Willow's Choice

Thirty-Seven

My ears rang as I blinked away my blurred vision, trying my best to stand up when I saw the door open and I was greedily taking in breaths of the air that wasn't laced with wolfsbane.

My pants were torn into shreds, but I was okay for the most part. Stefan was on the ground unconscious, his face blackened with char and the smell of his burnt flesh was in the air. I saw Grace next to him on the ground, gasping as she tried to keep herself awake.

She'd stopped him from hurting me at her own expense.

I had to choose to save her or kill Stefan.

I knew what I had to do.

She was petite enough that I was able to carry her, but I didn't get very far. I was weak from the wolfsbane and I hadn't fed in a while.

I used my foot to shove open the door, gasping as the wolfsbane singed the bottom of my foot, but I continued to move as quick as I could.

W exams to a hallway of cell like cages and I turned at a voice, a small beautiful boy with golden brown curls and bright magenta eyes that contrasted against his caramel toned skin.

"Get away from her!" He yelled at me, his small hands reaching through the bars of the cage and trying his best to get to me.

"You're her apprentice?" I asked.

He narrowed his eyes at me before he gave me a small nod.

He stepped back as I rammed myself at the gate, managing to knock it off of its hinges at full force with my side.

"The door to outside is this way." He said as he ran ahead of me.

I took in a deep breath as I brought my wolf forward and lifted Grace up and began running towards the exit.

It was dark as we emerged from the tunnel, the only thing preventing it from being pitch black was the moon that hung low in the sky.

I watched as Grace took in a deep breath and her brown eyes open.

"Sage?" She said.

"I'm here Grace." The boy said as he dropped to her side.

"You need to go with Willow. She will keep you safe." Grace said.

I knew what she was doing.

"Grace, I can carry both of you on my back. We ca-

"No. It's too slow, he will be waking up soon." She said.

Sage stared down at her, his bright eyes glossy as he stood up straight and he bowed his head to her.

"By the moon." He said.

He took my hand and I watched as Grace touched his arm and that whirling sensation overwhelmed me and seconds later it was over and I fell against a hard surface.

I immediately recognized my surroundings as I rolled onto all fours before standing on the porch.

I stared into my house to see everyone gathered in the living room and Valor was speaking with Raven and Cassius.

I looked down at Sage to see a tear rolling down his cheek still.

He knew Grace was gone.

I took his hand and I walked to the patio door, opening it slowly as I ushered Sage in before me.

Valor was holding me in a second, his arms tight around me as he hugged me to him.

He kissed my face all over before rested his head against mine.

Sage's grip on my arm caught my attention.

I looked down to see him staring at everyone, specifically Cassius who stared at him back.

"You should not have brought that boy here." Cassius hissed.

"He's just a boy." Raven hissed in Sage's defense.

"You have not seen what his kind are capable of." Cassius said.

"My kind saved your leaders by sacrificing her own life." Sage spoke.

Cassius stared down at Sage, but didn't speak as the boy stared back at him.

Sage turned towards Valor who stood next to Cassius and he looked up at him.

Valor hissed, grinning when Sage wasn't phased.

"Thank you." Valor told him and bowed his head in respect to the young boy.

Sage returned the sign of respect, bowing his head to Valor before he flashed a small grin.

He took my hand quickly, suddenly gasping as his entire body went still.

He looked up at me, his eyes glowing as he stared forward.

"He's coming." Sage whispered as he turned toward me.

I cursed as I stared at him, his eyes were still glowing and something was clearly going on.

"I thought you didn't have the craft yet?" I asked.

Sage was still frozen, the blank look on his face still apparent and his eyes were glazed over.

"He can't hear you." Valor said as he gripped Sage and stared into his glossy eyes.

Sage snapped out of the trance like state with a gasp as he turned toward me and I watched as his small lanky body gave out and Valor caught him, lifting him up with ease.

"He needs to go outside." I said.

Valor ran with him, taking him outside as he laid him down on the grass just below the porch.

Sage's body arched off the ground, the moonlight glistening off his skin and I flinched as a flash of light radiated from him and then it was gone.

Sage sat up quickly, his eyes glowing.

"Fecit lunam per." He said as he stood.

I had studied Latin growing up, I knew the phrase.

Made by the moon.

It was a traditional saying when we shifted for the first time. It signified letting go of our past self and living in harmony with our wolf and using our new self as a guide.

Apparently those with the craft had it too.

If he didn't have powers before, he definitely had them now. 

"I saw him. And Grace, her moon spirit is with your daughters, I saw them too. The moon will protect them and the woman with the white hair, but he will be here soon. His aura is dark, it showed destruction and evil. He plans to kill us all." Sage said.