Guardian Witch

by Valia Lind

  It doesn't take long for me to finish my meal. Krista follows suit and soon we are excused. It's her sister's turn to help with the cleanup, so we escape as soon as we can.

  "Okay, Harper. Spill! You were sending off signals they probably saw on Mars," Krista exclaims, dropping down on top of my bed. She may be a tad dramatic at times, but in this case, she's probably right on point.

  "Do you think Mama noticed?" I ask, seeing no point denying it.

  "No, she's much too concerned with whatever is going on in our woods."

  "How crazy is that? We can use battle magic? I mean, I don't think I've ever used it outside of training."

  "Nice try, H. But you're not getting out of this so easily. What happened?" Krista crosses her hands over her chest, leaning against the head of the bed, her eyes on me. I could try stalling farther, but I really see no point.

  "I went into the woods today."

  I don't have to clarify farther, as her eyes grow round, almost taking over her face. It takes her a second to respond, and I'm thankful she doesn't yell at me.

  "Are you crazy?"

  "We had need of Atropa Belladonna," I say, and instantly, Krista's face transforms.

  "Harper! Even so..."

  "Come on, you're telling me you wouldn't have gone for Atropa Belladonna?" I ask, smiling and I know I got her there. We've always been fascinated with the forbidden. Which is probably why I can't get that wolf's eyes out of my head. Or the rest of him. What I wouldn’t give to run my hands over that silky white fur.

  "Harper!"

  Oh crap. I may have projected a little too much.

  "Did you meet someone?" Krista's voice drops low, almost to a whisper, her eyes gleaming in interest. We don't exactly have a large male population in these parts. Most of the covens are female based, as we are the strongest and smartest when it comes to the magic. Shifters and other magical entities do reside here and they are mostly male, but it's not like we can mingle with them. Especially the shifters.

  "There was a...wolf pup that was caught in a trap. I saved him." I say, keeping my voice soft. Krista gasps, before scooting over to me and peering down into my face.

  "What was he like?" She asks, almost in awe. Since our interactions with the shifters in their natural state is so limited, I can understand the wonder.

  "He's beautiful. Gray and white and so sweet." I don't mention the other wolf, knowing full well that wouldn't go down as nicely as this. But I keep the amazement in my tone, hoping she takes that as my preoccupation. She seems to.

  She asks more questions, and I answer as best as I can. But no matter how hard I try to concentrate on the wolf pup, the grey wolf's eyes keep popping into my head.

  3

  Books have always been a constant in my life. When I was little I would spend hours lost in a good story and miss my witchy lessons, much to my Mama's disappointment. But I made up for it by having a particularly attuned knowledge of the herbs and plants. And of course, spell work. It may not be my strong suit in magic, but I have the knowledge if need be.

  On this particular morning, after a bit of a restless night, I'm carrying five books to the library. It's my morning off from shop duty and I'm glad not to be around my family right now. While they were distracted last night, that won't last long. They'll be able to pick up on my...emotional state soon enough and then I’ll have to explain myself. Probably in front of the whole coven. Not exactly an event I’m looking forward to.

  "Good morning, Harper," Miss Michelle greets me as I breeze into the open doors. My face lights up with an answering smile, as I place the books on the counter in front of her.

  "Good morning, Miss Michelle. Thank you so much for your recommendations. I loved the fairy tale retelling. And the dystopian? That was some heart wrenching romance. Wendy is a genius." The librarian smiles at my enthusiasm, pulling the books off the counter and toward the return basket. With a small wave, I make my way to the section I chose books from last time, remembering there were a few I wanted to pick up.

  As I round the corner, I stop in my tracks. Someone is in front of the shelf I was heading to. The man looks up, as if he feels me standing there, his intense gaze snatching into mine. Dark gray eyes, framed by long black lashes that any woman would envy, stare back at me in the way that I feel like he's looking right into me.

