Be creative. good luck!
Planning to ignore whatever else my cousin bothers me with, I go to put my phone back in the console, but then the screen flashes with his next text and it’s too on the mark to ignore.
Jasper
Don’t tell me you’re checking out the pack again.
Me
Ok, I won’t tell you.
Jasper
One day, she’ll catch you and nothing in existence will save your ass. Then I’ll laugh and say I told you so.
Or eventually the wolves will catch you and eat you. That will be your punishment.
Me
Have you SEEN the alpha’s son??? Please, I’d BEG him to eat me. Wait, no—you haven’t seen him because you suck and never come with me!
Jasper
Ew. I’ll never be able to unread that, thanks. Excuse me while I go brew myself a potion to wipe my memory.
Also, I never come with you because I value my life and my HP’s rules.
Me
Suck up.
In truth, I too value Mom’s rules, both as my mother and my High Priestess. But sneaking away for these mini excursions from time to time is my way of getting away from her endlessnagging—I mean, training. Sometime in the next few years, I’m set to take over the coven and Mom doesn’t let a day pass where she doesn’t remind me. My only reprieve was when she brought Harlow home, and for those few days, the focus of her attention blissfully shifted.
The road curves and dips as the turn-off approaches. This main road will branch off into a few, and one of those will come to a vast stretch of land with a particular pond which doubles as my destination.
Eyeing the time on my phone, I find there’s only a few more hours until my absence will be noticed. Although, based on Jasper’s texts, Mom’s already looking. I give her an hour before she grows impatient and starts contacting me herself because she already mentioned last night about having me help reinforce the town’s barrier before tonight’s annual meeting with the nearby shifters, in case one slips by. They never do, but she’s Mom and neurotic.
Today’s what the coven calls Treaty Day. Or what I like to call, The Day Mom is the Most Stressed and Therefore Insufferable. It’s myfavouritetime of the year—thought with the heaviest form of sarcasm because its other nickname is The Day I Lose My Motherfucking Mind and Want to Run Away.
So, instead of facing her, I’m doing what any obedient daughter who’s spent so much of the past few years training in the art of perfectionism should do. I’m breaking all her rules by driving down the mountain and into territory that’d get me killed for stepping foot in it.
Mom’s rules are endless. Not only her coven-wide ones, but the ones specific to me. There’s too many. So many, they make my head spin.
Number one: stay away from the pack.
Or maybe it’s further down the list and number one is to follow all her other rules. At this point, it’s impossible to keep track.
Today is extra special, for Mom at least, because it’ll be my first ever Treaty Day. Something that’s an absolute must for any future High Priestess, as long as the agreement with the Coldcrest Pack remains. Underage witches are not allowed at the meeting in order to guarantee their safety, which means some of the adults remain behind. Wanting to avoid these things as long as possible, I’ve always volunteered to sit out, but this year, Mom’s caught on and isn’t letting me skip, since she’s expecting me to eventually lead them.
Joy.Another lesson on being a High Priestess.
She wants me to be as excited as she is, but I’m not. Being a leader might be in my blood, but the role holds no intrigue for me. I’m happy to do…well, I’m not sure what I want to do in life.
Not that it really matters either.
The only part that’s exciting is being able to seethem. The shifter pack, but especiallyhim—also the reason I’m sneaking around on forbidden territory. I’ve only ever seen him from afar, hidden in the trees while he sits by the pond.
I park my car between a few trees—hidden in case he comes by this area and realizes he isn’t alone. He never has before and doubt he ever will. I slide the key fob into the pocket of my oversized hoodie and slip from the car, walking the two dozen feet towards the pond he visits every second Wednesday.
