Wolfsbane: The Wolf Within

by Bethany Shay Porteous

  Was I dead?

  This couldn’t be the afterlife, I thought blandly as I stared at the empty white space around me. Surely it couldn’t be…

  I pulled myself up fully and shakily got to my feet, noting I was draped in a white garment and nothing else. Where had my clothes gone?

  Okay, I had to be dead for sure now. There was no way I was alive.

  Would Aiden know I was dead? I thought suddenly as my mouth dried. That would kill him… and he wouldn’t even know where to find me… and if they did find me who knows what would be left of me by the time the wildlife was through with me… Regret cemented itself deep within me and I hiccupped a dry sob.

  I should never have left—I should have found a way!

  I twisted my hands together anxiously as I once more, uselessly probed my mind for answers… for guidance… there was nothing.

  Frustration welled up inside me and I clenched my fists.

  “Hello?” I shouted out. “Is anyone here?”

  Silence.

  Pursing my lips, I decided to start walking, although I had the strong feeling in my stomach that no matter where I walked to I would end up in the same spot—it was impossible to know if you’d be walking in circles in here! It was already making me feel dizzy. I was simply just standing in a white open space, like something out of a bad science fiction movie that Aiden would make me watch.

  I needed to find out where I was and then find out how to leave here—that’s if I wasn’t dead.

  I could very much be dead right now.

  Pushing that horrendous thought from my mind, I squared my shoulders and started walking forward, noting the coolness of the floor beneath my feet. But was it floor really? If there was floor, then I was somewhere and not floating in the middle of nowhere so that was a positive right now…

  My thoughts drifted to Aiden and my family and what they must be going through. Had they found my body? Was my body even missing or was this my body? It couldn’t be my body… My head began to feel overwhelmed again and I took a deep breath, calming myself down quickly. It wouldn’t help my situation at all to lose my head right now. I needed to calmly evaluate what was happening and then go from there.

  I’d save the losing my shit for when I really couldn’t work out what was happening!

  I wondered what happened to Salem and if I had even been successful in his removal, or had he managed to kill me? Surely though If I were dead, Jonah would have been here straight away to fulfill his promise of a lifetime of torture.

  Or where was my mother?

  She would have been here as well… so I couldn’t be dead.

  I just couldn’t.

  “Hello?” I called out again.

  Met with more silence I kept walking, but I honestly couldn’t feel as if I were really moving anywhere, given I saw no change in scenery whatsoever.

  Was I in limbo before my fate was decided?

  Did things like limbo even exist?

  “Evelyn!” a panicked voice screamed into the void and I clamped my hands over my ears in fear as it echoed like thunder throughout the space.

  “Hello?” I shouted, feeling hopeful.

  Nothing.

  Who had called my name like that? They had sounded terrified… they’d have to have seen me…

  “Evelyn,” a firm voice said behind me and I spun fast on my heel, near losing my balance and toppling over.

  The woman was ethereal, exquisite and beautiful all at once. Her skin was pale, porcelain. Her blue eyes shimmered like clear deep blue water and her long blonde hair hung straight down her back and over her shoulders, brushing her waist delicately. She wore the same white draping garments as me and around her neck on a gold chain, hung a powerful looking charm with an emerald stone in its crest.

  “Evelyn,” she said again, and I met her eyes.

  “Who are you?” I managed breathlessly.

  “I am everything,” she said smoothly as she outstretched her arms. “I am The Creator, Morgana and the Great Mother. The Moon Goddess and The Siren… to you I am your ancestor and the mother of Danyeela and Tatiana.”

  A shocked lump settled in my throat and my hands trembled.

  I was not standing in front of Morgana right now, no way.

  “You are surprised,” she said. “You want to know why you’re here… and where is here.”

  “Y-yes,” I stammered as I glanced at her.

  “You are here Evelyn because you have an important role to play,” she started. “You were targeted by my daughters because of an age-old prophecy I designed as their punishment and they don’t wish to see it fulfilled.”

