’t worry about the flowers.”

The way her eyes twinkled made my eyes widen. “Do you mean…”

“Maybe?” she offered. “Go see Willow. Your interaction with Natasha won’t be long since I believe her sweet baby will be blessed and ready to be teleported with her husband to Korea.”

“I’m on my way!” I urged and was about to leave, but spun around and hugged Grandma. “Grandma, thank you…just for everything. I love you so much.”

“As I love you, Aurelia. You’re such a beautiful light. I can’t wait for the world to one day see you shine.”

“Shine bright like a diamond,” I sang and giggled, my mood going up a bit. “I’ll see you in a few hours!”

“Alright. Bye, Aurelia!”

I was gone before I knew it, and with a few deep inhales, I conjured a portal to bring me to the Pack House.

Time to confront Willow with the truth.

KNOCKING ON THE DOOR, I tried to stop my hand from shaking as I swallowed the lump in my throat.

“Hold on!” Willow’s voice came from the other side, and it took an added few seconds before the door opened. Her blue eyes locked onto mine, their exhausted gaze morphing into surprise. “Aurelia? What are you doing here?”

The way she smiled only made my heart feel heavy as I tried to respond calmly, “Ah. I wanted to talk before you go.”

“Oh?” She gestured for me to enter her room. I looked around the simplistic space, remembering the times I stayed behind just for us to hang out. Those moments weren’t as often as I’d wished, and as I reminisced about the past, I could only wonder what we could have done if I wasn’t so anxious about life.

It wasn’t like we hadn’t done “things”. Making out and making love were two of the most unique experiences with Willow because I got the best of both worlds. My innocence and lack in areas weren’t embarrassing with her, and she let me do what I needed to learn, grow, and experience pleasure in ways I never thought were possible.

Ace helped me break through that barrier of fear regarding sex, but Willow helped me lift my confidence to a new high that I’d always be grateful for. I knew this would be the right decision long-term, but just remembering the past was already making it difficult.

I noticed the packed bag of female and male clothes, everything organized so perfectly that I sometimes wondered if Willow had some OCD tendencies. My eyes drifted to her as she closed the door and walked back to the small nightstand where a glass of water and her pillbox were.

My eyes picked up on the large stacks of packaged herbs, which only confirmed they had visited Natasha already. But the doses were really a lot more than the double amount Natasha would administer.

“What brings you back, Aurelia? I thought you’d be going with Grandma Valentine to visit your parents?” she began before she tossed her dose into her mouth and began to chug down the glass of water.

My gaze trailed down her body, admiring how she’d clearly gotten taller as of late. Sometimes I forgot Willow was younger than me, especially when she acted so damn mature, but with her in a black lace bra and short-shorts, I could see the defined lines of muscles in her abs, legs, and arms.

Which also made me realize the obvious new tattoo on her arm.

“When did you get a tattoo?”

She finished her glass and gave me the biggest smile I’d seen all week as she giggled mischievously. “Natasha’s goodbye present.”

“No way!” I gasped. “You’re not eighteen yet!”

“Shh,” she hushed me and winked. “Minor details.”

“Roberto’s going to kill you.”

“I mean, he could have done that plenty of times,” Willow tossed back like it wasn’t as big of a deal as it should have been. “If he didn’t kill me with all his torture methods, he won’t stop my heart from beating over a wolf tattoo.”

My frown only made her walk over to me before she gently ran her hand through my long locks. “Stop worrying, Aurelia,” she urged. “I know you hate what happens down in those cells, but it’s not in my control. I’m used to it.”

“Just because you’re used to it, that doesn’t mean it’s right,” I quietly voiced. She shrugged as if it weren’t something serious. I may not have experienced what the shifters endured in this Pack House, but I’d witnessed a glimpse of it once.

Tortuous actions crippled the wolf until they could barely breathe. If they survived, they were worthy. If they didn’t, they were better off dead.

Being Roberto’s only child didn’t give her special privileges either.

“You’re not wrong,” she replied as she walked over to the bed to zip up her suitcase. “But that’s how life goes, right?”

That was what I hated about life. That no matter the wrongs happening all around us, we could either let it affect us or become desensitized until we were completely immune. The world would move on regardless.

“What’s with the extra doses?” I decided to change the subject. “And why did you answer the door without changing?”

I’d known Willow long enough to know that she never dressed comfortably like that unless Roberto wasn’t around, but I wasn’t sure if that was the case or if Viktor or Onyx were nearby.

“Roberto left with Viktor,” she began. “Viktor is gonna come back and pick me and Onyx up in thirty minutes. Onyx was here before, helping me pack. He just went to put our other luggage in the car. Just this one’s left and I’ll change.”

She lifted the luggage like it didn’t weigh a thing and placed it standing on its wheels before giving me her full attention.

“Natasha gave me a good six-month supply of meds. She said she has to go to Japan while her husband is taking their daughter to Korea. She has family in Japan and wants to meet up with them so they can go to Korea together for the naming ceremony and stuff. I think she got the name down, but she’s getting Grandma Valentine’s blessings. The baby is SOOOO cute.”

Her whole expression lit up at the final statement.

“So chubby and all. Onyx got to hold her and, ah! It was so cute.” She beamed. “And then she had an explosive diaper.”

That had me gawking while Willow lost it. “You should have seen Onyx’s face go from smiling to horrified! AH! It was too funny. I almost died of laughter. Now he’s traumatized and doesn’t want kids. I think that’s a bunch of bull though, but I couldn’t help but tease him all the way back. I bet he’s going to shower again in hopes of getting the scent of baby powder out of his nostrils.”

“Poor guy,” I concluded with a shake of my head. “So Natasha’s gonna be gone for a while then.”

“Looks that way.” Willow frowned. “She looks excited to go away, but also sad at times. Like…she’s super happy to finally have a child after she’s been trying for so long, right?” she offered.

“Ya. They’ve been trying for years,” I added.

Willow nodded, but she looked worried. “It’s just…I don’t know. Some moments, she looked really depressed. Viktor was saying it happens after you have a baby, but maybe she’s sad that she has to leave her shop.”

“Well, I’ll take care of it while she’s gone. It’s not like I have classes anymore.”

“That’s true. She said if I need anything, just to come to you. She’s really confident in your skills. She says she moved a lot of the herbs and essentials into the storage warehouse. I don’t know where that is, but I’m sure you do.”

“Mhmm,” I replied. “It’s very close to my house. It shouldn’t be difficult to restock and stuff. She showed me all the places I can get stuff, so you’ll be well-stocked on meds.”

I didn’t play around with Willow’s supplements. I really wanted to continue helping her stabilize her transition with William so that she wouldn’t be completely drained in the evening as Willow. Now that she was taking cage fighting seriously, I hoped to help her find a balance.

“So, what’s up?” Willow inquired. “It has to be important if it couldn’t wait until I came back, or be done via text.”

“Grandma said it may be hard to text because of the deal,” I noted and tried not to appear so nervous.

“Ah.” Willow frowned. “That would make sense. This deal is going to be a game-changer. I heard Westley lost.”

“Wait, what?” The sudden mention of that man’s name had shivers running through me.

“Yup,” Willow replied. “I had to go into Papa Dearest’s storage for the extra luggage and overheard Viktor and him talking. The deal only has four competitors. De Lucas, Clementines, some Moore guy from Cali, and uh…” she trailed off to think. “Maximus?”

Wait…Ace?!

“Viktor doesn’t think the other two are gonna get it because they’re new or something. Don’t know if they’re packs or just really good business people, but they knocked Westley out of the park and he’s mad. Apparently, someone tried to set Papa Dearest’s building on fire.”

“When?!” I gasped.

“About…twenty minutes ago? They caught the guy before he could even stand a chance. I’m sure it’s going to be all over the news tonight, but it’s clear someone isn’t too happy that either Papa Dearest or your family will get the deal.”

She shrugged and crossed her arms underneath her small breasts.

“I don’t care about their political stuff, but I’m glad Viktor upped security. I think they upped yours as well, just for tonight. You should visit Natasha and go visit your parents before it gets late.”

“Right…” I whispered and lowered my head. My fingers were already shaking. I resorted to fiddling with them to try and ignore their shaking tendencies. “Um…Willow?”

“Are we breaking up?”

Her question made my eyes widen as I lifted my head to see her calm expression.

“Why…why would you assume that?”

“Only reason why you’d rush over here when you could have been spending time with your grandma,” Willow suggested. “You haven’t seen her for a while, and visiting your parents after meeting in the hall of the academy has been a tradition, if you think about it. What would have made today different if you didn’t have something really important to talk about?”

“Ya…but…”

“You get really nervous when you have to say something that might hurt me,” she pointed out like she was on a roll. She began to approach me while continuing on, “Your aura gets all wild with anxiety, and you struggle to stay still.”

She was standing before me in just a few steps, and I looked into her calm eyes.

“You’ve been a little distant lately, but I didn’t want to push it since I know you’ve been really focusing on yourself and your goals.”

“Willow…” I felt like a damn bitch now that she’d somehow figured it all out.

“Us dating was pretty random, right? I mean, it was like weeee, we’re a rebellious couple about to make everyone cringe while frustrating your aunt, who’s still a bitch and probably gonna smell like fish at the business deal.”

“Do…do you regret that we dated?” I couldn’t help but ask.

“I love dating you, Aurelia,” she honestly replied. “It’s been different. Fun. Exciting. An odd adventure. You never really knew, but I kind of had a crush on you for a long time, but I figured you wouldn’t be interested cause I’m younger. Plus, it’s not like you see girls dating. I mean, I could have just dated you as William the whole time, but that would have been tricky since I’m always busy during the day with Papa Dearest or some sort of classes and at night, I’m obviously Willow.”

“But…you’re so mature, knowledgeable, confident. I love dating you, too, but…I always feared I wasn’t good enough.”

Willow gave me a sad smile before she hooked her arms around me to give me a tight hug.

“That’s you self-sabotaging yourself, Aurelia. You’ve always been good enough for me. A relationship doesn’t need to sink just because we can’t be together with one another. We wouldn’t drift apart in my eyes, but we all see things differently, right?”

I nodded into her shoulder as I hugged her back.

She pulled back to look into my eyes, and she smiled. “So…do I get one more kiss?”

My eyes began to water because this was it. I expected us to talk it out more, to get into all the little details about why this wouldn’t work and how it was my fault and just an essay worth of excuses as to why I could no longer commit.

Yet, Willow picked up everything before I could try and nitpick the reality at hand.

The brewing change that we’d no longer be together.

No secret make-out sessions in the halls. No more kisses in the safety of our rooms. No touching her soft flesh or enjoying the lines of her muscles as William. We’d be friends.

And what frightened me the most was that we’d drift away like most friends do after breakups.

My tears fell as I opened my mouth to speak, and Willow further smiled as she moved her arms from around me just to press her hands on my cheeks. Brushing away my tears with her thumbs, she moved in close until our foreheads were pressed together.

A symbol of trust between wolves.

“Is Aries there, too?” Willow quietly asked. Her question awakened my wolf, who opened her eyes to listen in to the conversation.

“Yes,” I whispered.

“I love you and Aries. I’ve cared about you for a long time. When we met, I knew we’d be good friends, and I always prayed we’d be best friends. That’s not going to change, Aurelia. We’re not going to drift apart. We may be distant because of this trip, but when we come back, things will just be like they always have been. I’ll always have your back, just like you’ve always had mine.”

She pulled back just so I could see her confident eyes.

“I’m your Ride-or-Die friend, bitch,” she teased. “You can’t get rid of me.”

I caved at her words, and my sobs escaped me. She pulled me into a hug again, comforting me like she always did when I couldn’t emotionally handle the sadness in my life.

I was beginning to wonder if this was my life. If I’d never have happy times. Every time I had a spark of happiness, there would be immense sadness to follow. It was like the world wished for me to be lost in this depressive state of worries and conflict about myself.

Maybe this was why I had to just take a break and work solely on myself. I’d done a good job this year, growing my confidence little by little while I learned new things. I took self-defense classes with Willow and Onyx’s aid, learned how to break through magic barriers placed on me or Aries from Grandma, and I’d learned far more about herbs and magic medicine so I could independently launch a shop of my own thanks to Natasha.

I’d worked on myself in ways I wouldn’t have been able to a year ago, but my self-doubt was still crippling. I had no self-worth, and that was the obvious problem that contributed to my struggles.

I wouldn’t let myself acknowledge my achievements and how they contributed to my growth until something sad happened and I vowed to change myself. This had to come to an end, or I’d lose myself to my depressive, self-sabotaging tendencies.

Which only confirmed this had to be done.

“You don’t hate me?” I cried.

Willow laughed. “Why would I hate you? The woman I cherish wants to work on herself and become a confident, badass bitch for the world to see! How could I not support you? Anyone who tries to hate you for wanting to empower yourself is damn selfish.”

“This world doesn’t deserve someone like you, Willow,” I whispered.

“Just as they don’t deserve someone as kind-hearted as you, Aurelia,” she replied and held me as she initiated what would be our final kiss.

It was sad that this hurt a lot more than I thought it would. That putting myself first could be more painful than hiding my struggles from the person I cared dearly about. She understood me, and the reassurance that we’d still be friends should have been enough to let go.

Why am I still struggling?

I kissed her back with enough passion to let her know how much I loved her. I wanted her to know that in this solid year, she’d changed my life in so many ways. Maybe in this instance, I looked weak to the world around me, but it was because of her acceptance that I could be my true, vulnerable self with her.

No matter my flaws and misconceptions that the world created to steer her away from me, Willow was one of the few who could never be manipulated. When she loved someone, it was concrete and couldn’t be destroyed unless they pulled the plug.

We were breathless when I decided to break the kiss, knowing from the way my body tingled with lust that things would go down south. As much as I yearned for one last lustful ride, I couldn’t do that to her. I wouldn’t allow my pain to take us on a last round of intimacy and leave us both broken when we walked away.

“You’ll text me when you can?” I whispered.

“I will,” she assured me. “If necessary, I’ll use Viktor’s phone.”

“Okay.” I blinked a few times to stop the new set of tears that fought for freedom, all while I took in Willow’s expression up close. She seemed okay with this transition, that level of strength so beyond my ability to deliver.

I was a work in progress, and in order for me to become a finished piece of art for the world to see, I had to let the universe bring me to the level of perfection I required to reach victory.

To be seen. Acknowledged. Respected. And eventually, feared.

“Don’t you have to go see Natasha?” Willow pointed out. “She’s leaving really soon.”

She looked to the clock to emphasize the urgency. “Can you get there in ten minutes?”

“Yes!” I realized she had a good point. Plus, I still had to go visit my parents - and potentially see Ace. Grandma had to have hinted it out for a reason, so it was about time that I found out why.

“You better get to the car,” I encouraged.

“After I change.” She smirked. “Wouldn’t want to be all over the news looking like a cage fighter champion.”

“Funny,” I commented. “Who would have guessed.”

She laughed and gave me a tight hug. “See you when I get back. We’ll do something fun like go clubbing.”

“You’re not even of age,” I reminded.

“And?” she offered as she pulled away with a devilish grin.

“A De Luca gets into wherever they want.” I repeated the saying she’d use whenever she wasn’t “supposed” to do, go, or be somewhere that was obviously restricted for a reason.

“See? You speak my language,” she hummed.

We shared one last look before I awkwardly waved. “I’ll get going.”

“Okay,” she replied, but couldn’t help but whisper, “Love you, bestie.”

Fuck…

Only Onyx and I knew just how hard it was for her to say those words, to express her love in the common language, because she feared attachments. In our relationship, we didn’t need to express it in public. Willow used her actions, whether it was little things like holding hands, or major expressions of passion like kissing me against the lockers to prove she loved me.

The words ‘I love you’ were only a bonus.

“I love you more, bestie,” I replied. I tugged my gaze away as I slowly turned around and took a steady breath. This was it.

I forced my body to move forward, one step after another before I opened the door.

“Bye, Willow.”

“Bye, Aurelia.”

When I closed the door, I couldn’t help but lean against its firm surface to keep myself from collapsing. My whole body shook as my tears fell like streams of water going down a waterfall.

Aries had been quietly listening since she was summoned by Willow, and now that it was officially over, I could feel her disappointment. Aries was quiet and never much for words these days, but she enjoyed being around Willow.

The level of tranquility she brought with her empowerment, even though she didn’t have her wolf just yet, always seemed to motivate Aries to try to be my rock. Aries was what would be called a supporting character in a typical game. Quiet, observant, but ready to support you in all areas needed if it led you to victory.

The few times I’d shifted just to let Aries out to play, Willow was around to keep an eye on me. She did so much in our relationship, and here I was, ending it all. I never got to return the favor. To take her places where she could have fun and take a break, like clubs and shopping malls, to release the stress of the day.

Instead, Willow always played to my tune so I wouldn’t stress about what my family would say or do. So that the Coven, Elders, or damn Beatrice wouldn’t try to punish me for doing things my way.

I took a few deep inhales while cloaking my essence entirely, hoping she wouldn’t sense me at the door, but my ears picked up on a deeper voice from inside.

“The car is all set up. Think Viktor is going to be here in…” Onyx’s voice drifted to me before he trailed off. “Was Aurelia here, and why are you so down?”

“Aurelia was here,” Willow quietly admitted. “Uh. Well…”

She struggled to speak, and the silence lingered until she could get the words out.

“We broke up.”

We. Why would she take some of the blame when I’m the one who broke up with her?

“Did something happen?” Onyx questioned.

“No,” Willow replied. “Aurelia wants to work on herself, and I guess I have things to deal with too, right? I mean, we’re always improving…growing…achieving what needs to be done to make us reach our goals. Plus, I’m sure the pressure of the Coven and her family doesn’t help much.”

“Right.” I wasn’t sure if Onyx was super mad, or trying to calculate the situation. “How did Aurelia take it?”

“She was crying and was worried I’d hate her. As if I’d ever hate her. So, we’re besties now.”

“Are you okay with that?”

The silence was deafening, but Willow finally replied, “It’s not whether I’m okay with it, Onyx. What matters is whether Aurelia is happy or not. I…really loved dating her.” Her voice cracked and she tried to continue, “But we don’t know what she deals with daily. We don’t see all the criticism she has to endure. I can’t be selfish and say I don’t support her. I mean, we’re still young. We’re still going to grow and change…I…just…”

She trailed off and I heard Onyx sigh.

“You were really happy,” he concluded.

“I don’t show it well enough, huh?” she offered with a trembling voice. “I’m so…used to being stoic on the outside with everyone. I’m used to being chill with you because no one is going to make up stories and gossip. They tried when we were younger and it didn’t go anywhere. No one blinks an eye when it comes to you, but Aurelia…. She’s…so special to me. I didn’t think it would be fair to be so romantic in public and draw more negative attention to her. The harassment from the Coven is enough. She doesn’t need the media bothering her further. I just…feel like if I’d communicated that…maybe we wouldn’t need to break up? I don’t know.” She nervously laughed.

“Willow,” Onyx whispered. “It’s okay to cry, Sugar.”

She was quiet before a whimper left her. “If I cry…it’ll force me to accept we’re not together anymore.”

“I know,” Onyx replied. “But things can change, remember? We have the future ahead of us. Let those tears fall, and when we reach the jet, we’ll enjoy a few tubs of ice cream to compensate.”

“Why…aren’t you taking advantage of this?” she whispered. “Shouldn’t you be gleeful that I’m single?”

“I’d never be happy at the fact that you’re in pain, Willow,” Onyx revealed. “You loved Aurelia in your own way. You need time to let your heart heal. As long as your happy, I’m happy. Even if it means not being by your side in a relationship aspect.”

“You always say comforting things when I’m on the verge of tears.”

“I don’t like seeing you cry,” he quietly confessed. “We deal with enough in the shadows. When we’re out in the light, I just want to see you happy.”

“Romantic Bulky Fucker,” she muttered and began to sniff.

“Now, now. If you keep calling me that, it’s gonna become a permanent nickname.”

“Just like you keep calling me Sugar,” she sobbed, and those sounds of agony were muffled by what I could only assume was Onyx’s chest as she sobbed against him.

“Shh, Sugar. It’s okay. At least you’re still best friends. You won’t lose Aurelia.”

Willow simply whimpered her reply, her sobs coming out uncontrollably as Onyx continued to comfort her.

I let my own tears fall before I pushed myself away from the door and walked straight into a portal. My magic worked all on its own accord - bringing me to the place I knew I had to be next.

My head was still down as I reached my destination, my eyes locked on the rough path as my tears fell. I couldn’t stop myself from crying as my shoulders moved up and down, but I knew if I just dragged my feet enough, I’d at least be able to tell Natasha my worries.

She was always the best listener.

Doing exactly that, I shuffled my feet forward, my eyes noticing the flickers of orange, red, and gold against the rough dirt path.

“I bet Natasha put up new lanterns to decorate the house,” I muttered and lifted my head up to view their calming appearance.

Instead, my hammering heart came to a dramatic stop.

“No…”

My eyes widened to their full capacity as I took in the massive flames that engulfed the cozy home I’d known for ten plus years.

“Natasha…NATASHA!” I screamed and raced forward.

The shop - Natasha’s home - is on fire.

11

REVENGE OF A CLEMENTINE

“N ATASHA!” I screamed her name as soon as I pushed against the door. The whiplash of flames and smoke in my direction had my wolf at the surface, trying to gain enough control to lift my hands to the sides.

My magic cooperated, and Aries created a barrier orb that surrounded us like a bubble. The glowing teal orb was infused with cool air, the fanning breeze countering the intense heat that was coursing around us.

Aries pulled back to give me control once more, and I mentally thanked her before I went back to calling Natasha’s name.

“NATASHA! It’s Aurelia! Where are you?!”

All I could hear was the loud crackling of the flames as some glass jars exploded from the epic burst of flames and whatever ingredients were in those large containers, while others melted from the intense temperature.

“Dammit. She’s not here.”

“Upstairs? I don’t sense her energy in the bottom level.”

I took Aries’s word for it as I jolted across the room - avoiding a chunk of flaming wood that fell from the ceiling a second later. I looked back as the loud sound vibrated the very ground beneath me, and that nervous, worried feeling seemed to freeze me in fear.

“You can do this, Aurelia. Breathe,” Aries encouraged.

All these years I’d dealt with practice sessions and made-up situations, but I’d never dealt with something like this before. I may have been inexperienced, but I just needed to think straight and use my magic to my advantage.

Yes. Breathe and use my magic to my advantage.

I forced my legs to move, but the moment I got to the stairs, they collapsed before my eyes. “Tsk!” I spun my hands in a circular motion, as if I were in front of a glass wall and trying to clean it in one fast movement.

Magic circles appeared beneath my feet, their spinning motion triple the speed of my hands. The conjured energy lifted me up with ease, allowing me to soar upward to the very top of the stair platform that was still managing to remain afloat.

I didn’t hesitate in my movement as I raced into each room, one after another, my eyes scanning the flaming space that was thick with smoke. It wasn’t until I reached the very end of the hall that I picked up Natasha’s burning essence.

I hadn’t realized how hard it would be within her own space that was practically covered in her energy, but now it was clearly pulsing in the air. However, the mere feel of it told me she was withering fast.

“NATASHA!” I screamed as I entered the room. It looked to be what would have been the baby’s room. The crib was beginning to go up in flames, while all the colorful pink decor on the walls was turning into ash.

I feared for the baby. A child consuming even a bit of smoke at this thick viscosity would lead to their doom. But when my eyes finally landed on Natasha, it was clear she was alone.

Alone…and gravely wounded.

“Shit!” I couldn’t help but curse as I noticed the weapon of choice that protruded out of her body - a sickly black sword that was sticking out of her chest. It held a level of dark magic I knew had to be forbidden by its inky nature.

The energetic force reminded me of black flames that moved very slowly and yet palpitated a frosty chill. The combination was already making the hairs on my arms rise up in concern, but my gaze moved to the victim of the slow demise, Natasha, whose pale body was sitting there against the wall.

“Natasha!” I whispered and rushed to approach her, but her jerky movement froze me as she managed to lift her left hand and shake her head in warning.

“N…No. Don’t…touch,” she weakly pleaded. Her breathing was heavy and her skin so damn pale, I wondered if she had blood in her system.

“Natasha! You’re going to die! I need to get you out of here,” I reasoned and quickly looked around to find something that could be used to try to grip the sword indirectly. All I needed to do was get the sword out of her.

Then, I could teleport her to the Coven’s medical ward in time before she bled out. When I couldn’t find anything, I huffed in frustration before I stripped out of my long-sleeved black top. That left me in a black sleeveless top with leather strings that tied along my biceps and my leather tights with fishnet spaces.

It heightened the chance of me getting some burns if I retracted the spell that continued to protect me from the raging storm happening around us, but if it meant I could save Natasha, I’d do it.

“Hold on, Natasha!” I urged as I protected my hands and rushed forward to grab the hilt of the sword. I shrieked at the impact and jumped right back - my hands retracting at the intense chill of the surface that would surely freeze me solid if I touched it directly.

Instead of that happening, I watched my top be consumed by that same oozingly black energy that disintegrated it into ashes that fell to the floor.

“Fuck,” I cursed and looked at Natasha, who had no choice but to watch what happened. Her eyes lifted enough to meet my horrified ones, and I knew from the way her eyes softened that there was no way out.

“No.” I shook my head slowly and approached her. “Natasha! There has to be a spell to get the sword out! Please! Tell me what I need to do so we can get you to safety!” She nodded and, using the fingers of her left hand, gestured for me to come to her side.

Her wall was the last one that hadn’t gone up in flames, but the fire was spreading far too fast. We wouldn’t have much time to get out of here if I didn’t make haste.

Rushing to her left side, I dropped to the floor and watched as she slowly struggled to turn herself enough that both her hands could reach me. I leaned in further to help so she wouldn’t have to rotate her body to try to face me, but instead of whispering in my ear, she placed her hands on my cheeks.

“Natasha?” I questioned, but suddenly a dull yet oddly pitched sound ran through my head. It had Aries howling in distress while my body was suddenly frozen and my eyes went wide, like I was suddenly looking into a void of golden portals.

The world melted away until it felt like I was back downstairs in the middle of the shop - only the walls looked like they were plastered with pages of writing. From the ceiling all the way to the floor, pages and pages of written documents were everywhere.

The scribbled incantations and signs were clearly magic-related, but there were so many pages that I wondered if it was layers of information all around me.

“What…what’s going on?” I questioned. “Aries?”

I couldn’t sense Aries in my mind, but I didn’t have the time to grow anxious about it because Natasha appeared before me in a simple white dress.

“Natasha!” I exclaimed and ran right into her arms. She hugged me back, and I sighed in relief. “Natasha?! Was that all an illusion?! The shop was all up in flames and you were pinned by a sword of some forbidden magic!”

I pulled back to smile at her, my tears escaping my glassy eyes, but when my eyes locked onto hers, I could see the immense pain in them - the level of hopelessness that I’d witnessed with my own golden orbs.

“Natasha?”

“I’m sorry, Aurelia.” Her voice trembled as she fought hard not to cry. She shook her head and pulled me against her tightly. “That wasn’t an illusion.”

“What?” I gasped into her chest. I waited for her to push me out of the hug because I was frightened to let her go - fearing she’d fade away just like that.

“Aries is in control of your body while I brought your subconscious here.”

“Where is here?” I questioned. I just wasn’t processing any of this. How was Aries in one spectrum while I was wherever this was?

“My subconscious,” she revealed. “Basically, the inside of my head.”

“I’m…in your head?” It sounded absolutely crazy and yet here I was in what had to be the most precious space of Natasha. At the end of the day, this shop was her home where she’d stayed with her husband for years before she opened up her business.

This was the place where she should have raised her family.

“Your husband and baby?”

“My love is already on the flight to Korea with our child,” she assured me. “He won’t last long though. Long enough to bring our child to the rightful family members.”

“W-Why?” I whispered in astonishment. “Natasha…what happened?”

All she could do was give me a sad smile.

“Sometimes not following the rules comes with punishments you can no longer avoid,” she confessed. “I can see why Valentine let go of her husband when she did. I should have followed her footsteps…maybe then my fated love would be spared our joined demise.”

“I don’t understand, Natasha! Why can’t I move the sword and teleport you?!”

“The sword is forbidden magic, Aurelia. Magic that is either passed down or inherited when you rise within your family’s Coven,” she elaborated. “Its purpose is to kill the person struck by the length of its blade, but like the common phrase of ‘double-edged sword’ this forbidden weapon strikes your mate as well.”

“What?!” I gasped in horror. “But you said your love would get to your family in time.”

“He’ll arrive momentarily,” she admitted. “My family is at the airport. Once our sweet child is in their grasp, all he’ll have to do is walk away. He’ll fade away like he never existed in this world…just like I will shortly.”

“No…” I whispered. “Natasha, there has to be an antidote. Can’t I make something?!” I rushed past her to the large glass jars of various herbs, trying to dig through my mental archives of the different healing recipes she’d taught me over the years, but my hands went through those glass cylinders - reminding me that this wasn’t real.

Everything here is just an illusion. This is just Natasha’s mind.

“There’s nothing that can be done, Aurelia,” she whispered as I slowly turned around to face her. I noticed then the seeping blob of red on her white cloth, and she followed my gaze to the spot where she’d been struck.

“We don’t have much time,” she whispered. “Come here, Aurelia.”

I couldn’t argue as I dragged my feet until I stood before her with my tears flowing without end.

“Why?” I whispered. “Why can’t I do anything? Can’t…can’t I get Grandma?”

She shook her head as lines of worry morphed on her face.

“I knew I’d be dying soon, Aurelia. There comes a point in your life as a witch that you sense the strings of fate begin to thin,” she confessed as she swallowed the lump in her throat. She was on the verge of crying. “However, I personally thought I’d have more time. At least a few months just to cherish my sweet child…but I guess the Creator of Magic needs me to return home. If I’m lucky enough, maybe Mother Moon will let me come with my hubby.”

She then frowned as she focused her attention fully on me.

“You need to get to Valentine ASAP. The ones who did this will most likely make an attack on the Elders or the entire Coven. I have only a fraction of my magic left. Once I’ve done the transfer, I’ll teleport you to the Coven House.”

“No.” I shook my head. “Grandma’s visiting Mom and Dad!”

“The…cemetery…alright.” She was beginning to turn pale, just like in the present, and I wished to help her in some way.

“Natasha, please. There has to be something I can do!”

She looked into my desperate eyes. Could she truly see how much I wished to aid her? Didn’t she understand that she was family to me? Whenever I struggled in my teenage years, she’d became a source of comfort.

All the times she would listen to my concerns, worries, and fears, and give me insight into her life before she decided to venture down this path of magic herbs and medicine were so important to me.

I thought I’d be able to show her my growth. Apply all her wisdom and teachings and come back to prove how different I’d become thanks to her guidance. I’d yet to reach that point of confidence.

She couldn’t just leave without seeing me prosper…right?

“You can do something, Aurelia,” she assured me and reached out to press her hands against my cheeks once more. Her hands grew hot then - the intensity growing so strong, it felt like my face was burning off.

I gasped and tried to pull away, but my body again was frozen in place as my wild eyes took in the walls that began to peel away. Page after page fell off the grand walls that surrounded us until sheets rained down upon us.

None of them reached the ground as the wind picked up and began to spin around us, lifting our strands of hair with the rest of the thousands of sheets.

“In the world of wolves, power is a necessity, but in our world of magic, knowledge is what will make or break you,” she began as her eyes began to glow vividly like golden lanterns. “My time upon this earth may be up, but I won’t let the enemy win. My child may not be able to receive the fruits I’ve gathered for many years, but if my apprentice can benefit from the wisdom I’ve collected for generations, so be it.”

I wasn’t grasping what she was saying as my head began to pound and my magic rushed upward from my toes all the way to my head. I tried to scream as my head was tilted back, forcing my eyes to look at nothing but the ceiling, which was just a sea of cream and black.

My magic took over my vision, my eyes glowing with my energy source while my arms lifted to the sides and thrummed with as much magic as the vibrating limbs could carry.

My mouth opened again to scream, and all it did was create a beam of teal light that shot upward, straight into the ceiling. Like a vacuum, the thousands of papers began to filter into the light, and that was when I felt the flow of knowledge.

Memories.

Recipes.

Experiences.

Magical capabilities.

Interactions with people I’d never heard of and scenes of world catastrophes that felt as if I’d been front and center in the chaotic recovery spiraled through me.

I was witnessing Natasha’s life before my eyes, and it was like watching a movie unfolding in my mind except at such a fast speed that I only had time to acknowledge the sight before something else took its place.

So much wisdom had to have taken generations to collect, but as the last pieces of paper filtered into me, that was when I felt the foreign magic that rushed into my core.

“With the archives of my generations safe within your subconscious, it’s time to give you the rest of my magic,” she announced, the stream of energy simply glowing until my body began to float upward as my arms and legs remained static.

Everything was so much, and yet my magic only encouraged the new expansion of energy as it continued to be absorbed into my body. My ears rang, I could barely breathe, and as the stream of Natasha’s magic began to thin, so did the world around us.

The shop from my memories began to fade away - the ember flakes of flames returning as smoke re-entered my line of vision. Only a small bit of magic remained. It began to trickle within me, and my weak eyes opened enough to see I was back in my body and the flames literally surrounded us.

Aries had managed to wrap us in that protective bubble of teal, and golden magic circles hovered beneath us and above us.

I struggled to speak, my tears running down my cheeks as I looked back into Natasha’s orbs that were no longer golden. They were black - the representation reminding me of death itself - and I watched blood begin to drip down her nose and side of her mouth.

“With magic, there is always rebirth,” she whispered to me. “Just as there is life. I’ll…live on through you, Aurelia. That is how you’ll be able to help me. How…you’ll be able to keep my legacy thriving.”

The barrier around me began to shrink, and I willfully couldn’t stop it. My senses were overwhelmed with too much, and if I moved my focus from Natasha for even a second, I’d lose sight of her forever.

She deserved to be seen in her final moments.

As if understanding, she fought hard to smile as flames began to burn at her flesh. Her hands remained on my cheeks, their glowing essence beginning to grow dimmer.

“The challenges ahead of you will be hard, Aurelia, but do not fear. You have my power now…my life runs through you. I may be gone…and my mate…but do not fear for my child. When all this ends…my existence will fade from the memories of many…including you, but you’ll meet my child again. She will come to your aid when you need her, and just like you assisted me…she will assist you when it’s your time to embark upon the steps of awakening.”

She fought hard to move forward until she lightly kissed my forehead. A final set of tears ran down my glowing eyes. It felt like I was fading away - my body making the first steps to teleport to the next destination.

“May your path become clear with time, Aurelia. I pray…that our Magical Creator and the Moon Goddess, who protects you, shine a…guiding light…for you…to embrace…who…you…are…”

The flames were spreading along her body, melting her flesh at an agonizing pace. “Remember…you are kind…brave…powerful…and worthy, Aurelia. Worthy…of love…worthy of power…worthy…of redemption. You…are…worthy…”

Those last words echoed around me as I watched the flames take the last fragments of her flesh. That was when her bones began to fade into little balls of orange, gold, and red, the colorful orbs representing Natasha, just like the flames that invited her end.

Before I completely teleported away, my vision changed for a split second - and there I watched from afar in a field of red and midnight blue roses. Natasha’s figure stood just a few feet from me, her back facing me as she seemed to look around the serene place.

The familiarity of the place and the massive moon in the sky granted me a moment of relief in the depths of my heart as Natasha’s soft voice whispered, “Eden…my love.”

She began to walk forward, her feet going from a slow pace to her running through the fields towards the man standing further away. I knew, even from this distance, that it was her husband.

It was the first time I was hearing his true name, as everyone had always called him Natasha’s lover, husband, or partner.

Before she reached him, I could see the happiness that shone in his eyes, and though I knew without a doubt they were both sad to leave the world behind, they were granted a rare opportunity as wolf shifter and witch.

They get to enter paradise together.

The world was fading as Natasha jumped into Eden’s arms. The two of them spun and hugged each other as petals of red and dark blue lifted into the air. I got a glimpse of the Moon above and caught onto the affirming words.

“They will enter paradise. Thank you, Aurelia, for bringing them home.”

Me? Bringing them home?

I gasped as I suddenly returned to reality - the world of fire and smoke was long gone and I was in a thick part of a forest. My arrival made my stomach churn, and I vomited.

“Aurelia, hang in there,” Aries tried to comfort me. The way my head was pounding was going to knock me right out, but I had to get up and focus.

I have to get to Grandma and tell her about Natasha.

My mind was trying to keep her memory intact, but I could already feel some things about the woman fading away.

Aries, I need help. We have to get to the cemetery.

“Let’s shift! I’ll take control while you rest,” Aries encouraged.

The adrenaline pumping through our veins made shifting far easier than it ever had been, the cracking of bones barely triggering a hint of pain as my sight heightened magnificently.

Only everything was far different than my previous shifts.

Aries stilled as our eyes took in the flowing world of energy around us. It was like the dark forest had shifted into a neon-colored paradise, the flow of life in tiny beads of gold while the structures of tall trees, grass, and other natural life were in neon blues and greens.

Aries lowered our vision to see our glowing legs that were decorated with various symbols. Our fur was still black, but I could only imagine what we looked like as a whole.

No time. We have to get to Grandma.

Aries lifted our head up to howl loud and clear, and I begged Mother Moon that the sound would alert Grandma that trouble was upon the horizon. The pain from losing Natasha leaked into the echoing sound, and I encouraged the frenzy of revenge that coursed through my veins.

With our newfound drive, Aries jolted forward, our speed increasing with every second until the world was nothing but a glowing oasis of blurry light. She was right about the cemetery not being far, and the familiar scent reached my nostrils within a minute of running at full speed.

As we got closer and closer, the scent of mint and pine hit the air and encouraged me to push even harder to reach our destination. If Ace was close, it had to have meant Grandma was safe. I wouldn’t slow until I saw Grandma with my own eyes.

I gritted my teeth as I noticed the large black gates were closed - not good. They never closed the cemetery because they knew witches and wizards visited at various times due to the way our lives worked when using magic.

It was early in the evening and there was plenty of time before midnight, but my worries were soon answered as a bolt of lightning came from the sky and struck somewhere in the resting grounds. The aftershock shot outward, and I couldn’t skid to a stop before the wave threw me right back and off my feet.

Aries yelped as the wind picked up and seemed to carry us backward, and I knew if I let this continue, we’d be right back to where we’d come from.

Aries! Switch!

She pulled back as I surged forward, our bones cracking back into place as I flipped my body so my back now faced the sky and my front side looked down to the forest and path that lead to the cemetery. The wind was obviously intentional, and I wasn’t going to have any of it.

Clapping my hands together, I summoned a new set of clothes that were very similar to my black attire from before and then concentrated on my magic spell.

“Take me to Grandma! TELANDRA LE VE MAGICANDO!”

My hands spread out wide as my vision within my mind came to light. Flames of blue and gold coursed around me until it felt like I was riding a phoenix. Its piercing cry spread around us as she soared towards the cemetery.

At this distance, I could see the chaos going on near the hilltop. A barrier surrounded a good chunk of graves. My eyes widened as I could see a hint of Grandma within the white, glowing protective globe, but I took in the multiple men in black that were desperately trying to cut through the walls.

Lightning continued to rush downward, striking groups of the men that cried out in agony, and it didn’t take me long to find the culprit of the powerful strikes.

“ACE!” I screamed to the man in question, noticing his figure that stood at the north part of the protective globe. He was standing just behind what had to be my parents’ and his parents’ graves. His attire of black was fit for combat as his cape fluttered behind him.

His eyes were filled with various dancing colors and glowed immensely, like he was possessed by the magic coming down from the sky, but the call of his name reached his ears and he lifted his head up to see me.

I noticed my call had only notified the remaining enemies in black of my arrival, and all attacks went from the barrier straight to me. Ace pointed his wand my way, his magic rushing so quickly to me that none of the other attacks could hit me fast enough. His beam of silver light created a cylinder that reminded me of a slide.

I didn’t delay as I jumped off the phoenix. I knew what her next task would be with the magic still burning through her flaming body, but my attention moved downward as my body slid right into Ace’s arms.

The impact sent us flying back into the ground, my body pinning his, but I was already scrambling up as he did the same. Without a second’s delay, a barrier wrapped around us to shield us from the onslaught of attacks that came from all angles.

“Aurelia,” Ace began but he seemed caught off guard by my appearance as I was his. It had been only a year and yet he looked so different.

Taller, more mature, powerful.

I knew this wasn’t the time to admire him, and yet I just couldn’t help myself as we took a solid minute to stare at one another.

Acknowledging the bits of growth.

“Natasha is dead.” The words slipped out of my mouth before I could say anything else.

His eyes widened at the news before he looked more troubled. “Grandma Valentine is hurt.”

My heart dropped and I fought hard not to let it show on my face but it bled right through. Ace looked over to his left. I followed his gaze to see Grandma’s image, but the glistening wall of protection was thick enough that it made it hard to see.

“We need to take these guys down first,” Ace calmly announced, drawing my attention to him. He was focused as his eyes began to glow with power once more. Those sunset orbs with twinkling blue were beginning to fade as other colors began to trickle in, reminding me of Master L’s prism eyes. “Grandma Valentine is protecting the graves. Once the threat is gone, we can take her to the Coven before it’s too late.”

“Alright,” I replied and grew just as serious. My phoenix up above cried out at that moment. We lifted our heads to see her magnetic beauty, and I put my action right into play. I wanted whoever had done this to those I loved see a glimpse of the power I carried.

“Show them who they should fear.”

My spelled whisper ignited the sky to darken with thick sheets that made our surroundings grow pitch black. If it wasn’t for the illumination of the protective dome, you wouldn’t be able to see anything.

It wasn’t like the light would stop the strikes of revenge that were about to transpire in the flesh. My hands lifted up as I let my magic bleed out in waves. The phoenix above cried out in anger, and its body doubled in size.

Then tripled…then grew even bigger, until it was like it was the new surface of the sky above us.

Whatever strikes that were centered on us suddenly stopped as cries of anguish and fear pulsated through the air. It somehow made me smile as words of wisdom rushed into my head and the spell left my lips without remorse.

“Destroy those that sin upon these sacred lands. Reap what needs to be sown. Let their blood soak into the soil of our ancestors. Let their deaths be a reminder of what should not be done in the presence of our lost ones. Ashla Na Le Re Ma Tome Re Vu!”

A second passed and the space beyond our barrier was lit up with so many lightning strikes that the intense vibrations of their attacks against the ground shook the very earth beneath us. The cries of our enemies were lost to the electric charge of death and any bodies left were set ablaze by the aftershock that burst outward.

The attack had to be as wide as the entire cemetery, but it did exactly what I needed it to do as the summoned creature fizzled away into tiny glowing orbs that began to rain down like ashes. I sighed while my stance waivered, but Ace hooked his arm quickly around me to keep me supported.

We both worked on scanning around us until we knew for sure we were clear.

“Grandma? The enemy is gone!” I called out in hope that she’d hear me. My body felt drained and I was a bit thankful that Ace was giving me support or I would have caved entirely.

It felt like my body was running on whatever Natasha had given me, but it was only a matter of time before that faded away.

The white barrier began to crack, and Ace lifted me up then jumped further back to give enough space as the protective structure collapsed. He didn’t hesitate to keep me in his grasp as he moved swiftly forward until we were right before Grandma, who was breathing heavily on her knees.

“Grandma!” Ace lowered me right in front of her, and I quickly scanned her to see the obvious wound on her leg. It wasn’t life-threatening, but it was bleeding profusely and could lead to death if we didn’t get her checked ASAP.

“Aurelia. Thank goodness you’re alright,” she reasoned. “Is Natasha with you?” She lifted her head as if to see my expression, but my struggled reply only confirmed what I was sure she didn’t want to acknowledge.

“Aurelia…” she whispered and I blinked away my tears as I whispered, “The shop is gone, Grandma. It…fire…someone set it on fire. Natasha…and…Eden…they crossed over. Mother Moon took them away to paradise.”

I quickly wiped away my tears. “She did some transfer thing to me. I know…things I shouldn’t? She gave me the remainder of her magic…and her…um…” I knew I was forgetting something vital and yet I couldn’t grasp it. “Someone important is safe with family.”

Grandma seemed confused at first, but she soon nodded in understanding.

“I understand, Aurelia,” she assured me. “Let’s make haste.”

“Where are we going?” I asked. “We have to get you medical attention.”

“I know who set up the attack against you and Ace,” Grandma revealed.

“What?” Ace and I gasped.

“Natasha and I figured it out earlier. These events only conclude that they know that we’re aware of the truth. I need to confront the Elders. Or at least, show them the truth. We also need Willow.”

“Willow?” I questioned. “Why would you need Willow?”

“This individual needs her for something, but we haven’t figured out for what exactly.”

“Willow and Onyx are gone already, Grandma.”

“Gone where?” Ace inquired.

“There’s a huge deal tonight. Roberto didn’t want them remaining here for risk of being attacked,” I quickly explained. “We need to get Grandma out of here.”

“We can’t teleport from here. There’s so much magical static that if we try, we may go somewhere way further than expected,” he explained. “If we can reach the entrance, that’s good enough.”

I followed his gaze down the path that would lead to the entrance where cars could pick people up. It wasn’t far. I could manage that.

“Let’s do it!” I urged and moved to Grandma’s left side while Ace moved around to her right. “This may hurt a little, Grandma.”

We tried to reach for her arms but her hands suddenly pressed against our chests.

And we were sent flying back.

My scream echoed, as did Ace’s, the two of us crashing into the ground in our respective directions. I groaned in pain but forced myself to sit up, noticing just how far I’d gone.

“W-What?” I couldn’t grasp what had happened - or why it had happened - but I got up and began to sprint forward.

“Something else is here!” Aries snapped in my mind and began to growl maliciously. I ran even faster until I entered the gravesite once more, but I came to a dramatic stop.

As did my racing heart.

Swords. Twelve of them. All punctured into the ground with their hilts up and the sharp tips of their swords in the thick soil. The same weapons that held that inky black magic that floated upward.

The sight of them wasn’t what made it impossible to take a single breath.

It was the three swords suspended from Grandma’s body that left me numb.

A sword in each palm of her hand that faced upward, and a single sword right in her chest. Just like Natasha.

“ELDER VALENTINE!” Ace screamed and charged forward, and my eyes only widened because I knew what would happen the moment he touched even one of those swords.

“ACE! NO!” I was running before I grasped it, so much going through my mind, but neither of us made it to her because bolts of black crashed into us.

Our screams were lost at the striking sound, and I fell to the ground with a heavy thump while sizzling sounds like something was burning reached my ears.

I couldn’t even groan as I struggled to just breathe, my body feeling like it was on fire from the inside out. It felt like blood was pouring out of my mouth, the metallic liquid filling the space and leaving out of the parted gap.

My eyes remained open, but I couldn’t move my sight anywhere else. All I could do was stare while my body went on a ride to its decline. I tried to reach Aries, but it was no use. My brain couldn’t conjure enough energy to do more than just survive.

To attempt to keep breathing.

A chuckle reached my ears, as did approaching footsteps.

“You thought you won, didn’t you?” The deep male voice made my blood run cold as the memories from a year ago rushed through my mind. “How I’ve waited for this moment to take you and that herbalist out of the picture. Now I can get what I was always promised.”

There was a gurgling cough and the man just chuckled. “I guess I should finish the boy off first. He’s useless to my rise in power.”

“Kill…him…and Aurelia dies.” The choked words were followed with silence as the heaviness in Grandma’s words took over.

What?

“Excuse me?” Westley’s voice was crystal clear now, and I didn’t need to see his face to know he was ticked off.

“Those two…imprinted on one another…a year ago. Don’t believe…me? Feel free…to check yourself. Kill one…the other will die.”

“He rejected her! You can’t imprint on what’s been discarded!”

“Not all rejections…mean endings, Westley,” Grandma croaked. “If…only you’d listened to me…entirely at the meeting…. You…would have found out that their mate bond is…half broken.”

Half…broken?

I’d never heard of a half-broken mate bond before. How was that even possible? Once the rejection process happened, that was essentially it. The rejected was a broken shell and the one who did the rejecting could move on, right? Even though the books stated that Mother Moon would do things to bring the two together again, it never mentioned that it was due to the bond not being officially terminated.

“Lying bitch!” he seethed. “Half bonds aren’t real!”

“You won’t…be able to force a bond…on her, Westley,” Grandma said the truth. “You’ve lost.”

“I’ll never lose,” he whispered. “A mere complication won’t stop me from getting the proper Disciple for my uprising!”

Disciple? He wants to make me into a disciple for what?

“That’s not…how it works,” Grandma breathed and began to cough and spit.

“It doesn’t matter,” he concluded. “I’ll make things work for me. Life simply has to bend to my will, and that will start with you, Valentine. Since you’re on death row, it’s best you transfer your knowledge to someone worthy of it.”

Worthy.

The single word triggered Natasha’s smiling face, only now her expression other than her lips was a void, as if I couldn’t recall what she looked like at all.

“You are worthy, Aurelia.”

I fought to move my fingers, little by little, as tingles of magic began to buzz between the tips. I didn’t need to see Westley. His energy that reminded me of thick poison was more than enough to locate. I struggled to envision my task at hand, but I centered all my focus on the target while my boiling desire for revenge against this despicable man began to boost my drive.

“You know you’re nowhere close to worthy,” Grandma spat out.

“You said that to your own child and look what happened?” Westley tossed back. “She fell for the darkness and perished. I’m doing Aurelia a favor by trying to make her my Disciple. All you Clementines want is power, so I’m offering you the chance! Instead, you particularly want her to find true love. Pathetic.”

He sighed dramatically as if to emphasize his point. “Where did love get you? My father told me all about how you loved your mate so much that you rejected him. I guess you two didn’t have a half bond, now did you? Or surely when he drank himself straight to his doom on that bridge, you would have gone down with him.”

“You know nothing!” she croaked out. “You’re just a stuck-up child who wants nothing but power! You are NOT worthy!” she screamed with all her might.

“Yet your grandchild’s sanity is hanging from a thin thread. You’d rather her be with this orphan fucker with a bunch of abandonment issues than someone raised by the best of the best. I see why my father said you’d be troublesome, but it doesn’t matter anymore. You won’t be around much longer,” he concluded as he took a deep inhale and then let it out. “I’ll ask you one last time, Valentine. Transfer the sea of knowledge within your subconscious, or I’ll take it myself.”

I knew Grandma wasn’t going to do what he said, the lull of quietness proof that she’d rather take the long, painful route.

“One thing that’s always the same with you Clementines,” Westley huffed. “Stubborn bunch of bitches.”

The tips of my fingers retracted together, triggering the strike of magic that I envisioned. It boomed from the sky and struck him right on. I didn’t know if it was my imagination, but it felt as if two different bolts went down at the exact same moment, which left Westley gasping in agony before a loud thump vibrated the ground beneath my body.

For a moment all was quiet, and I took the opportunity to try to fight to get on my hands and knees. The urged doubled: my sole purpose was now to try to fight against this heavy paralysis that fought to keep me down.

It was hard. The strenuous movement of every limb felt like I was trying to lift various weights at once, but my determination was stronger as I worked overtime to succeed.

Must help Grandma.

When I finally made it onto my hands and knees, I took a moment to just breathe. My magic was both riled up and leaking out of me at the same time. My body wasn’t strong enough to deal with such up and down surges of power, and if I allowed the shock of everything to settle into my brain, I felt like I’d break.

“Auri?” I heard Ace’s labored voice from afar, and I worked on lifting my head until I could see he was also on his hands and knees. His eyes met mine and I wondered if we were in sync or something because we both looked to where Westley laid on the ground - unconscious.

This is our chance.

My eyes returned to Ace’s and I knew from one look he was thinking what I was thinking. We worked towards getting up onto our trembling feet, and I looked to my arms that were struggling to heal the obvious second-degree burns that were covering my body.

Fuck. How was he able to burn us like this?

The strike hurt like hell, but for him to strike us with something that surely should have killed us right on only proved how dangerous Westley was.

We slowly worked our way over to where Westley was on the ground, confirming with our eyes that he was knocked out but not dead.

