Chapter 13 - Brad
When Alisha rushes into my arms, I feel a wave of happiness like nothing I’ve ever felt before. All my senses seem hyped up—I can feel the sun soaking into my skin, and hear the happy humming of insects all around us as they kiss the flowers, along with the wind singing a soft, whispering song.
I wrap my arms around her, and the sensations increase. My heart thuds against my breastbone, and I’m dizzy all of a sudden, lost in her scent and the pleasure of her touch.
“Hi, baby,” I murmur, trying to get a hold of myself. “How was your day?”
“Wonderful,” she says, stepping back to look up at me. My sense of confusion only gets worse as I’m charmed by her dazzling smile and bright, glowing eyes.
She’s so fucking beautiful! How did I ever walk away from this woman?
“Are you okay?” she asks. “You look a bit like someone just slapped you.”
“I’m okay, I just…” I shake my head a little. “I feel a bit overwhelmed.”
“By what?” she asks, taking my hand.
“By you,” I answer, feeling the truth of that statement rattling through my bones.
“Maybe I put a spell on you,” she grins, winking at me.
“I’d believe it,” I reply, watching how the breeze trickles through her long hair. The light seems to caress her skin, brightening her already gorgeous features.
“No,” she says, pausing for a moment. “Apparently, I really am a witch.”
“Oh?” I say, not really absorbing the words.
“Actually,” she giggles.
“Actually, what?”
Alisha laughs, tugging on my arm now. “Come on. Come for a little walk with me, and I’ll explain.”
She leads me through the big stone arch and up a pathway to the left. I still feel stuck in some kind of crazy dreamworld where the sun is perfectly bright and warm, the breeze is just cool enough, and all plants and animals around me are in complete harmony.
“Are you listening, Brad?”
“Yes,” I answer, squeezing her hand. “I think so. What were you trying to tell me?”
“I’m a witch,” she says, a serious look darkening her eyes.
I’m silent for a moment. “When did this happen?” I ask, thoroughly confused.
“Apparently, I always was one, but I didn’t know. My new friend, Grace, talked me through it today.”
“Wait,” I mutter, floundering a little. “You have always been a witch? How can that be possible?”
“My powers were dormant,” she explains. “And it might be why I could never shift. Anyway, you can ask Grace if you have any questions. She knows way more than me. Why don’t you come over here, and I’ll show you what I can do?”
I let Alisha lead me over to a low table where dozens of tiny seedlings are set into small pots.
Alisha lets go of my hand and reaches out to one of the seedlings, running her hands over it without touching it.
To my shock, the little green stalk shivers, growing taller, and little baby leaves curl outwards from the trunk.
“Whoa,” I mutter, my eyes locked on the miracle. “This is blowing my mind.”
“It blows mine, too,” she says. “The only thing keeping me somewhat calm is this feeling inside that I kind of always knew.”
“Could you always do this, though? Make things grow?”
“Not like this,” she answers. “But I felt more at home in nature anywhere else, and I felt protected, almost as if someone had my back, no matter where I went. It all makes sense, now.”
I shake my head, failing to see how any of this makes sense.
She had power inside her this whole time, and I never knew.
I hear a soft “hello” from nearby and see Grace approaching. Alisha hurries over to greet her.
“I thought you were heading off?” Grace asks.
“I wanted to show Brad where I work and give him a demonstration of my powers. Brad, you know Grace?”
“I remember,” I say, nodding at Grace.
“I hope I didn’t need any special permission to hire Alisha,” Grace says to me. “I didn’t think you would mind, but the council can be a bit weird about this kind of thing.”
“How do you mean?” I ask, frowning. “What does the council have to do with Alisha working here?”
“The garden is run by the city,” Grace answers. “There are allocated funds from the council for all public works. I’m sure you can do whatever you like, as alpha, but I wouldn’t put it past the others to say something about it.”
“Well,” I chuckle, shaking my head. “I learn something new every day. I had no idea this was a public garden. Don’t worry, Grace. I’ll handle the others if anything comes up.”
“Okay,” she says softly. “Thank you for that. I really don’t have the best time dealing with them.”
“Why is that?” I ask, curious.
“Well,” she answers, looking a bit uncomfortable. “I was a shiftless wolf as a teenager, and it made me a bit of an outcast. Then, as my witch powers developed, I had to keep them hidden because I might have been fully banished if they knew.”
“Why didn’t you leave?” Alisha asks.
Grace sighs and looks away, letting her eyes travel across the rows of plants, right over to the sunlight spilling through the door and perhaps even the horizon itself.
“I’d rather not talk about that,” she mutters.
“The important thing is, Azarian ran the town with an iron fist. He made sure there was a distinct class divide, and I might have been in real danger if anyone found out I was a witch. As a shiftless wolf, I was just an embarrassment that could be swept under the rug, so I stayed here in the garden out of the way. Witches are often feared—and Vanessa most certainly would have seen me as a threat.”
“Who is that?” Alisha asks.
“That’s a long story,” I reply. “Probably a bit long for right now, but she was presumed to be the mate of the previous alpha. She was a powerful sorceress, and both of them died before I came. It’s part of the reason I was brought here in the first place.”
