Chapter 1 Chapter 1

Gwen’s POV

You burned down the east wing, Guinevere, the entire east wing."

Sister Helena's voice rang through the temple courtyard. I kept my eyes on the ground, watching my bare toes curl against the cold stone. Fifty witches stood in a circle around me, I could feel their stares like needles on my skin.

"I did not mean to," I whispered.

"You never mean to," Sister Helena snapped. Yet somehow, destruction follows you everywhere. Tell me, child, what were you attempting this time?"

"A candle lighting spell, Just a simple flame. That is all I wanted."

"A simple flame," she repeated "And instead you created an inferno that nearly killed three of our sisters."

I nodded, still not looking up. My throat felt tight, ‘do not cry’ I told myself.

"Look at me when I am speaking to you."

I lifted my head slowly. Sister Helena stood with her arms crossed, her gray hair was pulled back so tight it made her face look like a skull. Behind her, the other witches whispered.

"How old are you now?"

"Seventeen, Sister."

"Seventeen years this girl has been among us, and what do we have to show for it? Nothing but broken windows, scorched walls, and constant danger to this coven."

"I am trying," I said

"I practice every day, I read the books, I say the words exactly right, but something inside me does not listen."

"Magic does not have a mind of its own," another witch called out. "Only weak witches cannot control their power"

My hands started to shake "I am not weak"

"Then prove it," Sister Helena said "Right now. Light a candle, Just one."

A white candle was brought and placed on a stone pedestal in front of me, I took a deep breath and held my hands over the candle "Ignis luceat"

Nothing happened

"Louder," Sister Helena commanded

"Ignis luceat! Ignis luceat!"

The hot feeling in my chest exploded outward. The candle did not light. Instead, every torch on the walls erupted into massive flames. The windows rattled, cracks appeared in the stone beneath my feet, several witches screamed and threw up protective shields.

"Stop! Control it, girl!"

But I could not. The power just kept coming, pouring out of me like water from a broken dam. My vision started to blur.

High Priestess Zara appeared. She raised both hands and spoke in the old language, I felt something wrap around my magic like iron chains. It squeezed tighter until the power was forced back down

"Enough! This has gone on long enough."

"Please, High Priestess," I begged, "Give me one more chance, I will do better."

She turned to face the crowd "The council will convene immediately. All sisters are required to attend"

Two young witches helped me up and led me to the council chamber

The council chamber was a large circular room. Twelve high backed chairs sat in a semicircle. Zara sat in the center chair, elevated above the others

I stood in the middle of the circle

"Guinevere of the Louisiana bloodline," Zara's voice echoed. "You stand accused of dangerous and uncontrolled magic, repeated destruction of coven property, endangering the lives of your sisters, how do you answer?"

"Guilty," I whispered.

"Speak up, child."

"Guilty! I am guilty of all of it, but I am trying to learn.Please, just give me more time"

"More time?" Sister Helena stood up "You have had seventeen years. How much more time do you need?"

"I do not know. But I know I can learn if someone will just teach me properly"

"Your magic does not work right because you are defective," another council member said "Some witches are simply born wrong"

"I am not defective"

"Then explain to us," Zara said, leaning forward, "why Louisiana's daughter, the child of our most powerful witch, cannot perform a basic candle lighting spell."

"My mother is dead," I said, the hot feeling was building again "She died when I was two years old, I barely remember her. How am I supposed to live up to someone I never knew?"

"Your mother died fighting werewolves. She and your father both fell because they were not strong enough, Is that what you want? To be weak like them?"

"They were not weak!" The words burst out "They were brave, they fought to protect this coven, you have no right to call them weak"

The air in the room felt heavy, the candles flickered, I felt power rushing up from deep inside me

"Control yourself, Guinevere," Zara said, but there was something in her voice, like this was exactly what she wanted

"I am trying, Please, help me"

"Some things cannot be taught. Some people are simply not meant to have power"

Something inside me snapped. The power exploded outward in a massive wave, every candle burst into flames, the windows shattered, the stone floor cracked, the council members screamed and threw up protective barriers.

Zara stood up, she raised both arms and began chanting in the old language. The other council members joined her.

I felt their magic reaching toward me, wrapping around me, squeezing. It found the source of my power and started pulling. I screamed. It felt like someone was ripping out my heart.

The hot feeling started to fade. It got colder and colder, my power fought back but the chanting was too strong.

Then, with one final pull, my power was ripped away completely.

I collapsed on the cracked floor. Everything inside me felt empty and dead.

The chanting stopped.

"It is done," Zara announced. "Gwen is no longer a witch. She has no power. She is nothing but human now."

"What happens to her?"

"She is banished from this coven. Guards, take her to the Forbidden Woods and leave her there."

"But that is werewolf territory. She will be killed."

"That is no longer our concern. She brought this on herself, "Let the wolves have her."

"Please," I begged, looking at Zara. "You are my aunt, how can you do this to me?"

"Your mother was weak and died because of it. I will not let her weakness infect this coven. Take her away."

The guards dragged me out. I tried to struggle but my body would not obey.

We left the temple and entered the forest. The trees grew thicker. Strange sounds came from the shadows, my heart pounded harder.

Finally, the guards stopped in a small clearing.

"This is far enough," one said.

They released me, I fell to my knees. "Please do not leave me here. I will die."

"That is the point"

"But why? What did I do that was so terrible?"

"Sometimes the best is not good enough. Goodbye, girl."

They walked away, their footsteps got quieter until I could not hear them anymore.

A howl echoed close through the trees.

More howls answered. They were all around me. I could hear things moving through the bushes. Heavy footsteps.

Yellow eyes appeared in the darkness. Then more eyes. At least five sets. They moved closer, huge creatures with dark fur and teeth as long as my fingers.

"Please," I whispered, "Please just make it quick."

The largest wolf stepped forward,It growled low. It opened its mouth wide and lunged at me.

I closed my eyes and waited for death.

But instead of teeth, I heard a tremendous crash. A roar that shook the trees. My eyes snapped open.

Another wolf had appeared. This one was different, Larger, Its fur was silver, almost glowing. It had crashed into the black wolf, sending both creatures tumbling.

The silver wolf recovered first. It planted itself between me and the other wolves.

Then the black wolf lunged again.

The silver wolf met it head on, teeth snapped, Claws raked, The silver wolf was faster. It caught the black wolf on the shoulder.

The black wolf yelped and jumped back. The other wolves moved closer, surrounding the silver wolf.

The silver wolf moved with incredible speed. It caught one by the throat and threw it away. That wolf did not get up.

Two more attacked. The silver wolf fought both at once, there was a sharp yelp as one wolf's leg broke. The others backed away, limping.

The silver wolf turned to look at me. Its eyes were not yellow. They were blue. Deep, clear blue.

The wolf's body began to change, bones cracked, fur disappeared. In less than a minute, a man stood where the wolf had been.

He was tall with broad shoulders and dark hair. Those same blue eyes stared at me.

He took a step toward me, then another. I wanted to run but my body would not move.

He knelt down in front of me. Up close, I could see his face clearly, with a strong jaw and a small scar above his left eyebrow

"You," he said softly. His voice was deep and warm. "You are my mate."

That was the last thing I heard before everything went black.