“We need to break the swords,” I whispered to Ace. He was about to try to touch one but I caught his wrist and quickly added, “We can’t touch them. You’ll disintegrate into ash. I…tried with Natasha with my shirt. It didn’t work.”

Ace bit his lip in obvious frustration, but he began to blink his eyes as if something was irritating them. I began to do the same as our bodies wobbled. Ace caught me first, but we were both falling forward to the opposite side of where Westley lay.

I thought I’d lost consciousness because I didn’t feel the ground that should have halted our fall, but instead, it felt like I was floating in Ace’s grasp as warmth surrounded us.

Some force tried to tug us apart, but Ace’s hand that had managed to grasp my limp hand only tightened.

“She’s…mine.” He struggled to speak, and I had to applaud him for even trying because I couldn’t fathom what was happening here.

“I’m aware, Ace. Be calm and relax.” Grandma’s voice was suddenly stronger than ever, and that somehow struck a chord of shock within me.

Did she heal herself? Thank goodness.

Her strengthened response had to have encouraged Ace to let go because he did, but even as we drifted apart, it felt like we were in opposite orbits that would lead us to overlap one another.

Our bodies were still floating as we continued this spinning orbit for what felt like minutes, but I began to grow calmer while my strength built up within me. My magic suddenly sparked to life and it worked swiftly to heal my burns.

It may have been a total of five minutes, but I was suddenly rejuvenated with enough energy to snap my eyes open. The action triggered the stop of my spinning movement, and it took me a nanosecond to find Ace because he was parallel to me. His wide eyes acknowledged that we were okay.

He made the first move, which was to pull me into a tight hug.

“What the fuck is going on?” He sounded so damn confused, and so was I, but for a brief moment, I could feel his emotions - the level of immense relief that I was safe, the anxiety revolving around this sudden fight, and the burning desire to fight back.

“I don’t know,” I quietly replied and hugged him tighter. “Why…do I feel your emotions?”

“As I feel yours,” he acknowledged right back. I wasn’t sure how I felt about him being able to feel a glimpse of the utter chaos happening within me, but it encouraged him to hug me tighter.

“We can fix this. There has to be something we can do.”

“If you believe that has anything to do with my survival, Ace, then you’ll be disappointed.”

The strong voice tugged our attention and I immediately realized we seemed to be in a magnificently white room. There was no decor or personalized items. Just a white room that held Ace, myself, and a woman with long white hair. Her eyes were golden while her white strands held a hint of golden streaks, and she wore a black dress that fell to the floor.

She looked a bit older than me, could have very well been thirty years of age, give or take. I could barely recognize this woman, and yet her voice was the only distinct quality I’d never dismiss.

“Grandma?” I asked the question hesitantly as my hands gripped Ace’s hands, which were in my grasp. He peered at her first before looking at me as tears began to brew at the realization of where this was.

Or what was about to happen.

“No.” The single word choked out of me as my gaze of disbelief locked onto those orbs that always carried a spectrum of wisdom in them. Her look alone told me she’d seen this coming, just like how Natasha admitted that she’d known her end was approaching.

“Grandma Valentine?” Ace questioned and the woman simply nodded.

“I’ve had to bring both of you into my subconscious because Aurelia won’t be able to handle the full extent of this transfer.”

“Transfer?” Ace wasn’t following what Grandma was about to do.

“When a witch of great hierarchy is about to die, it’s their right to leave the knowledge of their life as well as the generational knowledge and magic of their ancestors with their next of kin. However, there are a few instances when the individual who is deemed worthy in the eyes of the deliverer is either too young or overwhelmed with magical information and assets that the transfer process must be shared to ensure the mental safety of the chosen individual,” she explained. “In Aurelia’s case, it’s clear another has done a transfer with her, and if I try to do one, it’ll ruin her entirely.”

“But I’m not family,” Ace emphasized as if Grandma didn’t know this. “The Elders already hate me. If I entwine myself into this, it’ll only get worse.”

“I understand your concern, Ace, but there’s no time. Only Master L feels my approaching demise,” she reasoned. “I’ve done the best I can to ensure this transfer will aid both of you somehow, but the truth of the matter is that neither of you will be the same again.”

We stared at her in horror before looking at one another. His look told me it was worth a shot, but at what cost?

“Grandma…you can’t die too. Natasha’s dead. You can’t go away,” I pleaded.

“I’ve lived a long life, Aurelia,” she whispered as her eyes softened. “I got to watch you discover your mate, find hobbies, and witness the nineteen-year-old who is going to continue my legacy.”

When she reached out for us, our bodies floated towards her like magnets, until we now stood before her. For a moment I was distracted by her beauty, imagining just how vibrant she must have appeared back in her youth.

“Many enemies are hungry for the knowledge I carry within,” she stressed. “I’ve gathered information that can take down nations. Spells that are now lost and forbidden. I know some of the darkest sins of the governments across the world, and I know things that would bring down our own Coven. As I inched to my last year upon this earth, I tried to figure out a way to get you two out of this cycle of mayhem…but…I failed.”

“It’s not your duty, Grandma Valentine,” Ace whispered.

“Grandma…why did you have to do everything on your own?” I questioned, feeling heartbroken for her. How long had she been walking this path in trying to aid me? Attempting to find some sort of way out of whatever we’d been born into.

“There are only so many things an average witch can do. As an Elder, I have privileges no one else carries, and my age granted me the ability to do what needed to be done to succeed. However, many enemies seek their own salvation, including that lost boy.”

“Westley’s evil.” I spat the two works out like they were venom.

“He’s misguided and lost in the same cycle as you, Aurelia,” she admitted with great sadness. “The only difference is he’s doing exactly what they wish.”

“And Aurelia isn’t,” Ace whispered.

Grandma nodded as she approached closer. She began to walk around us as if scanning our bodies from head to toe.

“Transferring information outside of the family line is normally forbidden in the Coven, but due to the circumstances, I have no choice. However, no matter this unavoidable situation, consequences will be laid and I can guarantee that those in power will do anything to put the blame on the innocent.”

She came to a stop in front of us, and I looked to Ace as conflict with a hint of worry spread through his expression.

“They’re going to blame Ace for your death,” I whispered. “I won’t let them!”

“I know.” Grandma smiled comfortingly at me as she reached out to gently stroke my cheek. She looked to Ace and stroked away the single tear that escaped his right eye.

“I’ve never gotten to sit you down and tell you how proud I am of your sacrifices,” she whispered, catching his attention. His eyes bored into hers. “The loss of your parents, the strength you had to reject Aurelia so that your punishment could be to watch over her from afar take conviction. The things you’ve been forced to see and do are unimaginable for someone your age, and yet you carry a glimpse of compassion that you only show to those who deserve it.”

She paused and nodded her head.

“This transfer will reveal things you should never know…and that…I can assure you, will break you. Both of you.” She looked between us. “This world we live in holds a lot of darkness, and sadly, I can’t protect you from its clutches any longer. All I can ask is, when it’s safe to be reunited…that you fight for the love you still carry in your hearts for one another.”

“Grandma…” I whispered. “What about this broken bond?” I questioned in haste.

“That is something you two will have to fix on your own,” Grandma admitted. It looked like her skin was beginning to pale. “Just know that your current connection can be turned on and off. You’ll understand in time, and when you meet again, you’ll be able to figure it all out.”

She returned her gaze to Ace.

“Master L will be the only one to know of the events that happened in this instance. These events will be transferred to the next head of his chair when his time comes many years from now. Because it’s forbidden to do this act, the moment the transfer is complete, you’ll be teleported somewhere. I’m basing this on where your path lies, but you’ll be on your own. Master L will be monitored and won’t be able to aid you. Do you understand, Ace?” She paused and then emphasized, “You will be on your own.”

“I understand,” he quietly replied but I noticed the shake in his hand. I reached out to wrap my fingers around his, gripping his hand tightly while his gaze moved to meet mine.

“I love you.” I don’t know why those words came out here and now, but it needed to be said. “I’ve always been lost and you always figured out a way to find me. You’ve always had to take the lead and be the carrier of my burdens…and it just proves how much you care for me. That I’m worthy of your kindness behind the illusion of your hatred for me.”

He blinked his eyes to fight his tears as his hand squeezed mine back.

“When times are hard…just put the blame on me and work harder. Let the pain morph into revenge until you’re strong enough to return without being hunted and blamed. Hate me…and my family all you want. Just…always remember that I love you.”

“Auri,” he whispered and closed his eyes. “I love you, too, Aurelia.”

I bet others would think my words were crazy because I was giving Ace the privilege to hate me. No one would understand my real motives - to allow him to have a funnel to let his hatred flow down when times got hard wherever he landed after all of this was done. But deep within, that pain would eventually need to lay its mark on the target.

That would bring him back to me and then we could deal with our fucked-up issues.

“It’s time,” Grandma announced and looked between us once more. “I apologize for not being strong enough to shield you from reality.”

“Grandma, you did everything you could,” I reasoned.

She smiled just slightly as tears fell down her cheeks and her hair began to levitate with immense magic. Those golden tinsel strands multiplied until her hair was a gold oasis, while her hands reached out to place one palm on my cheek and the other on Ace’s.

“May the Creator of our world of magic and Mother Moon create a path for you both that will lead to a life of happiness.”

Instead of a burning hot sensation, my body grew so cold, it was like I was frozen in a block of ice. The pain surged through me and yet my knees couldn’t buckle.

I was forced to stand there while waves of pain rushed through my body like needles piercing in various directions. I cried in my head, and I could hear Aries’s howl of agony from somewhere in my mind, but then my vision blurred and that was when I saw the world of Grandma’s subconscious.

A galaxy.

Stars, millions of them, in a multitude of colors each held a story, a life changed at the hands of Grandma. This entire twinkling world was all the individuals Grandma had helped in her lifetime.

My silent cry faded away as knowledge from many decades flooded my brain: conversations, confrontations, battles that ended up in immense sacrifice. So much hate and competition, and people who smiled before you but utterly despised you were flowing through my mind.

The ultimate betrayal.

My heart felt like it broke into a million pieces as the events played out in a whirlwind of scenes and screams. Fingers pointed from various people, attempting to put the blame - all of them landing on Ace.

“Blame him. The child must be reserved for one who is richer, stronger, and will guarantee our chair on the court. We’ve found our chosen suitor. Destroy him and his heritage.”

I could see their hooded figures, their eyes covered with blindfolds while they came to the decision for the sake of our family name.

Our tainted name of blood.

“You can’t kill him! He’s Aurelia’s mate! Beatrice! We can’t allow this to happen!”

“I’ve tried everything, Valentine! Absolutely fucking everything behind the scenes. If I don’t play my role, they’ll kill me.”

“Aurelia will hate you.”

“If it means she’ll live long enough to find the truth of what truly happened one day, so be it. I’d rather she think of me as an evil witch if it means she’s protected from the true culprit of this family’s plague of agony!”

“Why? Why can’t she be with him?”

“Because it’ll unlock her purpose, Valentine, and at this point, I’m not sure if that purpose is for good or evil.”

“Aurelia wouldn’t hurt anyone.”

“You’re right,” Beatrice whispered. “But it’s not what Aurelia wants. It’s what the Vile Queen demands.”

Vile…Queen?

It felt like my head was cracking, and all the while the hand that squeezed me tightly began to fade away.

“Ace.” I choked out his name, and I heard him as his voice grew further away.

“Catch me if you can, Crazy Kitten.”

All the times we played as kids, declaring that one better catch the other if they could, was our hidden plea to be found by the one we loved.

Catch me if you can…find me if you love me enough.

He faded away just like the galaxy of wonders around us, and just like that, I was back in reality, only I stood in the middle of the circle of swords before Grandma.

The magnificent glow in her eyes was barely there, the last spark acknowledging my return as my entire body pulsed with the magic that had been harbored within her for many years.

I watched as her body began to disintegrate into black ash, but her eyes remained staring up into mine and she managed to keep that compassionate smile on her face. I knew she couldn’t speak, and I took a single step forward and leaned in to press my forehead against hers.

Her eyes closed then, as did mine - the two of us embracing this final moment of togetherness.

This last moment before we parted ways for what would felt like forever.

Grandma was a witch after all, and compared to the happy ending Natasha had received, Grandma would be going a different route to paradise, where the flow of magic of one’s life force floated away to.

“I love you, Valentine.” My voice was different, the tone so oddly off that I wasn’t sure who I was supposed to sound like. But it clicked in Grandma’s mind because I leaned back to see her full smile of teeth as a last set of tears made their gliding appearance.

“My mate…I…love you…too.”

She was lost in the illusion her magic wanted to deliver, the sight of the man she’d cherished even after his last breath. The man she sacrificed in hopes of protecting him, only for him to die tragically because he loved his woman far too deeply.

At least she’d be able to see him one last time, even if it was just a figment of her hopeful imagination. I watched as her grey strands of hair began to disintegrate, just like her pierced arms and chest, and soon enough, her face.

Before her mouth was completely gone, she had to say one last thing.

“Farewell…Aurelia…my…dear…”

Her face fell into ash, and I had a second to watch the spark in those orbs that had witnessed my very birth fade away into voids of darkness.

Then, there was nothing but ash.

The wind blew at that moment, carrying the ashes away from me, but I didn’t interfere in what nature wished to do with Grandma now. She was gone from this land, and whatever physical force that tried to pin her to this world had failed.

I remained completely still, staring at the swords that laid there on the ground like they hadn’t taken the lives of those I cherished. There wasn’t any need to turn around, for I knew Westley was gone.

By now, he’d be running, trying to lay out a plot against Ace, who could be anywhere in the world.

By himself, starting from scratch, yet again.

When the first droplet from the sky hit my shoulder, I couldn’t even gather the strength to look up. There were no tears left to shed, no sadness left to feel. Were there even words to describe this sensation of loss within me?

My entire life to this point had been filled with sorrow. Ever since my mate bond with Ace unlocked early, the gears of those in power began to move against us, and now here I was.

Alone.

No one was going to come and save the day. Willow and Onyx were far away. Ace was in a new place dealing with all of these new changes thrown at him, and the two individuals I’d trusted the most were now dead.

It was just me…

The quiet whimper in my head forced me to acknowledge Aries. She sat in her spot, curled up in agony with eyes filled with immense sadness.

“You’ve…always been here, huh?” I stated out loud like I was facing her within the dark realms of my mind. “No matter rain or shine… always here.”

My hand reached out as if I could pet her, and maybe I managed to do it because she closed her eyes at my phantom touch and quietly whimpered.

Aries, my wolf. My lonely wolf who had no pack of her own. Everything I loved was disappearing, and I wondered if a time would come when I’d lose Willow and Onyx, too.

I lose everything.

The rain began to fall, and I stared at the ground while the rain beat against me.

I let the new knowledge from Natasha and Grandma simmer in my head, the overwhelming information needing to be categorized and filtered through when I could manage even comprehending such a task.

For now, I just had to store them into my pounding head, and that was exactly what I did. Standing in the rain, I mentally sorted the valued knowledge that was more important than someone’s lifespan.

I stood there until everything was stored, and as if locking it, I felt a sudden snap in my mind.

My lips trembled as I lifted my head up to the sky.

“You want to feel the wrath of a crazy kitten?” I whispered to the air and began to laugh. It started as a giggle, an innocent twinkle of joyous sound that grew louder and louder as I found my statement utterly hilarious. “Trust me. I do more than just bite.”

There was more laughter as I lifted my shaking hands and ran them through my drenched locks as I continued my invisible celebration.

The sound of safeties going off around me only made me wrap my arms around my stomach to stop it from hurting so much from my laughing fit, but how could I stop the vibrations against my throat from echoing around me?

“You’re under arrest for the murder of Elder Valentine!” a brave officer declared.

Now I lost it as the made-up conspiracy registered in my shattered mind. It was so fucking hilarious.

Me? Under arrest? Hah!

“I lay my mark and allow it to fuck you up,” I continued my tune with my gleeful voice, and I finally allowed myself to open my eyes and acknowledge the surrounding circle of uniformed men with their guns all pointed my way.

“Are you ready for some fun?” I whispered with a cynical smile.

No more bullshit.

No more fear.

From this day forward…the old Aurelia…is dead.

Let fear turn into a heightened thrill.

Let sorrow morph into glee.

The weakling kitten who let all those she cherished die is now dead.

And here stands the crazy kitten everyone feared would be led astray.

Fear me.

Fear me.

F.E.A.R M.E!

With a blink, blood exploded into the air and the scent of metal made me giggle joyously as I clapped my hands. Only one man remained, the leader of this assassin pack staring aimlessly at me before he fired his gun until every last bullet escaped the chamber of his pistol.

Then, he trembled in fear, as every single bullet meant to destroy me now floated in the atmosphere around me, twirling to my will as my aura grew bigger and bigger.

“I guess you didn’t hear me,” I stated with much sadness, but my smile only reflected the opposite of disappointment.

Excited jubilee.

“You should FEAR ME!” I screamed as loud as I could - triggering the bullets to shoot back to their sender, filling him with holes from head to toe. By the time he fell to the ground, there was nothing left of his body to consider human, and that was what brought immense satisfaction as I tamed my laughter.

“Foolish.”

I stood there with no purpose in mind, debating where my life would go now.

I knew too much. I would never be the innocent girl I’d once been. Now that she’d died with all those I loved, this was the new me. Aurelia Delianna Clementine with two best friends: Willow De Luca and Onyx Charm.

I knew the Coven didn’t want me to rise into their ranks because I wasn’t in their ability to control. If only they saw me now. They would realize allowing me to rise into the Coven would be a great mistake.

My broken mate was gone, somewhere that all the knowledge in my brain couldn’t help me discover, and whatever switch had been turned on had only flicked that connection off because I felt nothing in my heart at the remembrance of him.

No hollowness, sadness, or agony. Absolutely nothing.

Did he feel joyous happiness in his new home? Or did he blame me for the coming anguish he would endure because of the villainous community I was forced to be born into?

It doesn’t fucking matter. Ace…is in the past.

Maybe this was for the best. Whenever I loved someone, it only ended up being broken. Shattered. Destroyed by those who thought they controlled me.

What can they ruin if I never allow myself to love again?

Nothing. They wouldn’t be able to ruin a single thing again as long as I never loved anyone.

“I’m a Wolf Rejected. No long relationships will prosper in my life. Only fun and games. Flings and gigs. No commitment. Nothing permanent. No strings attached.”

It was such a perfect plan, and the words of warning from long ago drifted into my mind again.

“Some have betrayed you, and such actions will cause you a lot of heartaches. Not just you, but those who will be tied to you. The path I had written for you has been tampered with. I’ve gifted you with the power I rarely give to my children. You will need it to protect yourself from what those filled with enviousness have set out for you. Those who wish to prevent your future uprising have only worsened their consequences, for the challenges ahead of you will change your innocent views of this world, Aurelia. You will rise to your position and fulfill the destiny I’ve chosen for you. No matter the obstacles, you will be the light within the darkness.”

“I will rise to my position and fulfill the destiny Mother Moon has chosen for me.”

The loud creaks of metal drew my attention, the surrounding swords breaking into millions of pieces. Slowly, I turned around to face the culprit, only to deepen my smile.

Heading up to the person as they lowered their glowing red wand, I stopped when I faced them - their stern orbs of magic locked onto my voided ones.

“I can see why villains are made,” I whispered as my eye twitched. It surely was trying to stop any form of sadness from prospering. “That’s why you became one. So I wouldn’t have to, right?”

Aunt Beatrice stared back at me, and I laughed sinisterly.

“Will you disown me now that I’m finally broken?”

She didn’t say anything, but moved around me and walked to where I’d once been standing.

“We’re aware that Westley was the culprit. He was working with his twin brother. His name was fake, and we’re unable to locate him. He’s working for someone. He and his brother. But they’re clearly in hiding, and will be for what I can assume will be a long while. We’ve caught their family members and anyone who associated themselves with this crime. The Elders…and the rest of the Coven know nothing about Valentine’s death. We tried to acquire herbs to try to revive her, but the shop and owner of the institute are dead. We’re unsure what their name was or if they had a family.”

“An herb shop,” I whispered. “You’re unaware of their name?”

“No,” she admitted with a hint of displeasure. “We’ve used them for a long time, but the shop never had an official name and the owner’s name has skipped many of our minds.”

Including mine.

“No need to worry them,” I concluded. “I will work on the herbs, but it’s not necessary to try and revive Grandma. There’s no body for her to return to, nor is there any magic left to spare.”

I could sense her eyes on me, and I didn’t hesitate to say the obvious.

“I’ve inherited what she left behind. All of it. Now it’s your decision to keep that information to yourself or continue being my evil aunt. I won’t threaten you with death. You choose, here and now, but I’ll make one thing clear from today onward.”

I turned my head over to make sure my heavy gaze was seen.

“No one will interfere with my friendship with Willow and Onyx from this day forward. They are my friends. I will hang with them as I wish, and for the sake of this world’s existence, you’ll encourage the Coven to believe that it’s the best decision. As for romance, I will date no one.”

Turning away, I waited for her verdict.

“I’ll put what you’ve stated into effect,” she replied. “The rest will be a secret I take to my grave.”

“Maybe I’ll stop calling you Auntie Bitch,” I tossed out. “Announce that Elder Valentine has been murdered. The killer is at large. Simple as that.”

I began to walk forward but Beatrice whispered, “And what happens with Westley?”

My feet stalled as I stood in my spot.

“This world is all about Karma. He may have gotten away with all of this, but Karma’s a bitch. What is lost will be found, and who has committed an ultimate sin will be punished the best way the Universe knows how.”

My smile couldn’t grow any wider as I whispered, “Leave him. His time will come when we all least expect it. Besides…you never know. Maybe someone will get to him first and chop his cock off for shits and giggles. Wouldn’t that be a fun end? Cut away that rod he wished to fuck me with and let him burn in a realm of fire that melts his body until he’s nothing but ash. What a worthy payback for him to endure.”

I looked to the sky to see the full moon out and closed my eyes.

“Let it happen, Mother Moon. Let that be the ultimate revenge for the loss of Valentine Clementine.”

Wouldn’t that be the ultimate revenge for a Clementine? Guess I’ll never know.

12

THE RISE OF AURELIA DELIANNA CLEMENTINE

~EIGHT YEARS LATER~

“SHOULD I even ask what you’re getting yourself into?”

“That depends,” I gleefully stated into the speaker. “Will you reward me with that rich wine you always get gifted from all your fans? Cause your girl is running low.”

“Great. I’m making my best friend into an alcoholic. We know that shit ain’t ending well.”

“I drink more responsibly than a certain someone who goes on dancing sprees and has to get her ass carried by her stalker boyfriend because she can’t walk straight without attempting murder.”

The snicker from the other end only made me laugh.

“Okay, that’s a lie. Onyx had to haul both our drunk, laughing asses before we killed those bastards that tried to spike our drinks last time.”

“Admit it. That was so fucking worth it.”

We laughed before I let out a sigh. It didn’t matter what I was doing during my “work” hours. When it came to Willow De Luca, aka my Ride-or-Die bestie in the whole wide universe, I’d stop everything just to enjoy a conversation with her.

“I’ll pass by your place when I finish your meds. I’ve found some good herbal shit that could make your meds more tolerable.”

“You mean to make that black shit of coal less charcoal tasting? If you can do that, I’ll ask the damn gods to bless you,” Willow declared.

“It’s not THAT bad,” I emphasized.

“Have you tried it?” Willow tossed back in pure judgment. I began to whistle while I continued to pour the Columbian extracted herbs from the glass container in this random person’s unit.

“That’s what I thought,” Willow concluded. “So, what are you actually doing?”

“I’m being a good girl and working.”

“That only sounds like trouble,” Willow concluded with a sigh. “Viktor says you better not make the news like you did last time.”

“My name was only in the news because I was at the wrong place at the wrong time,” I reasoned. “If it wasn’t for that Good Samaritan who pulled me out of the way of the falling bodies, I would have been one with the earth and singing hymns in the fields of flowers under Mother Moon’s blessings. I can’t ascend without my best friend so I’d be fucked.”

“Ascend? Bitch, your soul is too tainted for Mother Moon. If she asks you for your browsing history, you’re fucked.”

I giggled. “Fucked? I’d ask for a pass back to earth so I can clear that shit. There are secrets there no one needs to find out about.”

“Like how you enjoy watching gay and lesbian porn, and you have a folder of some wizard dude you’re semi-obsessed with?”

I gawked at her statement and she purposely yawned.

“Oh man! I should take a nap before I go box some steroid-muscled fuckers in the ring.”

“Oh no you don’t, bitch! How do you know about my history?”

“You never change your password, even though I’ve told you to do it for the three-hundredth time,” she reasoned.

“If I change it, I’ll forget it.”

“Yet I’m sure you didn’t forget the day, month, year, time, place, and an exact spot of the event where Onyx called you a ‘Crazy Bitch’ and you slapped him silly.”

“June 5th, 2055 at 7:55 p.m. at the Montego Private Club. We were right in front of the bar, where I slapped him silly. You laughed your head off, and the bartender, who was a girl, made sure Onyx paid for every single drink and gave me her number,” I summed up.

“And yet you can’t change your password from Crazy Kitten,” Willow concluded.

“Exactly!” I emphasized. “See? You do understand.”

“I most certainly don’t,” Willow groaned. “We’re at the ring. I’m gonna see you when I see you?”

“Yup,” I hummed. “Tell Onyx I say hi.”

“I’m not seeing that stalker tonight.”

“You and I both know that’s a fucking lie.”

Willow groaned. “If I see him, it means he’s horny.”

“And do you blame him? When was the last time you two fucked?”

“I don’t know. I’m sure it was like three days ago or something? You know Onyx. He just shows up from the damn shadows and boom. Doomed.”

“Aww. You want him to be romantic like normal men who bring boxes of chocolate and wine, and lay on the couch naked, waiting for their love to strip for them before a good fucking?”

“No one does that, Aurelia.” Willow literally laughed. “You’re watching too much porn. That shit overexaggerates what happens before the grind and dirty.”

“You have a point, but c’mon. It would be pretty hot.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Willow concluded. “Be safe for me.”

The statement made a genuine smile lift the corners of my lips as I recalled similar words.

“Be safe for me, Crazy Kitten.”

I let the memory slip just as fast while I replied to Willow, “Right back at you. Apparently, it’s getting dangerous in NYC.”

“As if New York crime rate have ever been down,” Willow teased. “I’ll be careful. Talk to you later, Bestie.”

“Bye, bitch! Love you!”

“Love you, too,” Willow replied, amused, before she hung up. My phone didn’t even have a chance to rest as it began to ring once more. I knew from the boring ringtone that it was a work call, which only made me groan in boredom.

“Here we go,” I began.

“Before you pick up and potentially destroy our career, what did we agree upon?” Aries’s voice entered my mind - bringing my attention to her spot in the middle of my subconscious.

Her fur of black held a hint of blue and gold tinsel strands of fur, making it appear as if she glowed in the dark, while her current teal eyes stared at me with immense knowledge.

I mentally groaned before I muttered, “No cussing, insulting, or death threats,” I repeated.

“Because?”

“It gets us a long-ass lecture that takes away from our free time when I can be doing other things, like widening my collection of hentai novels while trying to find the cure for shifter cancer.”

“Right,” Aries replied. “Minus the last part. We all know you don’t have time to be the saving grace of our shifter race.”

“Duh. As if I’d bother. It’s fun to pretend that I’m doing the research though,” I reasoned. “As if paying me four figures to try to find the cure for something they’ll keep hostage in the labs for the sake of making millions if not billions out of charity and cancer meds is enough to carry such a burden on my pretty head.”

“You would have done it if it was a billion.”

“You’re not wrong,” I agreed. “Then I’d blackmail them to make it a trillion dollars, give them the cure, and simply add an expiration date so by the time they wished to use the cure for those select few, like their family members, it’d be useless. I know how to play their game of ‘you snooze, you lose,’ only I’m far more savage and petty.”

My phone stopped ringing, only to start ringing again a second later.

“Better answer,” Aries encouraged. “That bitch will write us up if she has to call three times.”

“What if I was in the middle of a battle or some shit like that? Not my fault she’s calling us when we’re quote end quote ‘working’,” I replied before finishing up the last jar of herbs. With a spin of the magical bag, I clicked the answer button on my earpiece.

“Aurelia Clementine speaking,” I answered happily.

“It shouldn’t take two phone calls to reach you!”

I was far too tempted to throw my earpiece out the window. My eyes rolled automatically as I began to hum. “You better not be ignoring me, Aurelia!”

I continued to hum. Poor Aries was staring at me like I’d forgotten to take my happy pills this morning.

“You just want us to get fired, huh?”

At this point, it would be a blessing from Mother Moon herself.

“Aurelia.” The familiar voice came from the background, and I realized I surely had to be on speaker.

“Oh hello, my dear Aunt Beatrice. Isn’t it a fine evening to sniff out evil under the wonderful moonlight? If I didn’t know better, I’d be the new Sailor Moon of NYC: fighting evil by moonlight, making drugs by daylight. I’d be praised.”

“I can’t even follow what you’re trying to say, Aurelia,” Aunt Beatrice announced, sounding exhausted already. “You’re also on speaker before the Elders.”

“Aww. An audience. What mayhem is brewing in the shadows that you would allow me, your ordinary ‘I’m not a part of the Coven so I don’t understand why the fuck you old fuckers are wasting my time’ gal, the privilege to be speaking among such powerful and respected individuals?”

The silence that followed made me giggle and Aries just sighed.

“Can we just resign? Please?”

“She’s right, you know.” The male voice that came from the background made warmth swarm to my cheeks - that I quickly dismissed for my own sex-deprived wellbeing.

I quickly stated, “Hey, Sexy Zack! Whatcha doing in our neck of the magical hood?”

I could hear some of the Elder’s sigh, and I’d bet the new Queen Bitch who stole the title from Aunt Beatrice was going to pop a vessel with her lack of patience for me.

“It’s Zane, Aura,” he teased right back.

“Aurelia,” I corrected with pure glee. “Now answer why you’re around. You only come here when someone’s about to die, shit’s about to go down, or you miss your kitty cat.”

Only we understood exactly what I meant by “kitty cat”.

The clearing of someone’s throat forced us to return to the center of the conversation.

“You two can waste your own valuable time.”

“It ain’t a waste if you’re on someone else’s payroll,” I voiced, unable to stop myself.

Aries was shaking her head. “We’re doomed.”

“Couldn’t agree more.” Zane backed me right up - he always did just to get on Elder Etna’s nerves. “But please continue because, as you said, we all dislike sitting around this round table as if we’re buddies when it’s clear you dread my presence, or why not speed the process so I can get to more important matters.”

And then I caved - my manic laughter lasting a solid minute.

“My apologies. I forgot how funny Zane was. Please continue.”

Aries moved forward from her spot until she was pretty close to the surface. I knew she did that on purpose so I wouldn’t go completely off the rails with every single amusing comment.

“It’s come to our attention that there’s weird activity happening tonight.”

That piqued my interest as I listened carefully to Elder Etna’s words.

“It looks like two new packs are heading to NYC. We don’t have much information on the first one aside from the term ‘Forbidden Fruit’. They don’t seem like a threat to us, but we won’t turn a blind eye either. As for the second pack, that’s where our concern lies.”

“Why?” Zane got to the point. “Packs come and go all the time. Why is this pack causing the Elders of the Coven, myself, and Aurelia, who’s obviously working, to gather?”

“We have growing suspicions that this pack has eyes on the chair,” Elder Etna announced. I expected a long, drawn-out silence to emphasize how important this apparent suspicion was, but Zane’s sigh was loud enough to make me snicker - by accident, of course.

“Do you think this is funny?” one of the male Elders spoke in disgust.

I knew Zane wasn’t going to be all problematic, so I took the honors of doing my due diligence of being “that bitch”.

“You send me on a classified mission to some rich dude’s penthouse to ensure he’s not fucking shit up and trying to sabotage the Coven, and yet you’re calling me while wasting Zane’s valuable time to discuss a ‘suspicion’? Is there no difference in saying you believe this guy is fucking you over? And yet I’ve wasted an hour and a half in this place and haven’t found a single piece of evidence that proves he’s guilty.”

When they didn’t reply, I continued right along.

“Look how big our school is, and yet you always send me on these stupid goose chases based on your suspicions that never seem to hit their mark,” I elaborated. “Let me guess? These new packs are powerful because they’re young, have money, and, maybe if we’re lucky, have a few magic tricks up their sleeves and that bothers you because the Coven won’t be able to spin their minds to your hypnotic tune and encourage them to join the lovely dark side, bargaining for what they already have in their grasp. Am I right?”

Again, silence.

“So the purpose of you informing us is for us to keep our eyes open and our ears listening, and if we hear anything, report back to you all like slaves, correct?”

“Aurelia,” Elder Etna hissed in warning

“I’d watch your tone, Elder Etna,” I warned. “Because between you and me, I’ve been among the Coven since birth while you’re only in this position because my dear Aunt Beatrice has decided to be my representative until your Coven deems me worthy enough to be a part of your council. But we all know that’s never going to happen because I’m hard to manage, talk too much, and don’t like following the rules,” I summed it all up. “So, why don’t you continue this conversation with Zane, who’s far saner and utterly patient, and I’ll get back to wrapping this search up.”

When no one talked back, I grinned as if they would see my expression of triumph.

“Have a grand evening and don’t bother calling me again. I won’t answer,” I emphasized the last part of my point. “See ya next time the world is potentially ending, Zane.”

“Bye, Aurelia,” he replied and I hung up.

“You just ask for us to get punished.”

“And how would they punish us? The last time they tried I killed the apparent ‘punisher’ by accident,” I reasoned as I walked over to the desk and pulled the chair out so I could sit down. Raising my legs up to rest them on the desk, I stared at my Tiffany Blue Louboutins while admiring the new magic tattoos I’d gotten on my legs.

They glowed under my scrutiny while the moonlight took that moment to shine through the large window behind me, making my legs look just mesmerizing. I swore that with my recent increase in training, the muscles in my legs were literally the bomb.com.

If summer wasn’t over, I’d be flaunting them as I walked along the beach in the perfect black bikini with black sunglasses and a sunhat far too big for my head, looking like I was about to obtain my dead husband’s estate in the Bahamas.

It’s only September. I could still get away with that, though it would be even sexier in lingerie. I need to buy some more pieces.

“How did we go from punishment to lingerie?”

Admit it, they go together, don’t you think?

There was a knock on the door, but it didn’t frighten me in the slightest as I reached into this rich guy’s top drawer, retrieved a cigar that probably cost a few million, and lit it up with my internal thought for fire.

I took a deep inhale as the door opened, and I let it out while my eyes admired the tall man in traditional robes.

“So what did you say to get your ass out of there so fast?” I inquired and raised my two fingers that held the cigar in their grasp. “Wanna try? It’s imported.”

“From?”

“Hmm…taste like Germany. They always have the good stuff. But it has a hint of Russia. Hmm.”

I took another inhale of it as Zane closed the door and locked it. The walls were then drowned in black energy, which made me exhale and sigh. “Definitely German. But if we’re talking business and not fucking, let me at least finish my cigar.”

He rolled his eyes as he approached, and Mother Moon, I had to question why this badass fucker wasn’t a damn wolf, because he was hot as fuck.

He was 6′7″ with a slim build, jet black hair that was probably the same length as mine, and magnificent iridescent eyes that reminded me of crystallized diamonds with a mixed shimmer of pink, purple, and blue hues. His skin was on the tanner side because he’d been in Mexico fighting against some cartel that had looked at him funny during his vacation - and died for it. But I was sure the tan accented his muscles that he hid so perfectly in those wizard rags he wore because it made him all “respectable” and shit.

I sometimes liked to call him my Sugar Daddy because he enjoyed bringing me shit from around the world - or taking me if I didn’t have to do puppet nonsense for the council - but it was obvious that Zane and I had a bit of a fling going on.

Just a fling between two adults. Nothing more…

It all started when Miss Etna Summers arrived a little after Grandma’s death eight years ago. Westley was found guilty after I’d explained the whole ordeal. He’d obviously tried to pin it on Ace, and again, there I was, defending the man who was deemed “missing.”

No one could find him, and even as the years passed, there were no signs of his existence. At first, it frightened me and certainly contributed to my many nightmares and other emotional responses I dealt with the moment I closed my eyes in the midst of the early mornings, but after eight years, I’d given up the idea of seeing him again.

I was implementing what Grandma had done with her mate, only I was rejected and Ace had most likely moved on to a woman whose family didn’t try to destroy his entire life.

Etna was originally assigned to be my “trainer” in preparation to rise into the Coven, but that didn’t go well when I officially “broke.”

Grandma’s death was the ultimate deal-breaker when it came to my sanity, and it took a long fucking time to get me to this state that the Coven found tolerable.

Therapy, medication, a few mental breakdowns, and accidentally killing any doctor who tried to talk big about me “not knowing what my body needed” opened the door to Zane entering my life.

Zane was currently one of the strongest sorcerers NYC had seen behind the scenes, and across the world, people were beginning to place their bets that he’d rise into a chair spot simply because he was that good.

I guessed it made sense since he’d been trained by Master L, Master Z, and a few other High Court members. The common guess was that if any Master decided you were worthy of a Master’s time that you were guaranteed a chair on the High Court, but I guessed that never applied to Ace since not many individuals knew he’d been raised by Master L.

Zane and I were like matching water and oil and begging the gods of magic to make us mix for the first time in history. So fucking funny. Obviously, that was impossible. It had been clear that we wouldn’t get along within the first three months of him taking over Etna’s training position for the sake of her own sanity, since she hated my fucking guts.

Still can’t say it to my face though.

Unlike her, Zane had patience. We didn’t need to train the way Elder Etna wished. When I didn’t feel like doing shit, he’d simply sit on the floor opposite me and read.

That’s what he did for the first six months of “training” me, and the Coven was pissed. I guessed it was because Zane was a pretty pricey teacher, and the fact that he was simply sitting and watching me do absolutely nothing was beginning to make them question if it was worth it.

They had no idea that he read books that I began to grow interested in and would read them to me using telepathy. After those six months, I finally decided to try him out, and that was when training began.

Since then, he came and went, balancing his job with returning to check on me. Sometimes he was gone for six months at a time, and personally, I didn’t mind. I thought that was what contributed to our fling, because we could enjoy a night of fun and then get back to our responsibilities without hurting anyone’s feelings.

When he was gone, I continued to focus on my friendships with Willow and Onyx. Over the years, we’d all grown in unique ways. Willow was William during the day and was now rising in multiple ranks in the realms of business, while Willow during the nights continued her cage fighting career and was the sole female champion to maintain the highest win streak.

Onyx was still the best stalker around, and though he didn’t commit to Roberto’s pack specifically, he did a lot of dirty work for the sake of being around Willow. His stalker tendencies hadn’t changed one bit, and I knew he and Willow were still dancing to the tune of their no-commitment relationship.

That was what made it easier for me to do the same with Zane. I didn’t fear the pressure of my friends committing and encouraging me to do the same. I doubted they even knew that Zane and I were fucking, and I honestly was okay with that. If I got them involved, it would only mean things were growing more serious, and if I knew my best friends, they would fuck shit up if anyone broke my heart.

As if it was healed from its already broken state.

The hollowness I’d once felt regarding Ace had long faded, and that hole was replaced with a void. I liked to call it a black hole because it felt like a vacuum that sucked up anything that tried to make me feel anything but giddy happiness.

When it came to a situation regarding Willow, Onyx, and other people that were close to me, I could demonstrate other emotions, but with strangers who held no commitment to me, they got the psycho Clementine who killed for shits and giggles.

It was the reputation I’d earned, and frankly, I wasn’t ashamed of it.

As for my career, I owned an underground herbalist business for some of the strongest supernaturals in the world which, if calculated, would probably be ranked the top business in the herb department.

I kept it hush-hush because I wasn’t ready to make this a full-time thing. I did everything when I felt like doing it, and all my clients knew it. My only priority was my best friend, Willow, and again, all my clients understood that.

Willow’s health was a lot more stable than before, and her body had adapted pretty well to the current regime I’d created through the years, but I always had to keep an eye on her because she did have a crazy side.

Unlike mine, which came through all the time with a hint of my sane side that dreaded the world and everyone in it, Willow was the exact opposite. She was business-focused, but when her meds fucked her over and her magic levels went wonky, Crazy Willow woke up from the shadows, which just ended in Onyx tracking her down and stabbing her with one of my special injections made to knock her out.

I’d just worked on a new cream that would help the apparent six-month bruising process.

As of now, life was good, aside from me continuing to follow the rules of the Coven. I thought by the time I reached twenty-eight, they would be out of my life or I’d be out of this screwed-up system, but my madness had a few disadvantages, like people not taking me seriously - as if I could take myself seriously – and my continuous desire to save and have more than enough assets independently to override my attachment to the Clementines.

Everything was coming together, but I needed more time and better deals to give me the advantage. For years, the Coven had been dragging me along and hoping to “upgrade me” into one of their spots, but alas, here we were.

It was exactly why I was done playing to their tune and only did shit that benefitted me. This mission was the perfect example, because this dude had a company that made various herb concoctions, and I was running a bit low on my personal stock.

Now that I’d raided his goods in his office and figured out the plants he used to harvest them all, I just needed to make a few added calls, and by morning, they would be mine for the taking.

Oops. That wasn’t part of the “investigation” process, but c’mon. A girl’s gotta have some fun when doing boring shit like this.

“Save some for me,” Zane grumbled. He had clearly been watching me continue to enjoy this cigar while being lost in my thoughts. That was another quality I enjoyed when it came to Zane: he encouraged my moments of utter silence.

I wasn’t sure if it was because he knew so much about mental health or just liked watching me think, but whenever I went quiet for long periods of time, he simply stayed quiet until that void of concentration left my mind.

Sometimes I was actually having conversations with Aries, but my lovely wolf had been curled up in her ball from the moment Zane entered the office.

Aries “dislikes” Zane.

I didn’t know if it was because he wasn’t a wolf shifter or the simple “he’s a dangerous bad guy who’s either going to get me killed or become a very toxic addiction” vibe he gave off, but it was clear my wolf hated him and I wasn’t sure if that would ever change.

It didn’t matter how many times I reassured her that we weren’t a serious thing, she just wasn’t buying it. Apparently having various amounts of sex from every fucking day to every six months was an unpredictable pattern she didn’t like because she couldn’t conclude if Zane was the type to ever commit.

Wolf shifters were meant to commit to someone sooner or later. That was why we had fated mates. But in our case, it was obvious we’d never get that happy ending.

At this point, we’d be lucky to find a pack of our own.

“Oops,” I finally replied and purposely took another long inhale while my eyes trailed his movements until he was right behind me. I lifted my head up so my taunting eyes could meet his annoyed ones, but I knew his mood wasn’t because of me or my selfishness when it came to this fucking good cigar.

His hand wrapped around my throat from behind, forcing me to continue looking up at him while his lips pressed firmly against mine.

My magic went all crazy in delight as his energetic force that ignited the moment his lips touched mine began to empower me on various levels.

My eyes began to glow, just like my strands that always began to levitate when we got lost in an intense kiss. My body tingled with desire while I further pressed my crossed legs to hide the scent of my brewing arousal.

I was never sure how strongly scented my wetness was to a wizard or magic-user in general. I had heightened hearing and scent due to Aries, but magicians were pretty close to humans in every other area aside from magic, so certainly he wouldn’t be able to pick up on my scent that quickly.

He didn’t hesitate to take the cigar from me, which was something I’d predicted and didn’t mind now that my mouth was occupied with something more ravishing, but if he kept going, I’d find myself naked and getting fucked into oblivion.

Zane was a good fucker. Good, as in I sometimes wondered if he went to some sort of sex training class like “How To Please Your Crazy Witch Student and Leave Her Addicted To All Cumming Techniques.” It was fun foreplay, reminding him that I was his student and he was my apparent “professor.” I loved the way his eyes would rake down my body possessively and claim every inch of me while his dirty desires would always come to life the moment he had me pinned against something.

I had a little section in my closet for uniforms that “spiced” things up and I wasn’t going to return the little desk I had in my other closet for “added props.”

We broke the kiss when our lungs cried for nothing else but oxygen, but our breaths washed over each other’s faces as we couldn’t help but remain as close as possible. The smoke from the cigar was all over us.

“Why’d you come back so soon?” I whispered and couldn’t help briefly tugging on his bottom lip. I wouldn’t admit it to his face, but I did miss him.

“You said it yourself,” he whispered against my lips. “I missed my kitty cat.”

“Well, I’m sure it ain’t mine because I haven’t had time to shave. So unless you want to get lost in the valley of pussy, best take a raincheck and come back when the magical world is ending.”

“You realize I have more reasons to come to NYC aside from saving the magical world?”

“Aww, really?” I drawled like I was absolutely shocked. “Then why else would you be here? Don’t say for me because I’ll automatically assume you’re bullshitting me.”

He actually chuckled. There was his sinful smirk that always got every witch - and a few wizards - swooning like horny teenagers.

“For a woman I like to call Aura,” he suggested.

“Well, damn. That girl sure is lucky to have you lusting over her. Too bad my name is Aurelia.”

“The ‘eli” is silent,” he reasoned with an added wink.

“Smooth,” I praised. “Am I supposed to lie on that desk over there, spread my legs, and say ‘Come hither for the grand prize,’ smooth-talking wizard boy?”

“I prefer to be acknowledged as a man but if ‘wizard boy’ gets me eating you up like cotton candy, then I’ll gladly compromise.”

“You’re such a horny wizard,” I concluded.

“I wonder whose fault that is?”

I purposely looked around. “Oh? Are we referring to me? Because that statue over there in all its Roman nude glory could definitely give you a boner and a ticket to the private washroom to deal with your problems with a grip of your large hand.”

“You and I both know who’s going to be on their knees and using their mouth to suck me dry.”

“Ah.” I bobbed my head as if I’d gotten what he was implying. “So you finally invested in a sex toy from Japan. Thank goodness. You know I hate getting my hair messy.”

He rolled his eyes while I laughed and kissed him. He didn’t fight me as I took control of this one, but he broke it far too early for my satisfaction.

Noticing my obvious disappointment, he got straight to the point. “Activity on the roof.”

Now that had me grinning like a hyped fool about to go on the best rollercoaster of her life.

“So the Coven was right for once?” I suggested.

“I’m not sure,” he confessed as his eyes seemed focused on the ceiling while he bit his bottom lip just slightly. That was what he did when he was actually trying to stimulate a visual in his mind of what we were up against.

“They feel foreign, but I’m getting two different vibes.”

“So we’re intruding in someone else’s business?” I concluded. “Can we go? Please?!!”

Zane lowered his gaze to give me that “are we really interfering tonight” look. I knew he hated when we got into other people’s business, but we always found out shit that benefitted us.

And that always put me in a good fucking mood so I could enjoy the night of festive activities.

“I’ll give you the best head you’ve ever had?”

No way would he refuse.

“You’re lucky I’ve been deprived of that mouth of yours or we wouldn’t be wasting more time,” he reasoned. I squealed in delight and lowered my feet from the table while he enjoyed a bit of the remaining cigar. His eyes were scanning the room, which told me he was double-checking that I hadn’t left any magical trails behind.

“I wasn’t sloppy this time,” I offered when his eyes finally returned to meet mine.

“You did good,” he admitted. “Now, what did you steal?”

“Aww.” I pouted back. “I can’t return it.”

“You know I’m not referring to the cigar, right?”

“Yes,” I huffed. “C’mon! He got all those companies illegally. Why can’t I just buy them all? I’m allowed to put my Clementine name to good use, right?”

“I’ll give you props for being a good businesswoman,” he admitted. “Has Willow been showing you the ropes?”

“My bestie is a fucking genius when it comes to deals,” I praised. “If I channel even ten percent of her business mind, I could take the magic world by storm,” I concluded.

“Why didn’t you two date again?” he asked as I worked on stretching.

“We did,” I answered. “I broke up with her.”

He didn’t seem surprised by it, but I was glad he didn’t pry for more.

“Let’s go?” I suggested as he moved to stand in front of me. I wasn’t shocked when he pulled me into a hug and very gently kissed my neck, but the form of intimacy tried to make me freeze in fear. I giggled instead, my common way of dealing with that inferior emotion that tried to consume me, and hugged him back.

“What’s with the hug?”

“I missed you, that’s all,” he calmly stated like it wasn’t a big deal. He then let go just as I did, and we walked to the door like we hadn’t enjoyed a moment of blissful intimacy.

Affectionate moves like hugs, hand-holding, and even snuggling immediately gave me dating vibes, which was why I tried to avoid them at all costs, but over the years with Zane, we’d figured out a compromise.

He enjoyed those things, the little touches and moments of affection that would make any other woman’s world to experience, but there was always a limit to it because I could only tolerate so much before my anxiety kicked in and I worried we’d be going down a path I never wanted to walk upon.

That path always ends with me losing the ones I love.

We made it to the roof with ease, and Zane opened the door just as we watched an invisible burst of magic send a guy flying right off the building.

“And I Oop-” I used the common saying people used to describe that we’d walked into some crazy shit. “That ain’t good.”

Zane didn’t seem too concerned about the person who’d most certainly be dead in a minute or less, but he did reach for my hand and tug me along with him.

“Overprotective,” I commented, but lightly let my fingers wrap around his hand in return as we surveyed the area with our eyes. No one else was on the roof, which told me someone had to have used something to communicate with this guy.

And end his life right before our eyes.

“New magic,” Zane muttered as he let go of me to walk over to the ledge the guy fell over. I agreed that the magic that thrummed in the air was new. It held a vibrancy I’d never felt before, like someone had created this very magic by themselves.

All forms of magic had a sense to them. Mine was always compared to ancient magic, and it made perfect sense because I had generations worth of pulsing force within me. None of them knew that the magic coursing through me was from late Grandma Valentine, nor would they ever know what other levels of magic and wisdom I carried in my grasp.

This energy, however, was so unique, it made my skin crawl with worry because I wasn’t sure how to counteract it if it went off.

Like it decided to do right now.

Zane cursed and tried to reach me, but the pulsing surge of energy went off - sending him flying while the dancing energy of electric pink circuits raced around me until they tried to strike me dead on.

All I did was lift my head, and my magic surged to my eyes while Aries was pushed through the surface. She didn’t surge into control - she pushed her energy force through the barrier and became a living force of my very threads of magic.

The neon green wolf silhouette with charged golden sparks tackled the attack head-on, sending a compulsive aftershock that slammed into Zane, who was attempting to get back on the ledge. The poor guy was sent flying back again, but my attention returned to scanning the flowing connections of magic as the world darkened to nothing but black while the energies pulsed through my new heightened vision.

I found the culprit quickly, and moved to block the attack that had every intention of punching me in the face. I caught the invisible fist and my black vision blasted into color as a silhouette of pink electricity came into light.

It was hard to grasp if the person was male or female, but their smirk was as obvious as the way their outlined eyes met mine.

“Aww,” I whispered. “Think you’ve won?”

Not a second later, Zane was placing his fist against the silhouette’s head, while I pushed myself back only to point my hand at it as if I now held a gun in my grasp.

“Boom,” I whispered with a wide grin - igniting a burst of my magic just as Zane completed his spell and teleported out of the way.

The strike went right through the target but created a surge of magic that had a combustive reaction with Zane’s. The combination triggered the massive explosion that sent me flying right off the roof.

I tugged on the strings that retrieved the magically-created Aries, so she could return to my consciousness, and my body began to fall downward. Instead of teleporting as I should, I simply closed my eyes and began to count down from five.

Five. Four. Three.

My body was caught before I could reach two, and I opened my eyes to see a grouchy Zane. He used his other hand to hook under my knees and pushed off the magical platform he’d created to send us surging back up until he was standing on the building ledge once more.

The smoke of the explosion hid where we stood as the sound of helicopters and the beaming rays of light shone over to try to see through the thickness of the smoke that continued to ascend.

“It just makes your night when I ‘save you’ from life-or-death situations,” he muttered as he walked off the ledge but floated in the air. I knew he didn’t want to leave any evidence behind now that police would be here any minute.

“More like I enjoy the common thrill near-death experiences bring, but deep down, I like imagining myself as a damsel in distress being saved by a wizardly knight in sexy traditional robes.”

