The Witch Beneath The Wolf

Kaelani POV

I wake up in the woods somewhere in the pack. The area looks familiar but feels different. Like I'm looking at a place I've been a hundred times through someone else's eyes. I walk further into the woods and I notice a giant white oak tree looking very much out of place. The tree towers over everything around it, its white bark glowing faintly against the darkness. I know every trail in this pack. Every shortcut. Every hiding place. I've never seen this tree before. “Nyra is this real?” I ask her but I get nothing back. The silence immediately puts me on edge. Nyra always answers.

I walk closer to the tree and it feels like it’s calling to me. Not with words. Just a pull deep in my chest that grows stronger with every step. I place my hand on the tree and it begins to glow before a door opens right next to it. I jump back.

“Okay that is different” I say walking in.

When I step inside it’s like an entirely different world. Books line the walls on one side, different herbs and liquids on the other. There is a giant circle in the middle of the room.

“Hello granddaughter.”

I hear a familiar voice, one that I haven’t heard in years.

I slowly turn and the tears fall before I can even register them falling.

“Nana” I say softly.

For a second I forget about the tree. Forget about the room. Forget about everything except the fact that the woman standing in front of me is supposed to be dead.

She steps closer to me.

“Hello my sweet child.”

“How?” I ask, my voice choked.

I attended her funeral. I watched my mother cry. I watched them lower her into the ground.

“It is time for you to awaken child” she says firmly.

“Awaken what do you mean, my birthday isn’t for months. I won’t be shifting for a while.”

She smiles softly.

“No my child, it is time for you to awaken your witch half.”

“W-witch half?” I say, panic creeping in.

The words don't even make sense. Wolves. I understand wolves. Witches belong in history books and old stories.

“Yes dear. You are a witch as is your mother and as was myself.”

“Mom isn’t a witch, I never even heard her speak about magic.” The denial comes instantly. “Your mother turned her back on the coven long before you were born.”

“So are we all witches?”

She shakes her head.

“No child, only the first born daughter will inherit our magic. Aliza and Ezra are just wolves.”

The room suddenly feels smaller.

How does my mother have an entire life she never told me about?

How does someone casually tell me I'm a witch and expect me to move on?

“But I don’t want to be a witch, people already think I’m weird because I like to train and fight.”

“You are meant to be so much more than a warrior Lani, step inside the circle dear.”

The circle begins to glow white.

“It’s calling you.”

Every instinct I have tells me not to step into a glowing magical circle.

Unfortunately my feet move anyway.

I step into the circle and my body feels like it is being burned from the inside out and I scream out in pain.

“Ahhhhh.”

I drop to my knees.

The pain is everywhere. My bones. My skin. My blood. It feels like something is ripping through me searching for a way out.

“Stop fighting who you are, embrace the magic.”

I relax my body and the moment I do my body lifts off the ground and a white light shoots out of my hands, my eyes and my mouth.

The power pouring through me feels endless. Ancient. Wild.

After a minute I land on my feet on the ground.

“You have awakened your witch half Kaelani, you must find this tree in your pack before you can take your place as high priestess.”

“Wait what? High priestess?”

I shake my head.

“No, no I can’t run a coven of witches. I’m not even 18 yet.”

I haven't even graduated high school.

I'm worried about combat rankings and the tournament, not leading a coven.

Fear bites at my insides.

“Find the tree or the magic will consume you. We are a powerful line of witches. If you don’t find the tree to stabilize your magic and give back to the earth it will consume you until you no longer recognize who you are.”

The air leaves my lungs.

This isn't a gift.

It's a deadline.

“Where is the tree?” I ask as she begins to fade.

“Wait Nana where is the tree?” I ask again.

Panic rises sharply in my chest.

You can't tell someone they're running out of time and then leave.

“Find the tree before the magic consumes you child.”

Is the last thing she says before she is gone.

I jump up in a cold sweat, heart racing faster than I like.

“Nyra was that real?” I ask my wolf.

“Not sure but we feel different, more powerful.”

That isn't the answer I want. If anything it makes the knot in my stomach tighter. Dreams aren't supposed to leave you feeling different when you wake up.

I look at my alarm clock.

Shit.

I’m late for training.

I jump out of bed and head into the shower.

“I hope you are on your way, your dad is pissed” Kaia links me as I grab my towel.

