— Madison, what is it?
— You’re an idiot, you know that? A big rude and rude idiot.
— Mad, if you please.
Irritated with him, I raised my hand, determined to cast an incantation to get him out of the way, but Isaac acted by pulling me by the waist and sealing our lips.
My heart beat wildly with the warmth of your body.
He moved his lips minimally, and deceived with the moment, I granted him passage, feeling him invade my mouth with his tongue. Isaac squeezed my waist, kissing me intensely. I wasn’t sure I was finally kissing Isaac after having dreamed about it for so long. It didn’t feel real, I still thought it was a dream and that I would wake up at any moment.
Isaac withdrew to catch his breath, but he joined our foreheads, holding me in his arms. Her warm breath rubbed against my red lips for the kiss. My eyelids weighed as I opened my eyes, finding their clear irises fixed on me.
— What was that? — I asked a voice wire.
Isaac held his hand to my face, caressing my tenderly flushed cheek.
I’m in love with you, Madison.
I held my breath.
— What?
Isaac shrugged his shoulders, his face contorted in an agonizing feeling, he seemed to have lost a war against himself.
— It’s been a few years since I started loving you, little witch. I tried to repress that feeling, but it just grew scary.
I fought the tears that burst into my eyes due to the emotion of the moment.
I thought I thought I was a foolish child and hated myself.
He kissed my face once again.
— You were always so brave, bold and intelligent, I could not help falling in love with you. I fought to hide what I felt out of fear, it was never my intention to hurt you.
I cleared my throat.
— Fear?
His eyes shone in the sun.
— I never felt worthy of you, little witch, you are the protégé of the Supreme and I just one of the Babes, and...
I threw myself at Isaac, not letting him finish and held his face, kissing him once again. He hugged me, wrapping my body with his arms, corresponding to the kiss.
Isaac Hadley was in love with me. The wolf I secretly loved since I was a foolish teenager. I had fallen in love with him the first time I saw him, he trained with Jack’s wolves and I had been amazed at his strength.
A smile tore my lips when I let go of Isaac, I gazed at his bright eyes as I declared,
I’ve been in love with you for a while, Isaac, but I thought you’d never live up to my feelings.
He gathered our foreheads together. Isaac also smiled beautifully at me as he brushed his nose against mine.
I see I’ve waited my whole life to hear that.
I screamed when Isaac lifted me from the ground and spun me in the air, a loud laugh broke from the bottom of my being. He held me in his arms when his lips found their way to mine.
HAYLEY BLAKE
This is not a surprise— I told him to open the cabin door and find Madison and Isaac lying together, hugging.
Clary chuckled beside me.
— At least they’re dressed.
— Thank the moon for that.
Madison turned red up to her ears and Isaac quickly stood up, scratching his throat, the male seemed embarrassed for being caught next to the witch.
— Hayley, look at this...
I didn’t let him finish talking, I gestured, holding a smile.
— You don’t have to explain anything to me, there’s no reason for embarrassment.
"They are lovely together."
Isaac seemed really relieved not to get a scolding. Madison was like a lovely little sister, and as much as I wanted to protect her from the evil around us, it wouldn’t be fair to stop her from knowing the purest, truest feeling there was.
But Clary did not miss the opportunity to mock the new couple.
— Save your energy for the alpha male, Isaac, you’ll be lucky if he doesn’t decide to castrate you for touching your protégé.
Isaac’s face twisted in tension, a glimpse of despair ran through the beta’s clear eyes. I squeezed my lips so as not to roar a laugh. Madison jumped off the floor and came to me, holding my hands tightly.
— Hayley, please don’t let Jack hurt Isaac.
Clary stared at the witch with her blond brows furrowed.
— Jack would never hurt Isaac, don’t worry about it. He may be a temperamental, possessive male, but his happiness is all that matters.
Madison sent me a gratifying look.
— I wouldn’t be so sure if I were you— hummed Kitsune with malice.
— You’re not helping, Clary— scolded Isaac harshly, amusing the fox.
I left the heavy bag next to the door, pushing my loose hair back.
— But tell me, did you manage to finish the enchantment? — I asked with my hands around my waist.
Clary stepped in.
Or did Isaac keep you busy all day in a more...interesting way?
And again the witch became a chili and the beta choked on saliva. I was sure that the two of them would be targets of Kitsune for the entire period that we would be together in New Orleans.
— The spell is ready, now it only remains to finish with the necessary ingredients.
I waved, taking the bag and throwing it towards the witch.
We won’t wait any longer.
