The Magic of Hecate
Chapter 32 Chapter 32

A day later,

We arrived safe and sound back in Stella territory. Leo wanted me tostay in the hospital in the Russian pack for longer but I insisted that wemade it back for Silas's birthday. I wasn't willing to miss any more of mychildren's life than I already had. When he was finished with his littlerendezvous with the nurse, Max was also eager to get back to hisfamily- to be specific, his sister.

In the back of the taxi from the airport, he clutched the amulet for thewhole journey.

"Can you stop that?" I asked pushing his jittering knee back down thefloor. "My three year old can sit still longer than you.”

"Sorry," he replied. "I'm just reallyyy excited.”

"I know. So am I," I said softly. "But for the love of God, you're 27! Sitstill!”

Eventually, we pulled up in front of the Triton Megestanis house. Maxraced out the car whilst it was practically still moving whilst I slowlyhobbled out with the help of Leo. My stomach was still sore from thestab and I wasn't exactly feeling strong after my miscarriage either.Before Max could get anywhere near the front door of his old home, itopened and out ran a young, teenaged brunette.

"Max!" she cried running towards him and throwing herself into hisarms. "You're home, you're home, you're home," she sobbed as helifted her off the ground and hugged her so tightly.

Above us, what were cloudy skies, cleared and the sun gleamed downupon the young witch and her long-lost brother. I looked at Leo inamazement and he shared the same shocked expression.

"I've missed you, baby," he whispered in her ear before putting herback down on the floor and crouching down so that his height wasequal to hers. "And you've grown so much!" he added.

"And you've got older,” she replied placing her tiny hand on his cheek."You've grown into a man."

Max smiled and placed his hand on top of hers.

"I have something for you," he said holding out his other hand

"The amulet!? You got it?" she exclaimed.

"You have your Luna to thank for this," he replied lifting the chain overher neck so that the pendant rested on her chest.

"Thank you, Ella," she said stepping towards me.

I smiled with my eyes beginning to well up with happiness.

"My pleasure,” I said opening my arms to hug her.

Despite her gentleness, as she hugged me back I winced from the painof my wound

"Luna, are you in pain?" she asked with a look of genuine concern.

I nodded and lifted my shirt to reveal the bandage on my middle."Just a little stab wound. I'm okay," I replied.

"Can I try something?" she asked looking at the wound and thenclutching the pendant of the amulet with one hand. "I think I can healyou."

I nodded but she then looked over at Leo.

"Alpha?" she said seeking his permission too.

"Of course,” he replied.

She then placed the other hand on the bandage and kept the other onthe amulet as she closed her eyes.

The wind around us picked up again and for a few seconds, the treesblew like crazy. Then everything was calm and my pain vanished. Sheopened her eyes again and I unravelled the bandage to replace no wound,no scar, no evidence of being stabbed at all.

"Milly, you are amazing," I said hugging her tightly. "How did you learnto do that?"

"I don't know. I think the amulet taught me,” she replied.

"What else can you do?" I asked.

She closed her eyes and held the amulet again. A single blue butterflyflew down from the sky and landed on her finger, then another, andanother and another until a hundred butterflies were fluttering aroundus in all their beautiful colours.

I smiled widely as Milly opened her eyes again to admire her work.Surprisingly, Leo's expression was far less impressed. He grabbedMilly's arm and dragged her towards the house. The butterfliesimmediately vanished and my face dropped. Max and I chased after Leoand Milly into the house and into the kitchen.

"Never do anything like that again,” he said sternly to her after sittingher down at the kitchen table. "Do you understand?”

She nodded a terrified look on her face.

"Yes, Alpha. But why?" she asked shakily.

"If anybody else replaces out about you and your abilities, you will bemade a target by both the pack and those outside of it. Whether theyfear your powers or want to use you as a weapon, either way, you donot want to be taken away from your family or hurt, do you? Keep yourmagic practising to your bedroom and keep that necklace hidden.Okay?"

She nodded again.

"Yes, Alpha,” she said bowing her head. "Thank you."

Max placed his hands gently on his sister's shoulders.

"I'l be keeping a close eye on her, Alpha. Do not worry,” he said.

