by Jaimi Wilson
I cross my arms and glare up at him as he looks down, a few feet taller than me. "Look, Liam, by making the wards bind with both of you, it creates an invisible barrier, like a dome. No one, and I mean no one, will get in here without your express permission. But if you would prefer to refuse the wolves that extra protection because you won't hold hands..." I trail off, holding back a smirk and leaving my threat unsaid.
With that, they both reach out and clasp hands while I watch. I smile proudly. "See, that wasn't terrible now, was it?"
I focus on the task at hand, rolling the quartz across my palm. I'm imbuing it with my own magic to give it a more powerful boost of protection to stop anyone from doing harm from within the pack, on the off chance that maybe a wolf is working with the witches. If they are, they'll be bound from the moment the spell activates, stopping them from shifting until we find out who they are.
I neglected to tell the guys about that little tidbit. It would only get them worked up, and if a wolf suddenly comes to them asking why they can't shift, I can then let them in on my little secret. One of the advantages of having trust issues is you suspect everyone around you of hiding something, which just ensures I won’t be taken by surprise.
The power builds inside me as I roll the crystal, pushing my intent into it. My eyes snap open, and I watch both the guys take a step back in shock. I smirk, knowing what I look like when the magic rages within me, the bright vibrant blue shade of my eyes glows almost inhuman.
"I need you to step towards me while keeping your hands still joined. Then with your free hand, I want you both to reach out and touch my arms at the same time, which will create a circle with our bodies. Don’t resist the pull. If you fight the magic, it will hurt you. Do you understand?"
My voice has gotten deeper, affected by the pull of the magic, and I think I actually frighten the guys in this moment based on their nervous expressions.
They both nod and slowly approach me, their hands held out at the ready. I recite the spell in my mind over and over, so the moment their hands touch me, my power flares bright, lighting my skin on fire. I fight the urge to scream as the power tears through me.
I push power into the crystal, sealing it with my intent before lowering it into the hole in the ground. The guys move with me, still touching me to keep the circle intact until the crystal is covered in dirt. The moment it completely disappears from sight, the magic severs and the glow to my skin dissipates before I slump forward in relief.
The guys help me to my feet, and I smile at them. "One down, four to go."
Again and again, we go to each point in the pentagon, repeating the ritual until we reach the final point. This time is going to be different, and I know the guys are not going to be happy about what happens next.
I go through the ritual and look up at the guys the moment they reach out to touch me. We have become so in tune during this process that they sense when to touch me. A tear slips free at what I'm about to do, and they both frown, but it’s already too late.
Their hands connect. As soon as they touch, we all drop to our knees. Liam and Benji's screams fill the air, and I pant heavily, trying to finish this as quickly as I can. I finally manage to get the crystal in the ground, and the moment it’s covered, the guys are sent flying away from me, landing on the ground metres away.
I watch as they writhe in pain, their wolves being forcefully ripped from them. All spells ask for something of yourselves in return. If you don't pay the price, the spell won't work as well, and is more likely to backfire.
For this spell, it calls for something powerful, and all I could think of was the energy of the shift.
For me, I'm putting all my magic into the ritual. I’ll be drained for days after I've completed walking the circle.
I lean forward on my hands, burying my fingers in the dirt as Benji and Liam shake themselves off. I wasn't planning to ask the earth for help, but I figure a little extra oomph could go a long way.
Earth magic is particularly hard to master, but I am one of the few who it seems to come naturally to. My trainer told me she had never seen someone wield it so effortlessly, which came as a surprise given how unpredictable the rest of my magic was.
I close my eyes and beseech the earth. “Help protect us from death. In return I offer you myself.”
I feel the pull from the earth as she takes a part of my magic and let out a sigh. Offering myself up is dangerous, but I've done it before. This time, the risk is pretty much non-existent to everyone but me. The earth will only interfere if a death occurs in the pack.
I get to my feet, my legs wobbling a little as I do, feeling exhausted from all the energy I’ve used. It’s not over yet, though. I face the wolves off to the side and smile at the violet-eyed black wolf that is Liam. The sadness and pain in his eyes breaks my heart but it was only once. He had to shift to be able to offer up his energy. He takes a few steps towards me and lets me lean against him for support. I run my hands through his thick glossy coat, a smile forming on my lips. He's absolutely magnificent.
My gaze moves to find Benji, and I gasp at how beautiful he is. He stands just as tall as Liam's wolf, but instead of the jet-black coat which could blend into the night, his is a pale white, the colour of fresh snow.
His eyes sparkle a pale blue, and I can't help but stare at his majestic form. As I look between Liam and Benji, I can't help but notice they look like yin and yang, two parts of one coin.
"I'm sorry I made you two shift, but the spell needed something from you. It was all I could think of. We just have to walk the circle, and then we're done."
Neither of them shift back, and I realize they mustn't be able to just yet. We start walking again, back to the first point in the star.
As I pass over a crystal, a little jolt goes through my body, binding the circle tighter and tighter until we're back near the first point. I suck in a breath, hesitating before we cross over.
