38
NIRVANA
“So you’re leaving tonight? That can’t wait until morning.” I was still not ready for Ambrose to go. I still had a lot of unanswered questions, and I wanted to get to know him.
“I can’t stay, young one. You have Zarah to guide you and answer your questions.”
I sighed. “Thank you for everything. For giving me back my life.”
“You earn it. As they say, you only live once, but be careful out there.”
I smiled and found myself hugging him. “You too, take care.”
“How do you go from here?” Knight asked.
“I can send you wherever you go,” McKaye volunteered.
“I appreciated the offer, but I can take it from here.” He stepped out of the house with his cane until I watched him disappear into the dark.
Once he was gone, I felt suddenly sad. We went back inside in the living room.
“I have to go, too,” Shadow said. “I may not be able to heal you, but I’m glad you trust me enough.”
“Are you kidding me? You, being here is enough for me. I’m eternally grateful.” I hugged her. “I’ll see you soon.”
“I’ll be staying here for a while,” Zarah told Shadow. “I wanna make sure she’s healing well.”
“All right. I’ll tell my father.”
“Thank you, princess.” Knight shook her hand. “See you soon.”
“Guys, see you later.”
We waved goodbye. “See you.”
“Why is she going inside instead of going to the door?” West asked. “Is there a secret exit or something?
Zarah created the portal before Shadow. McKaye, Zander, and the twins yelped in surprise.
“Whoa.” McKaye had eyes bigger than those saucers. “Is that?”
Shadow walked in, and the portal disappeared before us.
“Grandpa, stay with us as long as you want.”
“I will, honey. I want to make sure there’s no side effect of what Ambrose did to you. Are you feeling something different?”
“Like not me or a knot in my stomach?” I shook my head. “I feel the same, the annoying Vana before that asshole hit me with his magic ugly finger. A little bit overwhelmed, but I feel like I’m not growing fangs or flying in a broomstick anytime soon.”
“Where’s your necklace?” Zarah asked.
My hand instantly went to my neck. “When I tried to run away from that ugly evil warlock, the first thing he did was pull that away from my neck, and I couldn’t move. My legs weighed tons. He said, do you think a little trinket from a witch can save you from what I’m about to do?”
“He’ll pay for what he did to you, Vana.” Kailin hugged me tight. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“Me too. That poison hurt a lot, like, it freaking hurt.” I couldn’t describe what it felt like.
“I want to sit with Nirvana and meditate for a while, Alpha,” Zarah said, asking Knight for permission even if she didn’t have to.
“Of course. Whatever you want.”
“Are you up for a meditation?” she asked me, holding my hand.
I sucked a breath. My eyes grew wide as our hands touched.
“What happened? Are you okay? Did you see something?” she asked me urgently.
“Nirvana, what did you see?” Knight came and held my arm. “Are you okay?”
I looked at them one by one. My grandpa looked shocked and confused. Then I grinned at them. “You should have seen your faces.” I laughed out loud as they sighed in unison.
“That’s not funny, Vana. You’ve put us in so many emotions today. I think that’s enough of a joke for today.” Kailin groaned.
“Don’t do that,” Zarah said, unimpressed.
“Guys, please, chill. I’m okay.”
North blew a breath. “I bought it. You, too, Zander.”
“Yeah.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I really thought it was real. She got a gift from the master warlock.”
“You need to get some rest, Case. Get the room you want. Let me know if you need anything.”
“How about us, Alpha?” North asked.
“Stay here. Where’s Luka?”
“He went back to the pack house to inform our enforcers to watch the perimeters.”
“Thanks, Mac.” He patted McKaye’s shoulder.
“Let’s go, young woman.”
“Where do you wanna do it?”
“A peaceful and clean room. Somewhere is not contaminated.”
“My home office. Follow me.”
“Are you sure it’s not contaminated?” I asked him meaningfully.
“I didn’t drink, have sex, jerk off, or do drugs in there, Nirvana. If that’s what you mean.”
“You don’t wanna rest?”
“How about you?” I asked Zarah back.
“I’m good.”
Knight unlocked his office with codes and ushered us inside.
“Yes. I can feel the positive energy around here.” She turned to Knight. “Leave us alone. No knocking, okay? Wait until we’re done. It won’t take long.”
“Take your time.” He shut the door behind us.
“Sit in the center, Indian style. Tell me if you’re comfortable.”
I did as she told me to. The office was big, fully carpeted, with floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with hardbound books. The desk was made of dark hardwood. I saw a family picture hanging on the wall and a picture framed on his desk. It intrigued me to know who was in it-probably his parents.
“Okay, young woman. You’ve gone through a lot today.” She sat across mine and placed her hands on her knees. “I know it’s hard, but I want you to clear your head. Just do deep breaths, breathe from your nose, exhale through your mouth.”