  “Prophecy?” I questioned.

  “For my two daughters to survive as immortals they needed to end twelve lives of twelve elder witches and absorb their powers. Combined with this, they needed the sacrifice of a wolf, a vampire, a lycan and a fairy. They also required a sacrifice of half their souls each, so they are now joined as one… which in turn does make them easier to end. You only need kill one of them Evelyn—”

  “Wait,” I cut in. “Why me? You’re the all-powerful one, why can’t you kill them?”

  “It is too dangerous,” she said bluntly. “Evelyn, I have the entirety of all the power this world has to offer. Only myself has ever been able to harvest it and connect with the Earth the way a witch is supposed to. If they somehow managed to destroy me… all supernatural life would be destroyed as we know it. I am the sole core of supernatural life, I am the root of your living.”

  So, if she were to die essentially, we all would… but it was okay for me to die because in the grand scheme of things I was really nothing?

  “That’s not what I’m saying,” she said, and I started in shock. “Yes Evelyn, I can hear your thoughts.”

  “W-w-w—”

  “You have the power to defeat them Evelyn,” she told me. “You are more powerful than most witches. You were chosen for this because of your nature. When you take those two down, you will absorb all their power Evelyn, but only you have a mind so pure that I know it won’t be abused. The prophecy revolves around you and they know it does. It’s either you die Evelyn, or they do. Unfortunately, you have no choice.”

  No choice.

  “And Salem?” I demanded. “What happened to him?”

  “He’s still in your mind,” she told me. “You very nearly killed yourself out there Evelyn. I had to intercede. Your family have you now, you’re safe. What’s to come for you however… you’re going to go through some extreme pain Evelyn. Your family will not stop until that beast is out of you and destroyed. Once that happens… my daughters will increase their attacks.”

  “I’m screwed either way,” I mumbled softly as the realization hit.

  “No, you aren’t,” Morgana assured me. “Evelyn, you need to have more faith in yourself and your abilities. Don’t allow people to tell you how to use your power, it’s too different from theirs. Use your magic and if anyone tries to stop it, teach them that you are a capable young witch and you no longer need to be watched and taught. Your magic—it’s going to teach you. Just like mine did.”

  “I can’t do this!” I said quickly. “I can’t take them on—they’ve been alive for years! They know their magic, I don’t. I don’t even know the half of it!”

  “Your magic will reveal what you need when the time and opportunity shows itself Evelyn,” Morgana told me. “It’s different than having a talisman or an old grimoire. This is old magic you have, where you don’t need fancy words, but pure Faith in your abilities and a connection to the Earth. This is also why you need to allow your wolf to come through—but that can’t happen until you have Salem removed. The moment you have your wolf… you’ll be ready.”

  “I’ve tried shifting into her, I can’t do it!” I cried in exasperation. “I can hear her but—”

  “Salem won’t allow her to take over Evelyn,” Morgana explained. “You need to end him first. Your family will do that, I can assure you… but the pain
you’re to go through for it…”

  “How bad?” I winced.

  “Like nothing you have ever experienced,” she said softly. “If you make it through this Evelyn… this experience will help you for what’s to come. Removing Salem would be nothing compared to taking on my daughters. It needs to happen.”

  “It does need to happen,” I mumbled. “So, I’m not dead?”

  “You almost were,” she sighed. “You very nearly tore out your life force Evelyn. You’re a powerful young witch, the more you learn to understand yourself the more powerful you will become.”

  The space was silent for a moment before my mind began to run away with frantic thoughts of what was to come once I left this silent place.

  “What if I need to talk to you again?” I asked panicked.

  “Evelyn,” she said. “I am in you, I am a part of your magic and your blood. To seek my guidance all you need to do is trust in yourself.” She closed her eyes and her face scrunched up in deep thought before her brilliant blue eyes flashed open. “It’s time to go back.”

