Three months had passed since Hope left with Rebekah and her absence was noticed by all. There weren't any threats to deal with and for the first time in a while the school actually was run like a normal school. Josie and Finch had been spending a lot of time alone together. Josie wasn't the only one getting some action MG had also been spending time with Lizzie a lot of time alone. When they weren't in class or studying the twins were with there lovers.
One night Lizzie and Josie finally got some quality sister time to talk to each other when Lizzie's phone buzzed. "It's Hope, she's trying to face time us." Josie smiled and urged her to answer Lizzie didn't hesitate she hadn't spoken to Hope in three months and missed her deeply.
"Hey wolfi, long time no see." Lizzie said as Hope's face appeared on her screen.
"Hey how are you two doing?" The Tribrid asked she felt a little guilty not keeping in touch with her friends but she had spent a lot of time on an emotional rollercoaster coping with her boyfriends death, learning to master her vampire abilities, and relearning to control her magic as well. Since she turned full Tribrid her magic rivaled her grandmothers. Then she had met with the hybrid pack her father made for her while they had there own lives and family's they were loyal to her and when they had found out she had been the first line of defense for the school and unable to help they felt they failed their duty as a pack.
It had taken her a few hours to assure them that they weren't at fault. Hope had spent time getting to know the members of the pack personally spending with each one. First she'd spent time with Chris who was a 38 year old engineer with a girlfriend who was also a wolf, then she spent time with Rachel who was in her mid twenties and a mother of two beautiful children who where Nik's age, the last wolf she spent time with was Sam, who had been in collage when she was born, during the hallow incident he was in med school, and now he was a doctor like her aunt Keelin. She also met with what remained of the crescent pack just to see how they were. Despite her absence they were fine and invited her to spend Christmas with them so they could get to know there future alpha. Hope had agreed under the condition that they wouldn't treat the hybrid pack as rivals. Hope had been very busy but finally got some down time and decided to check in.
"Things have been good, how have you been?" Josie asked looking at her friend she just realized how much she missed her. Josie was happy to hear her friends voice but the school seemed so different without Hope there.
"I'm doing better and-" Hope's response was cut off by a little child in Sponge Bob pajama's jumping on the bed scarring the day lights out of all three girls. "Hopey, tell story!" The tiny boy said holding a book up Josie couldn't help but smile she'd heard about Nik but never actually saw a picture of him he was the cutes little boy Josie had ever seen. "So who's the adorable little munchkin?" Lizzie added referring to the little boy who was now sitting on Hope's lap. "This is my baby cousin Nik, Nik these are my friends Josie and Lizzie can you say hi?"
"Hi." Nik said waving his tiny hand at the screen before snuggling into his cousin again. Lizzie smiled at her friend she'd never seen her so relaxed. "should we just astral project to make your life easier?" The blonde asked Hope who shook her head. "Actually That's a good idea." Josie said siphoning some magic from the school Latin left her lips before Hope could say anything her friends appeared before her.
"Hopey, tell story!" Nik repeated before The girl could yell at her friends.
"Yeah tell us a story Fido!" Lizzie said.
"Please!" Josie added the Tribrid fully intended to let the two girls have it when she got back to school but maybe some embarrassment would do for now.
"Okay." Hope said smiling at her little cousin she just couldn't say no to this little rug rat. "This is the story of a princess who was saved by a wolf." She began glancing at Josie before she started "once upon a time there was a beautiful princess who lived in an enchanted school. Even though she was kind, beautiful, and caring a darkness dwelled inside her as well as around her. One day the princess was locked in a cursed forest with her sister and their father. Only to find their evil uncle and exiled subjects their, the princess and her sister were able to trick her evil uncle and escape unknown to them the uncle had found a way to escape. The princess had to brake the enchanted clock on in order to absorb the magic needed to escape the forest and all the magic was placed inside her."
Josie's eyes widened she was talking about Kai and the Mora Miserium. Lizzie recognized the story as well and was surprised that Hope was turning her sisters horror story into a fairytale. Hope proceeded to tell the tale of Josie's decent how the dark magic overwhelmed her she paid close attention when hope got to the part where she'd entered her mind.
"Their were many people who wouldn't fight for the princess but her father, her sister, a few loyal knights and the white wolf didn't give up. Using magic The wolf was able to enter the princess's mind meeting a pig the white wolf was lead to were the good sleeping princess lay. While the pig suggested a kiss would wake the princess the wolf wouldn't kiss her unless it was okay with the princess."
Josie remembered being disguised as the pig suggesting hope try kissing her and she remembered her friend saying "a nonconsual kiss is never the answer." Did that mean hope would've kissed her if she had said it was okay? She shook herself 'I'm with finch now!' She thought as Hope continued the story.
