Chapter 19
Magic Course
Alexa
I still can’t believe that after so many years, I finally get to learn magic again with Mrs. Geeny. All this time, Mrs. Gertrude restricted the use of magic with nothing but baseless accusations. Now, without that woman around, I am free to do whatever I want.
My house is spotless now, thanks to the younger maid hired to help Brenda. The fields and livestock are being handled by eager young caretakers. My relationship with Harlow is going well.
Everything is running exactly the way I hoped it would. And this time, I take the step I should have taken years ago.
I sit across from Mrs. Geeny in the backyard of her cabin. An old spell book lies open between us on the woven mat, its yellowed pages displaying rituals she has yet to teach me.
“Do you still remember the basics of ritual magic?” she asks.
“Please explain it again. I don’t wanna get arrogant, and it’s been a long while since I studied any of this.” I clasp my hands together in front of my chest.
“Alright then. Listen carefully.” Mrs. Geeny takes out an egg and a small potted plant. “Magic is the art of manipulating energy. Everything in this world carries its own energy and it can never truly be destroyed. It only changes form, changes place, or gets transferred.”
She places the objects carefully between us.
“Our wolf spirits are the same. They’re simply energy reshaped through each life born into the bloodline. When we die, our wolf energy returns to the Moon Goddess. Then, when descendants are born, that same energy is renewed and enters a new life again.”
She lifts the egg slightly.
“It works just like this egg. Energy moves from the dead to the living, and from the living to the dead.”
Mrs. Geeny chants a quick spell beneath her breath. A silver glow slowly rises from the plant. The energy circles around Mrs. Geeny before flowing into the egg.
Moments later, the plant withers. Its leaves dry out and curl as though autumn suddenly devours it. Meanwhile, the egg cracks open, revealing a tiny hatchling chirping excitedly.
“You’re adorable,” I murmur as I lift the baby dove into my hands.
“Can you see it now?” she asks.
“Yes, Mrs. Geeny.” I smile while gently stroking the top of the tiny bird’s head.
“The rumors about black magic rituals...” My voice trails off as sudden fear creeps into my chest.
A chill runs through me when I remember the corpse Harlow and I found inside the cave. After I reported the body to Mr. Pascoe, he went there with several guards and Harlow. They asked Mrs. Geeny to uncover memories connected to the scene, but the ritual ended in failure.
There were no witnesses. No meaningful objects strong enough to store memories. Nothing except useless stones carrying vague, fragmented traces that revealed nothing. Everything was blocked. Clouded.
“Alexa,” Mrs. Geeny says carefully, “do you know why certain rituals are called black magic? In truth, all rituals work the same way. We exchange energy to achieve the result we desire.”
“Then what makes it different?” I ask, furrowing my brows as I gently release the baby dove onto the grass. I don’t want to hurt it while talking about something this serious.
“The first thing is intent. Evil intentions create dangerous negative energy.” Her expression grows serious. “The second thing is the sacrifice used for the exchange. When something terrible becomes the medium for the ritual, that’s when it becomes black magic.”
“If that’s true, then why does the Moon Goddess allow those rituals to exist?” I ask curiously.
Mrs. Geeny slowly shakes her head. “We chant spells to ask permission from the Moon Goddess while manipulating energy. But the truth is, besides the Moon Goddess, there are other forces capable of assisting in energy exchange.” Her face darkens as she speaks. “It’s mentioned in your prophecy.”
“The Lord of Darkness,” I murmur while staring at the faded pages of the spell book.
The old witch watches me in silence. “What about the prophecy, Alexa? Are you certain about choosing Harlow, even though he isn’t an Alpha?” she asks at last.
“Of course I am.” I nod firmly. “I can’t live without him. He’s always the one saving me whenever I’m in danger. He always protects me. I can rely on him for everything, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Besides, he’ll be crowned Alpha soon anyway, right?”
The corners of Mrs. Geeny’s eyes wrinkle faintly. She doesn’t look pleased. I still don’t understand why she dislikes Harlow so much. There shouldn’t be a problem anymore.
“I hate saying this to you, but you need to be prepared.” Her voice turns hoarse.
My heartbeat quickens. “What is it?”
“A few nights ago, I had a dream. The Moon Goddess told me to prepare.” Mrs. Geeny reaches for the book and places it into my hands. “It felt like she was showing me that I needed to teach you magic. That’s why I’m giving you this book.”
There’s something strange about Mrs. Geeny’s voice. Her face looks gloomier than before, her brows drawn low as though carrying a burden too heavy to hide. I can’t tell if it is sadness or something far worse.
