Josie POV
"WHAT???!!! two and a half years?? And you didn't find it strange at all?? Oh, Josephine…you should have told us! Your father and I are here for you, whenever you need us, why would you hide this? We would have more time to...” when she suddenly stops.
“I do trust you! Both of you, it’s just…wait, what do you mean with more time? More time for what???” She is hiding something from me. Something big. That I can tell. “What are you not telling me??”
And then she sighs, starting to fidget with the end of her dark green skirt looking down at her feet, trying to find her words.
After what seemed like forever, she finally begins her storytelling.
“I inherited my mothers’ powers as well, not only the wolf part from my father”.
Oh wow, I knew that her mother was a powerful witch but I was always told that she took more into my fathers’ side, therefore she is more werewolf than witch.
“And from a small age, with 8 to be precise, I managed to even control them, which for a young witch was unheard of. My older sister always discouraged me secretly not to train so much, but with my mothers’ support I was seen as a teenager as the next coven ruler, after my mother would have stepped down... Susanne always fought with her, but she was simply not that gifted... My mother loved her dearly, she was her daughter born from her first love, before meeting my dad, her destined mate. She also had witch-training session a couple of times a week but was not showing so much progress…thus getting angrier each time she didn’t accomplished a task.”
“I still remember that awful day. My daily nightmares remind me of it constantly. What was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, the equivalent of my wedding day, was now a reminder that my life will be forever incomplete”
“But I thought you and dad had a wonderful wedding, I’ve seen the pictures, you were so happy…What happened?”
“In the beginning it was. Everything I could ever dream of, from decorations, all the organizing, the amazing flower and lights setup in the ballroom hall to the moment when your father and I spoke our vows...”. She furrows her brows and continues. “When everybody was dancing their hearts out, with your father and I in the middle, my stepsister crashed the doors and came in almost floating, visibly pissed off, along with a terrible wind that made her long scarlet-red hair fly around her. So much power oozed from her, and it took us by surprise, not having enough time to react as she spoke the words that changed my life from that day on. ‘With this seal I bind you dear sister’, she said sneering at me, ‘your powers won’t be of use anymore! thus you will live as a half werewolf from now on!’ she screamed as her hands were conjuring a blurry gold glowing chain wrapped into a sphere between her moving hands, and pushing it towards me with her last spoken word… The chain wrapped tight around my chest and arms, suffocating me…trying to penetrate my skin, all while I heard her sarcastic voice in my mind ‘the only way to break the seal is when your mate leaves this earth...consider it a wedding gift, dear sis’!!’ She laughed mockingly in my head while I was in extreme pain, gasping for air until I passed out, falling unconsciously on the floor… “
“Oh, mother!” I said as I pulled her into a hug. I know there’s more to the story but I can feel she needs the comfort. After a few sobs she says, “Wait my darling, there’s more to it...”
“Why did nobody intervene??” I asked impatiently “I mean, your mother and father were both there, right?? She was a powerful witch from what you told me…why didn’t she do something to protect you??”
I don’t know the whole story behind my grandparents’ relationship, only that a couple of days after my parents’ ceremony she took off disappearing into thin air…nobody could locate her even after all these years.
I could see that this event took a toll on my mothers’ mental health, but for me and my sisters, she struggled to be her best version of herself. I asked my grandfather a few years ago about grandma if she is dead, but he reassured me that she is very much alive somewhere, because he didn’t ever feel the mate bond snap, just severed. He described it like she was being alive but very far away from us.
Still sad and missing her, but he managed to survive without his mate near beside him, which is a very hard thing to do. Most mates grow weaker when their counterpart severs the bond, some of them even die. I suppose I didn’t quite realize what a powerful Alpha my grandfather was. My heart ached for him seeing him like this and if I ever encounter my famous grandmother, I would surely give her a piece of my mind.
My mother continued her story.
“My parents were there, but they couldn’t reach me. It was like in that moment I was being surrounded by a wall of a hurricane-like wind, and nobody could approach me.”
Hurricane-like wind…and then I instantly remembered my nightmare from before... with large eyes I listened what my mother was telling, hanging on every word.
“It was clearly a powerful black magic that somehow my stepsister managed to use this time. She wasn’t a powerful witch, her being half human, but she must’ve done something…something terrible in order to gain such power...”
“After I passed out, I was told that she discharged a very thick black smoke around her as she disappeared laughing hysterically…”
“Mom? What does that have to do with my dreams?” I ask in a serious tone, slightly impatient.
