The Spell

DELILAH

I breathed in the cool, crisp air as the sun began to set.

True to their word, neither Seth nor Cole had entered the area all day at my request.

Any time they felt magic, they shied away from the area and kept it free of threats, if any showed up.

I assumed nothing had, but if there’d been any trouble they didn’t say a word.

Magic had a way of attracting things that weren’t always friendly when you tapped into a powerful source.

By the time the rest of the pack showed up, I had the circle drawn around the tree in a thick white powder reserved for bigger spells.

The makeshift table formed a gap for both wolves to walk into, which I would then close.

I had replaced the singular chalice and blade in the spell for two.

The right way to call for a mate is a soul to a soul—part of a soul wouldn’t cut it so it meant I would need to mingle their blood together, so both halves could call out their mate.

Even if only one of their marks would show up on the mate.

I stood there in my white robe lined with silver runes, throwing herbs around the circle.

My triple Goddess symbol hung on my forehead. I prepared the rest, waiting for both of them to arrive.

The pack slowly came forward from the darkening woods, having trekked on foot to watch and witness the spell.

Both Seth and Cole stepped through the crowd, making the view of them clearer than before.

Both of them walked into the circle shirtless, wearing only their pants and shoes, looking visibly relaxed despite the static in the air appearing the moment they entered.

The whole pack shifted uncomfortably, but I tried not to pay them any mind. There was work to be done before the sun fully set.

I quickly came behind them, closing the circle with more powder, then burning the sage to finish and placing it in the center next to the chalice in a small shell bowl.

On the other side of the chalice lay a wooden bowl full of rose water infused with a variety of other herbs to make a thick red paste.

I used this to draw arrows on both their chests above their hearts, a small wooden brush helping me shape them and dyeing my fingertips red.

Both of them watched me silently, their eyes devouring me as I did Seth’s then went over to Cole.

I tried to keep my heart from beating fast and my hands from shaking as I finished Cole’s arrows.

The feathers were bolder and the stem of the arrow plain compared to Seth’s, so there were obvious differences.

Cole caught my hand as I was pulling it away, his eyes looking deep into mine. A moment passed before he let me go—as if to say he’d felt it too.

Something felt strange, but all of that would be gone in a moment. This spell had pulled me into their lives, however briefly, and now it would be over.

I met his eyes as if to convey my feelings as well.

Then I stepped to the side of the makeshift stone table, taking the chalice and filling it with the water falling from the tree.

I could almost feel the water radiating with power in the cup as I set it on the table.

“When this spell is complete, your mate will match your arrow identically. Until you consummate your union that ends in release, it will pull you together urging you to do so.”

“How will we find her?” Seth asked gravely.

“The spell will pull you to her and her to you. Once this spell is complete, there will be no turning back.

“Mating with someone is a very serious thing among wolves, as you well know, and once you finally consummate the union, your primal instincts to turn her will kick in.”

I looked at them seriously. “If there’s a concern with her changing into a wolf, just let our coven know. As for me personally, I will see to it that I can ease her transition.”

It was the least I could do. Normally, witches didn’t offer up their services like that, but I felt in this circumstance I should at least offer something.

“Thank you,” Seth said gruffly. He wouldn’t look me in the eye, and something about that made my heart ache uncomfortably.

Taking a shuddering breath, I closed my eyes, placing my palms on the stone.

I could feel the magic pulsing—I had focused most of it here all day.

I had a feeling their mother had lain here when the Fae had done the spell, that this was the same stone top that had once sat here.

I had figured that out halfway through the day.

Everything was strong and intense. I had never wielded Fae magic, but I had felt it before while in a circle.

There was one time I had seen half our group turn into sheep, another where two had simply had the flesh melt from their bones as roots and flowers began to eat at them and grow where they stood.

It had been terrifying yet powerful magic, and it had responded to me as if it wanted to be harnessed.

Without a thought, the spell began, my eyes flying open as my body started of its own accord.

I tried to say something, to tell them no—I had never had magic overtake me like this.

It was the Fae magic, but was it doing something wrong?

Somehow my body was acting as a conduit—these were my words, my actions, yet I felt helpless to stop any of it, as if I were in a dream.

My body reached for their hands, slicing the pads of their thumbs—the same place where all of my cuts were.

I could feel the fire on my wound as clear as day—my personal pain and desire fueling the spell as much as their desire for my body.

The need they had to find a mate.

~Please, Goddess, let this work. Don’t let them die.~

I sent up the silent prayer as my lips began to say the final words to the spell, bringing down the dagger into the chalice filled with their blood and the swirling waters.

