Protect

The next week was spent training hard. I pressured Kai and he told me more about this council meeting. Once a year, Alphas and their seconds got together to talk about werewolf law, territory, hand down judgments and most importantly talk about mating and the issues with our dwindling race. This year, it was held in Canada. Hundreds of our kind would converge on a four-star werewolf-owned hotel and carryout the weekend like a business conference.

An Alpha and his second were mandated to attend. Kai pleaded with the council to allow him to bring Max instead of me since I wasn’t exactly caught up on werewolf politics but it was forbidden. I must attend. I wasn’t sure whether to be scared or excited.

Something had been bugging me all week. I hadn’t talked to Sylvia since I last saw her and she had offered to open me up to my powers as a witch. I approached Kai in our small training room downstairs, he was lifting weights. Sweat gleaned on his muscles. He was alone.

“I want to see Sylvia about opening myself up to my witch powers,” I blurted out. I never was good with keeping secrets.

Kai finished his rep and placed the weights slowly on the ground. He wiped his face clean and looked at me.

“Why?” he asked.

“I know you want me to be one hundred percent werewolf, but I’m not. I want to explore this part of myself. It might help me one day if I get into trouble. I could protect myself better.” I chewed my lip. I also had a super curious personality and the thought of doing a spell excited me.

“Okay.” He sighed, sounding defeated. “I agree it might help you if you were to have more tools in your arsenal.”

Really, no big fight? “Thank you for understanding.”  I gave him a kiss and left to call Sylvia.

***

Sylvia had requested privacy, much to Kai’s dissatisfaction. We were in a dense part of the woods a few miles from the house. Sylvia had a large blanket spread out with a bunch of crystals, herbs and a large, worn book.

I sat there nervously while she set up. “So, I heard you had a run in with the vampires?” she asked coyly.

“We did. There were three. I killed one.” I tried not to react to the look of shock that quickly passed over her face. She didn’t think I was capable of killing a vampire? Or she thought it was dangerous for me?

Sylvia nodded. “And are you okay with that? I mean, it must have been scary.”

I nodded. “It was, but it was them or me, so I’m fine with defending my life and protecting my family.”

Sylvia smiled. That seemed to be the right thing to say. “Good. Now, when I remove this spell that has been encasing your energy, you will have full use of your witch powers. You will need to train with me in order to learn how to use them. Your lineage is strong and with proper practice, you could become a High Priestess like me. I have spoken to the rest of my coven. Even though this is unusual, we would like to invite you to join our coven, when you are ready and if you want to. We understand you will be a part of Kai’s pack and consider yourself a werewolf but if you would also consider, we would like you to inherit your place as a witch in our coven.”

I wanted to, badly, but I knew Kai wasn’t exactly comfortable with my witch blood. I had always been an avid fantasy reader. One book series I liked was about a witch clan. They had different colored candles for different spells. I ached to know if this was true now that I knew witches were real.

“I will talk to Kai and think about it,” I told her honestly.

She nodded. “You know me simply as Sylvia. You can do me little harm without knowing my full Given name.”

“Given name?” I inquired.

Sylvia nodded. “When I release your powers I will name you. Your full magical Given name must be kept between the two of us. It’s a name given by Spirit through me and will enhance your powers. If someone were to know this full name, they could also hold great power over you.”

I swallowed hard. I guess I had to trust that Sylvia wouldn’t try to hold great power over me. As if she knew what I was thinking, she smiled.

“The person who names you can never use your full name for bad intentions. Are you ready?”

I nodded.

Sylvia threw her hands up to the sky. “I call on my great ancestors, my coven, the Great Spirit. Gods and Goddesses and all those who come in the white Light. I claim Aurora Maiden Whitefeather as a magic wielder. With intent to protect her, Aurora’s witch powers were hidden.” A wind picked up and tossed Sylvia’s hair in the breeze. Her eyes turned white. “I release her powers now!  Break down all barriers, Great Spirit, and let her fully walk in her life path. I claim her powers for the Light!”  She placed her hands on my head.

It felt like a lightning bolt had struck me. I was knocked forward on the blanket and my eyes began to water. Electricity ran down my spine. My nerves were on fire. White mist flowed out from my pores; it was everywhere. It climbed across the grass, up the trees. Sylvia watched in fascination.

“My stars. I haven’t seen this much magic come from any one person in my entire magical life.”

I was panting, my palms out flat on the grass.

‘What’s wrong? I’m coming,’ Kai sent.

I couldn’t let him see me like this. He would kill Sylvia for hurting me.

‘No. I’m fine. Stay where you are,’ I told him. I could feel his hurt through the pack bond. He didn’t reply.

Sylvia bent down to my level. “Just breathe. I’m so sorry, I didn’t know it would be like this. You have been storing so much magic, it all just… exploded when I released it.”