The Unwanted Wolf

ADIRA

Everyone gathered in Doctor Zayla’s office when it was time for me to try to absorb Cain’s magic. Zayla had hooked me up to various monitors to prepare for the moment, and I could hear my nerves in the way the heart monitor raced and beeped over and over again. It was making me more nervous, hearing the sound. I was scared of what would happen with Cain’s magic, but I didn’t want to show anyone I was scared. I wanted to prove I could be strong and brave, like a lune should.

Mark held my hand and kissed my forehead. Don’t worry baby. It’ll be okay, he linked me. When I looked at him, he was giving me a smile.

His words made me feel better, and my heart started to calm down. Ginger was on the other side of the bed, and Zayla was next to her, both of them ready to do whatever they could in case there was an unexpected complication. Rie, Scythe, and Reyland were here for moral support. Rie was chewing her nails, and I knew she didn’t like one thing about this.

I closed my eyes and focused on the little bottle in my hand. No one actually knew it was dangerous to absorb the magic. They were just worried because the magic came from Cain, and they didn’t know what the process was for taking another sorcerer’s magic. However, as I held the little bottle in my hand, I knew deep down this was the right decision.

I wanted to believe the best in Cain. I wanted to believe that he wanted to do something to truly try to make up for his mistakes. I also knew that I needed to be more powerful to beat Xavier. Despite those two things influencing me, I knew deep down this was the right decision. As I held the bottle tightly, the magic inside danced with joy. I could feel my own magic reaching out. Something about it made me feel like I was meant to have this magic, and everything would be okay when I released the bottle.

I didn’t know how to explain this feeling to Mark or anyone else. They would still have their worries either way, so it wasn’t worth the energy it would take to try to explain myself.

I opened my eyes and smiled, knowing it was time. I gave Mark a nod, and he squeezed my hand before letting go and taking a step back. I didn’t want him or anyone else touching me during the process, because I wasn’t sure how this process worked. I took a deep breath and opened up the magic inside of me, willing it to absorb and take on this magic to build strength.

When I could feel my magic burning brightly, and my fingers were glowing from the intensity of the magic, I removed the small cork on the bottle. The magic shot out of the bottle and swirled around in the air in front of me. It sparkled with a purple energy, and it danced around, unsure of what to do without a host.

I reached out my hand and touched the swirling cloud with my fingers. The moment I made contact, it jumped at the touch and started swirling around my arm. It prickled my skin, and the hairs on my arm stood tall. The magic continued moving up my arm, diving straight for my face. I opened my mouth, and the magic dove into my throat. It stung and tickled at the same time, and then my body seized as the magic jumped around my organs, fighting with my own magic to find it’s own place in my body.

My heart rate spasmed as my body struggled with the war of magic happening inside of me. I couldn’t move, and I could barely breathe as it happened, but I wasn’t in any pain.

“Adira?” Mark called out. He moved to touch me, but Ginger flung her hand up to stop him.

“Don’t touch her. It could interrupt the process,” Ginger ordered.

Mark stopped, but I could feel his panic growing. I wanted to tell him I would be okay, but my body wouldn’t physically let me. Instead, I sent him a link.

Mark stopped, but I could feel his panic growing. I wanted to tell him I would be okay, but my body wouldn’t physically let me. Instead, I sent him a link.

I’m okay. I promise.

Mark didn’t respond, so I wasn’t sure if he could hear me. I knew Cain had the power to block the mental link between werewolves, so I wasn’t sure if Mark could hear me because of the magic. I knew I would be okay, though. I wasn’t in any pain, and I could feel the magic calming down. My magic had a life of its own right now, and it didn’t seem to like the intrusion of a new magic, but it was becoming more open to it as the minutes ticked on.

Finally, everything inside of me stopped, and the tension in my body released. I took a deep breath, feeling like I hadn’t breathed in ages. Mark’s hand immediately flung to mine.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

I pulled him in closer for a hug, knowing how worried he was. “I’m okay,” I whispered, relief filling me. I took another deep breath and closed my eyes, focusing on the new magic I had just received.

I knitted my eyebrows together in confusion. I could sense the magic still inside of me, but it didn’t feel like it was my own. I tried to call on the powers for myself, but all I could feel was my own magic, burning bright with confusion. My chest clenched as I realized what had happened. I didn’t absorb the magic.

I looked at Ginger, swallowing hard.

“What is it, girl?” Ginger asked, squinting her eyes at me.

I took a shallow breath, worried about what this meant. “I didn’t absorb the magic.”

