Chapter 132
PRISCA’S POV
The familiar sight of the pack’s territory came into view just as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the fields and treetops. The tension in my chest eased slightly at the sight of home, but it didn’t last long. The air was heavy with unease, and the guards at the perimeter carried a nervous energy, their eyes scanning the forest for threats that might already be too close.
Jake carried me most of the way back, despite my protests. My strength was slowly returning, but he refused to hear any argument. His arms were like iron bands around me, and while his touch usually brought me comfort, I could sense his fear.
“You’re still too weak,” he murmured when I tried to stand. “Let me take care of you for once.”
I didn’t have the energy to argue. I rested my head against his shoulder, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath my cheek.
Once inside the safety of the main house, Jake set me down gently on the couch in the living room. The room smelled of wood smoke and faintly of lavender, a comforting scent that made me nostalgic for simpler days—days that felt like they belonged to someone else.
Althea hovered near the fireplace, her brow furrowed as she stared into the flames. Her magic was simmering just below the surface, the tension in her stance clear. Fatima sat on the arm of a chair, her sharp eyes darting between us all.
“Okay,” Jake began, his voice authoritative but tinged with weariness. “We need a plan.”
Althea turned, her green eyes locking with mine. “We don’t just need a plan, Jake. We need to think carefully about what we’re doing. That spell Esther gave us—it’s too convenient.”
“She wanted us to have it,” I added, my voice hoarse. “And we all know she doesn’t do anything out of the kindness of her heart.”
Jake crossed his arms, his jaw tightening. “She said it would save the pack, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
“But at what cost?” Althea challenged. “She didn’t just hand it over for no reason. She said your pack was fated to fall and rebuild. Maybe... maybe that’s what’s supposed to happen.”
“No,” Jake growled. His voice was low, but it carried the weight of his authority. “I won’t let my people suffer if there’s a way to stop it. Fate can go to hell.”
I rubbed my temples, exhaustion pulling at me even as my mind raced. “Jake, what if Althea’s right? What if saving the pack now leads to something worse later? Esther doesn’t make idle threats. If she wants us to use this spell, there’s a reason.”
Jake’s expression softened as he crouched in front of me, taking my hands in his. “Prisca, I hear you. I do. But I can’t sit by and let my people die. Whatever the future holds, we’ll face it together. But for now, we have to save them.”
His words were earnest, and his gaze was steady, but doubt lingered in my chest.
Althea pulled the ancient page from her bag, laying it out carefully on the table. The parchment was old, its edges brittle and yellowed. The symbols etched into it pulsed faintly with an otherworldly light, as if the spell itself was alive.
“This is dark magic,” Althea said, her tone somber. “Blood magic. We’ll need yours and mine, Prisca. It’s the only way to create a barrier strong enough to keep the shadow wolves and other creatures out.”
I nodded, though unease settled in my stomach. “What’s the risk?”
“The risk,” Althea said slowly, “is losing yourself to the magic. Blood magic always comes with a price. And if we’re not careful, that price could be more than we’re willing to pay.”
Jake’s hand tightened around mine. “Then we wait until you’re strong enough to handle it. You’re still recovering, Prisca. I won’t let you hurt yourself more.”
“Jake, we don’t have time,” I said. “The attacks are only going to get worse. We have to do this before it’s too late.”
“She’s right,” Althea agreed. “The barrier won’t rebuild itself. And every moment we wait, the pack is vulnerable.”
Jake’s expression darkened, his internal conflict clear. He wanted to protect me, but he also knew the pack needed this spell.
Fatima, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, finally spoke up. “I hate to say it, but we don’t have many options here, Jake. Either they do the spell, or we all brace for the worst.”
Jake stood, his jaw tight as he ran a hand through his hair. “Fine,” he said, though his voice was heavy with reluctance. “But you rest tonight, Prisca. Tomorrow, we’ll do the spell. No arguments.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but the look in his eyes stopped me. He was trying to balance his love for me with his duty as Alpha, and it was tearing him apart.
“Okay,” I said softly. “I’ll rest.”
The rest of the evening was spent making preparations. Althea and I studied the spell, carefully translating the runes and gathering the necessary ingredients. The list was simple—candles, salt, and an athame for the blood—but the magic behind it was anything but.
“This spell is designed to draw power from the caster’s life force,” Althea explained. “That’s why it’s so dangerous. If we don’t control it properly, it could take more than just blood.”
I nodded, my fingers tracing the delicate lines of the runes. “We’ll control it. We have to.”
Jake hovered nearby, his presence both comforting and stifling. I could feel his worry radiating off him in waves, but he kept his thoughts to himself.
“Jake,” I said softly, catching his gaze. “Talk to me.”
He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. “I just... I hate this. All of it. I hate that you’re putting yourself in danger for my pack. I hate that we’re relying on something so... dark. And I hate that I can’t fix this myself.”
“You’re not supposed to fix everything alone,” I said, standing and wrapping my arms around him. “That’s why you have me. And your pack. We’ll get through this together.”
He rested his forehead against mine, his breath warm on my skin. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Prisca.”
“You won’t have to find out,” I said firmly. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Later that night, as I lay in bed, I couldn’t shake the lingering doubt. Esther’s words echoed in my mind: Your pack is fated to fall. To rebuild.
Was it possible that by saving the pack now, we were dooming it in the future? And what about her warning to me—that I wasn’t meant for this world if I stayed with Jake?
I pushed the thoughts aside, focusing instead on the task ahead. Whatever the future held, we would face it when it came. For now, the pack needed us.
The next morning came too quickly, the sun rising on another tense day. Jake was already up, issuing orders to his men to strengthen the perimeter while we worked on the spell.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked as I prepared to join Althea in the clearing.
“No,” I admitted. “But I’m doing it anyway.”
He pulled me into a tight embrace, his lips brushing against my forehead. “Be careful. ”
“I will,” I promised, though my heart felt heavy with the weight of the unknown.
As Althea and I began setting up the ritual, the air grew thick with magic. The candles flickered, their flames dancing in an invisible breeze.
“Once we start, there’s no turning back,” Althea said, her voice steady.
“I know,” I said, gripping the athame tightly. “Let’s do this.”
The first cut was shallow, a thin line across my palm. Althea did the same, and we joined hands, letting our blood mix as we chanted the spell.
The magic surged, a powerful force that seemed to pulse with its own heartbeat. The ground beneath us trembled, and the air grew cold.
As the spell reached its peak, I felt a tug deep within me, as if the magic was trying to pull me apart. But I held on, focusing on the goal: saving the pack.
When the ritual was finally complete, a shimmering barrier rose around the pack’s territory, its edges glowing faintly in the early morning light.
“It’s done,” Althea said, her voice weak but triumphant.
I collapsed into Jake’s arms, exhaustion washing over me. But despite the ache in my body and the lingering doubts in my mind, I felt a glimmer of hope.
For now, the pack was safe.
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