The Magic of Hecate

Twelve hours later,

The next time I woke, I was in an unfamiliar room, by a roaring fire, smothered in blankets and in layers and layers of dry, warm clothes. I blinked my eyes open slowly and as my vision cleared, I saw Leo sat with his head in his hands on a hard wooden stool only a metre away. His head snapped up as I began to squirm under the exasperating heat. "Don't move," he said jumping to his feet and placing his hands gently on my shoulders.

“I'm boiling," I replied slightly out of breath.

In response, Leo took both the blankets off me and cast them aside. "What happened?” I asked.

"You tell me. I found you close to death, hypothermic and unconscious on the side of a mountain in a blizzard," he replied. "I don't know how or why you got there. I don't know how long you'd been there but I do know that you almost died, Ella. Had I been ten minutes later, I'm not sure we would be having this conversation.”

I narrowed my eyes, racking my brain for some sort of recollection of what happened. A second later it all came rushing in like a 20 ft wave. Running away from my mate again, the furious phone call I received at the airport, ignoring his demands for me to return home...etc

"Leo-" I began trying to muster some heartfelt apology that my heart didn't really feel.

"Save it, Ella. You said you were sorry last time yet here we are again,” he replied.

"Are you not furious?" I asked looking at his brooding and bubbling but relatively calm expression

"Do you want me to be?" he questioned. "Because I can sure do that." "No, it's just I'm confused. I ran away from you for the second time and after the first time you-"

"Yes, I know," he interrupted with a strained voice. "I hit you but I promised I'd never do that again and unlike you, I don't break my promises. Besides, my overall emotion right now is pure relief that you are okay," he replied taking my hand.

I smiled before gently placing a kiss on his hand.

"But you still haven't answered. Why were you up the mountain?" he asked.

I narrowed my eyes and thought again seconds before another 20 ft wave hit me.

The amulet, the stolen car, the storm, the fight..

Max.

Make that a 40 ft wave.

"Max!" I exclaimed sitting bolt upright.

"Lie down," he said firmly as he pushed me back down on the sofa. I fought against him for the worry of my eldest cousin. He has his annoying and dicky moments but so do I and I love him.

"Where is Max? Did you save him too?!" I asked frantically.

"He's fine. Still unconscious but the doctor says all his vitals are fine," he reassured.

I relax and allowed him to lay me back down on the sofa.

"Wait, where are we?"

"Alpha Xander's pack,” he clarified. "My sister's mate, remember?”

I nodded.

"Quite conveniently he owns a helicopter and knows how to fly it." "How did you know where we were?" I asked.

"The first thing I did when you got home last time was put a tracker in your phone," he replied. "Since I wasn't expecting you to run off to the Northerly tip of Russia, the range wasn't quite long enough and it took my IT technician a day or two to get working. When he did, I flew straight here and showed Xander where it was showing your location to be. His exact words were: “there has to be a technical glitch. You'd have to be insane to go up that mountain at this time of year". So tell me my Luna, why were you and Max up there?...unless of course, you are in fact going insane, in which case I should take you to see a therapist.” "Something tells me that you already know the answer to that..." I said observing the fact that someone had changed my clothes, including my jeans which had the amulet stuffed their pocket.

Leo gave me a sarcastic smile before withdrawing the precious necklace from his own jeans and dangling it in front of me.

"This," he stated. "You risked your life, again, for this."

"Leo please, I am begging you. You have to let me help Milly," I begged. "No," he snapped. "How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Luciano told me about Elizabeth,” I informed him. "I understand why you object to it but that was 300 hundred years ago and it was only one of Hecate's descendants too. Donatia didn't have that problem.” "The pack still remembers. I can't run the chance of it being seen on my territory even if I agreed," he replied. "The Alpha's son died last time. Imagine if that was Cato or Mathias or Silas."

“Milly will not do that. Elizabeth's story has been told over 300 years, it's bound to have changed and who's to say that the part about her being kind-hearted is an incorrect version of the truth?"

“I am not willing to take the risk. I will not gamble with lives of my children or people. This will be the last time that we talk about this,” he replied with a sense of assurity.

"Just listen to one last thing and I'll stop, please,” I said squeezing his hand and kissing it again. "It's important so hear me out.”

He sighed before placing a hand on my cheek and nodding.

"Go on."

"Milly told me that something big is coming. Something that she can't control but she will be the cause of and there is nothing she can do. People are going to die without the amulet, people might die with it. You don't have a choice to gamble with the lives of your people and if I were you, I'd pick the option with the better chance of a win.”

At that point, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Leo said not taking his eyes off me, clearly occupied in thought.

The door opened and Bella popped her head around the corner.

"I thought I could hear your voice, Ella," she said as our eyes met. "Bella!" I exclaimed, thrilled to see her.

I hadn't seen her since last November, which was almost a year ago when she came home for Thanksgiving.

