He smiles warmly at me, eyes twinkling with that same spark I once saw in my father. “Now, go to your girl, Alpha Thane. You’ve got work to do.”
“There's something else I want, Grandfather.”
“I'm listening.”
“The greenhouse,” I say, to which he chuckles.
“That greenhouse was always hers, wasn't it? I was hoping you'd ask to reopen it.”
I thank my grandfather again before leaving his house in warm silence that allows me to mull over what just happened.
For so long, I'd been afraid that he wouldn't accept who I chose as a mate, but now that fate has decided for me, my grandfather has let me see his truth, understanding him better.
I was afraid of taking the leap with Willow in the past, and now that I have nothing holding me back, all that's left is wooing her.
I'll have to take my precious time with her, knowing that what I did in the past to hurt her is what caused the rift in the first place, even if she's afraid of her powers and the destruction they might cause now. She made that clear last night, even if she willingly kissed me.
Her heart is a precious source of love and profound power, and I plan on treating it with the care it deserves. At least she's agreed to be friends for now…even if friends don't kiss each other the way she kissed me last night.
It's a start, and I'll be damned if I don't make good use of it. Riding on that gentle wave of hope, I head to Elias's house, where I find the witches in the underground bunker room, practicing their magic and showing off their skills to the newly emerged witch.
She's standing off to the side, watching as Aurora bleeds magic into her amethyst crystal. Rissa and Yvonne are holding hands, preparing for the next showcase of how their witch powers can be combined.
“Hey…how're things going?” I whisper as I enter the room carefully, joining Willow as she watches the witches wielding their magic in awe, her eyes twinkling with wonder.
“It's fine, I guess,” she says, turning her face down as she stares at her palms. Small flickers of gold energy sizzle on her fingertips. “I'm trying my best to control it, but I'm nowhere near ready to do it on my own.” She looks up and smiles at the others. “But they're very supportive, and assured me I won't burn the place down.”
My heart feels like it's been squeezed tightly, knowing that Willow is taken care of and has a place where she can finally feel like she fits in.
“Yeah,” I chuckle as I fold my arms and lean against the wall. “Elias made sure that won't happen again, after Aurora burned his house down the first time.”
Willow purses her lips and blushes profusely, and that's when I notice the scar on her left cheek fading, barely recognizable except for the different texture of skin in the lightning bolt.
Is the scar healing because she's wielding her powers?
But that's not the only thing I notice when she lifts her hand and tucks a stray hair behind her ear.
She's wearing the bracelet she once offered me as a parting gift.
A gift I refused.
“So that really happened, then? I thought Aurora was only telling me that to make me feel better.”
I chuckle as I lean in, hiding my regret. “Oh, it really happened. She may look like a professional now, but Aurora was a rookie back then.”
“Like me,” Willow mumbles, and turns her face away.
“There's nothing to be ashamed of, Willow. You're gonna be amazing,” I encourage with a gentle nod, just as Aurora stops pulsing the crystal with magic and Yvonne and Rissa stop holding hands.
Willow smiles sheepishly as the other women come over, and Aurora leads her back to the crystal for some practice.
Yvonne excuses herself to check up on her son, Gio, who didn't attend daycare today. Rissa hangs back, and we watch Willow trying out her powers at the crystal.
Charged bolts of golden light pulse from her palms, growing in intensity and brightness the longer she has her palms aimed at the crystal. Aurora encourages her, standing on the opposite side, being the motivation Willow needs to control her powers.
If she doesn't, she'll hit Aurora. But Aurora doesn't seem afraid.
“She's doing really well for her first time,” Rissa says, her voice carrying over the electric surge in the room. “But she doesn't believe in herself that much.”
