It's finally here! For those of you that have already read twenty four part one, I've combined it with part two to make things a little easier! There are some slight changes in dialogue from part one but everything else is virtually the same.
twenty four
"WHY HASN'T SHE WOKEN UP!?" I hear Xavier yell.
"Her body is trying to fight the enchantment of a witch, there is a chance she will never wake up." A women responds sadness laced in her tone.
"SHE MIGHT NOT WAKE U-."
"Xavier you need to calm down, you know as well as I do that very few people successfully fight off enchantments like this." A new voice joins the conversation cutting Xavier short, her voice is calm but I can still hear it breaking.
"This is my fault, I should've known that devil would lock her memories and throw away the goddamn key." Xavier's voice is calmer now I want to touch him, tell him that it's okay, that I'm okay, but as I go to move a pain shoots through my body.
Why can't I move? I feel my heart rate pick up as a wave of panic rushes over me. What happened? What's going on? Why can't I move!?
"This isn't your fault, you did everything you could." The same voice responds.
"You shouldn't even be here," Xavier says his tone shifting, "What are you doing here?"
"You think I would just leave my little brother to deal with this on his own? What kind of sister do you think I am?"
Wait Xavier has an older sister?
"How about the kind I haven't seen since she found her mate." Xavier replies his voice is low and covered in venom.
An awkward silence follows, only broken by the sound of a door swinging open. I hear someone stand up, "what do the tests say will she wake up?" Xavier says hope returning to his tone.
"When Isabelle's memories were taken from her a very strong enchantment was cast to ensure that she would never remember. If she ever tried to, her body would physically reject the memories, filling her with pain."
The room is silent as I try and process the women's words. Someone stole my memories and enchanted them? What memories?
"While most other supernatural beings tend to fear the use of enchantments, they are fairly harmless in the long term. Yes there is an element of risk to them but there's an element of risk to getting in your car. Do you think twice about that?" I let myself relax, enchantments don't sound so bad.
"I assume you've been told of the risks involved in enchantments? How they tie the castors life to the subject?" The same voice continues.
Tie the castors life to the subject? What does that even mean?
"What you haven't been told is the likelihood of that happening. One out of one million enchantments will tie the life of the castor and the subject. That's the part us witches don't tell you." My heart starts to race as an airy silence fills the room.
Does this mean my life is tied to whoever cast this enchantment on me in the first place?
"Normally an enchantment like this would only send minimal amounts of pain but black magic was used as a safety lock, a kind of insurance in case she ever did start remembering."
Black magic? My head starts spinning, Xavier wasn't kidding when he said I don't know anything. I feel like a baby still so new to the world and completely ignorant to everything.
"What's the safety lock?" Xavier says his voice so quiet.
"Death." My heart stops, I'm going to die?
"Without her wolf I don't know how high her chances are. Isabelle is strong, but she is only human. The only other option would be to find the same witch who cast the enchantment. Otherwise, there is a 95% chance she will never wake up."
That's a 5% chance I'll wake up if Xavier never finds the witch.
I don't like those odds.
~
Xavier's POV
"What's wrong with her?" I growl at the doctor, it's been more than three hours and Isabelle hasn't moved.
"Alpha Xavier, I appreciate that you are worried about your mate but I can't do my job with you hovering over me." Sally says her face painted with disapproval.
As the Dominant Alpha, my official title, I don't run a pack the same way most Alphas' do. Instead I reside over all of them, which means a lot of travelling and a lot of time away from Isabelle. While the house I have appears isolated there are many other wolves who live within the same community I do. We are known as the wolves of the committee, each with imperative roles to ensuring balance within the world. It's essentially supernatural politics and it comes with just as many complications.
Sally, is one of the best doctors in the world. She's actually a witch who has specialised in healing and because of that she has become world renowned. Witches, warlocks, vampires, wolves and any other supernatural being you can conjure up come from near and far for her help.
If there is anyone who can help Isabelle it's Sally.
She turns around a sad look settling over her face. "I'm afraid it's not good news."
I can hear my heart throbbing as Sally continues on, "it appears that an enchantment has been cast on Isabelle's memories. I'll have to run some tests to be sure though."
I stare at Sally for a moment letting her words sink in, an enchantment has been cast on Isabelle's memories. Nothing good has ever come from bloody enchantments.
I shut my eyes, I can't lose Isabelle. My beautiful Belle.
You're not going to lose her, she is strong. My wolf reminds me
"Someone has put a lot of work into stopping Isabelle from every salvaging her memories." Sally murmurs tilting her head. "What was it you were talking about when she fainted?"
"We were talking about Isabelle when she was really young." I say not missing a beat, the image of Isabelle fainting tattooed into my mind. "About Katrina." I whisper the last two words, I hate saying her name.
Just like that my sister's eyes snap up, "why wo-."
"I'll give you two some privacy." Sally murmurs bowing out of the room.