Normally, when the spell finished, in the chalice you would lift the knife and you could peer into the water or wine and see your love being marked as you felt it burn into you.

This was not normal magic, though. This was Fae.

The cup began to consume the knife, and I stumbled back against the tree, the water soaking my robes as I regained control of my body.

Both Seth and Cole looked at me in alarm as I heaved for breath, staring as the dagger continued to sink.

Then the water began to rise and swirl, catching their attention.

My eyes were wide as I stared at the water, unsure of what would happen.

Would it jump back and suffocate me? Kill them both?

Maybe I couldn’t handle Fae magic after all.

It had been drilled into my head for years that it was dangerous. I’d seen for myself what it can do.

In my heart of hearts I honestly thought anything my mother was afraid of would only be good for them.

Otherwise I would have never…

Tears welled up, but I faced my possible death and any consequences head-on.

Balling my fists, I leaned away from my tree, my robes clinging to my back. I stepped forward, trying to harness more magic, to fix this or at least direct it away.

Instead, the water from my robes pulled me back taut against the tree, making me cry out.

Cole and Seth both attempted to step forward and pull me away, only to be blasted back by the magic out of the circle.

~Maybe this Fae magic needs a sacrifice?~

The moment I thought this, the water—as if it had a face or a mind of its own—seemed to direct itself toward me.

“Treasure her!” I screamed out to both of them before the water became ice and shot straight into my chest.

If my last words were anything, it would be that they lived and loved like I never would have a chance to do.

Even though a mate gave a witch power, I’d never wanted that.

Only love.

SETH

I felt the magic push us back, doing my best not to turn into my wolf form as requested by Delilah.

Part of me had wanted to crush her to me and tell her to stop this madness before the spell had even begun—but I knew why it was important that we find our mate.

She was the only thing Cole and I had thought about since that moment in the forest.

Feeling her and tasting her, it had driven us wild and we didn’t even argue about it after we went back.

There had been an odd calm in that moment.

On our way back, I’d made an offhand comment to him about wishing we could fuck her, and he had laughed and told me he wanted the same thing.

Maybe it would have been possible to not tear her apart…

That’s how we got to this moment though.

The stupidity of it all was so clear in this moment.

We both wanted to believe the facade of her being a strong witch was true—we respected strong wolves, and we would show the same amount to her as much as we wanted to protect her.

I should have known better the moment she told me about those cuts, about not being able to call for her mate.

The desperation in her voice. The pain she had exposed.

I should have just told her I didn’t care, that she needed love just as much as any wolf.

That she didn’t have to do this. We could find a mate at any other time.

But I couldn’t. Cole liked her too, and I wanted her for myself.

On top of that, our pack would never tolerate a witch as a side piece, let alone a relationship of any sort.

When she’d looked at me while painting that arrow on my chest, I couldn’t even look at her.

And now…

Cole howled in pain as I attempted to run and grab Delilah, but I knew I was too slow.

Cole knew he would be too, so he called out in the only way he could. Anger and pain that I still denied until the first drops of blood spilled on the ground.

Sacrifice.

The Fae magic had demanded a sacrifice.

The barrier of magic pushed me back again—a burning in my chest as I got up and attempted to run at it again—and again, and again if I had to.

I howled with frustration.

The spell had worked as she said it would—I could already feel myself being pulled toward something.

~Treasure her.~

How could I when meeting her had meant Delilah’s death? What kind of cruel agony was that?

The last thing I wanted was to treasure someone I met only by losing someone so…

She said she hadn’t cast any spells on us, but she had.

Her smile, her scent, her way of ordering me around.

As her body sank to the ground and the water from the tree slowly began to subside, I howled again.

Our entire pack began to move forward, their faces grave. They couldn’t understand.

Growling, I finally ignored Delilah’s warning and shifted into my form, shredding my clothes.

Cole followed a fraction of a second later, jumping at the invisible barrier—and slipping through.

I ran in after him, expecting to hit a wall.

As soon as he reached her body, it melted into water as the last of the magic dissipated and the small stream trickled out and then stopped.

Cole attempted to sniff out her body, her scent. Even a corpse left a scent.

Instead, her smell began to spring up. Everywhere.

Delilah—in a hundred shades of blue and orange and red…

The Fae had turned Delilah…into flowers.

Cole lay down, whimpering, placing his nose in his paws.

Though I felt my pack shift, I let them feel my pain as I howled into the night sky, the last rays of light winking out of existence.