He simply looked at me with that “I hate you” expression but our attention quickly moved to where we’d confronted that pink electric opponent.

A single card remained on the floor. The front side faced upward, revealing a pink and black card that displayed a Jack.

“The knave card,” I muttered in intrigued wonder. “Interesting.”

Zane said nothing as our environment then changed, and we were suddenly in a very familiar room.

My room.

He lowered my legs first, but kept his arm hooked around my waist as he took in the slightly chaotic craziness that had occurred.

“What were you doing before you went to work?”

“Trying to find the cure to cancer,” I reasoned.

“You found that already,” he acknowledged as his eyes that had begun to dim in shimmering essence looked at me in question.

“True, but I always like to try different formulas to determine how many ways humans could have cured the disease by now.”

“And that’s what you call fun when you’re bored,” he concluded.

“Well, what else would I do? Last time I checked, someone wouldn’t replace my vibrator.”

“And who was the one who broke the last one because you used it far too many times in a single day?” he countered.

“I have needs,” I pointed out. “Can’t go from daily, extraordinary sex to dry humping a pole when I practice my pole dancing skills.”

“You’re still doing that?”

“Yup,” I replied with a wide grin. “I can do a bunch of moves! Wanna see?”

He smirked but pulled me against him. My eyes never left his while he slowly leaned in until we were inches from kissing. The buzz of his phone went off, and I pouted my lips.

“Duty calls. Boo,” I sang far too happily. “Guess you owe me a vibrator!”

He let go of me, knowing I’d slip right out any second, but while he reached for his phone, he snapped his fingers. My chaotic room was suddenly sparkling clean - everything exactly where I liked it.

“Oh?” Alright. I was fucking impressed, and that didn’t happen as often as it should have. I astonishingly turned my head to him as he picked up the phone.

“What?” He actually sounded annoyed, which normally happened if the person on the other line was about to waste his personal time.

Especially when he has the opportunity to be around me.

He listened closely as I skipped over to the washroom. Whoever was on the other line was taking a long-ass time talking because I was able to do my business, strip out of my clothes, magically create a new set of lingerie, and put my hair up in a ponytail before Zane spoke.

“First off, tell that hag she doesn’t control me. She can complain to Master Z, Master L, or anyone else who wants to bother wasting their time listening to some old bitch who can’t respect young people’s time,” Zane began, and I knew without a doubt he was talking about Etna. “Maybe she needs another reminder about who I am. I could happily show my file and current rank status. I’m High Court level and reject constant deals from way up there. If she’s pissed that I insulted her for wasting my energy on speculations, please forward the message that I’ll no longer take her requests. That includes the Coven.”

My lips moved into an O shape while Zane briefly looked to the window as if he were determining the time by how the stars twinkled in the navy-blue sky.

“You do realize I didn’t come down here for solely business,” Zane emphasized, his gaze seemingly far away as he continued to look at the window. It gave me the chance to slowly approach him, my movement as silent as a prowling cat.

Zane sighed as he used his free hand to run through his long locks.

“It’s my business. They don’t need to know my reasons. It’s personal and that’s it. Do you have anything else of importance? Because I’m not picking up the phone until tomorrow afternoon.” The other person on the line seemed to go on a tangent of information sharing, leaving Zane the victim of circumstance when I very slowly went on my knees and reached for his zipper.

He didn’t notice until the sound of his zipper being unzipped reached his ears. He lowered his gaze to meet my playful eyes, which caused one of his brows to raise questioningly.

That look only motivated me to further my underlying motive as I reached right in to retrieve his length that I sorely missed.

Zane wasn’t your average guy. He liked to excel in everything, from his height to his magic capabilities, and of course, his looks. That golden streak only continued in the cock department as he was above average in length.

I retrieved the very long rod, already licking my lips like I was about to enjoy the best popsicle ever manufactured, only this bad boy not only shot out amazing-tasting cum that I was secretly hoping had some sort of magic powers in itself, but it knew exactly how to fuck me until my eyes rolled back and I forgot how to formulate a sentence.

Last time I forgot what my damn name was. That was some really good farewell sex.

I could feel his eyes on me as I took my time admiring his tip and flicking it with my tongue. My eyes looked up to see the growing hunger dancing in those iridescent orbs of his that were growing darker by the second, all while he watched me intently.

I knew he wasn’t listening to a damn word of whoever was on the other end at this point because his attention was solely on me as I made my way down his rod with just my tongue. He shivered ever so slightly, while my ears picked up on his hitched inhale.

“Yes, I’m listening,” he muttered back while the person decided to keep going on about whatever needed to be said. I didn’t care too much, seeing as the longer he talked, the more fun time I’d have with Zane’s magical wand.

I’d yet to determine if his cum really carried some sort of secret power, but this was just another opportunity to try to find out for myself.

I knew if my mouth latched onto him, it would be fucking over. My mouth apparently had to have been blessed by the divine gods of climaxes because once I had my prey, there was no going back until they were hissing my name in pure ecstasy.

Since Zane had been my knight in shining armor, he deserved to have me meet him halfway and make this more exciting.

My hand wrapped around his base at that moment, and I knew from the way his eyes dilated that he was far too excited about what was to come. I was done delaying as my hand began to glide up and down his veiny cock, enjoying how erect it already was as I worked towards drawing this out as long as possible.

Zane sure had some tolerance because he was doing his best to keep his breath steady while managing to respond back to this person. I didn’t care about what he was saying, the world of sound zoning out so I could focus on just three important things: Zane’s breathing, his heartbeat, and the excited rhythm of my own heartbeat.

If only my wet pussy could make noises without the need of one’s fingers. It would give Zane a hint of how wet I was for him.

He was helpless as I began to move my hand faster, watching as he bit his lip to stop himself from groaning and asking for me to move even quicker. I was going at a steady pace, or at least enough that would ensure I’d get some mouth action.

He was reaching his limit. I could tell from the way his cock twitched in my grasp as I kept up the continuous rhythm - stroke upward, flick his tip with my tongue, lick the head, and move agonizingly slow on the way back down. Again and again, the pattern was simple and predictable, but that was exactly why it agonized him so much.

He knew every move that was coming, his anticipation rising, waiting for the grand finale: my mouth.

I was becoming impatient as I wiggled on my knees as if to adjust my hips on the invisible cock I wished I could slide my pussy upon. My patience thinned to the point that I was ready to use my free hand to slip between my legs. I balanced myself on my knees for the sake of appeasing that dangerous ache, but the sudden tug on my ponytail only brought my eyes upward to those possessive orbs.

Daddy Zane didn’t want me touching myself without his permission.

I had to fight the urge to laugh simply out of respect for his phone call, but he saw the pure delight in my orbs and he wasn’t having any of it.

“Can we wrap this up?” He wasn’t asking. He was demanding the person to say whatever else needed to be said promptly or hang up and call back on another occasion when he wasn’t so damn horny.

This was my chance to be a badass bitch, one who’d probably get a spanking or two with what I was about to do, but the envisioned idea was already in motion as I leaned in and took his length in one smooth flow that made him groan in frustration.

“I’m hanging up.”

The poor guy on the receiving end would probably think he pissed Zane off, but little did he know that Mistress Aurelia of Blowjobs was doing her divine calling and delivering the “best head ever” like she’d promised.

The phone went flying and thank fucking goodness because I was done playing. Now that I’d gotten a taste of his pre-cum, I didn’t want to go slow any longer.

“Fuck, baby, move faster than that,” he growled, and his hands raked into my hair and stilled my head so he could speed the process even further. I didn’t mind in the slightest as I further relaxed so he could move fast and deep.

Zane’s length was long enough that it could trigger anyone’s gag reflex if they weren’t careful, but I knew how to take him all in, and he fucking loved every bit of it. He’d taught me how to please him, just like I slowly taught him how to please me.

We’d had years to figure out one another, and even though we weren’t dating, our bodies knew better. He knew every curve of me and every sensitive nook in my body, and I knew exactly where to lick, flick, suck, and bite to send him into overdrive and awaken this dark beast that now held me captive so he could fuck my mouth senseless.

I tightened my hold around his cock, and he moaned loudly. “Tighter, Aura,” he crooned, and I couldn’t disobey. My body was now in his control, and I’d do everything I could to make sure I got the ultimate reward of satisfaction.

He rocked his hips, thrusting faster and harder, and his grunts grew into loud groans that bounced off the soundproof walls. His aura was dancing all around me, and mine only followed in the swirling movement - the two energies molding so nicely, you wouldn’t think they were complete opposites.

I braced for his release, feeling it approaching as he couldn’t control the jerking thrust of his hips while his breath went haywire with gasps and heavy breathing.

With one last thrust and a loud grunt, he shot his release right down my throat, shot after shot of hot cum. He didn’t pull out immediately. He always enjoyed waiting until every droplet of his release fell into its designated place.

He took a few added seconds to catch his breath, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the blissfulness release always delivered. I was always patient with these things, even if my pussy was pulsing in revolt at the fact she was not filled to capacity and being fucked senseless after a wonderful performance.

He pulled back slowly, and his hooded eyes opened slightly, lowering to see me as I waited for him to ask that prime question he loved to ask after a blow job.

“Let me see your mouth, Aura.”

I did exactly that, opening wide for him to see the remnants of his release in my mouth.

“Good girl,” he praised and proceeded to get out of his garments while I impatiently remained on my knees. I knew what we were about to do, and thank goodness, because I craved to be filled and abused by this beast of a man.

The last bit of clothing fell to the floor, revealing the side of Zane Malark no one else got to see. The chiseled, carved beast of muscle, the tanned complexion that reminded me of caramel, and those enticing marks all over his body - the mix of tattoos and incantations hitting every bad boy vibe I could think of - turned me on.

I took my time taking him in as he worked on gathering his hair and putting it into the sexiest messy bun I’d ever witnessed on his glorious head. Those orbs of his had lost their pure shimmer of beauty, and now the darkened hues revealed the hidden beast that would eat me and leave me screaming for mercy in blissful harmony.

“Stand up, babe,” he encouraged, and I rose up just for him to capture me in a lip lock while his arms wrapped around me in one swift movement.

He had me in his arms and laid on the bed beneath him the next second, the two of us kissing like our lives depended on it while we got lost in each other’s energy.

“I’ve missed you so fucking much, Aurelia,” he mumbled into my neck while his hand was already slipping between my legs and enjoying the damp surface of my lace panties. He purposely pressed the fabric inward, letting my juices continue to soak into the thin material and dampen his fingertips.

“Do you understand how much I’ve been craving this scent right here? To smell your arousal that’s just for me?” he reasoned. If that didn’t turn me on, it was the way my eyes opened and locked with his that looked at me like I was the best thing in the entire world.

In these moments within the shadows of my controlled oasis, I allowed myself to be free. To give in to my desire to be loved by this man and imagine that I was indeed his for the taking. There was no need for me to fear the unknown - fear the uncertainty revolving around our paths and whether they would entwine only to become undone.

In this safe space, I was loved, protected, and adored by this wonderful man of muscled confidence who carried a compassionate heart that was solely committed to me. He was allowed to be my rock, shield, knight, and protector, and in his grasp, I never feared what he’d bring to the table of lust.

He got tired of teasing me as he expertly moved my panties and slid two fingers right into me. There was no remorse in the swift action, leaving me moaning in gratitude for something to fill my quivering pussy.

“You’ve been desperate for me,” he whispered into my ear and began to move those long fingers in and out at the perfect rhythm. “I’m tempted to punish you for being so sneaky.”

That made me excited and I was sure he knew it because he chuckled.

“Did you know your aura goes wild when I threaten you with pain? The mere idea makes you far too excited and your body hums with vibrations that make my magic go wild. I fucking love that, Aurelia.”

He pumped those fingers faster while his kisses trailed down my neck to my chest, and he began to suck on my breasts. He alternated between the two of them as the swift movement of his fingers began to contribute to the build of my warmth deep within my core.

He knew how to draw things out or quicken them up, but tonight he wasn’t into slowing things down. My wizard was far too desperate to be inside me, and as my orgasm got closer and closer, his patience dimmed until it snapped.

His fingers drew out of me and I fought hard not to groan in frustration because I knew his cock would be inside me in a few short seconds.

My wish came true. He didn’t even delay as he thrusted right into me. I moaned loudly in pain and pleasure, as there was no time to adjust to his massive rod. I had to give him props for lasting this long because Zane didn’t have patience in the bedroom.

This was the one place where he got to do everything he wished without someone looking over his shoulder or monitoring his every move, and that was why he did exactly what he could never do under the watchful eyes of the public.

“I want to hear you, Aurelia,” he warned as he began to work me up. He was hitting the perfect angle, one that grazed my g-spot and was going to send me spiraling a lot faster than I realized.

That didn’t stop me from putting on a show as my voice carried through the air and danced against the hollow walls, the pleading request for Zane to move faster only making him happier as I did what he asked.

“Zane…fuck. There. Perfect. So fucking perfect. A little faster, baby. Please. Baby, please!” He was in the right fucking spot, hitting the right fucking angle, and I was about to cum so fucking hard if he just kept it that way a little longer.

I knew he wasn’t going to disappoint me as he smashed his lips against mine. He suddenly picked up the speed - his balls smacking my ass while he thrust into me. He broke the kiss just to hear me scream his name as the sharpest wave of blissfulness washed over me like whiplash.

“ZANE!” I cried out loud and clear as my body caved into the total submission of this orgasm, and that alone brought Zane along with me as he cursed and groaned my name.

“Fuck…Aurelia!” His entire body locked up as he came inside me, the glow of his release filling me up while we both remained completely still and enjoyed the high of our release.

We panted together and that was when he gave me the softest kiss ever, the attention the complete opposite of his usual exchanges of affection after explosive sex.

“You did so good,” he praised and lightly kissed me again. “Ready for round two?”

“As many rounds as you desire, Zane,” I cooed and pulled him in for a deeper kiss.

“That’s my girl.”

My girl…

It made me smile against his lips - a hidden sign to hide the fear those words ignited deep within that spot of hollow space that craved to be filled by that spark of hope.

To be warm again, like the rest of my beating heart that yearned for completion.

“Aurelia.” Zane brought me back from my thoughtful oasis, and he very softly brushed my lips with his and laid his forehead against mine. It shocked me just a little bit, but I soon relaxed as he whispered, “To me, you are my girl. There’s truth to my words.”

Reassurance.

I wondered how many times it would take for him to remind me he wasn’t going to ditch me? How many words he’d need to use to tame my frightened, shattered heart that begged to be whole again?

It wasn’t something I’d focus on, but his assurance allowed my body to calm and the trickles of fear to fade away as a hint of happiness fluttered through me like butterflies.

“I know,” I finally replied, and a genuine smile formed on my lips. “Thank you, Zane.”

He smiled and kissed me gently. “Let’s get right back to it.”

A night to get lost in this newfound present of undeniable pleasure.

13

LEAVE AND SWEET OLD KARMA

~Z ANE~

I stirred just slightly as the urge to piss tugged at my consciousness. This was my fault for still believing that bullshit myth that after sex, you should drink water to replenish yourself. All it did was force my ass to get up a few short hours after amazing sex.

Giving up on trying to fall back to sleep, I opened my eyes to take a moment to admire the energy in the room.

The magnificent flow of magic coming from the beauty within my grasp.

One thing I hated was cuddling. Intimacy and affection were never my forte. When I entered a room, I tried to ensure that my emotions were left at the doorway. I had no desire to make friends, and allowing myself to be an emotionless shell proved to deliver better business interactions without wasting hours on trying to please people who wished for nothing but their own gains.

I knew how to play the game in this world of darkness. If you didn’t, you’d sink in the sea of deceit and rejection. Only the pros got exactly what they wanted in any situation, and I was exactly that: a pro player ready to dominate whatever tried to stop me from obtaining what I desired.

The soft scent of herbs tickled my nostrils, and it helped slow my heart that surely wished to gallop as my eyes slowly trailed down to admire my naked lover cuddled up in my grasp.

Aurelia Delianna Clementine.

She was the most talked about witch hybrid for a number of reasons: being a Clementine, her immense magic capabilities, her scope of knowledge, and her overall rank of power in multiple categories in the witch realms. Add the fact she was beautiful from her height to her curvy hips, small waist, and perfect creamy complexion, and she was that girl every guy - and a few girls - wished to enjoy between the sheets.

There was, of course, the negative talk. The envious individuals that always reminded us that she was indeed a hybrid. Her mother was a witch while her father was obviously a wolf shifter. That combination created Aurelia and appointed her that somewhat degrading title of “misfit”.

No matter how many times I heard the title, I personally disliked it.

It tried to degrade a combined race because their parents fell in love and decided to start a family together. We lived in a world full of supernatural beings, and witches were no different. We may not have had the animalistic qualities that shifters did, but we carried magic that allowed us to do many things that simple humans couldn’t.

Why could we date, marry, and have offspring with humans, but shifters couldn’t have offspring with us? The way society looked at things was beyond stupid to me because it was far different from how shifters view things.

To them, hybrids were endangered species because there were so few of them, and their unique combinations and creations were powerful and becoming more important to our spectrum of life. I personally felt like the magic community was far behind the times, and by the time they figured shit out, it would be far too late with too many burned bridges for them to save themselves.

My hand moved to lightly trail down Aurelia’s arm. Her back was still pressed against my chest while she seemed to be deep in sleep. I loved watching her in the minutes before I fell asleep. It calmed me tremendously because this was one of those few opportunities where I saw the purest expression on her alluring face.

She’d sometimes pout, those perfectly soft, luscious lips parted ever so slightly as she breathed. I got to take in her long lashes, the softness of her skin, the slight quirk of her nose whenever she picked up an odd scent, and the occasional lift of her lips when she was truly lost in a good dream.

I also got to see the other flickers of emotion.

The lines of sadness when she dreamt of the past, the way she frowned, or how her lip trembled in fear always made an appearance. There was that inward motion of her brows as she furrowed them in frustration, and sometimes a few moments of anger that spiked her aura a few notches.

My poor girl had gone through so much behind closed doors, and yet the world envied her for her birthright. They didn’t see how she piled her insecurities around her like walls of protection, or how she fought anyone who tried to get close to her tower of emotional safety.

They knew nothing of how lonely her life had been, or how she had two people she truly trusted - and I personally hoped I’d proved my loyalty enough to be her third.

None of them knew that she pushed love away like it was a plague, or that her heart held an empty spot for a man who may never come back into her life.

No one knew Aurelia the way I did, and honestly, they didn’t deserve the right to because, compared to their selfish desires and craving for gossip, I wanted the best for Aurelia.

I wanted her to be happy.

She moved slightly, her ass pressing against my groin, which only reminded me that I needed to fucking piss. With an internal groan, I worked on moving slowly - in hopes I wouldn’t wake Aurelia up.

That shit never worked with her.

I already noticed the way her body grew rigid in warning, and I froze my movements for a second before leaning in and pressing my lips to her cheek and whispering, “I’m just going to the washroom.”

Just like that, she relaxed, and I personally hated it.

It angered me down to my very blood, which boiled at the fact that Aurelia always had to prepare herself for the far too frequent event that someone would leave and never come back.

Slipping out of the bed, I headed to the washroom and did my business, my mind whirling about how I was going to tell her.

Tell her my new intentions.

Washing my hands, I looked into the mirror to see my tired eyes that twinkled dangerously. They always did that when my magic was riled up. That was how much it pained me to see Aurelia in warrior mode. It should never be necessary for someone to always brace for the worst, and yet her past did exactly that with no retribution.

Not one person has tried to help change that pattern.

Until me.

I was going to help her, prove to her that there were people in this world that were ready to commit to those they cared about.

Drying my hands, I stretched my arms and headed back to the bed, lifting the shared blanket to slip beneath its comforting warmth. Compared to previous years, I didn’t force myself to slide my arm in front of Aurelia’s waist just to pull her into my hold once more.

I craved her touch, and it brought me a hint of joy when she turned in my grasp and snuggled right against me like this was truly her home, where she belonged.

“What time is it?” she quietly mumbled against my chest.

“Four in the morning,” I replied.

“Don’t you have to go soon?” She was preparing herself.

“Go where, Aura?” I inquired just to tease her a little. I didn’t know why I kept calling her Aura, but it was something that used to bother her at first. Now she enjoyed the fact that only I called her that, since we all knew I wasn’t one to be friendly with anyone else, let alone give nicknames.

People acknowledged that - and I was sure a few hated how close we were.

None of them knew our closeness included us being intimate between the sheets, and I liked it that way. All nosey people did was cause shit that was unnecessary and burdensome.

“I don’t know.” She still sounded half asleep. “Somewhere.”

“I’ll be right here, Aurelia.”

“Why…” She trailed off as if she were trying to think of why I’d be sticking around. “You have work.”

“I’m on leave.”

My statement was said loud and clear, and the silence that followed only emphasized what I truly meant. Aurelia’s aura spiked a few notches, and I wasn’t surprised when her eyes opened and she leaned back to give me a questioning stare.

Those neon-shifting strands of teal-to-gold were frizzy because of the eventful night of pleasure, but the golden thread of magic that pulsed through them always caught my attention, just like her striking gold eyes.

I sometimes wondered if she knew the power she carried in them alone, but I was sure if she knew a fraction of her power, she wouldn’t let the world destroy her self-esteem. Her lack in herself was because of those who surrounded her and never lifted her up.

Sure, it was better compared to eight years ago, but those roots of confidence should have been planted in childhood. Not young adulthood.

“On leave,” she repeated. “You were just talking to someone when we came back. You can’t be on leave.”

“Yesterday was my last day on duty,” I announced as if it weren’t a big deal. “Didn’t want to announce it. The High Court knows of my decision and supports me. Anyone else who doesn’t isn’t important. They’ll find out in about three hours.”

“Why?”

“Shocked that I want a break?”

“Why would you spend your first break in, what…a decade…with me?”

My poor beauty just couldn’t wrap her head around the idea of someone taking time off just to be with her. It made me want to shield her from the universe and hug her tightly until she was reminded of what a badass beauty she was.

To force her to embrace that she was a diamond that deserved to be handled with care.

“Why wouldn’t I?” I tossed it right back at her. “You’re important to me, Aurelia. Have I not proven that?”

She swallowed what surely was a lump in her throat, and there was the fear in her eyes. That frightened layer of hopelessness always leaked through before it was covered up by her fake smiles and desire to protect herself.

Before she could even try to smile, I took her hips into my grasp, turning us so she was pinned beneath me while my lips took their time moving against hers. I loved kissing her because I never knew what to expect. Some days, we’d kiss like we had all the time in the world, and other days, it was a fight for power.

Tonight was slow, passionate, and deep.

She needed that constant reassurance, that ongoing reminder that in this fucked-up world, there were people who truly loved her. Maybe to some, it was annoying, but not to me.

If I had to prove to her for my entire life that I wanted her to be mine, I would. What it did prove was that the world had been cruel to my queen, and she needed someone to make sure she remembered the crown that perched upon her head.

“You have,” she finally answered. “It’s just…sometimes…”

“I know, baby,” I whispered against her lips. She didn’t need to explain another word. “No need to say a thing. I’ll just keep reminding you.”

“Sometimes I feel like I don’t deserve someone like you,” she admitted.

“That’s your self-doubt talking,” I reasoned and gave her a loving smile. “I believe you deserve the world, but since I’m not powerful enough to do that yet, you’ll just have to stick with me instead.”

She actually laughed - a genuine sound that wasn’t made to cover her darker emotions.

“I don’t mind just having you.”

“Good,” I hummed and kissed her. “You have work to do?”

She had to think about it, and I knew she would because Aurelia didn’t go by a schedule. She went with what she felt needed to be done and prioritized. It was what I liked to call instinctive decision-making.

Even if one of her clients suddenly needed a herbal medication or there was a surge of demand for a specific medication, she always sensed it first and was prepared to do what had to be done to aid those individuals – whether they were shifter, magician, or human.

It was why Aurelia’s business was booming underground. She didn’t need to have posters or advertisements that aided in giving her exposure. Her business was 100% by word-of-mouth, and that was why she was about to be one of the leading pharmaceutical owners in NYC.

Unlike other companies, Aurelia’s herbal foundation wasn’t about the money. Their rates were so affordable, people cried when they received the acceptance package in the mail because her company was changing some people’s entire lives.

Misfit Pharmaceutical Corporation was originally laughed at when it first came out. People thought it was a joke, especially witches and wizards who knew what “Misfit” meant. They immediately began to bash it and say that a misfit owner would never be able to rise in the industry of medicine, but none of them knew the owner was Aurelia.

Aurelia was the most knowledgeable person in herbal magic medicine. The woman who knew the cure for multiple diseases but had yet to share because of how fucked up this world was and the money the government and charities would lose the moment Aurelia announced the cure. The queen who helped thousands of families not fall into the cycle of debt.

The corporation rose up to the top spot in under three months.

It was one of the first business ventures she was willing to take seriously, and with Willow De Luca backing her up financially just in case it didn’t rise as she hoped, she didn’t have anything to lose.

“I think I have to pass by Willow’s and deliver some meds and injections,” she admitted and then frowned. “Aww fuck. I don’t think I have any more made.”

“Let’s make some then?” I suggested. “Doesn’t Willow go to work at six something?”

“Ya. She’ll be up later today probably. She dislikes Mondays.”

“I remember you said something about that,” I admitted. “Wanna do that first and then shower?”

“Sure,” she replied slowly, like she was trying to figure out if this was real. “Having you around is weird.”

I chuckled as I got out of bed first.

“Get used to it, Aura.”

“Always calling me that.” She shook her head and sat up.

Cracking her neck, she yawned and ran her hands through her hair. So many always emphasized how her hair had to be dyed because of its unique transition. The teal roots with the neon green-to-gold color were so different that it almost seemed impossible to replicate.

That was what made it another envious quality that she carried: others couldn’t copy it.

She got up and walked over to my pile of clothes. I wasn’t in the slightest worried about that because I was fighting off my cock’s desire to get hard at the mere sight of Aurelia’s nakedness. She just looked so damn good with all my love bites popping out against her creamy white flesh.

She reached down to grab what I could only assume was my t-shirt I’d worn beneath my traditional robes, but my eyes were on her round plump ass. I bit my lip while my cock twitched.

Maybe this was why I tried to stay away. Aurelia was a fucking addiction I wanted no cure for.

She rose up and slipped the shirt onto her body. It draped her like a damn curtain, but she seemed far too satisfied as she turned around to grin my way.

“I’m stealing this.”

I only rolled my eyes. “So you admit to stealing my shirts, which you do all the time, and won’t admit to stealing that guy’s illegal companies.”

“Obviously,” she stated as if it were pure logic. “Poor guy is going to walk into his office four hours from now and shed so many tears, he’ll probably be the best guy to cover that ‘Cry Me a River’ classic.”

“You’d laugh at every tear shed and clap your hands for an encore,” I summed up.

“Exactly.” She winked and took me in, her eyes stopping at my obvious hard-on.

“Sometimes I wonder why you and Onyx aren’t best friends.”

“Because high sex-drives isn’t a quality guy friends would share to try to be friends, silly Aura,” I pointed out and walked over to her.

“Too bad,” Aurelia replied. “Girls bond by talking about how small their boyfriend’s penises are.”

I frowned and watched her whole face light up as she laughed. When I reached her, she moved her hand to literally tap the head of my cock like it was some sort of creature.

“There, there. My insults weren’t meant for you, pleasure-serving one.”

“I can’t believe you’re talking to my cock right now,” I groaned, and pinched my nose.

“And you thought I’d be a normal witch with an attitude when we first met, and instead, you got a crazy witch who talks to cocks.”

“I guess it’s better than one who cuts them off,” I muttered and even shivered at the memory.

“Aww. Did Willow somehow find you and threaten to cut your cock off?” She was actually asking that prime question, which only made me sigh.

“Your friends are scary.”

“Willow is scary. Onyx is only scary when you piss him off enough, but if you try to steal Willow from him, then you’re fucked.”

“And why is Willow scarier?” I’d only met her a few times and it was as William at business events. He was essentially untouchable, with his bodyguards and news reporters trying to get every single word that left his mouth for mega-dollar tabloids and interviews, but I did get the privilege of talking with him, and both times I was obviously warned not to mess with Aurelia.

Or “he” would cut my cock off and eat it for dinner.

“Because Willow will do exactly what she says she would if you push her there,” Aurelia noted. “No guilt, no remorse, nothing. You’re simply fucked. And she’d move on like she hadn’t killed your whole damn generation behind your back.”

Okay fuck. That’s scary.

“Clear definition of the mafia then?” I suggested as I followed her to the kitchen. She was getting all her materials together with a snap of her fingers while she walked to the fridge to grab two chilled Smirnoffs. A bit of alcohol went a long way when it came to creating, in the words of Aurelia.

“Totally,” Aurelia replied and yawned. “People aren’t afraid of Roberto for nothing. They’re lucky Willow is a late bloomer and hasn’t gotten her wolf yet. If she did, I bet they would be trembling in sheer fear at the power Willow carries in her grasp.”

“She still can’t shift?”

“Nope,” Aurelia replied. “She’s just late, like Onyx was. He can shift now. I bet she just needs more time. If only wolf shifters would be more patient. It’s basically life and death when you don’t get your wolf on time.”

“But because Willow’s a De Luca and the daughter of the strongest Alpha in NYC, they can’t do shit,” I concluded.

Aurelia bobbed her head. “Roberto may be short and look nothing like a typical Alpha, but he’s relentless when it comes to the battlefield, and he’s proven time and again that he’s not someone you fuck with.”

“Right,” I replied and accepted the offered drink before flicking off the tops of both of our drinks before she could move away to get an opener.

“Show off,” she said with a smirk. “What are you gonna do on this leave of yours?”

“Spend time with you?” I suggested and took a swig of the malt beverage.

The look she gave me almost had me spitting the fizzing drink all over her black countertop.

“You still don’t believe I’m legit staying.”

“You’re the strongest and youngest sorcerer in the United States, Zane, and the last time I checked the global ranks, they deemed you and two others Master worthy.”

“And?” I drawled out the single word.

“And you’re probably needed somewhere else. What are you going to be doing here? Babysitting me?”

“You and I know I don’t babysit,” I reasoned. I personally didn’t have the patience or emotional capacity for those tiny human brats with insane lung capacity. My eardrums would pop if I had to watch over one of those beasts.

“You know what I mean,” she huffed but took a long swig of her drink before she let it go. It didn’t fall to the ground. Instead, it simply floated like gravity had just turned off and began to move to her left while she moved her hands around and began to take a few deep breaths in before letting them out slowly.

She was getting into her zone, which meant I’d have to hold off on speaking and simply watch her get into her work. I never told her, but this was something I enjoyed watching because of the way Aurelia did her spells.

Not only was her energy simply vibrant, but she moved like she was dancing along a stage. Her arms, glowing with various symbols and incantations, would move up and down, side to side, and orchestrate the flowing melody of ingredients that had to be combined.

She did this while her eyes glowed with nothing but power, her vision far away as she clearly was lost in the formulated cave of knowledge within her subconscious. The whole process seemed to take thirty minutes, but I could tell by the end that she was getting exhausted.

No one understood just how taxing herbal work was on a magician. Many assumed you tossed a few herbs here, a few odd mixtures there, and kaboom. A concoction that was worth millions of dollars in the black market.

Aurelia was one of the fastest in her generation, and she wasn’t making just one product. She’d made weeks’ worth of injections, tablets, and some lotion cream in under thirty minutes. A feat like that took an advanced witch two months to create with an average of four to six hours of magic work per day - meaning no days off.

I disliked herbal work for that very reason. Even at my magical caliber, magic medicines would leave me feeling like shit for weeks.

Been there, done that. Never again.

When Aurelia was finished, there was sweat dripping down the sides of her face, her breathing was heavy, and she looked like her knees were going to cave any minute now.

I knew she wouldn’t pass out, but it didn’t stop me from moving away from the island after setting my drink down and positioning myself behind her.

When she came out of her trance, she wobbled a bit, but I purposely wrapped my arms around her to ensure she knew I had her.

“I’m fine,” she defended herself like she always did when someone worried about her pale complexion and obvious signs of depletion.

“I know, Aura.” Reassuring her always made her understand that I wasn’t judging her or acknowledging that she was weak. I simply wanted to offer her a hand - or in this case, body - for her to lean on, even though I knew she didn’t need it.

Compared to previous times, she actually allowed herself to relax against me.

That was major progress.

I kissed the side of her neck as she let herself close her eyes for a moment, the two of us just silently standing while the materials she’d used began to settle where they needed to be; the dirty pots, vials, and instruments headed to the sink, while the completed products stacked up nicely on the island in an organized formation.

Her Smirnoff lowered to rest next to mine, and when Aurelia finally opened her eyes again, everything else was clean, like she hadn’t been cooking up various products.

“I think that’s good. I’ll have to assess William this morning to see how the current meds are helping him maintain his exterior before making more.”

“Can I help with washing the dishes while you go shower?” I suggested.

She thought about it. “Okay.” I tried not to smile, but it felt good to know she was okay with relying on me now. “What’s your plan for today?”

“I’m sure one of the Masters is going to call me about my leave, so I’ll deal with that. I personally wanted to find a few investment properties while they’re still cheap.”

She slowly turned in my hold to give me a brow raise.

“Millions to billions of dollars is not cheap,” she voiced the obvious and I only grinned.

“You and I know how much I make on the regular.”

“I don’t,” she reasoned. “Last time you said you made a hundred thousand per tiny assignment.”

“That was five years ago,” I pointed out.

“That’s the last time we spoke of this,” she countered.

“It’s up now.”

“How up?” She was curious and I loved that.

“A billion.”

“A billion a year?” she gasped. “What in Mother Moon?! Are they selling magical crack to pay you?!”

I laughed harder than I expected and shook my head.

“Aura, babe,” I quietly hummed as I pulled her against me. That already had its hypnotic effects on her as I was still clearly naked and she was just in my t-shirt. “A billion per assignment.”

Her jaw dropped as her eyes widened as if I’d proposed to her.

“Shut the fuck up!” she exclaimed. “You’re fucking lying! They do not pay you that much! How much did last night’s shenanigans make you? And I’m not referring to what we did in bed!”

“Well,” I began and purposely moved my hand further down to her ass and gripped it. I watched the way her eyes clouded with lust while she bit the corner of her bottom lip.

She loves when I get possessive with her.

“Seeing as I was clocked in when summoned to the Coven and clocked out when I was taking a piss forty-five minutes ago, I guess I made about 1.5 billion. Give or take a hundred thousand.”

“You got paid to listen to Etna’s shitty suspicions, almost get killed by that mysterious pink electric card dude, and fuck me into oblivion all night long?!”

I further smirked at the last part. “And to piss. That’s vitally important.”

“I demand labor money!” she whined. “I don’t get paid like that! Fuck. I’ve been doing life all wrong.” My chuckle was inevitable as I pulled her into a hug just to slip my cock between her legs and tease her entrance.

She didn’t even fight the moan that left her lips while I worked on massaging her ass cheeks.

“I’ll give you my entire paycheck if you let me fuck you on this kitchen island,” I whispered into her ear. I felt her shiver against me, and I was struggling not to react just from the scent of her arousal that was teasing my nostrils.

I bet she thought I couldn’t smell her, but it was my best-kept secret because I knew the thought only made her grow wetter faster.

“What…am I going to do with…that much money?” She was practically panting as I was purposely moving my cock along her folds, enjoying the way it glided so effortlessly while gathering her juices along the top half of my cock.

“Anything you want, baby,” I muttered against her flesh before sucking at her neck.

Her body was so warm after her spell work, and it only made me want to reward her for being so brilliantly gifted. She didn’t get enough praise for how selfless she was, but a bit of money and some good sex would encourage her to keep doing what she took on for the sake of helping many people.

Lifting my head from the comfort of her shoulder, I kissed along her neck and allowed my emotions to seep through as I peered into her stunning eyes.

“Do anything you wish. Buy tons of items, buy one item. Spend it on something you deem worthy of the price tag,” I encouraged her and slowly tugged her bottom lip while my eyes never left hers. “And if you need more, you just say the word, Aurelia.”

Her cheeks swarmed with that lovely shade of red, and I enjoyed every bit of it because it was a rare sight to see her flustered by my words. I couldn’t stop myself from kissing her again.

She kissed me back before she broke it to whisper, “I don’t need you to pay me for sex, Zane.”

She pulled back enough for our intense gaze to grow even stronger.

“When…it’s just us…you don’t need to give me something in return.” Her face only grew a deeper shade of red as she quietly added, “You don’t need my permission either.”

Fuck…

I actually began to blush at her words, and she clearly noticed as we were just lost in staring at one another. Then my gaze lowered to her lips, and when we gravitated to one another, it was mutual, our lips meeting right in the middle.

These rare moments were so fucking precious. She had no idea how I cherished them like rare jewels from a mine of endless coal. I deepened the kiss as I watched the way her pupils further dilated. My body was moving on its own, my cock continuing to glide between her hot entrance and further escalate this sexual moment.

Her scent continued to wrap around me, encouraging me to keep going, and I enjoyed the way my tongue slid into her mouth and against her tongue. It was that deep, sloppy kiss that triggered a dangerous boil of hunger that rose to the surface until I needed to be inside her.

It was as if it were a life and death situation. If I didn’t get to feel Aurelia’s pussy walls, I’d probably lose my sanity as a sacrifice. I wasn’t going to figure out how we’d gotten onto the island or when I’d stripped - or ripped - my shirt off of Aurelia, but she was now beneath me and moaning loud and clear as I slid into her in one solid movement.

We moaned together at the feeling of wholeness, and her arms wrapped around my neck and pulled me in close as her eyes begged for me to get moving.

“Fast and hard,” she panted.

I couldn’t help but obey because the tremendous heat of her pussy along with the pulsing walls pressing against my rock-hard length were enough encouragement to get me moving.

I ravaged her mouth with no remorse, bruising her lips with my teeth and smothering her with kisses. Each forced gasp for air graced me with her moans, which sought to leave tingles across my flesh. Each thrust of my cock only grew better and better, and watching how she caved to my tune was fucking gold.

I wished she knew that every moment away from her felt like death. Every task was strenuous, knowing I wouldn’t simply come home to her lying perfectly in my bed. I was tired of putting her on the shelf so that my role and duty for this world of magic became the grand prize of my existence.

To me, Aurelia was the ultimate trophy I wished to acquire, and all she needed was time to accept me as the sole warrior who’d go through a valley of challenges just to reach the hill and obtain her again and again.

I groaned into her mouth as my hips moved faster, and we were panting heavily because we were both close to our much-deserved orgasms.

“Let me hear you, baby,” I urged, and she moaned loudly as she inched closer and closer to her release. I’d drive us over the edge, and I wanted to enjoy the creamy combustion of our releases from her pussy when it was all done.

“Zane, AH!” She locked up as I drove as deep as I could. She exploded around my cock as her mangled scream surely reached the very ceiling of the penthouse, but I was now facing my own rippling climax that took me over and left me frozen as my cock shot every bit of cum it had into her.

She was shivering with aftershocks while I pulled out just to lift her hips and dive right in between her legs. My tongue slid right in, and she whimpered before she gasped and grew rigid, another orgasm slamming into her.

I didn’t dare stop as I further buried my face in her pussy and ate her up like it was my saving grace. She was helpless as more aftershocks hit her trembling body, and she wasn’t even speaking English by the time I was tongue-deep and trying to make her cum a third time.

Her body buckled and she gave a silent cry of ecstasy as I did exactly what I wanted. This time around, I released her from my mouth’s grasp and watched as her chest moved up and down and she lay there with those wonderful, muscled legs spread out for me to see my cum roll out onto the island surface.

“Good girl,” I praised as I walked around the island until I was on the opposite side. I lowered my head to kiss her long and hard. “I moved the meds to the living room table long before we got freaky. I’m gonna run a nice bath for you, so just rest for a bit.”

She couldn’t reply, clearly focusing on solely breathing, but I couldn’t help but give her one last, warm kiss. This was what I wanted, moments like these when the world would stop and all that mattered was us.

Releasing her, I summoned a cloak and covered her right up before I went into the washroom and filled the bath with those bath bombs she loved. The thing was in the shape of a witch’s hat - cute - but I thought it was stupid because the shape would disappear the moment it hit the water and fizzed out.

Let the bubbles turn into witch hats or some fancy shit.

The sudden buzz in my brain made me flinch, and I frowned before walking over to gently close the door. Walls of magic surged all around the room, sealing my conversation into these very walls as I spoke out loud.

“Make this quick,” I urged. “I’m in the middle of something.”

“Fucking the girl you won’t ask out because you don’t have the balls to do it isn’t what I call ‘middle of something’, Zane.”

I groaned at Master Z’s taunting voice.

“Can we not argue in my head right now? “

“Says the one speaking out loud.”

“It’s easier for me to communicate that way.”

“Right, right. If you were a wolf shifter, you’d be a laughing stock.”

“What do you want? I’m on leave.”

“The twins are in town.”

That made me almost break the bottle of muscle relaxant into the bath - which would have been a fucked-up move because I only needed three damn drops.

“Why?” I got to the point. “I don’t need a rerun of the crimes they committed. The moment the Coven finds out, they’ll seek blood.”

“I’m aware,” he replied. “And that’s why we haven’t said anything. I’d like this to remain between us. I know you love your girl, but she’s an unstable tragedy waiting to explode if you tick her off enough.”

“Yet I’m sure you guys don’t know the true her. The one that calculates every move she makes,” I snapped right back. I couldn’t control myself when it came to defending Aurelia. When people talked shit, all I needed to do was glare and that shut them up.

Since I couldn’t do that to Master Z, I just did the next best thing, which may get me killed: I talked back.

“That’s your cock talking,” he began. “But I’ll let you off the hook this time.” He paused to make a point. “We’re investigating why, but I’m sure it has something to with the business deals on the horizon. Obviously, that’s more in the realms of wolf shifters, but it looks like you may get looped into this due to the connection Aurelia has with the De Lucas.”

“They’re interested in Willow? Why?” It wasn’t making sense. “She isn’t even a wolf shifter.”

Master Z chuckled. “Not yet, but maybe time will tell. Until then, be on your guard. They don’t go by their original names and they look nothing like they did in the past. Aurelia won’t recognize him by face, but his voice is a different ball game if he hasn’t altered that as well.”

“What’s the plan, then?” I questioned.

“Simply monitor,” Master Z concluded. “Nothing else.”

“Shouldn’t we take advantage of this opportunity?”

“Nah,” Master Z practically sang. “Leave it to Karma. If you didn’t know, she has ears and enjoys holding those who cause agony accountable for their pasts actions in the best way.”

He had a point. He then added, “What I do suggest is that you keep an eye on the packs coming to town. A blast from the past will bring some lovely drama to your corner of the love court.”

I wasn’t following what he was trying to imply, and I was certain he knew that because there he went, laughing up a storm.

Yet he called Aurelia crazy.

“See you, Zane. Enjoy your ‘leave’. I’ve already made a bet that you won’t get with Aurelia, so please try and defy it so Master L wins for once. He’s tired of losing to me in this lifetime.”

He didn’t wait for me to reply, his electric presence suddenly gone from my mind.

“Fucker,” I huffed and let out a long sigh as the walls of magic fell.

Karma…you best do your job or I may have to take things into my own hands.

14

NEW PACKS IN THE HEART OF NYC

~A URELIA~

“Violence so early in the morning is a sin.”

“Go fuck yourself!”

I couldn’t help but snicker at my best friends’ morning interactions. This was what it was like when I came to Willow’s place during the weekdays.

Today was Monday, and Willow - or should I say, William - despised Mondays. I guess it was the one day most people dreaded because bullshit always happened.

Anything could happen on a Monday, from the train breaking down which caused you to be late, being stuck in traffic because of that same broken train that forced half of all New Yorkers to take cabs, or, if that didn’t get you, there was always the huge chance that you could trip, fall, crash, bump, or essentially destroy something.

Bonus points if you killed someone.

I knew the moment I teleported here that my two best friends, Willow and Onyx, would be doing one of two things: arguing their heads off or fucking.

Sometimes they did both. It apparently depended on Willow’s mood.

This morning, William chose violence.

“You might as well ask to take today off if you’re going to sleep in,” Onyx suggested. That was totally the wrong move but did men ever believe you when you tried to warn them? Nope.

The sound of something soft crashing into something was followed with Onyx chuckling.

“Be nice, Willow.”

“It’s William! Get the fuck out of my house!”

Yup. Willow’s in a cranky mood this morning.

“You’re always so cranky when you’re a guy,” Onyx whined. “What did I possibly do to piss you off today?”

“Existing,” William dryly declared and I couldn’t stop myself from hysterically laughing before I walked out of the kitchen with my apron on so I could view the lovely scene unfolding in the bedroom.

“See? I told you she secretly still hated your ass,” I declared with pride.

William turned his attention to me. Little did he know, I was secretly giving Onyx this prime moment to either run for it or face the consequence of potential death from the hands of his “girlfriend”.

Our friendship had really blossomed over the years, and so did my overall position in her Pack House. I didn’t necessarily have a place in the “pack” per se. I’d signed a contract that allowed me to register Aries under the De Luca Pack and even had the potential of being promoted by Roberto, but I was secretly hoping to find a pack of my own.

As much as I always wished to be a part of the pack, I knew deep down they would never truly accept me as a pack member because of my “misfit” qualities.

I needed a pack that resonated with me, one that encouraged my growth in all realms. It was the one reason I loved being around Zane: he acknowledged both sides of me and though he obviously wasn’t a wolf shifter, he didn’t shun Aries.

Even though she enjoyed shunning him all the time.

William pouted, which was my cue to skip over to the bed. I jumped right onto the black sheets and sighed dramatically while giving him one of the few genuine smiles I reserved for those I cared about the most.

“So who did laundry?” I couldn’t help bringing it up with a questioning look, knowing for sure the fresh scent coming from the sheets was Onyx’s doing.

William frowned before his gaze moved to the window to see it was open and Onyx was obviously missing in action.

“For fuck’s sake,” he grunted and got out of bed so he could peer out the window to make sure Onyx didn’t actually drop down seventy-five plus floors to avoid his wrath.

And Onyx honestly would if he really believed William was gonna kill him.

“Did he actually jump?” I called out in curiosity. Onyx was a mystery in himself, but the wolf shifter had the survival rate of a god. I bet if he did fall out of the window, he’d find some sort of way to survive so he could reach the ground.

“I don’t know!” William huffed before lifting his head. I lifted my gaze and tried not to squeal as there was Onyx, pressing his lips against William’s. He was stunned while he blinked his eyes for a moment. Then they narrowed with enough fury to make Onyx break the kiss and swiftly explain himself.

“I’m late for work, Will. Think of me.”

With a wink, he was gone. The sound of racing footsteps suddenly vanished.

“Dammit! Onyx!” William practically screamed before shutting the only window. I knew his wrath was coming my way, so I proceeded to do what I did best in any situation that was about to fuck me sideways.

Get my innocent, crazy ass out of it.

I began whistling a random tune while I was struck with a deadly stare from William. Little did he know, I’d planned ahead for this potential moment, and sitting within my grasp was a fresh cup of coffee.

I was obviously multitasking. What better way to check on William’s health status and internal stability than by scanning him when he was physically, emotionally - and sexually - riled up by Onyx’s presence?

“If we weren’t best friends who decided to stop our fling, I’d tap that ass and suck that cock any day of the week,” I hummed in delight. “Even on a gorgeous Monday like today.”

I always loved to tease William about our dating past, but I sometimes wondered how different it would have been if he dated the Aurelia now rather than the Aurelia from back then.

The weak me that had to be broken into tattered shreds to discover who she wanted to be.

I was still struggling with my identity, and it was something I’d have to work on for as long as I needed to, but I was sure if I’d been anything close to the individual who sat here in his company, I would have never broken up with him.

We’d be together regardless of the challenges dating delivered back then.

The way William moved his gaze from my smiling expression to the cup of coffee confirmed he wouldn’t stay mad at me for long. I eased the peace offering towards him and added, “It’s yours as long as you don’t kill me or Onyx.”

I knew putting Onyx in the equation would make him debate, so I giggled and rose up to walk right up to him.

“He fucked you wholesomely, gave you a nice bath, changed and washed your sheets, and cuddled with you until the morning.” I revealed Onyx’s normal routine like I’d been there to witness it myself. “If you ask me, he’s a keeper.”

“He insults me when he’s drunk and bitches that I’m stronger than him to anyone who will listen,” he reminded me.

“Minor details,” I brushed away. “You scare him enough to jump out your window when you’re on the top floor of this place. Also, didn’t you almost cut his cock one time because you didn’t want to wake up?”

“Hmph,” he replied and finally accepted the coffee. I watched him take a sip, and I knew for sure he was enjoying the concoction I’d whipped up.

I clapped my hands and gave him a wide grin.

“Morning, bestie. Hurry up and get dressed or Viktor’s going to be pissed that he has to speed your ass to work.”

“He enjoys speeding,” he mumbled and yawned. He proceeded to run his hand through his hair, and boy, I wondered why William didn’t become a damn model at this point. He probably didn’t realize he was standing there naked, and I was personally glad my dirty mind was preoccupied with Zane’s chiseled structured body. Otherwise, William would certainly be doing a number on me.

He was clearly checking himself out because he sometimes forgot what he looked like as a male until he was forced to acknowledge himself. I guess when you’re born a girl, you may never get used to having rock-hard abs, biceps, chest pecs, V-lines, and a long cock.

“Stop checking yourself out and get into your suit!” I called out, already in the kitchen trying to get things wrapped up so I could head back to my place before going to the Coven to see if the magic world ended during the weekend.

Probably didn’t but I always kept a speck of hope.

“Why are you even here?” William asked as he headed to the kitchen island. He couldn’t function on just one cup of coffee. My poor bestie was addicted to that stuff, but since I generally made it, it wasn’t as toxic as the standard coffee beans.

“Did you forget you needed to restock these?” I pointed out and directed William’s attention to the clear pill bottle that contained the pink and purple capsules with my personal brand “AURELIA HEALTH” on it.

That brand was for my specific loyal clientele that got meds on demand - no questions asked. It made it so I could administer the medication now and submit the records for my workers to record at a later time.

“You ran out yesterday, remember?”

“Right,” William said with no emotion before drinking more coffee. “My body hurts.”

“I’d heal you, but that’s a good hurt,” I stated with an added wink, knowing Onyx probably obliterated her last night with amazing sex. He was one of those guys that needed a good six-plus rounds to be satisfied.

How Willow survived after three was beyond me. I didn’t have that level of stamina just yet - or maybe Zane just went hard from round one while Onyx probably drew things out and increased the madness with each round.

I let William have his moment to drink his coffee, knowing he’d need a few minutes to really wake up. I put my music back on, whistling and singing while I worked. I couldn’t help but enjoy music during the day.

There was just something about the warmth of the sun, the chirping birds flying through the sky, and the mental acknowledgment that a new day had arrived that lifted my spirits and made life easier to bear.

Deep down, these moments reminded me of the times as a child when I danced in the kitchen as Mom baked a meal, Father read a newspaper, and Ace danced with me like we were in a fairytale where the characters danced on the ballroom floor.

Making medicines with music was a memory I’d dreamed of often enough, but I couldn’t recall for the life of me who that individual was with me. I was a little saddened by it because this individual felt important in some aspect of my life.

They had to have contributed to the immense knowledge I carried about herbs, medicine, relaxation techniques, and spiritual meditation. It felt like passed-down knowledge, but the only person I remembered who transferred knowledge to me was Grandma.

I came to the conclusion that it would remain a mystery until the Universe wished for me to know the truth, but moments like these always left me wondering.

William was getting ready so I figured making some breakfast for him wouldn’t hurt. Seeing as Onyx had run away, I knew if I didn’t make something William would skip breakfast altogether, and that wasn’t good for his stomach when it came to his meds.

“I’m hot as hell,” I overheard him say.

“Saying your positive affirmations for the morning?” I asked as I walked back into his room. “Breakfast is ready.”

I was always about affirmations. It was something Zane had taught me to do to aid with my self-confidence. Whenever I was in a bad spot in my mind that tried to debilitate me, all I needed to do was say an affirmation to lift me out of the sinking ship of darkness.

