Chapter Chapter Twelve
Hailey’s POV
It’s had been four days since she came and I kept pressing her to train me. But Esmeralda wanted to rest first as she hadn’t for the past years. Seeing her tired I reluctantly agreed. And finally this morning she got up early at 6am and dressed up in her gym shorts and a singlet. She woke me up by banging on my door and made me dress up similarly. I was in a very bad mood and images of strangling her entered my mind. In that sleepy state trying to put on my trainees was a very difficult task. Liam just sat on the bed, amused by my current state and would occasionally laugh at me as I bumped around the room with half opened eyes. If looks could kill, he would have died a hundred times, but me staring at him in anger only made him hold his sides and laugh louder. Mumbling curse words at him, I headed out of the house and saw Esmeralda doing some stretching exercises.
What infuriated me even more was that she made me run for four miles continuously. I wanted to rip her head off for disturbing my sleep and now making me all sweaty and stinky so early in the morning. If I tried to stop she would do some weird ass witchy trick and hit me with a stick flying in the air. Oh I was so going to have my revenge. She grinned the entire time enjoying my suffering. I didn’t even know her well but damn did she seem scary. “Alright Hailey sit down and rest, I’ll be back in a moment.” She didn’t have to tell me twice as I literally fell face down on the damp grass and closed my eyes. I was never fond of any form or name that had exercise written all over it. Yea call me lazy, I didn’t give a damn.
“Now don’t get so comfortable there Hailey.” I could literally feel the grin on her face without even opening my eyes. Signing and groaning loudly I got up and noticed Liam and the rest of the boys standing behind grinning like Cheshire cats. Oh how I wanted wipe it right off their faces. I scowled at them making their grins grow wider. “Place these around her in four different corners with equal distances.” I frowned as each of them placed four different containers’ around me. One of them had water, the other had small pieces of paper, one had few bricks of burning charcoal and the other had dried up flowers in it.
“Thank you boys for helping me out.” Esmeralda flashed a huge smile to them which they obviously returned and Kevin added it by giving her a wink. If I didn’t know better I swear she was flirting with them. I growled low making their attention turn back to me, “Oh I forgot you were there for a moment.” She replied. I smiled and scowled at the same time. I wondered how I looked but knew it when the boys started laughing loudly. I glared at them with so much hatred. “What do I have to do with these containers?” I asked her trying to change the subject. She smiled one last time at them and then walked over to where I was standing.
“Hailey every witch is giving the power to control one or two elements. They are,” Pointing at the charcoal, ” fire,” then at the container filled with water, “water,” then the dried flowers, “earth,” and then finally turning to the paper, “And air.” I nodded but didn’t interrupt. The boys were sitting on the grass and watching us intently. “Now from what you told me I know you control water and fire but rarely witches get the power to control all the elements. So it’s a hunch I have that maybe you possess all of them.” The anger I had towards her was suddenly lost and it was filled with a new curiosity. “So are you ready Hailey?” I looked at her then locked eyes with Liam. He smiled and nodded reassuringly. I looked back at Esmeralda and nodded.
“Perfect.” She smiled and walked towards me. “Now I want you to close your eyes.” I did as she said. “Now concentrate on what’s around you. Feel one with the nature. Their sounds, smell, touch, take it all in. Calm your mind. Be at peace as if everything is in your control.” I tried feeling the nature around me but failed. I tried concentrating harder, as I visualized the things around me but nothing worked. “Hailey feel as if there’s only you in the world, surrounded completely by nature and its warmth. Feel as if when you sit looking at it all you feel is serenity.” Esmeralda whispered. As she said this I thought of the one place I felt safe. The small lake in the forest flashed in front of eyes. I first concentrated on the water, letting its gentle waves and ripples consume my mind. I suddenly felt a tingling sensation on my fingers as if I just dipped them in cold water. I knew I had made a connection.
Next I focused my mind on the soft wet grass and the damp soil on the edge of the lake. It smelled heavenly and refreshing and at that moment the ground beneath my feet felt as if I was standing on the most soft and fertile soil. I wriggled my toes and had to force myself from opening my eyes to see if there was really such a soft and sweet smelling soil underneath. I then thought of the air around that lake. How it gently caressed my fur and carried those different mind blowing smells. A light touch of the wind ruffled my hair and I knew I had connected with it too. I felt my heart pick up its pace as this new sensation spread through out my body.
Last I looked up at the huge ball of fire. The sun always gave me that slight feeling of warmth and security and loved it just like the moon but lesser than in comparison. I felt the heat envelope me and the warmth spreading through my veins. I smiled and took a deep breath and brought all these together in my mind and the feeling that spread through my body and soul was surreal. It was as if I was in that place feeling everything with my bare hands. A certain joy came over me and I laughed lightly feeling overwhelmed. As I opened my eyes tears of joy escaped.