"The darkness and the wolf came face to face and an epic battle took place. After the darkness was down the pig transformed into the princess she had been hiding from the darkness as the pig. The darkness was not gone however and showed its true face. It wasn't a monster, evil spirit it was the princess's evil self."
"Wow!" Both Nik and Lizzie said togeather while the little boy was captivated by the story Lizzie was looking at her sister. Josie had never told her what happened inside her mind and while this was a heavily edited version the look on her sisters face told her it was true. The siphon gave her sister a look saying they'd be having a talk later.
"Then what happened?" Nik asked his cousin eager to hear how the princess defeated the darkness. Josie smiled at the boys excitement as Hope resumed the fairytale. "Not wanting harm to befall the one's she loved she pleaded with the Wolf to leave but the wolf refused telling the princess they could fight togeather. Unknown to them the evil princess While the princess believed the darkness was to strong the white wolf assured her that she was more powerful then her darker self. The darkness cornered the princess and wolf and the wolf kept its promise and once again clashed with the darkness but was quickly defeated. The princess was now alone and forced to face her darkness." When Nik asked what happened next Hope hesitated she didn't remember much after being turned to stone by Dark Josie except waking up next to Landon. Thankfully Josie decided to help finish the story.
"The princess, realized that her love and kindness were what made her strong that the white wolf was strong yet good. The princess used magic of the goddess Aphrodite to vanquish her darker half and heal the wolf." She looked at Hope giving her a smile and nodding at the little boy who yawned. "Once it was all better the white wolf and the princess returned to the kingdom and everyone lived happily ever after." Hope finished getting up she placed her baby cousin in her bed and tucked him in. Josie watched this and smiled the all mighty Tribrid being so gentle and loving it was a rare sight. One that Josie never wanted to forget.
"Sleep tight little magic cub." Hope whispered kissing his forehead before turning to her friends. Who were smiling at her. 'If only I had a camera.' Josie thought the taller girl wished her friend would show this side of herself more often. Maybe then poeple would be more excepting and less afraid of her.
"It's my nickname for him seeing as how he has both the wolf and witch gene." The shorter girl said when Lizzie asked about the pet name. "Who would've guessed that the weakness of the worlds most powerful being isn't a stake or herb but a small child." Josie joked quietly so she wouldn't wake the sleeping boy. Hope rolled her eyes. "I'm perfectly capable of being nice to little kids." She told Lizzie what she would never tell her was for the past three months Hope had cuddled, read bed time stories, and sang her cousin to sleep. And enjoyed it!
She still remembered the night Nik had a nightmare and she'd woken up to him sobbing into a pillow.
***
Flashback
2 months earlier
Hope couldn't sleep despite the fact her broken heart was healed and she was sleeping with no nightmare's she was still restless some nights she spent those nights thinking about her friends and the school. one person occupied her thoughts more then others the girl she'd been having erotic dreams about for a few days she had just woken up from one of these dreams when the sound of Nik sniffling softly filled her ears. Quietly she got up and made her way down the hall to her cousins room.
"Hey buddy what's wrong?" Hope asked softly as she turned the light on it was clear the boy was upset about something. "I have bad dream, you, mommy, ole, aunt becky everyone all gone. I alone " He said as new tears started to fall down his face. "It's okay it was just a dream." Hope said sitting on the bed pulling her cousin into her lap. "Y-you gone Hopey Nik alone I not want be alone!" the boy sobbed softly into Hope's chest As she cradled her cousin. After the sobbing subsided and hope dried her cousins tears. She gently lifted his chin. "Nik I promise I won't ever abandon you." She said with so much conviction in her voice that her cousin couldn't help not believe her.
"Promise?"
"I Pinky promise." Hope said after that she tucked him in and was about to leave when Nik's tiny hand grabbed hers asking her to stay Hope couldn't say no so she lied down next to him and he snuggled into her.
She remembered when she couldn't sleep her mother would sing to her so without even thinking about it Hope started to sing.
When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary; when troubles come and my heart burdened be.
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence, until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; you raise me up, to walk on stormy seas.
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders; you raise me up... To more then I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; you raise me up, to walk on stormy seas.
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders; you raise me up...to more then I can be.
As she finished the song Hope looked at her cousin who had fallen asleep and was snuggled into her. The boy was holding her tightly like she was his life line. Casting a spell to turn the lights out she took one last look at Nik before shutting her eyes and fell to sleep as well.
End
Flashback.
***
Hope came out of the memory and eyed both twins. "To answer your earlier question I'm doing much better and ready to return to school." Hope said smiling at the twins. "So when are you planing on coming back?" Josie asked
"Soon, I just have a few things to do here first." Hope replied.
"Can't wait, good night Hope." Josie said smiling.
"Bye mama wolf see you soon." Lizzie said smirking and the two vanished leaving Hope with her cousin.