“Well...” she sighs “when I was passed out, I remember being in a complete darkness feeling a complete hollowness inside me like no other, and then I heard her voice coming from many directions as creepy whispers, saying ‘My sweet little sister...always sweet, always loved...always cute’ and I could feel the way she grimaced the last word...
‘My wedding gift comes with a bonus for your future offspring...’ came a whisper from my left.
‘don’t worry, no thanks needed though! Ha ha ha ha...!’ another one from my right.
‘Your firstborns’ mate will forever be with her, but never to touch...’ is heard from my left.
‘Never to hear...’ comes from behind.
‘Never to claim... ‘dark whispers surrounding me this time.
‘Oh my, I’ve shared a precious little secret with you…’ she giggles sickly sweet.
‘Indeed, you will have a daughter. And you can’t do anything to help her!!! Or yourself!!’ she said, her maniacally laughs ringing louder and louder as I covered my ears but without any real success in dampening the horrific sounds.”
I watched her with my eyes fixed, my heart skipping a beat. No, this cannot be true...forever be with her, but never to touch…
“You’re saying that I am... cursed...? never to …find my mate...???!!” I ask almost choking as my eyes began to sting from the unshed tears that unwillingly gathered in my eyes.
No, no, no, this cannot be happening. There must be a way…and then I realized something.
“Why now mother??” I ask eyeing her suspiciously.
“Is something going to happen on my 21st birthday? What did you mean that you would have more time??”
She raises her beautiful bright green eyes looking deep into mine as she states.
“On your 21st birthday you will get to feel your mate, I don’t understand exactly how…but because you cannot claim each other…” she pauses, staring at me with love and fear for what she is about to say, a single tear dropping on her right cheek, “...it will slowly weaken your life force until...”.
Shit. That’s a hell of a birthday present.
Josie POV “How much time do I have left after my birthday...?” I ask her balling my fists, my anger rolling off me now in silent waves. She looks me in the eyes with a mix of love and guilt. “I don’t know exactly, depends on how strong are your inherited wolf genes... Flame is a powerful wolf. I think she will be able to support you...” her words were strained and she couldn’t speak freely, tears threating to spill from her concerned eyes. “How long mother?” I ask. “6 to 8 months...maybe 1 year...” she whispered looking defeated and tired. “How did grandpa manage it?” I ask, feeling a touch of hope in all this weird situation. “How did he survive all these years without his mate? I mean...there has to be a way” I say deep in thoughts now. He told me that he felt the bond was severed but it didn’t break. “We have a theory. It might be because he is a pure Alpha. His mother was born Alpha, and his father came
Levi’s POV I hate her. I thought she cared for me. I really believed she loved me. Who wouldn’t, when all my life I stood by her side, listening to her, abiding her sick ways of living, getting beaten and bullied for no reason, in hopes for some affection and love only a mother could offer. She was no mother. She was a monster. My anger rises every time I think how she tricked me all these years until I heard her talking to her demon, realizing that she was actually the one behind my parents’ death. The agony I felt...the pain...the fury... I’ve heard her speaking to herself many times, but somehow, I couldn’t decipher what she was saying, or who she was speaking to...until the day before my 18th birthday, when everything changed.Her demeanor and the way she acted towards me. I wasn’t her adoptive son anymore, the one who she rescued from the bewitched rogues who supposably killed my family, no... I became instantly her enemy. Therefore, she had me
BEATRICE POV I shut the door quietly behind me, exhaling a long breath I didn’t know I was holding. I did it. I told her finally. Closing my eyes, leaning on the wall next to her door, I let my tears fall. She doesn’t deserve this... she deserves to have a beautiful, happy and fulfilled life...not tainted by my mistakes. ‘You didn’t do anything wrong!!’ ‘Maybe I did, I don’t know anymore..., maybe I could’ve paid more attention to Susanne and her feelings…maybe I would’ve seen her pain...’ ‘Humph...pain! She is a pain in the ass!!’ says Lotus, clearly pissed off. ‘I know it’s hard, Josie is my pup too! So... crying time is over, get your shit together, we have to find a solution, and fast!’ I know she is like this because she disagreed from the beginning of our plan to hide this fact, and not involve Josie. Lukas and I, we thought that in all these years, we will come up with something and Josie will never need to find out...she would just live her life like a normal kid, enjoyi
