Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Sierra

It was finally time to leave the house for Elder Wynn’s ceremony. Alyssa and I made our way to the main living room where everyone was waiting.

“Aw you look beautiful darling”, my mom says

I look down at my feet, embarrassed. “Uh thanks mom.”

I look up and see Alex staring at me and I feel heat pool between my legs. What the hell is wrong with me. This guy is unwinding me with just a look. I need to get it together. Just then the image of him shirtless from last night flashes through my mind and I flush a deep shade of pink. I can see the flash in his eyes as he brings his tongue to lick his lower lip as if he wants to devour me.

Dad speaks up breaking us from our little trance. “Feel free to follow us in your car. I know you’re not entirely familiar to our town just yet” he says warmly

We head out to the east side of town that has been set up with a stage and outdoor tents. When an elder retires the town goes all out. When we arrive there are platters of food floating through the air and balloons suspended with nothing holding them down. I look over to Alex and Alpha Leo who are in utter amazement. I look back at the spectacle before us. To me this is all normal everyday stuff, but I suppose seeing things flying through the air and instruments playing without an actual band could come across quite odd.

Alex makes his way over to us. “Wow they put on quite a show don’t they?”, he says.

“Yea well Elder Wynn has been on the council for over twenty years so it’s a pretty big deal” I tell him. He nods, understanding, and still taking in his surroundings before turning to me. “You do look beautiful by the way that dress really brings out your eyes” he says and winks at me before quickly walking away before I can say anything. Since Alpha Leo and Alex are visiting they are required to be on the stage during the ceremony. I get the joy of being in the crowd with everyone else.

The ceremony begins promptly at 8pm sharp. A lot of the ceremony is boring and “tradition”. Elder Wynn gives a very slow long winded speech about how wonderful it’s been being a member of the council, but that he’s going to enjoy his retirement with his grandchildren. He introduces Alpha Leo and Alex and reiterates how important it is to have ally’s who help protect our land.

I never realized that our magic provides a protection spell that covers both of our lands. The spell protects us from magical attacks while their security team of wolves is our physical defense if we ever had a legitimate threat. Honestly the treaty makes a lot of sense because if it came to a physical fight I’m not convinced that we would be able to protect our town. Magic is powerful, but doesn’t help me throw a punch with my fist. Magic also has the ability to take life, but we do not practice that type of magic. When you start using magic for ill intentions you can become a dark witch or wizard and it’s very hard to turn back.

Elder Wynn goes on about our roots in the magical world and how our town was founded by his father’s father’s father’s father back in the late 1600s when witches were hunted and burned at the stake. We made an alliance with the werewolves to live peacefully without persecution from the human world. The problem is we haven’t changed anything since then it’s as if the entire council is still living in the 17th century.

Once the ceremony comes to a close Elder Wynn announces that elections for his council seat will begin in 60 days on the night of the full moon and that candidates need to start campaigning now. I look at Dave who is standing next to me and I give his hand a firm squeeze to show my support. “This will be a piece of cake you’ll see” he whispers into my ear. His level of confidence has always astounded me. Why couldn’t I get that gene?

Once all the announcements are through everyone heads away from the stage and towards the smell of food wafting from the tent. I leave my parents and Dave and explain that I am meeting up with Alyssa and I slip away towards the stage. Looking out into the crowd you could see the division between the younger generations making their way towards the woods and the older generations looking for food and booze in the tent.

I find Alyssa and see her talking with Alex with her hand rested on his bicep laughing and flirting her ass off. A sudden urge of jealous comes over me like wildfire. What the hell does she think she’s doing?!? I rush over and interrupt them

“Ready to go” I practically shout at them

“Oh! Let’s do it! Alex you’re going to love this bonfire I promise!” She says winking at him

I roll my eyes at her and trudge off into the woods clearly pissed at her.

Alex catches up with me “Hey, everything ok?”

“Yea I’m fine why would anything be wrong?” I sigh

“I don’t know you just seem upset” he says

I stop walking, “Nah I’m cool. You sure you want to come? Magical bonfires are very different” I ask him as I calm down.

“Well now you’ve really got my interest piqued” he smirks at me.

“Well with the way you flipped out about the floating tray yesterday you’re really going to love this…” I said teasing him

He begins to speak to defend himself when I interrupt him

“Really, it’s ok” I laugh sweetly, “but do remember not all witches are cool with werewolves so just stick by me or Alyssa and don’t stray far” I winked at him

“I wouldn’t dream of it” he says with his gorgeous smile beaming at me.

Well here goes nothing.