I liked to encourage Willow to do them from time to time, and I guess it just stuck.

He looked over to me to see the glass of water and the morning dose for the day.

“Thanks,” he replied as he accepted my offering and took the pill, then downed it with the entire glass of water.

“How have you been feeling as of late?” I asked seriously while making my way to the kitchen. I knew he’d follow me because he had limited time to eat before Viktor arrived to take him to work.

We situated ourselves at the island and William admired the load of food in front of him, which included pancakes, bacon, eggs, and a homemade yogurt fruit cup with granola.

“I knew you’d have your other cup at work or I would have made you another mug,” I added while we began to work on our meals. I wasn’t sure if he was going to answer my previous question, but that usually meant there wasn’t anything strikingly urgent to address.

I’d known Willow long enough to know that if something was bugging her with the meds I administered, she’d let me know. William was no different.

“No worries,” he assured me as he began to cut his pancakes in an elegant way. “Thanks for the meal.”

I watched him take a bite before he muttered, “Why can’t I cook like this?”

“Because your hands were made to punch people to death while mine were made for my creative endeavors in the kitchen and witch lab,” I replied as he took a sip of his coffee. “Which reminds me. What happened last night? I’m not referring to you and Onyx making love.”

“Hold on,” he requested. “He bathed me last night? How do you know?”

“I swear. You don’t check your security cameras during the night?”

“No,” he replied with a bored tone. “Why would I?”

“I don’t know. Maybe to check on your addictive whatever Onyx is? He’s obviously a man-child who obsessively checks on you, which leaves me to wonder when he even sleeps.”

“He sleeps during the day.” He tsked in annoyance. “Ten to five, unless something comes up in between. Always has to make sure he’s around to stalk me when my shift is over at six.”

“You know that because?”

“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” He repeated the saying as if I’d forgotten. “Knowing your enemy’s schedule ensures you’re prepared to fuck them up.”

“The poor man would become an Omega again for you and yet you still have issues with him.” I shook my head. “You hold far too many grudges.”

“Not enough, or I would have killed my father already and covered it up,” he earnestly answered.

“That’s true,” I replied and took a bite of his bacon. “Back to the original question.”

“A new pack tried to jump me. I killed them and had Papa Dearest’s crew and Viktor clean up,” he summarized. The news didn’t seem to bother me. This pack couldn’t be one of the ones the Coven was warning us about. No way would they grab attention if they could easily be killed by Willow without her trying.

I knew about the brief incident because it was talked about through the information grapevine we magicians loved to use. Most witches and wizards didn’t give a damn about supernatural shit, but I listened in closely to ensure nothing was aimed at Willow or Onyx.

They were targets for a number of reasons, and it was my duty as their friend to ensure I listened to potential information that could help them get the advantage.

“Hmph. You could have cleaned up just fine,” I commented. “That strike of thunder was pretty though.”

“Let me guess. The Witch Council of Hags checked the private surveillance video due to the usage of intense magic?”

“Bingo,” I replied with a sweet smile. That was exactly why it had reached the grapevine of gossip. The level of magic Willow used should have landed her in the damn Coven, but of course, that wasn’t going to happen.

My ass couldn’t even get into the damn Coven and I was of blood.

“Yet they won’t acknowledge me as a hybrid witch. Fucking bitches.”

“They’ll have to eventually,” I declared like it was a no-brainer. That rewarded me with an eyebrow raise from him.

“Because?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” I sang. “Maybe a certain someone is getting promoted soon.”

He gawked at me, which only made my lips curled in a mischievous smile.

“When?”

“Anytime from now to the new year,” I announced. I wasn’t necessarily lying. Zane had mentioned before I left my penthouse that he overheard them talking about promoting me. It was a conversation that was brought up again and again, but of course, one person wouldn’t agree or would use some incident from the past against me to make the majority reconsider - again.

I was sure Elder Etna was going to shoot the idea down to the fucking ground to burn, but I could always dream, right? That was better than actually getting my hopes up at the news.

“You’re getting promoted onto the fucking hag council?!” He whistled and lowered his knife and fork to actually clap for me. “Bravo, bitch. How are we celebrating? Make sure Onyx is left behind this time.”

That was my best friend for ya. Regardless of gender, she always had to cheer me forward. I smiled at the new topic before a sly grin took over my lips. That made him question me with a look as he muttered, “What?”

“Two new packs are in town and one of them has my name on it,” I declared.

“Meaning they’re actually here for you? Or you’re gonna go hunt them down and kidnap them yourself?”

“I’ve only done that like three times,” I whined. Whenever the Coven got all obsessed about a new pack coming into town, it was my duty to “investigate” and determine if they reached the hype quota. Surely this wasn’t going to be any different.

With two packs entering the game, I would have checked in on both of them, but I had to go with the priority one that dipped into the realm of magic first.

“And killed them all three times,” William acknowledged.

“They were here to try and take the De Luca throne. I couldn’t possibly let that happen.” I gasped in horror. A part of that was even true.

Normally packs came to NYC to pick a fight against the De Luca pack. Outside of our state, everyone was curious about how Roberto somehow managed to run his multi-billion dollar empire by day and keep a firm hand on his pack of various wolf shifters at night.

“So you skinned one alive, used the second as a test subject for one of your Kill-An-Ex potions, and fucked the other because he was hot before slicing his throat?” he concluded.

“Hey, now.” I pointed at him with my cutting knife. “We fucked with mutual consent.”

“Then why did you kill him?”

“He said he didn’t like my hair.”

“Before or after sex?”

“After.”

“Then you should have sliced his balls first,” he concluded.

I’d had my share of one-nighters with a few wolf shifters in the past, and though I kept Zane secret, we’d agreed that we weren’t exclusive. He could go fuck whoever he wanted, and I could do the same.

There were no strings attached.

In the past, I didn’t mind, but nowadays, it was getting harder for me because no one really satisfied me the way Zane did. That was what was beginning to worry me deep inside. It meant that I was growing feelings for him, and no way was I ready - or powerful enough - to start solidifying the strings between us.

“Bitch, I did! You think I was going to let the fucker merely die after insulting these strands?” I laughed and flicked the silky threads. “I didn’t spend a million dollars on magic dye to create such a concoction of epicness for some douche with a massive cock to tell me it was ugly. No one’s got time for that negativity in their life or in the bedroom.”

She obviously knew I was joking about the dye, but it was one of my usual excuses whenever anyone asked about my hair. It was becoming a habit in the ice breaker stage because saying your hair color was real after sucking the venom out of your rejected mate’s body to try to save him from death wasn’t realistic enough.

“You’re a psycho.”

“Takes one to know one.” I winked and gave him a smirk. “Any psychotic episodes?”

“Nope,” he replied and worked on finishing his food. “I’ve been a good De Luca.”

“Boring. Where’s the wicked De Luca who turns on all the boys and girls in the yard?” I pondered but was genuinely relieved that he hadn’t experienced any major side effects.

“In the closet waiting for something exciting to happen before she comes out to play,” he declared. “As for bringing all the boys and girls to the yard, I’m about to do it with this outfit.”

His outfit was on point. The suit was ready to be plastered on every possible magazine cover and tabloid, and all over social media. He’d surely break the internet - like he did every week with some planned outfit that would set a viral trend.

“Is Viktor bringing the pink Royce?” I asked.

“Yup. Just came back from the shop, so now it has an interior galaxy ceiling. One of a kind.”

“I swear that’s been done,” I reasoned while trying to figure out who could have done that already.

“Nah,” he replied and finished the last bit of his breakfast. “It’s integrated with magic to call upon actual stars to charge the car itself, which puts it into star galaxy mode and makes it possible to go the speed of light.”

Holy fuck. Now that has my fucking attention.

I gawked before I moved my plates to the side, put my elbows on the island’s surface, and rested my chin onto my hands.

“What’s a bitch gotta do to get a ride?” I whispered because no way was this bitch not getting a ride in that brilliant masterpiece of a car. He laughed and shook his head.

“Ride-or-Dies get exclusive access.” He winked and walked over to actually kiss my cheek. “Thanks for the breakfast, meds, and getting Onyx out somehow. The next time he’s drunk, tell him I appreciate him washing me up and changing my sheets.”

“Wow. I’ll make sure I say that you emphasized all of that in your male form. He’ll masturbate for weeks.”

“I swear he’s not bisexual.” He sighed.

“He’s not. He’s just into both sides of you,” I acknowledged and whispered, “He’s a keeper.”

“Until he finds a mate of his own,” he concluded and headed to the door.

That was the one thing holding Willow back when it came to Onyx. Now that his wolf had awakened, it was only a matter of time until he met his mate. If that did happen - and I pray it didn’t because it would fucking break Willow - it would only mean Willow had a mate somewhere as well.

It felt almost sinful for Onyx and Willow to not be together, but I was sure that was exactly what was making Willow still apprehensive about the future. She didn’t want to envision a future with Onyx when he could potentially bump into his mate, shattering that entire hopeful dream.

“You never know. Maybe you’re the one,” I offered a glimpse of hope.

“I got tired of wishful dreaming, Aurelia,” he quietly replied before grabbing his wallet to put inside his coat before picking out his Rolex watch with pink studs. “I’m heading out.”

“Don’t give too much of a sour expression this time around,” I encouraged, knowing the last bit of the conversation surely soured his mood - my bad, William. “Try to smile for once. It’s good publicity!”

“Yes, bestie,” he called out as he headed for the door. “Your favorite cookies from England are in the bottom drawer.”

“Shut the fuck up!” I gasped and took a moment to check before squealing. “I LOVE YOU, BITCH! Have a good day!”

“Love you more, Aurelia.” My ears picked up on the quiet whisper, and then the elevator doors closed and I was left alone with English cookies.

Or at least alone for a minute.

15

ASK FOR HELP AND LONELY

“Sometimes I wonder if she pretends not to see you to give a boost of confidence to your usually shattered pride,” I pondered out loud and retrieved a cookie from the pack of imported cookies.

“Maybe, but that’s how Sugar shows how much she loves me.”

I turned my head to the right to acknowledge Onyx, who now stood against the fridge with his arms crossed.

“I thought you had work,” I began as I finished my cookie and moved to the kitchen island. Lifting myself up with ease, I crossed my legs into a yoga pose while mentally preparing for one more round of medicine making before I headed over to the Coven.

Now that I’d told Willow about the approaching packs and the news she’d been attacked last night was confirmed, I was hoping to make a few extra batches for her to use just in case things got really busy.

“Figured I’d check on you first,” he reasoned.

“Nothing new,” I suggested.

“Mhmm,” Onyx replied and I knew that meant he was going to bring up shit that wasn’t his business. “So…”

“So,” I repeated and opened an eye to give him a “get to the point” stare.

“Are you two going to become official or what?”

I opened my other eye just so I could roll them.

“Onyx, what have I told you about stalking me?”

“I’m not your Willow and if you have time to stalk me, you have time to be a man with balls and make things official with your bestie,” he replied with a mocking voice that sounded nothing like me.

“I don’t sound like that at all,” I concluded.

“You’re right but it emphasizes my point,” he countered and moved off the fridge to approach the island. “Seriously, Aurelia. Are you going to date the sorcerer?”

“Why is it important?” I inquired. “What? Are people gossiping again and trying to make us a thing?”

“That’s a normal occurrence,” Onyx brushed off, but his eyes remained on mine as if he were trying to figure me out.

“You’re asking for a reason,” I noted. “Why?”

“There’s been a sighting of Ace.” He dropped the bomb and watched me closely as I blankly stared at him. Clearly, the news was shocking, and yet I stared right back at him like I literally had no interest.

I was expecting my heart to do what it always did when Ace’s name came up, but it kept beating normally and that hollow ache that used to assault me every day when I was reminded of the past was clearly absent this time around.

That’s a good sign of moving forward, right?

“So?” I finally replied.

“You don’t care,” Onyx concluded. “We’re both adults. It’s been eight years. He’s probably found a new love to keep him warm between the sheets. If he’s around, it’s probably for work, a deal, or whatever he does for a living now.”

I shrugged and worked on cracking my stiff neck. Zane fucking me on the island was clearly stiffening my aching muscles.

It was good fucking sex though.

“I don’t own NYC. Roberto is the closest to owning this damn place and that ain’t stopping Ace from doing what he wants. I’m not bothered that he’s here,” I concluded. “But if you’re really nosey, I’m not sure yet with Zane.”

“Has he told you he took an official leave?” Onyx inquired.

“I need to figure out how you get information faster than the damn Coven, which is full of gossips frantic to know everything,” I commented. “Yes, he told me this morning.”

“Meaning you spent the night after yesterday’s incident, huh?”

“Your stalking abilities are really beyond Russian assassin level,” I reasoned.

Onyx smirked. “They tried to hire me but I refused.”

“Wait, seriously?”

“Yup.” His smile only widened as he pulled out a stool and sat on it - giving me his undivided attention. “Think I’d survive being away from Sugar for so long? I’d die from withdrawal.”

“More like you’d be more worried about who would dare slip into her bed if you weren’t here to ward off anyone with a cock,” I pointed out.

“I could hire people for that,” he reasoned.

“Hired stalkers don’t kill anyone who looks at his woman the wrong way,” I reminded, and of course he didn’t even display a speck of remorse.

“Maybe if they didn’t look at my woman like she was a live sex doll, they wouldn’t be confessing their sins to Mother Moon in the grave.”

“You’re too much,” I concluded. “Willow wouldn’t last in a ‘no strings attached’ lifestyle.”

“Willow doesn’t want that,” Onyx muttered. “It’s not like she fears attachment. She fears the consequences our attachment may deliver because she’s not a wolf,” Onyx acknowledged.

He did have a valid point. At the end of the day, I wasn’t sure if Willow feared Onyx or herself getting a mate. That wasn’t the problem.

The true problem was that he knew she’d yet to unlock her wolf. She’d always be reminded that she lacked a part of her nature that was meant for her but was either blocked or stagnant.

“Anyways, stop stalking me.”

“Hmm…” he began and actually looked like he was thinking about it. “No.”

“Ugh,” I groaned. “How do you have fucking time to stalk Willow on the regular, me on the side, somehow get eight hours of sleep, and be wherever you need to be when shit goes down?”

“Magic,” he purred like he was some sort of genius.

“You’re wasting my life span,” I concluded. “I’m not Willow, who has the tolerance for your madness.”

Onyx chuckled, but then his eyes lost their twinkling amusement as his smile dipped to a flat line. “There are rumors Westley is back.”

Now that made my heart go from calm to pounding central, and the loud crack of the water glass near the sink only proved that I’d broken something.

By accident, of course.

“I’ll fix that,” I muttered. “How do you know?”

“Rumors,” Onyx stated as he slipped off the stool, walked over to the sink, and picked up the cracked glass. Black threads of magic surged out of his fingertips, wrapping around the glass until it was covered in inky magic.

The sight reminded me of the past, and how that energy somehow was the reason Grandma had died that night. Unlike back then, Onyx’s shadow magic was far from evil. It held energy that almost seemed pure, like the dark side of Yin that matched with the light of Yang.

“I’ll further look into it, and I have a feeling your lover will do the same.”

“Zane is not my lover.”

“Sure,” Onyx replied as the shadows faded and the cup was brand new. “He took leave without telling anyone and is staying in NYC. If you think it’s for some other reason aside from how smitten he’s gotten over you, then you’re blind, my friend.”

“We can’t be together.”

“Now that’s some real bullshit.”

“Onyx.” I wasn’t joking and he knew it from the way my eyes met his - the void of emotion in my orbs enough to make him sigh and approach me.

“Why?” he boldly asked as he reached me and showed me the cup. “Because you believe something broken can’t be fixed to its perfected glory?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat as Onyx leaned over to place the cup on the island next to my left side. He returned his gaze to me and got straight to the point.

“I love to observe people. I enjoy watching their various reactions to what we call life. Some people’s true colors show right up front, and others are hidden in the shadows while they project fake personalities to fit into our fucked-up society,” he began while his firm gaze never left mine. “You don’t need to be in the community to know who Zane Malark is, Aurelia. You also don’t need to be a wizard to know that he’s never let anyone be alone with him. There’s always a professor or judge in the room when he trains with someone else, and never has he done a solo interview with one interviewer. Everyone knows that if you’re alone with Zane in a room, you might as well pay for your funeral costs and tell everyone you love that you’ll see them in the next life because you won’t leave that room breathing.”

He paused to emphasize his point before muttering, “And yet our Crazy Bitch best friend was able to enjoy a frisky night in between the sheets with him and came out just before rushing to work.”

I didn’t say anything and I think he expected my silence because he shrugged and turned around.

“I’ll never dictate what you should do, Aurelia, but I’m not a fake friend who won’t tell you the truth when it’s smacking you right in the face,” he urged. “Zane likes you. Hah. Actually, ‘like’ is a fucking weak word for the level of passion he carries for you. He’s showing a small glimpse of it, and you’re too blind to see it. Not because you don’t wish to be with him, but because you’re frightened your unity will lead you down the same path as your mother.”

He hit the nail on the head and I couldn’t stop myself from frowning deeply. I knew he couldn’t see me but I was sure he sensed my displeasure.

“I wish the same for you as I do for Willow, Aurelia. Happiness. Out of all the flings you’ve had, I can for once say that when you’re in the same room as Zane, your confidence rises from the shadows. I’ve seen it only a few times in the last eight years, but that’s one observation I can confirm is a true occurrence that isn’t being ignored by others either.”

He turned to look over his shoulder at me.

“Zane turns thirty soon. They’re going to force him to find a partner sooner or later. There are rumors that one potential chair is going to open up on the High Court, and I can guarantee Zane is the leading pick to sit upon that spot.”

“The one who sits in the chair is always female, Onyx,” I corrected.

“You’re right,” he replied. “So who do you think will sit upon that chair when Zane is forced to be engaged?”

That made me clench my fists while the boiling thought of someone else who knew nothing about Zane being by his side could surely create tsunamis if I had the ability to do so with my rising temper.

“Just a word of thought,” Onyx concluded and looked away. “A few individuals are already speculating that you two are getting interested in one another, so I suggest you make a decision sooner or later, Aurelia. You understand how the world works. Claim what’s yours or accept the consequences when what’s valuable gets taken away by someone else.”

He was going to leave, the dark energy beginning to lick off his flesh, but I muttered, “What if I’m not strong enough to make a claim like that?”

He paused like I expected, but what I didn’t expect was his chuckle.

“You’re a confident, psychotic witch. The world is your stage, but the moment the curtains come to a close, you question your worth as if you’re not one of the strongest witches on the playing field,” he revealed. “You think Zane fell in love with a weak bitch?”

Okay. He had a good, valid point.

“You know the one thing I like about your crazy side, Aurelia?” He turned to face me as he tilted his head to one side. “She ain’t a scaredy-cat.”

“I’m not…”

“Scared? Frightened? Allowing fear to dictate every move you make because you’re even more worried about making a mistake that will cost the lives of the ones you hold dear to your heart?” He hit every damn point, and that was what made Onyx so dangerous. He knew how to break you apart and pick at every insecurity and fear you worked overtime to keep hidden from the world.

It was just another reason why he was perfect for Willow. With him in the picture, she would never lose the confidence she needed to face the cruel business world.

I had that. Zane was the pillar of strength I needed to take a stance in this community, and yet I was still fearing the worst. Fearing rejection…

“We want you to be happy, Aurelia. If you being with someone means we’re thrust into dangerous situations, so fucking be it. We’re not children anymore. We have connections and can protect ourselves when push comes to shove,” he reminded. “Most important, we have each other. If you need help, you ask, remember?”

My eyes lifted to meet his once more. I slowly nodded, and he turned around again.

“Think about it,” he urged me. “You have an event coming up. Magic users only.”

That was news to me and he most likely assumed it was because he continued, “You’re on the guest list like usual, but guess who’s also on that list?”

You didn’t need to be a genius to guess.

“Zane.”

“Bingo,” he replied. “And apparently Lucy paid top-dollar to get a table with him.”

That made my blood run cold and the growl in my head only brought my attention to Aries. I thought she was sleeping, or at least she was mere minutes ago, but now she was baring her teeth and ready to kill a bitch.

Your level of jealousy is worse than mine.

“That’s all I know, but I’ll be free for a bit on that night, though I have another party to attend with Willow.” This was his way of giving me the opportunity to ask for help.

“Can you be around? Just…until I’m situated inside?” So many years had passed and yet sophisticated events frightened me. I could go to a party full of shifters without a care in the world, but bring me to an event of witches and wizards and I clammed up like a fish out of water.

“I’ll be there.”

No questions asked.

“Thank you, Onyx.”

“I’ve always got you, Aurelia.” He was actually leaving now, the shadow-like flames emerging once more to whisk him away.

“And stop calling me Crazy Bitch,” I huffed.

He merely chuckled as he continued to fade away. “Not a chance.”

Just like that, he was gone, leaving me alone to think of the conversation we just had. He always made sure we had such discussions privately, not because he didn’t trust Willow, but because he knew about my anxiety regarding the issue with the Coven.

I sometimes felt as if I were taking two steps forward and five steps back when it came to my determination to get out of this cycle of power hunger. I had all the tools to get out and yet it wasn’t enough.

I need more leverage. To be surrounded by enough structures to shield me from the toxic collateral damage that will occur if I decide to dip out of this family contract.

It was obvious that they weren’t going to promote me onto the Coven, so I had to finally make a solid plan to exit. No more worries about going to stupid luxury parties, or flaunting my worth and power to people who were merely envious of me.

I was desperate to be independent - yet scared to take that first step outward.

That was why I needed Zane. To be my backbone when I wanted to cave in. I would definitely be supported by Willow and Onyx, and now that I’d proven my worth and knew Aunt Beatrice wasn’t necessarily a bad guy, it wasn’t like I wouldn’t be supported.

Why do I still hesitate?

“You wish to have a pack to back you up.” Aries decided to jump into the internal debate. “That’s what we lack.”

I corrected my posture as I closed my eyes to begin my deep inhales and exhales.

You’re not wrong, but it would take us a heck of a while to find a pack.

“Just adopt one?”

I snickered at the idea and shook my head. “You don’t just adopt a pack, Aries,” I said out loud. “That’s kidnapping.

“Same thing,” she reasoned. “But maybe you can see what this new pack is all about?”

Maybe that’s the reason why Ace is potentially around?

“He could be here because of Westley’s sighting.”

She had a good point. Unlike me, Ace had the freedom to do whatever the fuck he wanted. He did have half of Grandma’s knowledge in him, and who knew what dark secrets he got as his side of the bargain.

Something told me Grandma gave me the “nicer,” less tragic side of our family’s past, but I could only wonder what Ace had gotten. Would he be determined enough to avenge my grandma after all these years? Would it even matter now?

“Why were you growling like a jealous fool earlier?”

Aries just stared at me before she waltzed in a circle and curled up to go to sleep.

“Aww, c’mon. Sharing is caring. You hate Zane’s guts and yet you’d growlingly defend the idea of us being together versus him being with someone like Lucy Bitch. How the fuck did she even get the funds to snag a table with Zane? Fucking hell, that makes me mad.”

“It’s not like I hate his guts,” she muttered and I literally laughed.

That is the biggest lie I’ve heard since you said you didn’t rip Onyx’s Willow toy to shreds when we were younger.

“I didn’t,” she defended herself.

Yet you had the light pink stuffing stuck in your teeth.

“Minor details.”

My smile was pure as I closed my eyes and focused on her for a moment.

So why do you “dislike” Zane?

“He’s someone who’s perfect for you.”

Huh?

I didn’t understand that in the slightest. If someone was perfect for me, why would she be angry at him?

“Zane is everything you’ve ever wanted in a man. Not just his attractiveness or gifted abilities in the realms of magic, his personality, his confidence, and his boldness to stand for what he believes in suits you,” she praised. “What’s most important is that he’s someone who is willing to commit. He’d never run away. Even if the events probably forced him to, he’d come right back. We can agree on that, can’t we?”

She was right on. I was certain Zane had been warned again and again to stay away from me when I started opening up to him as his student. After a solid year of being trained by him, the Elders made the “decision” to change my professor.

Each time they did, I’d completely shut down and didn’t bother attending the training until I woke up to being dragged out of bed and thrown into the training room by Zane himself. That would be after he fought the current professor to see if they were “worthy” of training me, and every single one of them lost.

It didn’t matter how many times my family tried. A few days would go by, and boom, there he’d be, ready to test the chosen teacher and determine if they were worthy to deliver me the knowledge and training I needed to be great.

The whole thing got so bad that after another year of constant back and forth, there were no more teachers who dared to take up the position to try to teach me. I was sure they just used my “crazy” status against me instead of admitting that their asses were kicked by Zane, but it did the trick of convincing everyone that I was untrainable.

Which left Zane to do the “dirty” work.

That was probably the first time I allowed myself to acknowledge that he was committed to seeing me succeed, but I guess I didn’t want to apply the same qualities into the realms of romance.

“Yes,” I finally answered. “I still don’t understand why that makes you not like him.”

She was quiet as she got comfortable and put her head down.

“The moment you two accept that you’re right for each other, you’ll forget about me and what I want.”

I opened my eyes then at her quiet confession.

“Aries,” I whispered, “I wouldn’t forget about you…”

“For now,” she muttered. “At the end of the day, I’ll always be in the shadows and never have a mate. Your heart will heal. It will mend and blossom…but…it’s not like Mother Moon is gonna snap her fingers and make Zane into a wolf. He’ll always be a wizard. The one who matches you perfectly. And that leaves me on the sidelines…but it doesn’t matter. That’s just the life of a misfit.”

I focused all my energy on my subconscious until I stood right there before her curled-up figure. Slowly, I crouched down, and without hesitation, I reached out to stroke her head.

“I would never choose love over you, Aries.” My words were firm and clear. “If a wolf shifter came along that you cared about, I’d go for it.”

“But what if it’s the same shifter who broke us to begin with?” Those knowledgeable eyes of hers lifted to meet mine, and though she never wished to ever admit that she yearned for Ace’s wolf, I knew that deep down she did.

Compared to us humans and us, wolves didn’t give a flying shit about the complications of life. They accepted that they were carved halves and the moment they found their other side, there were no other questions.

The drama, heartache, or pain of their unity didn’t matter. All that did matter was that they would get through it together. I never gave her the proper chance to do that. Even if the circumstances weren’t in our favor, I could have done exactly what Zane did: kept trying.

“We’d figure something out.”

“Zane wouldn’t let you.” She closed her eyes. “He’d never share you. Goodnight.”

That was the end of the conversation as I was pulled to the present. I let out a heavy sigh, the pounding headache in my head a reward for not preparing myself to enter my subconscious.

“Fuck,” I cursed and looked around the empty kitchen. I didn’t know what it was, but I felt lonelier than usual, and that only fucked with my mood more. “I’ll finish these in a few hours.”

Willow wouldn’t be back until the evening, and it was becoming clear with the pounding in my head that I’d need a nap before wrapping things up.

Uncrossing my legs, I slid off the island and took three steps before I walked right into a portal and was back in my penthouse. My headache only grew worse, leaving me frowning in displeasure as I headed straight to my kitchen cabinet.

Opening it up, I retrieved the clear bottle of blue and yellow capsules. The color coordination always helped me know which stuff was specifically mine. Most of my clients got the standard white and black capsule combinations, but for special clients and myself, I enjoyed adding a bit of neon flair to the equation.

Just because you’re medically dependent, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the process towards healing.

Taking two capsules, I got a glass from the drying tray and moved to the fridge. It opened up on its own, and I couldn’t help but lift my head to see a very sleepy Zane. He didn’t mind me, reaching for the water purifier and pouring enough water in my glass for me to take the dose with no problem.

He didn’t say a word. He simply kissed my forehead, placed the purifier back in the fridge, closed it, and headed back to the couch where he must have been dozing off.

I watched him and noticed that he wore just a pair of black shorts. He sank into the couch, leaned further back into its cushion surface, and was asleep in probably three seconds.

Men. How they fall asleep so fucking fast is beyond me.

If only I could shut my thoughts up long enough to get lost in the oasis of sleep. Instead, if I didn’t take some sort of pill or exhausted myself with work, I’d be up all night until the birds were chirping in encouragement to wake up.

After taking my pills and finishing the glass of chilled water, I placed it on the counter and walked over to the couch. I was a bit hesitant with what I wanted to do, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t crave Zane’s touch.

Just his comforting company.

I sat down next to him, before leaning in to rest against his side. He didn’t open his eyes as he lifted his arm and pulled me further in, and I couldn’t help but relax.

“What’s wrong?” He always knew when I was worried but anything.

“Aries is mad at me,” I muttered into his flesh. He waited for me to continue as if to give me time to formulate my words. “I was thinking…about…us…and I guess, the question popped up about her.”

“Her mate?” he elaborated. I simply nodded and further pressed into him as if his warmth couldn’t warm me up fast enough.

“What if…her mate is someone who broke us in the past? What if, despite the agony we were forced to endure from the world around us, she still sees the wolf she thought would be hers forever?” I just let the words come out, the questions simply piling up in my pounding head.

It was too much for so early in the morning, and I just wished for it all to shut up. It wasn’t like I wished to ignore the obvious problem at hand, I just couldn’t concentrate on a solution that would bring me a sense of peace.

“That’s why your head hurts?” he concluded.

“Somewhat.” I took a deep inhale and let it out. “I’m lonely.”

He didn’t comment on it, but his lips gently laid upon mine in reply.

We remained lying there for a while, and sleep finally began to claw at my consciousness.

“If…I one day found a pack…and someone there fit…Aries’s needs…” I was struggling to say what was fading in my mind because sleep was so close to my grasp. “Would…you share me?”

I knew he wouldn’t reply, or at least not fast enough for me to comprehend it, while I continued to drift into the lands of dreams.

“If they’re worthy of your love…”

His voice drifted into the darkness, and though I wasn’t sure if it was real or not, it was enough.

“I’d share you, Aura…”

What a dream that would be, and that final, imaginative thought brought me more satisfaction than I’d ever acknowledged.

Only time will tell.

16

INVITED CHANCES AND STEP FORWARD

“P erfect score, Miss Clementine.”

I finished fixing the laces of my combat boots, before rising up from the cushioned mat I’d been resting on. Not only was this random test an absolute joke, but it was also beginning to get on my nerves because I knew without a doubt that someone foreign was observing us.

You didn’t need to see observers to know they were sitting in the analysis room with its reflective glass mirror to make it seem like they weren’t grading my performance.

I always disliked these exams for that reason. I was an adult and again, not a part of the Coven, but whenever I was summoned to this shithole of a place, what happened?

Aurelia, we need to test your skills.

It was basically saying “We don’t think you’ve been keeping up with your standard training now that we can’t force you to do shit all the time, so let’s randomly test you at our expense.”

Stupid fuckers.

I wasn’t in a good mood because the event was tonight and I’d gotten nothing done. There was no time to research the guest list, figure out if there were wards on the entrance, and ensure I’d have a table as close to Zane as I could manage.

Once again, my family has to interrupt.

“I’m leaving,” I announced, already walking past the grading instructor. Suddenly, the side doors opened to reveal Elder Etna, Aunt Beatrice, and some female with blonde hair that I’d never seen in my life.

She was average in height, her short locks giving her “I want to speak to your manager” vibes, and she wore a completely white suit. It was clear she was the type of person that loved perfection, and I was sure she and Elder Etna came from the same pod of bitches.

Elder Etna’s magenta hair was curled neatly, and she wore a black suit like she was attending a parent-teacher conference. I clearly stood out like a sore thumb with my black fishnet leggings, extremely short black skirt, and fitted bralette.

My hair was down because I hadn’t expected to fight, and I was thankful I’d put magic on my face to keep my makeup intact or I’d be wasting my time redoing it for the party. I hadn’t broken a sweat with the test, but even a smudge of my makeup would tick me off enough to redo the entire look.

I don’t have time for that tonight.

I didn’t normally take these events seriously because I never attended. Since the incident years ago, I told myself I’d never go to one of these stupid magician events again. I didn’t have anything to prove to anyone, and I certainly didn’t want to land myself in a situation like I had back then.

Ace wouldn’t be hiding in the background to come to save me, nor would anyone come to my aid because I’d declined any bit of security for years.

The last time they tried, I put them in a coma.

I tried to teleport, but I immediately felt the magical block that prevented anyone from manipulating the strings of magic to formulate a portal. That had me groaning in irritation and slowly turning my attention to the three women.

“Do you need something from me?”

“There’s an event tonight,” Elder Etna said, getting to the point. “We’ve already confirmed your attendance.”

“Like you do each time there’s an event and I don’t show up,” I summed up. “If I’m going to attend something, I’ll do it on my own accord. Haven’t I made that rather clear?” I specifically looked at Aunt Beatrice.

The poor woman looked like she dreaded even standing there. I knew she was probably forced to tag along as if she’d approved this nonsense. Due to her stepping down, she had no choice but to be a puppy following her owner, and Elder Etna was the one with the sturdy leash.

“It’s an honor to be invited, to begin with.” The woman who I’d ignored thus far suddenly made herself known. “You’re rather disrespectful to your elders.”

“And you’re rather loud for someone who doesn’t even belong in our side of the woods,” I spoke right back. She gasped exaggeratedly, and I only rolled my eyes. “Suck it up, Karen. I’m not here for you to waste my valuable time.”

“K-K-Karen?! How dare you! Where’s Quil!”

I wasn’t going to waste my time on this Quil person, so I began to make my way to the door. “Aurelia! We’re not done and you haven’t completed your test.”

“The instructor already gave me a perfect score,” I tossed back without skipping a step in my stride. “My test is over.”

“Quil! Stop this disrespectful brat this instant!”

I shook my head, only to bump right into someone.

“Oomph.” Certainly I’d just walked into a damn wall, but opening my eyes only forced me to acknowledge the tall individual before me.

Fuck. He had to be Zane’s height because I had to crane my neck as if I were some short little person. Maybe Zane did some magic voodoo shit to make himself not look so tall next to me but this guy right here, damn. He felt like a giant in comparison to me, and I was 6′2″ in height - 6′5″ when I wore more favorite Christian Louboutin heels.

I met extremely calm purple eyes, which only freaked me out because this “man” looked like a damn woman. My jaw dropped because I was simply mesmerized by his beauty, from the way his aura danced around him in a mix of purple and pink, to the way his lazy eyes held a slight speck of white that blended nicely with the plum shade with prickling pink.

His skin was as white as snow, flawless, and probably softer than a baby’s butt. He had slim lips that held a slight plumpness to them, a long nose, a sharp chin, and not a facial hair in sight, aside from his perfect eyebrows.

His hair was long as hell but it was currently braided back. The black locks held white tinsel strands that held a glow to them. This man embodied feminism in a way most women couldn’t even flaunt, and yet you could tell he was indeed male from his flat chest and overall structure.

The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them.

“Please tell me you’re a model?”

He remained motionless, but his eyes didn’t lie to me. They danced with a spark of amusement at my claim. He was only doing the duty of whomever he followed, which I could assume was the Karen chick.

“Quil! I want you to battle this brat this instant!” she demanded.

I pouted my lips as I took another long look at this beautiful being.

“You’re too pretty to battle,” I whined. “And I really need to go.”

He looked as if he were actually considering letting me off the hook, but Elder Etna huffed and got serious.

“Both of you, in the middle of this room. You!” She paused to point at the poor instructor. “Start the clock!”

“B-B-But…” the instructor tried to argue, but Elder Etna stomped her foot.

“NOW!”

“Yes, Elder Etna!”

Their bodies teleported right back to where I knew they’d been hiding before, the stupid box of observation, which left me and this majestic Quil dude in the gymnasium.

“Great…” I muttered as my shoulders sank. “Fuck. Zane is going to be pissed.”

“Powerful sorcerer?”

I flinched at the soft, tender voice that surely had to be owned by a girl. I was a gawking mess again, and Quil allowed himself to smirk just slightly.

“That reaction is standard.”

“Mother fucking Moon, did you get created by the angels who pressed the male button by accident? You’re fulfilling my bisexual fantasy right now.”

Now he was smiling and my heart felt like it was going to be pierced by a thousand of Cupid’s arrows because this man could kill someone with such a pure smile.

“I harbor chest pecs and a penis. Are you satisfied, or are demonstrations necessary?”

“Oh, demonstrations please!” I almost squealed before I thought about it. “Awww. Not here though, and I think it would be considered cheating even though I’m not really official with my…uh…boy…thing…” I cringed at my struggling. “Ugh. Ya. Boy thing. That’s what we’re calling him.”

“Your ‘boy thing’ is outside.”

“Huh?” I questioned.

“The sorcerer. He’s outside waiting for you.”

“Zane’s here?” I gasped, already at the door trying to open it. “Aww fuck!”

My head whipped back and I looked at him desperately.

“How fast can you put on a show so I can get my ass out of here before I’m doomed?”

“Why would you be sentenced to doom?”

I nervously gritted my teeth before getting right into his personal space with my wide eyes full of fear. “Zane absolutely hates when people are late. Time is as precious as a grain of sand falling through an hourglass. I promised to meet him and I always make sure I’m at the agreed destination two hours early to prepare for any unavoidable catastrophes. That’s how dangerous he is!”

I turned around and rubbed my ass cheeks. “My ass wouldn’t survive the onslaught of his slaps. I’d be bruised for years! The last set of bruises only healed up last month!” My head darted back to look at him in pure horror. “Do you know how hard it is to enjoy summer in a bikini when your butt makes everyone think you’re living with an abusive partner?!”

“Don’t you have magic for that?”

“That’s not the point!” I exclaimed and put my hands up in the air. “Fight me so I can get out of here, but don’t kill me or he’ll haunt me to the grave and torture me there!”

“So you and the sorcerer are a thing?”

“W-W-We’re not a thing!” I snapped. “Dammit! Don’t say that here!”

“You’re intriguing.”

“I’m a psychotic witch with a phobia of being late,” I reasoned. “Nothing intriguing at all.”

“He’s a wolf.” Aries’s sudden intrusion made me flinch before I frowned.

“You’re a wolf?” I inquired in confusion because I couldn’t sense a damn thing.

Quil smiled again, and I gasped and covered my eyes. “How can your smile make me want to die?”

“Born trait of mine,” he said softly. “Shall we make our way to the middle?”

“You speak far too politely,” I voiced. “Do you swear?”

“In bed.”

I smiled cynically at him. “Really? Is it really girly or does your voice get all grunt-like?”

The poor instructor cleared his throat, his whole face red while he was clearly trying to keep up with the odd conversation.

“Can we get this over with so I can leave?”

“Right, right,” I dismissed him and swiftly went to the middle of the court. Quil followed, taking his time as he walked towards the spot opposite me.

“I forgot to introduce myself,” I stated with a sly smirk. “Aurelia Clementine.”

“Quil,” he replied. “I’m not accustomed to using a surname.”

“Fair,” I replied. “I’d get rid of mine if I could.”

He looked at the glass at my comment before returning his gaze to me.

“I don’t blame you.”

That actually got me smiling, and I noticed that his eyes held the same twinkling flicker of amusement.

“First one to potentially end the other wins. Begin!” He swiftly moved as if we were going to kill each other here and now.

Instead, we just stood there, observing one another. Aries was wide awake and staring at Quil with piqued interest, but I was intrigued by the tranquility his aura delivered.

“Why haven’t I ever seen you?” I pondered mostly to myself, my voice barely audible. He made the first move, snapping his fingers, and the room around us was suddenly covered in walls of black until we were the only beings of sheer color.

I couldn’t help but look at what he’d done as if he’d pulled us into a different universe and we were in a place of safety. I lifted my hands to see the glowing masterpieces all along my arms and fingers. Even my nails had symbols of magic that I’d never seen before.

My attire had changed, the fitted black dress shifting to a twinkling oasis of rainbow rhinestones. My hair was even longer now, the colors of teal, lime green, and sheer gold making me look like a highlighter against a white background.

“What?” I lifted my gaze to him, only to hold my breath at his beautiful appearance. If I thought Quil was stunning before, he now radiated with immense power and attractiveness. It was enough to lock away my heart and throw away the key.

His suit was brilliant white, and his hair was long, white, and braided in a way to emphasize the levitating crown above his head. His eyes were still as calm as ever, as if my new appearance didn’t disturb him in the slightest, but I couldn’t help but lift my eyes to try to see if I had a floating crown above my head.

“I understand now,” he announced, and I was confused as hell as I pouted.

“What do you mean?”

He looked over to where the glass wall would have been outside of this dark oasis.

“Why they desperately want you on the chair.”

“You…know that?” I questioned. “You just met me.”

“I’ve been in this place for two hours and I know exactly who you are and just how envious others are of your radiance,” he confessed. “It’s a shame you don’t see it within yourself.”

“I…” My words trailed off before I muttered, “It’s hard to see when you’ve never taken a stance quick enough to save those you love.”

“I understand,” he admitted. “My question is: how long will you play to their tune?”

He was looking at the glass again and I followed suit. It wasn’t like we could see those on the other side, but I was sure Etna and Karen were probably right up front versus Aunt Beatrice, who would stand as far away from them as she could.

Aunt Beatrice didn’t want anything to do with the Elders anymore. I guess it started after Grandma’s death, when we got to see just how much the Coven didn’t care about their own. Grandma wasted her life trying to please a community that wanted nothing but her power and knowledge.

Nothing more.

“They want you on the Coven,” Quil noted.

I laughed. “They do not. If so, they would have done so ages ago. My mom was in the Coven before she got married to my dad. I’m clearly eight years late.”

“It’s because they need something to control you with.” I turned my attention back to him. “Without control, you’ll see the truth that’s clear to everyone else.”

“The truth that’s clear to everyone else?”

“Which side do you think you stand upon?” he inquired. “Good? Or evil?”

“I’m on the dark side. I kill all those who try to ruin what I cherish the most.”

That seemed to satisfy him. “Then what if the people desperately trying to control you are the ones hiding those you should cherish?”

I frowned as Aries began to inch closer to the surface. My eyes were locked on Quil’s, watching them as they grew whiter with a gentle glow. The white color spread as the energy that thrummed through his irises rose.

“What if your destiny was awakened the moment your heart opened to another, resulting in catastrophe at the hands of those who state they’re doing the best for you? What if your purpose is right there? What if it’s all that you wished for, and now that you’re on the verge of unlocking it, the hidden nemesis is doing everything to stop you from seeing the truth?”

My heart was beating swiftly as if we were truly battling outside this space, but it was just his words that were digging into me - poking a place that had been locked for years.

That part in my head began to pound, the pulsing force growing louder and louder along with the ringing in my ears.

“Shall we test that theory?” Quil pondered, and his hand shot out at me, but I caught it just as fast. The touch made me freeze in place, my eyes widening as, for a flicker of a second, something I’d never recalled before slammed me right in the senses.

“It can’t awaken this early! She’s too young to be on the Coven, so we can’t deliberately stop it. We need to think of something. Anything that would stop the bond from spreading.”

“There’s no way she’s an Alpha.”

“Her father is an Alpha. She might have taken it from him. She’s definitely not a submissive wolf.”

“Then we must cut the bond.”

“It won’t be that simple.”

“She just needs to get hurt. A little brain damage and the boy will be an outcast.”

“What about the others? They sensed the bond.”

“The damage will be too severe. They won’t get what it means. They have to be similar ages to Aurelia. Let the boy reject her. The bond will be broken entirely.”

“There’s a risk of it being broken halfway.”

“That won’t happen. You know the meaning of Wolf Rejected. She’ll be completely broken. Once that happens, we’ll mold her into who we need her to be for Prince Westley. Then, we have the perfect combination for the chair.”

“Those misfits can’t find her.”

“They won’t. I assure you, my queen.”

“And the other girl?

“Plans are set. They’ll find a way to get her out of the picture. It may take some time, but we have a good contact from Dubai who is inching his way into Roberto’s business partnerships. Once he’s invited over to the Pack House, everything will be set for execution.”

“She must die. Do not fuck this up.”

“Yes, Queen…but…”

“If she survives, you must bring her to me. All I need is a few sessions to lay those marks. Then it won’t matter who rises to the throne first; I’ll have control. I’ll dominate them all.”

“Understood, Queen.”

My consciousness pushed forward until I was in the present again, and I looked at Quil with frightened eyes.

“How…did…”

“We’re out of time,” he announced. “I’m not your enemy. Don’t let anyone make you perceive such. I’m your way to the truth, but you have to see the light, or you’ll always be left in the shadows of their darkness.”

Aries was right at the surface, and she took control just to ask the prime question I couldn’t fathom saying. “Whose pack do you belong to?”

Something began to drip from my nose, but I was desperate to get a piece of whatever puzzle we were trying to solve.

He smiled so widely, it showed his glistening teeth, and he leaned right in until his very lips brushed against mine.

“Yours, Alpha.”

Something tugged me back, and the world of black shattered at that moment. I blinked a few times, noticing that Quil was totally roughed up like I’d beaten his perfect face into oblivion. He was out of breath, and yet his eyes were filled with that level of merriment that told me I was seeing what everyone else was seeing.

“You almost killed my Quil!” Karen snapped and I heard a grunt behind me.

“You insisted she battle your candidate for the security position in the Coven, and because Aurelia roughed him up, you’re mad?” Zane’s voice was full of mockery before he literally lifted me in his arms.

Which could go either way: good or horribly wrong.

“I won?” I questioned and sniffed. I tried to wipe my nose, but Zane gave me a look that had me cringing and lowering my hand back into my lap.

Fuck, he’s mad.

“Yes, you won,” Elder Etna bitterly stated. “After ignoring the instructor three times!”

“Oh.” I looked back at Quil, not realizing he now stood right in front of us. He held a white handkerchief and placed it right at my dripping nose. I could feel Zane’s stiffness, but I was too lost in Quil’s aura, which danced as if he were beyond pleased.

“It was an honor to fight you, Miss Clementine. What many say is true. You’re indeed powerful.” He took a step back and bowed in respect. “I’ll take my leave.”

He didn’t wait for anyone to say a thing as he turned right around and began to walk away.

“Q-Quil?! I didn’t dismiss you!” There was no way this woman could control this man, and it showed with how flustered she got. “Let us discuss details later, Elder Etna! Quil!”

She raced after him, leaving us standing there in heavy silence.

“Unbelievable, Aurelia. Are you trying to make us a laughing stock?” Elder Etna snapped. “Your moves were sloppy and desperate! It shouldn’t have taken you so long to disable him!”

“If you’d focused well enough, you’d have see what really occurred,” Aunt Beatrice muttered, and I couldn’t help but glance over at her. I could tell from her blank expression that she may have seen something different.

I need to confront her later.

“You’re in no position to-”

Zane started walking, and my eyes widened as I looked up to him while still holding the handkerchief to my nose.

“Z-Zane?! Where do you think you’re going? We have to discuss the part-”

“I will be there, that’s it. You’ve wasted enough of my time initiating stupid training tests that do absolutely nothing. Do you want to show off next time? Use your own useless skill traits instead of making Aurelia a scapegoat for trouble.”

The doors whipped open like a gust of wind destroyed whatever held them shut. One step outside and we were entering a portal and walking into his apartment. My eyes widened because I hadn’t been in his place for years.

It was in one of the fanciest complexes in NYC and was near every magical convenience that was hidden from normal humans.

“Zane?” I nervously asked, but he completely ignored me. Instead, he took me straight to the massive bathroom and sat me on the sink counter.

“So before you slap my ass to oblivion for being late, that totally wasn’t my fault. I was minding my own business like I normally do when I’m summoned to do stupid shit against my will when that Karen woman and Quil arrived and I was coerced into fighting against him and then everything went weird until you tugged me out of it.” I said in one breath.

My nose began to drip again, and I actually lowered my head to see the droplets of blood that had stained the silky piece of cloth. Lifting my head the same time as Zane, I added, “And I have a nosebleed.”

“I can see that,” he grumbled.

We remained silent. My nose kept dripping to the point that he sighed and snapped his fingers. An iridescent butterfly came to life and landed on the bridge of my nose. I blinked and stared at it, which surely made me look cross-eyed, but I was transfixed on its beauty and the warmth it delivered.

Its magic fluttered through my nose and the rest of my face, to the point that I briefly closed my eyes and enjoyed the sense of calm it brought through my entire body. The nervousness faded away, just like my riled-up anxiety about what just occurred.

There were so many questions to ask, but this warming comfort took them all away and placed them on a shelf to review later. My body leaned forward, but I knew I wouldn’t fall, for the cushioned surface of Zane’s chest greeted me.

I wasn’t sure how long it took to heal me, but when I opened my eyes, I noticed the streams of sunset that poured into what I could assume was the living room. It took a bit for my sluggish mind to catch up, but I moved my head back from where I’d been resting it to see Zane’s chest.

“Zane?” I lifted my gaze only to pause when my eyes acknowledged his sleeping expression.

Oddly enough, it was rare for me to see Zane while he was still asleep. It was always the other way around, yet this moment with the orange and red hues of the sunset washing over his face made it feel much more special to me.

I lost track of time as I simply enjoyed watching him; the way his eyes would flutter from time to time, or how his lips parted slightly while he inhaled and exhaled. He slept so quietly, and I personally enjoyed how serene he looked.

No lines of anger, frustration, annoyance, or blank emotion, just peaceful Zane in the world of his dreams. I ended up lying back against his chest, my gaze lowering to see that the handkerchief from before was now clean and neatly folded in my grasp.

I was shocked Zane didn’t destroy it. I knew his anger didn’t only stem from the fact I was late or that Elder Etna was wasting valuable time, but was because I’d been fighting someone that wasn’t him.

No one else managed to keep up with me, nor did I choose to participate, but whatever illusion Quil played only proved to convince everyone else on the outside that I’d put on a real show.

Accept Aunt Beatrice. Was she able to see what I saw?

The glint of the sunlight caught my attention as something poked out from the silky cloth of white. Unfolding one side revealed a single card.

“Queen?” I whispered as I lifted the card closer to take in the crisp, quality card of black and purple. It was fairly similar to the other card, aside from the color difference.

I’d kept the other card simply because it was pretty, but now I wondered if they were connected. “Jack…and now Queen. Are those two individuals related?”

Or more importantly, what did they have to do with me?

The soft press to my right temple drew my attention from the card upward to see Zane as he leaned back.

“Hey,” I quietly whispered, and couldn’t help but add, “Sorry.”

He arched an eyebrow at me in question, so I elaborated. “I’m not sure what happened back there…and I haven’t figured out what you saw, but I’d only ever volunteer to train or fight with you. No one else, at least not without you knowing about it. I tried to leave but Etna wouldn’t let me unless I faced that guy, Quil.”

He stared at me for a long time, his eyes drifting down to the card I held.

“I’m not angry with you,” he finally stated.

“You’re not?”

“I saw what I’m assuming you endured. You were just standing there, facing Quil, correct?”

When I nodded just slightly, he sighed. “I interfered because it felt like your organs were gonna shut down any second and…I freaked out.”

“My organs…were shutting down?” I didn’t even realize that, but would I have even caught that in that black void of energy?

“On the verge. He pulled you into a space where he could talk to you while your magic put on the show with his. It’s an extremely rare technique that was banned years ago, but because the last of those wizards able to use such a skill died, the ban was lifted. You wouldn’t know unless you’ve done great research or the information was passed down through generations,” he elaborated. “He’s half wolf.”

“I noticed.” I sighed. “At least Aries did. He hides it far too well. I don’t think anyone else suspected.”

We were quiet for a moment as I placed the card back in between the silky cloth to turn my attention at Zane.

“He did something that helped me remember a conversation I’ve never recalled before.”

Zane was listening as I explained the general logistics of it.

“This was when you were small, then? Before what happened to you and Ace.”

“I think so.” I’d only be lying if I said I was certain of it. “But they were talking about another girl and saying they would get someone from Dubai to kill her.”

“Does that spark something?”

“Well…” I held my tongue because it was a heavy topic that I didn’t want to dive into. “It relates to Willow…but…I…”

“You don’t need to dive into the details,” he concluded. “You’re sure it’s about Willow?”

“It has to be,” I emphasized and bit my lips. “Why do we keep being brought up? There has to be some sort of connection, but why?” It just wasn’t making sense. Willow and I were from two different family lines, and yet we kept being brought together in things that shouldn’t relate to us.