I did deep breathing as I closed my eyes.
“You can think about anything later. Right now, focus on your breathing.”
“It smells expensive around here.”
“Nirvana, focus,” she said with a groan.
“Yeah, right.” I did as she asked. I finally felt relaxed and could sense the air on my skin and hear my heartbeat. I heard Zarah’s heartbeat, too. I smelled the musk in the room and tasted the bitterness of thirst in my mouth. I felt the carpet under my feet and felt like I was not in the room anymore.
I yelped. My eyes went wide. My heart pounded frantically in my chest.
“What happened?”
I stared at Zarah for seconds because I didn’t know how to explain it. “I don’t exactly know.”
“Close your eyes and focus.”
“Okay.” I took deep breaths and let it go through my mouth. I suddenly saw flowers in the pot. I felt it against my fingertips, the fresh air against my skin. I was about to touch another flower- a hydrangea, but I was back in the room.
“Zarah!” I fell, landing on my back, reaching for her hand.
“What the hell?”
“Ouch.” I rubbed my spine, wincing in pain. “What the hell was that?”
Zarah laughed, shaking her head. I’d never seen her laugh, but she was so beautiful and young.
“I was here sitting. The next second, I saw flowers in the pot. I don’t know the name of the small red flowers. Then I was about to touch a hydrangea, and I was back in the room, falling on my ass, Zarah. What the hell was that?”
“Don’t ask me. You did it yourself,” she said proudly. It was shown all over her face.
My eyes grew even wider. “You’re kidding. What kind of spell is that?”
“The curse is broken. I think you start to manifest your gift.”
“What? Are you certain? But Ambrose said I don’t have a gift.”
“I think I am. You’re not a seer, and I couldn’t sense dark magic in you. You’re clean as a whistle, but be careful. We need to measure the extent of your gift. I’m not entirely sure if it’s teleportation or just your mind jumping into a place you’ve been there before.”NôvelDrama.Org owns © this.
“I didn’t see that pots of flowers before. I don’t think it’s in the foyer.”
“Okay, that’s enough for today. Let’s keep this a secret until we figure out your true gift. I know you can’t keep a secret from Knight, but that’s all. You can’t tell anyone. You’ve seen what happened when someone touched your mark.”
“One question. Am I a werewolf?”
“I can’t sense it, and you don’t smell like one, but try talking to your wolf. She’s in there if you are.”
“How?”
Talk to her in your head.
I closed my eyes.
“You don’t have to close your eyes.” She chuckled.
“Are you there, wolfy?” I inwardly said until I was disappointed. “Nada.”
“Maybe it’s too soon, or you remain human, but give it time. You just recovered from the tremendous unthinkable life-altering events of your life.”
“Yeah. You’re right.” I sighed in relief.
“Let’s get out of here.”
We barely reached the living room. They all stood up with excitement in their eyes.
“So?” Kailin was the first one to ask.
“I’m free from dark magic. So, I’m good to drink a wine.”
They all laughed except Knight.
“What?”
He came and pulled me into a tighter hug, kissing my head. “I thought I couldn’t hug you like this again.”
“Me, too.”
“Okay, guys. Stop staring at them. It’s getting creepy.”
“I prepared a room for you upstairs, Zarah.”
“Thank you. I’ll stay until morning.”
“Why can’t you stay for a few days?” I asked her.
“I have work at home.”
“And a Lycan King.” I smiled when she smiled.
“I’m hungry,” West said.
“I could eat.”
“I’ll go buy some food,” McKaye said.
“I’ll go with you,” West suggested.
“I’d love some pizza.”
“I was about to say the same thing, Grandpa.”
“I happen to know a nice pizzeria in town,” West said, rubbing his abdomen.
“I’ll go upstairs and call Sebastien. Call me when the food arrives.” Zarah went upstairs.
“I need a drink.” Kailin got up.
“Are you settling in good, Grandpa?”
“Don’t worry about me, honey.” Knight must have lent him some clothes. He changed into comfy sweatpants and a T-shirt.
I looked up at Knight. “Do you have hydrangea in the garden?”
“White. Yeah. Why?” The way his brows furrowed, his brain must have been reeling with questions.
“I wanna see it.”
“Okay. Let’s go through the back door. We didn’t get a chance to tour in that area.”
“I know.” We went through the door from the kitchen to the stone paths. The grass was beautiful. “This is real grass.”
“Yes. How was your meditation with Zarah?”
“It was great.” My heart skipped a beat as I saw the same plot of red flowers. “What is its name?”
“Geranium, I think. That’s the hydrangea.” He pointed at the plant with big white flowers covering the area.
I was just standing where I was, in the same position. I noticed I was holding the Geranium against my fingers.
“You okay?”
“Yes.” I grinned. “I’m great.”