I looked around and suddenly the beauty around me intensified. It was so fantastic. My eyes fell on Esmeralda and I was sure my faced said it all. She smiled widely. “You have completed the bonding with nature. Every witch does this when she first crosses the age to use magic. This is the first step and no one I know of has ever succeeded to bond in the first try, except your father of course. You Hailey are so strong willed just like your father.” She said proudly. The news that I was like my father made my heart swell in happiness.
“Well now let’s begin the next step. Hailey this may be difficult but don’t give up. We have to be really sure that you do or don’t posses all elements. Now lift your hands in front of you.” I did so as she came near me and touched my hands. She turned them so my palms were facing upward. Slightly bending my elbow, she made my fingertips face each other but not quite letting them touch. My palms were now facing me and I stared at her in bewilderment. Before I could open my mouth to question her, she answered, “This sweet Hailey is the beginner’s position to practice magic. Later when you master the basic spells you will learn to perform magic trough your fingertips or even better just using your mind, but currently the use of both your arms is needed in the beginning. Now close your eyes again.” Nodding, I closed my eyes again.
“Now let’s start with the element water. I need you to completely focus on the small bowl of water near you. Connect with it as you did before.” I did as she said and once again felt the wetness on my tips. “Now imagine that this water is poured onto your hands. Imagine it sliding down your hands and making it wet.” I followed her instructions and created an imagination of the water being slowly poured over my hands by an invisible person. I concentrated on the feeling of cold and wetness of water . Suddenly I felt as if my arms were drenched in water. I quickly opened my eyes and saw that they were indeed wet and droplets of water were falling from my hands to the ground. I stared with my mouth wide open. “Well that was easy.” Esmeralda smiled. “But how did this happen?” I whisper yelled.
She laughed lightly at my expression, “Hailey you imagined it. Everything in magic is completely based on one’s imagination. The wilder the imagination the stronger the witch you become. Magic is just a substance that brings your imagination into the real world. Look at that bowl.” I turned and saw that the once filled bowl was now empty. “You imagined that water being poured over your hands and so it did. If you had imagined like I wished you would, the water would have poured itself all over your body.” She joked lightly. “Now the next.....” She suddenly stopped and looked around. I followed her eyes and saw her looking at the pack members who were watching us in suspension. I realized it must be late morning around 10, so the entire pack was up and running.
She turned to me and said, “We’ll continue this later. To help you master your powers you need full concentration at first. I doubt you’ll get it as the pack has begun their daily routine.” I nodded and she turned to Liam and the others who hadn’t budged from there. “We’ll begin tomorrow again same time and I advise you to keep the knowledge of her being a witch silent, except those close to you just to be safe and away from prying eyes.” they nodded in agreement. “And do give her something heavy for breakfast as doing magic for the first time, even bonding can create a strain on her.” I frowned at her because I wasn’t the least strained or felt fatigue. “You’ll feel the tiredness later in the day Hailey and get some rest too.” She answered my silent question. She then turned and walked away into the pack house.
The boys’ walked towards me with knowing grins on their faces. “Well Hails that was just amazing. I am so proud of you.” Nate said as he put his arm over my shoulder. I glowed with pride and happiness. I guessed I needed their comments the most. “I concur, babe you did splendid.” Liam whispered and gave me a peck on the lips. I grinned at him and drew him closer for a deeper kiss. We quickly broke apart and made our way to the house. I felt happy and satisfied with what I achieved but would have wished to practice further. My happiness was short lived as Tyler opened his big mouth and said, “If you ask me I felt that seeing you do these tricks makes me feel feisty. I can’t wait for you to start bossing around striking us with magic. It kind of lifts the stakes in the game.” He winked and openly flirted with me, which meant only one thing, he was trying to pick a fight with Liam. I gave him a smug look and felt Liam tense near me.
I quickly grabbed his hand and turned to face Tyler, “Well better be ready because I intend to use it on you first.“I threatened, wanting him to shut up but I underestimated his stupidity. “Well that kind of turns me on, I like my women feisty and wild, if you know what I mean.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me as rolled my eyes at his foolishness trying hard not to start laughing.
“I concur” Kevin and Ethan said at the same time imitating Liam. I bursted out laughing as that sent him over the edge, “That’s it you guys are royally screwed!” he growled and started chasing all three of them. They really knew how to get on his nerves. I hugged Nate sideways as we laughed at Liam chasing them around in circles. Some of the younger pack members joined the chase as they wanted to play with their alpha. Those three even had the nerve to tease him as he ran after them.
I signed as I and Nate went after them to join the fun and maybe later to try and calm him down. A slight smile came over my lips as I thought to myself, “No matter what today was a day well spent.” And I felt my wolf nod in agreement.
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