“How did you end up here?” That was the one story I hadn’t heard.
Granny pressed her lips together. “My husband had died tragically at the hands of our Coven Maiden. She was the one that held the most of the power in the coven. I’m not sure if that’s how covens operate today,” She shrugged. “He was a powerful witch and she wanted what he had. There are some witches out there that can steal magic and she was one of those. She kept it from most of our families. She was good at hiding. She was a master manipulator.” Granny’s voice grew hard. “We hadn’t been with this coven for long, but they accepted us like no one else had. Most covens don’t like outsiders that are more powerful than them. It’s a very competitive culture. There’s a hierarchy very similar to a pack dynamic. We should have known better.” Her voice grew sadder as she spoke. “The Coven Maiden helped me bring Vivian into the world but held my life-force by a string of magic. I don’t know if it was because I was weak from childbirth and sharing my magic with my child but she was able to tether us to her.” Granny pulled the neckline of her dress down. Right above her left breast was a silver scar that looked like someone had carved a chunk of skin out of her. “She drained my Howard of his magic and then his blood. There was blood everywhere and she reveled in it. She bathed in it. She celebrated in his life-force all while I practically faded from existence.”
Knox’s words immediately came to my mind. “I hope you ate her heart,”
Granny chuckled but it sounded strained. “I didn’t go that far but I did kill her. When I realized what had happened, I was running for my life with Vivian. We never felt comfortable in another coven. Homelessness was all we had. I didn’t have diapers for her or even clothes for myself that weren’t covered in afterbirth and Howard’s blood. I don’t know how we survived. There were good people that helped us and magic grew stronger eventually. Vivian’s was the most magnificent magic I had ever seen. It was full of life and laughter. Full of soul that I hoped meant Howard was watching over us from somewhere.”
When I had asked for her story I hadn’t realized what I was getting myself into. I didn’t know there had been so much heartache. I didn’t know there was so much darkness in her past.
“As I said, being a witch is very competitive. If you aren’t first, you are last. When we were finally getting on our feet, I was apprenticing for a local apothecary. It was an honest living that provided for the both of us, even if I knew more than the mortal I was working for. A local coven got tipped off about our location and my help with mortal businesses in the area. The coven burned down the building and killed the man. Once again, we were homeless. We were sleeping under a bridge just outside of the Crimson Pack territory when I felt this pull in my chest. I knew it was my magic leading me somewhere but I had no idea where.” A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “We ended up at the front door of Rafe’s father’s home. He told me he had been tracking me around his property and was curious enough to hear what I had to say. I didn’t even know what to say, to be honest. I think I pulled it all out of my ass. Rafe’s father promised that Vivian would be safe with his people and gave me his word. I knew Rafe’s father was a good man when I told him my story and I could feel his emotions in the air. He didn’t understand coven life and we made a bargain right then and there. He would protect us and give us a place to live, in exchange for me protecting his people and giving him information on the witches.
There had been a war between the wolves and witches. Rafe’s father had been married to a witch and his heart was still healing from that entire ordeal. As long as we were honest with each other and worked together, a treaty was signed.”
“So that’s how Vivian turned into a wolf?” I thought of Tracey’s mom. She was such a sweet woman. I couldn’t imagine her homeless. I also couldn’t imagine Axel pursuing her.
Granny shook her head. “Definitely not. She didn’t let him claim her for years. It wasn’t until after Lucas was born that she let him. Axel has a will of steel. I haven’t seen any other wolf resist the way he did. He respected her even when his wolf didn’t. He likes to act as if being a wolf is better than human, but his humanity is what saved his marriage.”
“Did you just feel like sharing a story today?” The spray of the water created a mist in the air that was causing me to shiver. There weren’t many things that made me cold these days, but the magic in the air wasn’t helping either.
Granny slid from the rock and ducked down to run her fingers through the water. “I wanted you to know that you have a choice, Rafe doesn’t have to claim you if you aren’t ready.”
I cocked my head to the side. “He hasn’t insisted.” He had been really patient with me. Rafe didn’t constantly bring it up or try to get me to feel one way over the other. He gave me the space I needed in order to process my thoughts and feelings without his getting in the way.
One of Granny’s brows lifted on her forehead. “That’s a surprise. Most men are very impatient and don’t like to wait for answers especially when the answer is no.”
My lips twitched. “Good thing, he didn’t claim me when he changed me. He could have done that then.”
Granny disappeared without another word and I was left alone and naked beside the water.