We step over at the same time, and pain blossoms over every inch of my skin, like a thousand needles stabbing me. I fall to my knees on the ground, before rolling to my back. I look up at the sky, waiting for the pain to pass. As I lay there, a dome of pure magic forms, rising up to cover the pack in a full circle.
None of the wolves will be able to see it, only I can. And unless another witch has a good affinity with the earth, they won’t be able to either. The dome rises from each side of the star we created. When it reaches out and covers the center of the star, I feel it snap in place, the protection formed. I breathe a sigh of relief.
A head nudging me makes me look up. I see Liam's wolf, his concerned gaze staring down at me as he tries to tell me something with his eyes.
I frown at him when he rolls his eyes and lies down on the ground beside me. I have no idea what he wants from me.
Benji's wolf waltzes up and starts nudging me closer to Liam as I try to climb to my feet, almost causing me to faceplant on the ground before I realize what they want. Liam wants to carry me back to the pack. "Are you sure you want me to ride you, Liam?"
Benji's wolf makes a sort of coughing sound, and his eyes sparkle with mirth. I frown, realizing how what I said sounded. "Oh grow up, Benji!"
I shake my head at his childishness as I crawl up on Liam's back, which isn't exactly easy while he's shaking underneath me with laughter.
Once I'm securely in place, my head still spinning, I grip onto his fur to ensure I won't go sliding off as he carries me back to the pack house. He takes off at a full run with Benji at our flank, and I smile, something about this moment feeling freeing and so right.
When we get back, Benji goes into the outdoor shed and re-emerges in his human form and fully clothed. He comes over and pulls my tired body from Liam’s back. He leads me into the front sitting room and places me on the couch as he glares down at me. "Why the hell didn't you tell us you weren't strong enough to do that spell? We wouldn't have asked it of you if we knew it would have affected you like this."
I shrug, hearing
Liam walk in the back door. When I see him, he’s also glaring down at me from behind the couch. I stare back defiantly at them. "I was strong enough to do the spell. I'm still alive, aren't I?"
Liam growls, and I meet his violet eyes as they flash dangerously. "Only just. If we weren't out there with you, you would have most certainly died."
"I knew I wouldn't die. I did, however, agree to give all the magic I had to the spell in order to ensure the pack’s protection. It just means I'm going to need a few days to recharge my strength, maybe a week, tops. Eventually, I'll be back to full power, and it won't matter anymore."
They both glare at me for a moment longer before sighing, their anger dissipating. Benji shakes his head at me. "Okay, we understand you wanted to help, and you did. Just tell us what we need to do to help you now. You look like death, and you've gone extremely pale. Do you have any potions or something in your room that may help?"
I get to my feet, swaying a little. They both reach out their hands to steady me, and I smirk. "I'm fine, I just need to replenish my energy, so if you don't mind, I'm going to cook myself something to eat."
As I move around them, Liam grabs me by the shoulders, forcing me back onto the couch with a growl. "Stay here. The last thing either of us wants is for you to pass out in the kitchen and cause a fire because you are too stubborn to let us help you. Now, how does steak sound? I can also grill you some corn on the cob and make you an amazing mushroom sauce."
My stomach rumbles, and I can't help but groan.
"That sounds freaking amazing! Medium-well, though. I don't need my steak mooing at me while I try to enjoy it." I wink at him and watch as a smile lights up his face as he walks away into the kitchen.
Benji takes a seat beside me and grips my hands in his, making me meet his eyes. "Tell me the truth, Jazzy. Are you going to be okay? That was a lot of magic you used out there."
I sigh and rest my head against his shoulder. "I'm fine, Benji. I promise. Just tired and hungry. Once I've eaten, I'll probably go into a food coma-like state and sleep for two days. Do you mind just checking in on me from time to time? Sometimes, I can get nightmares and may lash out with my magic if I don’t know what's going on.”
"Of course, I'll check in on you, Jazzy. Liam will, too, I'm sure."
As he finishes speaking, a plate piled high with a massive steak and mushrooms is placed in my lap, and my stomach growls in eagerness. Liam comes into view and smiles. "I would be happy to help keep an eye on you while you restore your strength. Now, eat. I made you plenty, so you won't need to wake up for food for at least thirty-six hours, but I will make some high protein snacks and keep them in your room in case you eat during your sleep."
I stare down at the massive steak in front of me and remain quiet, unsure what to say. What he said was awfully sweet and his offer to bring some food while I’m still out of it is such a good idea. I don't know how he knew I would eat in my sleep, but I usually do when I’m in a spell coma.
Instead of speaking, I start digging into the food and manage to clear the plate in no time. Liam takes the dish from my lap as I lay back into Benji's arms and close my eyes, exhausted.
Eight
Liam
I watch in amusement as Jasmine scoffs down the sliders I made in her coma-like state. She doesn't stop to wipe the side of her mouth, which is smeared with sauce. I find myself intrigued by her. This woman came out of nowhere and knocked me off my feet with her strength and beauty.
She bared her soul to me on the first day we met and I had debated over telling her about being my mate, unsure of how she would take it. Witches are not exactly known for being the nicest of supernaturals. Because of their ability to breed so easy and pass their powers on, it tends to give them a feeling of entitlement they don't deserve.