Isaac helped Madison gather the ingredients in a circle formed by a pixie dust over the forest land. The wolves watched from afar, as did Kitsune and me.
— I hope this works out, I fought with a witch over a weed and she almost blew my skull— muttered fox.
Isaac gave him an arrogant smile.
Is the witch all right?
Madison let a laugh slip when she finished the herb mixture and dripped on a white candle. The witch raised her head and looked up at the sky, checking that the Crescent Moon was at its peak. Clary lit some torches around the forest to illuminate us while performing the spell.
— How will that work? — I approached the witch.
The wolf stopped beside me. Mad pressed his pink lips.
— I found a way to break the curse that holds him in the lupine form for a few hours, but only while the candle is lit. When the spell is over, he will turn into a wolf again.
My heart leapt in the remnants of hope that there was a way to break the curse on my pack once and for all. I was sure Madison wouldn’t give up until she found a cure for the curse.
— Can we begin? asked the witch, I nodded. — Right, you need to stay inside the circle, do not go beyond the limits or the enchantment will be broken— she told the wizard.
Madison sat in front of me and held my hands, she sweated with anxiety. The witch closed her eyes as she began to recite the spell in Latin, and as she felt her magic coursing through my body with the force of an electric current, I stretched my spine.
The forest settled down before the power of the supernatural being that controlled the elements of nature. Madison channeled my vigor, the Crescent blood that ran through my veins, thus binding me to the wolf, giving him the possibility of becoming human, even if only for a few hours.
A murmur left Madison’s lips and Isaac stepped forward, being restrained by Clary, Kitsune said something to the wolf that I did not want to hear, paying attention to the witch in front of me.
The candle was lit in the darkness of the night. The wolf stirred and whimpered, his body went to the ground when his bones cracked, indicating the beginning of the transformation of the lupine to human form again. With my heart racing and sweat running down my temples, I watched the beast disappear and a man take the wolf’s place. Slowly, he regained his human senses and sat down on the earth, admiring his own hands, the body of man and not of animal. The rest of the pack was silent.
Isaac pulled a thin blanket from one of the bags and threw it towards the man, he startled in surprise, but covered his nakedness with the fabric. He ran his hand through big, black hair, and scratched his long beard, getting used to that shape after spending so many years trapped in the lupine form, cursed to live like a wild beast without the possibility of being human again.
— How are you feeling? — My voice came out weak.
He quickly set his dark eyes on me, alert and alert. Cleared his throat before opening his mouth and saying:
His response made my eyes burn.
I licked my lips letting go of Madison’s hands.
— You know who I am, but I still don’t know your name.
He bowed his head in a short reverence, a sign of respect for my lineage.
My name is Bryan, ma'am.
— Do you want something to eat or drink? Or some clothes, maybe?
Bryan denied it, he seemed numb, and I couldn’t help but wonder what it was like to be trapped in his lupine form, cursed and prevented from having control over his own body, to have his humanity ripped out against his will. It was a surprise Bryan was able to act rationally after so many years transformed.
— Let me enjoy the feeling of freedom for a few more moments, please.
I nodded in agreement. He closed his eyes and pulled a breath, savoring the fresh air and wind of the forest. I bit my lower lip to contain the urge to ask questions and more questions, it was not my desire to frighten him. I looked at the candle, we’d still have some time to talk before time runs out.
Isaac and Clary stopped behind me, facing the wolf with some fear. Bryan noticed the mistrust and intended.
I’m not a threat.
The beta just hissed.
— I’m not so sure.
— That’s not necessary— I told both of you, especially Hadley.
— My duty is to protect you at all costs, Hayley— replied Isaac.
I held a menacing growl.
— I am among my people, my pack. They are my family and I will not accept being wrongly accused. Don’t forget the Crescent blood you have, Isaac.
The beta half— closed its eyes slightly, but muttered an apology by retreating minimally back, Clary remained close to me and did not relent at all. Bryan relaxed just a little and wrapped the blanket around his waist.
How can I help you, ma'am?
— You don’t have to call me that way— smiles shyly.
Bryan rubbed his tired face.
If I may say so, you’re so much like your mother.
A tightening has come to my throat.
— I don’t have many memories of her.
— She was a great female, a brave and courageous leader who died protecting us.
Talking about the death of my parents was still difficult, even after twelve years after the rebellion and the attack, that was an open wound that had not been healed with time, but that every time it was touched, it bled.
I witnessed her death at the hands of the rebel, this is something I will never forget.
— I know that— he murmured with distant gaze.