No one was coming to save me. I needed to save myself. Not only me though. Everyone that would be affected, that was being affected by Aradia. My hands shook, the fear I held onto was still there. It was consuming me, but I thought of all wolves and witches that would be affected. I dressed in the jeans in which I arrived. I had tucked them in the bottom of the wardrobe. I smiled it was a little piece of home and I needed that today. It gave me a little courage thinking of home, and of Hunter. He was who I’d fight for today. To protect him.
Aradia and Jackson were already seated at the dining table. Aradia looked normal. Jackson was stiff as ever. I took my seat and waited. The humans came out, placing the food in front of us. The one who served Jackson looked nervous. Her hands shook a little more than usual and her eyes kept darting around. She scurried out of the room faster than normal, I was sure of it.
“Did you have a good evening, Colette?” Aradia asked. She watched me carefully. I looked down at my food. I reminded myself this had to be done.
“Yeah,” I answered. I would wait for her to make the first move. My wolf directing me, teaching me.
“It would seem you had a bit of an adventure last night,” her eyes squinted at me.
I swallowed hard. Jackson’s shoulders dropped a little. It was strange. It was like watching him awake up. He kept blinking slowly. Aradia’s attention went to him for a moment.
“You destroyed my vials.”
Aradia’s eyes shot to mine. They glowed with power. She was going to kill me.
I felt her spell wrapping around my legs already. She was trying a binding spell I had already learned how to counter. Her eyes flashed with anger.
“You think that I would allow you to destroy everything I have worked over a century for?” She screeched. Her tone was panicked and desperate. She looked wild.
I backed away, gesturing as I spoke the words that would undo her spell. I stood, knowing this was a fight for my life. I was scared. I wasn’t ready for this. I moved away from her. Aradia stood, her dark brown hair floating around her head.
“I have been working far too long for this. I am not letting you go again.”
Aradia threw an energy ball at me. I dodged to the side.
I looked behind her at Jackson. He was still groggy, and I knew that this fight my own. Another binding spell crawled over my arms. I shook off the spell and countered it. I was so focused countering it that I didn’t see her throw another one at me. It hit me square in the stomach.
I flew backwards and hit my back on a wall. My entire body screamed with pain. My stomach felt burned from the inside out. We were in the front room now. The marbled floor under me, didn’t give at all.
My wolf and magic rushed forward and took over. It filled my so completely that pain vanished. I felt lighter than I should have. I didn’t question it. I had to trust in my magic and in my wolf.
“Learned a little something did you?” Aradia sneered. I didn’t miss the shock that flashed across her face. But she wiped it away quickly. “You look just like your father, I knew you would always be a little more wolf than witch.”
A wave of her arm sent out a gust that I could not escape. I toppled over.
My face smacked against the marbled floor. My cheekbone felt like it was broken. I rolled over and started to stand. Blood filled my mouth from where I bit the inside of my cheek. Blood roared in my ears. My breath heaved. I spit out the blood I tasted in my mouth, and opened my eyes.
Things were hazy. I blinked trying to get my vision back, and focus my attention back on Aradia. Compared to her, I was like a baby barely having learned to crawl. I saw Jackson rise out of the corner of my eye. He was standing now. He looked unstable on his feet. If I could buy a little more time his wolf would come out and attack. We might have a sliver of a chance then.
“If I have to beat the submission into you, I will, but I’d rather keep you alive,” she smiled darkly. “More blood supply that way.”
Her shoes clicked, consist as always, as she moved toward me. Click. Click. Click. She was getting closer, and my mind was racing. I needed to get back to my feet. I looked down at my hands. My nails had changed into black claws. Surprise jolted through me. While I had been fighting, my wolf had been creeping closer than she had ever before. My eye-sight I realized was sharper. I had been so focused on the fight I didn’t even realize. My wolf was offering me her strength.
I got up slowly and looked for Aradia.
“Oh very good, you’re learning even more!” she said with murderous grin.
My magic grew, filling my body with its electric touch. My magic was unstable and it exploded outwards. The balls of energy jumped from my hands, flickering like fire. Aradia brushed them away like flies. She kept her attacks coming, throwing spell after spell at me. She used binding spells to slow my progress, and break up my concentration. I needed to do something more. I had to wound her at least, because I was quickly becoming useless.
I searched the front room for anything that I could use as a weapon against her. Utilizing magic to as a weapon was draining me too quickly. I didn’t have enough practice or years of experience. But I saw the potted plants, in huge, thick vases. She had a mirror with a metal wire designed frame around it, hanging near the doorway.
I was breathing hard, but Aradia seemed like she was hardly phased. She had that smug smile on her face she knew she was closer to her prize. The wolf in me howled at the thought of losing. I wasn’t going to let her win. I thought about Jackson, I thought about all the wolves that she would use for her own gain. And the witches she corrupted and would continue to do so.
Red hot rage poured into my veins feeding my magic. The mirror and vases started to shake. The more anger I felt, the calmer façade that Aradia wore. It made my rage grow, and the glass vibrate faster. Then it cracked. Explosions from all sides of her started as my magic burst them apart.
