Chapter 54 - Coffee with a witch

**Hopes pov**

“Can I ask you a few questions about Theresa?” I asked Zandra, taking a sip of my coffee she just poured.
“You can..I don’t know if I can answer them all though, we weren’t that close.”
“When did she live?
“At the end of the nineteenth century.”
“So about a hundred and twenty years ago”
“ Something like that, yes..why do you want to know about her?”
“ Why weren’t you close?”
Zandra smiled but also looked kind of sad before answering.
“ Theresa..she was like Aayla in many ways. Strong, stubborn and hot-headed…but she was also very different from Aayla..she wasn't..how should I put it..she wasn’t Luna material…When I felt Luna stirring, when I knew she was waking up, I asked my Goddess, The Triple Goddess, to point me in the right direction, so she did. I found Theresas mate Charles in a southern low land pack. He didn’t belive me at first, but I have a great grandson in that pack so he helped me to convince him. Soon Charles had his first dream about Theresa, thanks to Selene I guess, so we got the clues we needed to find her, and we did. To make a long story short..I stayed in the pack and tried to help her accept her destiny. It was not easy. She wanted to be with Charles, but she did not want to lead the wolves. This put her and Luna at odds, you know how much Luna loves her children, but Luna also wanted to be with her mate so she bent to Theresa’s will. After Charles died and Ambrogio was sent back, Theresa left the pack and tried to live as a human. She gave birth six months later. Losing Luna to her daughter drove her over the edge, she even tried to harm the baby, thinking Luna would come back to her if the girl died..after that, she spent the rest of her life in an asylum. I did visit her one time, but she was long gone.”
Both me and Luna felt a heavy sadness for the woman and how her life turned out.

“We have one of her old friends locked up..a pureblood.”
“ I know, Luna connected to me..not on purpose, she was very emotional.”
“ She was.., It was hard for her, he brought a lot of bad memories back.”
I was silent for a while, not sure how to ask what I came here to ask her.
“I gave him a drop of my blood..and I plan to keep doing so until he speaks..until he tell me how to find Ambrogio..unless you want to help me with another way?”
“Hope..”
“Please Zandra, just hear me out..I know you are connected to him, you can show him what you see right?”
“Right..”
“So, If you show him what I do to his pureblood..maybe he will surface?”
“But he cant see you..not even through me.”
“ Oh, but he can..”
I told her about Lunas time with Selene, and what she asked the Goddess for, and she frowned in silence for a minute.
“Hope..do you think I could talk to Luna? Can you bring her forth, letting her take over your body?..Its just for a moment..”
That was an odd question.. *Hey girl, Zandra wants to speak to you, face to face, are you ok with that?* I feel her stretch in my head. Shes been resting since her outburst in the cell. I try to step back, pushing her forward
“Zandra..”
“ My dear friend..my Luna.. can you tell me what this is all about?.”
“Do I really have to?..Arent you tired of it all Zandra? This merry-go-round that is our life, in my case, my lives, because I am! I am so tired of this and when I think of it..every time I come back..everything is the same..nothing has changed! Ambrogio is still alive, his children have spread all over the world. Even if I do manage to kill him..to end him once and for all..it won't change a thing..they will still be there and one of his generals will take his place..the war will go on, wolves will be slaughtered and children of the night torn apart.. It might even get worse.”
“ So what is it you want to do? How is being in his sight going to change anything?“
“ I’m not sure yet..but I can hide in plain sight, he would never suspect me, because he doesn’t know he can see me.”
Zandra sat quiet for a minute, thinking about what Luna said.
“ I know how to weaken the stone around his heart” she said, almost in a whisper.
“ How?” That would be a gamechanger.
“ Love..”
“ Oh, nothing more than that? Ambrogio is not capable of love Zandra..you of all people knows that..” Lunas voice was soft and full of sympathy when she spoke to her old friend.
“ Do you remember the first time we hurt him with Aaylas blood? When I shot him with the arrow?”
“ I do..”
“ He dreams of that day..seeing me and remember what he felt before he..you know, before the cave. When he though about it there on the field, his shield around his heart weakened. Ever since that day, he speaks to me, from time to time when he gets better..He has it in his head that he loves me..but I think he just loves the idea of love. Being with me was as close as he ever came “
“ So, are you willing to let him see you? Meet with you? Could you handle that?”
“ I honestly don't know..I don't know how I would react..with anger..hate..rage? Or would I become the girl I once was, the girl who thought she could love him enough to push his darkness away?..I honestly don't know..that’s why I always ignore him and never let him see me..but I did something else..I prayed to my Goddess.. to yours, and to his own, the father of humans..asking for them to bring him a mate..If he can fall for someone, his heart will be exposed..or atleast that is what I think”
“Wow..that’s cold Zandra..give him a mate, just so we can kill him?..”
“How many of your mates did he kill Luna?” Zandras voice was hard and Luna reacted..she pulled away, in pain.
“Zandra! That was uncalled for!” I said and stood up. I could see it in her face, she knows she overstepped, and she regretted it.
“ I’m sorry Hope, please let her know I’m sorry..Her regret softens me and I take her hand.
" I will tell her..I´m sure she already knows."
"I really need some time alone..I need to think about everything she just told me..and what it will mean. Not to be rude, but can we pick this up another time?” Zandra stood up beside me, taking her hand back.
“ Of course.. “ Perhaps I shouldn't have told her..but I don't want to keep things from her, she is such a big part if this.
“ I’m emotional..Now more than usual. Do you remember my spell? The part where I rest when he does?” she asked
“Yes, I remember.”
“ When I rest, so to speak, my magic calms down, I age a little and have a calm and quiet life. When he wakes up, well, so does my magic..its like having thousands of needles in my body and at the same time have your monthlies..it will be better, it will stabilize, its just now in the beginning..”
We walked to the front door and I turned and gave her a hug. I really had come to love this woman. Maybe I should ask my mother to spend the day with Zandra, she shouldn't be alone.
“Do you think they will do it?..Do you think the Gods will give Ambrogio a mate?” I asked. There were so many different feelings on Zandra’s face before she answered the question. Doubt, hope, anger..
“ I don't know..but I need to put my faith in them”
“ Zandra..I know you hate him..but can I ask you a question?”
“ Sure..”
“ Do you still love him?..” I watched as a tear was rolling down her cheek, soon to be followed by another.
“ Its a powerful thing..a girls first love.” She said and gave me a sad smile and opened the front door.

As I walked up to the packhouse, Callum, Thomas and Anna were outside, playing catch with a small ball. I felt my heart pinched when I looked at Anna. I hadn´t really been around her since the unbinding and I had a clear picture in my mind of her scared face. She pressed her self against Callums leg when I approached them, so I crouch down to her level.
“ Hi Anna..” I said, giving her a smile, trying to swallow the lump in my throat.
“ Hi..Luna..” She answered looking down at her feet
“ Sweetie..Its Hope, ok?..will you sit with me for a while? Can we talk a little?”
Anna nodded and sat down in the grass, I gave Callum a look, telling him to continue playing with Thomas, so they backed away.
“Anna..can I ask you why you are afraid of wolves?..You don't have to answer if you don't want to.”
The girl sucked on her bottom lip and played with her fingers before answering.
“The big, bad, white wolf killed mommy and daddy..”

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*Author Note: Thank you for reading!
This is my first book and English is not my native language so please leave a kind comment to point out mistakes. (spelling or grammar)
* Make sure to like and please comment on the chapter if you enjoyed it!