Alex

We come to this huge clearing in the woods and there is a huge pile of wood positioned in the center with a bunch of kids standing around it. I feel like I just walked into something you would see at burning man. The wood is shaped like a huge werewolf. I look to Sierra and she looks back to me shrugging her shoulders.

Suddenly a kid who looks like a football player comes running over to us and sticks out his hand. “My names Brent. Alyssa told us that you were coming so we did this in tribute. What do ya think? Accurate?” He says smiling looking up at his handy work.

“Uh, yea I guess it’s pretty impressive. How did you manage…. Oh right.. magic…” I snap my fingers. “Got it. I’m still getting used to all this magic stuff sorry”

“No problems bro, you want something to drink? We’re about to light the bad boy on fire” he says with a mischievous look.

“Sure, Sierra what are you drinking” I turn to her. “Oh, I’m good thanks I don’t drink” she says staring down at her feet again. “Really, a little rebel like you? Who would’ve thought?” I laugh at her.

I turn back to Brent. “I’m good for now bro but I can’t wait to see you light it up” I say back to him.

“You ready Sierra?” Brent turns to her. She nods in agreement as he takes her by the hand. Wait what the? Ajax is losing his shit in my head at the contact between them.

She looks back at me, “you may want to stay where you are until we have it lit” she smiles at me as she walks off with Brent. What the hell is going on?

Suddenly I notice everyone in the clearing has formed a circle around the giant wolf shaped pile of wood. Suddenly I feel a surge of energy and Ajax perks his head up on full alert. All at once I see flames flying from all of their hands, igniting the wolf into huge flames. It was the most magical thing I had ever witnessed in my entire life. The fire came to life with amazing colors of red, orange and blue. I notice that there is smoke coming from the wolf’s mouth as if it was howling to the moon. After it was lit everyone went eerily quiet as everyone paused and bowed their head. Suddenly everyone seems to snap out of it and all at once music started blasting and people started dancing and partying.

Sierra saw the look on my face and made her way back to me. “Told ya it was kinda different” she says

“Well that’s putting it mildly” I laugh at her.

“What was with the pause after?” I question her.

“Whenever we perform big magic like that or group magic we take a minute to thank the goddess for our magic. Without her we wouldn’t be able to do the things we can. It’s the little something we can do to show our gratitude to her” she says.

I never really thought about it that way, but I guess she has a point. We’re always born knowing that one day we will claim our wolves, but we are never thankful for them. It gives me a lot to think about. We even owe our mates to the goddess but I’ve never hear another wolf thank her or be appreciative. Maybe there is a lot we can learn from each other even if it’s small things such as this. This is something I’ll definitely bring up to dad that we can integrate at our full moon runs.

Throughout the night I stay by Sierra and I let her introduce me to most of the high schoolers at the party. A few of the drunk guys even begged me to shift because they had never seen a wolf before but I kindly told them no. Sierra doesn’t seem like the most popular girl at school but everyone still knows who she is, although that doesn’t really surprise me since she is the daughter of the coven’s doctor.

Suddenly I hear girls screaming nearby, yelling at the guys across from them. I see balls of fire flying through the air at the girls. Alyssa storms over to us clearly not happy. “Can you believe these assholes they ruined my favorite pair of jeans” she cries and pokes at the hole in her jeans. The guys are sneering at them from across the bonfire clearly laughing and patting each other on the backs for a job well done.

“Doesn’t that hurt?” I questioned Alyssa

“Nah we have magical healing powers just like you guys do, but nothing is going to fix my favorite pair of jeans!!” she fumes.

“You really want to get them back?” Sierra says to Alyssa with the most mischievous look on her face.

Well, well, well I guess she is a little bad ass after all. I watch her and Alyssa in amusement as they plan their counter attack. Sierra suddenly positions herself in front of the guy who ruined Alyssa’s pants and throws her hands out in front of her. At first I didn’t see anything until a flame shaped as a bird comes flying out of her hands flapping it’s wings and chasing the boy towards the riverbed, forcing him to jump in. Sierra lowers her hands laughing hysterical and giving Alyssa a high five.

“Wow, that was amazing” I say to her

“Ah, that’s nothing…the equinox gives us a little more strength than usual that’s why they all wanted to do the bonfire tonight” she states.

“I get it Ajax has been a little on edge tonight too, but I know better than to shift in front of a bunch of witches” I snickered

Sierra did not look amused.

“What is that supposed to mean? I know we’re not all friendly but seriously” she looked pissed.

Just as she was about to storm away from me I grabbed her arm to stop he.

Suddenly Ajax and I are on high alert from an unusual smell wafting from the nearby forest.

“Do you smell that?” I say to her as she rolls her eyes at me.

“Smell what? All I smell is fire” she replies

“We need to get out of here now!” I yell at her “we all do.