Chapter 32
“The mystics were a unique kind of people known for having mystical powers that were directly connected to the earth’s elements. They were balancers of nature and healers.
They were kind people to the werewolves and lived amongst them for many generations” Gran told me as we sat for tea in my cottage.
Nealin wasn’t here so we had the privacy we needed.
“So like, witches?” I asked, confused still. “Of sorts” she shrugged.
“They taught sacred knowledge to indigenous tribes and the Were-people. Sadly they began to be hunted down by those who wanted to harness their power for their own doings and they were thought to have died out a few generations ago. It’s been a long time since anyone heard of a mystic being around.
That’s why it felt so far-fetched to me at first” she told me.
“How’d you know though? You obviously suspected somehow.” She smiled and took a sip of her tea.
“Because I remembered that Mystics were able to be mate-bonded with the werewolves whereas humans couldn’t. When I learned you were Devran’s mate I thought for hours on how that could be possible and that’s the thought that crossed my mind. Though far-fetched I thought...maybe.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “A room full of male leaders and not one of them thought of that possibility” I snorted.
“Men are fools,” Gran said outright. It made me laugh which she seemed amused by.
“What else do you know about Mystics?” I asked her. I was dying to know everything. Unfortunately she frowned which made me do the same.
“Not much. They became a kind of legend after two generations of no proof of these Mystics. They were said to have great power but they also lived amongst each other and I'm sure they were taught how to use the earth as their magic. You, my darling, are on your own.
"But you've already figured a piece out. I have hope for you yet. Try to revive that flower” Gran nodded her head to the multitude of dead flowers I've brought into this house.
Nealin must’ve thought I was nuts but I had wanted to practice. I'd told him I was experimenting with creating new scented lotions and such. He believed me.
I sighed when Gran asked this of me.
“I don’t actually know how I end up doing it. I usually try a million times and nothing happens. The two times it did happen I'd walked away from them so I thought that was a factor but I’ve since tried again and nothing” I shook my head.
I felt like a failure and it frustrated me.
“Believe in yourself. That’s half the battle. It’s like the discipline of meditation. The magic must run through you. It shouldn’t be so forced” she shared her wisdom with me.
I wish she knew more about the Mystics. They sounded fascinating and if that is what I truly am then I just have to know what I am and what I am capable of. It obviously doesn’t carry over down the bloodline or more Mystics would be heard of.
My mother certainly was no earth witch nor was she a healer.
I grabbed a flower and held it in my hand. Closing my eyes I tried to quiet my mind. Moon Goddess please guide me into my powers. I need help.
I can’t explain the feeling that ran through me other than the fact that it was almost euphoric. I thought of the flower in its previous condition and urged myself to heal it.
Without opening my own eyes I released my enclosed hands from the flower in my palm. When I opened my eyes Gran was crying. I gasped until I realized they were tears of joy and maybe a little shock.
In my palm was a living flower.
“Incredible. Mira...this is...wow” she wiped away another tear. It got me to tear up too.
“Honey, I’d like to keep this a secret between us for a little while. I want to let you explore this magic without the pressures of others. Because when the elder wolves hear of a Mystic finally emerging after so long it is going to blow up into a huge thing” she advised me and she was very right.
I wasn’t ready for this to be public knowledge. One flower trick wasn’t enough to prove I'm connected to earth’s elements with mystic powers I was given by the Moon Goddess.
It sounds unbelievable but I guess a lot of my life does nowadays. I live with damn wolves.
“Visit those sacred grounds often and try to commune with mother nature and the Moon Goddess. Practice your same meditations and work with the elements” she continued.
I nodded yes to everything. “I will. I promise.”
And with that the old woman was satisfied and with one more look at the healthy flower she shook her head and left the cottage.
I need to learn how to get to those sacred grounds on my own or my friends will ask me why I continue to go there.
I’m not great with trekking a forest and knowing where the hell I'm headed but maybe with a map? Does that exist? It’s not like there are many landmarks. I would have to mark the path myself.
-
Instead of telling my two best friends I thought maybe Nealin or Trevor would take me to the sacred grounds. I’ll just say Gran said meditation here was peaceful and then I'll mark my path with that neon tape Nealin has around the house.
He uses the yellow for mapping grids but I can use the pink.
Once I was set on this plan I went out searching for whoever I’d find first. I want to waste no more time. I’ve wasted enough being oblivious to this my whole life. And being here in nature’s playground for a year already.