“I’ve noticed the Coven is rather obsessed with her and the De Luca family,” Zane admitted. “I’d assume it’s because, despite your obvious partnership, they deem them as competition.”

“But it makes no sense.” I shook my head. “Willow is a wolf shifter. Ya, a delayed wolf shifter, but she’s a wolf that has magic that runs through her veins. She’s not a misfit like me, half-witch and half-wolf. Yet, they always tried to bring her into stuff when she was younger: gifted classes and other stuff until she got old enough to decide what she wanted to do. Now that they don’t have a way of monitoring, they always ask me about her. I stopped giving them any info years ago, and it’s why I specifically make her meds at my place versus using the resources I have at the Coven. But their investment in her has to have some sort of meaning, right?”

“It could also be the reason why they haven’t put you on the Coven yet,” Zane admitted.

“They wouldn’t accept Willow,” I pointed out.

“Maybe.” Zane actually didn’t sound so confident about it. “Your family loves to emphasize the family name, but I don’t think they care about that. They care about power. What will further lift them up in ranks we know nothing of. We don’t know the whole truth, because all Covens, regardless of family heritage, hold secrets you won’t grasp until you’ve joined their ranks. But there has to be a reason.”

“I don’t want to go to tonight’s event,” I stated as my eyes met his. “They obviously want me to go and…I’m…scared to.”

Zane knew about what had happened to me. I’d told him about the details and that Ace had gotten me out of that situation. It was why sometimes I woke up screaming or why I’d zone completely out when I got lost in the dancing flames in a fireplace.

Zane was one of those few individuals who knew things that I’d only told Willow and Onyx, and the reason I trusted him so much was because he’d never use it against me.

“I’ll be there.”

“I don’t have a table.”

“You don’t need a table when you’re sitting with me.”

“I don’t have a dress.”

“You and I know you can make a dress from scratch in five minutes, Aurelia.”

“What if he’s there?” I just got to the hidden point of my avoidance.

“He won’t touch a single strand on your pretty head,” he vowed. “The security is tight tonight, but more importantly, Aurelia, you’re not that girl anymore.”

His reminder made me nod, but he purposely steadied my head with his hand underneath my chin and leaned in close. “You’re not the Aurelia from back then. You’re strong, powerful, empowering, dangerous, and just a smidge insane.”

I arched my eyebrow at the last part, and he allowed himself to smile as he lightly kissed my lips. “I want them to see my woman.” His whispered declaration made butterflies ignite in the pit of my stomach as my eyes sought confirmation.

He’s serious.

“You…want…to make it…official?”

He slowly nodded. “I’m tired of waiting. Exhausted from being away from you. When I leave, you’re all I think about, and for the first time, I crave being in a room with someone else for the sake of someone’s company and not bloodshed,” he revealed. “I know those in the past haven’t shown you what commitment is all about, but I’m ready to show you. I’m ready for the world to see what I see.”

“You’re not afraid of your reputation?”

“What would they say that they haven’t said, Aurelia?”

He was right. Our world of magic was full of gossip and not a day went by without some sort of made-up lie about me getting with another wizard - or witch - and various nonsense that didn’t even make sense.

He took the chance to kiss me again, and this one took my breath away as he kissed me like I was his only line of oxygen. I may not have that wolf connection to feel the way he did, but his magic didn’t lie as it swirled around me and melded perfectly with mine.

It reminded me of how Onyx’s and Willow’s auras always meshed well together. Now, I’d somehow found someone whose magic blended perfectly with mine.

My lips pressed against his, and we kissed until we couldn’t anymore. Breathless and slightly dizzy, I didn’t resist when he picked me up. I let the handkerchief fade away, placing it in the secure safety vault within my magic’s hold where the other card was kept.

Who knew if they correlated. Either way, they would remain in the safety box at home.

My attention was far too focused on Zane, my body humming in excitement as we entered his bedroom. He laid me onto his bed, and I watched as he lifted his black tank top.

My body was already in a tingling mess when he climbed onto the bed, and before he could completely take me captive with those lips of his, I couldn’t help but say what I was sure his ears - and protective heart - craved all this while.

“Okay.”

He paused just inches from me, our eyes locked as he searched for some sort of lie or magical illusion to what I’d admitted to.

“Okay?” He repeated the simple word like a question.

“Let’s make it official.” My breath was barely audible as I forced the lump in my throat to go down. “You…and me.”

When he didn’t say anything, I began to blush. I looked to the side as I muttered, “It’ll take a bit before I can tell Willow…but I think Onyx is onto us because he’s a stalking bastard…and obviously I’m not going to formally introduce you to the Coven because they suck balls, but…maybe…next week when we go visit my parents and grandma…can…I tell them we’re a thing?”

I slowly looked back at him, and I didn’t hide my emotions that flooded my expression. My sadness, fear, and slight hope at the idea that maybe this would work. That I could be with someone and not lose them because of some random circumstance that wished for me to be plagued with loneliness.

He moved right in, and I expected a kiss in reply, but he pressed his forehead against mine - leaving me even more emotional than ever.

“I promise, Aurelia,” he whispered. “I’ll prove to you that I’m always in your corner. That I’ll never abandon you, no matter how many times the world will try to tear us apart.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug, and he sat back to make sure I was embraced tightly with comforting love. He kissed my shoulder and gently whispered, “And if a time comes when I must share you…I’ll do it.”

That surprised me, as it did Aries, my body jerking back just so I could see whether he was joking or being serious. Zane rarely joked, and from the seriousness in his eyes, he truly meant what he said.

“What if…I have to be in a pack?”

“That’s a given.” He didn’t seem bothered. “If you’re in a pack, so be it. Makes no difference as to whether I can date you or not.”

“What if you don’t get along with Ace or whoever decides to, say…take the role of mate?” I questioned.

He smirked. “I know we won’t get along.”

“You know?”

“I’ll be his constant reminder of what he could have kept by his side,” he vowed. “That no constraints would have stopped me from coming right back to you. I’ll make him regret accepting the challenges life threw at him, and maybe then he’ll realize what a diamond you are.”

Aries inched closer and closer as we stared into his eyes.

It felt like I didn’t deserve this man, and yet I was so damn thankful that he’d somehow come into my life. All the individuals he could have mentored, and I was the one who insisted on being trained by him or not at all. My stubbornness and his resilience were the reasons why we were here, and regardless of circumstances, we would fight for this reality.

This was what I always wanted. For someone to fight for me. For Ace…to fight against fate.

“Guess…tonight’s our first date,” I whispered.

“Ya,” he replied as he drew in closer. “We’ll show the world what a lovely power couple we are. Then, we’ll figure out who’s on the playing field for your wolf’s heart.”

We sealed those words with a kiss, one that led to us enjoying the sunset with our naked bodies plastered against his silky sheets.

On the inside, I was frightened of what was to come, but deep, deep within, it felt like I was on top of the world. A cloud so high, all I could do was enjoy the pure air around me and internally squeal.

I’m taking a step forward and will fight to ensure I don’t take two steps back.

17

FOLLOW MY ESSENCE

“I‘ll be fine, Onyx. You can go,” I urged.

Hiding in the alleyway was sketchy enough. I didn’t need his shadowy, bulky ass further complicating things.

He simply chuckled as he came out of his hiding place. “You sure? I can stick around.”

“And miss Willow looking sexy somewhere else? I think not.”

I knew that would get him moving as he dramatically sighed. “Anyone who looks at her funny will die.”

“Yes, yes, we know. Now shoo.” I gestured for him to actually go away because if I didn’t emphasize that I was absolutely fine, he’d stick around and do what he did best.

Stalk.

“Zane is already inside waiting for me. I just have to do the walk of shame over to his table.”

“The walk of confidence,” he corrected while his eyes scanned me. “You two are going to sit together in public?”

I avoided his gaze as I focused on making sure my fitted black sequin dress suited my shape. I’d left my hair down and in its straight appearance, while I completed my look with makeup: black eyeshadow, intense blush, and perfectly glossed lips.

My dress was strapless and cinched my waist like a corset. It accented my hips, and I didn’t dare hide my magic incantations along my legs and arms.

Tonight, I want to be seen.

My heels were black with special neon blue bottoms that I’d gotten custom-made thanks to Willow’s abundance of connections with various brands, including my favorite, Christian Louboutin’s brand. It would go with the final piece of my outfit: my jeweled robe.

It was something I’d made a long time ago, but never truly wore. The material of the fabric was so sheer, it held a type of transparency that immediately caught the eye. The trimmed outlines were of black lace with fur-like ends.

The material would drag right behind me like a veil fluttering in the passing wind, but that was when the magic happened that would bring all the attention to me and my magical iridescent cloak of power.

I needed to make sure that power walk got everyone talking. It would make the magic community flip upside down and remind them that I did exist. The buzz was what I needed so we could figure out who wanted me on the Coven and who certainly didn’t.

But more importantly, who doesn’t want me to find out whatever truth is being hidden from me?

It had been obvious for years that my family was holding back a dangerous secret, and as the years went on, it was becoming clear that something connected Willow and me together. It was intriguing timing that not one but two power packs entered NYC, and from the current buzz all over the gossip channels about Willow and another man, Dimitris Moore, I was beginning to realize that something was brewing beneath our noses.

Why though? What is happening that we’re so oblivious to?

“Yes,” I answered. “We…we’re making it official.”

Onyx actually look surprised before he arched an eyebrow. “Have you told Willow?”

“No,” I squeaked and sighed. “I feel like she has enough on her plate with this Dimitris Moore dude. He’s a part of the recent pack that’s apparently snagging deals?”

I’d listened to the share of gossip while showering and it was clear, this new pack was making dangerous financial moves that may bring down the De Luca empire. I wasn’t going to get involved yet, but it was only smart for me to keep an eye on things for Willow’s own protection.

“You’re not wrong there. They’re called The Forbidden Pack. They’re clearly trying to take a jab at Roberto, but I’m unsure why.”

“Isn’t that just another reason to be around Willow?” I warned. “Yes, my bestie can handle herself, but you know how dangerous nights like tonight are. When attention is all on one area of our world, things slip between the cracks.”

“I’m going,” he assured me. “But when are you going to tell Willow?”

“When I’m sure we’ll remain a thing,” I quietly answered. “If I tell Willow…she’ll know it’s serious and then probably get Viktor to find out every single thing about him.”

“You’re not wrong,” Onyx said with a taunting smirk. “Just don’t take too long. You know she hates when you don’t rely on her for stuff.”

“Ugh, I know. Just give it a few weeks and see?” That was my way of asking him to keep it to himself.

“You have my alliance,” he concluded. “You’re still a Crazy Bitch.”

That made me smile as I replied, “Did you know I found a new herb that shrinks one’s cock to micro size?”

His eyes widened, and he began fading away not a second later.

“Bye, Onyx,” I hummed sweetly as the last specks of his body dematerialized and he was officially gone. “Thanks for being a true friend.”

It was funny that Onyx and I weren’t really close when we were younger, but as we matured, we began to understand the way we worked. He understood my crazy tendencies and I grasped the fact that he had a stalking addiction to Willow to maintain his own sanity.

To the rest of the world, we were giving off all the red flags, but to us, we were normal and just trying to find happiness in our messed-up lives.

Leaning against the wall, I snapped my fingers to create a standing mirror surface on the opposite wall of bricks. I watched the flowing water solidify and create the reflective surface I needed.

I looked good. Probably the best I’d looked in a good while. I hadn’t dressed up for an event since the last one I’d attended. The only difference now was that I looked like I owned the entire institute rather than some insecure girl in a dress hoping for the world to end.

Only my eyes lacked in their fierceness, reflecting the obvious worry that was fighting to be let free through the rest of my body.

“I can do this.” I spoke to my reflection, and it felt like I was struggling.

Closing my eyes only made things worse as my magic heightened my senses.

Clementine’s on the list, again? How many times are they going to put a no-show on the list?

They do it to hype the guests up even though they know she won’t attend.

She thinks she’s better than everyone else, that’s why.

She hasn’t attended one of these in a whole damn decade.

What’s gonna make this one different?

They only tolerate her out of pity. If her mom was still alive they wouldn’t stand for this.

Hah. Right. At least her mom had class and listened to the wise words of the Elders.

They should have sacrificed this bitch and saved her mom.

Honestly. She could have just hooked up with a strong wizard and not some mutt.

Misfits think they’re all that, and yet they don’t even have a leader.

I always say that. Why are there so many waltzing around like they’re powerful, yet they can’t congregate the way we do.

They can’t even find packs to join. What they gonna do? Make their own?

Mocking laughter reached my ears, and I wished to drown their words all out. They knew nothing about my family, my parents, or the life of a hybrid like myself. They didn’t care about the isolation, the lack of friends, or the inability to find others like yourself.

Quil was the only person I’d met in years who potentially was a hybrid, but just like that, he was gone as well. There was no pack for our kind, and maybe that was the problem. We had no place to call our own, and our separation was why everyone continued to mock us. Compared to them, we had no roots to lay.

We simply sought to aid someone else’s flock of power, but never laid our own foundation.

Taking a few breaths, I tried to calm down and not focus on the constant ridicule that was going on and on. I craved Zane more than ever, wishing I could just be in the same room as him so I could lean into his energy.

He was the backbone I needed in situations that left me feeling helpless, and this was just one of those times.

Aries wouldn’t be able to help me in here. I purposely let her sleep because this event would only make her anxious and a worried wolf was never good to have when you needed to put on a show.

“I can do this,” I told myself. “I have to do this. I promised to do this…I…I should be able to do this.” My voice was trembling as I tried to convince myself, and I wished to just curl up in a ball and disappear.

I slowly crouched down and wrapped my arms around my legs. Taking a few deep breaths, I tried to just focus on breathing while my mind whirled with immense doubt. I knew this would pass; this feeling of suffocation would begin to dim like these intense feelings that rattled me down to my core.

The last time I’d experienced a panic attack, Zane was there. It was after hours of training, and yet again, an event was tossed into my face with the pressured force to attend. I had the perfect front and waltzed out of that place before anyone could force me to accept the stupid invitation, but I ended up in my shower, fully clothed, as I had a full-on breakdown.

I couldn’t let that happen here, and I was fighting against the choking feeling that brought me closer and closer to the moment of breakdown. I just needed to breathe and remember I wasn’t alone.

The gentle nudge to my forehead surprised me, but not enough to make me flinch as I lifted my head to see…

“A wolf?” I tilted my head while my teary eyes acknowledged the glowing creature. It wasn’t a real wolf, that was very clear from its transparent body. It was outlined in a mix of pink, white, purple, and hints of blue.

The color immediately reminded me of Zane’s eyes, and that alone made the panic bubbling inside me begin to lessen. The wolf looked like it had three magical tails, and it stretched before sitting down as if waiting to see if I was okay.

I couldn’t help but reach out to it, and its head moved closer so I could feel the radiance of its magic. It moved closer when it knew I wouldn’t freak out, and then, it pressed its forehead against mine.

“You can do this, Aura. Just follow my energy.”

There was Zane’s calming voice, the firm sound that always got me out of the darkness coiling up in my mind. How he knew I needed him was a mystery, but it confirmed he sent this wolf creature so I wouldn’t freak out all by my lonesome.

I’d have something comforting me if I had to break down on my own.

The wolf pulled back and sat down patiently, and I sniffed and let the first set of tears fall before I returned to looking into the mirror. The wolf didn’t look like a wolf in the reflection.

Instead, it was Zane’s silhouette standing there waiting for me.

I took a few more inhales and let them out slowly, each one calming me further until I had enough strength to get up. Using the wall as support, I looked down to the wolf, his tails waggling from side to side as he got up and began panting happily.

“Thank you,” I whispered. I knew it would reach Zane.

“Woof.” I was going to assume this wolf was a he as he jumped from side to side and took a few steps forward as if to urge me to get moving.

Looking back at the water mirror, I walked right up to it until it was like looking into my identical self. “I’m powerful. I’m brave. I’m strong. I’m worthy. I’m a badass bitch who deserves to walk into that place like anyone else.” The affirmations made my magic soar and my tears evaporated while my makeup went right back into place.

“I am Aurelia. Not the old one, but the new and improved. I worked hard for this moment, and it’s time for them to see. For all of them to see me. I’ll prove to them that I belong. I’ll show them how empowering a misfit can be. We may not have a leader, but I can take a stance. That’s the first step. Make a stance for others like me to see.”

I stared right into my own eyes, watching them blare with intense golden magic. It made me smile with confidence.

“Time to fuck up this party,” I purred.

Then they’ll all see what a threat I am.

18

JEALOUS TENSION AND I THINK I LOVE YOU

“M a’am, the line is that w-”

“Are you fucking stupid?” The doorkeeper was literally slapped in the head by a tall man in a red suit before he rushed over to bow down apologetically.

“M-Miss Clementine! I’m terribly sorry for my worker’s rudeness. He’s new.”

“No wonder,” I stated with a sweet smile. “Would be rather embarrassing to think we invest so much money into these events for the employees to not recognize the youngest heir of the prestigious Clementine family.”

Everyone around us was dead silent out of pure shock, and it only empowered me further as I shut the world out and heightened all my senses.

Showtime.

I snapped my fingers to show the elite VIP envelope with my full name in metallic teal lettering.

“Should I show this to prove I’m Aurelia Delianna Clementine, or should I request Zane Malark to come out and do the confirming?”

“N-Not at all, Miss Clementine! Please, I’ll gladly escort you.”

“No need,” I replied as the invite ignited into golden flames. “I know where he is.”

With those words, I took the first step forward, and for once, I let go of the restraint I always kept around my magic.

Every single fiber that held back the power I carried.

My cloaked jacket began to light up as the booming space filled with fake laughter, deep discussions, and unnecessary chatter turned completely silent.

Only the clicks of my heels echoed through the massive room, and that only made my smile widen while my focus was on following the trail Zane had left behind - the floating energy that reminded me of the northern lights that left a distinct trail that was leading me right to him.

I reached the stairs to the VIP/ELITE section and didn’t need to say a single word as every worker bowed at my approaching presence. Maybe they didn’t have a choice, for my magic gave off some sort of heaviness that reminded people of royal wolves, whose presence could make their entire pack bow in obligation.

That could have been how it felt right now, except this was the magic world, and I was demonstrating the power a Master would. My own family didn’t know the extent of my magic, and honestly, the magic I was currently producing was surely only fifty percent of my true energetic force.

I kept the other half hidden because it was the magic I’d gained from Grandma, and I personally would never use it unless I had to. Her magic was so special to me, and I didn’t feel like anyone was currently worthy of its ancient wrath.

For now, it was up to me to keep her memory and essence alive within me.

Reaching the top of the stairs, I didn’t hesitate to take one of the glasses of champagne from the bowed waiters, before passing the “invisible barrier” that made it so nothing past these walls leaked out to those below.

My entrance definitely got many individuals’ attention, but my eyes were on the prize as I found exactly where Zane was.

And he was with two individuals I never would have seen together in one place.

My body was surprisingly calm as I approached, maybe because my entire focus was on Zane, whose attention slowly moved my way so those eyes of diamond beauty could soak me all in.

His hungry gaze was almost immediate while those orbs of his raked down my body with obvious approval. The two he was sitting with obviously stopped talking, their attention moving to acknowledge my approach, just like the rest of the room that had dimmed to a lull.

It didn’t matter to me because I was just lost in Zane’s energetic force. The way his magic heightened as I closed in, and reached out to me at the same time as mine gave me comfort. He rose up as I was few heel clicks away, and slid out of the comfort of the velvet wild berry booth to be the first to greet me.

“Made it through the chaos downstairs?” he greeted with a husky voice that was trying to make my damn legs quiver in need. I swear he got a sexual high just from tormenting me with his deeper voice - bonus points when we were in public

“It wasn’t too bad,” I stated as my smile further widened to show my white teeth while emphasizing just how happy I was to have made it. “Though, the doorman didn’t know who I was.”

That made Zane give me a sly grin as he reached out to hook an arm around my waist. Now we really got everyone’s attention, and I knew that wasn’t enough for Zane. He leaned right in without missing a beat and stole my lips with a brief but firm, welcoming kiss.

Pin drop fucking silence.

“That isn’t good at all,” Zane muttered against my lips, then leaned back to stare into my eyes that were surely showing him just how much I was enjoying his taunting nature. “You could have called me.”

“Unnecessary waste of time,” I reasoned. “I brought my invitation just in case. They’re not used to me attending these events.”

“Thank you for coming, baby,” he practically purred.

“Always,” I assured him and we exchanged one more kiss before he gestured for me to take a seat first. I pulled back on my magic then and there, taming it tremendously so as not to overwhelm the two individuals sitting opposite us.

I personally didn’t care, but I did it to make a dramatic point to them and the rest of the room of the drastic difference between the magic I allowed to be felt and my true potential hidden by my good looks and the abundance of rumors.

Diming my magic allowed my senses to return to normal, which left me no choice but to acknowledge the person sitting in front of me.

“This was an unexpected seating arrangement since the other booth is being cleaned due to a spill,” Zane explained first as he sat down. He looked so fucking good in his suit that mimicked the material of my coat, only it held more of an opaque shimmering so it wouldn’t show his sculpted body beneath.

The white iridescent shimmer combination fit perfectly with his undershirt and tie, which were black to match my outfit. His hair was up in a ponytail, which accented the masculine features of his face.

He slid an arm along my shoulders as he relaxed and used his free hand to gesture to me.

“I’m sure you’ve already heard her name, but this is Aurelia Clementine, my girlfriend.”

My heart skipped a few beats at the way he proudly stated that to them and the rest of the room, which was clearly listening in.

“Aurelia. A pleasure to meet you,” I replied with a shy grin and nodded my head just slightly in respect.

Zane gestured to the female. “This is Lucy McClary. I think you two went to the same academy.”

“Good evening.” Lucy forced herself to say the greeting, and it made me internally laugh in mockery because these circumstances were fucking hilarious.

Zane’s hand moved to the male, and my eyes locked onto those vivid orbs of orange with hints of blue.

“This is Ace Ezra Maximus. He’s actually from California but has a few business deals going on here in New York. I actually mentored him a few times.”

Ace’s eyes were still locked right on mine as he replied, “Ace. Pleasure.”

Lucy was clearly staring back and forth between us, while I felt the spike of tension bouncing off Ace and me.

When I envisioned meeting Ace again, I assumed it would be some sort of happy reunion. I didn’t know why, but I felt as if one look into those eyes that reminded me of the rays of sunset that flickered in the ripples a small puddle would have sucked me right in and opened my heart to try and make things work, but here in the moment, my heart was…

Cold.

I expected that common ache in the depths of hollowness, or for me to struggle to remain afloat in a sea of drowning memories that wished to be acknowledged and relived, but instead, I felt absolutely nothing.

It should have frightened me because it didn’t make sense. Was that switch Grandma talked about still off or did that part of me simply die the moment Ace was pushed out of my life and I was left to sweep up the broken pieces?

Forced to watch my grandma’s ashes blow away with the wind while the blood of my enemies seeped into the soil of her resting place.

Could it be Zane’s company that made me feel nothing towards my first love - my ex-mate - or was there more?

“He’s changed.”

Aries’s voice dipped into my mind, and I realized she was awake but wasn’t even standing up at the sight of Ace. She sat there with her head on her paws, her eyes simply staring but carrying not a hint of excitement.

It forced me to take a good look at Ace. I acknowledged that he wasn’t the same boy from eight years ago.

His vibe alone was darker - dangerously dark - like he’d gone through some crazy shit from wherever he’d called “home” these last couple of years. His hair was jet black with orange tips, not an ounce of silver in sight, while his skin was tanner than what I remembered.

He wore a black suit, but I could see that hint of ink around his neck that confirmed he had some sort of tattoos on his flesh. He’d bulked up, his frame a bit bigger than Zane’s, and he totally gave off Alpha vibes.

If I didn’t know him from the past, I’d assume he was some sort of drug lord or the leader of a violent gang, but I doubted he was either of those.

Regardless of his physical appearance, I knew from his aura that he wasn’t the young boy from back then.

That boy must have died, just like the old me did.

Lucy cleared her throat, which drew our attention to her as she smiled. “I’m just going to quickly use the restroom.” She excused herself, which was suspicious to me, but I didn’t mind.

I moved my hand that was beneath the table to slide onto Zane’s leg as if to give myself support. It could have been an obvious move to heighten his arousal, but I’d pretend it was the first reason.

“What brings you to the event, Ace?” Zane decided to make conversation as we were clearly waiting for our waiter to bring the menus.

“A few deals to work on. Business.”

His eyes were still on me, but I was slightly zoned out as my attention was scanning our surroundings. Something felt off, and it wasn’t Ace’s presence or the obvious quietness that still lingered around us.

“I didn’t hear you and Miss Clementine were a thing?” Ace brought up, and I turned my attention back to the conversation while I reached for my champagne. Ace observed me as if he expected me to be trembling at the subject, but I felt completely relaxed in Zane’s hold, which was really surprising me.

“We figured it was about time to make it official, right, Aura?”

I turned to look into his gaze, and the way he allowed his emotions to wash over his face made me smile in delight as I replied. “Mhmm. I was getting a bit tired with the public matching me up with someone new every other week.”

“That’s a bit funny, though,” Zane said, going right along with it. “Didn’t they match you up with William De Luca?”

“Oh ya.” I laughed. “Admit it. We looked pretty dope with the fan edits.”

“Did you see they’re matching him with Dimitris Moore?” Zane brought up. “They actually look good together.”

“I’ve been trying to pull a stunt on William that leads to me getting him a gift after his latest deal. Thinking of having a picture painted of him and Dimitris.”

“Seriously?” Zane chuckled. “You just want to torment him.”

“Somewhat,” I jokingly hinted. “He stole the deal from us, so whenever that happens, I like to get payback by torturing him with funny shit.”

“I actually know someone,” Zane admitted. “He’s business acquaintances with Dimitris. Neo Rodriguez. He’s a famous artist. Paints brilliant work. I’m surprised you haven’t heard of him. The Coven has good connections with him.”

“You know they like to hide the good stuff from me,” I pouted. “Good to know. Give me his contact information later. I’ll see if he can slip me into his probably booked schedule.”

Ace was merely watching us as a waiter arrived and bowed in apology to both sides. “I’m so sorry for the wait. Mr. Maximus, your table is ready.”

“Thank you,” he replied without a smile while his gaze returned to us - or specifically me. “Thanks for the temporary seat. Have a pleasant evening.”

He got up and followed the waiter to the booth. I still couldn’t let myself relax as I further leaned into Zane’s side to whisper, “Something is so off.”

“I know,” he admitted and moved his arm off my shoulder, only to grip my thigh almost possessively as I leaned back just for him to kiss me long and hard. Internally, I was shocked as fuck, but on the outside, my demeanor was as calm as ever.

I kissed him gently back, trying to tame what I really wanted as his hand beneath the table slipped further between my legs, clearly trying to be mischievous.

“You like playing with fire,” I muttered against his lips as he paused his hand from doing what he surely wanted to do. It wasn’t like I wasn’t fighting the urge to press my legs further together or lift my hips so his fingers would graze the very thin fabric of my panties.

“If it means I get center stage, why not?” he tossed back, but he leaned in further to whisper in my ear, “I have High Court shit to deal with.”

“Now?” I questioned, though I was sure no one else could hear my voice with how low it was.

“Ya. There’s a situation south from here. They need backup,” he admitted but his eyes moved to the other booth. I followed his gaze, noticing Lucy was back and positioning herself at the booth with Ace.

If those two were dating I’d laugh hard enough to pee my pants. They were so polar opposite, I felt that there was just absolutely no way for them to be together. I was surprised he was even tolerating her.

Shouldn’t I be jealous? That’s like the normal reaction, right?

“Can’t be jealous when your feelings are dead,” Aries quietly muttered.

But they’re going gaga for Zane.

“Those are your hormones talking,” Aries reminded. “But you admire him for the respect and obvious love he shows. He’s done a good job this entire time.”

She totally had a point.

“I’ll be fine if you have to dip. I can easily take my leave.”

“It won’t be that simple,” he admitted. “We can’t port right now.”

“Damn. That serious?” I pondered.

He nodded and with one more kiss, he got up and offered me his hand. “Let’s chill on the balcony for a bit.”

“Okay,” I replied and laid my hand in his.

He helped me up, and we took our leave to the balcony after Zane told the server to continue reserving our table for the remainder of the night. That would compel any gossip hunters to wait impatiently for our return, even though we both knew the moment we walked out of here, we wouldn’t be back.

It was thankfully empty and extremely quiet at the backside of the venue. It also gave the perfect view of the twinkling sky, but more importantly, the obvious wards that were invisible to shifters but easily noticeable to magic users.

“They really warded a good chunk of the city,” I muttered as we made our way to the side of the balcony that held the perfect quiet spot. We came to a stop and Zane gently pressed me against the sleek cement wall.

I couldn’t help but lift my gaze to him. His gaze filled with multiple emotions while we took in the chilled but buzzing air pulsing around us. His eyes specifically flared with a level of possessiveness I couldn’t quite describe.

Obviously, those orbs were darkening with a desire to control, but there was something more lingering there. Something far darker and more threatening that clearly wanted to be noticed. Even Aries sensed it, and it had her approaching the surface more with curiosity than caution.

“Put your hands up for a sec,” he muttered, and by the gruff tone of his voice, I felt like he wasn’t simply asking me to do it. I had no reason not to obey, my arms lifting up to press against the wall behind me. “Move them together,” he further encouraged, and I followed suit.

He was taking me in very slowly and it was becoming increasingly more frustrating that I was finding it difficult to determine his emotions that were washing over his face. It could have been due to how fast his emotions were flashing before switching, or because my body felt like it was on a sizzling high and I couldn’t think straight.

Zane moved one of his hands to press against my overlapping ones, firmly pinning me to the wall as he closed the distance. Our bodies pressed together like magnets while his lips taunted mine by brushing them lightly before his teeth tugged at my bottom lip and pulled roughly.

“Did he think you’d be his just like that?” The question had to be rhetorical, or at least I hoped it was because I felt in this state of heightened scrutiny, no answer would be the right one to satisfy the burning jealousy thrumming through Zane’s eyes.

That was the expression I was struggling to figure out, because I’d never seen Zane jealous before. Was it because we were a couple now? Or maybe the buzzing tension in that booth riled him up.

“I let all those hoes and bastards know you’re mine,” he practically growled, and I moaned and tensed up the moment his free hand found its way right between my legs before cupping my pussy like he truly owned it.

I was sure he could feel the heat while my pussy practically fluttered against his grasp. He slammed his mouth onto mine, his tongue striking right into the slight gap in my lips to dominate my mouth with his control.

The world seemed to fade away, the anxieties that fought to cripple me before I dared step foot into this place completely gone, just like my fear of being here. I felt like it didn’t matter now if anyone walked onto the balcony space, because the world of magic knew that Zane and I were officially a couple.

It fucking blew my mind because I never thought I’d be in love. Real love that wasn’t laid upon me because of a bond that heightened my emotions. This relationship was still early, and it wasn’t like I hadn’t once loved Ace, but my brain was beginning to see the difference.

My love for Ace began as an innocent awakening between best friends. As the years went by, it became clearer that Ace was there when I needed him the most. When my life was going to shift, or a terrifying situation was about to happen to me, he was there to work his magic and save the day.

After that, he was gone - leaving me abandoned once more - and though I’d never truly seen the pain such abandonment had caused, I was beginning to understand why I was falling for Zane.

He knew what he wanted and wasn’t ashamed to fight for what he desired, and what he was proving right now was letting the rest of the world understand that I wasn’t just a fling for entertainment. He was the stability my soul craved, the loyalty I secretly yearned for, and he allowed himself to get lost in the brewing passion between us with not a hint of regret.

He enjoyed the taste of me like I was a delicious feast, his lips devouring me while he was clearly preparing me for what was to come. I didn’t know what switch had turned on between us, but our sex drives were on fire and I was here for it.

But he also had a duty to fulfill.

“Zane,” I whispered when he broke the kiss. The two of us caught our breaths while our eyes were lost in the swirling blissfulness our closeness was igniting. There just had to be something in the air that was contributing to this desperate need to be fucked by this man, but I didn’t have the resistance to go against him. “You have to g-”

I was cut off as his fingers managed to push as far into my pussy as my panties would allow - the fabric now drenched in my juices.

“I’ll go when I’m ready,” he growled against my lips and proceeded to ravage my mouth with a toe-curling kiss. He let go of my hands then, knowing I wouldn’t slip away.

There was no way to argue against him, especially when I was so close to getting filled by his fingers - or even riskier, his cock. I’d never had sex in a public place, let alone anything close to this. The breeze passing by us was carrying the scent of my arousal in the air for whomever to take in.

It wasn’t like these events didn’t pulsate with sexual energy, but a part of me hoped Ace would be right outside to smell what he was missing. To see the reward he would have gotten if he just fought against our circumstances.

That was what I was waiting for. To be sought after not because of personal gains like money or power, but just for the simple fact that I was loved and deserved to be fought for.

My hands gripped his shoulders, pulling him close as he deepened the kiss. My dress was already lifted to my waist, and he pressed me harder against the sleek surface, the fall chill inching into the flesh of my ass.

It only contributed to my arousal as it countered the scorching heat of my pussy.

He moved the fabric of my panties to the side, and I braced for his tortuous fingers to take control, but he smothered me with a relentless kiss - forcing my gasp and moan to get lost down his throat as he shoved his cock into me in one go.

My eyes rolled back as my body hummed in pleasure, the orgasm so sudden, I had not mentally prepared for the pleasurable vibrations. He broke the kiss to give me a moment to breathe, and he chuckled deeply while his hot breath tickled the side of my neck.

“See how your pussy is quivering around my cock. This is what I do to you without the full extent of my wrath,” he growled and sucked my flesh before sinking his teeth to contribute to the mixed pulsations of pain and pleasure.

It felt so damn amazing to be outside, slammed against a wall in a place full of wizards and witches, and be fucked like it didn’t matter if anyone saw us. The thrilling anticipation and lingering worry we may actually get caught in the act only heightened all of this further, which left me a moaning mess the moment Zane started moving his hips and thrusting deep inside me.

His mouth claimed mine once more, muffling my pants and moans with the walls of his mouth. There was nothing slow with what happened next; Zane’s thrusts grew faster, his grunts louder, and his magic wrapped all over me in dominance.

“That’s it, Aura. Take every fucking thrust. Whimper just like that,” he encouraged as my whimpers grew as frequent as my gasps and moans. I was trying to be quieter, but this was so good. It only got better when he suddenly hooked his arms under my thighs and managed to lift me up.

I couldn’t even squeak as he began to thrust into me hard and fast, like his hips were possessed with triple the energy and he had to let it all out.

“Zane, fuck. Yes,” I moaned an octave higher while trying not to be too loud. Fuck, it was so hard when this felt so damn good, the wild thrusts sending me closer and closer to oblivion. “A bit more. Please.”

“Fuck,” Zane cursed and hugged me tightly against him. I couldn’t help but wrap my legs around his waist as he rammed into me and made his thrusts suddenly smaller but left his cock in the deepest part of me that was surely hitting my damn womb.

“That’s it, baby. Beg for what you want.”

“You. I want you. Fuck me like that. Please, please, please!” I was so damn desperate to cum, I didn’t know what I was saying. I just let the words come out because they were the unfiltered truth. I wanted him. Years I’d wanted him, and now that the world knew he was finally mine, I could reap rewards like these.

“So close,” he grunted, and he somehow took things up a notch as he pressed his forehead against mine and kissed me so brutally my body went wild.

I exploded in ecstasy as pleasure rushed through my body, which left me crying out into his mouth. Luckily, his mouth muffled the scream that would have brought people over to investigate. Zane took a few more thrusts before he groaned into my mouth and stilled as his climax slammed into his senses.

When he broke the kiss, we were a panting mess, but I’d never felt so fucking alive in my life. I was suddenly giggling like I’d fucking lost my mind - again - and I deeply worried I’d freak Zane out, but the emotion that galloped through me left me in a state of giddy relief.

Happiness. Fuck…when have I been this happy?

Zane helped lower my legs before he pulled out of me. He used some sort of spell to clean me right up, but it was obvious his cologne was all over my body as if he’d somehow enhanced the aroma to cloak me like he was some sort of wolf imprinting on his mate.

“I’ve got to go. I don’t know how long this stupid shit is gonna take, but I’ll try to be prompt in returning to your side,” he whispered and kissed me. “You’ll be okay?”

“Of course,” I whispered against his lips, but couldn’t help but hug him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, and I didn’t blame him because we normally hugged either in bed or when something bad happened.

“I just wanted to hug you,” I whispered. “And thank you…for not being ashamed of me.”

He pulled back then to look right into my eyes and kissed me brutally before he harshly stated, “I’ll never in my life be ashamed of you, Aurelia. Anyone who fucking ignores your radiance is a damn fool.”

We hugged tightly before we forced ourselves to separate. Clearly whatever was going on was serious because I could sense the ripples of magic in the air, and my sensitive hearing grasped the sirens in the distance.

“Zane,” I whispered and caught his arm when he tried to leave. He looked back at me and I muttered, “Be careful.”

“Don’t worry, Aura. I’ll be back,” he assured me. “Get home safely, alright? Take the longer route if you have to.”

“Okay,” I assured him. “L…Lo…” I trailed off as I struggled to voice what my heart was begging me to say.

Is it too early to tell him I love him? We’ve known each other for years, we’ve fucked plenty of times. Would he be offended by those words? What if he wants to brea-

I was pulled forward and lips pressed on my forehead. I blinked as my thoughts faded away, forcing me to look at the culprit and for a second, I noticed his eyes were golden masterpieces with hints of twinkling, iridescent stars.

“I love you, too, Aurelia,” he assured me with a wink. “Be back soon.”

He let go of me and rushed off the balcony. He pushed off the ledge and ascended through the air. His magic kicked in and he soared upward, leaving me speechless as I slowly lifted my hand to brush the very spot he’d kissed.

“Aries,” I whispered out loud.

She was awake and present for the entire sexual jubilee, but for the first time, she didn’t express a hint of displeasure in her eyes.

“Yes, Aurelia?”

I wasn’t sure if I was thinking straight, but I let the words out.

“I think I’m in love with Zane Malark.”

Aries took her time to reply, but I clearly heard the pleased tone in her voice as she answered, “I think you are.”

And maybe…just maybe…he truly loves me in return.

19

DANGER AND UNEXPECTED INITIATION

“A urelia Clementine speaking,” I announced as I walked deeper into the forest. I was taking the “long route” from the party because I had no choice. There was definitely something brewing in the air, strong enough to trigger wards that prohibited normal portal travel.

Fighting against those wards was a pain in the ass, and would weaken anyone who tried to the point that it wouldn’t be worth it. If I left the event the normal route, I’d not only make a scene, but it would be risky.

Now that I’d made it known that I was dating Zane, I may have acquired a bunch of enemies I wasn’t expecting. It would have been nice to act like this was just a coincidence, but was anything really random in the world of shifters and magic?

Hell no.

“Where are you?” Onyx’s voice came through but it was like he was running.

“In a forest far south from the event,” I announced as I walked a bit slower. “There’s a problem. Wards are up. Zane had to leave to assist. Not sure what’s going on.”

“Perfect timing for multiple packs to show up and cause trouble,” Onyx muttered.

“Where’s Willow?” If he was running and calling me, it meant Willow was in some trouble shit and that wasn’t going to sit well with me. To say I was one protective bestie was an understatement.

I’d cut a bitch and start a fucking war for Willow. Surely people knew that by now.

“Getting chased by a bunch of fucking assassin shifters.”

I came to a stop as my eye twitched.

“Are you close to her?”

“Almost, but I smell blood and death, which means Sugar is either injured or about to fuck shit up.”

“Fuck,” I cursed. “I can’t port. I’m not even sure I can get out of this forest, if you want me to be brutally honest.”

“Are you safe?”

“Doesn’t matter,” I voiced the truth. “You need to get to Willow before she potentially snaps. Her side of the psycho lane isn’t like mine. She’ll kill anyone, and we know she’d do it without hesitation.”

Onyx huffed, but I knew he agreed with me. No matter how close of friends we were, between the three of us, he’d choose Willow over anyone and anything.

His dedication was absolute.

“I have an injection with me.”

“Good. Use it. I’ve heightened the effect of it so it should be more fast-acting than the previous ones. I stocked her meds up too, but there are some at your place as well. Depending on how tonight turns out, I’ll come over to make sure things are good.”

“Alright,” Onyx replied. “Be careful, Aurelia.” He wasn’t saying it out of kindness. He sensed the danger in the air - just like I did.

I laughed in reply, allowing a trickle of my insanity to come to the surface.

“You worry too much, Bulky. Go make sure my bestie ain’t going on a killing spree and we’ll talk later.”

“Alright,” he replied. “Check in soon.”

“Got it,” I replied and waited for him to hang up. With a sigh, I slipped my phone into the hidden pocket of my dress and began to gather my hair. A pinch of magic and my hair was up in a ponytail, and I cracked my neck and began to stretch.

“Now, who should I be more worried about?” I inquired loud and clear. “Cause it’s pretty clear there are two packs here, but I wonder who’s friend and who’s about to meet their maker?”

I was surprised at the calm movement of footsteps, each precise step emphasizing that the person didn’t seem threatened by me.

Turning around, my eyes locked onto Quil. He was standing there in sleek black pants and a white top, and his hair was up in a bun. He seemed a little tired, like he’d been woken up from his slumber and forced to be here, but he did manage to give me a slight smile while his calm eyes took in my appearance.

“Where’d the glowy coat go?” he inquired, and I smiled.

“Did you like it?” I offered.

“Unique,” he calmly replied.

“Agreed, but it’s too pretty to be fucked in,” I offered. “Or fight in, for that matter.”

“Valid points,” he replied and stopped just a few feet from me.

“Now the question is,” I began, “are we friends or enemies?”

“Hmm.” He seemed to think about it. “I kinda like you.”

“Aww.” I put my hands on my chest. “Really?”

“Yup,” he admitted. “Which is rare. Or at least, that’s what King says.”

“Hmm. Who’s King?” I inquired, and there was a deep sigh from behind me. I didn’t move, but I slowly looked up to see the large mass that was surely bigger and taller than Onyx.

“This is probably the worst ambush we’ve done to date,” he announced as his gaze lowered to meet mine.

“Oh shit,” I gasped and tried to take him in. “You’re hot! In a ‘I’m gonna destroy the world’ kind of way. You have a girlfriend?”

He arched an eyebrow at me, and I shrugged.

“I have a boyfriend, but apparently my wolf is single and ready to mingle,” I offered. “Would you like to be on Misfit Bachelorette? We’ve got English cookies!”

“Seriously?” If Aries could, she’d be cringing.

What? He looks like a guy you’d bring with you to lovely tea parties to scare away the kids.

Aries just shook her wolf head while the guy who I assumed was King seemed to think about it. “Are you serving them with tea?”

“Orange Pekoe or Matcha?”

“It depends on the weather,” he noted.

“Raining.”

“Matcha.”

“Good choice,” I praised and clapped my hands together. “You’re going to be fun to be around!” I pointed over at Quil. “But he gets first dibs on dates since I met him first and I have the whole collector card.”

“Collector card?” King questioned and looked over to Quil, who sighed. “She has my card.”

“How did she get your card?” King questioned.

“I seduced him!” I declared and moved my ponytail side to side to add flowing emphasis since I couldn’t flick my hair to be dramatic. “Though I’m unsure what you’re talking about.”

Spinning around, I focused on the tall beast. He wasn’t as tall as Quil, but he was about 6′5″ with short jet-black hair that was spiked up. His eyes were forest green with specks of gold and his skin was dark, like a mix of caramel and milk chocolate.

He surely was a bodybuilder, or at least used tree logs as weights for fun, but his aura was extremely fascinating, to the point that I wasn’t sure what mix he was.

“No way are you just a wolf,” I spoke out as I admired him once more. “Fae?”

“You’re nosey for a witch.”

“For the record, I’m half-witch.”

“Yet, are you good at magic tricks?” he inquired as he crossed his arms over his broad chest and flicked his left hand to reveal a single black and lime green card.

Before he could continue, the card was gone from his grasp and in mine, leaving him to slowly look at his empty hand before he returned to staring at me.

“Yup,” I replied and squealed, “I’m adding this to my collection.”

A snicker came from behind me, and I returned my gaze to Quil, who was trying hard not to laugh. “King, you’re supposed to be faster than that when you’re dealing with a girl that likes shiny things.”

“She’s supposed to wait for me to finish,” King huffed.

“In what world does anyone wait till the conversation is finished before executing their-” I paused, and without grasping it, pushed off the ground to avoid the punch that surely would have knocked me right out.

King and Quil were left frozen in shock, but I flipped my body through the air, grasping the pink sparks of electricity. My eyes narrowed while my mind was already swirling into motion.

“Gotcha!” My body bolted forward the moment my hands held onto the invisible rope I’d created in a nanosecond to wrap around the target, and I crashed into the person - the two of us falling to the ground.

“Oh shit,” King cursed.

“That was extremely smart,” Quil praised and even lightly clapped. “Never seen anyone do that.”

“That’s because no one ever outsmarts Jack,” King acknowledged. “Until today.”

I shook my head to try and reorient myself after my collision, my face just inches from the striking male grinning manically my way.

“Oh fuck,” I cursed as my eyes bored into his striking pink ones, all while his orange hair practically glowed with various white strands. It was like looking at a really good-looking clown, with skin even paler than Quil’s.

He wore pink lipstick on his perfectly smooth lips and a bit of blush on his cheeks. He had a slender body in comparison to the others, but his magic affinity was through the roof. He potentially could have been stronger than Zane, which was both a bit scary and fucking epic at the same time.

“Tell me you’re crazy without telling me you’re crazy?” I suggested and he literally laughed.

And then kissed me right on the lips.

“Oh God. This fucker is trouble.” Poor Aries was going to come out to the surface and sock this guy in the nuts if I didn’t push him away, but how could I possibly do that when his mere kiss lit up every magical nerve in my entire body?

He broke the kiss suddenly, pushing me back enough to take the blow of a shoe - literally, a shoe - which left him laughing excitedly.

“Now, Alpha. How many times have I said my head ain’t your lovely shoe rack?!” he gleefully sang and pulled me right back up so I was now in a hug against his chest. He was wearing a white t-shirt and pink trousers, but with me sitting on his lap, it was becoming more obvious that I was doing more than just entertaining him.

“You could have hurt the beloved owner of our cards.”

“No one gave you permission to kiss her,” the seething, deep voice made me look over my shoulder to confirm what I already knew – and my eyes locked on to Ace Ezra Maximus.

I rolled my eyes and wiggled my way out of Jack’s hold to simply turn around and lean right back against him.

“What, Alpha? Jealous you’re not a part of Misfit Bachelorette?” I teased with a smirk before looking over my shoulder. “So I’m gonna assume you’re Jack?”

“That is I,” he declared with pride. “You’re really pretty up close. No wonder Mr. Wizard is all over you. Did you like my guest appearance last time?”

“Kinda,” I admitted. “Though you could have killed me, like you tried a few minutes ago.”

“If I did, you wouldn’t be worth my time,” he reasoned dramatically.

“That’s not what your cock thinks,” I stated with a wink.

He squealed and literally hugged me. “Oh, we’re keeping you, Sweetie. You’d enjoy my karaoke nights!”

“I haven’t done karaoke in a long time,” I admitted. “Will there be beer?”

“Anything you want!”

“Deal!”

“Get off her, Jack,” Ace threatened, and that only made me smirk.

“Technically, I’m on him, so you’d have to ask me to get off of him,” I voiced defiantly.

Quil seemed rather amused as he commented, “Why do I feel as though you’d simply deny his request?”

“Because it’s exactly what I’d do,” I voiced and winked. “Maybe Aries and I like it here.”

“Don’t bring me into this,” Aries groaned while Ace’s eyes narrowed threateningly. I bet his wolf was on the verge of coming out to play - not like I gave a shit.

I purposely wiggled in Jack’s lap, and he tried not to giggle.

“Sweetie, you’re gonna get my ass killed.”

“That’s payback for trying to kill me twice now without even introducing yourself,” I pointed out. “Oh. I’m Aurelia Clementine, by the way.”

“Aurelia,” Jack sang. “Alright. Lia, it is.”

“Out of all the variations you could have used, Jack,” King groaned. “This is bad.”

“What’s bad?” I asked. “The fact Mr. Maximus over there looks like he’s going to murder Jack and take me with him for fun, or the fact that none of you have killed me yet?”

“Neither,” King replied as he uncrossed his arms. “When Jack gives you a nickname, it means you’re his new pet.”

“Well damn.” I turned right around to give him a sly smile. “Where’s my collar, Master?”

“We’re doomed,” King concluded.

“We can’t even tame Jack on the regular and now we have a woman who promotes his insanity.” Quil sighed. “At least it’s fun to watch.”

“Would you two stop encouraging shit?!” Ace snapped.

I sighed, noticing the sudden shift in the air. Rising up, I offered Jack a hand. “So you’re the owner of the Jack card.”

“Bingo,” he replied as he put his hand in mine and allowed me to help him up.

I bobbed my head and looked at King. “You’re King.” Then I looked at Quil but frowned. “I’d say Queen, but you’re obviously not a girl.”

“Someone had to take the role,” he summed up with a shrug. “Since Jack is a bit on the choo-choo end of the wagon, it made sense.”

“I’d be the Joker, but that spot is taken.” Jack sighed dramatically and hugged me from behind. “So, Sweetie Lia. When we fuckin-GAH” He took a direct hit from another black shoe, the impact sending him down for the count.

King sighed while Quil smiled slightly.

“It’s always fun and games until your Alpha hits you with a shoe like a Hispanic mother throwing a sandal at their child,” Quil concluded.

“Since you clearly have anger issues, I’m gonna say you’re not the Joker but the Ace in the deck,” I concluded as I turned my attention to Ace. His anger was palpable, as was the spike of jealousy, and I was so tempted to stick a thorn in his side.

I boldly walked up to him until we were facing each other, and his anger only heightened a notch as his nostrils seemed to flare.

“What?” I questioned, knowing exactly what was infuriating him. “Don’t like the scent of another man on me?”

“They know each other?” King inquired to no one in particular, but Quil answered, “Looks that way, though, from the way their magic look like two bulls ready duke it out, I’m not sure.”

“Everyone loves some combative love!” Jack cheered. “But before that, what are we doing about the whole ‘we’re surrounded’ situation?”

That was enough to catch our attention, and I acknowledged the hidden individuals that were literally surrounding us. You didn’t need your eyes to see the enemy waiting for the right moment to strike. Their energy was as loud as a marching band, the blaring force making me sigh as I crossed my arms just under my breasts.

“You four can’t interfere,” I announced.

“What?” Ace snapped. “Why the fuck not?”

“Well, I mean you could?” I suggested and even gestured for him to try. “Please. Be my guest so I don’t have to waste oxygen with that stuck-up, anger-management attitude of yours.”

“Oh shit,” Jack drawled out. “She got you there.”

Surely my attitude was ticking him off because he hadn’t expected that at all.

“Why don’t you stop being a cunt ass bit-” My leg moved before I realized Aries took control and kicked the man right in the balls. He cursed and went down for the count, hugging his crotch like we’d broken it.

Aries didn’t pull back as we crouched down. I had a wand literally an inch from his eye.

“Why don’t we make this clear because Aurelia is too kind to put you in your fucking place,” she snarled. “If you’re angry I’m not going gaga over your arrival, you can go fuck yourself. If you’re mad that I’m taken after eight damn years of your ass being away from NYC like it’s a plague, you can also fuck yourself. But one thing I won’t stand is you throwing me into a category that allows others to diminish my worth. No, no, no. We don’t fucking do that here.”

My eyes were surely blazing with authority as he opened his own, which were just as golden as mine certainly were - his wolf clearly in control.

“You don’t get a fucking say as to who I flirt, kiss, or fuck. You lost that privilege when you were sent to wherever the fuck you’ve been for eight years and never even once tried to come back and see me.”

