ISABELLA
“No, no, no!”
Luna Bella's screaming filled the entire hospital room and down the hall. She sat up in bed, holding her hands out in front of her.
“Luna Bella, you have to drink this to get better,” Victoria said to her, clearly frustrated. “Are we seriously going to go through this every morning? Drink it!.”
Luna Bella leaned back with a shocked expression before glaring at Isabella, who sat back watching everything unfold. “I remember telling Doctor Callie that I didn’t want visitors. So how about you both leave me this instance.” My mother raised her nose in the air and turned away from us.
The one thing Isabella knew her mother hated was being treated like a child, though she didn’t mind acting like one. Isabella looked at Victoria, who just smiled at her while shaking her head. Victoria placed the tea on the bedside table. She grabbed Luna Bella’s hand and Isabell was surprised she pulled away.
“Luna Bella, we will leave when you drink your tea. You saved me more than once, even when your life was in danger. So now it’s my turn to save you. This tea will help you get better. So, either you drink this tea yourself or we bring out the IV. Your choice?”
Luna Bella scoffed at her and Victoria didn’t back down. Isabella stood in the corner watching it all go down like she does every day.
You got balls, babe, Isabella said to Victoria.
Totally faking it right now. Please protect me if she comes after me.
Isabella laughed to herself as she watched them exchange looks. Ever since her mother woke up from her coma, she’s been a bit depressed about the death of her mate. It took a couple of weeks just to get her to talk. Though it did help to finally find out she had a grandson, who she couldn’t get enough of.
Doctor Callie was worried about Luna Bella’s heart. It was weak and wasn't beating as strong as she would have liked, so she prescribed an herbal concoction to help strengthen her heart. Of course, Luna Bella complained about the taste and refused to drink it. The first night, it took Isaiah, Victoria, and Isabella to hold her down and force it down her throat.
The nights after were a bit easier, but she still protested. Now Victoria made it her mission to get Luna Bella to drink it. She wanted to pay her back for protecting her. Day by day it’s a struggle, but Isabella thinks Victoria is wearing her down.
“You’re just going to stand over there and let her talk to me like this,” Luna Bella said while glaring at Isabella. Isabella nodded and she shook her head. “You’re my daughter, for goodness sake.”
“And regardless of what you think, so am I,” Victoria said while picking up a little bottle of spirit. She poured a few ounces in the tea and held it out to Luna Bella. “I added a little something in there to make it go down easier.”
That got Luna Bella’s attention. Isabella didn’t like the idea of adding liquor to her mother’s drink but Doctor Callie said it wouldn’t hurt. Luna Bella looked at the cup warily before leaning in to sniff it.
“Hmph. Not the kind of spirit I would prefer, but it will do.” Luna Bella took the cup from Victoria and proceeded to sip the drink. A smile tugged at her lips while Victoria walked over to me. She leaned against me while I wrapped my arm around her waist. They stayed like this for a minute before Victoria turned around to face her.
“I really think your mom is warming up to me,” she said, throwing her arms around Isabella’s shoulders.
“Of course she is. You’re wonderful,” Isabella said, placing a kiss on the top of Victoria’s head. “And she knows how important you are to me.”
“I am wonderful, aren’t I,” Victoria laughed as Isabella rolled her eyes. They watched as Luna Bella started to feel the effects of the tea. Her smile was huge and her eyes were half opened.
“Awwww. You both are”-hiccup-”so cute over there.”
Isabella and Victoria looked at each other before turning their gaze back to Luna Bella, who was giggling.
“How much did you give her,” Isabella asked, walking over to her mother’s side, trying to take the tea cup from her. While Isabella wrestled with her mother, Victoria looked at the bottle and realized it was empty.
“She took all of it.”
“Mother!”
I can do”-hiccup-”what I want. I am a grown”-hiccup-”mother.”
Isabella stopped and sat down, giving up as her mother down the rest of the drink and starting laughing. Eventually, they all started laughing at how absurd Luna Bella was.
“Well, at least she didn’t throw the cup this time,” Victoria smiled.
“The day is still young,” Isabella said, pulling Victoria into a kiss.
“No, PDA! PDA,” Luna Bella yelled, covering her eyes. "There are so many other rooms for that."
Isabella knew her mother was still hesitant about their relationship, but she felt now her mother might be willing to accept it and Isabella was willing to try to mend their relationship.
ZACK
After Alaia’s death, getting things back together was slow but getting better as the days passed. Zack took her body back to his pack to have a proper burial. Mirja didn’t think she deserved it. She wanted to burn the body right there, but Zack stopped before she could. True, Alaia was evil and Zack knew that, but she was still his sister and he felt partially responsible for everything that had happened. So, he brought her home and buried her next to their parents, so now she was their problem.
