The Lycan's Little Witch

EMILY

Today is a big day. I can feel it. There’s an electricity in the air that wasn’t there yesterday. A crackling of excitement. Of anticipation.

I woke this morning from a dream just out of reach. One minute it was there, the next it was gone.

I’m choosing to see it as a sign of good things to come.

After Zeke’s rejection, I couldn’t stay with the pack. It hurt too much.

I needed a safe space to heal. And my Aunt Cheryl, the High Magus, had been urging me to spend time with her, to train and hone my powers under her watch so I will be ready to take over as High Magus when the time comes.

It was a much-needed distraction.

Living and training in the Lilac Mansion with my aunt and her son, Theodore, was a blessing. It took my mind off of Zeke and forced me to focus on my abilities.

I came into my powers early, by age five, and they overwhelmed not just me, but my family. My mom and grandparents helped me control my powers as I grew up, but I soon surpassed even their abilities.

It was not a surprise to the family when Aunt Cheryl named me her successor, though other supernaturals were certainly shocked.

And after three years of training with Aunt Cheryl, studying under her roof, reading her many tomes of magical history and spells, I know she made the right choice. I can feel it in me. My magic is stronger. More focused.

In truth, it was a lot of meditating. A lot of meditating. Three ~years~ of meditating.

Aunt Cheryl stressed the importance of having a calm mind. When your emotions go awry, you can almost guarantee your powers will too. So, meditating keeps those powers and emotions in check.

Although, I can’t say that I haven’t fallen asleep a few hundred times during these “meditation sessions.”

Shortly after I arrived at Aunt Cheryl’s Lilac Mansion with its grand marble staircase, chandeliers dripping with teardrop crystals, purple carpet from wall to wall, and servants quietly entering and leaving rooms from hidden doors, I became overwhelmed by it all.

I started to question why its magical barrier, crafted to sense the visitor’s intentions and keep out foes, let me through. I knew it was silly, but not everyone is as lucky as I am. Many children are disowned because of a mate rejection.

But then Theo, with his deceivingly slim appearance and boyishly good looks, wrapped his arms around me, reminded me that I am his sister in spells, and demanded I own my power in the world.

It didn’t immediately make me more confident, but it was a start.

But today is not about me. Today is the day of the Hunters’ initiation ceremony, the night when the elders and leaders of the supernatural communities celebrate the new Hunter recruits. The leaders from each species attend the ball to congratulate the new students. It shows that the students have their leaders’ blessings.

A month ago, I helped Theo move into his dorm room at the Academy where he will spend the next few years training to be a Hunter, one of the elite few who are tasked to ensure that the long-standing peace between the human and supernatural worlds continues.

It’s not an easy program to get into. You must pass many written and physical tests just to be considered.

It was a proud day at the Lilac Mansion when Theo received his acceptance letter.

As I get ready for the evening, I think back to Theo’s move-in day at the dorm. There was something about that day that I haven’t been able to get out of my mind.

As soon as we arrived, I was hit by a beautiful sensation. Like hot chocolate on a cold winter’s night.

It was comforting, blanketing me in its embrace.

It intensified with each step closer to Theo’s dorm room. Then suddenly, it disappeared.

I haven’t been able to let it go. It comes to me in my dreams, but it’s always just out of reach.

I shake my head to clear my thoughts and give myself one last look in the mirror. The jade satin dress with its scoop neckline fits my body perfectly. I add a touch of glittery pink lip gloss before joining my aunt in the foyer.

Aunt Cheryl looks regal in her emerald-green dress, her wedding ring on a gold chain around her neck.

She radiates power and dominance, and she’s glowing with pride that her son is now training to be a Hunter.

She grasps my hand tightly, and we teleport to the university.

We get to the ballroom, and I hesitate, my body turning to the right. I look down the hall, but don’t see anything. But the smell of chocolate is in the air, and I’m drawn to it.

I go to take a step, and Aunt Cheryl taps my arm, capturing my attention as she points across the ballroom.

I quickly scan the tables, and there they are, Theo and my parents. My heels click against the shiny tile as I run toward them.

My mom sees me first and practically jumps out of her seat. “My baby!” she squeals, running toward me, her arms outstretched.

“Mom!”

I open my arms and engulf her in a hug. She squeezes me until I’m about to pop. It’s been so long since I’ve seen her, and I don’t want to let her go.

“I missed you, Mom,” I whisper.

“I missed you too, sweetie,” she replies.

We stay like this until I feel a hand on my shoulder. I break the hug to see my stepfather, Ian. I jump into his arms and hug him for a good minute before I break away.

“It’s good to see you, Ian.” I smile.

“Ian, don’t hog my baby!” my mother screeches, pulling me back into her arms.

Ian chuckles, raising his hands in fake surrender. “All right, love.”

“Mom,” I wheeze as she holds me tighter. “I can’t breathe.”

Reluctantly, she lets me go. “Oh, I’m sorry, honey. It’s just I haven’t seen you in so long. Let’s find a quiet place to chat, hmm?”

I nod and follow her to the upper level. There are fewer people here, giving us much-needed privacy.

