VioletMy ears are ringing and I can’t tear my eyes away from Phoenix’s gaze. His eyes move over my face, waiting for my reaction. He’s worried and I am too, because this feels like a trap.I lick over my chapped lips before I ask in a feather-soft voice, “What do you mean my mother is alive?”“Your mom and my mom are hidden in the Black Night Pack. I wasn’t supposed to know about either of them. My dad told us that our mother ran away, but it turns out he kept her hidden from us just to torment her. Your mom… she was or well is, his best kept secret. The only reason I know she’s alive is because Beatrix got attacked. The attackers were after my dad, but when they found his precious little girl that was so vulnerable…” He swallows the lump forming in his throat as he continues, “She was on the verge of death, I remember running behind him as he rushed through the series of locked doors because I refused to let my sister be without me when she was in so much pain. We got where you mom

VioletIt doesn’t take too long to get to Cora’s house. For the most part, the drive was spent in silence, or well not silence, we listened to Charlie’s choice of music the whole drive there. I didn’t mind, he has good taste as we primarily listened to rock, punk rock, and the very occasional country. Honestly, I would’ve listened to songs meant for toddlers if it meant seeing him smile. By the time we get to Cora’s house it’s after lunch time and neither of us have eaten. Cora is out in her garden like she always is at this time and she stands up with a furrowed brow as she watches our car approach. Cora doesn’t get visitors often, and it’s even more rare for them to be in a vehicle. A small part of me feels bad for scaring her, but I was in such a rush to get here I forgot to tell her I was coming. She wipes the dirt from her hands as we park and she asks, “Why’d you come in a car, Vi?”Charlie gets out of the passenger side and she raises an eyebrow in a questioning manner at me

VioletWe had chicken pot pie and brownies that night. The smile on Charlie’s face during dinner and after was perfect. Cora spent so much time giving him one-on-one attention, playing games with him, learning about his interests, and I realize this is exactly how she treated me when my parents were taken and I thought they were dead.She tried to keep my mind busy, focused on the things that made me happy, and was always ready to be there as my shoulder to cry one. I appreciate her more than she’ll ever know.But today is a different day. Today, she is focusing on making as many potions as she can for us that she thinks will come in handy and making different elixirs and things that we’ll be able to keep hidden on us.I find it fascinating, but I notice Charlie has trouble keeping up with what she’s doing. Cora seems to notice this as well so she begins to talk to us while she works. She says, “Do the two of you know much about Xavier Black?”Charlie shakes his head no, “I know he’s

VioletI fall to my knees in front of Magnolia. She’s having a panic attack, I know these all too well, unfortunately. I gently touch her face and then pull her head up to look at me. She keeps trying to resist and her eyes meet mine, wide and panicked.I wrap my arms around her and pull her into a hug as I say in as soothing of a voice that I can muster, “It’s okay, Magnolia. You’re not alone. I’m here. Just breathe, in and out. It will pass. Just focus on your breaths.”It takes awhile for her to follow my lead, but eventually she does, but her body continues to convulse from her sobs. As I guide her through her panic I can’t help but be aware of everyone around us that are frozen as they watch us. Finally, Magnolia’s shoulders release the tension she was carrying. Magnolia’s voice breaks and in between sobs she tells me, “I’m sorry. I’m-I’m s-so sorry.”I move my finger through her hair, brushing it behind her ear and I tell her, “You have nothing to be sorry for.”My eyes flicker

VioletI left Phoenix shortly after he rejected me. He’s right, we have an agreement. But it doesn’t stop the ache in my heart. It doesn’t stop my wolf, Selene, from crying in the back of my mind. Mourning the fact that the moon goddess destined us to be with someone so broken, someone that’s cursed, someone that will never accept us.I try to convince her that it’s for the best. But my words fall on deaf ears, she doesn’t want to hear me.I climb back into my room and my eyes widen when I see Magnolia sitting on my bed reading a book. Her jade green eyes meet mine, she raises one eyebrow as she looks at me and tilts her head to the side as she asks, “Where the hell have you been?”I take slow breathes, trying to calm my racing heart and I evade her question, “What are you doing in my room at this time?”Out of anyone that would uncover the fact I’ve been sneaking out regularly, I never guessed that it would be Magnolia. She shrugs her shoulders as she answers me, “Charlie fell asleep