Chapter 15: New family

It was close to sunset as the three sneaked out of the house into the forest, Agatha bringing down the seal that she placed earlier.

Elize stayed close to Zack, not wanting to let go of her mate for another second. She linked her hand in his, cherishing the feeling of the warmth that spread inside her at the touch. 

Zack looked down at her and gave her a blinding smile every now and then as they continued to walk past the tall trees.

In the faint golden glow of the setting sun, Elize could see how his handsome face wore an expression of being content. She remembered how he looked so innocent as he lay there sleeping on her bed the day after he marked her, how she wanted to do nothing more than touch him. They never got much time alone together, unbothered by other things. But today finally, she got some time with him, away from all the supernatural politics and her recurring pains, Elize thought.

She was so caught up in her thoughts that she was startled when Zack stopped. Elize slammed into his back. She could see Agatha's features growing tense beside her.

Zack suddenly dropped his hand from hers and pushed them into the pockets of his torn shorts. Elize crunched her face in protest.

"We've been waiting for you, Alpha Zachariah." A familiar voice 

spoke from ahead.

Elize peeped from behind Zack to see the source of the interruption. There, in a clearing ahead of them stood Mikail and Nina. A scowl started forming on her face, seeing the unwelcome wolves once again. Memories of the redhead sticking her tongue down her mate's throat flashed before her eyes.

Elize reminded herself to breathe as she tried not to give in to her irritation. She might not like them, but they were members of Zack's pack.

Nina waived at her excitedly, which earned her a glare from Mikail. Elize smiled back at the she-wolf, not wanting to come off as rude.

"I don't remember anybody telling me about inviting mutts to our side of the Island," Agatha remarked with a smirk. Elize held in her laugh.

Nina growled at Agatha, suddenly crouching down in an attacking position. Mikail stood beside her unfazed, his gaze traveling between the Alpha and Elize. It was getting more uncomfortable by the second.

"Okay okay, guys let's not fight. We're all friends here." Elize interrupted stepping out from behind Zack.

Nina relaxed, smirking at Agatha.

"Alpha, we need to go." Mikail insisted, stepping forward.

Elize looked at Zack, hoping that he'd insist on staying on a while more. He kept his face directed at his pack members, ignoring her stare. The crunch of footsteps on the forest floor diverted her attention back to where the other two wolves stood.

"Wait, what's wrong with your scent Zack? You smell weird." Nina said walking towards them.

Zack kept his face neutral. There was a hard expression on his face, one that Elize remembered from when she first met him.

"It's nothing," Zack said stepping away from the witches.

"It's be -"

Before Agatha could finish her sentence, Zack was pushed to the ground. Elize was petrified as she watched Nina sit on top of her mate and started raining kisses all over his face.

Rage boiled inside her as she moved towards the two. Elize could feel a numbing pain as she did. Something was shifting inside her but she didn't care. All she wanted was to tear the bitch into two.

Agatha caught her hand before she reached them.

"Tranquillitas." She whispered into Elize's ears.

A calm came over her, and for a moment Elize was confused. She then looked back at the wolves who were still on the ground.

Nina was crushing her mouth against Zack's and was sucking at his lower lip like it was candy. But that was not what hurt. What bothered Elize most was that Zack didn't move a muscle to push her off of him. His hands were on either side of his body, on the ground, while Nina continued eating his face away.

"Ignis" Agatha whispered again and suddenly Nina's hair was on fire. She screamed at the burning sensation. But Zack was quick to roll her around on the ground. He glared at Agatha who shrugged it away.

Elize was hurting watching the two, but Agatha's hand on her kept her from feeling anything more.

"Enough! We don't have time for this." Mikail shouted. He yanked Nina by her hand and in a swift motion was back to where they stood before. Zack stood up, dusting the dirt off of his clothes.

"Alpha, we need to go. We have visitors." Mikail said in a more urgent tone.

"I'll come Mikail. You can leave first with Nina." Zack replied, his expression hard.

"I can't do that sir."

"I'm your Alpha!" Zack thundered, his face construed by anger. His voice echoed throughout the jungle, scaring the birds off of the trees surrounding them.

Mikail staggered back by the power in the command but quickly regained his posture. Elize was shocked at the amount of power that emanated from her mate.

"I'm sorry Zack but Alpha Li has reached and has demanded your presence." It was Nina. She looked confused by Zack's behavior.

