Chapter Thirty-Five
โGrandma.โ My dad stood and went to grab her, but she held up her hand.
โIโm not here, boy-o. Not really here. She pulled me to you with that.โ She pointed to the book.
โYour book of shadows. I thought it was lost.โ He turned back to the book and hovered his hands over it.
โIt wasnโt lost, it was hidden.โ She looked over at me and smiled. โIt was found by who it was meant to be found by.โ She walked over and hovered her hands around my fatherโs face, almost cupping it. โIโve missed you. But I canโt stay. Watch out for the darkness.โ
โI love you.โ His whisper was soft.
โAnd I you.โ She leaned down to kiss his forehead, and then she was gone.
He looked over at me, and I could see the devastation there. โYou met her?โ
I nodded. โShe helped me find myself, my inner self, anyway, so that I could find my power. Even then, the Moon Goddess had to give me a push.โ
โYou met the Moon Goddess?โ Ronnie leapt up and rushed over.
โI donโt actually know.โ I lifted a shoulder and looked back at my dad, who nodded.
โWe all do. She is the final push to connect to our power.โ He patted my hair. โItโs why we canโt tell you what will happen, because she will only come when you are ready. And if you knew she would comeโฆโ
โI wouldnโt have tried so hard to connect with my power.โ I finished, and he agreed.
โShe has to allow the power to flow, a final blessing, you might say. But if she doesnโt think you arenโt ready, or trying, she wonโt come.โ He leaned down and kissed me.
โSoโฆโ
โSo she thought you were ready, and able to balance your wolf and power. This time around you are doing everything right.โ
โSo, in my last life, I never shifted because I never balanced out my power and wolves. So this time, Iโll be able to wield my power and shift.โ
โWolves?โ Ronnie whispered.
My eyes widened, and my dad lifted a brow before he answered. โThis time will be completely different. Youโll be able to do everything.โ
My dad ignored my slip-up. You will explain that to me when you can.
โI will.โ I turned back to the book of shadows. โSo you wanted me to do what with the book?โ
My father looked at Ronnie, and he shook his head. โShe lost control when your ghost showed up.โ
โWell, damn.โ He pushed the book to me and looked over my shoulder until he found the page he was looking for. โFocus back on your scent. Itโs changed back, and we need you to learn how to keep it going without focus. Something that happens initially.โ He tapped the page while I relit the candle in my mind.
โCan our wolves wield magic?โ
โWhat do you mean?โ My dadโs finger froze.
โWell, when Iโm in this form, Nix can focus on keeping the power going and let me know when it grows too weak. If she can wield my magic herself as a part of me, then she can keep it going, and I wonโt have to worry about it, even when Iโm asleep.โ I was even better prepared for Megan. โAnd when I actually shifted, I could do the same when she was out.โ
Ronnie smacked my dad on the back of the head. โWhy didnโt you ever think of that?โ
โI donโt know.โ My dad laughed and turned to me. โYes, our wolves can use our magic, as the Moon Goddess blessed us and them. So you are one hundred percent correct. Nix can watch the magic while you are in charge, and you can do the same when she is shifted. Loki has helped me multiple times in my life with my magic.โ He looked at me sheepishly.
But I just smiled. โI had a question. Has a werewolf ever had multiple forms?โ I tossed out the random question as I flipped through the pages of the book of shadows and stopped on one with a picture of a werewolf that was half-shifted.
โThey can. The stronger you are, the more you can hold a partial shift,โ My father shifted his claws and covered his hand in fur, but it stopped midway up his arm. โIf you are thinking about that shiftโฆโ He pointed to the picture. โYou wonโt be able to do that one.โ
โWhy not?โ I was more interested in shifting into Nix and Megan so each would have their freedom.
I donโt need to shift, Amy. Meganโs voice was soft, but I heard the scoff that came from Nix.
Everyone needs their freedom, Megan. Including you. Nix shook herself and nudged her into the clearing with the pot.
โBecauseโฆthat isnโt a werewolf. That is a Lycan.โ My fatherโs answer shook me back to the here and now.