A thought crossed my mind that frustrated me. If I discovered my power sooner would Devran have rejected me? He probably wouldn’t have but I guess this was meant to show me his character. I don’t care.
He missed out on a Mystic...if that’s what I truly am.
I’ve wanted to be special my whole life. I secretly wished for it all the time when I was young and feeling unloved. I think that’s why this often makes me emotional because the child in me is giddy and yelling ‘We are special! We are special’.
It just so happened that I came across Trevor first and I was glad because we hadn’t been able to talk much since our date.
“Hey” I smiled when I stopped him on the road. He smiled back which relieved me because I worried Devran told him off for taking me out. But why should he care? He doesn’t.
“I’m glad I’m seeing you. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to see you again since our date. I’ve been crazy busy” he told me.
“Oh that’s okay. Uh, you said you’re busy. Hm, alright” I realized I shouldn’t ask for him to take me. “Wait, what is it?” He stopped me from leaving.
“Nothing, I wanted to find someone to walk me to the sacred grounds for a meditation session. I wanted to mark the trees so I could find my way there and back without bothering anyone each time I wanted to visit. But you’re busy so I’ll go find Jasper or Nealin or Mel even” I waved him off.
I knew Melanie was actually away with her parents visiting distant family but I just wanted it to seem like I had plenty of options so he wouldn’t feel obligated.
“I’m not busy right now. I’d love to take you” he offered me. “Are you sure? I honestly can have someone else do it” I assured him.
“No, it’ll give me an excuse to hang out with you again,” he smiled. I thought that was cute and agreed. We stopped off at my cottage to grab the pink tie off tape and were on our way.
The hike was a nice one so we talked casually as he led me where I needed to go. Every 100 feet or so I would mark a tree.
“What did Devran say to you once I left? I noticed he stayed behind...” Trevor suddenly got the courage to ask me mid-walk. I glanced up at him and sighed.
“Nothing of importance. He enjoys being mean to me. I really don’t know why” I shrugged.
“I don’t either. We’ve been friends a long time and he was never mean to girls like that. I guess sort of in the ‘I’ll brush you off cus I dont care’ vibe when he was young and getting all the female attention but usually his demeanor was always alpha male but not incessant on bothering a person...
it’s weird” he muttered in the last part.
“Maybe he just wants to make it clear to everyone that he doesn’t regret his decision to reject me and that he is still Mr. Tough guy. Who knows” I suddenly wanted to talk about anything but this.
“He didn’t bug you did he?” I decided I should probably ask Trevor to be sure.
“Him and Diego just ragged me about sloppy seconds, which I know is rude, I didn’t engage on it” he quickly informed me so I wouldn’t be offended.
“Typical guy stuff but he didn’t, like, threaten my life or something” he chuckled to himself. He probably did that in the past when the mate bond was intact and he was losing his mind.
“That being said...do you think you’d ever want to go out with me again?” Trevor took the opportunity to ask while I had my back towards him as I tied off the pink tape.
My cheeks blushed. I could feel it but I smiled and told him I’d like that. “Good” he grinned in satisfaction.
The people here lived a very different life to what the humans live back down the mountain where we had so many places to go and so much to do.
Humans filled the voids of life with stuff. Tons of stuff. Here these people were minimalists and knew the value of things. Here in the mountains there weren’t typical places to visit on a date.
We had that restaurant and I know some people did other stuff like visit the falls and picnic or wait for movie nights when Alpha Conan would bring out a huge screen and a projector to play movies for the town. That was a big hit.
“I’ll have to think of something fun for us to do. Gimme time” he chuckled sheepishly. “I’m easy to please,” I assured him.
“Doesn’t mean I don’t still wanna impress you” he winked. It made something flutter inside me. Before I could respond he looked past me and said, “We’re here.”
I looked and sure enough the same circle of trees encompassed the clearing with its altar.
“I really appreciate you taking the time to walk me up here. I know you’ve been busy so it means a lot” I touched his arm. He glanced down at the contact and smiled.
“Sure, anytime. Are you sure you're going to be okay traveling back on your own?” He asked me. “That’s why I marked my path” I smiled at him.
He nodded okay but told me not to stay out past dark or he’d worry. I thought that was sweet.
“Enjoy your meditation” he caught me off guard when he leaned forward and gave me a quick peck on the cheek before rushing off. It made me chuckle. Once I was alone I let the quiet creep in on me.
Well...I’m back.