Those words were purely Aries, who narrowed her eyes further. “I don’t know why you’re here, or why you’ve brought your pack of friends, but if I wanted to kill you, I could have done so,” she vowed. “So why don’t I show you that despite my few missing screws, I’m in no need of your generosity.”

We rose up then and began to walk past the group that was clearly watching me. Aries pulled back to give me control of this warning show, and I couldn’t wait to get the ball rolling so I could let out some magical steam.

I wasn’t sure what ignited when Jack kissed me, but the riled energy was sparking out of control inside me, and it needed an outlet - like right now.

I cleared my throat and spoke loud and clear. “This is my only warning about the official Laws of Magic Act implemented two years ago,” I began. “This is Coven territory, specifically witches’ territory. Any violence that occurs on this soil relating to shifters and other supernatural races will be deemed foolish in the court of law. This means any acts of violence against a witch upon these grounds will give the witch permission by the Coven and High Court of Magic to eliminate all threats without charges.”

“What?” King gasped. “I didn’t know that.”

“That’s new knowledge,” Quil admitted.

“That’s why she wants to be a sexy woman and fight for us. Ah. How heroic.” Jack happily clapped. The grunt from the floor had to be Ace attempting to get up, but my focus was primarily on my enemy.

“This is your final warning. Back down or face the consequences.”

I knew they weren’t going to back down, which only made me sigh at the prolonged silence.

“Jeez. Fine. Die then. Why do I care anyway?” I said mostly to myself as I snapped my fingers.

“Oh?” Jack’s wondering gasp was followed up with, “Why are we in a bubble?”

I stretched my arms up before glancing over my shoulder to answer. “Makes it so you’re not affected by the music,” I revealed.

“Music?” King arched an eyebrow. “I hear nothing.”

“Good,” I stated with a wink as my eyes moved along to meet Ace’s. “Now. Why don’t I show you what an apparent ‘cunt’ can do?”

Turning away, I focused on my dress and frowned. “Zane helped me make this,” I huffed to myself - and proceeded to slip it right off, which left me in just a strapless bra and panties.

That got the enemies’ attention, and I tried not to laugh at how easy it was to grasp men’s notice.

Jack whistled, “Show them, Sweetie! Let’s see what you got.”

“If you’re encouraging something, that means it’s dangerous,” Quil concluded. “Best of luck, Aurelia.”

“Yo, Alpha. Seriously, who is she to you?” King asked the prime question and my ears perked up to hear his reply.

“She’s my mate,” he muttered. “That I rejected years ago.”

“Eh?” Jack stated with an added gasp. “You call me psychotic and yet you rejected a damn queen? Oh, you fucked up.”

“I’m sure you had your reasons,” Quil began. “But I agree with Jack. You fucked up.”

“You know shit is bad when Quil agrees with Jack,” King groaned. “We should let her kick your balls again for good measure.”

“Can ya’ll speak with your brains and not your cocks?!” Ace snapped.

I finally ignored them as I summoned a chair and placed it where I stood. My patience was wearing thin, and frankly, so was my tolerance of the heavy energy in the air. Who knew if they sensed it, but if I didn’t get these black magic users out of here, we’d have a plague cloud forming in this forest, and with the moon, that wouldn’t be good for the wolf shifters that used this route.

“Why don’t we play musical chairs,” I declared and sat down on the chair. Lifting my legs, I crossed them in lotus position while I reached up to untie my hair. If I didn’t, my magic would burst the poor hair tie into oblivion, so I might as well save the poor elastic band’s life.

The sound of safeties being clicked off certainly shut the others up from behind. With a snap of my fingers, the spell that cloaked the enemies’ visibility shattered. That shocked them as they flinched and looked at one another, but I got right to the point.

“The game is simple. Try to reach my chair while the music is playing. If the music stops, then you face the consequences,” I stated loudly to ensure every single individual heard me. “The moment you take a step forward from your current spot, you’ve entered the playing round. However, there’s also a time limit, so don’t think because you’re standing there you’re not on the chopping block either.”

“Fuck you!” a guy called out, and he pulled the trigger of his gun, but not a single bullet left his rifle as his body exploded.

Those around him flinched before all eyes were on me.

“See?” I began as I admired my nails. “That’s what happens when you don’t wait for me to finish explaining the instructions.”

They were listening loud and clear now and I decided to finish.

“Decide to remain still and shoot at me, you’ll explode just like that. The only way for salvation is to reach my chair and touch it. Understood?”

When the silence heightened in the forest, I giggled. “Excellent,” I cheered and fully let out my hair. It was already beginning to levitate along with my body, which was a few inches off the chair and hovering in place.

My laughter scaled higher as I clapped my hands, which triggered the creation of five purple crystals. They levitated around me and just like that, they began to play music as if they were floating speakers.

Many of the men in black looked absolutely confused, but a few brave ones rushed forward and didn’t hesitate to begin shooting at me.

The music stopped just as fast, and that was when the madness began. The same bullets that sought to kill me only moved backward to strike their sender - all while the purple crystals that were floating around me shifted to red and sent lasers outward.

The screams that followed made me smile gleefully as I moved my hands like a conductor. I didn’t stop until the last gurgling sound faded and everything was quiet once more.

Opening my eyes, I acknowledged the remaining half that stared at me in horror, all while their dead comrades began to decompose at a rapid pace. Spreading my left palm out, I whistled softly and summoned whatever magic lingered in those fallen individuals to come my way.

I was impressed by the amount that surged upward and moved swiftly to hover in a ball of swirling, inky black - the size growing and growing.

I couldn’t help but tsk as my eyes darkened. That left the remaining individuals trembling in fear.

“Did you all really think I didn’t know you were using black magic to lure me and them here?” I asked innocently before I lost it in laughter as I let my head back. My joyous sound had an eerie resonance and I was sure these guys were on the verge of pissing their pants.

“Or that I didn’t notice Lucy purposely disappear to disclose to your hidden spies that I actually attended the event?” I offered and sighed dramatically. “Or better yet! How you expertly spilled wine over the cushions so you could place recording devices under the table and explosives under the cushions so when Mr. Maximus arrived with his invited guests, you’d enjoy the honor of blowing them up?”

None of them responded and it made me shake my head.

“Ah, see? Look how easy it is to decipher your plans. I’m sure many of you who were on the lookout enjoyed masturbating while watching my boyfriend fuck me into standing oblivion. I mean it’s totally a turn-on to fuck in public, but with a hidden audience? Ah. So fucking good, ” I reasoned. “Surely you didn’t realize that my boyfriend fucked me on purpose, knowing it would piss the flying fuck out of my Mr. Maximus over there because we have some history with one another and he’s a possessive motherfucker with horrible commitment issues.”

I was sure none of them could speak because I was revealing things they surely didn’t even expect was in my capacity of figuring out.

“So obviously, he fell for the trap, left early to follow me because that’s what he knows to do best; follow and hide in the fucking bushes until he can save the day and get in between my sheets for reward sex. But this time, since his lovely packmates, whom I’m actually beginning to like, decided to dip in, checking into the event and chilling in the forest because of the odd energy, it liberated you all into thinking you guys were about to have the motherload of captures by getting not one or two but five very unique wolf shifters, am I right?”

I snapped my fingers and just like that, the music was playing once more. Many of them cursed and rushed forward, a lot of them shooting their guns yet again as if they didn’t learn the first time around.

Instead of doing the same move, I let the bullets explode the moment they hit the atmosphere - which granted a good chunk of men blown-up faces.

The others were sprinting as quickly as they could to the chair, but once again, the music came to a dramatic stop.

“Fuck no!” one guy snapped and jumped forward to try to reach me. Poor thing was close, but I just watched as he screamed and his body was electrocuted by the same pink bolts of energy that Jack used.

“Quil, King, Ace, LOOK! Aurelia used my sparks!” Jack sounded far too impressed, like I was his child that he taught how to ride a bike without training wheels. “Sweetie! Do that again! Pretty please?”

I giggled at his excitement while I sucked up the magic forces of the fallen individuals once again. Now only twenty were left, and from their faces, they weren’t sure what to do.

“This is why you shouldn’t pick a fight with a Clementine,” I voiced. “We just don’t carry as much patience as other Coven families.”

The music went right back to playing, and nineteen of them darted forward. They didn’t stand a chance as the music abruptly stopped not even three seconds later. I couldn’t help but yawn, which ended up triggering spears of blue and gold to strike into their bodies, disabling them entirely as their life forces simply faded away.

By the time they fell to the ground, their bodies were simply gone and their magic was added to the large orb of dark energy in my grasp.

Only one person remained, and he didn’t delay when the music kicked in. I had to applaud him for being fast. It felt like they had saved the best for last.

I was certain he was going to make it as he pushed off the ground and surprisingly used a spell that made him move in a blur. His hand locked onto my throat, just as the music came to a stop, and he grinned in delight as he declared loud and clear, “I won!”

Then he gasped as his eyes widened like saucers. I watched the way his black hair began to shift into neon teal and slowly began to transition to a cement grey.

My lips curled up while I let his eyes take in my tongue. The hissing snake of gold and neon teal moved in its hypnotic dancing motion before it let out a final hiss of departure and retracted back into my mouth.

Pressing my lips to a close, I let out a sigh before a tiny giggle left me as my eyes took in the man, whose body began to turn into stone.

“I said you had to touch the chair,” I warned as my hand wrapped around his wrist and moved his floating body back before his hand turned into stone. “Not me.”

His frightened eyes practically shook as his pupils dilated from the venom I’d injected into the swift bite to his neck.

“Did you know I used to love a boy very, very much,” I began, knowing the stone process was going to take a bit of time to reach his heart. “He almost died because of me, so I decided to be a smartass and suck the venom out of him. Not only did it give me permanent damage that led to me being…well, this,” I paused to dramatically gesture to myself, “it also gave me a few rare abilities. One of them being my little snake friend who can be formed by my saliva, blood, or-”

I leaned in close as if to whisper in his ear, “Pussy juices. Can you imagine what a surprise it would be if a scumbag tried to rape a girl and out came a snake from her glistening pussy? Maybe then you guys would think twice before being assholes and ditching girls you fuck. Or even trying to touch a girl at all.”

I tapped my lips and tried to think. “Ah…why did I bring this up? Oh ya!” I leaned in now and I could see my eyes in the reflections of his orbs of black that were beginning to bleed.

“Why don’t you tell Westley that I’m not on the market. Or I’ll find out who his brother is and make sure he’s pulled right into his dirty mess with his upcoming security jump.”

With a snap of my fingers, the guy was gone, and I knew he’d magically arrive wherever that fucker was. I hated when people thought I was stupid, and once again, that was reason why I loved Zane; he knew if he made certain moves, I’d figure it out in time to execute my own lines of protection.

With a huff, I lowered back to the chair and lifted my hand to move the orb of black magic upward.

“Hey, Aries. You want this? Or can Medusa have it?”

“She can have it. I’m not hungry.”

“Cool,” I stated, and lifted the ball up. “Hey, Medusa. Catch the ball of food!” I cheered before opening my mouth. Unlike the tongue-sized version of my summoned creature, a snake the size of my opened mouth surged out of my body and expanded its jaw to take in the ball of black with a hiss loud enough to shake our surroundings.

She absorbed it with ease and retracted right back into me. The lull of peacefulness that followed made me smirk before I spun around to see the four stunned individuals that stared back at me.

“Okay, I’m done,” I announced and burped. “Oops. Excuse me.”

They stood there for what had to be a minute before Jack boldly asked, “So…if we fucked and you didn’t like me, a neon-colored snake would come out of your pussy folds and eat me?”

“Ya,” I replied with a shrug. “Depends on Medusa’s hunger and my arousal. If you did a good job, maybe I’d just let her swallow you and keep ya in hibernation until I need you again.”

“Like a sex doll,” he concluded.

“Essentially. Did you know venom can be good for the skin if you lower the acidic levels a few notches? I’m still testing out the formula, but it’s really life-changing for the complexion.”

“I volunteer as tribu-” he began and Ace slapped his head.

“Are you fucking stupid?!”

“Not at all,” Jack whined and skipped my way until he was behind me and hugging me tightly. “I’m fucking in love!”

“Oh no,” King groaned and Quil shook his head with a judgemental expression. “We totally found his soulmate.”

“Did you actually call that snake Medusa?” Jack inquired in happiness. “And what happens to the ball of dark magic? Wait. How did you copy my magic?”

“You ask a lot of questions when you’re excited,” I acknowledged. “Aren’t you supposed to be afraid of me?”

“Nah,” he replied and pointed at Quil. “Quil skins people alive and makes dresses for celebrities,” he began and moved onto King. “King’s torture methods depend on his mood. If he’s pissed, he’ll just kill you with a punch, but if he’s in the research mood, you become an experiment in his nest. Think of it like a spider web for fae, where he keeps the bodies of his dead prey and revives them when he needs information or to extract a healthy organ or two for life-saving procedures at kids hospitals. Don’t worry, he makes sure to cleanse them of any illnesses so the kids don’t get it.”

He moved his pointing finger to Ace.

“Ace just has anger issues and kills everyone who doesn’t listen to him, tolerate him, or betrays his trust. Nothing else really special about him aside from his good magic skills and he likes to throw shit at me.”

Speaking of throwing, he spun me around to avoid the dart of knives that were specifically aimed at him. He dipped me down like he was dancing and once again, he kissed me lightly and smiled wildly.

“And I have a fascination with anything that moves, but I have a special place for my pets and packmates. Due to my rather unstable mind, I’m in the pack to make sure I don’t go on killing tangents or decide to destroy the world by summoning creatures from hell,” he explained. “But the cool thing about me is that I can kill people with my singing voice!” He leaned further in and added, “And I’m really good in bed, but seeing as I know who your boyfriend is, I’ll ask for his blessing first.”

“What happened to asking me?” I offered with a pout.

“If I asked you, you’d say yes,” he whined. “I want a fight for this one.”

“Ah,” I replied. “You thrive on drama, huh?”

“Definitely,” he agreed.

“Just put Ace and Zane in a room.”

“That’s a good fucking idea!” he stated and scooped me right up. “Oh, Ace! Can we keep her?!”

“No!” he snapped.

“Aww, why? She already knows our dark secrets and hasn’t thrown up yet,” he whined and looked at me.

I hiccupped and mini Medusa got out.

“Oh shit,” King cursed as Jack simply leaned back to avoid my hissing tongue - aka Medusa. She hissed and looked at Jack before leaning further out until she bopped his nose with her head.

Then she retracted back.

“Uh…” I didn’t really have an explanation for that. “I think she likes you?”

“See?!” Jack squealed. “I’m a keeper! Ace! Let’s take her into our pack! I know we have a Joker, but can’t we make her a wild card or something?”

“She can’t be a part of our pack!”

“Why?” Quil genuinely asked. “You said that if a member gathers all four cards, they get to join.”

“And if they find the Joker card, they get to be Alpha,” King chipped in.

“She doesn’t have your cards,” he whined.

“Ya, I do,” I replied and with a snap of my fingers, there they were in my grasp. The actual shock on his face only made me pout. “Did you think I’d throw them away? They’re high quality. Collector worthy.”

Jack snickered while Quil and King seemed amused by my statement.

“You don’t have mine,” Ace declared.

“Good point,” I replied. “So what do I need to do to get it?”

“OH! OH! I know! Pick me!” Jack stated while jumping up and down with me in his hold.

“What, Jack?” Ace groaned.

“Sit on that cool chair.”

We all followed his gaze to the chair I’d summoned earlier.

“Why would I sit there?” Ace questioned with a suspicious gaze.

“Just trust me, Ace. It’ll be worth it,” Jack pleaded.

“No one ever trusts you,” Quil pointed out the obvious.

“Last time someone trusted you, they fell to their death from a plane,” King reminded him.

“C’mon. I wouldn’t kill our Alpha,” Jack reasoned. “I could have done that five-thousand, seven hundred and fifty-two times, but look. He’s still breathing.”

“Why do I have a feeling you’ve been keeping track of exactly how many times you could have overthrown your Alpha’s position?” I questioned with a side glance his way. He lowered me far gentler than I would have expected from him; my feet returned to the ground while he ensured I was standing firmly on my own.

With all the magic I’d just used, I wondered if he thought I’d pass out from exhaustion.

“I like to keep track so I can use it against him when he tells me I should be more patient.”

I could see Ace’s complexion pale just slightly, and I only smiled in delight.

“You’re going to earn yourself a date, Jack, if you keep this up.”

He actually squealed and clapped his hands. Then he skipped right over to the chair and tapped the very spot. “Sit, Alpha, sit.”

“If that ain’t suspicious at all,” King stated with a sigh. “Let’s be quick. I sense that ward isn’t gonna be up much longer and people are going to start investigating.”

“King is on point,” Quil warned. “Let’s be prompt.”

That got Ace moving until he was sitting on the very spot. He didn’t seem to care at first until his eyes grew wide and he darted his accusing gaze at me.

“What did you do?”

“Huh?” I lifted my finger to point to myself while my eyes blinked. “I did something without knowing?”

“I can’t move!” he huffed.

“Oh, that wasn’t me,” I voiced and shrugged. “It’s your fault for not looking to make sure Jack didn’t put super glue on the seat.”

We looked to Jack as he beamed with pride.

“Sweetie, you’re a smart cookie, but I sadly left my super glue at home. Quil needed it for his last flesh project because Ace was an anger-management fool and tried to eat the dress Quil created.”

I actually didn’t know how to respond as my eyes darted to Ace, then to Quil, and back to Ace. Finally, a response popped into my head and I looked at Quil. “So did you manage to salvage the dress?”

“Finished last night,” he assured me with an actual smile that lit his entire face. “I have pictures.”

“Oh, I want to see!” Poor Jack had to stop me from walking over to Quil. He returned to my side and lightly hooked an arm around me. He was surprisingly gentle with me for someone who seemed completely unpredictable.

Similar to myself.

“Hold up, Lia! We gotta get this initiation process on the road.”

“Initiation?” I questioned.

“Mhmm,” he replied and pointed to Ace. “You have five minutes to disable Ace. By doing so, you’ll have a short window to locate the card and snag it from him. When I say short window, I mean three to five seconds.”

“Right,” I replied. “Do I get a reward?”

“No, you don’t!” Ace huffed, looking as grumpy as ever. “Jack! Let me go, dammit!”

“As Beta of the pack, I must step in when our Alpha is not in the position to do so,” Jack emphasized with pride as he placed his hand on his chest like he was taking some sort of oath. “Due to this grand duty, I’m in every position to start this initiation process.”

“You need the other pack members’ permission, idiot!”

“Oh ya,” Jack replied and looked as if a lightbulb went off in his head. He looked to King and Quil, clearly waiting for their response with a wide, teeth-glimmering smile.

“I’m intrigued with your current thought process,” Quil admitted. “So sure.”

“Whatever. I don’t care,” King earnestly stated.

“You fuckers! What kind of betrayal bullshit is this?” Ace huffed.

“See, if you smiled more, they would stay loyal to you,” I pointed out with a judgemental gaze. He scowled and looked like he was going to growl in my direction, but Jack tsked and wiggled his finger from side to side.

“Now, now. Play nice, Alpha,” Jack encouraged and looked my way. “Ready, Aurelia?”

“You know things are serious when you actually use my name, huh?” I addressed before I began to gather my hair. “Two seconds.”

“She’s gonna wrap him with her anaconda and search him,” King tossed to Quil, who tilted his head in curiosity.

“That would be cool to see.”

I could clearly see a glint of fear in Ace’s eyes, so I decided to alleviate the horrible images he was conjuring in his mind.

“Medusa is sleeping. Takes her a while to break down large amounts of energy like what she just consumed, so you’re safe,” I assured him. “Unless you piss me off.”

He couldn’t hide his slight relief though he gave me a look that made me smirk in delight. With a slight pull of my strands to make sure they were secured, I took the few steps to stand before Ace and looked to Jack as he gave me the nod of approval.

“Begin!” he cheered.

I took a long moment to scan his body, but more importantly, I was trying to figure out what I needed to do to get through his protective aura. This wasn’t like back when we were kids and our magics molded together like two halves begging to be whole.

I was as fierce as fire, while he was as cold as ice. We were combative enemies that fate brought back together to torment one another. I was curious as to whether Jack or the others knew of our relations before this, but a part of me felt like they didn’t or else they wouldn’t have been so shocked at the news of us being mates.

Rejected mates.

I used a full minute before I let out a sigh. “Guess I gotta get a little dirty.”

“Oh his organs are screwed,” King commented.

“You think she’d dissect him so quickly?” Quil pondered. “If she’s getting revenge, I’d think going slower would be the smarter route.”

“Good point,” King agreed. Ace slowly looked over to them, clearly only able to move his head and nothing else.

“Seriously?” Ace snarled. “I’m going to make you guys run your limbs off when we go for a pack run.”

“That’s just mean,” Quil muttered. “Running is so tiring.”

“Your wolf loves it though,” King pointed out.

“Until I break a precious nail killing shit,” Quil grumbled. I moved around Ace until I was behind the chair, and before he could say anything, I magically tugged his suit coat off him without needing to pull his arms back.

“Wow,” King, Quil, and Jack praised in unison. Ace groaned. “You three make it seem like you’ve never gone to a magic show in your life.”

I smirked and walked back in front of him, but I knew the card wasn’t in his jacket. I laid it on the ground before me, and he arched an eyebrow at me, while the others stared with interest.

“She didn’t check the pockets,” King noted.

“Indeed,” Quil agreed. “What does she need the coat for?”

“To protect my knees,” I answered and literally got down on my knees.

Jack whistled as he crossed his arms over his chest. “This is going to be interesting,” he sang.

Ace wasn’t following, but it didn’t take him long to understand as I moved swiftly to unzip his pants and pulled his cock out in one blur of movement.

He clearly couldn’t stiffen because he was semi-frozen, but his magic spiked while he glared daggers at me.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he snarled.

“Disabling you, duh?” I stated and wrapped my fingers around the base of his length. He tried to not react to my touch, and I recalled our frisky night when I was so innocent and pure. For a moment, our eyes locked onto one another, and it was like we were back in his room that he cherished.

I remember the black sheets, the eyes of tenderness, the words of affection, and his soft touch that led to overwhelming satisfaction.

He could deny the way I made him once feel, but his body remembered. His cock twitched in my grasp and I gave up on delaying any longer as I kept my eyes locked on his while I took in his length inch by inch.

He was fighting the urge to groan. I could feel and grasp the slight vibrations in his throat that he was battling from being free. I hoped he’d enjoy the heat of my mouth around his cock, but I was coming to realize I held no joy in performing this act.

It was strictly business - to get exactly what I needed and be on my way. I wasn’t sure if it would be deemed “inconsiderate” or “wrong” now that Zane and I were official, but I’d let him know about it when he came back tonight.

And show him whatever reward I got from retrieving Ace’s card.

I stayed still for a moment, knowing well he’d relish in the blissfulness my mouth delivered. He must have assumed I was still an amateur, the shock in his orbs of orange that dilated confirmation that he wasn’t expecting to enjoy a bit of this.

Then I began to move as fast as I could, knowing damn well no man could brace themselves for a rollercoaster blowjob. All you had to do was start fast right away, but pause for three to five seconds to give them the taunting impression you were going to take your sweet time.

I couldn’t just move up and down and hope for him to cum. I had to do the work and that meant I had to suck him like he was the most delicious thing in the world. My lips were tight, my movements to the base all the way up to the tip, and I even managed to get a little teeth action.

He couldn’t stop his grunts and curses, but his eyes never left mine and that was exactly what I wanted. He had to see the woman I’d become. The individual who survived the agony of their past and conquered the scrutiny and hardships that were desperate to debilitate them.

I wasn’t perfect - far from that level of perfection everyone worshipped in this world - but I was real. I had flaws, imperfections, and a broken heart, but it never stopped me from being the strongest witch in my generation. It didn’t prevent me from somehow finding a man who actually adored me.

And now it wouldn’t stop me from potentially getting a pack.

I didn’t need to be an Alpha, but there was something about each of these members that spoke to me. They were so different, so far away from a normal system of political diplomacy and power struggles. Each of them was a misfit – a hybrid like me - and I suddenly wanted to unravel their secrets.

I’d never experienced such a need, and yet it pulsed through me in a nagging manner that begged to be acknowledged. To push me to act out of impulse and not let my fear and anxieties around being in a pack with Ace as an Alpha stop me.

Something about this pack was about to change my destiny, and it was time to allow fate to do her job and let me be free.

“Fuck,” Ace cursed and I knew it was only a few sucks more. I suddenly slowed my pace right at his tip, and then very slowly went down his cock until his very tip surely reached the back of my throat.

That finished him, and I moved off his cock and out of the way of his shots of cum. It was such a waste of precious sperm, but I wasn’t going to be a collector, nor did the idea of swallowing his release seem appetizing in the slightest.

All this did was make me miss Zane, but I knew this was all confirmation that I wasn’t as into Ace as I thought I would be. Even Aries was uninterested as she was curled up in her corner, clearly not caring about anything outside of her shadowed world.

I shouldn’t have felt like I was cheating because Zane and I did agree that he was willing to share me, but I just wanted to let him know - to show just how grateful I was for his approval and respect.

“Jack, you’re supposed to call it,” King reminded the ginger, who clearly stood there with an obvious boner.

“Oh.” He blinked and seemed to be back to his crazy self cause he clapped and gestured my way. “Winner! Welcome to our pack, Sweetie Lia. Contracts will be signed later!”

“She didn’t even get my card,” Ace snapped and finally moved. “N-Nor did she disable me long enough.”

“Really?” Quil inquired.

Ace quickly put his cock, which was still hard, back into his boxers and zipped up his pants dramatically before reaching for his coat.

“Yup! See. It’s right here,” he announced and pulled out what was in his pocket while he stared at me with pride.

Only for his eyes to widen as I smiled in triumph and showed him the final card in the collection - the Ace card in black and red.

“Then…what’s in Ace’s hand?” King questioned and his husky voice held a slight cringe to it. Ace slowly turned his gaze to his hand, and there was Medusa, hissing happily in his grasp.

“Aww! It’s Medusa!” Jack cheered. “I thought you said she was sleeping?”

“She likes to come out at the scent of cum,” I voiced. “Doesn’t matter if it’s male or female.”

“Fascinating,” Quil whispered. “I want one.”

“No,” King groaned. “We already deal with Jack taking in pets left and right. We don’t need another zoo in the house like in Cali.”

Ace was completely silent, but from the way his face went sickly pale I actually felt concerned for him.

“Uh, Ace?” I questioned, and it was not a second later before his eyes rolled back in his head and he passed right out.

“Oh fuck!” Jack cursed and caught him. He even somehow managed to save poor Medusa, who was going down for the ride.

I simply gawked in horror before King shrugged.

“I thought he’d gotten over his phobia of snakes?”

“Nah,” Quil stated as if Ace fainting wasn’t a big deal. “He just said that to feel mighty. You know, Alpha pride.”

“Right.” King sighed and walked over to help Jack out. He didn’t even struggle to pick Ace up, throwing him onto his shoulder before looking my way. “Guess you’re in the pack, Aurelia. Best you sign the papers now while Ace is knocked out, or he’ll make things troublesome.”

“Okay!” I replied. “Um…I just sign papers and that’s it?”

Quil stared at me while Jack was having a mini dance with Medusa.

“You’ve never been in a pack before?” Quil inquired.

“No.”

That had all three of them stopping in whatever movement they were about to take to stare at me. “Never?” Jack stated in disbelief while Medusa began to wrap around his wrist in clear explorative nature.

“Never,” I replied. “I was trained by a wolf when I was younger…but I don’t have many memories of the experience. Aside from that, I’ve never truly been a part of a pack. I’m technically faking it with De Luca’s pack but it’s all for show. I’m not connected to the Alpha or anything. Never went on pack runs…don’t know what wolf packs do.”

I felt a bit nervous admitting it and I shrugged. “My hybrid life has been focused majorly on my witch side while my wolf side has been neglected. So, I’ve tried to find a pack of my own…or just to be a part of one, but the moment someone hears Clementine, it’s over.”

I gave a shy smile as I fidgeted in place.

“I’ve never been around a group of individuals that are okay with my craziness in a pack sense. I mean, I have really good friends. My best friends are Willow and Onyx, but they have their own thing, and it doesn’t feel right to intrude in their connection so…it’s just been me.”

“So…” King actually struggled to speak. “You’ve been a Lone Wolf your whole life?”

“I guess so,” I admitted. “Didn’t think there was a title for it. Man. First Wolf Rejected, now Lone Wolf. Hah. Man…this got a bit depressing real fast. I should go. My best friend got injured by a pack and needs my assistance. It won’t be long so I can just come back to sign the documents. C’mon, Medusa.”

I walked over to Jack and reached out for Medusa, who only wrapped around Jack’s wrist tighter.

“Hiss?”

“Yes, we’re going,” I voiced. “I know you’re enjoying Jack’s lovely skin, but we got business to take care of.”

The slight pat to my head caught my attention, and my eyes locked onto Jack’s as they softened tremendously. For a moment, he looked like a completely normal, attractive individual who could be anything he wanted in the world.

“You won’t be alone anymore,” he whispered. “Misfits got to stick together, right?”

The way he said it tugged at my heartstrings, and for a moment, it was like the old me was present and seeking his validation.

Yearning for permission to rely on another without the fear of being forgotten.

“Right,” I whispered.

He nodded his head once and offered Medusa back to me. Once she was in my grasp, he clapped his hands and created a contract out of thin air.

Without delay, he bit at his thumb. The blood rushed to the broken surface before he pressed it on the witness side of the contract. He then turned it to me.

“This contract confirms you’re a part of our pack. We don’t have a cool name or anything. We’re all misfits in this community so we just think of ourselves as a Pack of Misfits.

I saw each of their “code names” - Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and the last one, Joker.

“Signing with your blood confirms you’re a part of our pack, and once Alpha Ace prepares you for the activation of the bond, you’ll be able to trigger the full connection. It’ll probably take a few weeks because Ace likes to take things slow. The contract will form a tiny thread of connection so Ace can feel you when you’re in trouble, but he can’t communicate through the wolf bond or hear your thoughts. All that jazz.”

He stared at me with hopeful eyes.

“So what do you say, Aurelia? Ready to join our pack?”

“Two conditions,” I whispered and took a quick look at King and Quil and then back at Jack. “I get to keep the collector cards.”

“Sure,” King approved while Quil smirked.

“And Medusa gets to be our mascot.”

Jack absolutely lost it as his laughter echoed through the forest.

“Good fucking deal!” he cheered. “I’ll get you a cute hat, Medusa! No, a bow! Maybe both. I’ll get you a little snake wardrobe!”

“Hiss! Hiss!” she clearly agreed as she moved around my arm until she reached my thumb and literally bit it.

They all gawked, but I rolled my eyes, pressed my bloody thumb onto the contract, and healed it a second later.

“Medusa’s venom won’t kill me. It runs through my veins and is the reason why I have moments of insanity,” I revealed. “Also, know I have crazy tendencies, talk to myself on the regular, have frequent panic attacks, zone out mid-conversation, and sometimes sleepwalk, but that’s rare.”

They all stared at me before Quil bobbed his head.

“Better than Jack,” he concluded.

“We can handle that,” King approved.

I looked at Jack with wide eyes, and he threw the contract in the air, which made it poof out of existence, before he hugged me.

“It’s official! Welcome to our misfit pack, Aurelia!” he cheered and lifted me right up to twirl me around.

“AH!” I squealed but ended up laughing maniacally as a warm emotion flooded my chest. I wasn’t sure if this was the same emotion I’d been craving for a while, but for a brief moment, I allowed myself to acknowledge it.

To accept that in this moment in time, I was…happy.

20

MISFIT ASSISTANT AND YEARN FOR FREEDOM

“So I guess staring contests aren’t great icebreakers,” I muttered as I tried to organize my herb collection for what had to have been the twenty-seventh time.

“Staring and glaring daggers at someone while you mentally ask Mother Moon to kill them are two different things,” Aries reasoned.

“He deserved it,” I reasoned. “I may be the new girl in the misfit pack block but that doesn’t mean he can tell me shit. I follow my own schedule, and I have shit to do and businesses to run.”

“You talk to yourself a lot.”

I paused in shelving the bay leaves to look to my right to see Quil casually standing there with a book in his grasp. I had to blink a few times because I hadn’t sensed his arrival at all, which encouraged me to place the clear jar on the shelf and look at the time.

“What are you doing?” he inquired.

“Making sure I took my meds on time,” I admitted. “You could be one of those hallucinations which may confirm I’m fantasizing about my pack I barely know anything about. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I’d rather take things slow for my own hormonal sanity.”

“Ah,” he replied. “Okay. I’ll return to reading.”

“Hmm.” I studied him for an extra minute. “Okay. You’re not an illusion.”

He paused in reading to look back at me. “Because?”

“That was your cue to taunt me with your sexual energy but since you didn’t, that means you’re legit.”

“Your thought process is truly interesting.”

“And your responses to it are giving me ‘breath of fresh air’ vibes,” I admitted. “Nice to be my normal insane self without criticism.”

“Why criticize you? Witches and wizards, in general, don’t have stable personas, especially when they’re stronger.”

That caught my interest as I moved to lean against the island of teal and gold while my eyes locked onto him.

“What do you mean?”

“Do you believe the High Court Masters are sane?”

“Uh…yes?” I replied. “Like Master L is calm and collected. I haven’t really met the other Masters, but they’re similar. Some are proud with a hint of cockiness, while others are calm and collected.”

“Just because someone projects one persona on the surface, that doesn’t mean they don’t have a completely different one hiding in the shadows,” Quil noted as he placed a bookmark in between the pages he was reading and closed his book.

“You’re trying to say some of them are crazy like me?”

“Certainly, but they don’t call themselves insane.”

“That’s the term everyone uses when it comes to me, though,” I stated like it wasn’t a big deal. “When you have anything fucked up with your brain, you’re crazy. You become a hindrance to the world around you. Your family and friends use that label to make them look like saints for being your friend. When push comes to shove and a situation isn’t in your favor, that’s when your mental instability becomes a badge of honor and is used to excuse your behavior when in your mind, you’re doing the right thing.”

He stared at me as I sighed and looked to the ceiling.

“If I don’t embrace my ‘insanity’ no one else will. No one is going to walk proudly next to me or even be friends with someone who doesn’t have their ducks in a row. We’re called misfits because we aren’t full-fledged witches and wizards, but what if a time comes and our very hybrid kind is needed? Do we become endangered species that the world values?”

“The world always shifts sides when the narrative will save them money and time and prevent the loss of power,” Quil admitted. “If a time come when hybrids’ value suddenly spikes because of the consequences ignorance delivers, I’m sure it would be exactly as you said.”

He stared at me for a hard minute as we remained silent.

“I think if you truly embraced your unique qualities, you’d see why the Coven is afraid of you being a part of their reign.”

“Huh?” I lifted my gaze to meet his calming orbs that held an immense interest in me. He moved from the bookshelf and was in front of me in a few steps, and his hand lifted my chin up, forcing me to look into his calculating eyes.

“You’re the only one who doesn’t see it,” he whispered.

“See what?”

“See how Elder Etna and the others look at you.”

“They look at me with pure annoyance,” I reasoned. “My existence probably pisses them off.”

“Do you know what I see?” he inquired and leaned in closer. I bit my lip and tried to ignore the way my heart was beginning to spike up.

“What?” I dared to ask, and for a brief moment, I saw a glimmer of something I couldn’t put my finger on. A deeper power was hidden behind those calm eyes that fought to devour my undivided attention as we drifted closer and closer until our lips were centimeters apart.

“Fear, Aurelia.” His voice was barely there. “Absolute fear.”

The knock on the door brought me out of the intense daze as I looked over my shoulder and felt Aunt Beatrice’s presence.

“Why is she here?” I pondered. “Quil, you should…” I turned my head back to see he was gone, leaving me to blink in confusion before I mentally questioned whether he’d been here or not.

“Fuck,” I cursed. “Yup. I’m upping my meds.”

Running my hand through my locks, I announced, “Come in!”

The door soon opened and I turned to see Aunt Beatrice and a girl. I had to blink a few times to make sure I wasn’t seeing a ghost.

She had bright red hair underneath her yellow beret, and she wore a simple sunflower dress with a little red coat resting on her shoulders. Her skin was slightly tanned, and she held a box of what smelled like cookies.

What was most striking about her were those golden orbs of hers. They held a familiarity I couldn’t figure out, and they radiated with power that called to me.

When our eyes locked, I felt like it was my duty to protect her. To be her guardian in some way or another. It made absolutely no sense, and yet it felt right deep within.

“Sorry for the intrusion, Aurelia,” Aunt Beatrice apologized as she gestured for the girl to enter with her. She closed the door before she bowed slightly. “It was requested that you have an assistant. It’s one of the preparations needed for those who will rise onto the Coven.”

As much as I wished to make a snarky remark about this whole Coven prep, I held my tongue. “Assistant, huh?” I replied and looked at her. “What’s your name?”

“Good afternoon,” she greeted with a half bow and rose up to smile. “My name is Aoa! I’ll be your temporary assistant. My special qualities are organizing, creating standard order, and baking. I made cookies.”

That got my attention, while my mind thought of something.

“Anastasia Olivia Adair,” I whispered, which caught the girl’s attention.

“WOW! Are you psychic? That’s my full name!” she cheered. “That’s amazing. No wonder everyone says you’re so powerful. Can you read my mind?”

“Ah.” I smiled shyly while I took in her upbeat personality. “Sometimes. It just comes into my mind when I least expect it.”

“That’s really cool!” she exclaimed before she blushed. “Ah…sorry. I get hyper when talking to people I admire. You’re like a celebrity to us misfits.”

“Huh?” I couldn’t stop myself from commenting as I tilted my head. “Celebrity to misfits?”

“Mhmm.” She bobbed her head. “I’m not sure about America, but in Japan and Korea, many know about you, Aurelia!”

“Really?” I was a little shocked, to say the least. I looked over at Beatrice, and she gave me a slight nod before she quietly dismissed herself. Once she closed the door, I couldn’t help but inquire more. “You’re from Japan?”

“Ah, Japan and Korea!” she admitted as she walked over to my island and placed the cookies on the counter. I gestured for her to sit while I flicked my hand to the coffee machine to begin the process of making coffee and a cup of hot chocolate.

If we’re eating cookies, we need some warm beverages.

“I was actually born here in NYC, or at least that’s what my birth certificate says, but I was raised back and forth between Japan and Korea. I have family in both countries, so I hop between the two of them. Hybrids are more accepted there so there are a lot of us. We look up to certain people in American culture that are making big moves. Like William De Luca.”

“You follow William?”

“Mhmm! I recently gave him cookies in person! It was the best day of my life! I was debating whether to go back to Japan or Korea when I was approached by one of your Coven members and offered a position as your temporary assistant,” she revealed. “I think because I’m very on point with American culture and the news on both sides of the supernatural and magic spectrums. A lot of people look at me as a little kid, but I’m really mature for my age. Well, at least when I’m serious about something. Acting like you’re hyper just helps you see the good or bad in people.”

“The good or bad in people?” I inquired as I moved from my stool to grab our drinks. “Hot chocolate, Aoa?”

“Yes please!” She beamed. She waited until we were settled before nibbling on the freshly baked cookies. Then she got back on the subject.

“Of course. It’s like how they always say ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ or whatever analogies Americans love to use. They constantly teach us this and yet what do they do the moment they see you?”

“They judge you,” I whispered.

“Mhmm! Bingo,” she declared as she lifted her hand up with a half-eaten cookie in her grasp. “That’s the problem with our society in regards to misfits. It’s no different. In America, they’re beginning to accept that our world has three existences. Human, supernatural, which includes any type of shifter race, and magical. However, anyone who doesn’t completely fit into those circles are outcasted. We’re shunned for not being perfect and that’s why so many of us have to hide who we are or act a certain way so we can move up the ranks.”

I was impressed by her words as she took a sip of her hot chocolate.

“No one can sense I’m a hybrid unless I allow them to,” she admitted. “My dad was a wolf shifter and my mom a witch. They loved each other very much and I think they were both powerful in their own elements. However, I don’t think they allowed themselves the right to flaunt their union. My family always says they had to keep isolated because they feared the backlash of their love. I know it took them a while to be able to have me, and sadly when they did, their lives came to a dramatic end. Dying in America is pretty sad because you get a moment of recognition and that’s it. No one really cares after that. They move on and you’re forgotten.”

“Do you know how they passed?”

“Not sure,” she admitted. “They say when you’re deeply in love, especially with fated mates, when one dies, the other partner soon follows. Unless one rejects the other.”

“Unless one rejects the other?” I inquired.

“In Japan, that’s what we learned in school. Rejection is a big no-no in both cultures because the consequences are very heavy. I think many people believe that when someone rejects their fated mate that Mother Moon will snap her fingers and bring them a new partner to fill the gap.”

“Ya,” I admitted, my focus solely on her.

“That’s not the truth,” Aoa emphasized with seriousness. “In our culture, Mother Moon is a goddess who blesses you with someone she knows needs you. That means they’re not going to be perfect. They could be weak or strong, beautiful or ugly. Whatever they are, they’ll carry flaws that they need the other partner’s assistance in accepting. Some flaws go away with time. Others are there to challenge you to accept yourself and grow. The general purpose, they say in school, is that our journeys are made to influence other people who have similar flaws and circumstances. Maybe individuals who survived the trauma involved in their journey don’t think they need to share, but their struggles are what motivate those just beginning their path to realize that it’s survivable.”

She paused as if to gather her thoughts before continuing, “So when one partner rejects the other, Mother Moon not only tries to force them to meet again and again, she makes the one who rejected their mate miserable, while the other will begin to feel emboldened in nature and rise up for the world to see.”

“I didn’t know that,” I whispered. “So…say if the guy rejected the girl, what would occur?”

“The examples our sensei taught us was that the guy’s life would be miserable. He’d always be reminded of his mate, whether by physically seeing her from afar or being constantly reminded of her existence. It doesn’t matter how far they go or where they try to run to. Say if they were in a different country, they may see a magazine or the person on the television. They’ll always be reminded that they let go of someone, while the female would basically begin to improve on herself,” she elaborated. “It’s like when a girl gets over a breakup. She has her moment of despair and crying, and then boom! She’s working out, healthier, living her best Queen life, and then when the guy sees her, bang. He’s shocked because she’s embodying a goddess descending from the heavens.”

“But wouldn’t the female have feelings for him still?”

“Deep, deep inside, but I think Sensei said the girl would feel bitter. Almost like her feelings that were once as bright as the sun are clouded by thick rain clouds. It’s up to the male who rejected her to fight to move each rain cloud until he sees the sun again! When that happens, he can reclaim her!”

“Reclaim…” I repeated. “So he has to now work for her love.”

“Mhmm,” Aoa concluded and lowered her cup to give me her full attention. “My family always says that women are goddesses who were brought down to the world to empower men, specifically their partners. Men don’t need to worship us, but they have to acknowledge our worth just like we do. When they look at a wolf shifter male, they say ‘Wow, he’s going to be a fine Alpha, Beta, or pack member,’ but they never say the same to female wolf shifters. Why is that? It’s because in a pack, it’s normally emphasized that a powerful woman will take the position of a Luna, or be on the side of the Alpha, and their partnership will only bring him more power and triumph throughout his leadership. That’s because the Alpha acknowledges the power of his Luna, and heeds her words of advice. They’re brought together to respect and love one another, and that’s what Mother Moon wants. Unity. If an Alpha simply discards the sacred energy that comes with the unity she wishes for us, he must reap the consequences by being miserable and having to struggle to obtain the same or higher level of success he would have had if he’d stayed by his woman’s side. Most important, he’ll have to fight for his Luna’s heart again, and the reins will be in her hand to allow him to reclaim her heart once more or to reject him.”

“What happens when she rejects him?”

“Mother Moon will destroy the bond between them, and that can either kill the one who rejected the other or drive them to madness while the other is free to love again.”

“Wow,” I whispered. “I’ve researched it, but there’s not much of anything on it.”

“America likes to hide what can be used as a weapon,” she announced with a shrug.

“You know a lot, Aoa.”

“My parents told both sides of my family to ensure I was raised with knowledge about how cruel our world of power can be,” she revealed. “My mom did everything she could to help other people, but at the end of the day, she died because she was willing to support what would be considered the minority. When you speak against a bigger group of individuals, all they wish to do is silence you. That’s what they did to my mom, and her death took my father away as well.”

My heart clenched at her words as for a brief second, I saw a completely different image before me as she finished her point.

“At the end of the day, you have to rise above the shackles they place on you and prove to the world that you’re worthy of success. That you’re worthy of love, and that you’re worthy of salvation.”

The woman with the same eyes and wonderful red strands like flickering embers left around her danced in the background.

“So I’m gonna make my parents proud and become a badass bitch!” she declared before she stared at my stunned expression. Her cheeks began to turn red as she stuttered, “S-Sorry, Aurelia! I…uhh…got carried away.”

I shook out of my daze and couldn’t help smiling while fighting my internal emotions.

“No. I love it, Aoa. You can be completely open with me,” I assured her. “I wish I could have met your parents.”

“Me too,” she admitted. “I know my mom and dad didn’t die in vain though.”

“Why is that?”

“Change happens when we fight for it. Sometimes that means someone is sacrificed to ensure another with a brighter future will survive. I’m sure whoever my mom protected will become a light to many one day. I think that individual just has to find the power they carry within. When that happens, no one can stop them, and then they’ll become a role model, like you and William De Luca.”

“I don’t think of myself as a role model,” I whispered.

“You don’t have to, Aurelia,” she replied with a loving smile that made her eyes twinkle. “All you have to do is walk your journey and discover the best version of yourself. By doing that, you’ll be motivating us misfits who are craving to do the same.”

Her beaming smile made me grin as she suddenly remembered something.

“Ah! I brought some herbs! My family specializes in them and we have a whole bunch in Japan. I know you have a medicine company that works with all-natural ingredients, so I brought some with me just in case I ever got the opportunity to meet you like I did William! I’ll go get them.”

“Thank you, Aoa,” I whispered as she reached the door. She stopped as she put her hand on the handle and looked back to give me the biggest smile her lips could muster.

“No. Thank you, Aurelia. I hope you know that it’s thanks to you that a lot of us misfits are working hard to be seen. We want to be powerful and kind like you.”

She left me in the quiet room, and I lowered my gaze to see the droplet of a tear fall into my coffee.

“I guess you never know who’s watching our rise,” Aries whispered.

I nodded and looked to my left to see the book with the golden bookmark in the middle.

“Quil?” There was no response, but I reached out for the book to look at the title. “The Queen That Sought Freedom.”

Maybe that was what I was craving. Freedom.

21

DROWNING BESTIE AND MISSING LOVER

“It’s been a few weeks,” I muttered in worry as I continued to pace while my magic worked on packaging the last set of orders. If I kept doing this, I’d surely exhaust myself, but my work was what was aiding in distracting me from the prime situation brewing.

Zane isn’t back yet.

Weeks had gone by, and normally I would never worry about it, but the word through the gossip grapevine was that multiple wizards of high rank were missing - Zane Malark being one of them.

His absence only put a spotlight on me as many wondered if I had some sort of curse on my name. It was clearly a rumor made by one of my many haters and was being silenced by those in the realms of magic that looked up to me, but I was beginning to wonder if I was truly cursed.

Whenever I loved someone, they got hurt or were forced to disappear. It was a theory that had plagued me since the death of my parents, but I thought with Zane, it would be different.

When I’d dated Willow, I didn’t necessarily experience such circumstances. Maybe it was because no one really took us seriously - or maybe they didn’t fear us being together.

I couldn’t decipher the truth, or why this was happening, but as the days went by, I kept drowning myself in work to block the rising anxiety building inside me. I had to put my magic into something or else it would pile up and go on a rampage.

That wasn’t good for anyone.

“I just have to be patient,” I told myself as I finished the next batch of orders and packed them in their designated cubbies. Staring at the progress only made me take a few deep breaths. “I should find something else to do. Yes.”

I needed another distraction.

“Should I go bother the pack?” I’d yet to really visit them, even though I knew where their Pack House was located. I could easily port there, and yet it felt as if I were staying far away.

I knew it wasn’t the right way to mingle with your new pack, but my mind was far too lost in worrying about Zane to care about interactions. I needed to make sure it was okay with Zane, and that was what frightened me. If he wasn’t okay, I’d force myself out of this pack just to save everyone else from getting hurt.

Surely it was a stupid way of thinking, but I couldn’t afford to hurt any more people in my life. I’d be alone forever if it meant I had to sacrifice loving anyone to keep them all on the path of safety.

Regardless of my history with Ace, at the end of the day, he’d worked hard to gather these men, each related to a playing card used in whatever gamble he was pursuing in the world of power and rank. As much as I yearned for their acceptance and the environment to learn more about my kind, I wouldn’t dare be selfish and risk their lives because of my cursed reality.

“Quil did say you talk to yourself a lot.”

I paused in my pacing to look to my right, noticing King’s large frame at the door. I felt a bit confused as I slowly looked around my herbal laboratory station at the Coven. When it was clear no one else was around - particularly Aoa or Beatrice - I walked over to the counter and pulled out one of my pill bottles.

I was working on filling my glass to take a dose when King’s hand held my wrist back to stop me from popping the pills into my mouth.

“What are you doing?” he questioned.

I blinked and looked up at him. “Being a good girl and taking my pills so you’ll disappear.”

“And what would that achieve?” he inquired with curiosity.

“Uh…a moment of sanity?” I offered. “Though these hallucinations are on a new level of realism.”

“I’m not a hallucination,” he stated with a blank expression.

“Right,” I replied. “That’s what they all say.”

He sighed and turned my wrist so I had no choice but to let go of the pills.

“Well, I’m different,” he concluded.

“Prove it,” I replied.

He looked at me for a hard minute before his hand that held my wrist tugged me forward - enough for him to press his lips lightly on the palm of my hand.

I blinked a few times, wondering if this really was real, while the touch of his tender lips sparked something neither of us expected. Warmth spread through my body to the point where things began to levitate around us.

Our eyes widened, but he didn’t retract his lips, and I personally didn’t want him to as I took in the sudden shift in our surroundings. We stood in a clearing that surely could have belonged in a fairytale.

I was speechless even as King slowly removed the palm of my hand away from his lips. Wherever we’d landed was completely new to me, and yet it held a level of familiarity I couldn’t pick up on.

King let go of me - and maybe he had no choice - because I was moving past him and taking in the clearing’s wondrous beauty: the heightened hues of color, the serene warmth of the setting sun’s rays. Butterflies that should have been on their way to another area in preparation for winter fluttered past me, and there was an array of flowers with intense scents.

Aries was wide awake and so close to the surface, I felt the urge to shift, but her pulsating power merely emboldened me further as lifted my hands to see the various symbols that formed along my body.

My magic was reacting on its own accord, and the purple crystals I normally used for herb work and defense now spun around me with a static purple energy. I wanted to ask what the hell was going on, and yet my mind was tugged into a memory so surreal, it almost felt like a dream.

“ARE you sure you’ll be able to make this promise?”

The cries of a baby tickled my ears while my gaze lowered to see the bundle of joy with little strands of blonde. All I had to do was reach out and stroke her forehead, and just like that she yawned and fell back to sleep.

“It’s the only way to save her from the cycle.” The deep voice came from me, and yet I couldn’t match the sound with a face. “Her mother would kill me for doing this. You must promise to never share this, Valentine.”

The frame of vision lifted to show Grandma, only she looked far younger than I would have imagined at my birth.

“I will take such knowledge to the grave, Alpha Delianna.”

“Good.” My vision moved over to see a man of great power who was cloaked in a veil of magic. All that was clear was the crown upon his head.

“I’ve chosen five individuals, her fated being one of them. The moment she is given the pedestal to rise upon, the four connected wolves will be summoned and will stop the completion of such ranks. I hope one of you will be alive during those circumstances to lead her, but know this place will hold its weight in her life and destiny. Her path will go beyond what is destined for her, and she will aid those who will change this world of supernatural and magic.”

“What if the Coven finds out?”

The being chuckled then, and the sound made my whole body tingle like static was buzzing through every nerve in my being.

