SWNOVELS Chapter Chapter Thirty-eight
Amethyst’s Pov:
The past two weeks have gone by so slowly. I swore the Goddesses reversed time once more, as a punishment for not trusting them. Joseph’s father and brother were to arrive with Jennings’s illegitimate son any day now. Timothy left two days ago to await their arrival.
Thanks to our unusual bond, he and I could link from almost anywhere. It was the hardest thing in the world not to constantly pester him about Joseph. Nor could it be the easiest to hear.
As always, Timothy’s support was utterly amazing throughout the absence of Joseph. I never expected he would be so warm and understanding of how I’ve been struggling without my mate. I appreciated this hurt Timothy a great deal to know in the short time I’ve known Joseph, the amount of love I now carried for this man. And as time goes on, that amount would only grow.
Guilt plagued my mind for these past few weeks as well. Guilt for the pain my love has caused Timothy. While I did not expect my love for him would truly ever die, it was my choice to live a life with Joseph over him. There was no doubt in my mind about how much it hurt him.
For the past two days, I attempted to keep busy with the day-to-day work of running not only the pack, but my work of training the new priestesses. Even this was not enough to keep my mind on task. My heart pounded and my mind raced constantly, any day, any hour or minute, and I could open the portal to bring my mate home.
“Thyst,” Timothy’s voice cut through my mind, causing my heart to stop. Excitement swelled deep within me. Because of this, the surrounding air took on an almost electric feel. There was something in the way Timothy said my name. This had to be more than our daily exchange of business.
“Joseph’s father and brother returned. They are currently being debriefed and I will help them choose a new Gamma. So, you can open a portal in about two hours’ time,” Timothy linked, the smile clear in his voice.
I watched time run down on the clock. My heart seemed as if it may explode before the time came to collect Joseph. “At your pleasure, Amethyst,” Timothy teased through our link.
This was it. I closed my eyes and tried to focus on everything that I remembered about Eclipse, but somehow, I drew a blank. Again, I focused, but still nothing happened. Fear rose in me. Why couldn’t I open the portal? I spent weeks there. Now I couldn’t remember a single detail.
Needing to calm down, I took a few deep breaths and forced myself to think of Timothy. While it was not my best plan, no matter what, I could always find my way back to him. Right now, he was with Joseph and that was exactly where I wanted to be.
My nerves were just as jumbled as the day I met Joseph. This time, the wind picked up. As I waved my hand, the waterish appearance of the portal sent my heart into my throat. I practically ran through.
Timothy’s Pov:
I peered over at Joseph, who looked worse than Amethyst. I couldn't help but laugh. Joseph had barely spoken to his brother or father since their arrival this afternoon. I wasn’t even sure they were aware he found his gorgeous mate. His mind was elsewhere, on Amethyst, I imagine.
“One last note before we conclude this meeting,” Jennings’s voice brought me back from my observations. “Joseph will leave with Elder Timothy today,” he smiled. “I’m sorry. I may have misunderstood you, Alpha. Thought I heard you say my son is leaving with the Elder?” Joseph’s father growled, giving me a nasty glare.
“Yes, you understood him correctly.” It was my turn to give him a nasty grin as I placed my hand on Joseph’s shoulder. “Joseph has found his mate, who is my Beta and The High Priestess of the Temple of the Moon. Being as she cannot leave her positions, he will need to come with us,” I smirked. Joseph’s father and brother seem to shift uncomfortably at the mention of Amethyst’s title.
“Correct me if I am wrong, but her title is nothing more than the new title for the head of the witch’s coven?” Joseph’s father scoffed. Anger welled up in both Joseph and I.
“You are indeed incorrect. Not all witches become priestesses, only those that show a certain attribute, both magical and not, can become a priestess. As for the High Priestess, Amethyst, she holds some of the power of the Goddesses themselves. She is more than a mere witch, she, too, is part wolf. And nothing like Abigail,” I growled.
Joseph’s father stiffened at the mention of his mate. “I guess that’s why my mate’s mother came with us here?” he asked. “I would imagine so, as both Amethyst and Joseph spent a couple of weeks at her inn,” Jennings piped up.
“When will you depart?” Joseph’s father snapped. “After the meeting, I hope,” Joseph spoke for the first time since the meeting started. Jennings nodded. I took this as my dismissal as Main and Joseph had something to discuss, that something was Amethyst.
“He’ll warm up to the idea of Joseph being with a witch, especially one as unique as Amethyst. You need to understand his witch for a mate ran away because she assumed she’d outlive him and their sons. His love for her was deeper than just the ordinary mate bond, her untimely death. Well, it shattered him,” an old woman sighed as I entered the dining room.