This beautiful woman, however, is nothing like them. She showed such kindness and selflessness when she helped us protect Benji's pack. I hoped she would do the same for mine, but I won't pressure her to.
Her life already seems like it’s been filled with a rollercoaster of emotions from what Benji has told me. If I had known she was his mate, I would have steered clear.
But the moment she stepped out of that car, and her scent crossed the small space separating us, I knew.
She smelled like honeysuckle and her namesake, the jasmine flower. It drew me in deep and when I saw her run from the pack house with tears in her eyes, I was torn between ripping Benji to shreds for hurting my mate and running after her to comfort her. My wolf gave me no choice, however, shifting in a split second and chasing after her.
No matter how much Benji taunts me about it, I won't admit to him I had no control over my wolf that day. Even while I sat there listening to her and offering her the comfort she needed, I had no control over my actions. It was all my wolf.
After Benji arrived, I had taken off and forced myself to shift back. Amidst the pain of a forced shift, my wolf mourned the loss of her, even though she was just on the other side of pack lands.
From that moment on, I refused to shift, running through my options. I didn't know what kind of history Benji and Jasmine had, but Benji is my best friend. I was concerned about upsetting him, especially if there were still lingering emotions between them.
But Benji stayed out of the way, choosing to keep watch over her from a distance. It wasn't until I watched her with one of the young pups, that I knew I would die if I didn't stake my claim. She was beauty and kindness incarnate and I needed to know her, and to give her the chance to get to know me.
Little did I know at the time, the mate Benji had told me about for years was in fact Jasmine.
As I watch her finish the last of the sliders, I feel for the choice she has to make. Benji automatically wanted her to choose between the two of us. After all a pack couldn't share an Alpha female, but could we find a way?
We're already dying out, so why not combine our packs and live together? Benji can't really complain about sharing our mate when we've shared women before. This would just be a little more long term and more meaningful for both of us.
Jasmine moves around the room in a daze, moving to the bathroom and leaving the door open as she relieves herself. What a girl, I smile wistfully. Not many girls have that kind of blasé attitude about going to the bathroom, choosing to turn taps on to drown out their own noise, but nope, she just leaves the door open for all to hear.
While I know she's in some kind of magic coma, I still worry how much longer it’ll be until she snaps out of it. It’s already been four days and I'm not sure how much longer I can take.
She walks back to her bed and climbs under the covers, leaving yet another empty plate piled next the bed. I like to wait until she finishes and is back in bed before I clean up after her but sometimes, I run out of time and don’t get a chance. My Beta has been riding my ass, desperate for answers regarding the witches.
I wait until she's settled in the bed. Her eyes close as she lets sleep or whatever it is take her back under. My hand twitches with the need to clean her up so I grab a cloth from her bathroom, dousing it in warm water, then go out to wipe the mess from her face.
Once I'm satisfied, I throw the towel in the hamper and stack the dirty dishes that were scattered around the bed, carrying them out and back to the kitchen.
Benji smirks as I pass the table where he’s sitting and I hold back my growl. He doesn't bother to feed her or make sure she has water, no that's all on me. Instead, he just stares at Jasmine like a lovesick pup, while I clean her up, cook her three meals a day, and keep replacing her water bottles with fresh ones. Hell, if I could shower her without it crossing over the edge of creepy territory, I would.
"She still out?" he asks as I move to the sink, placing the dishes on the counter. I begin to rinse them and put them in the dishwasher.
"Yes, she's still in the coma, or whatever you call it."
He nods, returning his focus to the paper in front of him. I growl, slamming a dish into the sink and watc
hing it shatter before turning my ire on him.
"That's our mate in there! Our mate! Why are you acting like this is nothing?! What if she never snaps out of this and we lose the only mate either of us will ever have?!" I growl at him, my voice dropping dangerously low the angrier my wolf gets.
He sets the newspaper down with a sigh and lifts his gaze to me. "I'm not worried because I know witches go into this kind of coma often. It all depends on the extent of the spell, of course, but she should only be out a day or two more. To be honest, I didn't know the spell she did was strong enough to cause this kind of reaction."
My shoulders slump in relief at the new information and I hang my head in shame at my reaction. My mother used to always say I had a tendency to overreact, but having Jasmine around me makes me feel like I'm a teenager in love for the first time and it’s making me feel out of control.
"I'm sorry, Benji. I don't know what it is, but she's in my head, man. I never knew the mate bond could be this strong. How you stayed away from her for nine years is beyond me," I say, shaking my head in complete shock and admiration.
I know I would have claimed her, regardless of her age. The fact he showed such restraint brings a new level of respect to my fellow Alpha and friend.
"Oh, trust me, it was not without its challenges. Seeing her do such innocent things like bend over and pick up her bag, or suck on the end of a pencil as she studied? It drove me crazy." He shivers and I feel my cock twitch at the image.
Yep, we need to have a serious talk before this gets out of control and we end up fighting to claim her.
"Benji, how would you feel if Jasmine was claimed by both of us?"
He freezes midway through picking up his paper again, lowering it slowly back to the table. "You mean, like we used to do back in the day? I thought you didn't want that anymore," he questions with careful eyes.