After that matter was settled, their days were filled with rebuilding the Blue Moon Pack. With the help of Alpha Isaiah and Alpha Fiona, they were now working at a ninety percent capacity. Most of the houses were rebuilt and Bronx was actually proving to be a responsible Beta. George and Harry came around more often. Harry was a bit obsessed with Mirja’s knowledge about magic. He’s been her little fanboy as of late.
Zack appreciated the help he was getting from the Alpha Fiona and the Ancient Walkers Pack. They had a little treaty now, with Zack helping with supplies and Harry helping Mirja find a way to transfer the darkness inside her. So far, nothing has been good enough for her.
“This won’t work,” Mirja yelled while Zack was walking past the room.
He peeked inside and saw Harry backed into the corner. Mirja was standing in the middle of the room with black mist swirling around her. Zack tried connecting with her through their bond but she was blocking him off. Her back was turned away, hunching over the tables as books flew left and right. Zack didn’t need the bond to know she was pissed.
“Luna Mirja, we will find the right book. There has to be something in this pile,” Harry said, clearly wanting to calm her down.
“None of these would work. We need something of flesh from my people. I had to find something to get them out,” she said, fisting her hair and throwing them to the side.
Books flew everywhere, almost hitting Zack and Harry in the face. Mirja could hear the voices toying with her in her head and for the past few months she’s been doing everything to ignore them. As much experience Zack had with witches lately, he didn’t want to intervene but she was his mate and was in distress. He quickly walked behind her and by the way her body tensed up he could tell she knew he was there. Zack caressed her arms, seeing her visibility relax.
“Hey, it’s going to be okay. Remember, you got this,” Zack said, pulling her back into an embrace.
The feel of her mate was the only thing that soothed her but that would only last for so long. Zack has been busy with getting his pack in order, so they haven’t spent much time together. So Mirja appreciated the time he could be with her. The black mist slowly disappeared as she turned in his arms. Her black eyes stared up at him as he helped her through some breathing exercises until they were blue again.
“You’re right. I’m sorry. Sorry,” she said to Harry, who refused to move from the corner but with a hesitant smile. “It’s just the voices. They are hard to ignore.”
“Then let me in, Mirja. Maybe together we can push them back until we find a way to get rid of them.”
Kill him the voices raged inside Mirja’s head.
Mirja’s eyes quickly flashed black before she closed them and grimaced in pain. “Sorry. They don’t like you very much.”
“Feeling mutual. So what can we do to help,” Zack asked, hating the fact that she was in pain.
Mirja pulled herself from his embrace and walked about the room. She knew of a way to get rid of them but she was saving it for the last resort. The fact that the voices kept wanting her to kill her mate was definitely the last straw. Honestly, she was surprised she lasted this long with them in her head. Being that she’s a hybrid, her mother told her she wasn’t strong enough to hold the full extent of their power.
Well look at me now, mother, Mirja thought. Though she felt she was in a bad spot. Zack watched her for a few minutes, having some internal conversation with herself.
“We’re going to have to go back to the beginning. The place where the first grimoire was made,” Mirja said, leaning against the desk and staring off into the distance.
Zack looked at Harry, hoping he had some clue as to what she was talking about, but he just shrugged his shoulders. Mirja never talked about her past but Zack knew it haunted her, so he never forced the issue. Zack walked up to her and placed my hands on either side of her and got her attention.
“Then I guess we’re going on a little trip.”
“We? No, no. This is not a couple's vacation, sweetheart. This could be dangerous, Zack, and I don’t want to lose any more people. Especially you.”
Mirja carresssed the side of Zack’s face, pleading with her eyes. Zack could that something about this trip was troubling her. There was no way she was going without him, so he stood his ground.
“I’m guessing ‘Staying here’ is not an option for you,” she asked and Zack shook his head.
“There’s no way you’re doing this alone, Mirja. Either together or not at all.”
Mirja sighed and leaned her forehead against Zack’s chest. “You’re so stubborn,” she laughed.
A shriek in the corner pulled their attention as they totally forgot about Harry in the corner.
“This sounds scary and fun. I’m so down,” he said, clapping his hands. “So where are you going? Somewhere in Europe? Germany? Russia?”
“How about Massachusetts,” Mirja said with a laugh.
“Ah, even better. I have to tell George.”
Harry ran out of the room more excited than a kid at Christmas. Zack guessed he doesn’t think he gets out much, but he’ll be happy to have Harry on the team. Zack turned to look at Mirja, who was staring off into space again. This trip was going to be hard for her and Zack knew that. After what happened to her coven, he wasn’t sure not everyone was going to be welcoming, but he could care less. She is his family now. His only family and nothing was going to change that.