"I've made some soup. Thought it might help you get your strength back," she said.

Leo helped me slowly sit up and Bella handed me the soup. As I ate, we chatted about this and that for what felt like hours until Bella eventually left. Leo had been quiet for a long time. I could tell he was thinking about what I said, weighing up the risks.

"I think you might be right," he said a few moments after Bella left.

"So you'll let me take the amulet home?" I asked excitedly.

He still seemed a little unsure.

"This whole thing will stop and we can go back to normal. I will never step a foot out of line for as long as I live," I announced.

He turned to me, his attention officially grabbed.

"Now that's something I could live with," Leo said closing his eyes and smiling at the thought. "Not even a toe?"

"Not even a nail," I confirmed.

"Okay," he said holding the amulet out to me.

"Really?!" I exclaimed unable to hide my joy and disbelief.

"But if there is one single sign of Milly's intentions changing, I will personally rip it from her myself. And we will monitor 24/7, okay?" "Okay," I said taking it from him and holding it in my hand.

I hadn't really had the chance to look at it until now. It was quite pretty too: shiny silver with the symbol of Hecate on the front and the constellation of Aries on the back- each star being a tiny white diamond.

"Thank you, Leo,” I gushed. "Cuddle?"

“I'm still mad at you by the way," he pointed out as he snuggled next to me on the sofa and I laid my head on his chest. "You're lucky you were unconscious when we found you.”

"I'm sorry,” I said.

"I was worried sick. Never keep me in the dark again, okay? Preferably don't ever run away but if you are going to then at least contact me in some way every day and let me know you're okay," he said.

"There wasn't any phone signal up the mountain,” I replied.

"Then tell me some other way."

"What like a fucking carrier pigeon or a smoke signal? What other way is there?" I questioned.

"It doesn't matter because you are never going to run away from me again,” he replied in his firm, authoritative Alpha tone. "And that is an order. Understand?"

I nodded and nestled my head further into his chest as he held me tightly to him. Yes, Alpha. Unless I have a reason to that is...

"How do you feel?" he questioned. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ ꜰindNʘvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"A little tired but okay,” I answered. "How do you feel?"

"Relieved, a little tired but okay," he replied.

"How are our pups?"

"Wondering where you are, of course, but just as happy as ever. Silas is excited for his birthday..maybe a little too much."

I chuckled as I imagined the excitement caused by every birthday in our household.

"At what age do you stop getting so thrilled to get one year older?” I asked.

"You should still be excited for your birthday. You can't even legally drink yet," he teased.

"Shut up. In two weeks, you are taking to my first ever club.”

I drew circles on his hand for a few seconds before he spoke again. "Antonio is furious,” he stated.

"That doesn't surprise me."

"He punched me in the face and told me to 'man up'."

"What?!" I exclaimed. "Why?"

"He still thinks that I'm too soft with you," he explained

"Fuck off,” I muttered. "I thought we left that behind two years ago.” "Clearly not. Apparently, I should forget my 'no hitting rule’ and “put you in your fucking place.”

"What does he think my place bloody is? Pet puppy on a leash?!"

"Try not to be provoked by it and it will probably be best if you avoid each other until things cool off," Leo advised.

"Not like I go out my way to see him anyway," I grumbled.

Leo kissed me on the head gently seconds before there was a knock and seconds later the door was opening.

"Apologies for interrupting, Alpha, but Maximus has woken," Xander said in his Russian accent that was far less thick than when I first came across him. I'm guessing that is Bella's influence.

"Thank you, Alpha. Does Bella have any more soup for him? I think he may need it," Leo replied.

Xander nodded and left the room.

"Can I go and see him?" I asked and Leo smiled before helping me to stand.

I was glad of his support because I am convinced I would have fallen if there was no one holding me up. We slowly made out way into the hall and then into the next door. Inside was Max, sat on a similar sofa, in front of a similar fire.

His expression relaxed when he set eyes on me but immediately tensed again when he noticed who was with me.

Leo gave me a reassuring smile and I cautiously made my way over to him.

"Thank you," I said sitting beside him and giving him a quick hug.

"For what?" he asked confused.

"Keeping me going. I would have died if you didn't carry me. I'm sure of it," I explained.

"Well, what can I say? I'm not just gonna let my favourite little cousin die, am 1?" he said and I chuckled.

I looked over to Leo, who was leaning casually on the door frame as he watched, and then back to Max.

"Alpha," Max began. "I don't think I have had the chance to apologise yet."

"You might need to specify what you are apologising for," Leo replied in 7/8 serious, 1/8 playful tone. "There's a long list."

"For what I did three years ago: kidnapping your Luna, starting a war, threatening your Luna, abusing your trust for me...and also for all this. If I was loyal, I would have returned your Luna to you immediately but instead, I helped her do batshit crazy stuff and almost got her killed...on more than one occasion. I'm sorry. You should know that I would never dream of wanting to bring her to any harm. Not anymore," Max said all in one breath.