  Placing a book he's been holding back on the shelf, he turns towards me more fully. There’s something otherworldly about him, a magnetism I can’t seem to look away from. A scrape of a chair on the floor shatters my trance, and I jump a little, breaking his hold on me. Embarrassed by my actions, I retreat, turning into a different aisle, hoping to escape coming any closer to him. Pulling out the first book from the shelf, I go to the front page and try reading it, but my mind is still on the man. There’s something about him that pulls me in. And a part of me feels like I know him.

  Wondering if he's still there, I turn, bumping right into a hard chest. Glancing up, I find the man right in front of me, an amused expression on his face that softens his sharp features just a bit.

  "Hello," his voice washes over my skin like a hot flame, igniting me from the inside out. It takes me a second too long to respond and my voice comes out slightly coarse.

  "Hi."

  "I'm Connor," he smiles, ignoring my awkwardness. I take his extended hand, the heat from his skin sending another spark of flame through me.

  "Harper."

  "I know. You don't remember me, do you?"

  I realize he hasn't released my hand and I can't stop staring. His eyes darken just a bit under my scrutiny and I jerk in recognition.

  "You were in the woods," I whisper, realization hitting me like a bucket of cold water. I extract my hand in the same motion, taking a step back, bumping into the shelf.

  "Thank you for helping my brother," he continues, but I can't wrap my mind at him being here, in front of me. I've only ever seen the leader of the pack in both his wolf and human form, and he is nothing like Connor. The predator is there in his eyes, even now, when he's a handsome man standing in front of me. And he is handsome. While he was beautiful as a wolf, his human form is just as breathtaking. But I really need to stop gawking and speak up before he thinks I'm a complete idiot.

  "I'm sorry, I just..."

  "I understand," he says, closing the distance between us by a mere inch, but I can feel him. His presence is so much larger than his body, he seems to take up all the space in the library. "I'm sorry for scaring you in the woods. I didn't realize who you were."

  "It's okay," I’m having a difficult time finding my voice. The familiarity of his presence is sending my head spinning. “I know how it looked. But...I know you from somewhere, don't I? I mean, somewhere else."

  He's like a song I've heard as a child and suddenly the first few notes are stuck in my head. He's familiar to me in a way I don't understand.

  "We've met before. When we were younger. My father..."

  "Is the pack leader!" The realization hits me and I feel dumb for not realizing it right away. "But you've been away."

  "Training with other packs and going to school. I am the next in line to take over as Alpha and father wants me to know the ways of all the creatures of the earth."

  "My Mama is much the same way," I smile, feeling more at ease with him by the second. The intense connection is still there, but now I have a basis for it. He was one of my closest friends growing up. Even though we never told each other our names back then. It wasn't allowed, so Mama put a spell of protection. But we would still sneak off and play together by a river that runs through our woods. "I guess the spell no longer works, now that we've all grown up."

  "I'm glad," he replies and I can’t argue with that.

  "How long have you been back?" I ask, trying to keep the conversation light, while wanting to know everything about him at once. If I'm not careful, I'll turn this into twenty questions and send him running. Bri has mentioned I can get a bit...intense at times.

  "Just a
few days. Right before you found Evan."

  "That's your little brother? Is he okay?"

  A dark shadow passes over Connor before he answers, "He's still not himself and we're worried, but he's getting there. We hope."

  "I hope so too."

  We grow silent, each of us studying the other in turn and for some reason, it doesn't seem weird. It's as if we're reacquainting ourselves with each other, trying to make up for all the years we've been apart. It’s unclear how long we would’ve stood there, when my phone buzzes in my pocket, making me jump. I chuckle self consciously before pulling the device from my pocket.

  "My sister needs me at the shop," I say, sliding the phone back.

  "No worries. We will catch up later."

  I'm the first to go, and I smile as I brush past him. No wonder I couldn't get the wolf's eyes out of my mind. They were the same ones that have hunted my dreams for years.