“I’m getting dressed now.”

I throw on black leggings, a black sports bra and running sneakers before making a run for the training grounds.

“Lani.”

“Yes daddy?”

“As the Alpha’s daughter it is important for you to show the pack a good example.”

“I know daddy, I am sorry.”

Being late once isn't usually enough to earn a lecture, which tells me he must have been waiting for me.

I run onto the training grounds.

“Run a lap.”

Ugh.

Of course he would make me run a lap.

After I finish, I take my spot next to Kaia.

“What happened? You’re never late for training.”

“I had the weirdest dream. I’ll tell you about it later.”

And I need to decide if I'm losing my mind before I say any of it out loud.

Ezra and Daddy have us spar with each other before teaching us a few offensive moves we can use fighting a wolf in either form.

“Everybody run the big obstacle course through one time, no slackers” Ezra shouts before we all take off.

I’m up the ramp and speeding through the course in record time.

Movement helps. Training helps. For a little while I can focus on my body instead of the terrifying possibility that my dead grandmother visited me in a dream.

Once through—

“Lani, a word.”

My father's tone immediately catches my attention.

Kaia mouths:

“See you at breakfast.”

I nod.

“What happened today Lani?” he asks as we walk toward the packhouse.

“I had a dream about Nana, Daddy.”

He stiffens.

Not a flinch. Not surprise. He actually stiffens.

That was odd.

“Daddy?”

“You need to talk to your mother.”

I blink.

“That’s it?”

No questions. No confusion. No asking what happened in the dream.

I stare at his back.

“You need to talk to your mother and don’t forget our training tonight.”

Then he keeps walking.

And suddenly the dream feels a lot less ridiculous.

I run up to my room and shower.

Afterward I stand in my closet deciding what kind of year I want my senior year to be.

Different.

For three years I've hidden behind oversized hoodies and baggy clothes because it was easier. Easier to blend in. Easier to avoid attention. Easier to focus on training.

I pull out a pink two-piece skirt set and pink slippers.

“We look cute.”

I check myself in the mirror.

“It’s time to stop hiding behind the baggy clothes.”

“Finally.”

Nyra retreats.

When I get downstairs everyone stops when they see me.

Apparently changing my clothes is more shocking than me beating half the guys in training.

“Lani is everything okay?” Mom asks.

“Yes, why?”

“Well you are dressed like a girl.”

“They think you are sick,” Nyra laughs.

I smile.

“I just wanted to do something different for senior year.”

“Well I’m happy to see it.”

I grab food and take my seat next to Kaia.

“Ready for senior year bean?” Ezra asks.

“Yeah, I’m excited for the tournament the most.”

The tournament I understand. Rules. Rankings. Winners and losers. None of it involves mysterious trees or hidden magic.

Just then Aliza walks in.

“Hey Lizzie, do you need a ride this morning?”

“No, Kieran is picking me up.”

She drops into the seat beside me.

“Okay slow down with him. You know he finds his mate this year. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I know Lani, I will be fine.”

I hope so. Aliza falls hard when she likes someone.

“Remember Lani, two new packs are joining the school this year, be nice.”

“I’m always nice.”

The fact that Dad felt the need to remind me is offensive.

I stand and walk over to kiss my parents and then Ezra.

“Come on Kaia, I want to get a good parking spot.”

We head outside.

The moment I step out of the packhouse I see Kieran’s blue truck pulling in.

Strange.

Kieran has been dating Aliza for almost a year.

He's been around the pack enough that nobody even pays attention anymore.

As I walk past, his eyes follow me.

Slowly.

The look sends an uncomfortable chill down my spine.

Not because it's inappropriate.

Because it's unexpected.

Because in three years Kieran Vale has barely spoken to me.

“What is that about?” Kaia asks as we reach my yellow Porsche.

I glance back.

Kieran is still watching me.

“Don’t know and I don’t care to find out.”

That should be the end of it.

It should be easy to ignore.

Instead the look stays with me as I pull out of the lot and onto the main road toward school.

Whatever is going on with Kieran, I don’t need it.

Especially not with my magic looming over me.

Because if Nana was telling the truth, then somewhere in this pack is a tree I have to find.

And if I don't find it?

The magic won't just get stronger.

It will consume me.