The Witches

LORELAI

I sat in the stand above the training arena at the end of the city, next to the school. I’d never had much inclination to go there, training with my alphas instead, but apparently, it was the wolves’ favorite place to go—aside from the tavern.

The arena was for fighting. The wolves all signed up to take on the alphas, and I knew my alphas could take every single one of them. But it still put me on the edge of my seat. When Derik had said there would be a duel for the witches, I hadn’t expected my alphas to be facing the entire pack.

One on one, sure. Pairs? I could handle that. Even teams—anything was better than watching every pack member take a swing at the alphas. They were free to take them down in the arena without consequence. So far, none had managed to get the drop on them, but I was pretty sure that was because Galen wasn’t in there.

He was with Mom and the twins. Derik had wanted them out with me, to show off the new power in the pack to the witches, but I had shut that down.

I had no idea what angle the witches were working, and until they earned even a smidge of trust, I wasn’t bringing the twins out. I glanced at the witches in the stand with me.

They were nothing like I had thought they’d be. My mind had conjured up wrinkled, hunched hags with nothing better to do than curse people in love, but they were not wrinkled in the slightest.

They were perfection embodied. Their tall—intimidatingly tall—bodies were hidden in gold cloaks of silk. They all looked as young as me, with flawless skin. No wrinkles or embellishments of any kind. Not even a freckle.

They’d had their cowls over their heads when they arrived, but sitting in the stand, the front witch had hers off. She had slicked-back, short blonde hair that curled at the nape of her neck. She had a dangling earring from one ear, a scale at the end of it.

But the weirdest part about meeting them in person? They didn’t talk.

Everything they said was an echo in the air around them. It was as if they were all talking in unison, but they never moved their mouths. They just stared like creepy porcelain dolls. It was unnerving, but I was guessing they liked it that way.

The introductions had been underwhelming, with them moving to the offerings without a word. They inspected each basket of gifts, then, without a single word of appreciation, they had turned and moved toward the arena.

When I had asked my alphas if that was a good thing or not, Brax had said we’d know if they didn’t accept the offerings. We’d already be struck by lightning. I had kept quiet after that.

Now I was sitting to the side of the pergola while the witches watched my alphas fight the pack. If I couldn’t hear the excited buzz ringing in the link at the violence the pack was thoroughly enjoying inflicting, then I would have had a tantrum by now.

Instead, I sat there silently, chewing on some fruit every now and then, sipping water, and wishing we could get all this bullshit over with so we could ask for their help. But this was tradition, and I had to do as I was told.

It was a struggle, but I kept my temper in check, my tongue in my mouth, and pretended like my heart wasn’t trying to jump out of my chest. “You are the winter born. The one with the border magic in you,” the echo said. I jumped at the sound that was clear as anything in my ear, not interrupted at all by the cheering and chaos of the arena.

I looked over to the witches, but their gazes remained locked on the duel. “Yes,” I said, holding my hands together tightly in my lap. Derik had told me only to speak when spoken to, not to talk too much, and only answer the question, not overshare.

It was a strained effort. “The new luna. You have mated to three of the most powerful alphas in our history.”

It wasn’t a question, so I had no idea whether I was meant to answer. “Yes?” I tried.

They gave nothing away, their faces remaining still, their eyes still not on me. I fiddled with the laces line of my dress sleeve. I had to wear one, apparently. And a corset. Same as the mountain. It still annoyed me.

Anetta stood behind me in a dress too, hers looking much easier to move in than mine but just as beautiful. She leaned down, her lips by my ear.

“They’ve never spoken during the duel before,” she whispered. I frowned at that, then at them.

Still got nothing. “Why are we having a duel? The alphas against the pack?” I asked Anetta, my voice low and whispering.

Anetta grinned at that. “Trust me, Luna. It’s a fair fight. And the reason is to prove that the alphas deserve the position they have been given by birth. If they can’t beat every pack member, how will they control them?” She said, then looked down at the fight.

My alphas were fucking beautiful. Their wolves, Kai in black, Derik with a mixed coat, and Brax in white, were all huge. And so powerful. They fought well, taking down each pack member, at the same time. They weren’t harsh; they were having fun, herding them, manipulating them, making sure each of them fell into every trap they set.

It was amazing to watch but still irked me that they had to do it to prove themselves. How could anyone doubt who they were for their pack? They were loyal and damn good alphas. The pack believed that as much as I did; it shouldn’t be doubted.

“I thought the pack alphas were kept there by loyalty and respect? Not power,” I whispered back.

“Is it not power that forced the pack to accept a winter born hybrid as their luna?” the echo interrupted, and I froze. I narrowed my eyes on the witches. None of them moved, but I could’ve sworn the one at the front lifted the corner of her mouth.