JOSIE’S POV “Hey Sarah, how are you girl?” I ask my best friend and desk mate as casual as I can. “Oh-oh…what’s wrong?” her speaker-voice sounds worried. Damn, she knows me to well. “Well...how? what…? I…urgh…never mind. I swear you have some fortuneteller genes in you.” “I can read you like a book. Even over the phone. Ha-ha, perk of being around you so many hours per day, per week etc. So, tell me, what’s up?” “You should come over. Can you call Steph and his brother?” “You sure you want Zane to come over…?” she asks not sure of my decision. Zane is Stephen’s older brother, and my ex… we ended up nicely; still things changed in time and our interaction was never the same as before. But whenever we are all gathered, the group energy was as beneficial, and positive as always. Half nerds, half the youth power that everybody in this pack will rely on in the future. “Yeah, I’m sure, I need smart brains, with useful hands and eyes.” “Hmm… should I contact Tanja and Marco as well
JOSIE’S POV Feeling strong, I left the room and just as I approached my father's office, I heard them both whispering. They were sitting on top of an old book I had never seen before, looking for something. When I saw the outline of the book something felt weird. I had the sudden urge to touch it like it was calling me. They were so engrossed in what they were doing that they didn't even notice me standing in front of the door. “Ahem!” They looked up at me, startled like I’ve caught them red-handed. “Gotcha’!” The first emotion I saw on my mother's face was fear, as if she had been caught doing something truly forbidden. In the next second, with my father's hand on her shoulder she relaxed and motioned for me to enter. “What is…this?” I asked trying to mask my need to get close to the book. Things look to be serious, so I dropped the playful note. Just as they were about to answer, they both widened their eyes and rushed out of the office. Probably a mind link. “Come down with
BEATRICE – POV I rush downstairs alongside Lukas, and right before we stepped into the packhouse’s kitchen, we heard screaming and shouting coming from the hallway leading to the maid’s chambers. “Help!!! Someone!! Alpha!! Luna! She’s can’t breathe anymore!! Do something! We cannot touch her!” yelled a panicked Oliver, as soon as we reached Diane’s room, pointing towards Mrs. Clark whose face was slowly turning blue due to the lack of oxygen. Lukas swiftly went to her to help her, but as soon as he touched her arm he was zapped by a black jolt of electricity. “I can’t touch her! What the hell is going on??!” I reach to her, putting my hands on her arms while she was watching me with terror-stricken wide eyes, as if asking for my instant help. “You can touch her….” Lukas murmured… “Quickly Bea, see if she has something in her mouth, try Heimlich!!!” Before I try to de-choke her, I have to see if there’s something on the outside that can be seen and I struggle in a second to peel h
JOSIE POV I’ve never felt so alive. So… ‘Complete?’ Flame added in a owe. ‘Exactly!’ I confirmed while staring at my half-enraged mother, her expression now mixed with fear and surprise. Hearing her saying something about my eyes, I turned to the framed mirror on the wall looking at myself, stunned of my own reflection. Bright lime green eyes were peering back at me, as strands of hair were dancing around me like being blown by the wind, all while a semicircular white silver energy field was emitted from my own hand. I felt good, powerful…confident. Who was she to tell me what to do? I felt myself looking back at my mother, tilting my head to the right, a mischievous grin appearing on my lips. Hmm…I like it, actually...I love it. It should scare me, but this raw feeling of almost omnipotence engulfs my mind and... ‘That’s enough, child!’ a soft, yet stern voice inside my mind ordered, and just like that my shield dropped. A blazing headache started violently, and I had to clutch
LEVI’S POV No. I refuse to let her win. For the first time around, I feel that I have a reason to really defeat her…I’m not alone anymore… Looking around me for the 967th time, give or take, the same bewitched walls surrounded me, the same cups and furniture pieces were staring back at me in mockery. She thought of it all. Even the plates, knives and forks were engrained with magic… the plates won’t break, the knives won’t cut - unless is something I eat, otherwise they bend like a rubber whenever I try to do something else with it. Also, 2 times a day a warm meal just appears on the table, fruit basket is always full and a carafe filled with fresh water is always on disposal. She wants me to be well fed apparently. If she needs be to be physically strong then I will use this to my advantage... All my environment is an endless space and time loop. I see from time to time a crack of lightning on the night sky, but it’s not frequent…it’s odd though, because there is no storm aroun