Leo nodded before Max lead Milly out of the kitchen and towards thestairs and we made our way home to our little tribe.

"Mama! Papa!” I heard a little voice cry as we opened the front door toour house. "They're home!"

A few moments later two little boys ran into the hall.

"Mommy, where did you go?” Cato asked as he hugged me tightly."To Russia, sweetie,” I replied looking over to Mathias who was now inthe arms of Leo.

"Why, Mommy?" Mathias asked.

"Well I see that Luca has already got you into your PJs," I began lookingover at Luca who had just come into the hall with Silas in his arms."Maybe if you two are really good when we go to bed, I will tell you allabout it."

They both nodded and ran upstairs.

"And how's my little birthday boy?" I questioned taking my son fromLuca.

"Not little, Mama," he said in his cute toddler voice. "Two tomorrow.""Alright then. My big birthday boy," I said tickling his tummy as hegiggled.

"Can I hear story too?" Silas asked placing his tiny hands on either sideof my face.

"Of course,” I said. "Now go and get ready for bed with your brothers.”"Bye-bye Sila," Luca said before he waved and raced as fast as he couldupstairs.

"Ella, what were you thinking? You could have got yourself killed!" Lucasaid pulling me into a tight hug. "A mountain in Northern Russia? Instorm season? Are you insane?!"

"Still alive, aren't 1?" I pointed out.

“Just,” Leo added.

"I've had the lectures at least twice already.”

"So, so stupid,” He said giving me one final squeeze before releasingme.

"Are the girls asleep?" Leo asked looking at Luca.

"It took about three centuries to get the twins down but yes. They are,”he replied.

"Thank you so much, Luca. I don't know what we would do withoutyou," I said with gratitude.

"Get Luciano to do it probably. You know Alpha, that was a real slap inthe face. I thought I was the chief babysitter but the second Lucianoreturns, you give him my job," Luca said. "I love your babies almost asmuch as you."

My face dropped at the mention of Luciano’s name and the memoriesof what happened just a few days ago came flooding back in.

"That reminds me,” Leo began in a serious tone. "Luca, can you replaceLuciano, drag him to the base prison and make sure he stays there.Don't worry about hurting him in the process because I'll be there inthe morning to painfully murder him."

He looked from Leo to me with a puzzled expression before nodding."Okay," he chirped shrugging his shoulders.

"Okay, boys," I said softly to Cato, Mathias and Silas who were alltucked up in Cato's bed about twenty minutes later. "Are we all ready?”The nodded excitedly and Cato let out a little squeal of joy.

"Sssh,” I hushed. "You don't want to wake your sisters up, do you?"They shook their heads and I began the story.

"Once upon a time, there was a young girl," I began. "She had longdark beautiful hair and big round chocolate-coloured eyes. She wasgood-hearted, kind and sweet. Loved by all that knew her. But she hadone flaw. Just one little crack. She was a witch," I said and all three ofmy sons gasped.

"A witch?!" Mathias exclaimed

"But don't worry. She was a good witch. The kind that wanted to useher powers to help others. Her brothers still had concerned though.They were worried that the rest of the kingdom would fear the youngwitch so they kept her locked up in a tall tower so that nobody ever sawher and nobody ever found out about her magic. The tower was safeand comfortable but so very lonely. She wanted more than anything tobe able to join the other children that she watched from her towerwindow day after day after day. She knew that her brothers cared forher and were only trying to protect their sister from the dangers thatthe world could bring but a part of her longed to see it for herself allthe same.

One day, a great war struck the kingdom and the little witch was forcedfrom her tower to venture into the woods alone...”

Half an hour later the fairy-tale version of the last three years of my lifewas finished and my sons were drifting to sleep. At that point, Leocame into the room. He kissed each other of his sons on the foreheadand whispered a goodnight in their ears before helping me tomanoeuver Mathias and Silas to their separate rooms.

"So if we have reached the end of the fairy tale, is this our happily everafter?" Leo asked as we snuggled up in the warmth of our own bed.

"If it's not, then this isn't the end," I replied softly before kissing him onthe lips. "I guess we will just have to wait and see."