“I was unaware that Joseph is anything less than a wolf,” I replied cautiously. As I was unsure of who this woman was or how she seemed to know so much about Joseph and Amethyst. The old woman smiled at me, almost as if she knew I was lying.
“Come now, Timothy, let’s not play these games. I know it’s been a long time since we last spoke, but you could not have forgotten me so easily,” she grinned. There was something in her aura which drew me to sit down next to her.
My eyes studied her features. There was a faint familiarity about her. Something in her smile, the warmth she held. “Grand Covenness?” I blurted out. The old woman’s smile widened.
“Ah, so the mighty son of the Goddess still remembers humble little old me,” she laughed as my jaw hit the floor. This woman left my mother’s side when she joined with her companion, leaving Gretchen to take her place.
As I reflected on that time, an image of Abigail popped back into my memory. “Joseph is your grandson,” I stated. She smiled and nodded. Only now did I understand why she left the coven and my mother’s side.
The Grand Covenness was one of my mother’s most loyal subjects. Out of all those who left, it was her departure which truly bothered me. If she wouldn’t have left, I doubt Gretchen would have become the first High priestess.
“Why not come back to the coven? I am sure Amethyst would be delighted to have you,” I asked. “My time with the true coven has passed. Now it’s Amethyst’s time to shine, she is a fine example of a Grand Covenness or whatever it is the Goddesses choose to call her. The coven I knew no longer exists and with so many corrupt witches out there, we need another order of white witches, if you will. Many young witches born outside the coven are looking for guidance. I would like to think I can make more of a difference for Victoria this way,” she responded thoughtfully. “I merely came to wish Amethyst and Joseph a happy life and goodbye,” she explained, casting her eyes down.
“What do you know?” I asked, alarmed by her sudden change in demeanor. Her eyes met mine, and we stared at one another for a moment. She smiled, breaking our contact. “Joseph, come here child,” she beamed. Just then, she rose to pull the young wolf into a loving embrace.
“She knows far more than she should,” the Girl scoffed. By everyone’s interactions, I would say I was the only one able to see her. I glanced over at her. The bitter expression on the Girl’s face told me what the old woman knew was something she should not, so I left it alone.
“I believe I’ve put off calling Amethyst long enough, don’t you agree?” I smugly grinned at the Girl, as she gave me a curious sideways glance. A smile crested her normally serious face. “Timothy, you surprise me,” she laughed as she vanished.
“At your pleasure, Amethyst,” I linked. Perhaps it was best to surprise Joseph, who was still talking with his grandmother. After a moment, I moved closer to Joseph to welcome Amethyst.
To my surprise, the portal opened closer to me than to Joseph. As the portal reached its brightest, Amethyst bolted straight into the arms of one pleasantly surprised Joseph.
Once Joseph regained his senses, he pulled Amethyst’s silky hair to the side and marked her as his. As much as I felt joy for the love of my life, finding the love the Goddesses always meant for her to have. My heart also broke as I would never be the one to love her as I, deep down, always wished.
Amethyst’s eyes lit up as they fell on the old woman. “There she is, my beautiful granddaughter. Joseph, you are a lucky man,” the Grand Covenness smiled, pulling Amethyst into a hug. “I couldn’t go on and let you both leave without saying happy life and goodbye,” she choked out, wiping a tear.
From her pocket, she pulled out a small, intricate box. “For you, child,” she said. The Grand Covenness placed the box into Amethyst’s hands. Even from here, power emanated from the box. Amethyst’s eyes lit up when she examined its contents. “This isn’t what I think it is, is it?” Amethyst asked. Her eyes twinkled with excitement.
The old woman smiled, nodding as Amethyst pulled out an exquisite necklace of a moon inlaid with pearls and crystals. The moon was encompassed by a circle with four points, which reminded me of a compass. Its chain doubled around it and was made from a light-coloured material I was unfamiliar with, and it, too, had crystals throughout.
It entranced Amethyst, much to the Grand Covenness’s pleasure. “I never thought I’d ever see it,” Amethyst breathed, her eyes still locked on to the necklace. “Moon’s eye, one of the greatest gifts the Goddess bestowed on me. Passed down from one Grand Covenness to the next to help them focus the visions received from the Goddess,” Joseph’s grandmother beamed.
“It’s time to pass it on, and there is no other witch more worthy than you, my child. Now go, live a wonderful life together. I am sure our paths will cross once more, Amethyst,” she stated, wiping a tear from her eye.
Amethyst’s emotions mirrored the Grand Covenness’s. Amethyst closed her eyes. The winds swirled all around her as she opened the portal. “I suppose it is time for all of us to head home before Madeline realizes she is the only one left to run the pack,” I laughed. “Come, Joseph, let’s go home.”