  The sound of rocks hitting the glass isn't just in my imagination. I sit up in my bed, tiptoeing to the window. A quick glance at the clock tells me it's past one o'clock in the morning and the shadows cast by the moon are dancing across my room. When I look out, my eyes find the perpetrator immediately. Connor grins up at the window, his eyes shining at me through the darkness. Unlatching the window, I swing it open and motion him forward.

  "You know I have a phone, right?" I whisper down at him and his teeth flash with a quick smile.

  "Sure, but where's the fun in that? Plus, you never gave me your number." He teases, but I can't turn off the intuition that flows through my veins and I can see the strain beneath the smile.

  "Connor, is everything okay?"

  His demeanor instantly changes, sobering up. He moves even closer, now directly under my window and I have to lean out to see him.

  "It's Evan. He's not doing so well."

  That's all it takes. "Give me a minute."

  I don't hesitate to rush back into my room, tugging off my pajamas and replacing them with jeans and a t-shirt. After grabbing a light jacket and lacing my boots, I head back to the window.

  "Harper, are you crazy? That's too high of a jump!" Connor hisses, panic lacing his voice. He's right, of course. I can't just jump down from a second floor window. Not like he can. Shifters, especially wolves, have all kinds of fun tricks up their sleeves.

  "Don't you know witches can fly?" I smile, tossing my jacket down to him. He catches it one handed, before dropping it to the ground.

  "No, they can't," he says, as I jump from the window. Once again, he's right. Witches can't fly. But we can glide if we possess any of the elemental earth magic. Which I do. Very much so.

  The wind rushes up to meet me, slowing my decent enough so that I can tuck and roll. However, it doesn't come to that. Connor is there, reaching for me before I can realize what he's doing, catching me tight against his body. The air rushes out of my lungs as our bodies connect, his strong arms keeping me close against him.

  "Nice catch," I mumble, the heat from his body soaking through my clothes and into me. He smiles, his face way too close to mine, and as dangerous as it would be, all I want to do is close what little space there is between us. I’m breaking so many rules already, just by touching him at all. It would be easy to lean in. But the urgency in his voice from earlier breaks through, shattering my fantasy.

  "Let's get to Evan before they notice I'm gone."

  For just a moment, he seems reluctant to let me go. I am definitely reluctant for him to let me go. There's a buzz rushing over my skin at his proximity, as if my magic is calling to his own. It makes me pause, because I never expected it from a shifter. It’s the type of a call I've never heard before, but have been dreaming about for years. Shaking my head, I take a step back before I get ahead of myself.

  "Lead the way," I whisper, waving my arm in the general direction of the woods. He's still watching me with that intensity that makes all my insides liquid and I can't put any more distance between us. I already feel like we're too far apart. What is happening to me?

  "May I?" At his soft question, I refocus on him and find his hand outstretched. I contemplate it for less than a second before reaching out and entwining my fingers through his. I’ve surprised the both of us with my acceptance, and I’m not sure what possessed me to do so. He feels solid and safe, tucking me close to him. My heart soars at the simple gesture of asking instead of assuming and I hide my smile with the curtain of my hair.

  Connor picks up my jacket with his other hand, and rushes into the night. I stay close to his side, keeping my attention on how and when he moves, so I can mirror it as best as I can. I feel like I'm ten times louder than him as we hurry through the grass. We come to an opening past our large backyard and I halt automatically. Even though I’ve walked these woods recently, years of caution doesn’t just go away. My body freezes automatically and Connor doesn’t miss it.

  "It's okay. I won't let anything happen to you." Connor says softly, turning to study me in the moon's light. He’s sweet, but just because I was raised to be cautious, doesn’t mean I can’t take care of myself. I smile at his words, before walking past him and into the opening.

  "Or I won't let anything happen to you."

  He grins and follows me through. The moment we're on the other side, the temperature drops a few degrees and Connor reaches over to place the jacket over my shoulders.