Ginger pursed her lips. “What do you mean? I can still sense the magic.” She reached out and placed her hand on my chest. I could feel her own magic move through me as she looked for something specific. After a moment, she took a step back and laughed. “Well, well, look at that.”

“What? What happened? Will you all stop being so cryptic? Some of us are trying not to have a panic attack here,” Rie said, putting her hands on her h**s.

Ginger looked at Rie. “The baby absorbed the magic. It was easier for it to go into an empty vessel than Adira’s full one. Her magic was more powerful than Cain’s magic, so it found an easier place to go.”

“My magic is stronger?” I asked, completely shocked. Cain seemed much stronger than me, and I never thought I would have a chance against a sorcerer like him.

Ginger nodded. “The core of your magic is the strongest I have ever felt. You just haven’t learned how to wield it completely.”

“So what does this mean for the babies?” Mark asked. I hadn’t even realized how hard he was squeezing my hand. He was still on edge about all of this.

“The babies seem to be okay, too,” Doctor Zayla said. She was looking at the monitor she had hooked up to me. “Their heart beats are still strong, and I don’t see any issues.”

Rie looked at me from across the room. “What do you mean babies?”

We hadn’t had a chance to tell everyone the news about my pregnancy yet, but I could tell by the shocked faces filling the room that the cat was out of the bag. I let out a nervous laugh and smiled, unsure of what the reaction would be.

“Turns out we’re having twins,” I announced.

Rie’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious?”

Mark nodded, the smile finally returning to his face. “We found out earlier today.”

“ Twins do run in your family,” Reyland said.

I looked over at him, wondering how he knew that. I had never heard of any twins in my family before. “They do?”

Reyland nodded. “Your great-great grandmother was a twin.”

“How do you know that?”

Reyland shrugged. “I think Freya had mentioned it at some point to me. She didn’t talk about it much, though.”

“Twins are considered to be good luck,” Ginger said. “They are a sign of protection and power among sorcerers. They are said to have special powers due to their connection in the womb, but I don’t have any concrete proof about that.”

I smiled at the thought. It seemed fitting because of everything that had gone on. “I’m sure these babies will be special either way.”

Mark placed his hand on my belly and then kissed my forehead. “Of course they will be. They have a special mother after all.”

Rie gagged at this comment. “Talk about major cheesiness.”

Mark rolled his eyes. “You’re just jealous.”

“Now, now children. Let’s not fight,” I said, trying to hold back a giggle. Mark and Rie often reminded me of how siblings acted around each other. “We have a lot of work to do if we are going to get rid of Xavier once and for all tomorrow.”

“Are you sure you are still up for it?” Mark asked.

I started pulling the monitors off my body, ready to leave the doctor’s office. I had spent more time here today than I would have liked. “I’m positive. Xavier is still in a weakened stage. If we go after him now, we will still have a better chance to get rid of him.”

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and started to stand up. The moment I put my legs on the ground, I felt wobbly. Mark instantly had his arm around my waist, and his lips curled into a frown.

“You can’t even stand.” Mark was still worried about me, which I understood. I would be the same if the positions were reversed. I knew I would be okay with a little bit of rest, though.

“I can stand okay. My body is just a little tired from the process. It took more energy than I realized. I’m okay. Promise.” I kissed Mark on the cheek to reassure him.

Doctor Zayla stepped forward with her hands clasped behind her back. “If you are going after Xavier tomorrow, I have a prototype of the anti-magic serum ready. I haven’t had a chance to run many tests, but it might give you higher chances against Xavier.”

Mark perked up at the thought. “Is it safe?”

“Most likely. I’m just not sure if it will be as effective as I would like,” Zayla explained. “I would recommend only one person taking it just to be safe, until we know more. That is if you want to try it.”

“I’ll do it,” Mark instantly said.

I looked up at him, suddenly understanding his frustration with my decisions. I didn’t like the idea of him taking something that wasn’t tested yet, but I knew he wanted to try to be more helpful in this fight. If Xavier couldn’t affect Mark as much because of this serum, Mark would be able to protect me and the babies better. It was just another risk and a chance to give us the advantage.

“I’ll go grab it,” Zayla said before leaving the room.

“Looks like we have a lot to figure out if we are going into battle tomorrow,” Reyland said. “I will get my warriors ready.”

“I will talk to Darian and Mason, too,” Rie said. “We can make a plan to make sure we have enough back up while making sure the pack is safe.”

I smiled at all of them. “Thank you all for everything.”

Scythe gave me a big, toothy grin. “Of course. We would do anything for our luna!”