Broken, but Not Defeated

Chapter 47 (Wesley)

I watch as Juliana is picked up and moved to a healing room. Caldina and Rowan are constantly going at it, and all I can do is stare at the girl who used to steal food from the kitchen, the little girl I used to play with. The little girl who would eat cakes and cookies in my room to get me in trouble. The little girl that used to tackle boys if they called her ugly or weak. The girl who had stood up for the weak and lowly. The girl who I would lie for, kill for, and die for no longer needing me. That girl was no longer a girl, but a witch.

Just then I feel arms wrap around me, "You okay, Wes?" Anya asks, her use of my sister's nickname for me knocks me back to the present. The doctor is all but shoving Rowan and Caldina out the door. Sighing I take one look at Juliana, her eyes squeezed shut, almost as if she was pretending to sleep. I smirk to myself, she isn't asleep, but she'll pretend for as long as she needs to. Walking to the doctor, I whisper in her ear.

"She's awake." With that I follow Anya and the others out of the door, not wanting them to know she is awake. Linking my arm with Anya I pull her towards a door, trying to get her as far as I can from Caldina and Rowan. Both look like it would make their day if they got to stab the other. "Wait for me in the garden," I whisper, unlinking my arm from her.

"Wesley, what are you going to do?" Instead of answering her, I turn to my friends.

"I want you to accompany Lady Anya to the gardens, you are not to leave her side until I get there, understand?" They all salute me except Cole.

"I know that whatever you have to do involves both very angry people on the other side of the hall, and by no means am I going to let you handle that storm alone."

"Fine," I say, too exhausted for a fight. "Give Anya your sword," I say as I take off my own, handing it to her.

"What?" Cole snaps, "You want to handle them weaponless?"

"Yup, if you want to put out the fire, quit feeding it."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Cole asks, handing his sword to Anya. She holds both of the swords, looking just like a lady doing so.

"If we want them to quit fighting, then we need to keep our weapons and temper in check," I whisper quietly remembering Fae and witches both have good ears. Both witches and Fae have formed a tight circle around their leaders, ready to draw their swords if something goes wrong. Sighing, I push my way through the Fae. They give me a curious glance before moving aside. Caldina and Rowan are still currently sounding like a bunch of toddlers, what to do, what to do?

"Enough!" I shout over them, rubbing my forehead when Caldina and Rowan look my way. "You both do realize you're not going to change the other's mind, right? So how about, instead of arguing about making up Juliana's mind for her you let her decide?" I almost yell. Easy Wesley, keep your temper in check.

"Look, all we are doing here is trying to prove who the alpha is, correct?" Instead of waiting for a response I continue. "Listen, I understand! Never mind, I don't understand, but that doesn't matter." That makes some of the witches and Fae chuckle, Rowan included. Good, maybe he'll stop yelling.

"I just... Listen, that is my sister in there, and I know for a fact that anyone who knows her would take a bullet for her, so instead of arguing over who gets her, we'll just back off and let her decide for herself. If she picks Rowan, Caldina try to understand her and just be there for her. Rowan, if she decides to stay here, then let her be and try to understand, okay?" I ask, giving them both looks. "And for now just let her be, okay? She just found out she is a witch, and the only people who can really help her are witches." I say before I turn on my heels and walk away with Cole by my side.