  “Morgana,” I whined under my breath, before my cheeks flushed. “Sorry.”

  I thought I saw her lips turn up slightly before her face remained impassive. “It’s time to go back Evelyn. I have all the faith in you that you can do this. Trust in yourself and your power and find strength within your heart. Close your eyes.”

  I instantly did as I was told, but anxiety coursed through my veins and I could feel myself trembling as her hands went to my shoulders. With one shove I felt as if I were falling, like in one of those horrid dreams, where you’d wake up before you hit the ground. I couldn’t tear my eyes open and as I was encased in darkness, all that could be heard were my shrieks of terror and the wind rushing violently against my ears as I fell back into the land of the living.

  Chapter Twenty

  Drip. Drip. Drip.

  Oh, my head.

  My mouth felt pasty and my limbs felt heavy as the cold surface below my forehead became increasingly uncomfortable. I didn’t want to open my eyes; the smell of the room was enough to make me realize I wasn’t somewhere nice and the moment I looked around I knew I would be in reality and I didn’t quite want to face that just yet.

  My conversation with Morgana ran through my mind at a million miles an hour as I realized that I was about to be hurt beyond belief and that I had to take down her two daughters.

  All in a day’s work, right?

  Morgana, I am so not ready for reality right now… nowhere near it.

  The room was cold, and I shivered as goosebumps broke out across my skin. Don’t open your eyes, I told myself. The moment I opened my eyes it would all begin, and I didn’t even want to think about it.

  Open your eyes little witch, Salem taunted. It’s going to begin regardless.

  Oh help.

  Miss me?

  Not as much as you’ll miss me, I ground out.

  “I really don’t want to do this,” a soft voice uttered into the room. “The pain is almost unimaginable.”

  “It would be worse if that thing killed someone she loved,” another voice said. “We need to do this.”

  “She would never forgive us,” someone whimpered.

  “Oh, she would,” a deep voice rumbled. “She’s all about the self-sacrifice you know.”

  “Trey!” someone admonished.

  “It’s the truth,” Trey coughed. “She would take this quietly if it meant saving everyone.”

  “At least now we understand what’s in her,” someone murmured. “Removing it is easier now that we know she didn’t cleanse herself. It’s just going to be agony for her… and we need to be careful we don’t tear her wolf out like she was doing. We need to be one hundred percent sure that we have the right being.”

  “How long will it take?” Aiden’s voice broke through and my heart rose.

  Aiden.

  “I can’t say,” my father replied quietly. “It depends on how deeply rooted that thing is. Our other problem is once we get it out, destroying it before it can get into someone else. Therefore, only we can be in here.”

  “I want to be with her,” Aiden argued.

  “You don’t have the power to defend yourself,” my father sighed. “It isn’t safe for you Aiden, I’m sorry.”

  “I don’t give a damn about what is safe!” Aiden growled. “My mate nearly killed herself and then she nearly killed the rest of us in her sleep and now she’s going to go through agony like no other—”

  “Which is why you shouldn’t be in here Aiden,” Stella whispered. “You don’t want to see your mate like that and not be able to do anything.”

  “She’s awake,” someone announced.

  “She’s still paralyzed from the Witch Hazel,” my father informed. “She’ll be able to hear everything and comprehend but the Witch Hazel will make her completely immobile. It will stop that thing getting out and attacking us again.”

  I was paralyzed?

  Panic rose within me as I willed every muscle in my body to move—but nothing happened. I couldn’t move my hands, my legs or my arms—nothing. It was as if all connection between my brain and what it was meant to do had been severed and a strangled sob gargled in my throat at the thought I could be stuck like this forever.

  “Evelyn?” Aiden was beside me in a second, his breathing fast. “It’s okay Evelyn, you’ve just been immobilized that’s all.”

  “It’s to stop you from hurting any of us,” my father’s voice came closer. “You’ve got a high dose of Witch Hazel and Wolfsbane in your system right now, both being used to stop that force from coming through you while we try removing it. Can you try talking?”

