‘What decision? There isn’t anything to decide,’ Magnus growls in frustration.
'The decision on whether or not to allow the witches to reside here or be exiled,' Alpha Bennet smirks, turning on his heels and striding out the door, flanked by Alpha Amir and Alpha Theaton.
Alpha Amir, pausing just beyond the threshold, turns to deliver a parting shot. 'In the meantime, we'll leave a dozen of our warriors here to monitor the witches until we return tomorrow,' he says, a sly smile playing on his lips.
‘They can’t be serious?’ Fern questions incredulously.
Magnus locks eyes with her. ‘You and your sisters are part of this pack. We won’t allow them to harm you, any of you,’ he assures, his tone resolute.
Sensing the tension, Reaper takes flight, swooping towards the departing Alphas before circling upwards.
'What in the world was that?' Alpha Bennet asks, his head tilted in confusion.
'I'm not sure. All I saw was a black mist,' Alpha Theaton replies, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.
'Witchcraft, perhaps?' Alpha Amir suggests, turning his gaze back towards the packhouse.
Reaper caws defiantly and charges at them once more. This time, realization dawns on the Wolf Council as fear flashes in their eyes. Witnessing Reaper's unnatural approach, they hastily shift into their wolf forms and flee the territory, their remaining men scrambling to follow suit.
Reaper returns inside the house, landing on my shoulder with an air of solemnity.
‘Reaper chasing after them off isn’t going to help our situation,’ I express, a note of concern in my voice.
He mind-links, ‘It doesn’t matter what we do. They have a vendetta against this pack,’ he says.
'Do you really think so?' I ask, my worry deepening at the implication.
'They had already decided they didn't like witches before they stepped foot in this packhouse. When they return tomorrow, it will not be with good news.' Reaper mind-links, his words echoing with a sense of foreboding.
‘We should probably see Yiselda,’ Fern suggests. The Midnight Coven sisters nod in agreement, and we take our leave.
Ela retrieves chalk from her pocket and swiftly draws a star within a circle on the ground, while Ria strategically places stones at each point.
‘Just step into the circle with me, and it will teleport you there with us,’ Lilac explains, extending her hand towards me.
The three sisters step into the circle, vanishing in an instant. I follow suit, holding Lilac’s hand, and suddenly, we're standing in front of Pandora’s Box. A dense forest envelops the Covenstead. Its walls are stone with moss and vines. The framework and lattice are fashioned in dark brown. Wisps of smoke rise from the chimney, and a window shutter swings open with an eerie creak.
Ria calls out, 'Come on, Luna, the entrance is this way.'
I enter through the yellow door and join them inside the Covenstead, a swirl of disorientation lingering as I take in the enchanting surroundings.
In the cozy depths of the Midnight Covenstead, enchantment unfolds at every turn. The shelves, filled with books and curious trinkets, seem to have a life of their own as they rearrange themselves. A broom sweeps autonomously across the floor, and an array of creatures—cats, frogs, spiders, and even a chicken—roam freely, adding a touch of whimsy to the magical abode. Following the melodic sound of bubbling water, we find ourselves in the kitchen, only to be met with a sight I hadn’t anticipated—a large black cauldron takes centre stage. Steam rises, and eerie green liquid bubbles within, making me cringe at the substance.
Yiselda, her back turned to us, meticulously places jars of herbs and peculiar ingredients onto a shelf. Upon turning around, her face lights up with joy at the sight of our arrival.
'I'm so delighted you all came to visit,' Yiselda beams.
We gather around, enveloping each other in a giant hug. 'Let me put the hot water on, and we'll have some tea while you girls tell me how well you're settling into Shadow Crest,' she suggests.
Wielding her wand, Yiselda utters, 'Lifto Levitatous, Aqua Bedew, Inferno Flamo.' A black iron kettle levitates to the water pump, fills itself, and hovers over the fire, all orchestrated by Yiselda's magical guidance.
Seated around the dining table, we watch in fascination as Yiselda enchants a teacup and saucer, making them drift gracefully to the table. With a spell—'Spawniate'—the single cup and saucer multiply into a set of six. 'Lifto Levitatous,' she commands, summoning the pot of water to the table. The kettle floats and tips over, pouring boiling water into our waiting teacups. I momentarily leave the tea bag in the water, savouring the aromatic warmth, before placing it on the saucer.
As we sit around the enchanted dining table within the Midnight Covenstead, Yiselda gracefully joins our gathering. She looks at each of us, her wise eyes filled with curiosity.
'How has it been so far?' she asks.
Lilac is the first to share our recent experiences. 'We had a lot of fun, went into town, met many people, and even got free cupcakes from the baker when we helped replace the broken fence and sign,' Lilac smiles.
'They were very thankful,' Ria adds.
'I'm delighted to hear everything is going well,' Yiselda says and nods with a smile.
'Well, until today, when the Wolf Council came to visit us,' Fern explains.
Yiselda's serene demeanour falters momentarily, nearly causing her to spill her tea as she fixes her gaze on me. My expression takes on a sombre tone.
'Unfortunately, they don't appreciate that we've allowed witches into our pack. They believe witches used to cast spells against them, which is why their predecessors fought against you all,' I convey.
Yiselda sighs, placing her teacup on the saucer with a delicate clink. ‘It’s a shame their parents and grandparents have lied to them about us. They don’t plan on causing any harm to the girls, though, do they?’ she asks me with concern.
‘Well, they weren’t in the greatest mood when they left to discuss the matter. The Wolf Council said they would return tomorrow with their verdict. Magnus told them the girls had already been initiated and welcomed into our pack. Alpha Bennet claimed we could turn against them by using you all to fight them. I’m hoping they come to their senses and understand witches are peaceful,’ I tell her.
'We even told them they needed us because of Pandora's Box, but they didn't seem to believe me when I told them why,’ Fern says, her expression shifting with a mixture of sadness, downturned corners of her mouth, and eyes threatening to water.
'If something happens to any of you, or if you believe you are in danger, please return here immediately,’ Yiselda says sternly.
'Yes, Yiselda,' Ela, Ria, Fern, and Lilac reply in unison.