“By the time they discover the truth, the chair will be filled and this child will begin to climb the steps towards her rightful birthright.”

“What if…there’s a chance I nor Valentine are present,” the male asked.

The individual’s face became slightly clearer, or at least his lips were as they rose in amusement.

“Your child’s destiny will entwine with another. One of royalty that’s in the lands of the wolves. The world will try desperately to pull them apart, but if they survive the turbulence such actions will deliver, they will arrive at a place that will reveal the truth. That individual knows of our royal roots and the connections of your magic to our lands. They will reveal the truth to your child if neither of you are alive to do so.”

“Good,” I replied. “Very good.”

“Shall we seal this in stone?”

“Yes,” the two of them declared.

“Aurelia!”

SOMEONE WAS TRYING to call me, but it felt like I was now floating with my arms at my sides and my palms facing upward. My eyes were surely open and yet all I could see was golden light as hymns of a choir drifted in the background.

“Fuck. We need to snap her out of it.”

“King? How did she get like this?”

“She thought I was a hallucination and I was trying to prove to her that I wasn’t so I kissed her hand and suddenly we were in that clearing. I teleported us here because she was in a trance and her magic was just multiplying.”

“Meaning it was stronger than this?”

“Triple, Quil,” King voiced. “I don’t know why my fae magic reacted and triggered whatever is going on, but I can’t reach her. I’ve tried.”

“Ace?” Quil questioned.

“I’m trying, but the bond isn’t fully established yet. She can’t hear me.”

“Jack?” King questioned.

“Oh. You’d like me to interfere?”

“Yes!” all three voices urged.

“You should have asked,” Jack stated. Something lightly ran through my hair, which was floating like the rest of me, but it was the cool touch of hands against my cheeks that tugged my consciousness to the energetic being in front of me as their voice drifted around me like a surround sound system playing music.

“Sweetie. Aurelia. It’s time to come back home.”

The voice sealed those words with their lips that pressed firmly on mine, and the gold around me began to dim as the energy within me moved inward. Little by little, the warmth diminished and the golden oasis that made me feel like I was floating in the air was locked into whatever space it was resting in.

When my eyes finally established what was before me, I realized I was clearly kissing Jack as we stood in what looked to be a large cabin living room.

I blinked a few times, which made Jack smirk against my lips before he broke the kiss and leaned back to take me in.

“Is our Sweetie back?”

“That’s the third time you’ve kissed me,” I complained with a pout. King, Quil, and Ace were behind a few steps from where we stood, but they sighed in relief while Jack chuckled soothingly.

“I know I should ask permission, but kissing you makes me happy.”

“Oh…okay?” I felt a bit confused. “You’re probably gonna have to ask Zane’s permission to keep doing that.”

“Ask and you shall receive,” he hummed. “I’d gladly ask him, but I think we should get you on that couch.”

“Why would I need the couch?” And that was probably a really stupid question because it only took three seconds for my body to drop like I’d lost all feeling in it.

“Gotcha,” Jack stated as he literally did catch me, but I was too busy groaning and feeling like I’d been drugged - whatever that felt like.

“Fuck,” King swore. He must have been the one to scoop me up like I was nothing.

“Lay her on the couch,” Quil encouraged.

I was struggling to follow what was going on, but I heard Ace grumble something totally incoherent before he urged, “Give me space.”

I don’t know what happened, but my consciousness drifted for a few seconds before I felt Ace literally in my head.

“Aurelia, snap the fuck out of it.”

His tone alone ticked me the fuck off, enough for my magic to take a damn rocket ship to deliver payback as my eyes shot open and I sat up to crash my head right into whoever was in front of me.

“Oh shit,” King cursed while Jack lost it in laughter and Quil groaned.

“Aurelia, two. Ace, zero,” Quil concluded as a thump to the floor made me realize I’d just head-butted Ace and knocked the poor man out.

Actually, nah. He deserved it.

“Poor guy should have let you do it,” King reasoned. He was now crouching down next to the couch I was sitting on while I was trying to determine if my headbutt was a smart move now that I was growing dizzy.

King pressed his hand on my back to prevent me from falling, and his other hand pressed lightly on my forehead before he began to sing.

“Threads of magic, wonders of light, bring warm healing to a princess of pure light. Weave her purpose, make way for revelation, ease the truth to her approaching awakening. Walma Na Radu Le Va Me Da.”

His hand began to glow a brilliant purple with hues of gold, and my eyes weakened while my vision began swarming with gold once more.

“King,” Quil warned.

“He’s not triggering what happened before.” Jack spoke. “His fae magic is just pulling her into a trance, but it won’t teleport them to wherever they went.”

“How do you know this?” Quil questioned.

“I know a lot of things,” Jack replied like it was no big deal.

When the warmth pulled back, I definitely felt better, even though I was so exhausted my eyes closed briefly. King let me lean against him as he announced, “Give her a minute. Her magic should pick up.”

“What are we gonna do about Alpha?” Quil pondered, but he didn’t sound too worried.

“This could be the perfect time to kill him,” Jack noted. “But he should be awake with a splitting headache in two minutes and forty-seven seconds.”

“I won’t even ask about the timing,” Quil concluded.

It took me a minute, but I suddenly felt way better than before. “Fuck,” I cursed and leaned back to see King’s relief. “Okay. You’re not a hallucination.”

“I’m glad we’ve proven this theory,” he stated with a smirk.

“What just happened?” I inquired.

“We’re not sure,” Quil announced and I looked to him and Jack, before my gaze dropped to Ace, who groaned.

“Oh…that…wasn’t me,” I quietly stated.

“Right,” King replied, but my phone began to buzz. I frowned because I knew without a doubt Onyx was calling me by the ringtone.

Placing the phone on speaker, I went right to it.

“Hell-”

“Willow’s in danger. Brooklyn Bridge. She’s in the water. There’s no way she’ll be able to make it to the surface. I can’t get there on time.”

My eyes widened while my heartbeat literally stopped. My instincts, on the other hand, went into overdrive as my magic expanded like a radar increasing the radius of its reach. It only took a split second to see my best friend in the deep ends on the floor of the river while a black Royce was sinking towards the floor of the body of water while streams of blood stained the driver’s side and lifted upward.

With a blink, the vision was gone, but I knew I could get there in time.

“I found her.”

“You’ll make it?” he questioned.

“Yes, but I need to go now,” I urged, which only confirmed I’d be hanging up any second.

“Alright.”

I hung up knowing he’d do the same, and I was up and about to portal but King grabbed a hold of me. “Aurelia, wa-”

“I have thirty seconds to get to my best friend or she’ll fucking drown!” My magic was already swirling, and my anxiety took a crash course in riling my magic up to the point where King was forced to let go because my body was burning like it was on fire.

“Aurelia!” Ace called to me and my eyes locked onto his. For a split second, he felt the whiplash of my fear, the full extent of my emotions that I’d hid perfectly well for years.

The piled-up blocks of feelings that disabled me in my nightmares and made me feel like I was suffocating from the inside out flooded me. Just a single moment of feeling that and any bit of resistance he carried to stop me from going diminished.

I didn’t wait for his permission because I didn’t seek it.

When it comes to my best friends, no one will stop me from protecting them.

I jolted into a sprint, taking five swift strides before pushing off the ground and diving into the portal. My magic spun around me, preparing my body for the ultimate dive and sure enough, a second after escaping the spinning grasps of the portal my body plunged into the water’s massive surface.

There was no delay as my eyes found Willow promptly. She looked to be in rough shape as she took advantage of the rocks, leaves, and tall seaweed. There was a wall with some sort of dent. Rocks were piled around it which gave her some coverage, but following where she was peering confirmed it wouldn’t last for long as two swimmers in black were swiftly approaching.

I didn’t delay as I swam swiftly while cloaking my entire image with the perfect illusion of choice - a shark. They wouldn’t get to see me yet, which would aid in the fright factor, but I’d give them enough shock to let them retreat, like their comrades who were swimming to the surface.

Willow didn’t notice I was behind her, and I didn’t blame her because I could feel just how drained she was. I wasn’t worried about Willow losing the will to breathe because I knew how long she could hold her breath but it was the relatable trauma this experience triggered that worried me.

The past calamity that contributed to the Coven reviving her with magic.

I couldn’t think of that now as I took in Willow’s strands that were pure white - bad fucking sign. My arm hooked around her as I pressed her against me, my other hand outstretching to unravel the magic and reveal my illusion at that very moment.

The two men flinched and rushed the other way in seconds. I didn’t let my illusion fade as they looked back to see if they were being chased, giving me the ultimate desire to make my illusion swim forward. They scurried even faster as they worked to swim upward to the surface.

Without delay, I spun Willow around to face me and used sign language to ask if she could hold her breath a little longer. We’d learned how to sign for different reasons, but it was coming in handy as I watched her nod very slowly.

She certainly wouldn’t last long if I didn’t get her out of the water right this instant. I pulled her into a hug and tightened my arms as I urged us upward. The ripples of water began to pulse out of my body before spinning around to make a mini water spout that forced us to the surface.

It took a full minute but we made it out of the water and dropped onto the rocky ground. I cloaked our presence to make sure no one would see us, the sounds of sirens and helicopters in the sky only confirming a search was ongoing to retrieve whom many would believe was William De Luca.

I looked at Willow but she still wasn’t allowing herself to inhale, which was contributing to her very purple lips and sickly pale flesh. I had to place my hands on her shoulders and shake to snap her out of it.

“Breathe, bitch! We’re safe and hidden.”

She nodded and allowed herself to breathe, which only triggered a coughing fit. I immediately moved to pat her back. “It’s okay, Willow. Just breathe.”

She collapsed onto the rocks as if her body just couldn’t survive sitting, and I let her just focus on breathing while I continued to pat her back and give her words of encouragement. I needed her to grasp the fact that she was alive and I was right here to get her out of here before this entire place was bombarded with feds.

Most importantly, to assure her that she’d be okay. That she’d survive this like she had before.

I didn’t know what happened, but whatever caused the car to plunge from the bridge couldn’t be a coincidence. Willow and water did not get along, and the height of this bridge was far too similar to the past that landed Willow dead many years ago.

I tried not to think about it because it was one of the scariest experiences I’d witnessed with my own eyes, and it was one of the reasons Onyx had disappeared for two years. That incident almost tore us completely apart and could have made Willow truly lose herself from the brain damage that couldn’t be fixed.

It was the reason why she needed those injections for emergencies - to tame that alternate side that held no strings of sanity and lacked morals that fit this world’s standards.

Willow fought to go onto her hands and knees, which gave me the opportunity to check on her. “Willow? Can you stand up?”

“Ya,” she breathed, but she was shaking like we were in the middle of a damn blizzard in nothing but bikinis. I couldn’t blame her much because she was practically naked. She had to have switched from William to Willow because of the shock.

“C’mon. I’ll try to teleport us to Onyx’s place.” She needed to be with Onyx. I may have been her best friend, but her triggers were better managed by Onyx. He knew how to reach her when she lost herself while I knew how to communicate to acknowledge her needs.

“No…you’ve used enough. Can you at least dry our clothes? Maybe change my hair so we can take a longer route? Someone’s…probably waiting to see if we show up at Onyx’s place.”

She had a point, and I nodded before I really took in her bruised body

“Fuck, girl. You’re in rough shape and, well, you’re not really wearing much either.”

“Fuck you,” she breathed with a slight grin, but from the tears that tried to blend with the beads of water dripping down the rest of her face, I knew this near-death experience hit hard.

“I actually liked that driver,” she muttered.

I knew what she was trying to do - attempting to avoid the fact that she was literally on the verge of a fucking breakdown. I tugged her into my arms and patted her back.

“Me too,” I muttered. “Why don’t we take a moment to mourn for him?”

That’s all she needed to hear to break down, her sobs muffling into my chest as I did everything I could to comfort her. It took a few minutes, but Willow calmed down and I conjured up some clothes for her.

I was feeling the strain of all this magic usage, not to mention the events from earlier, but this wasn’t the time to be a weak bitch. I’d push myself to every damn limit if it meant my bestie made it to a safe place and didn’t die because of my lack.

Once she was dressed, I helped her up - using my illusion magic to alter our appearance so we didn’t look like washed-up savages. I waved for a taxi, hoping the driver wouldn’t be one of those talkative ones that NYC had too many of, and got in.

I gave Onyx’s address to the driver as Willow rested her head against my shoulder. The poor girl looked miserable, and I knew without a doubt she’d need a shot and a full examination. She was already drifting when the driver spoke.

“Would you approve of a shorter route, Sweetie?”

I blinked and looked to the rear view to see those pink eyes.

“Jack?” I mouthed in hopes to not wake Willow up. He simply smiled and winked.

“Yes, please,” I quietly replied. He nodded and began tapping onto his phone as we were stuck at the light. My phone buzzed, and I was a little thankful the thing was waterproof - or basically life-proof, in my case.

I noticed the text and though I wasn’t surprised Jack had gotten my number, I was moved by his text.

“I’d port the car but there are wards up in the air. I’ll take a shorter route that Quil, King, and Ace are making. We’ll wait for you. Take as long as you need to make sure your best friend is safe.”

My eyes lifted to meet his in the rear-view mirror, and I struggled not to cry. We’d just met and they honestly didn’t know Willow enough to simply stop whatever they were doing to help out after I ditched, but here they were.

I gave the best smile as I lowered my gaze to my phone and noticed the background on the screen - the picture of me and Zane from the party.

It wasn’t one we’d taken, but one of many that had been leaked onto the gossip vine. He held me with one arm, seconds before he gave me the kiss that had everyone still talking.

The pit of my stomach sank as I tried to calm the heaviness that took over me. It was becoming clear that my curse may be a reality, but that wasn’t what made tears escape my lids.

It was the simple thought of my lover and the potential reality that he was missing.

22

FEAR OF UNCERTAINTY AND FIGHT FOR ME

“Using the elevator tonight, Miss Clementine?”

“Yes, Fernando,” I responded with a weak smile. His eyes were soft and tender when they took me in before he glanced behind me and narrowed his eyes protectively.

“Don’t worry. They’re friends of Zane. We’re trying to determine if we need to make a move in searching for him,” I lied. “We’re late due to the intense traffic on Brooklyn Bridge.”

“Ah.” He eased up a bit while his attention returned to me. “They’re stating William’s car was involved.” He lowered his voice as he leaned in close to continue, “Is Mr. De Luca alright?”

I gave him a slight nod. “He’ll recover, but we’re not encouraging the media to follow the story. I’ll leave that to his team. If anyone tries to seek me for a statement, deny them. The Coven will automatically do the same.”

“Certainly, Miss Clementine,” he assured me as he bowed his head. “I’ll ensure there are no interruptions, though your assistant was here earlier.”

“Aoa?” I questioned before I sighed. “My departure from work was sudden. I know it’s going above and beyond, but can you please contact her for me and tell her I’ll reach out to her tomorrow?”

“Certainly,” he replied. “It’s not a bother at all. Please make your way to your penthouse and rest. If you need anything from security or butler services, don’t hesitate to dial the code on your registered phone.”

“I appreciate it, Fernando.”

After one more bow in my direction, I walked off towards the private elevator that would take me right into my penthouse, Ace, King, Quil, and Jack following me.

I was far too tired to teleport anywhere right now, and thanks to the wards in the sky, we were pretty much stuck in trying to portal anywhere within the wards. Sure, if we were outside of the state and entering, we’d get in just fine and dandy, but thanks to the incident on the bridge, wards were put up.

It was obvious there was some magic involved in the incident, and that was going to get messy with the Coven. When witches or wizards decided to do dirty work that hit human news, that always brought a shit ton of unnecessary work for us.

That was exactly why I didn’t want to be disturbed tonight. I’d need my rest for whatever bullshit would be waiting for me in the morning. More importantly, I’d have to make sure I got enough rest to take some meds to Willow.

Her injuries weren’t life-threatening, but they were surely going to leave her in a state of sore mayhem in the morning and I didn’t want to think about the mental trauma she’d endure either. The damn bastards who plotted this would be skinned alive if it was my wish, but I didn’t think it was right to interfere now.

With Onyx and the Forbidden Pack, who were currently Willow’s temporary pack - long story of how that shit went down - aware of the situation, I doubt those involved, including the divers, would last twenty-four hours.

Due to that strong assumption, it only made sense to come home, and I had to bring my misfit pack with me because they couldn’t port to their cabin home out west and it was about two hours from here by car.

With the current traffic throughout the city thanks to the bridge incident, they wouldn’t get there even if they spent the entire night trying, so the least I could do was offer them shelter for the night. It wasn’t like I had plans aside from soaking in the bath and missing Zane’s presence.

The reminder made my stomach flip, but I ignored it as the elevator arrived. We entered the golden mirror box, while I fought to control my rising emotions. I was beginning to feel sick, the strain of the magic I’d used really beginning to take its toll on me.

I noticed how Ace and Jack were to my left and Quil and King were to my right as I pressed my thumb for the access scanner to deliver us to the highest floor where my penthouse resided. I caught onto Ace’s gaze that lingered on me, his arm moving as if he anticipated my wobbling stance, but instead of him being the one to attempt to catch me, Quil smoothly wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me against his frame.

“You’re gonna pass out if you don’t reel in your aura, Aurelia,” Quil warned, his voice still as calm as ever.

“Right,” I replied. My shoulders sank, even though the tension in my body was through the roof. He let me lean against him until we reached the penthouse, and I gathered the strength to thank him before leaning off to stand on my own.

Today had surely gone from stressful to damn right crazy. As tired as I was, I knew without a doubt I’d have a restless night attempting to sleep. I could already anticipate the breakdown inching closer and closer, but I wouldn’t focus on it or else it would come reeling in like a bull running straight to a red target.

The elevator doors opened and I didn’t hesitate to walk into my space. The others took their time entering, but I was already at the fridge and getting a bottle of water.

If any of them said anything, I didn’t know because I was completely zoned out. My new mission was to get some meds in me before things went down fucking hill. It took a few drawers for me to finally find the one with my anxiety meds, and I bet I looked like a damn addict who experienced withdrawals, but I didn’t care.

I couldn’t deal with this now, and no way was I doing it with Ace around. Maybe if it was just the others, I wouldn’t have minded, but they were so new to me, and I hadn’t built enough comfort to let them see a side of me that even I was disgusted with.

Talk about self-love bullshit.

With a spin of the lid, I turned the bottle over to extract the last two capsules before making a mental note to make more later. Poor Aries would probably be the one to remind me, but for now, she was quietly watching me in her space.

She knew from many years of my various panic attacks that her common-sense statements only aggravated me in this stage of madness, so it was better just to watch and make sure I didn’t do something stupid like jump off a damn building.

Okay, I’d admit that I had done that a few times, but that’s why she was my wolf and had enough control of my magical body to port my manic self to the safety of Zane’s bed when I was in a state of suicidal insanity.

The hand that stopped my hand was unexpected. My eyes immediately darted up to see Ace instead of King, who I was expecting – or at least I hoped it was him and not this fucker.

“What?” I snapped. “A girl can’t take her meds?”

“You know taking those doesn’t stop what’s buried inside you,” Ace huffed.

Oh this motherfucking douche of a man wasn’t going to lecture me now.

“Ace.” King’s stern voice drew my attention. “This isn’t the time.”

“You can’t fucking feel what I do.”

“Does it matter now?” Quil spoke up. “Let her do what she needs to do.”

“And keep up this unhealthy behavior that will fucking ruin her?” Ace combated.

I rolled my eyes and tugged my hand from his grip. “Aww. What? Now you want to show that you care?” I huffed and tossed the meds into the air to drop into my mouth.

Or they should have if Ace didn’t grab them.

“Ace!” I snapped, but he walked into my living room and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Ace.” Jack’s voice was smoother and deeper then I’d ever heard it. “Not now.”

“If not now, when?” Ace exclaimed. “You’re okay with her just burying that shit until it fucking kills her?”

“It’s not our fucking place, Ace,” King stressed.

“It certainly is, or why the fuck would we be gathered here? Or, more importantly, why would she be the one to specifically find our cards? We all didn’t just randomly leave them around for her to obtain!”

“Why don’t you talk about your collector cards after you give me back my damn meds, Ace?” I snapped as I stomped over to him.

“They aren’t fucking collector cards,” he huffed back. “The cards fucking chose you out of all the damn people and yet you’re not even trying to take it seriously!”

“Why would I take it seriously?!” I questioned. “Am I supposed to know what your magical cards are supposed to do?”

“Yes!” he screamed. “If you took a fucking second to be a wolf and focus on your pack instead of being a damn witch 24/7!”

“Why the fuck is it your damn business?” I screamed and uncapped the bottle of water to just throw it in his damn face. He gawked at the move while I threw the empty bottle to the side and got right in his personal space.

“So because you’re my ‘Alpha’ you now rule my fucking existence?! What the fuck have you ever done for me?!”

“I’ve done more for you than you’d ever believe!”

“Oh really?! Like what? Fucking disappear?!” I clapped my hands and threw them up in the air. “Magic tricks are your specialty, right? Like fucking appearing when I’m on the verge of death or about to get raped? But being present is your downfall until you want to look like a damn hero in front of your packmates and steal my fucking medicine away from me!”

“You’re not fucking serious right now,” he growled. “You think I’m doing this to please my boys? Are you fucking stupid?!”

“I’m apparently a smart as fuck cookie who has a higher IQ than you and could be a damn good Alpha if I wasn’t obviously forced to fulfill my damn duties as a hybrid misfit witch!”

“You could never be an Alpha because all you ever focus on is your magic, happy pills, and avoiding being afraid of everything collapsing in your life!”

“Oh, so what? You’re an Aurelia Delianna Clementine expert now because you had three seconds in my fucking head? How charming! Are you going to unlock all the fucking chests in my head and see what fucking comes out?!” I screamed and pushed him.

Ace clenched his fist before he slammed the capsules to the ground.

“I know that these capsules aren’t going to do shit!” he snapped and I froze the moment he lifted his leg and stomped like they didn’t take me hours to make. I gawked in horror, but what I didn’t expect was Jack blurring past me and punching Ace in the fucking face.

That had King holding Ace back and Quil standing protectively in front of me.

“Don’t bring your anger outburst into the conversation,” Jack snapped. “How fucking envious do you have to be to destroy what she needs in this prime moment?!”

“You think she needs to fucking drown in a make-believe oasis in her fucking mind to be better?!” Ace snapped. “This is why you can’t be a fucking Alpha!”

“I choose NOT to be a fucking Alpha,” Jack snapped right back. “Because no way could I handle dealing with a smidge of whatever goes on in your fucked-up head!”

“I know what’s best for her!”

“You don’t know shit!” Jack screamed. “If you did, maybe you wouldn’t have rejected her and become a fucking lunatic with obsessive-compulsive disorder.”

“Jack,” Quil warned but Jack flipped him off.

“You’re a fucking coward for doing what you just did! She had a shit of a day and almost lost her best friend! She fucking deserves to lay in a field of fake bunnies if it means she gets a damn moment to breathe!”

“And then what happens?!” Ace screamed and pulled right out of King’s grasp to get right in Jack’s face. “Then what? Another day of ignoring the pile of troubles that you’ll never fucking solve but encourage to grow!”

Quil moved then to separate the two because I could tell from the sudden rise in Jack’s aura that shit was going to go down.

“I never even fucking asked to get a glimpse of her fucked-up head, but who forced me onto that damn chair in the forest so she could grab my damn card?”

It was Quil’s turn to hold Jack back. I was sure he was going to give Ace another black eye.

“You and I both fucking know you could have moved your ass off that chair the moment her mouth took in your small ass dick, but no! You finally allowed yourself to fucking feel and don’t try to deny that you miss her guts to the point of slipping up!”

“You know fucking nothing!”

“And yet I know everything!” Jack snapped back. “I know how much you fucking love her! It frightens the shit out of you to the point that you need to break shit to numb the damn pain in your heart! I know how jealous you are that she wasn’t just waiting for you while you gathered us so you could finally be powerful enough to take on her damn toxic family! I know you fucking cry in your sleep because there’s a damn hole in your heart that only continues to grow! And while that hollow emptiness spreads and spreads, Aurelia just grows stronger and more enchanting to the world, which leaves you looking like a damn fool!”

“Shut the fuck up!” Ace snapped.

“Or what?!” Jack screamed. “Gonna try and steal Aurelia away now that we actually want to know more about her? Deny us our fucking right while you try to figure shit out like you’ve been trying to for eight fucking years?!”

“Jack.” King nervously looked my way but Jack laughed like a fucking lunatic as he glared at Ace.

“We were supposed to be with Aurelia EIGHT FUCKING YEARS AGO, but instead, you couldn’t fucking deal with the fact you gathered us together only for Aurelia to be destined Alpha! You didn’t want to accept that you’d be left behind while the King, Queen, Jack, and Joker took the woman you’ve loved for your whole damn life! No matter how many ladies you try to be with, or the number of drugs and beers you consume, you can’t get over the woman you’ve been destined to cherish because you fucked up!”

“I didn’t fuck up!”

“You didn’t fuck up?!” Jack asked like it was a valid question before he laughed hysterically. “You think abandoning your mate to fend for herself and getting the magician of all things powerful, Zane, to come and train her so that you knew she was fucking safe from that rapist Westley’s grasp was smart? Yet now you’re fucking envious of the sorcerer because not only did he train your destined mate to be a badass bitch, but she fell in love with him because he actually took the time of day to be there for her!”

“She’s MY mate!”

“And at the end of the day, what did you do to earn it?”

All eyes landed on me as I stared at him with cold eyes.

“You’re right. I’m your mate. From the moment our bond awakened, I envisioned our entire future together. I held hopes and dreams, and couldn’t wait for the world to see that I was yours. But over and over, life got in the way, distancing us further and further until you were what reminded me of the pain I’ve endured in life instead of bringing me joy and peace.”

“You’re really going to blame me when this damn world is the reason why we’re always pulled apart?!”

“If you’re so proud of me being your mate, why is it when life pulls us apart, you never tried to come back to me?”

“What?” He actually gasped and looked at me like I was truly a fool. “I wasn’t allowed to be next to you.”

“And yet you were assigned to protect me as torture. You were forced to see me from afar and only showed up when it was a last resort. You weren’t allowed to be by my side but did that stop you from fucking me? From us having one damn night together to feel what we were missing?”

“You think I didn’t cherish that moment?”

“If you cherished it, why didn’t you fight for us to have another? Or better yet, try for us to meet indirectly somehow? You had no problems visiting your parents’ graves and leaving flowers on my parents’ resting places, but you always left minutes before I arrived. Did you think I wouldn’t pick up on your scent? That my heart wouldn’t be reminded of the fact that thanks to my fucked-up, selfish family, I couldn’t fucking love the person destined for me? Why didn’t you at least try to fight our reality?!”

“And yet did you?” he snapped and wrangled out of King’s hold. “You didn’t fight for us.”

“How can the REJECTED person fight for a future YOU didn’t want?!” I screamed. “Years!! I spent years thinking of what a horrible person I was to be born into a family that blamed an innocent person for my injuries. I blamed myself for being the sole reason your parents were murdered when I was but a kid and had no control over what was happening until it was too late! I fought for your innocence! I was willing to go against my family, the Elders, my own damn Coven just to make sure YOU’D have a future! Even if it eventually meant I wouldn’t be in the picture, I did that when my heart was fucking broken!”

I slapped my chest as tears welled in my eyes.

“I sacrificed being loved by anyone else because of the fucked-up insecurities I gained from being a Wolf Rejected! I dated my best fucking friend in this damn world because you weren’t there to fill those shoes! My girlfriend was willing to put aside the love she carried for a guy who’s been there by her side for her whole fucking life just to give me a glimpse of happiness! To show me what it’s like to have someone by your side who isn’t going to fucking abandon you whenever things get hard!”

“I didn’t abandon you! I was pushed away.”

“Then why didn’t you come back?!” I screamed loud enough to shatter glass, but I didn’t care. My magic vibrated against my body as I gave up on fighting the anger I’d piled up for years. “That was ALL I ever wanted! For you to come back! For you to stand on your own accord and tell me with your own words that you still wanted me! I craved your acceptance. Craved becoming a better person who wouldn’t be such a weakling that everyone could control and abuse, but when it came to you, I craved your damn company.”

Tears spilled down my flushed face as I breathed heavily.

“You think I like being fucking crazy?! You think it’s because of the venom that I’m so dependent on these capsules that take me HOURS and loads of magic to make, that I can barely crawl into my bed when I’m finished creating them?!”

I hit the side of my head to emphasize the point as I screamed, “The damage in my fucked-up head is due to being Wolf Rejected! It’s because of my hybrid witch state that I’m here, arguing with your stupid ass, or else guess what?! I’d be a rogue fucking wolf without a damn brain cell because Aries would have no choice but to focus on a future filled with nothing but loneliness and exile because her wolf shifter mate rejected her! She’d be lost in the ongoing cycle of being rejected by everyone around her because her own fucking mate decided she wasn’t worth the pain and agony that could have come our way if you didn’t obey whoever forced you to reject me for my better fucking good!”

I moved until I was right in his face and slapped him with as much power as I had in the palm of my hand. “Everyone mocks me because I don’t use my wolf shifter side and I don’t do this and that, or I don’t deserve to be a part of a pack, but did ONE PERSON ask why?!”

Ace actually remained still, as did the rest of them, and all I could do was fucking laugh at how fucking ironic this all was.

“You know why there are so few rejected wolves around? Why don’t I explain it nice and clear?! The moment they’re rejected, a lovely hole forms in their heart and it aches all day and night. There are no breaks or moments of relief. You’re constantly reminded that Mother Moon gave you a mate and they fucking went against that decision. Over and over, you’re reminded of the truth, that as you’re forced to survive the constant reminder of your failure to be a mate to your chosen one, they get to roam around and do whatever they want. Mother Moon gives the couple chances to reunite and fix things, but you know what ends up happening? The rejected wolf goes feral, becoming like any other creature in the wilderness. And what occurs to most rogue shifters? One of two things. They’re captured, shipped to Russia, and used for experimentations and potentially have the chance of being captive henchmen, or they’re ripped to shreds by a pack that won’t take them in. By the time their mate finds out, it’s too late, for their love is dead.”

I shook my head and giggled as more tears spilled down my face.

“But guess what? That didn’t happen to me! Oh, I wonder why?! Ah! Yes! The fucking witch side of me is FINALLY useful! The side of me that my own kind belittles, mocks, and tosses to the side because of my misfit wolf shifter qualities is the reason why I have a few screws left. But who gets all the glory? Aries, because she now is given a duty to LIVE, rather then have another plague on her exhausted shoulders to carry! The magic side that you despise is the reason why I’m alive, Ace fucking Hunter, because the old you decided I wasn’t worth fighting for.”

“That’s all you wanted? For me to fight for you?!”

“YES!” I exclaimed. “That’s all I ever wanted! You think I’m so blind that I don’t know what you possibly did for me in the shadows? That I’m unaware that something had to be so damn frightening for you to reject me? Yes, you made sacrifices for me, Ace. Sacrifices that forced you to leave behind your past and family name as Ace Hunter and become Ace Ezra Maximus and gather loyal packmates who, when push comes to shove, would probably save your ass!”

I patted my chest as fought the urge to break down and cry.

“But you know what I sacrificed? Being loved! I sacrificed being happy. I allowed the trauma you inflicted on me to shift the world’s respect for me into mockery. I’m so afraid of being loved that I push everyone away from me! I’m so frightened of being surrounded by love because whenever I do, someone DIES! The person who took me under their wing and gave me this immense amount of knowledge about herbs is gone and I can’t even remember their fucking name! I broke up with my best friend so she could have what I’ve always wished to experience, just so that she could be fucking happy! I…watched Grandma turn into ashes before my very eyes, and now the only person…the only person who’s always come back to my side when the world pushed and pushed for him to abandon me like everyone hasn’t returned in weeks and I can’t fucking determine if I’m fucking cursed at this point…all because you rejected me, Ace. But more importantly, you didn’t try and fight for this!”

He was speechless as I reached for the necklace I hid with my magic, allowing it to be revealed so I could show it to him.

His eyes widened at the heirloom, and I just smiled as I raised the symbolic item for him to see at eye level as I sniffed and fought against my sobs.

“When you rejected me, I could have thrown this away…and yet I kept it. I held onto it because it was my only glimpse of hope that we could be together. The only chance I carried that we’d find each other again. It didn’t matter how painful our pasts molded our lives. All that mattered to me was that keeping this would maybe…just maybe, give me a chance to find the boy I fell in love with. To find the brave, kind, funny boy who wanted to be a hero like his father, and kind-hearted like his mother.”

His eyes twinkled with tears of his own, the beads of water rolling down his cheeks.

I smiled and took a few steps back, distancing myself from them as I shrugged.

“You’re afraid I’ll take your pack away. Frightened that I’ll call them what? Aurelia’s Pack of Misfits like a fucking circus?” I laughed because it was far too funny and preposterous. “All I want is to be happy, Ace. To have friends…packmates…a home. Do you think money keeps me warm at night? That this penthouse or my lovely room of herbs keep me company? You believe that I don’t realize when I talk out loud…it’s in hopes maybe someone will answer me and not just an illusion in my head that craves to be around people who care. I want to love and not fear my damn family stealing that love from me! I want someone who will kiss me like I’m the best-tasting thing in the world, someone to hug me like I’m their everything, and someone to hold my hand in public and not be ashamed to date the crazy witch from the flaunting flock of power-hungry bitches.”

I let go of his necklace and ran my hand through my long locks.

“I want to be whole again…” I quietly begged, my lips trembling as I smiled and watched the sadness that swarmed their faces. “That’s…what I want the most. To be whole.”

Spinning around, I blinked and whispered, “Stay as long as you need to. The cleaner will fix whatever is broken.” I took a few steps forward and stopped to whisper, “Shred the contract. Being a Lone Wolf doesn’t bother me anyway.”

My next step took me right into a portal - one I hadn’t summoned. Yet it sucked me away from there and into another familiar place.

I took two steps only to crash into something, but my body froze as an arm hooked around me and squeezed as tightly as they could. The familiar aroma, the warmth I’d missed for weeks, and the calm beat of someone’s heartbeat that always encouraged me to slip into the depths of sleep overcame me.

“I wondered why your magic was all over the place.”

I dared lift my head up and back, and there were those twinkling, iridescent eyes that were as loving and calm as ever. Words fought to escape my parted lips, but instead, lips laid upon mine and stole my breath as they devoured me.

The kiss stole the intense agony, bringing warmth and comfort my way as the heightened pulsation of magic embraced me. When my lips were freed, all I could do was whisper, “You’re…back.”

“Silly Aura,” he whispered and pressed his forehead against mine. “I’ll always come back for you, baby. You’re mine.”

He hugged me again, and I noticed one of his arms was in a sling. Not to forget the scratches on his face and the tattered rags that clung to his frame. He literally had to have gone through the battle of the century, and yet here he was, with me in his arms.

I should have been grateful, or overwhelmed with joy, but my hands clung to the sides of his clothes to fight against the shaking urge to push him away.

“Why?” I choked. “Why won’t you reject me like everyone else?”

“Why would I do that, Aura?”

“My mate rejected me. My family wishes to reject me. The world probably wants me gone…and yet…you’re here. Why? I’m a reject.”

He quietly chuckled and I felt his lips press upon the top of my head. “Then you’ll be my reject, Aurelia. I’ll never reject you out of my life. I don’t care if they push, shove, or chain me to not be with you. You’re mine, and that means I’ll always come back to you.”

“Always?”

“Always,” he vowed.

I smiled slightly as my clenched hands relaxed. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I leaned back to look into his eyes as my tears pooled and blurred my vision of him.

“I…I met Ace’s pack,” I whispered.

“Mhmm.”

“And…Jack kissed me a few times.”

“Okay,” he calmly replied.

“King was really gentle for a tall beast and Quil was calm yet intriguing.” I didn’t understand why I was sharing this now, yet the words came tumbling out. “I gave Ace a blow job to distract him and retrieve his card. These collectible cards…I signed a contract to be in their pack…and well…I fucked that up pretty fast.”

“That’s alright,” he assured me. I wanted him to get mad at me, and yet he was as calm as ever while my tears spilled down my face.

“I…I really liked them,” I finally confessed with a sad smile. “For a second…I…thought maybe…we’d be a pack.”

“I know, Aura,” he revealed and pulled me back into his arms. “Maybe next time we’ll find a better pack?”

All I could do was nod as my sobs were muffled into his chest. I allowed all my emotions to flow, all while his statement echoed in my head.

Maybe we’ll find a place to call home.

23

FORCED REALITY AND LOST FLOWER

~ A FEW WEEKS LATER~

“I don’t want to see it! I don’t want to see it. Oh fuck…I saw it. Nope. I’m doomed. Just kill me now. Pretty please, babe?”

“You’re not actually being serious?” I stared at him before rolling my eyes. “Stay still.”

“No, no, no! Baby, don’t go warning me like that.”

“I wasn’t warning you!”

“When you tell me to stay still, that forces me to anticipate the inevitable and it makes me pani-AH!” I stuck the needle into his bicep before he could finish his sentence.

With a push of the plunger, I administered the small formulated dose and retracted the needle just before he could turn his head. With a flick of my hand, the syringe landed in the needle bin while I lightly slapped on a teal bandage with a little cartoon snake on it.

“All done,” I announced and watched as Zane pouted.

“You were cruel to me,” he whined.

“For what?”

“You didn’t kiss the spot to make it heal faster.”

I snickered before bursting out into laughter. “What are you? Five?!”

Zane continued to pout, but he reached out to pull me into his grasp. My body pressed between his legs as he continued to sit on the stool next to his island. He leaned right in to kiss me, without a hint of hesitation.

“No, but I still want my kiss,” he muttered against my lips.

“You hate needles that much, huh?”

“They’re horrid,” he huffed. “Though I never got Medusa-themed Band-Aids.”

“Hiss.”

We both blinked while I simply lowered my gaze to see Medusa slowly making her way from around my neck to Zane’s.

“Wait a minute,” he questioned as he arched a teasing eyebrow my way.

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not turned on by your pain,” I said, getting straight to the point. “She can come out from my sweat. Which reminds me, it’s too hot in here.”

“I put the thermostat higher this afternoon. It’s a bit chilly and it may snow.”

“I don’t blame you,” I admitted. “Are you still feeling a tad sluggish?”

I reached out to press my forehead against his to check his temperature, and he seemed to smile at me before he closed the distance by giving me another lingering kiss.

“I’m fine, Aura,” he assured me. “I always get a bit under the weather when there are full moons.”

“Why is that?” I pondered. “Wolf shifters are normally affected by the moon stages, but you’re all wizard, honey.”

“Oh?” He pulled me against him once more when I tried to slip out of his grasp, and my eyes locked with his playful ones. “Hold that thought,” he growled. “Call me honey again.”

“You’re so silly,” I brushed him off, but even with one hand, this man somehow managed to keep me in his grasp. “Honey. The – mhmm.” My statement was lost in his mouth as he had me in a lip lock that made my toes curl and my body melt against his.

“Hiss.”

We broke the kiss to see Medusa had clearly wrapped herself around both our necks and was more interested in my hair ornament than untangling herself.

“Medusa?” I questioned. “Can we be free from your captivity, please? We’ve gotta get going soon for the special meeting tonight.”

“Hiss, hiss!” Medusa clearly couldn’t be bothered, and I looked to Zane as he shrugged and gave me a lazy smile.

“Gives me more time to admire you,” he concluded with a wink.

I sighed, but my lips curled upward as I stared back into his eyes.

“You didn’t explain why full moons affect you.”

“My magic’s dominant element is darkness. Some call it shadow magic, but with a dominating element of darkness, you’re more empowered on the full moon,” he revealed. “It’s why in fairytales and other stories they describe witches as “evil” because they embody darkness. To humans, that element is described as bad, evil, and other negative words, but without the darkness, you’d never see the true illumination of the moon or grasp its energy, which is what many magic users specifically need for certain spells. Wolves rely on the moon as a life source, so when there’s a full moon, the energy in the air spikes tremendously. The stronger the worshipping of the moon is, the denser the air is with vibrating energy. That energy is extremely overwhelming and empowering and is why it’s best to do magic and other rituals on days like today.”

“Why am I finding this out now?” I reasoned.

“I’ll teach you everything you wish to know, Aurelia,” he hummed and kissed my nose. “All you have to do is ask.”

“Hiss!” Medusa clearly agreed as she’d lost interest in my hair ornament and was working her way backward to unravel herself.

“So what type of moon is today? I didn’t check.”

“Pink Moon, I think,” Zane answered as he looked deep in thought. “Super powerful one. It only comes around every twenty-five years or something. Very special wolves, including royal ones, awaken on Pink Moons.”

“Eh? Really?” I questioned.

“Mhmm. Royal wolves that are dominant are unlocked. Some wolves hold personas that are triggered by the moon phases that come out for a short period of time and go away until the next moon phase. There are also wolves that embody elements, such as Inferno wolves that harvest flames from hell, or Shadow wolves of various ranks, including the title Dark Lord. There are obviously fae wolves, and maiden wolves, which are actually Seelie-born hybrids. Seelies are really feminine-looking but they create really powerful offspring. Also, there are really rare Phoenix Hawk wolves.”

“Phoenix what who?” I questioned as I was a hundred percent intrigued by this. I normally avoided talking about anything wolf shifter in Zane’s presence simply because I didn’t want to him to feel excluded since it was something he couldn’t become.

“Extremely rare wolves. Like they may be extinct. Master Z taught me about them, but it’s basically when a Phoenix Hawk hybrid mates with an Alpha wolf or a hawk shifter mates with an Inferno wolf. There are two combinations. I believe one of the only couples are a part of the High Court.”

“Wait, seriously?” I gawked at him. “There are…hybrids on the High Court council?”

“Of course.” He looked at me with a questioning look. “You didn’t know?”

“The Coven always says those on the chair are witches only.”

Zane just stared at me for a long minute before he pulled me even closer.

“Sweetheart, the High Court runs on a system of Master and Disciple. The Master is the individual who essentially mentors the one who is going to sit upon the chair until they’re ready to take on their designated ‘throne’. When the Disciple sits on the chair, they then become the Master, and their Master becomes the Disciple. The process can take decades if not centuries since the position comes with immortality until the two agree that they’ve lived long enough. Most of the time, those that get a position on the chair are hybrids or the designated Master is a wizard or witch, and the Disciple is a hybrid.”

“But…they said only females sit on the chair.”

“Yes, generally speaking, but that’s simply because the ratio of female Disciples and male Masters has been on the rise for a few centuries. A position opening up is just as rare so everyone assumes a female will take the chair.”

“So…I don’t need to be a part of the Coven to potentially get a chance at the chair?”

“Who said you need to be a part of the Coven?” Zane looked so confused.

“The Clementine legacy has always centered around us being born to take the chair. My great-great-grandma held a spot on the High Court, but then my Grandma denied it, and so did my Mother, and now it’s up to me to take the spot.”

This was the first time I was going into detail about my family and the Coven. I’d never discussed it with Zane because I always worried he’d have to be on their side because of his association with the High Court.

It took years of him building my trust, and obviously us now dating, for me to be comfortable with sharing so much but finding all this out was beginning to make me wonder if my entire life struggle was all in vain.

“You wouldn’t be able to take the spot,” Zane emphasized.

“Is it because I’m a hybrid?” I inquired.

“No.” He shook his head and placed his better hand against my cheek to get my focus. “Why would your family insist you take a chair that’s not available?”

“What…do you mean it’s not available?” My confusion was obvious, but Zane’s conflicted expression was making my stomach flip in odd ways.

“You have to promise me you won’t say anything,” he urged. “I’m only allowed to tell you this because we’re a couple, which falls within the rules of the oath when it comes to privacy.”

“I promise, Zane,” I vowed.

He stared into my eyes for a long moment before he nodded his head. “You can’t take the chair because it’s not available, meaning your great-great-grandmother is still very alive.”

I blinked a few times, staring at him in utter confusion while my jaw went slack.

“You thought she was dead?”

“She…has to be dead. She can’t…be alive,” I tried to argue.

“High Court members gain immortality, my love. Think of them as gods in the realms of the supernatural world of magic. It’s why there’s so much diversity brought into the High Court, because it doesn’t just center on beings of magic. Some members are extremely rare hybrids or shifters who were gifted magic,” he explained. “More importantly, High Court chairs aren’t simply open for anyone to rise onto.”

“But…the Coven…Elders, even my grandma stated that I had to be prepared to take the chair the moment it became available and that I’d have to be perfect in everything to obtain such an honorable role.”

“Is that what you’re all taught in school?” Zane looked absolutely baffled.

“Yes?” I nervously admitted. “That’s why everyone is positive you have a seat on the High Court.”

“The only way I’d have a chair is if Master Z appoints me, and that’s if he has no child to pass the chair to,” Zane revealed. “You also either need Alpha qualities or to be royalty to qualify.”

“Wait seriously?” I felt like a complete idiot right then. “So…are you royalty then?”

“I doubt it.” Zane laughed. “If I knew my parents, maybe I’d be able to answer.”

“What?”

He smiled at the way my eyes flooded with sadness as he leaned in to kiss me tenderly.

“I know you probably don’t know a lot about me, Aura, but I’m an orphan. Not sure how my parents died, but Master L took me in with Master M’s assistance. I was raised by the High Court because of my potential, but it doesn’t give me a pass to rise to the chair,” he revealed. “There are only three ways to get a spot on the chair. Family lineage is at the top, meaning a parent or parents have a spot as Master and Disciple. The second opportunity is for the Master to choose someone they trust who deserves the position, which only can happen if they have no next of kin. The final chance is if a certain magical artifact chooses you as a potential candidate, but normally it never reaches that stage.”

“So…I can’t rise to the chair unless…my great-great-grandma, who potentially is alive…dies?”

“Yes,” he concluded. “In that case, it would be her choice. She’d have to let go of her immortality and pass it down to you. That would trigger the aging process and she’d die shortly after, like a star running out of juice. Her death would most likely trigger her Disciple’s since they would be so connected to one another’s energy that without one wavelength, the other would fizzle to nothing. That would automatically make you a Disciple while whoever holds the artifact blessed by your great-great-grandmother would be the Master.”

“Fuck,” I whispered as my head began to pound. “So…you’re saying my whole damn life is a lie?”

Zane frowned as he thought about it.

“I’m not sure where the miscommunication could have possibly gone astray, but someone had to have lied about the whole process and placed their agenda in motion to make your family line simply follow a tradition that’s based on a clear fabrication,” Zane declared.

“So…why the hell have I dedicated my life to the Coven when I may never need to take the chair? And if that’s all true, why has my family been so desperate for me to get strong and hold the Clementine name by working towards grabbing this unobtainable trophy? Better yet, why are they so peeved about my relationship with Willow or the De Lucas in general? There are so many pieces I’m missing. Oh fuck! I’m gonna be late for this meeting if I don’t leave soon. How do I even confront them? No…they can’t know about this. Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

“Aurelia.” Zane had to slide his fingers to steady my head and kiss me long and hard to keep me from freaking the fuck out. “Breathe for a second.”

I took a deep inhale and let it out slowly, trying to remain calm and not completely freak out. “Zane…if what you’re saying is all true…which it is…my whole fucking life has been a lie! Imagine the sacrifices that have been made because of this, and that has been passed down for generations, and fuck…Ace’s parents died because I got hurt and I was the only child who would rise to the chair. His parents’ deaths were obviously for nothing, but this news just rubs salt in the damn wound. All those people died over this position that isn’t even mine to claim because it’s still filled by a family member we thought was long dead.”

“I understand,” he whispered. “Does that mean Ace thinks the same thing? Or the rest of the pack?”

“I’m not sure about the rest of the pack,” I admitted. We hadn’t really brought them or Ace up since I’d left them at my penthouse weeks ago. I’d been avoiding the Coven to take a much-needed mental break and have been staying with Zane the entire time after he came back from the mission that took weeks recover from. “But Ace learned the exact same traditions and was told the same stories…I think?”

How could I even be sure now that I was finding all this out? My life as I knew it was a fable created to literally make me into a puppet for my family to train and pamper until I was deemed worthy of forced marriage and heir-making.

“Holy shit…wait.” I looked at him with wide eyes. “Why would they make me marry Westley then? Like, Aunt Beatrice had tried to force me to marry Westley years before. For some sort of contract that would guarantee him the chair. Isn’t he able to get a spot?”

“Impossible,” Zane shut the idea down. “I recently did my research on Westley. I didn’t want to tell you because there’s no need of bringing up old wounds, but Westley’s a twin, and that’s not his real name.”

“It’s not?!” I gasped.

“Nope,” Zane revealed. “As for his heritage, he doesn’t have much to his name. He works for someone…kind of like an assistant, but I haven’t been able to further my investigation. His brother does security gigs, so maybe that’s why he was even able to get into that event you attended where your Aunt tried to hook you two up, but no way did he simply attend because he was invited.”

“Wait…he does security jobs?” I questioned. “Do you know any other aliases?”

“Hmm.” Zane thought about it. “That name…um…I remembered it because it reminded me of that very old classic cartoon about a fat orange cat that loves pasta.”

“No fucking shit!” I cursed. “Garfield?!”

“Yes. Have you met someone with that name?”

“I haven’t, but Willow was recently complaining about having a security guard that wouldn’t play dead and his name was Garfield.”

Zane frowned. “Do you think they’re still using him as security?”

“I doubt it,” I reasoned before biting my lip to think. “Willow is very picky with security, and she’s been getting close to the Forbidden Pack. They have their own security team. If someone doesn’t meet their standards, they’re out. The fact that he didn’t follow Willow’s orders probably got him the boot pretty fast.”

“Can you call to make sure?”

“Didn’t you see the news? Willow’s quitting. She wouldn’t be in the office. There’s been a spike of attacks against her as William, so I think she decided to resign and Roberto approved it.”

“Then she shouldn’t be in trouble,” he reasoned and seemed relieved by that. “It’s also a full moon. She’ll be running with the Forbidden Pack. Even if she’s not a wolf yet.”

“Ya. I know that’s for sure. She’s been spending more time with them, getting to know their qualities and such, so I think it’s safe to say we’ll be able to reach her tomorrow to talk about it.”

“You need to go to your meeting then,” he urged.

“But…fuck, Zane. I know too much.”

“Yes, but now you know you don’t need to join the Coven. You have to act dumb and play to their tune enough for us to make plans to get you out of there.”

“Can’t I be like ‘duces’?” I suggested.

“As much as I’d love that, no.” He chuckled. “Despite the lies and obvious betrayal, they’re powerful Aurelia. You need to rise to a position where they can’t override you. If you act prematurely, they can just orchestrate a freak accident and try to kill you.”

“Wait…seriously?”

He slowly nodded. “It’s a normal yet sad circumstance in our world of magic. That’s why we’re so fucking dangerous. We turn on our own without a second thought unless you’re on the High Court or a hybrid. It’s common for magicians to eliminate anyone who threatens the balance. Valentine Clementine was murdered, correct?”

“Yes,” I whispered. “By Westley.”

“Then why do you believe they never tracked him down on their own accord? In our world where shifters are literally hired for their ability to hunt, if they wanted to find the killer, all they needed to do was take a whiff of the crime scene and they would locate the individual in hours, max days.”

“Are you saying…”

“The Coven could potentially be the reason your grandma was killed.” He said it like it was the truth. “And with the way your parents died, who knows if that was orchestrated, too.”

I didn’t know what to say, but Zane slid off the stool to actually hold me tightly as if he were worried I’d pass right out.

“I’m…okay,” I reasoned, and peered up at him. “Fuck, Zane…I…my whole life is fucked.”

He looked troubled by the potential truth as we stared into each other’s eyes, but he took a deep inhale and then let it out.

“If push comes to shove, I have the connections to get you out of it, but I need to be able to tell them what we’re unraveling and give them the time to investigate further. The Coven is big, but more importantly, they have loads of money, connections, and magic power. You may be on the competitive side with your friendship with Willow because of the recent deals she and the Forbidden have been acquiring in the shifter field. She may just potentially surpass the Coven, but we need more power and by that, I mean reinforcements.”

“Like a pack?” I suggested.