“No. They respected their alphas enough to trust their decision to bring me here. The balance wouldn’t allow me to take the border magic, nor birth my children if it wasn’t meant to be. We all understand that.”

Anetta glared at me, shaking her head. But I wasn’t letting the condescension in their creepy voices win out. They had something to say, and it clearly wasn’t in my favor. That didn’t bode well for what we needed from them. “They bowed for you when you got the border magic, correct?”

“They bowed because I proved my loyalty to them over my father by saving them.”

“They bowed because they fear the magic running through your hybrid veins,” the voice argued. But the witches were wrong. I felt the wolves in my pack in the link.

They respected me. They loved me. They would die for me. And they knew I would do the same for them.

It had nothing to do with the power I had.

“They fear it, or you do?” I asked back, my voice holding the challenge in those words. I meant it to be a challenge.

That magic they spoke of was just as loyal as the pack, and it was pissed too. My shadows moved stronger inside me, entwining with my magic to create a waiting storm. I’d unleash it if I had to.

“Play nice, Spitfire,” Brax warned.

I looked down at him. He eyed me in his wolf form, his paws pinning a pack member down. I huffed. I didn’t want to play nice when they were purposely being assholes.

“We have no reason to fear your power, hybrid.” The voice was forceful, with magic in the air around me. I frowned as I felt it trying to oppress me.

I couldn’t see it, but I knew it was there. The threat hung in the air, and I glared at them.

“It’s Luna, actually.”

The front one definitely smirked.

Then they stood, all of them as one.

I tensed.

~“Luna. You have got to hold that tongue of yours, or I am going to have to keep it busy for the rest of the night,”~ Kai teased in the link.

I bit my lip, pushing my tongue into the side of my cheek. I hated it, but he was right; I had to stop being defensive. We needed their help, whether I wanted to play nice to get it or not.

“I’m sorry,” I said as they waited for the fight to finish a second later.

“No, you’re not,” it said back, then they all looked over the arena, waiting.

I had no idea what for.

“We need to go down there, Luna. Come,” Anetta urged, her hand landing on my arm.

I stood, not sure what was happening now, but one of the witches broke formation, turning her head to me.

“The hybrid stays.”

I swallowed hard as Anetta froze. The pack bristled in the link as my alphas barely held back their growls.

“I’ll be okay,” I said, not sure if that was the truth or not. That threatening magic in the air was still there. But it never collapsed on me like I expected. So I took that as a good sign.

Anetta glanced between me and the witches, then left down to the arena.

When I got closer to the edge and looked down into the sandy pit, all the pack was there. They were all in human form, some with blood and scratches still healing. My alphas were the biggest there, damp with sweat and glistening in the light of the flame torches surrounding us. They were all looking up at the witches.

~“We’re all going to shift,”~ Derik said in the link, and I nodded once. I couldn’t shift. I had to stay out of it. That’s what they had done by keeping me up in the stand with them. They had separated me from the pack, highlighting the differences between me and them. If they believed that made a difference, they were wrong.

“Luna,” Cain’s voice said as he came onto the stand and stood next to me. I grinned up at him as he smirked. He knew what they were doing too.

“I’m normally left out of the festivities too, but since you and I are both lacking, we could sit out together,” Cain said, then glared at the witches. The front one actually curled her lip.

The echoing voice hissed. “You are not to be around us, befouled beast.”

Cain snickered. “And you have no control over me, remember? My mother lives in that swamp; she ages. She made sacrifices to make sure you left me alone. Would you like me to inform her you have reneged on your deal? She’s on her way to join us for dinner if you’d like to let her know yourselves?”

The echo hissed again. “And you will keep your broken magic far away from us, also part of the deal.”

He held up his hands and wiggled his fingers. “My magic is nowhere near you, see?” He grinned, then hung his arm over my shoulders and turned me back to the arena.

“Bitches,” he said under his breath. I couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped. And the alphas had been worried about my tongue?

~“You two are as bad as each other.”~ Derik shook his head at me from the arena. I blew him a kiss.

I stayed at Cain’s side, glad I wasn’t with the witches by myself. He was the brother I wished Lucas had been. His eyes were fixed on Beenie. She looked feral. Her red hair was blowing in the wind, her cheeks flushed, her lips pursed. Her skin looked paler than normal with her eyes wild.

“She hates them too,” Cain whispered. I just nodded, knowing the witches could hear every word.

“Shift,” the echo commanded, and howls ripped through the night air. My magic flared inside me, and I clutched the wooden banister in front of me. The pack turned, all together with howls and roars into the sky as the witches stood there, watching. Their eyes started glowing gold, and I sucked in a breath, watching their porcelain faces change.