  I tried to form a word but all that came out was an inaudible jumble and I tore my eyes open in frustration—or at least I thought I did.

  I was surrounded by darkness.

  “You’ve also been made temporarily blind,” my father informed me. “Note that I said temporary Evelyn, please don’t panic too much. All of this can be undone once we help you, we just can’t risk what that thing will use to get to us.”

  I didn’t know what to do—there really wasn’t much I could do. I couldn’t in any way acknowledge that I understood what they were saying. They knew about Salem—well not him specifically—but they knew I was hosting something. Were they aware he was still active within my mind? Yes, given the fact that any kind of life had been taken from me by them.

  “Evelyn,” my father started calmly. “What we’re about to do… it isn’t going to be pleasant or easy for any of us. It’s going to hurt and you’re going to want to scream but you won’t be able to. We’re only trying to help, that’s all this is.”

  I know, I thought. I’m ready.

  “How can we do this without her verbal consent?” Aiden growled.

  “We can’t risk it any longer!” Stella told him sharply. “Aiden, the longer that thing stays inside her the more it consumes her. We need to get it out—if you can’t handle that then you need to leave the room until this is all over.”

  “When’s Hannah getting here?” my father asked. “She’s still bringing her mother, right?”

  “She should be here soon,” someone mumbled.

  I started to wonder how they had even managed to find me, I would have been in the middle of nowhere. How had they located me?

  What had occurred in that time that I had met with Morgana? I ached to tell my family about it, but I knew it would have to wait until all this was over. It dreaded me that I still had so much more explaining left to do.

  “I’m surprised the Wolfsbane has any effect,” Trey said.

  “Now that she’s been having more wolf symptoms, naturally the Wolfsbane would join as an allergy. The only issue she needs to watch out for is she can now be taken down by two poisons and not just one,” my father said with a sigh. “Witch Hazel is extremely potent as it is, combined with Wolfsbane… well we can see the results in front of us, can’t we?”

  “N
o one ever better get wind of it!” Aiden snarled.

  “Someone will work it out,” Stella said. “Just as it would be bad for Hannah, being half a witch and wolf. Precautions will need to be taken, especially while the two of you are away at college. Evelyn is famous these days for her power… you’ve had many wolves on your doorstep demanding her, have you not?”

  “Too many,” Alpha James said. “She hardly even knows the number.”

  “I never tell her,” Aiden said. “It hurts her when she can’t help.”

  “She can probably hear you,” my father said nervously.

  “I know.” Aiden’s posture seemed to tense beside me. “There’s no point putting her through all that stress when she’s not able to help them. It’s not right.”

  There was a loud metal grating sound and all attention seemed to focus on the new person entering. I could only assume it was Hannah.

  “We’re late,” she huffed. “I had to find the old grimoire.”

  “Hopefully combining two families magic we can finish this once and for all,” Stella said.

  “And we still don’t know what we’re dealing with?” an unfamiliar voice asked. “Just that it would be the same force Evelyn pulled from that Luna up in Alaska—a force none of us were there to witness.”

  “Yes,” my father said. “We don’t know what or even who this thing is.”

  “Well we do like a challenge,” came Sienna’s voice.

  How fickle, Salem tittered. They will never succeed in removing me. And if they do… you’ll only have to face up to my darling love and her sister. You are finished either way Evelyn.

  I then realized that it wasn’t the pain I was about to feel, or the fact that I was paralyzed and blind. It was that I was trapped inside my mind with Salem while all of this would be happening… if I had any feeling in my body I knew my blood would be running cold.

  ∞

  “Evelyn?” Aiden murmured as he shifted to face me as much as he could in the confined space. I shifted a little to face him, feeling I knew what was coming, and I wanted it to. He looked so good, smelled so good. He treated me like I was made of gold, like I was something so rare.