  "Aren't you cold?" I ask, shrugging it on, before reaching for his hand again. He takes it, grinning at me.

  "What can I say, I'm hot," he shrugs at his own joke, receiving an eye roll from me. Not that I disagree, I just don't think encouraging him is a good idea. "My body is more used to this temperature than you are. It was created to live in these conditions.” I nod but don't say anything else. The forest is setting my nerves on edge, even more so than the last time. There is a heaviness around me and I can't decipher what exactly I am feeling. I'm not as good of an emotions reader as Krista, or Mama, but it seems like there is an emotion present here. I just don't know what it is.

  We walk for about ten minutes in silence, both of us on the lookout for traps and other dangers. We pass a few and because we know what to look for, we can step around them. Although, there is blood in few places so I don't think everyone has been that lucky.

  "Wait here," Connor says, stopping suddenly. I glance over and notice a cave to the right, strategically hidden by trees growing in front of it. Those were probably planted by the shifters while in their human form, to make sure their place was protected. I can feel magic in the soil as well, a protection that hangs over this area. While shifters are not witches, their bloodline possesses a magic I can't even begin to understand.

  Decades ago, when my people settled in Hawthorne, treaties were created and boundaries were made. The witches and the shifters agreed to live peaceably side by side and exchange services when necessary. However, the ground around me doesn’t feel like a witch’s work. It feels older somehow.

  Connor disappears into the cave, leaving me almost completely in the dark. For reasons unknown to me, I'm not afraid. I thought I'd be. Instead, my curiosity flares up as I study my surroundings the best I can in the dim light. While I can feel the coven's magic around me, that other presence is also there, just beyond my reach. I concentrate, trying to push for it, but I can't seem to find an anchor.

  "Harper."

  I jump at Connor's soft voice, twisting around to face him. His eyebrows are drawn in concern so I put on a comforting smile.

  "Sorry, I got a little distracted." He nods, but his eyes look like they’re studying something farther away. Reaching out his hand, he allows me to take it, before turning to lead me to the entrance. The worry and sadness roll off him in such an intense way, that it makes me catch my breath. I squeeze his hand in comfort and he returns the gesture without a word.

  Stepping inside the cave is like stepping into a different world. Here in the wild, the shifters are in their natural form and being surrounded by so many gorgeous wolves takes my br
eath away. I can feel their natural magic in the air, wrapping itself around me like a warm blanket.

  In the corner of the cave a few sleeping bags have been set up. A case of bottles of water stand to one side and a basket with towels at the other. From what I can see, there seems to be a few pieces of venison on the side, as well as a few packets of pop tarts.

  The wolf pup, Evan, is laying amidst the sleeping bags in his wolf form. When he notices me, he jumps up on his three legs, rushing over to me. Dropping Connor's hand, I lunge forward and catch the pup into my arms as he loses his balance. As he lands, his body shifts into his human form, his little hands gripping my arm as he hangs over it. I settle right on the ground, wrapping him more tightly in my arms. He's clammy and hot all over. When he looks up at me, I find that his eyes are light blue, peaking out at me from beneath a mop of dark brown hair.

  "Hi," he whispers weakly, before trying on a smile. My heart squeezes at the sight of him in pain.

  "Hello," I reply, but before I can say anything else he shifts back into his wolf form. I glance over at Connor, his gaze already on us and full of concern. Turning back to the wolf pup in my arms, I smile gently as he whimpers. I know how embarrassed shifters are when they can't control their changing. Mama mentioned that when I was little, when Connor and I still knew each other.

  "It's okay, Evan," I say, running my hand over his fur, "I want you to save your strength. I'm going to take care of you."

  I try to get up with the pup still in my arms, but he is heavier than I anticipated and the weight keeps me pinned to the ground. Connor steps over, lifting Evan easily and depositing him gently on the makeshift bed. He's by my side before I can stand, pulling me up beside him.