"That I can believe. The bond you two have developed is quite remarkable in comparison to the pure hatred of three years ago. But I don't believe that you are sorry for this. Neither of you are,” Leo answered. "You both care for Milly and it is evident that you'd do whatever it takes to save her from herself. Since you seem to have turned over a new leaf and to show my gratitude for saving my Luna (even though she was in trouble because of you in the first place), I would like to invite you back to the pack. You can personally put the amulet around your sister's neck.”

Max's lips curled into a wide grin.

"You're letting us take the amulet back to your pack?" he confirmed in disbelief.

Leo nodded

"Thank you, Alpha," he said before turning to me. I hugged my cousin tightly and handed him the amulet.

"She would want you to give it to her," I said closing his hand around it. He nodded before turning to Leo again.

"One more thing," he said. "It has been brought to my attention that Luciano is also back in your pack.”

"Yes," Leo confirmed. "He showed great loyalty to me."

"Is sexually assaulting your Luna also showing great loyalty?" Max asked.

I looked at my cousin with wide eyes and squeezed his hand. I wasn't going to tell him that, Max!

Leo immediately stood up straight, every muscle in his body tensed. "What?" he growled through gritted teeth.

"Luciano forced himself upon his second cousin whilst you left her and your pups in his care a few days ago,” Max clarified. "I thought that as my first move as a pack member again I should let you know."

"Ella, is this true?" Leo asked looking at me.

I sat silently for a few seconds sending Max the evils.

"Ella?" Leo repeated firmly.

I nodded and a tear escaped my eye at the memory of it.

"Thank you, Maximus,” Leo said stepping over to me and lifting me into his arms as a sob escaped. "I'll get rid of him myself the second we get home."

Leo then carried me back to the room we were first in and sat me back down on the sofa. He crouched down on the floor in front of me and wiped the tears from my cheek with my thumb.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" he asked softly.

"In case you didn't believe me and he found out I tried to tell you," I replied in a shaky tone. "I don't want to imagine what he'd do then.” "He didn't actually..?" Leo asked not wanting to say it aloud for fear it would furtther upset me.

"No, he didn't get that far,” I whispered.

"I need to know exactly what he did, Ells. Can you explain?"

I nodded before taking a deep breath.

"I was upstairs tending to Lili and he was supposed to be watching the other five downstairs. Instead, he came up and he put his hands on my shoulders. I can't remember his exact words but he ended up with his lips on your mark and-" I began before noticing the darkness of Leo's eyes and stopping myself immediately. "Leo?"

"Don't stop,” he said in a deep, deep tone.

"I reminded him that we were cousins and I tried to fight him off me but he grabbed my waist tightly and ran his fingers through my hair as he continued to kiss me. I elbowed him hard in the stomach and then he got really pissed. He threw me onto the bed and straddled me so that I was pinned me down and unable to move under his weight. He then brought his mouth to my ear and whispered "A little wolf like you can't beat a big wolf like me’, then he kissed my cheek and left the room," I finished.

By this point, Leo was practically shaking with fury.

" should have killed him three years ago. Why didn't I just finish him off? He didn't deserve that tiny chance of survival,” Leo growled.

“Leo, please calm down," I said softly.

"He touched what is mine and he is going to pay for that in blood and anguish. I am going to murder him before he hurts anybody else's mate, wife, girlfriend, daughter, mother, niece or aunt."

"Leo?" I said bringing my hand to his cheek.

"Yes," he replied.

"Before you do that, can I punch him?" I asked.

"Of course. As many times as you fucking want."

After that, we cuddled for a long time. Leo's protective instincts were stronger than ever as he held me so tightly that I could hardly move. "There's one more thing that I need to tell you," I said after waking up from what felt like a very long nap.

"What's that?" he questioned.

I sat up and looked him in the eyes before placing my hands either side of his face and kissing him gently.

"Don't be mad,” I began. If I had a dollar for every time I said that... "What?"

“I'm pregnant,” I said quickly.

"Did you know before you came here?!"

I nodded.

"Ella! I am happy but I also unbelievable furious! Not only could you have got yourself killed but our baby too?!"

"I'm sorry,” I said kissing him again.

"No. Don't do that," he said.

"Do what?" I asked with a smile as I kissed him again.

"Kiss me and expect me to forgive you," he replied turning his head away.

"I don't know what you mean," I said kissing him again this time for longer.

He rolled his eyes and stopped trying to resist it. He put his hand behind my neck and kissed me back, his tongue finding its way into my mouth.

"You're a nightmare, Ella Jones. Have I ever told you that?" he said as we rolled over so that I was underneath him.

I smiled as lifted his shirt over his head.

"An irresistible nightmare," he added.