I opened my eyes to see Aradia had been flung to the side, but the shield now around her protected her. She had used those many times when we were training. She stood up on her four inch heels, her power suit only slightly rumpled.
“I am not going to go easy on you, dear. Give up now and follow me.”
“Not in a million years,” I said.
My eyes shifted to Jackson. He was watching us now and stood without assistance. Aradia moved forward once again, her eyes flashing with power as she started to wrap yet another binding spell around me. This time I couldn’t hold it off. It was too powerful. Like a tight piece of wire was slipping around my body and upwards cutting off my air supply. I was held up by her spell, but I felt utterly weak. I needed air.
A growl rent the air. Jackson moved forward. His blonde wolf was huge. He looked like a true Alpha now. I watched as he stalked towards Aradia. There was fear in her eyes now. She released the spell on me. Turned her focus on Jackson. I fell to my knees and coughed as I tried to inhale too much air at once.
I looked up again Jackson. He dodged her attacks, but he needed an opening.
I had promised myself I would do anything. I moved back into her sight. She glanced at me, but not for long. I had to make myself a threat. I just wasn’t sure how. Any magical attacks I knew she could counter.
A sharp pain stabbed my stomach. I was kicked back so hard by Aradia’s magic that the wind was knocked out of me. I feel to my knees and cried out. My muscles contracted and spasmed.
Safe.
My wolf’s words were gentle against my mind as she pushed forward.
I watched as my wolf took over. This was her place now. She was going to finish this fight. In my head I saw her step forward once more before looking at me. I allowed her mind to seep into mine, to take over. Warmth crashed over me as she took the lead. My mind had been trying to force the shift, but when the wolf took over the pain that was coming from the shift and from the attacks I had endured from Aradia started to fade. Magic wrapped its way around me in a loving embrace. The same magic went with my wolf though.
&nb
sp; We became one.
I moved forward on my paws. I couldn’t believe I had paws. I lowered my head and growled. Aradia turned to me and I saw the shock that crossed her face for a brief second. As she did, magic exploded out from me.
I forced Aradia to move a step back by the windstorm of magic that tunneled out of me. The paintings on the walls, and lighter furniture, started to fly toward her. Jackson stopped too and stared at me for a second before locking eyes with his prey. I stepped back panting, feeling the drain of the magic.
Aradia desperately flung her magic where she could. She tried throwing objects at him. She put up a shield. I watched as he tried to break though. He kept thrashing his body against the shimmering field she put up. None of his attacks worked. He kept ramming it, but it held.
I focused on breaking down her spell. I had to counter the spell I could see her constructing. The experience was different in my wolf form. It felt even more natural than before. Slowly I watched the cracks in her shield. The counter spell that came so naturally broke down the spell she had put in place. Her eyes shot to me and I saw the sneer there. She threw an electric force at me. My body convulsed.
Jackson looked at me, I watched him for a second before another longer shock went through me. I let out a whimper. My focus was shattered as the pain shot through me. I was felt twitching on the floor. Jackson must have debating on what to do in that moment. I hoped that he went for the weakened shield instead of moving to help me. There was no way he could help, I just needed him to stop her.
The shocks started to shorten, my sight was still hazy but I watched as Jackson started to move forward.
Jackson lowered his head and growled. I felt my breath catch as he dove in. Aradia looked haggard at this point, her hair was in her disarrayed in a way I had never seen. She was breathing hard, and her attention was on me. She looked like she was preparing another attack. She didn’t realize her shield was down. But Jackson did. He closed his jaw around her exposed throat and he bit down. She screamed and wailed.
Aradia flailed trying to get out of his hold. Jackson never wavered, he drove her to the ground with the weight of his body and she went down like a ton of bricks. I watched as the light fled from her eyes.
I heard it for months in my nightmares. The sound went silent after wet gurgling.
I stood up. That was it. I didn’t feel victorious. Or a rush of relief. The last look on her face, and the sound she made caused a shiver to go through me.
I felt weak on my legs, but when Jackson turned back to me, he howled. I bent my head down and just barely exposed my throat.
Other wolves entered the room cautiously and looked at the scene. Most of them were already in their wolf forms. The few who weren’t, shifted.
Jackson howled again he led us out of the house. I followed as we took to the forest. I knew I needed this. I needed this run. As we went I felt the Earth embracing me home.
Chapter 30 — Making Amends, And Plans
The pack ran for miles, I thought I would have dropped, but I kept moving. Though this wasn’t my pack, this wasn’t family, I still felt like I belonged. For once I wasn’t the human that ran close by. I wasn’t left at home. I was in the midst of my kind. Well half my kind. Upon arriving back to Aradia’s form mansion we all crashed. I was grateful that I was surround by the others as we moved through the house. It seemed so dead and I was scared to find what might await us in the front room.
Broken glass and pieces of plaster were scattered around. In the middle of it all as a reminder of the battle that had been won, was Aradia’s body. Blood surrounded her but I averted my eyes.
I might have been here for her kill, I might have participated in it, but it didn’t mean I was proud that I helped kill my mother. It didn’t mean I ever wanted to see her like this. Jackson stood next to me and nudged me forward upstairs. He led me to my room waiting for me to enter before he left. I curled up on the bed and fell asleep.
