CHAPTER 4

　　Nina and I walk into town to meet up with Shadow Crest's local pack members. Although the majority of the group has accepted Nina's half-witch status, a few members remain concerned about her abilities.

　　Mrs Turnpot is squatting in her vegetable garden as we come to a halt at a small picket gate.

　　Nina pokes Mrs Turnpot over the fence and says, 'Hello, Mrs Turnpot.'

　　When Mrs Turnpot notices Nina, she glances up at us and falls back.

　　'Oh!' she trembles and retreats.

　　'Mrs Turnpot, what are you planting today?' Nina is overjoyed.

　　'C-Carrots,' she replies, 'but they haven't been growing.'

　　Nina takes a look around the garden. 'Perhaps I can assist? Revito Sprouto,' she says.

　　Mrs Turnpot's carrots are sprouting and growing right before our eyes.

　　'Thank you, Luna, thank you.   Mrs Turnpot says as she vigorously shakes Nina's hand.

　　'No problem, Mrs Turnpot, I'll see you later,' Nina smiles.

　　We resume walking.

　　'How long have you known that spell?' I enquire.

　　‘A few nights ago. You’re the first to see me cast it.’ She smiles. ‘I’m excited the Midnight Coven will be joining our pack. Imagine all the spells I’ll learn? I can’t wait to see how they make their potions too! And those little pets, they seem to all have one? I must ask them tonight if having a pet is part of being a witch?’

　　'I’m concerned about that snake. I'm shocked the toad and mouse haven't been eaten. I'm curious whether it's been tempted too, though.' I say.

　　'Are you really going to ask them that, Magnus?'

　　‘What? I'm curious,'

　　'Yeah, and you know how curiosity killed the cat?' We both burst out laughing.

　　‘Hey, since we are near the library, I have a surprise,’

　　‘A surprise for me?’ Nina exclaims.

　　'Come on,' I say, taking her hand in mine. I escort her into the library.

　　As we stroll past everyone, we say, 'Hello, good day.'

　　I approach the librarian.

　　'Miss Smith, it's great to see you again. I'd like to borrow the library keys,' She gives me an odd look and takes her keys off her belt.

　　She hands over the keys and adds, 'Sure, Alpha Magnus,'

　　'Thank you,' I say as I recapture Nina's hand, head to the forbidden door, and unlock it.'

　　'Alpha, Magnus, Alpha! You are not permitted to enter.’ Miss Smith expresses her anxiety by saying, ‘No one is allowed in the restricted area,’

　　'I'm the Alpha, Miss Smith. I'm free to do whatever I want, and I'm in charge and responsible for this place,' I explain.

　　She gives me a timid nod and moves back, not daring to look into the forbidden room.

　　I shut the door behind us, and it's as gloomy as it was the last time.

　　'Do you think you could do the honours and provide us with some light so we can see?' I ask Nina.

　　She takes her wand from her pocket and flicks the tip, causing a small flame to appear. Unfortunately, seeing the entire room is not possible.

　　'Illumini!' she exclaims. The flame grows larger, filling the room with light. ‘Wow! This is incredible. I had no idea this room existed.’ She runs her fingers across the spines of the books and exclaims, 'These books must be thousands of years old.'  Then, she sets her wand in an empty candle holder on the vast stone table in the centre of the room.

　　'Surprise,' I say, folding my arms and leaning against the stone wall as she surveys the room. 'I was hoping you'd want to take a look at the books and bring one home to study? Unfortunately, no one has been allowed to access or read these texts because magic has always been prohibited,' I add, endearingly looking at Nina.

　　'Magnus, thank you so much,' she says as she rushes over to me and softly kisses my lips.

　　'You're welcome,' I say, beaming.

　　Nina selects ten books and carries them to the stone table, where she begins scanning them. Finally, she sets aside the sixth book, returns the others, and delivers me the one she desires.

　　I read the title aloud: 'A book of potions.' I smirk and say, 'Why am I not surprised?'

　　Nina laughs and shrugs her shoulders, amused. I return the book to her and then raise the keys. As I remove the key to this room, she keeps an eye on me. There's a slender chain amongst the other miscellaneous stuff on the disorganised stone table. I step behind Nina and hook the chain through the loop at the top of the key. As I carefully wrap it around her neck, she gasps.

　　'This room is now yours, and you can use it whenever you want,'

　　'Magnus, I'm at a loss for words,’

　　'How about you say I love you?' I offer with a chuckle.

　　'Magnus, I love you,' she says as she holds my face in both hands and kisses my lips. She gives a kind smile.

　　She says, 'Dimulous,' while holding her book in one hand and recovering her wand with the other. Her wand goes out, and the room becomes dark once more. We walk out the door, and she reaches down to lock it with the key dangling from her neck.

　　'Magnus, this is incredible. We're forming an alliance with witches. I'm going to join a coven, and I've got my own secret room with all the magic literature I could want,' she exclaims.

　　‘I would do anything for you, Nina. I would give you the whole world if I could. I’d even give you the moon,’ I say, gazing into her beautiful doe eyes.

　　‘Oh, Magnus. To me, you are everything. You are the whole world and the whole moon,’ she whispers.

　　We kiss passionately, only for bystanders in the library to begin clapping and wolf-whistling at us.

　　'Shh, this is a library. Everyone needs to be silent,' Miss Smith scowls at everyone.

　　Before we leave the library, I return the ring of keys to Miss Smith, minus the key to the forbidden room.