“Prepare for what?” I ask impatiently, pressing her for answers. “Does this have something to do with Harlow’s coronation?”
“Alexa, the elders made a new decision. This time, Mr. Pascoe and I were outvoted.” She clasps both my hands tightly, almost like she is trying to steady me before delivering the blow. “You’ll be crowned as Luna first in this pack. After that, according to the prophecy, you must choose an Alpha.”
“What do you mean I’ll be crowned first?” I grip her arm tightly. “Isn’t the Alpha supposed to be crowned before the Luna?”
Panic crashes over me that it steals the air from my lungs. Even without her saying anything else, I can already feel the negativity radiating from her energy. Guilt. Sadness. Anxiety. Everything twists together into a dark gray aura that makes my stomach churn.
“They won’t crown Harlow first.” The old woman shakes her head again. “The DNA test confirmed he’s truly a child of the Wright and Blackmoore bloodlines. But Mr. Darius challenged it. He claimed Harlow was born outta wedlock.”
The moment those words leave her mouth, my heart drops. My lips part in disbelief while Mythril growls furiously inside me.
“No.” I stand abruptly. “No! Do the elders not have a damn conscience? How can they accept such a ridiculous excuse?” My voice rises. “Didn’t you even try to help him?”
The storm raging inside me is too violent for clear thinking. Maybe my accusation is unfair, but another thought keeps clawing at me. The way Mrs. Geeny reacted the first night we reunited. There had been something hidden behind her expression back then. Some kind of motive.
“I tried to convince them. Mr. Darius was simply more persuasive, and the other elders sided with him.” Mrs. Geeny slowly rises to her feet too.
“No.” I shake my head while stepping backward. “From the start, you wanted me to marry Alpha Gabriel. And now you’re telling me you couldn’t help Harlow?” My voice sharpens with anger. “That’s a lie. What exactly are you after?”
“Nothing, child.” Mrs. Geeny looks desperate now. “I only want what’s best for the pack. The Moon Goddess already gave guidance through the prophecy, and she can’t be wrong.”
So that’s it. The prophecy.
That sacred prophecy she keeps worshipping like absolute truth. That is what she truly believes in. A cruel sense of justice with no empathy for the people crushed beneath it. Fulfill the prophecy at all costs, even if someone has to suffer for it.
“You’ve always worshipped the Alpha title.” My chest tightens painfully. “You never liked Harlow, did you?” I stare directly into her eyes.
“Were you the one who told Alpha Gabriel where I was back then? Is that why we got captured that night?” The accusation is severe, but I need the truth.
“It wasn’t me!” Her eyes widen with desperation. “Trust me, Alexa. I’d swear an oath to prove it.”
I don’t know what to believe anymore. Another scheme from the elders. Another attempt to control my life. I shake my head bitterly.
“No. Don’t bother. It won’t matter anymore.” My voice trembles with disappointment. “I can’t trust you now.” Without another word, I turn and run, leaving her behind.
Mr. Darius. That old snake has always wanted to drag me down. Even after the truth comes out, he still finds a way to sabotage Harlow’s coronation.
I bite my lip hard while rage burns through my chest. My fingers tighten around the spell book before shoving it into my backpack as I rush toward Mr. Darius’s house.
My sneakers slam hard against the hallway floor the moment I arrive. How can that cunning old man interfere with something that rightfully belongs to Harlow?
As far as I know, Gabriel leaves for exile today. We made peace. He accepted rejection and agreed to serve his punishment. So why the hell is his uncle still ruining everything?
Several servants call out for me to stop, but I ignore them and continue marching deeper into the house.
The second floor hallway is dimly lit. Portraits of Mr. Darius and generations of the Scott family line the walls like silent judges staring down at me.
Their painted eyes seem filled with disapproval, as if they already know I’m about to tear this house apart.
Just as I reach the door to Mr. Darius’s study, it suddenly swings open from the inside. A man I know well steps out.
His jaw is tense. His face flushed red with anger.
“Harlow? Did Mr. Darius send for you as well?” I ask while stepping in front of him to block his path.
Harlow stays silent. His lips are pressed tightly together, his breathing rough and uneven. He doesn’t even look at me. His dark eyes seem more interested in burning holes into the Scott family’s black carpet than meeting my gaze.
“I need some time alone,” he growls through clenched teeth.
He’s holding his anger back by the thinnest thread. Without another word, Harlow walks past me and disappears down the hallway without looking back once.
“What happened to Harlow?” I storm straight into Mr. Darius’s study.