We step outside onto the balcony, and the view takes my breath away. It’s gorgeous. The flower garden is illuminated by large and small fairy lights. The lights on the hedges trickle down, making them look like raindrops.

I take a deep breath, enjoying the cool night air.

“So,” my mother begins, standing next to me. “How are you, sweetie?”

“I’m good, Mom.” I smile at her. “I’ve made a lot of progress.”

“Really? I want to hear all about it.”

I tell my mother everything. From my studies to helping Theo move in. I pause, then tell her about the weird feeling I got when I helped Theo move in and the dreams I’ve been having since.

And my craving for chocolate. Anything chocolate—cake, ice cream, candy bars. I can’t seem to get enough of it.

She grabs my hands, a large smile on her face.

“Sweetie, you found your second-chance mate.”

I shake my head, not understanding. “My what?” I ask.

“Your second-chance mate. It’s rare for anyone other than werewolves and lycans to find a second-chance mate, but it looks like you found yours. Chocolate is the king of all comfort foods,” she explains, “which is why you’ve been craving it.”

She squeezes my hands. “Like mother, like daughter.”

I’m so confused. Second-chance mate? I’d never heard of such a thing.

“Wait,” I say. “‘Like mother, like daughter’?”

She laughs. “I’m Ian’s second-chance mate. His first mate died shortly after their mating. He fought through the pain and devoted himself to the Hunters’ Association. He committed himself to the cause for years, never thinking his heart would be full again.

“Then you and I moved to the pack lands after your father left, and Ian could sense me. And he craved chocolate, a lot of it. Do you remember the day we met Ian?”

I shake my head. I was ten, and I know it’s an important day for my mom, but I can’t remember anything about it.

“You were running around with the other kids, but this weird feeling came over me. A feeling of calm, like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. I looked up, and he was on the other side of the park, staring at me. I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

“Being a werewolf, he knew immediately that I was his second-chance mate. But it took me a little longer to believe it was true.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” I ask.

She shrugs. “You were young. And time passed. And it didn’t matter if I was his first mate or his second-chance mate, just that I was with him.”

She squeezes my hands again. “And now you have a second-chance mate.”

My face falls. What will happen if I give myself to my second-chance mate? I don’t want to feel the same pain I felt when Zeke rejected me. I don’t know if I would survive it a second time.

“Emily,” my mom says, breaking my train of thoughts.

“What if he’s like Zeke?” I mutter. “What if he hates witches and decides to reject me? That pain was unbearable. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. It was like being stabbed in the heart with so much force. And it goes on for so long.”

I pull my hands from hers and cross my arms over my chest. “How can I open my heart again? Maybe I should cast a spell to mask my scent or something.”

She reaches out and wipes a tear from my cheek. “I know Zeke hurt you. Healing takes time. However, you can’t let that stop you from loving. If your new mate accepts everything you are and everything that’s happened, I think they deserve a chance. You don’t have to accept them right away, but it wouldn’t hurt to give them a chance.”

“I know it sounds silly, but when I looked into Zeke’s eyes, I thought I saw a future with him. Happiness. Marriage. Kids. Everything… I was prepared to go above and beyond for him. Just like I thought he would for me. But now…after being hurt…”

I dab the corners of my eyes, refusing to let any more tears fall. I have some good makeup on. There is no way I am letting it go to waste over Zeke.

I take a deep breath. My mother is right. I need to be open to the possibility of love again.

I nod. “I can’t say whether I’ll love my second-chance mate after what Zeke did, but I can say I will give him a chance.” I grin. “That person is my second chance, so I might as well give them one too.”

My mother wraps her arms around me. “My brave girl,” she says, choking back her tears.

I hug her back. “Don’t ruin your makeup, Mom.”

“For you, it’s worth it.”

I sigh. My mom was always good at comforting me.

She keeps me in her arms for a few more minutes before we return to the ballroom. I feel that sensation again as we head to our table.

That warmth… Are they here?

I whimper. Now I want chocolate…

“Sorry, Mom, I’m going to get some food first,” I say as I step away, making a beeline for the dessert table.

My mouth waters. Chocolate cake with sprinkles on top.

I quickly pick up a slice and a fork. I cut into it, my tongue licking my lips in anticipation.

I open my mouth, ready to enjoy this sweet dessert, when suddenly I’m stopped.

There’s a large hand over mine, drawing the cake away from me.

I follow the trail of my sweet cake, only for it to disappear into someone else’s mouth.

His lips close around the fork, consuming my cake. The owner slowly pulls the fork out of his mouth and drags his tongue across his lips.

“My cake!” I shriek.

I mentally kick myself. Out of everything to come out of my mouth, it had to be about the dessert.

The cake stealer chuckles.

Wait.

Why is it so quiet?

From the corner of my eye, I see everyone staring at me. Why are they looking at me?

Someone clears their throat, and my gaze returns to the cake stealer.

I look up, and up. Way up. He’s tall. Over six feet. Forest-green eyes, jet-black hair, pink lips with a hint of red, slight stubble around those lips, his chin, and his cut jawline. Those eyes… Those eyes capture me in their depths.

I can’t move. I just want to stare into those eyes all day.

Then—with one word, the beautiful moment is broken.

“Amore.”