Her scream haunted my nightmares. Not even the thought of Hunter could chase away the dreams. Of seeing her there holding her bloodied neck, blaming me. Blaming me for the downfall for the witches and warlocks. They were my people too, she screamed.
I woke up and I was human again. I didn’t know if last night was a onetime deal or not. I was scared to find out that it was. I didn’t even try to change forms. I went to the closet and found a set of clothing that least offended me.
I got dressed. It felt so unnatural to do something as common as getting dressed after the day before. It was easy to sit in this room and think that everything was the same outside these doors. In here the world was untouched. It was still the pretty little prison that I had been hostage in for the past month.
My nose scrunched. A month, probably a little more than that. I thought of my packs, and of my boys. After today I was sure that I would be leaving the mansion, I didn’t have an idea to where yet but I had to figure out me. I wasn’t trying to hide my witch side anymore. I had embraced it. It was going to take time for me to full accept what that meant. Not only that but I could show that wolves and witches could live harmoniously together. I couldn’t just leave these witches in the wolves’ hands to do as they pleased. After all I wasn’t just half wolf. I was half witch as well. I honestly believed, too, that some of them had done as their leader told them. Wolves often did the same, how could we fault another race?
I took in a deep breath.
I left the room. The house was quiet, but I knew that there was a lot going on. At the stairs and I stared at the ground. I was terrified the mess would still be there. I breathed in slowly, gathering my courage to look up. The floor that had been soaked in blood was cleaned. Aradia’s body was no longer there physically, but I couldn’t help but remember exactly where she lay. The glass, plaster, and whatever was left over was still speckled the floor. They must had been in the progress of cleaning it up because there were larger piles of debris.
I headed down the stairs determined to find Jackson and to talk to him.
I wasn’t sure where to head so I followed Jackson’s scent. I heard his voice in the kitchen, discussing something with a few other wolves. None of them were Vance. I wondered where he had gone. Jackson stopped talking when he saw me instead he nodded to the wolves who brushed past me out of the room. It wasn’t harsh or rude, these were the subtle touches of wolves.
“Feels strange not being under her control anymore. I have you to thank for that.” Jackson moved forward he gave me a hug. I pulled back. While it was comforting for my wolf to be around an Alpha, I felt uncertain about him. I didn’t know him as a man outside of when he was controlled by Aradia.
“Jackson…” I was flustered. There was so much to talk about and I didn’t know where to start. I felt guilt pinch my stomach.
“It’s alright, Colette,” he looked down at me with sympathetic eyes, “I think it would be best that we talked about all that happened. I want you to know that I appreciate all that you have done for me and my pack. I wouldn’t have been able to beat her without your help.”
He sat down and I moved to one of the counters.
“Aradia showed up at our doorstep almost twenty-one years ago. I had always believed in giving the witches a chance. My father had a very good relationship with a warlock. My father and the warlock saved each other’s lives. I never forgot that, and he had been a semi-constant in our lives.”
Jackson paused collecting his thoughts.
“Aradia was different, though. She wasn’t like other witches I had met. I didn’t know what it was. I do now. But she acted sincere for many years. It was about ten years ago things started to change. It was like I was trapped in my own body.
“It was when I started to lose days it finally clicked. It had to be her. She was always interested in me, but I was waiting on my mate. I thought I had finally caught her scent at about the same time, almost ten years. It wasn’t until you showed up that my wolf had the spirit to fight again. I know who you are, Colette. I know yo
u are her biological daughter. She spoke of you often. Never like a mother missing a daughter though.”
Jackson was quiet for a moment.
“She left diaries and journals. I was tempted to burn them all, but I left them for you,” he looked up at me. “You saved me and for that I owe you my life.”
I licked my dry lips as we sat silently, brushing over a cut. I winced at the sensation.
“I don’t want your life. I want a promise. You saw me last night you know what I am. I am not one or the other. Both halves are part of me. There has been so much bad blood here. We have to make a change. I want us to unite. And I think we can start here.”
I looked up at Jackson. His eyes were on the table in front of him. I could tell this wasn’t an easy decision for him. He and his pack had been used for twenty one years.
“She killed her, didn’t she?” Jackson asked quietly.
I didn’t respond because I couldn’t. I didn’t want to tell him that the one person that was meant for him was dead because of the actions of my mother.
“You would ask me to forgive the witches, to take them in as pack?”
“You can’t judge the actions of one person to represent the rest. Don’t you think that maybe they were manipulated as well? We don’t know the extent of what they did individually. They need a leader. And an Alpha. They need you,” I answered.
I felt like I had aged in the past few moments alone, but someone had to remember what was best for the weres and witches. Not just one of us. My wolf had accepted my magic, they had worked together and if I could accept both halves of myself, I had to hope that the wolves would one day accept the witches.
“I don’t think this will be easy, but I give you my word to try. But what about you? You can’t be leaving yet?” He asked.
“I have to. This isn’t where I belong.”
Hexed Hearts Page 34