Alisha’s eyes widen, and I can tell she has a million questions, but I’m determined to divert her, at least for now.
I didn’t want her to know about the snake before, because I’m just trying to protect her…but how scared would she be if she knew there was a powerful magical spirit in this town, especially now that she has magic?
“The important thing, Grace,” I say, taking control of the conversation, “is that I’m building a new town, an open and accepting community for everyone. You won’t have to hide anymore.”
“I wouldn’t exactly sing it to the sky that you’re a witch,” Grace warns Alisha. “After Azarian and Vanessa…well, Brad, you know.”
I feel a flicker of uncertainty in my guts. The ritual on the stone needs an alpha and a witch to call forth the spirit.
She’s right. It could be very damaging to the community, and they might not trust me.
“Okay, Grace,” I say. “I see your point. I am working on the council, though, and younger people like Gen are helping to bring the town together.”
“Have you spoken to…the families?” Grace asks. The look she gives me leaves no doubt as to which families she’s talking about.
“Not yet,” I reply, thinking of the recent meeting and Gen’s promise. “But I will.”
“It feels like you two have started speaking a different language,” Alisha says, looking back and forth at each of us. “Someone better explain this to me.”
“I will,” I promise. “It’s just very involved. The last alpha wasn’t a nice guy, and the pack has been in a bit of a mess since he died. The important thing is that we’re here to build a better world, for all of us.”
“Why don’t you show me if you can bring a rose to bloom?” Grace asks Alisha, linking an arm through hers and turning to walk towards a far corner. She catches my eye, and I give her a small nod of thanks before I follow them.
Now is not the time to explain everything to Alisha. Even the council members don’t know the full details about the snake. This stuff has to be kept under wraps.
We pause by the rose bushes, and after several tries, Alisha brings a soft pink flower to bloom. Watching the petals curl slowly under her fingers puts me into a state of pure awe.
“You okay?” Grace asks, jostling my elbow.
“Yeah,” I mutter, watching Alisha gently stroke the flower. “I’m amazed.”
“She’s a natural,” Grace remarks. “And extremely powerful.”
I look over at her abruptly, wondering what I’m supposed to take away from that last statement. Grace just smiles and nods, and I know she’s thinking about the attitudes in town, and the fact that Alisha will most likely have to hide her powers, not celebrate them.
I’d like to reassure her again, but I know bringing it up will only lead me back into Vanessa and Azarian’s treachery and explanations about the snake spirit.
That story is hard enough to tell on its own, let alone accompanied by my confession of being a secret agent.
Alisha steps away from the rose bushes and stumbles a little. I rush forward to hold her up.
“Oh, wow,” she says. “Fainting like a lady in a Victorian novel. This is embarrassing.”
“You’ve just overused your powers a little,” Grace says, rubbing Alisha’s arm. “Go home and rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I want to carry Alisha back to the car, but she insists on walking, even though she leans on my arm the whole way. When we get home, she seems distant and even a little bit confused.
It was a big day for her. I’m sure she’s just tired, like Grace said.
We don’t talk much over dinner, but Alisha eats with enthusiasm and seems to brighten up. Afterwards, it doesn’t take long for her exhaustion to return, and by the time we’ve showered and headed for bed, she can barely keep her eyes open.
She falls asleep almost the moment her head hits the pillow, and I lay beside her, listening to her breathing. Occasionally, I reach out and stroke her hair, hoping that she can feel my attention even in her dreams and know she is never really alone.
***
Sometime later, I’m woken by the earth trembling beneath me. I come fully awake in seconds, my body taught and ready to respond to any threat. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust in the dark, and that’s when I realize this is no earthquake—it’s Alisha tossing and turning in bed.
I reach out and touch her shoulder, feeling how warm and sweaty her skin is. She thrashes back and forth, making small moans as if she’s struggling with something horrible.
“Alisha,” I say in a loud whisper. “Come out of it, baby—it’s just a dream!”
A few moments of careful prodding don’t have any impact on her, so I grab both shoulders and give her a shake. She wakes up immediately, her eyes flying open as she sits up and lets out a little scream.
“No,” she gasps. “It can’t be!”
“Alisha,” I say, shaking her again. “It’s me, I’m right here. You’re safe, baby.”
“Brad,” she sobs, sagging into my arms. “I had a terrible dream. There was something dark on the horizon—something huge. I could tell it was powerful, and intelligent—and it was coming for us!”
“Don’t worry about it,” I say, soothing her. “It was just a nightmare.”
She shakes her head. “It felt so real,” she whispers. “It was coming closer and closer. An ancient intelligence. So much power. No one could ever fight it.”
“Shh,” I mutter, stroking her hair. “I’ve got you, and you’re safe.”
Her next words chill me to the bone.
“It was in the woods at the edge of town, getting closer. It was…slithering, I think. Like a snake.”
My heart seems to stop in my chest, and my blood turns to ice.
“And, it kind of…” Alisha pauses, as if trying to find the right words. “Well, it looked like it was on fire.”