“That would help. If Willow’s father’s pack was on board, we’d have no problem, but I wouldn’t rely on that just yet,” he offered. “We’ll think about it later. The priority would be to get one of the Masters to investigate. It may be pricy, but I’d clear out my savings if it means finding the truth.”

“Zane…”

“Don’t give me that look, silly,” he whispered and pressed his forehead against mine once more. “Don’t think about it too much. Get the daily check-in over with and we’ll get investigating, though I think you should let Aries out for a run tonight. The moon energy would give you both a boost.”

“Right,” I replied and nodded. “Okay! Oh, you can’t use magic for a few hours, alright?”

“Yes, yes, I know. The injection pauses my magic so my arm can rejuvenate faster.”

I smiled though I looked at him with a worried stare. “You’re not allowed to say what exactly happened that took so long, right?”

He didn’t answer immediately but he eventually replied, “I’ll tell you when you come back. I trust you enough to share. You’ve shared a lot of your family heritage and the Coven’s past. It’s only fair for me to do something similar. It’s complicated, but maybe we’ll find a connection of some sort.”

“Thanks, Zane. I really…really appreciate you trusting and loving me,” I confessed and hugged him.

“I love you, babe. You’ve never betrayed my trust. Your loyalty is strong.”

He pulled back to give me a wide grin before something clicked in his mind.

“I should give you something.”

“What?” I asked as he snapped his fingers. The action triggered the appearance of a black card, which had me arching an eyebrow at him as he flipped it over to show me the front of it.

“Joker?” I questioned as I leaned closer to admire the black and gold design. “This…matches the others.”

“I figured. I noticed when we found the card from the pink electric guy that it looked familiar, but it didn’t click until yesterday. Ace must have gotten the cards from Master L, who actually got them from one of the High Court members. They bring good luck and have some sort of powerful meaning to them. The deck consists of numbers two to ten, Jack, Queen, King, Ace, and Joker. They have a symbolism that some say was similar to how some view the zodiac. The cards have power, but many were sought and destroyed until there were only five left. Master L had appointed them and he gave one to Master M. He didn’t see the use of it since Joker is surprisingly a protection card, or at least carries those properties, so he gave it to me.”

“But…it’s precious to you. Why are you bringing it out?”

“Keep it safe for me,” he urged with a wink. “You’re good at protecting your collectibles.”

I began to blush at the statement as he reached out to tuck the card in my cleavage. The look I gave him had him chuckling before he lifted my hand to press a kiss to the back of it.

“It’ll protect you for me,” he whispered as his hand then held mine. I closed my fingers around his hand as we stood there, holding each other tightly in this moment of uncertainty.

“Until I heal this fucked-up hand and can do it myself,” he concluded.

“Don’t you wish to have wolf shifter abilities?” I teased. “We apparently heal fast.”

“I would,” he reasoned with a smirk. “Then I’d be your mate and make Ace work for it.”

I laughed and couldn’t help but feel sad about it. “Guess we won’t be seeing him again for what, twenty years?” I joked.

“If he can’t see the true fault in his actions and fight for you, Aurelia, then he never deserved you to begin with.”

“You’re right,” I replied and took a deep inhale, then let it out. “I just have to keep telling myself that.”

“I’m here to remind you,” he assured me. “Now come give me a kiss before you go.”

“Ugh. You kissed me enough,” I whined. “I’m not changing out of this black cult dress.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Last time you got carried away and left hickeys all over my neck. No.”

“Aura, baby,” he whined. “Come here.”

“Ugh!” I groaned but couldn’t refuse his eyes that were pleading with me like a damn puppy. “No hickeys.”

“Yes, baby,” he purred and kissed my neck.

“Dammit. You never listen to me.”

“If I did that, I’d never get the joy of rebellion,” he muttered against my flesh but held me in his arm once more. “Call me when the meeting is done. I’ll be there.”

“Are you sure?”

“Just because I have no magic, that doesn’t mean I can’t defend myself or you, Aurelia,” he confirmed. “Call me if you need me. I’ll find a way to get there.”

“You’re the best thing that’s happened to me,” I quietly confessed.

“One of the many things coming to your life, Aurelia,” he vowed. “All we gotta do is cut the cycle with a pair of scissors.”

Yes. All I need to do is cut the strings so I’m free from this web of lies.

“FINAL SCAN and you’ll be good to go.”

I stared at Aunt Beatrice as she worked on drawing the final symbols on my arm. She looked exhausted, and yet there was a heaviness in her gaze as she used the crystal wand to continue to draw the symbols.

My eyes took in the glass tube as I noticed the Elders conversing in the corner of the room. Elder Etna was in the middle, clearly explaining something as she put her hands up to demonstrate some sort of gesture they clearly understood since they nodded in agreement.

Returning my attention back to Aunt Beatrice, I decided to be upfront.

“You don’t look very pleased today,” I pointed out. Her eyes lifted to meet mine before she finished the drawings on my wrist and stood back to take a good look at me.

“You’ve been avoiding your duties,” she voiced in displeasure, but her tone wasn’t giving me a scolding vibe.

“Life’s been complicated,” I admitted. “You know I’m pretty useless when my mental status is all over the place.”

“True,” she admitted.

We were both silent and I wasn’t sure why things felt a little “off”.

“You’re hiding something from me,” I muttered without looking at her. I didn’t want the Elders to notice we were carrying on a conversation, but it was obvious from Aunt Beatrice’s behavior that something was wrong.

“Arms outstretched forward,” she encouraged. I did what she said and she reached out to assess the runes she’d drawn along my arms that would help this process go by faster. I hadn’t done one in a good while because it never was a good thing for my mentality, but with the year coming to an end, it was mandatory to have an update on my magic levels and ensure I had no hidden illnesses.

Beatrice began to redraw the runes, but I knew right away she wasn’t using any magic. “This will stop the process at half,” she announced as if we were mid-conversation.

“What?” I quietly hissed. “Process?”

“The Elders disapprove of you being with Zane without their permission.”

“I don’t need their permission,” I argued.

“I’m aware, Aurelia,” she assured me as she paused to look into my eyes.

That’s when I noticed the spark of fear.

“Tell me,” I pleaded and made sure she could see the worry in my eyes.

“The Elders are upset with me that I’ve allowed you to stay away from the Coven for a few weeks. They’ve been left to do damage control with the rumors of you and Zane being official and believe your connection will taint the Clementine name.”

“Taint my family name? For dating Zane Malark,” I emphasized. “He has Master potential. Why would they be upset by that? Let alone try to say it’ll taint my family name. First Ace, now Zane. But Westley was perfectly fine with them, huh?”

“He’s involved.”

She moved to my left arm, but I stopped her as my eyes locked on hers.

“What?”

“He’s contracted with the Coven, Aurelia.” She spoke as if her words were forbidden. “I can no longer protect you.”

“What do you mean ‘protect me’?” I hissed.

“That night when I told you to stay with Westley, you remember it, don’t you?”

“Of course,” I replied. “You were going to make a deal.”

“I wasn’t going to take the deal,” she revealed. “I was controlled to speak those words.”

“You were…controlled?”

She tried to act as if she were working swiftly on finishing my runes, while her words came out in whispers like a squeaking mouse.

“Zane knows too much. They fear that means you’ll know what you shouldn’t. Those years of harshness weren’t in my hands. Nor was it Ace’s decision to reject you.”

I didn’t know what to say, but she kept going.

“The child of a dark magician and manipulation witch was raised by the Coven behind the scenes. She was sold to our Coven and I was her puppet. Her magic wasn’t strong enough to manipulate the minds of your parents, so I was the perfect catalyst. When your parents perished, it was my duty to make your life miserable. The magic works so that the individual is in control for a short period of time and can do or state what they wish. The victim is left with the memory of their actions but is unable to defend themselves with enough justification to prove their innocence.”

“Who’s this child?”

“She’s no longer a child,” Beatrice urged. “Lucy.”

“Wait, Lucy?” I gasped. “But…how would she have that power? No. Why are you telling me this?”

“I hadn’t realized the significance of the control until Aoa picked up on one of the confrontations I had with Etna. She sensed Lucy’s presence and insisted that the magic was coming from her. It didn’t make sense at first, but I decided to look into it and requested a Seer to review what’d been done by my hands without my acknowledgment…and well, I’ve come to realize just how bad I’ve been since you were a child.”

“Wait…so Aoa…where is she?”

“I dismissed her yesterday for her own safety. I’ve hidden her location and she won’t immediately return to Japan so the Coven won’t grow suspicious of her, but with her assistance, I was able to figure out what would ensure you don’t fall under their control.”

I nervously looked to the group of Elders, noticing they were beginning to spread out to their positions.

Fuck! Aries?

A frown graced my lip and Beatrice only gave me a nod as she pointed to the runes.

“It’s temporary, I promise. These runes are made to protect you from manipulation as well as what’s about to occur. I’ve also ensured that the runes will trigger a counter spell on Ace the moment you cross paths again.”

“What…how…why do you know this? Why is this all coming out now?”

She gave me a sad smile as she let go of my arms and encouraged me to raise them. I did as she asked, noticing how the Elders were in their positions and realizing that Lucy was in the far corner with Etna.

They were deep in conversation as if Etna was explaining some final details to Lucy, who was nodding. There was no reason for her to be here, and that alone was making my heart hammer faster and faster. My gaze returned to Beatrice’s as she finished walking around me twice.

“A source has confirmed one of the chairs is going to be available,” she warned and my eyes widened at the news. “The Elders have concluded that they want you on the Coven.”

No. Fuck, fuck, fuck! I can’t join!

The panic must have been obvious in my eyes and Beatrice nodded slightly.

“Do not fear,” she urged and suddenly her presence was in my mind. “I’ve temporarily sealed Aries to ensure the mental scrutiny will not push her further to the brink of insanity. I know you think I know nothing of who you are, Aurelia, or the true hidden gems you carry, but I’d been attempting to aid your grandma in removing you from this cycle of lies. Sadly, I was manipulated to be a bad guy, but maybe Valentine knew of Lucy’s abilities and ensured I’d know the truth of what was going on after I stepped down from the Elder position.”

She paused as the knock to the glass got her attention. She lifted her hand up to show three fingers, and the individual nodded and headed back down the steps of the cylinder platform to return to their spot.

“We’re running out of time,” she noted. “I won’t be able to explain the truth to you, Aurelia. All you need to do is play along to their tune. It’s not time for them to know the truth, and only you can take down the Coven and reveal to the world what side they’re really on.”

But…that’s the problem. What side are they on?

She gave me a sad smile while she began to move her hands to finalize the magic incantations she’d placed on my flesh as well as drawn along the cylinder in special chalk.

“If I’m killed, remember what I tell you,” she urged. “Lucy saw you and Ace’s mate bond awaken early. She had a crush on Ace and used her power to manipulate him to reject you on your way to tell your family. The blast wasn’t a foreign attack, Aurelia. It was from you.”

From me?

“Ace didn’t know why he rejected you and when he tried to explain, your mother immediately stated he was at fault and betrayed the Coven while your father emphasized that it was an attack. There was no time to find out the truth before you were rushed to the hospital and punishment was laid on Ace. Since then, he’s been forced to do checkups with the excuse that he has psychotic issues, and that’s where Lucy comes in.”

Wait. So..that’s why Lucy was there at the event with Ace. He was there because she’d urged him to be there…shit. Why did I forget about Lucy’s interference that night?

“That’s exactly what she does,” Beatrice revealed. “But it won’t work anymore, and thanks to these runes, it won’t work on Ace or whoever is within the pack he’s in. It will activate the moment the ceremony begins.”

Wait. Beatrice! I can’t join the Coven. There’s no need for me to join!

She lowered her glowing arms then as if feigning that she was wrapping things up.

“They want control over you, Aurelia. That’s the purpose of joining the Coven. It’s not a place of high rank and authority. It’s a cult of powerful beings who are simply puppets under a greater ruler. Etna, Lucy, they’re all just minions. The ultimate ruler hides in a place of crystal ice and seeks the strongest shifters in the supernatural land to torture and contribute to her hidden army. All you are is a pawn in her game, and my time in this hidden war has run out.”

Another knock on the glass forced us to move our attention to see Etna impatiently waiting. With a nod, Beatrice looked back to me while she reached out to hold my hands.

“This will be the last time we speak, so let me say this, Aurelia. I apologize for all the pain I’ve intentionally or unintentionally caused you through your years. Know things would have been different if I’d figured things out and seen the signs, but alas, the ultimate Creator knows our past, present, and future. The runes will protect you and will stop the Coven bond halfway. You will gain half the knowledge you’ll need to unravel the truth, and with my death, you’ll have another glimpse of a side of your unraveling story that will lead you to the people you need to meet to achieve salvation.”

She let go of my hands and turned away swiftly, but her thoughts continued to flood into my mind.

“If I’m killed, my knowledge and magic will be passed down to you, including the knowledge needed to undo the Coven’s hold on you. Think wisely, Aurelia, for you’ll have one shot at that and it has to be when you have enough leverage to combat this sick world of control and obsession with power. Reunite with your mate for the truth lies in him, and find Westley.”

She walked out of the tube to meet Etna, who took a glance at me. I needed to act fast so she wouldn’t grow suspicious, so I crossed my arms over my chest and rolled my eyes.

“Can we get this over with? This yearly check-up scan has taken hours of my precious time. I have a boyfriend to return to, and we all know Zane hates when anyone is late to his agreed appointments.”

Etna narrowed her eyes at me in annoyance before replying, “We’re starting now. Focus your magic on your center and try to stay sane this time and not ignite an earthquake.”

“Oops.” I shrugged. “Not my fault I have a phobia triggered by spaces like these.”

She dismissed me with a huff and turned around with Beatrice in tow. The doors closed shut, and I watched them go down the stairs before Etna instructed Beatrice to stand in front of the bottom step while she moved behind her and sent instructions to get things started.

Beatrice’s eyes met mine once more, and I swallowed the lump in my throat while I tried not to show how frightened I was.

Beatrice…why…couldn’t you have told me earlier?

“The risks were too high, Aurelia…and Aoa encouraged me not to until this exact moment.”

Aoa…how…what do I do?

“Simply survive this trial, Aurelia. Survive what is about to assault your mind and try to claim you. Fight and you shall find where you need to be. Where you truly belong, not as a misfit,” she explained as her eyes filled with tears.

My eyes widened as I noticed Etna’s hands move in a swift movement. Beatrice’s words reached my mind in that moment.

“But as a queen.”

My scream echoed around me as Elder Etna twisted Beatrice’s neck. Her body dropped to the floor, while I screamed and banged my fists against the glass.

“BEATRICE!” I shrieked. “No! No! Let me out! Beatrice! Beatrice!”

Lucy walked over to Etna’s side, her taunting smile carrying menacing excitement while her eyes were overtaken by black.

“Start the ceremony!” Lucy announced, and not a moment later the Elders shot their hands upward. Magic burst out of their grasp and to the ceiling. All I could do was look upward, my body moving back as I realized the wall looked like an intense map of lines.

The towers of magic were being absorbed by the ceiling, and those lines were beginning to run down the glass cylinder walls that trapped me.

“Fuck! Let me out!” I screamed and tried to bash on the glass but my body was pushed back by an electric force, sending me into the wall behind me, which left me screaming in pain until I dropped to the floor with a thump.

My body convulsed as I spluttered blood, but my mind was wired up with intense fear as spikes of scenes began to rush into my mind.

Why does this keep happening?!

I can’t remember what I did, Elder Valentine.

Manipulation? Who would be trying to control us?

You want me to do what?

Aurelia can’t find out the truth yet? Why?

All this uncertainty will get her killed!

She’s unable to handle the truth, Beatrice!

Without the truth, she’ll die at her own hands!

She can’t know of the child’s connection to Natasha.

The assistant can’t be eliminated. They’re watching.

We have to put her on the council now!

She’s can’t date Malark! It’ll trigger the bond!

She’s been rejected by Hunter. Malark’s bond wouldn’t matter.

You don’t get it! They’re two different bonds!

We have to make it so Aurelia rejects Ace. That will destroy the bond.

It’ll kill him!

That’s the point. Get rid of the Ace and the rest of the cards will follow.

Heed my words. Make her reject the boy, control her to ruin the magician, and the pack will destroy itself.

She can’t be Alpha, nor can she become the new queen.

Set the plans in motion.

Once Aurelia is in our control, it’ll be easy to destroy the Phoenix Heir.

She’ll be our best puppet ever, and the Vile Queen will ensure her cooperation leads to our rise to the top.

I gasped and choked on the metallic-tasting liquid. My body turned to the side, encouraging the blood to pour onto the white floor. I struggled to think straight, but I scrambled to my feet, my body wobbling while I lifted my arms to see the runes glowing with immense power.

The glass cylinder was cloaked in inky black, the familiarity of its sight only reminding me of Westley and the power that killed Grandma. I didn’t dare try to bash at the glass, but I heard the echoing happening in the background.

The chanting grew louder and louder, and the sound made it feel as if something was trying to fasten around my neck. I began to claw at my flesh, again and again, to the point that it felt like I couldn’t breathe and whatever was tightening around my throat would choke me to death.

“Help!” I choked. “Help!”

I looked to the ceiling with wide eyes as my tears spilled and my fingers grew hot with my magic. The energy that had helped me through thick and thin was desperate to save me, but there was nothing physically visible to clench and destroy.

Help! Help! SOMEONE HELP ME! I NEED HELP!

I was desperate as my vision blurred with tears and black spots, all while I gurgled on my blood and my body began to float into the air. I was trying everything to get out of the invisible hold, the chanting growing even louder. It vibrated so strongly against the glass that it mimicked the movement of an earthquake.

There was no way for me to scream, cry, or be angry. All I could do was watch as my very life force began to slip away. My body grew more numb by the second. My attempt to claw at my neck was slowing down as my shaking hands went limp along with the rest of my body.

I could feel my magic rushing to try to heal me, and I wished for Aries’s presence because I feared the hands of death that approached.

Help…please…Zane…Ace…my pack…anyone…

My consciousness was struggling to remain afloat, but as the chanting faded away with my hearing, so did my sense of smell and touch and my ability to acknowledge the world around me. I was in a world of darkness. My vision was the last to crumble, and there I stood in a clearing.

“Aurelia.”

My head lifted up to view the woman in a black cloak. She stood far away with her hands out, the shadows of her hood covering her face, but I could see her smile. It should have given me a warm feeling of happiness, or at least deliver some sort of safety net, but it felt…cold.

“Aurelia, come. You’re safe now. Your hard times are over. No one will abandon you anymore. I’m here.”

I stared back at her because I didn’t know her. She wasn’t Grandma, who loved me. Or the woman I’d forgotten. She wasn’t a best friend or someone who poured love in the cup I was desperately craving would be filled.

To me, she was nothing but a masked stranger, and I couldn’t take a step forward.

Where are the people who cared about me? Am…I just…alone?

I lowered my head to see my little hands, their shaking appearance only making me smile as tears dropped from my lids to my palms.

“How…do I survive…if no one…wants me?” I asked myself.

“I want you, Aurelia. Can’t you see me?” I lifted my head once more and the woman’s smile simply widened. “Come to this side, Aurelia.”

“I don’t know you.”

“You will the moment you’re here. I’ll show who I am, and you’ll understand that you’re not alone anymore. I’ll explain everything and you’ll always be surrounded by powerful individuals who will support your every move.”

It was tempting, but the effort to walk the few steps to where she stood seemed far too strenuous for my tired existence. I lowered my head once more, noticing that my feet were beginning to disappear.

“Hurry, Aurelia! You need to come here now!” the woman urged with haste. The problem was that she didn’t sound very fearful. Her tone was irritated, as if I were a hindrance. It simply reminded me of everyone from my past.

The adults who thought of me as a burden, the kids who mocked and laughed at me, all the belittling, the dismissals, the doctors and nurses who were forced to aid in my crazy problems but wished to be somewhere else haunted me.

She was like everyone else.

“I’d rather disappear,” I concluded. “No one wants me.”

“No, Aurelia! We need you!” the woman stressed.

“Need,” I muttered in distaste as my eyes met her wide ones. “Not want. You need me. Meaning I’m a tool. An object to use and discard, like the rest of the world has.”

My hands were beginning to disappear as my eyes noticed the necklace around my neck. It caught my interest as I slightly grazed its surface before my fingertips were twinkling orbs of blue and gold.

“Aurelia! Don’t you disappear! Come here!” the woman screamed.

“You’d reject me just like everyone else. My best friend doesn’t want me. You’ll lose interest just like him.”

“Aurelia!” she screamed and tried to grab me as her arms extended, but I wished for her to disappear, and that was exactly what happened. Her image was gone in a blink. Her departure didn’t stop my approaching end, and I didn’t carry any hope.

My shoulders sank as my tears fell, and I tried to accept that this was it.

“Who fucking said you could disappear?!”

I flinched at the little boy’s voice that came from in front of me, and my head lifted to see the raging anger in the dilated blue eyes, the orange hues flickering like flames that were ready to burn the world down.

The boy with silver locks that shifted to orange. The boy who’d been the light in my childhood until the world stole our innocence away. My best friend and fated mate.

“Ace?”

He reached out to grab my fading shoulders, while his eyes filled with tears.

“You promised me that no matter what happens, you’d become stronger! You’d live because we’re best friends!”

“But…you…” I whispered and he shook his head.

“I didn’t mean it, Auri! I swear!” His tears fell as he shook me harder before pulling me into a hug. “Please don’t disappear! Don’t leave me! It was the girl! She’s the reason I’m never able to find you. I’ve tried. Every day I try to reach you. To talk to you! It’s like running in a maze, and I can’t find the way out! The voice tells me you hate me. That I’m nothing to you. When I see you with others…who make you happy…I get sad! I get frustrated. I feel trapped and don’t know how to get out. Please don’t go! You’re my everything, Auri! Please! I’m sorry for hurting you! I really do love you…just…give me a chance? Pretty please?!”

I didn’t know what to say, and yet his begging words that led to pleading sobs made me gather the strength to hug him back.

“I can’t…get out…” I whispered in defeat. “The cycle won’t end.”

“We’ll end it! We’ll find a way. Please, Auri. Just survive. Help is here! You just have to not disappear!”

“That’s…it?” It was getting harder to think as my energy began to leave whatever of me was left, but the boy’s words were far more inviting than the women’s attempt.

He meant his words that were full of true emotion.

“Yes! Please, Auri! I promise to fight harder! I promise to show you I really, really do love you! Just don’t die!”

He pulled me back as just my head remained in his grasp. “Don’t leave our pack, Aurelia.”

He pressed his forehead against mine, and I slowly closed my eyes, but felt a glimpse of warmth from what would have been my arms. The heat began to spread, growing stronger and stronger.

I couldn’t grasp where it was coming from but it expanded and rushed through me like a firework exploding inside me.

Waves of new knowledge filtered into my consciousness, until it felt like I was overwhelmed with various family heritages that I knew weren’t connected to mine: strangers and familiar faces, connections with people I’d never met face to face.

There were many truths and many lies, woven into a blanket that hid the true layers of deceit behind the family name: Clementine.

When everything suddenly clicked, I was gasping for breath as my eyes snapped wide open.

“Aurelia!” Ace was gripping me for dear life, his dark strands now silver and glowing brilliantly. I had to take a few seconds just to gawk at him because for a split moment, he looked like his true self.

“Ace! We’re not going to be able to hold these fuckers back in human form!” King shouted, drawing my attention to see we were in some sort of dark forest and surrounded by beings in black cloaks.

“Buy some time!” Ace ordered and pressed his hands on my cheeks. “Aurelia!”

“Your hair is silver,” I muttered as if that were the most important thing to acknowledge. He looked like he wanted to say something but he held his tongue and suddenly pulled me into a hug.

“Fucking hell, if I almost lose you again, I’m going to go fucking insane!”

“I…fuck…the Coven. I’m…in the Coven.” The words left me in disbelief while I tried to ignore the immense knowledge in my mind. It was like my brain was struggling to store the faces of individuals and their hidden connections, but I was attempting to think straight.

“Yes and no,” Ace huffed and pulled back to look at my arms. “Where did you get these runes from?”

“Beatrice…Aunt Beatrice. They killed her. Wait…Lucy. Lucy’s been controlling you?!” His eyes widened at my declaration, and the sad expression that took over made my heart clench. “Why?! Why didn’t you say anything?!”

“We…can’t have this conversation here,” he whispered. “We have bigger problems. We made an illusion to break into the Coven, but whatever these fuckers are, they don’t look very friendly.”

“So they don’t know it’s you?” I whispered.

“No. They think you just got kidnapped during the ceremony,” he explained.

I tried to get up, but Ace hooked his arm around me and lifted me in one smooth movement. “I still can’t feel Aries,” I admitted.

Ace looked into my eyes for a hard minute, his orbs of orange with twinkling blue switching until those orbs were now golden and piercing my soul.

“She’s there. Not happy, but there. Jack can get her out if the spell doesn’t wear off.”

“Where do we go? I…don’t have enough magic right now.” I felt utterly useless because my magic was literally on low after the chaos I’d just experienced.

“They did that on purpose. Fuck. We can’t take on this many in human form.”

I followed his gaze around, noticing Jack, King, and Quil were in a triangle formation and cloaking us with a force field that aided in protecting us from the onslaught of black magic.

“Should we teleport?” Jack questioned. “I can handle it.”

“We need to go to a place where they can’t track our magic trail,” Quil urged.

“It’s gonna be hard with Aurelia. The black magic they used on her is still vibrant. They’re going to trace that,” Ace noted.

“Guys, something is coming!” King warned.

We all turned our focus to the obvious shaking of the ground. It got stronger and stronger, to the point that the cloaked magicians stopped attacking us while they helplessly looked around for the culprit.

Then the loudest howl I’d ever heard hit the air.

“Praise Mother Moon,” King groaned in relief.

“He’s such a show-off,” Jack whined.

“I’d rather he shows off than us being dead,” Quil muttered exhaustedly.

“What?” I wasn’t following, but my forming question was halted as the wind suddenly picked up and a pearl white slash moved right past us.

“Oh fuck!” Ace let go of me while the others cursed and swiftly moved back until I was pressed against their backs. Ace lifted his hands up. “LEVASNADORE!”

The triangle was tightly knit around us and Ace’s spell work heightened its protectiveness ten-fold.

Not a second later, the forest was up in white flames. The screams from our attackers only confirmed their demise as their bodies lit up and inky magic oozed out of them until the only evidence of their existence was their magic robes, which fell to the ground.

The cries of agony went on and on, and I could only imagine just how many individuals were sent out to retrieve me.

Ace didn’t pull back his magic until he was certain that not a single mage remained, leaving him breathless as he fell to his hands and knees to pant heavily. King, Quil, and Jack were out of breath as well, their hands on their knees as they fought for breath.

I felt the movement before they could react, and I moved in front of the group protectively as I summoned whatever magic I had left to my grasp. My purple crystals appeared and twirled around my group, and my eyes narrowed as magic flooded them in anticipation of protecting my men.

The white flames began to dim while the floating darkness began to gather until it was one pulsating ball of black. A shot of white came from the forest before me, crashing into the black orb and shattering it until there was not a single strand of dark magic left.

I knew the target was in front of us now, and I only braced for its arrival.

“Aurelia…it’s fine,” Ace breathed.

“What?” I questioned without looking at him.

The approaching movement made the rest of us freeze before a massive white wolf came out of the forest’s shadows and into the clearing. When I say massive, he was at least 8 feet and his fur looked like a radiant diamond flickering in the rays of the full moon.

It waltzed right up to us, and I grew rigid when it stopped in front of us. All I could do was look up while the wolf’s head looked down to acknowledge me.

One look made my racing heart suddenly calm while my defensive magic pulled back entirely. I blinked a few times before I took a nervous guess.

“Zane?” Those iridescent eyes couldn’t belong to anyone else, and my clear observation resulted in me being assaulted by his big tongue as he licked me from my feet to my head.

“Ewww,” I groaned and looked down to see I was drenched. “Really?”

“Woof!” he happily yelped and moved back a step so he could sit and observe me.

“No way…you can’t be a wolf,” I stated in shock as I took a wobbly step forward and outstretched my arms to try to touch him. He didn’t move as I placed my hands on him, taking in the softness of his fur.

“We should go,” Quil warned. “I sense reinforcements.”

“Where are we going?” Jack urged.

“Anywhere they can’t track,” King urged. I looked over my shoulder to see King helping Ace out while Jack and Quil were making sure it was safe to move.

“Zane,” I whispered to him. “We have to go…. The Coven is gonna be searching for me. I…there’s a lot to explain.”

He stared back at me for a long moment, before getting up and walking around our little group. I noticed his tail as his body began to glow vibrantly, watching it go from one to three as if his magic made them multiply.

“Wow,” I stated in awe.

“Hold on tight, Sweetie,” Jack urged, suddenly behind me. Slipping an arm around my waist, he pulled me against him while Quil had a hold on him and King. “This is gonna be a wild storm of a ride.”

Those words triggered the wind’s rise, and with a howl that shook the earth, our surroundings swiftly changed until the familiar environment took shape.

“Out of all the places,” Jack noted. “Your place?”

I expected to see the large white wolf when we safely stood in the middle of Zane’s living room, but instead, there stood naked Zane, his hair now white like snow and still radiating the immense magic he’d used to bring us here.

He turned his attention to our group while he rolled his eyes at Jack’s statement.

“Can’t be traced in my space. I left a different trail they can look into,” Zane announced.

I slipped out of Jack’s hold and was in front of Zane the next second, my hands lightly laying upon his chest as if to make sure he was real.

“No way…”

“We’ve got a lot to explain,” he admitted. “But first, I really have to kiss you.”

He didn’t delay in wrapping me up with his muscled arms and kissing me there and then. I knew it had to be a few hours since I’d seen him and yet it felt like days of torture and uncertainty that finally delivered me into his arms once more.

“We need to make sure we’re clear in the gossip grapevine,” King urged.

“I don’t think they would announce that Aurelia’s missing so swiftly,” Quil reasoned.

“Check just in case,” Jack urged. “Alpha? You okay over there?”

“Ugh. Give me an extra minute,” Ace groaned. “Why does that bastard get a kiss and I don’t?”

Jack laughed. “You haven’t fucking earned it,” he reasoned. “You do deserve a pat on the back for getting her out of there, though. That cunt’s voodoo magic didn’t work on you this time.”

“Something muffled it,” Ace admitted.

I broke the kiss with Zane to look back as Ace moved from King’s aid and pressed his hands to his temples. “She’s fucking tried, but it didn’t work.”

“Well, good, cause I’m tired of saving your ass from that bitch’s mind control,” Jack huffed.

“So it’s true,” I whispered. “Lucy’s been controlling you for years?”

Ace looked hesitantly at me before he looked away entirely. “It’s complicated.”

“Might as well tell her, Ace,” Zane announced as I turned in his hold to lean against him for a minute. “I told her about the Coven.”

Ace’s eyes widened, but Quil’s expression caught my attention as it went from shocked to confused and then conflicted.

“What’s wrong, Quil?”

We looked to him and he sought my gaze as he looked unsure. His lingering silence only made Ace frown before his eyes widened and he looked at Quil.

“That has to be bullshit!” Ace snapped.

“I’m…not sure, Alpha,” Quil admitted. “It’s streaming through from multiple magic lines. That’s all the gossip streams are talking about.”

“What?” I questioned in worry. “Do they know we’ve escaped?”

“No.” King spoke and from the look on his face, he’d tapped into the stream and knew what the others were concerned about.

“I can’t check,” I voiced. “My magic is tapped out right now.”

With the adrenaline gone in my system, I felt like a sitting duck waiting to recharge. From the sudden rigidness of Zane’s body, I knew he got the message as well. He held me a little tighter and whispered, “You have to promise you’re not going to let your magic run crazy with the news, cause this is your only shelter until we can formulate a plan.”

“O-Okay?” I didn’t know what else I could say. “What is it? Is a chair member dead or something?”

“No,” Jack whispered and I could see the worry in his pink orbs. “Someone way more important in this growing gamble.”

“Who?!” I stressed, and my gaze landed on Ace as he took a deep breath.

“De Luca,” he breathed.

My eyes widened as my breath got stuck in my throat.

“William De Luca is dead.”

TO BE CONTINUED.

To find out what happens next, don’t forget to pre-order WOLF RECLAIMED here:

https://smarturl.it/WolfReclaimed

(to release 22nd October 2021).

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WOLF AWAKENED

~Willow’s Forbidden Pack~

https://smarturl.it/WolfAwakened

BLURB:

How do you thrive when you’re an unwanted, invaluable, human female?

Simple: alter your reality by switching teams.

During the day, I’m William De Luca, the only ‘son’ of Roberto De Luca, the king of the NYC mafia and Alpha of the deadliest wolf pack — one this city doesn’t mess with. At night, I’m Willow De Luca, cage fighter champion with a temper problem.

Regardless of which role I’m playing, I’m plagued by the inability to shift, a condition that has Papa Dearest deeming me a ‘fucking mistake.’ All the same, it’s worth enduring my double life if it means staying out of my father’s business and ignoring the growing legacy that’s waiting for me to claim.

Unfortunately, no matter how rich and powerful you are, the universe isn’t going to grant you everything you want. In Father’s case, it was having a son. In mine? Finding a mate. Without an inner wolf of my own, meeting a wolf shifter who’s connected to me is essentially impossible.

It’s a forbidden dream I’d all but given up on. Then my carefully balanced life is disrupted by the arrival of a new pack that intends to make me the target of a power play to take the De Luca territory. However, one glimpse of Dimitris, Neo, Saint, and Jayce is all it takes — I want to make them mine.

I’m willing to bet everything on a dangerous gamble, because maybe being a wealthy boy by day and lethal girl at night is the double-play I need to earn the grand prize.

Them.

PROLOGUE: FORBIDDEN FRUIT

The strike of a blade left me gasping for breath. Rushing pain flooded through me and spread, like a prick of a thorn that carried thick poison and aimed to leave its mark throughout my entire body.

My eyes were wide with shock, while I slowly took in the realization that I’d been struck with a weapon that was invisible to my sight until now.

As I took in the black hilt of the weapon, I absorbed the details of the hand gripping it for dear life - the thick lines of tatted marks that gave away one clue of who this perpetrator was. My lingering gaze was followed with my eyes shutting close as the blade exited my body and ignited the outward flow of the dark red liquid that kept me alive.

I should have submitted, but that was a quality I’d never been one to give in to. Yet again, my body revolted at the idea that this was the end for me as my fist moved swiftly until it punched my opponent in the nose. The crack gave me a sense of satisfaction as I lifted my leg to deliver another blow to his stomach.

The man went flying, a grunt escaping him as he crashed into the ground and skidded further back. As I lowered my leg and widened my stance, I was left a flinching mess as I immediately clenched the wound in my stomach, fighting for breath. It was as though my lungs were suddenly filling with liquid.

My body shook with adrenaline and the response of approaching death, but I ignored it as my fixed gaze settled on the man who fought to rise to his feet.

He looked at me in shock, as if he never expected that a woman as frail-looking as I could survive this long against him. He was a mass of muscle, and he reached a height of 6’0”. He was much larger than me, with my height of 5’5” and my slim frame. But that was always the first mistake of every opponent I’d faced.

The only difference here and now was that we weren’t in the fighting ring.

The man readied himself to strike again, but his nostrils flared as he suddenly took an extra second to sniff the air. His eyes widened like he’d seen a ghost, and he let out a mix of curse words as he looked around, trying to find a way out.

I watched his frantic change of behavior while fighting the urge to fall back in defeat. However, I would never allow myself to do that in front of a man who played dirty. Whoever this person was, he thought killing me would somehow leave a hollow wound in the heart of that fucker I called Father.

The mere thought threatened to make me laugh at the idea of that man even shedding a tear for me. If it wasn’t for my hidden talents and connections, I’d become just like my mom.

A useless waste of space that deserved to be chained and left in the dungeon for one thing only: to make babies.

She wasn’t even good at that, and I was the one miracle baby he got.

If only he could see me now: his frail human daughter fighting against the big, bad wolf who thought he was doing all of NYC a favor.

No matter my insignificance, I knew one thing was for sure. If I perished tonight, all bets would be off and all of NYC would feel the wrath of the De Lucas.

I expected the man to run, but what he did was completely unexpected and left me attempting to run while I mentally cursed myself for not paying attention thanks to my damn imagination.

The loud sound of a gunshot roared through the forest, and my scream left my throat before I could stop it. That high, shrilling sound preceded the shot of pain that forced my body to crumble as I began to fall backward.

I hit the ground with a thump, but my eyes were wide open as they stared up at the starry sky. How could such a sight be so calm and peaceful when it could see me begin to struggle against the fight towards living?

My gasps were quick and breathy, while my eyes fought to stay open as they looked from side to side, as if more enemies were ready to pounce on me at any minute. I heard the rushing footsteps coming towards me, and I braced myself before I gathered my strength to combat the next attack.

I may have been wounded by a blade and a bullet, but put me in a close-combat moment and I’d prevail without question.

As if the very ground had heard my silent declaration, my opponent arrived on the scene, ready to stab me one more time with the blade that still dripped with my blood. My lips somehow managed to curl up in a smile as I lifted my hands up to stop him from his swift attack.

That shocked him as he sucked in a heap of air, but this was my golden moment to show him what a true sport I was being in letting him damage me to this extent. My fists moved quickly - almost blindingly - as I disabled the hand that held the blade and managed to get it into my possession.

The next thing either of us knew, I was stabbing him in the eye. His scream of agony was followed with a grunt as I kicked him with enough force to send him back. I couldn’t roll over, but I quickly shot up and with a twirl of the very blade between my fingers, I sent it flying straight into his other eye.

It hit its mark marvellously, leaving my enemy hollering in pain as he clenched his face around the hilt of the blade. I bet he was debating on whether to pull it out or deal with the agony for the sake of saving time.

He rose up in a rush and quickly pulled out yet another gun. The safety flicked off before he readied himself to pull the trigger. All I could do was brace myself for the round of bullets that would get rid of me but at least I’d die with honor instead of as a woman who was filled with bullets and didn’t lay a bit of damage on her killer.

The last sight he’d see was the sin he committed, the lingering image of my dead body and the crime he’d face consequences for committing.

A shadow suddenly blurred above me, catching my attention for a nanosecond before its gigantic body crashed into the man a few feet away from me. The man’s mangled screams were only the beginning of the torture as the chorus of ripped limbs, crushed bones, and high-pitched echoes led to a gurgle. I was left in more shock than I had been when the blade and bullet injured me.

All it took was ten seconds for the deed to be done and my opponent’s remains to be scattered everywhere. The shadow turned to face me, and the full moon that took the opportunity to reveal itself from the passing cloud shone a ray of light upon the shadowy beast.

I took in the large wolf with white fur, the soft-looking coat cloaked with blood stains and dirt that must have splattered on him from the intense run through this crisp night.

Pink eyes met my blue ones. His eyes were the color of pastel pink that reminded me of balls of cotton candy that were served by those rare vendors during the busy evenings of rush hour.

The longer I stared into those mesmerizing orbs, the more familiar - and dangerous - they became. My brain was working hard against the sluggish pace, and it only took five extra seconds to realize those eyes were of my enemy.

One of my enemies.

I was ready to get up and pick a fight, proud to meet him in the form of my true self and ready to give him a piece of bitchery that he wholeheartedly deserved, but the mere movement suddenly sent me convulsing. My body fell back once more as all I could do was endure the waves of trembling shakes until they came to a pause.

Fuck! This hurts far worse than period cramps!

I fought to sit up once more, and I gasped for air that suddenly seemed to be stuck in my throat. I coughed, and boy did I regret that; it ignited a round of coughs which caused blood to spurt from my mouth and cloak my lips.

My single curse was muffled as I suddenly groaned and gave up on the idea of sitting up. Staring up at the sky was suddenly my way of revolting, but I began to realize that time was beginning to tick, and I’d need to get myself to a doctor as soon as possible.

I could imagine one of Father’s best medics racing over to come aid me with the simplest things, afraid of what would come if he didn’t give his all in every assessment he was forced to give to ensure I was a healthy little shit of a puppy.

Those benefits surely would have been handy now, but I was on the edge of some forest, and there was no way would I survive the journey back when I was bleeding from multiple wounds.

Crushing sounds caught my attention before heavy exhales that weren’t my own drifted to me. If only I could allow myself to be curious; I’d think of the perfect way to piss that jackass off before kicking his balls and showing him who the true ruler of this city was.

Papa Dearest may be the lead of the show, but I was the secret weapon that would fuck shit up for the sake of being the only one on Father’s shit list. Anyone else could either fuck off or be murdered - all so I could have the last laugh when I took everything from that sick bastard of a father and show him that females weren’t weak baby-maker bitches like he always remarked on a day-to-day basis.

Footsteps made my body grow tense, and lo and behold, there stood the man of my angered envy.

Even now, as those pink rings scanned the damage that was laid on my poor flesh, all I could do was glare at him in disgust. The idea of him even trying to help me made me gag and left me begging for any other scenario to deal with.

This fucker who thought he could control me. The one whose smirk taunted me when he had me pressed against the wall with his tight groin grinding against mine while my father continued his meeting in the other room.

There were so many instances where he showed up to fuck up my idea. He was no different from the others who showed up to aid with one of the many drug heists orchestrated by my father. They would do anything to gain his favor. I couldn’t wait to gain a little strength just so I could experience the satisfying moment of punching him in the face.

I’d love to ruin a hint of that handsome perfection, to see the blood rush to his face and leave a dark circle, giving him a raccoon eye that he wholeheartedly deserved. An eye for an eye could technically work, though I hoped I’d be dead by the time he tried to pull out mine.

I’d laugh at the idea if I could, but as I focused on my reality I realized my body struggled to function. I was losing sensation in my fingertips and feet while my body shuddered as a strange chill began to sweep through me.

The man standing there suddenly looked concerned, and it was such a foreign sight that I thought my mind was surely hallucinating all of it. He was on his knees the next second, his arms shaking me and his words fighting to cut through to me, but my hearing was struggling because of how loud my blood was pumping. A ringing sound assaulted my senses.

I finally was able to pick up his words as he suddenly grabbed my left bicep.

“Fuck…” he whispered before those shock-stricken circles peered into mine, which were beginning to grow weaker. “Will! You’re Will, aren’t you?!”

Could I even answer his question? Obviously not, as I suddenly felt like I was slipping through some cracks beneath the ground. It was a slow transition: bits of me were already drifting away while others fought hard to remain and see what this man was shocked about.

Wasn’t it obvious who I was? I was the girl who was always mistaken in the tabloids for being some sort of twin sister doppelganger of the richest heir in NYC.

Anyone - and I mean anyone - would want to be William De Luca. The rich heir of the De Luca Organization, which hid its secret mafia roots behind plenty of businesses. The organization made the idea of giving drug money to the poor appear pure.

I tried to speak, but that only made me cough up more blood. Suddenly I was gasping as dark spots began to claim my vision. The man before me was now wildly shaking me, and it almost pained me to see the fear that gripped those cotton candy spheres.

He knew I was dying. While it wasn’t caused by his own hands, it left him desperate to be the one to claim such ownership of my end rather than allow another to do so.

As I continued to drift, his eyes became wilder, leaving me almost confused as to why.

“You can’t die!” he declared as if it were my choice. I surely didn’t want to enter the pits of Hell when I’d yet to prove my worth, let alone find a mate that would be crazy enough to date the ‘human’ mistake of an Alpha mafia leader father, but sometimes beggars really couldn’t be choosers. When death came knocking on your door, all you had to do was suck it up and skip right into Judgement.

The idea of it all made me wonder if I’d be able to do just that - skip right into the toasty realms of Hell.

My attention returned to the man as he dropped to his knees. He clearly didn’t care about the blood that surely would have pooled all around me by now as his hands pressed against the very wounds that bled away the remaining fragments of my twenty-five years of life.

“Dammit!” he cursed and looked me dead in the eye. “Don’t you dare slip away from me! Did I fucking give you permission?!”

That made me smirk, though it had to be a tiny one that ignited his rage as he pressed even harder. I couldn’t feel the pain anymore, but I was sure that my blood merely slipped through the spaces between his spread fingers and quickened my approaching demise.

How wonderful to get a helping hand.

“You’re not leaving us,” he snarled when his efforts were finally deemed hopeless. However, his words made no sense as he couldn’t stop fate itself.

I was a goner, just like my mom had been as she lay chained in the dungeon of our mansion home for weeks until she finally died. My death was better off. Quick and painless now that my senses were practically gone.

“Awaken.” The man’s whisper left me in wonder before something seemed to beat hard enough for me to feel through the numbness.

What?

The man of my peak of hatred watched me in shock before tiny traces of hope flooded those pink rings that dilated further.

“I knew it,” he whispered as a cynical grin formed on his lips. “Our little wolf is right there at the brink of death.”

He hovered over me suddenly, and I watched as a tattoo that blared with vitality within the dark night formed on his left arm. His eyes began to glow, those pinks spheres suddenly shifting to a dangerous silver with rings of purple around his irises.

His black short strands began to flood with silver, leaving me to shiver internally as the pulsating force pushed harder for release.

He looked into my eyes with so much force that it seemed to unlock the sensations that had been muted by my approaching death. Sensation came surging back through me, making me gasp as my back arched like I’d been revived by a defibrillator.

“Awaken, our forbidden fruit! Let that dazzling beast out of you!” he commanded, and the next pulsing force left me screaming. The pain was back but far worse than before. I was frozen with spasms of crippling agony as my mind experienced multiple emotions.

They flickered through from four different directions, a compass of foreign feelings that begged for my utmost attention. Confusion, uncertainty, and intense lust were only a fraction of the emotions running through me. A burning anger swept in from all four directions.

Only, the combination of rage wasn’t directed at me but rather at the person who did this to me.

When another wave of pulsating force went through me, it triggered something unimaginable. My eyes rolled in the back of my head as my body convulsed once more. I suddenly was consumed by heightened agony as the splintering sound of snapping bones was followed with my vision suddenly shifting entirely.

I almost lost consciousness at the peak of it all, but a combined force held me up from losing the battle I seemed to be enduring with myself.

When my eyes suddenly opened, the vision before me was magnificently clear, even in the darkness that aimed to hide our surroundings. I was on all fours, but everything else was different, from the extraordinary vision to the elevated sense of smell that tickled my nostrils.

Warmth flooded me while the place that surely was my chest seemed to be bathed in extra warmth as the pain lessened with haste.

When the pain seemed to be gone, I looked at my legs to see the white hairs of fur with the tiniest hint of fine pink fibers in the soft coat that reflected against the moon’s rays.

A chuckle of pride and exhaustion drifted onto the passing wind and my attention was on the sole man before me. My height was at his shoulders, seemingly abnormal when he well surpassed 6′0″, but it didn’t matter as I narrowed my eyes at him with the intention of attacking him returning to me.

He lifted his hands up, but that taunting smirk was still present on those sexy lips of his, all while he stood there - naked and hard at the mere sight of me.

“Finally. Our sweet forbidden fruit is ripe and ready for us to pleasantly enjoy.”

A rumble left me that morphed into a low growl, but it only made him chuckle.

“I’m not your enemy, Will. Or should I say, Willow?” he inquired and used my true name, and I lowered in preparation for attacking him if he didn’t lower that sick pride of his.

“Willow, my sweet.” The way his seductive voice said those very words had me tingling from the inside out as my body burned to be beneath him and fucked.

I shook my head wildly at the thought, and that left him chuckling before he was standing before me in one swift movement. I should have bitten him, but his hand was suddenly stroking my cheek and soon I was lowering my head as he knelt down to one knee and pressed his forehead against mine.

“Forbidden Willow, don’t push me away. I may be your enemy during the day, but right here, right now, I’m the next best thing to salvation,” he growled soothingly. “Embrace this, Willow. Dwell in the blissful moment of being Wolf Awakened. Whatever held you back has lost its battle, and now?”

He leaned back just so I’d lift my head and look into his deadly eyes.

“Now we wage war on all who dare defy us.”

The joy of his dangerous motivation somehow sparked new life into me, and all I could do was lift my head and howl. I was now bonded to my pack of enemies. That knowledge left excitement in its wake instead of fright.

Wolf Awakened is what I’ve overcome and it’s time to seek my forbidden pack of lethal fuckers who will lead us to victory.

READ NOW:

https://smarturl.it/WolfAwakened

(FREE on Kindle Unlimited)

ABOUT AVERY SONG

Avery Song is a reverse harem author who specializes in paranormal, fantasy, and urban romance.

She especially loves writing strong main characters and is excited for all the books that are approaching.

~Books by Avery Song~

WILLOW’S FORBIDDEN PACK

Wolf Awakened

Wolf Endangered

Wolf Outcasted (Oct.8.21)

AURELIA’S PACK OF MISFITS

Wolf Rejected

Wolf Reclaimed (Oct.22.21)

CLAIMING MY PACK SERIES

Wolf Tamer (May.14.2021)

THE SUPERNATURAL SPY ACADEMY SERIES:

S.S.S YEAR ONE

S.S.S YEAR TWO

S.S.S YEAR THREE

S.S.S YEAR FOUR

S.S.S YEAR FIVE

S.S.S. YEAR SIX

S.S.S. YEAR SEVEN (Jun.11.21)

SPELL TRAVELER CHRONICLES (COMPLETE)

Witchling Academy- Semester One

Witchling Academy- Semester Two

Witchling Academy- Semester Three

Witchling Academy- Semester Four

Witchling Academy- Semester Five

Witchling Academy- Semester Six

Witchling Academy- Semester Seven

Witchling Academy- Semester Eight

JADE STORM TRACKER SERIES

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester One

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester Two

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester Three

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester Four

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester Five (May.7.2021)

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester Six (Jul.30.2021)

ACADEMY FOR ALL THINGS SCORCHING

Blazing Academy - Semester One

Blazing Academy - Semester Two

Blazing Academy - Semester Three

Blazing Academy - Semester Four (Jul.30.21)

COWRITTEN WORKS:

SUPERNATURAL CAPTIVITY SERIES

Supernatural Inmate

Supernatural Outlaw

Supernatural Villain

Supernatural Savior (Jun.26.2021)

SUPERNATURAL MARKED MONARCHY

Psychic Prison - Book One

DESTINED IMRISONEN TRILOGY

Arrested By Magic

FOR THE FAEIRY ABSOLUTES

Celestial Prison

ROYAL CONFINEMENT FOR MALICIENT SUPERNATURALS

Shattered Princess

FOR THE PURELY DIVINE SERIES

Fae Rose Academy - Year One

Fae Rose Academy - Year Two

Fae Rose Academy - Year Three (June.30.2021)

WILLA SILVER ACADEMY INVESTIGATOR

Daggers and Smoke - Year One

THE SUPERNATURAL VAMPIRE FAE CHRONICLES

Bloody Rosary Academy - Year One

Bloody Rosary Academy - Year Two

Bloody Rosary Academy - Year Three (Sept.5.2021)

Table of Contents

WOLF REJECTED

Copyright

Contents

Acknowledgement

Wolf Rejected Blurb

Aurelia Delianna Clementine

1. Prologue: The Ultimate Betrayal

2. Guilty Before Being Proven Innocent

3. Muted Recovery And Sudden Introductions

4. Mischief Around De Luca And Charm

5. Pay Respects And Lady Natasha

6. Tension Between Friends And How Much Time Is Left?

7. Unfair Circumstances And Hidden Savior

8. What Are We? Enemies Or Lost Lovers

9. I'll Always Hate You And Love Me From Afar

10. My World Came Burning Down With My Sanity

11. Revenge Of A Clementine

12. The Rise Of Aurelia Delianna Clementine

13. Leave And Sweet Old Karma

14. New Packs In The Heart Of Nyc

15. Ask For Help And Lonely

16. Invited Chances And Step Forward

17. Follow My Essence

18. Jealous Tension And I Think I Love You

19. Danger And Unexpected Initiation

20. Misfit Assistant And Yearn For Freedom

21. Drowning Bestie And Missing Lover

22. Fear Of Uncertainty And Fight For Me

23. Forced Reality And Lost Flower

STAY CONNECTED

WOLF AWAKENED

Prologue: Forbidden Fruit

ABOUT AVERY SONG

Also By Avery Song