Savior of the Wolves

Jess’s POV continued

I listened to them talk about a supernatural species that had teeth the length of fingers, thin as stalks, and as sharp as knives. Sickly skin with remnants of hair that looked stiff and stringy. A reclusive species that had once lived above ground. They were invisible to humans but not to other supernatural species.

It was rumored that hundreds of years ago they became hungry for power when it seemed to them that they were becoming inferior to the other supernatural beings. The scourges demanded that the witches use black magic to enhance their abilities and when they refused, the witches were turned over to a nearby terrified town, trapped and burned alive. The scourges had terrorized that town and set up the witches. The people of the town believed that their lives depended on the witches’ deaths.

Several entire covens died in the course of three days.

Families of the slaughtered witches formed a new coven. It was bigger than any coven in history, and out of pure rage and revenge for their sisters, they cursed the scourges forever.

The two-part curse started with banishment of living underground as the sun would now permanently blind them. Secondly, they were cursed to “walk the earth as wretched forever.”

The stories tell that the witches, in their despair, performed the black magic in haste. And as with all incomplete black magic, it always has a precarious balance. The two-part curse also had two failures.

The curse for wretched turned to unbridled rage and eternal created their immortality. It took years to also discover that upon each death, they became more grotesque...deformed. So each scourge now looked slightly different...depending on their number of deaths.

And they found the loophole in the curse to remain underground.

They didn’t.

It is believed that their rage led most of them out of their holes not long after their curse. Accepting their fate of blindness.

After the witches sought refuge with stronger species…the scourges vowed to pick them off…one species at a time.

“The wolves are their biggest threat. They want power and have eternity to achieve it. So they have been taking their time. Planning. Perhaps they think they can reverse the curse if the witches are all that’s left,” Odia sighed.

“The magic around Jess is powerful. We must be prepared that they will come tonight.”

I felt sick to my stomach.

I must have looked like I felt as I immediately received a reassuring smile from Emma as she asked what she must’ve known I needed to know. “Would you please explain to Jess, why you suspect they will come, Odia?”

Odia’s eyes went from Emma to me as she visibly took a deep breath, “Scourges can sense black magic as it is embedded in who they are. Because the magic on Jess was locked by death, it took a form of black magic and will be sensed by them. We just don’t know if there are any close by.”

As I stared at the table before me, trying to understand what the hell all of this meant, Sophie grabbed my hand to hold it. And as much as I needed it, I suddenly wanted nothing in this world more than to feel Aiden’s hand instead.

I felt terrified...and he wasn’t there. My thoughts drifted back to the time with him. It was still fresh on my skin. I felt uncontrolled passion and need. I could’ve sworn I felt that his need matched mine. It felt as desperate as mine. Or was I fooling myself? Again. If I mattered to him, he would be here to hear this. My life was on the line here.

Sophie squeezed my hand again to gesture that she was here for me, but it only made me dwell on her brother not being there.

“Where’s your brother,” I whispered.

“I don’t know,” she whispered so softly that I only knew she said it because I read her lips.

Odia kept speaking to the group, “Furthermore, when the spell is unlocked, Jess may need us to protect her for other reasons. The spell’s purpose is unknown to us so we have to let its purpose reveal itself and fulfill or she will be in danger.”

I’m sitting there, staring at these elder faces, seeing their military-like precision in details and instructions on how this would be performed on my behalf. But I had no clue what was happening to me. I hardly knew who I was anymore.

What was I supposed to do? Help? Not help? Run? Stay still?

I absolutely felt helpless. “I don’t know what to do,” I interjected in what I knew sounded like the most defeated voice of all time.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say that first child. There’s nothing for you to do. We just need you to trust us,” Odia smiled. “We have the knowledge, child. You do not. We know what to do and we will instruct you every step of the way. When the magic is unlocked, the spell’s purpose can be revealed. We will then figure that out together. But if the scourges are drawn to you for any reason, we will all protect you as well.”

I was staring at her. Imagining these horrific beings running at me. Their razor teeth opened, lunging for me and I felt sicker than just seconds ago.

Why not leave well enough alone? I lived as a human for this long. I could leave. Spare this family all of this and hide. Why not leave the magic on me. What if somebody was killed tonight...by those creatures...because of me?

The commentary in my mind drowned out the voices in the room and I interrupted unknowingly. “I don’t want to draw them here.” All eyes turned from Odia to me. “I know you’re trying to help me, but can we not leave well enough alone. Leave the magic on me and get me far away from here. Keep the scourges away from all of you...from Sophie,” I finished, looking at my precious new friend. She had been hiding from these creatures for years and they were willing to let a stranger draw these animals straight to her compound.

“It sounds like removing the magic isn’t worth it.”

I knew the answer to my question wouldn’t be a good one as Odia looked to Ethan to get a nod before looking back at me.

“The magic has become unstable child. If it’s not removed...it will kill you.”

Sophie gasped as I sunk back into my chair...feeling utterly defeated.

I was stuck with one option.

I felt like I was going into shock.

“I’ll die.” I stated. I didn’t ask. I knew what I heard the first time.

I suddenly felt like I was in a doctor’s office and had been given grave results. My survival was looking slim. So, why did my heart hurt more from just knowing that the one person I needed right now, wasn’t there.

I have tackled most of my problems by myself, why did I expect that to change here? Because I wanted it so bad?

“I’m ready,” I said, looking only at Odia. I couldn’t stand to look at any of the others to whom I was growing attached. Attachments only hurt.

A single tear fell down my cheek.