Angel Blackwood(58)

Why didn’t my mother tell me about this. I know I’ve kept secrets from her, but I’m not the Luna of the pack, she’s the one who said we don’t keep secrets from the pack.

“Does the pack know about this? Does my father know about her being a witch?” I ask.

Fabian’s harsh voice breaks through the air as he stands up angrily. “Your mother is not a witch! She left her people before she even had a chance to practice, she left her Coven to mate with a wolf!”

“Sit down, Fabian!” Noelle scolds him. Phoenix moves over and sits next to him, taking his hand; he instantly appears quieter when looking at Phoenix.

Noelle looks at me. “Fabian doesn’t like wolves very much, you have to excuse him. What you need to understand is that witches and wolves don’t get along. Centuries ago we all lived freely, but power and greed were the downfall of the harmony between us. The Wicca don’t believe in having a central authority figure. Wolves have Alpha’s to lead the pack, but a Warlock named Nolen felt that he should lead the Wicca. He believed that we weren’t the equals our descendants had told us for centuries, he looked down on wolves even though they were created by mother earth. He thought we were superior to the wolf, creating a spell making sure werewolves could only turn into their natural wolf-form on a full moon. As you know your wolf lives for running free, they hate being caged up, it drives them mad, or so I’ve read. By creating this spell, werewolves weren’t able to allow their wolves as much freedom as they wanted. Some wolves went insane and some couldn’t handle hearing the constant howls of their wolves from within them, leading many wolves to kill themselves during those years. Nolen was a brutal harsh man, he had two wolves as slaves. Whether in their human or wolf-form, he had them collared and leashed. Full moons became a dangerous time for the Wicca because during those nights, when the wolves were in their natural strongest form, they would seek vengeance killing any witch or warlock they could find. Only one witch was brave enough to go against Nolen. Her name was Annalisa, and she was as powerful as him. Her three children were killed when a pack of wolves entered their camp. Annalisa had been working on a spell to reverse the one that Nolen created, she was on the brink of performing it when the wolves attacked the village. Witches have a saying, “If it harms none, do what you will” meaning you can do whatever you want to do as long as no harm comes to you or others. We also believe in the three fold law, meaning whatever you send out comes back times three, good or bad. Having said that, Annalisa never wanted to bring any harm to an individual, but once her kids were killed she wanted to take the life of Nolen. She set out to do so and with that, black magic was created. She killed Nolen and removed the spell he’d cast against the wolves. It took hundreds of years for witches and wolves to learn to coexist, but eventually they did. Things aren’t perfect, but at least neither of us have to live in constant fear.” Noelle leaves me speechless, there’s so much more to this then I could ever know. How many more supernatural things are out there that I don’t know about.

I hear Phoenix giggling and I look up to see her looking at me. “It’s a lot to take in isn’t it? Imagine how we feel, once we start practising we have all these trials and exams we have to pass in order for us to practice magic freely. Those exams entail the history of Wicca and let me tell you-” Fabian breaks Phoenix’s rambling as he stands up and takes her hand.

“You can tell her another time. You promised to help Carlie with a spell. Let’s go.”

Phoenix pulls a face, almost snarling as she rolls her eyes and stands. “I didn’t promise anything, I don’t see why I have to teach your girlfriend basic spells.” I hear their arguing all the way out the front door and out of sight.

Noelle laughs to herself. “Those two get on each other’s nerves.”

“Are they related?”

“No not related, you see any red hair here?” she giggles to herself, pulling a piece of her curly dark hair.

“I took Phoenix in about five years ago, she was twelve. I virtually brought her up when her mother wasn’t around. Those two are practically brother and sister.”

I nod my head, so many thoughts going through my mind, so many questions I have to ask.

Noelle’s tone turns quiet and she reaches out and holds my hand. “You understand what I was telling you about your grandparents and mother? I don’t know her reasons for keeping it a secret from you and your father, but she must have a good enough reason.”

I nod my head.

“You’re a half-breed, Angel. But you’re not half-wolf, half-human. You’re half-wolf, half-witch!”