“They’re vain as all hell. This magic keeps them from aging. My mother stopped accepting sacrificial magic to keep me down here with the pack. They’re cranky about it because her powers were stronger and fed the collective. Now they need more to keep them looking like that,” Cain explained to me in a whisper.

I watched in awe as a misty film of glitter raised up from the shifting wolves and made its way to the witches. They dropped their cloaks, revealing almost naked bodies in flawless skin. The magic dust fell on them, soaking into their skin. It was beautiful, and I couldn’t stop watching.

My magic turned in me, urging me to reach out and touch the pretty glitter. I watched it, mesmerized. Little flakes, like snow but gold. I wanted to see if it felt like snow. I went to reach out. Cain pinned my arm down.

“What are you doing?” he snapped. I looked up at him.

“I want to touch it. It’s beautiful, Cain,” I said back. I’d never understood the term “the world stopped” until that moment. Everyone froze.

Cain looked at me in horror. “You can see it?”

“You can’t?” I asked back. How could he not? It was beautiful, like just touching the magic would bring me peace. My own magic moved inside me again, trying to get my hand free. Cain’s hold bit into my skin.

“You can’t touch it, Luna. You shouldn’t even be able to see it. If you steal any magic from them, we will never get their help.”

“I’m not going to steal it, I just want to touch it. Let me go.” I struggled against his grasp. I just needed to see how it felt. Was it peaceful? Beautiful? My magic demanded it. I broke my arm free and reached out.

“You will not touch that, hybrid. It is our offering,” the echo boomed. It couldn’t scare me, not when the snow was still falling. Or rather, floating. It was going to the witches. But I had to touch it before it was gone.

“But—”

“Little Luna—”

“Just a little touch.” I went to reach out, but shadows wrapped around my wrist. Cain let me go as Brax’s shadows yanked me down from the pergola. I squealed as he did, then landed safely in his arms in the arena. He kissed my mouth harshly before shaking his hand.

“Fucking trouble, Spitfire,” he said, then kept me against him and looked up at the witches.

“Apologies for the luna’s transgressions. She is still getting used to our customs, but we meant no offense. Please accept our offerings and power and hear our request?” Brax asked. I was not sorry. But I didn’t say that. Instead, I closed my eyes. If I couldn’t see the magic snow, then I wouldn’t need to touch it. In theory.

Kai and Derik stood next to us, their presence calming my heart as I sunk into the comfort they provided. I had not done well; I had probably jeopardized our position, but something was off with the witches. They hadn’t come in with goodwill, and the way they talked about the pack pissed me off. They were not subjects; they helped keep the balance. They were just as important at keeping it maintained. The witches were acting like that wasn’t the case, and it didn’t sit right. But I kept my mouth shut.

“For once.” Kai grinned. I smirked and hid in Brax’s shoulder.

“We will hear your request,” the echo said. I let out a breath as Brax put me down. When I opened my eyes, the pack had turned back, pulling their clothes on. The witches had their cloaks back on and floated down to the arena, their eyes still glowing. I couldn’t tell if it was me being paranoid or not, but I was sure they were all staring at me.

Cain waltzed into the arena and stood by us, dragging Beenie over with us. The witches stood inhumanly still and waited. But their lips were pursed. I already had a bad feeling, and that had my mind racing. What were we going to do if they said no? Would Adrenna turn on us again? The beast would become a liability. It would turn messy and fast. We couldn’t afford messy right now.

Derik, Kai, and Brax moved forward. I held Brax’s hand and stepped back slightly.

“Your request?” the echo prompted.

Derik took a deep breath, then spoke. “Years ago, you cursed the witch Adrenna’s lover. He has been a beast since then, with the only goal to kill her. On the other side of that, Adrenna has absorbed the other half of the border magic. Both of these things are making it harder for us to win this war. We are asking for permission and help to reverse the curse you placed. We will turn the beast back to human.”

The witches didn’t move. Their expressions said nothing. Kai stepped forward. “We would then make Adrenna human too. They would be together as humans, breaking no laws.”

“And the border magic she possesses? It would be absorbed by its other half? In the hybrid?” The echo asked. Always back to the power. They really were scared. They should be. If they said no, I wasn’t going to let the pack suffer the consequences of that.

Brax answered this time. “Yes. But that is the balance at work. We are offering salvation for the two of them, in return we get the magic needed to defeat the vampires that are after us. The beast out there during this war is dangerous for all of us. Adrenna out there, scared and running with that magic inside her, is another complication we cannot afford. The pack needs this advantage.”

The witches remained silent.