"Do you remember when we were young?" I say cutting Gemma off, I know what she's going to say and I don't care. "Katrina hated being the youngest all she wanted was someone to play with and none of us did. That was until she met that little blonde girl, the one who always had her hair in plaits."
My sister stops, colour draining from her face. "What about her?"
"That girl, she's Isabelle." I say my voice returning to a whisper.
"That's not possible, Xavier, Isabelle she's gone." I look back at Gemma drawing a blank, she's gone? "Father never told you because in order to fulfil your position you had to be pure."
"What are you talking about?" I growl, Gemma is really starting to test my patience.
"You can say what you will about our father but he was an Alpha, and he always knew that little blonde girl was a true Luna. You were young at the time, but what our father did he did for Katrina."
I grit my teeth, "what did he do?" I say softly, Gemma looks down. "WHAT DID HE DO?" I growl forcing Gemma to respond.
"He saved Katrina's life!" She cries out still not daring to meet my eyes.
"By sacrificing someone else's?"
"He did what he had to do."
"What are you defending him?" I scream, "he took our sister and ruined Isabelle's life!"
"He is only training Katrina." Gemma pleads in an attempt to sway my anger.
"Training? You mean poisoning her with his warped perspective!" I growl daring Gemma to meet my eyes. "You're trying to tell me you and everyone else knew where Katrina was this whole time?"
Gemma eyes remain glued to the ground. "Yes." Her voice is a whisper as a single tear runs down her cheek. "You had to remain untainted."
"And you think anyone in their right mind would believe I had no knowledge of this? What kind of Dominant Alpha am I if my own family managed to pull one over on me? Either way I lose." I punch the wall, fists clenched.
"We were trying to protect you." Gemma pleads still not meeting my eyes.
"You failed." I say, "now get out." My tone isn't the kind you argue with, but before she has time to move my eyes fall back onto Isabelle. My Isabelle.
"WHY HASN'T SHE WOKEN UP!?" I scream in an attempt to gain control over the situation.
"Her body is trying to fight the enchantment of a witch, there is a chance she will never wake up." Gemma murmurs trying not to anger me further.
For the second time that day my heart beats in my head.
She will never wake up.
No!
Who would do this to Isabelle?
"SHE MIGHT NOT WAKE U-." I start my anger returning.
"Xavier you need to calm down, you know as well as I do that very few people successfully fight off enchantments like this." My eyes shift to Gemma.
As much as I want to rip her head off, she's right. Enchantments are deadly not something any witch casts lightly. Not only do enchantments risk the life of the subject but it ties their life with the castor. Making them deadly for all parties involved.
"This is my fault, I should've known that devil would lock her memories and throw away the goddamn key." This has my father written all over it.
"This isn't your fault, you did everything you could," Gemma says.
I look up, "You shouldn't even be here. What are you doing here?"
Gemma shifts uncomfortably, "You think I would just leave my little brother to deal with this on his own? What kind of sister do you think I am?"
That is the worst lie I've ever heard. My wolf chuckles humourlessly.
"How about the kind I haven't seen since she found her mate." I say watching her face falter, what a family.
Silence follows, typical. Gemma always knew what to say until the tables were turned.
Our eyes both move as the door swings open, "what do the tests say will she wake up?" I turn to Sally a shadow of hope entering my tone.
"When Isabelle's memories were taken from her a very strong enchantment was cast to ensure that she would never remember. If she ever tried to, her body would physically reject the memories, filling her with pain." Sally says heartbreak in her eyes.
I shut my eyes, it's confirmed. Isabelle's memories are protected by an enchantment that will continue to cause her pain the more she remembers. One that may one day kill her.
"While most other supernatural beings tend to fear the use of enchantments, they are fairly harmless in the long term. Yes there is an element of risk to them but there's an element of risk to getting in your car. Do you think twice about that?" Sally hesitates looking over at me her eyes not meeting mine.
"I assume you've been told of the risks involved in enchantments? How they tie the castors life to the subject?"
I nod my head not completely processing her words.
"What you haven't been told is the likelihood of that happening. One out of one million enchantments will tie the life of the castor and the subject. That's the part us witches don't tell you." Sally says in an attempt to lighten the mood.
Neither me, or Gemma respond, prompting Sally to continue.
"Normally an enchantment like this would only send minimal amounts of pain but black magic was used as a safety lock, a kind of insurance in case she ever did start remembering." Sally continues after a moment her tone solemn.
"What's the safety lock?" I say in a whisper.
"Death." I hold my breath, my angel might never wake up.
"Without her wolf I don't know how high her chances are. Isabelle is strong, but she is only human. The only other option would be to find the same witch who cast the enchantment. Otherwise, there is a 95% chance she will never wake up."
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There you have it! (About time as well)
It's been a hot minute but finally the full chapter twenty four is live. I hope you all enjoyed and are excited for more chapters to come within the month eeek!
Let me know in the comments if you want to read more from Xavier's perspective, I quite like switching them up, even if it is a bit non-traditional.
Love,
DecorisWords