"You better go. Your kind needs you." Elize interrupted, trying to keep her voice from faltering. For a moment she forgot that she was part wolf. All Elize could see in Zack was betrayal. One thing she knew for sure was that she wanted to be far from him right then.

Zack turned towards Elize, his hard expression wavering for a second's worth of time. He looked vulnerable.

Elize suddenly felt guilty.

She remembered that it was he who suffered in the hands of the witches for bringing her to safety. They had just gotten him out. But she couldn't forgive him for what he did to her. At least not right then. She needed time. Maybe this was best for all. Maybe it was best if Zack left.

"Go Zack. I have no time for you. I need to prepare for my ceremony." Elize said, her face devoid of emotion.

Zack opened his mouth as if to protest but Elize didn't give him a chance to speak. She turned away from him and walked back towards her house, without giving him a second glance. She didn't want to think anymore. She had enough on her plate.

"You better leave before Aileen and the others spot you. They won't be as kind as I was." Agatha warned the wolves before turning around and joining her friend.

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"Okay, you need to stop crying girl. There is plenty of fish in the sea!" Agatha said as she patted Elize's back.

"You don't understand, he's my mate! How could he after he bit me?" Elize complained in the middle of sobbing.

"If you want me to, I'll go kick his ass for you. Maybe bind the girl to a demon too?" Irina said with a wink.

At that suggestion, Elize chuckled. Agatha gleamed and wiped the tears off of her friend's face.

It was Irina who suggested that it was best for them to avoid Aileen at the moment. The trio had been sitting on the roof of Anna's house for a while now. It was close to midnight and the sky was clear, showering on the three an array of stars.

From where they sat, they could see Aileen's house which was fully lit even at this time of the night... The sound of laughter and music came from the place as more and more witches kept arriving at the house for Elize's initiation ceremony.

"Do you think they realized yet that Zack is not in the cellar anymore?" Agatha asked, nudging a tile off of its place with her foot. It slid down and slipped below to the balcony, shattering into pieces as it struck the marble.

"Hey! Stop destroying my roof!" Elize complained.

"Agatha," Irina warned.

Agatha rolled her eyes and said "Sarcio Fractus."

The tile flew up piece by piece and mended itself back to its original position in a matter of seconds. Elize stuck her tongue out at Agatha, which was reciprocated.

"I don't think so. Aileen and the others are busy brewing the sleeping potion. Such a ceremony has not been done in like- forever." Irina replied.

"Why a sleeping potion?" Elize asked, leaning her head on Irina's shoulder. She liked the woman. Although they were twelve years apart, she got along well with Irina. It felt like she got a big sister as compensation for making up for the loss of her mother.

"It amazes me how you don't know so much about yourself." Agatha mocked, taking possession of Irina's other shoulder jealously.

Elize swatted at her friend's face playfully. Irina chuckled.

"It's for your wolf. So that it doesn't take control of your body when you undergo the ceremony." Agatha explained.

"Why would I need that? I thought you guys subdued the wolf in me since I have no more pain episodes?" Elize prodded.

Agatha laughed and shook her head. Irina gave her a warning look.

"No Elize. We can't subdue your wolf. We only put it to sleep for a while. We could only do it because you were quite weak when Zack brought you to us." Irina said with a smile.

"Speaking of her wolf, it almost came out today," Agatha said.

Elize and Irina looked at her in shock. It was clear that Elize didn't know what her friend was talking about.

"Yeah it almost came out when that bitch was all over her mate," Agatha said pointing to Elize. She continued "I had to put a calming spell on Elize to prevent that."

Irina sighed with relief. Elize was still shocked by the information.

"But didn't you just say that you put it to sleep? Then why?" She asked.

"Rage. Your rage almost woke the sleeping wolf inside you. Remember that you're still not initiated Elize. Your uncontrolled magic when provoked can undo the spell that we put on your wolf." Agatha answered, her face projecting concern.

Elize was scared. What if her wolf woke up again? What if this time they won't be able to control it? What if-

"Don't worry Elize." Irina interrupted her train of thoughts. She continued, "The ceremony is only three days away. You will be fine. We'll ensure that."

Irina squeezed her hand and smiled.

"Yeah, we can't let anything happen to our chosen one."

Agatha added as she winked at her.

Elize gleamed at them. Although the conflicting powers inside her scared her, Elize was reassured to an extent by the words of the witches.

She was lucky to have met the two witches who in a single day became her family, Elize thought. For once in a long time, she felt like she belonged.