Grace

Owen's growls so loudly behind me that I feel the ground shake under my feet, the vibrations reverberating through my body as fear sets deep into my bones. His arms tighten around me as he pulls me closer into him, trying to protect me. The thought warms my heart, but I know this is one instance where I will need the one to protect him.

"You will not touch a hair on her fucking head." He snarls at my mother and she scoffs at him while rolling her eyes.

"What exactly is your relationship with this dog?" My mother asks and Owen snarls again, but I pat his hands to calm him down. If he attacks, she won't waste a moment killing him. As scary as it is to think, the safest place for him right now is behind me.

"He's my mate." I say proudly, holding my chin high. She groans in annoyance and puts her hand to her forehead, shaking it in disappointment.

"Have I taught you nothing, Grace? Attachments like this make you weak." She spits and I recoil at her insinuation.

"Loving people doesn't make me weak, mother! The people in my life make me stronger. A better person. They keep me grounded, remind me of who I am. Who I really am. Not who you forced me to be." I state strongly and I can see her patience waning.

"Grace don't be ridiculous. I can kill the dog, break the bond and you can come with me." She says as if I just won the fucking lottery.

"If there is so much as a scratch on my mate when you leave this pack I won't stop burning down everything you've built until the day I die." My voice comes out in a deadly whisper that I didn't even know I was capable of and my mother takes a surprised step back. Owen's wolf let's out a pleased rumble as he tightens his grasp on me again, obviously pleased with the display his mate is putting on to protect him.

"I know we've had our differences, but I am your mother. That should count for something." She implores me and I scoff.

"You're a pathetic excuse for a mother. In fact, I'm not even going to give you the respect of calling you that anymore. You are Elena from now on." I spit and her mouth curls into a disgusted scowl.

"I'm done with the patronizing pleasantries. I think we both know your best option is to rejoin the coven. You will hold a position of prestige and will be treated with respect. You can also meet your sister." She says with a cruel smile and I freeze at her words.

"My... sister?" I ask dumbfounded and she nods, lifting her hand to look at her nails as if she has no other care in the world.

"When it was obvious you had failed me I needed another protege. I birthed her not long after your departure." She says and my hand grips my chest at the pain coursing through me.

"I have a little sister?" I clarify and she rolls her eyes at me.

"Yes. Her name is Cora." She says and I stifle tears from flowing.

"I have a little sister that I've never met. All this time wasted. The memories I could never get back." I scowl at my mother, disgusted with her, that she kept this from me. I had begged for years for a sibling and she always turned up her nose in disgust at my pleas. She knew this was her best bargaining chip, the easiest way to get me to comply. But she didn't factor in Owen.

He means so much more to me.

The person standing in front of me doesn't even look like the same woman that I always called my mother. The dark magic she uses to keep her alive long past her time has warped her features, creating something unsightly and nearly not human. The fact that she could find a man to sleep with her horrifies me. Unless she used a spell to force him. That seems more Elena's style.

"How old is she?" I inquire and Elena shrugs.

"I'm not sure. The years all blend when you get to be as old as me, but she talks and uses the bathroom so a few years I would assume." She says and I'm horrified by her. She doesn't even know how old her own child is. I feel a flash of sadness from Owen, surely realizing that this is how my own childhood went. But I don't want or need pity. I turned out the way I am despite my childhood, not as a result of it.

We need to find her, Owen. I mind link him. His hands around me tighten and I feel a subtle nod against my head.

We will. But we need to deal with this bitch first. He says and I nearly laugh at the absurdity of this situation.

"Well, Grace. What's it going to be? Your family or... this." She says, motioning around the pack, her nose pinched in revulsion. I chuckle a little before the laughter truly takes over, rolling waves escaping me as I bend over, clutching my stomach as tears pour down my face.

"What are you laughing about?" Elena asks and I take a few deep breaths, wiping the moisture from my face.

"The fact that you referred to the coven as my family. Yes, Elena. I will choose my family. The ones that have been there for me during hard times and good times. The ones that have laughed with me, held my hand when I was scared, picked me up when I needed them, protected me and loved me. I choose my family. I choose Owen. I choose Liam and Gavin. I choose this pack that I have sworn to protect. And I will protect them Elena. I will protect them from you and every other threat that dares to show themselves. I will die to protect them if I must." I say, my face as hard as my resolve.

She must sense my certainty, my defiance as her face contorts to an ugly scowl. Owen moves to put me behind him, but I stay firm. I know my mother is more powerful than me, but I have a better chance than Owen at defeating her.

And it's clear she won't leave without a fight.

"Well, I don't mind taking you against your will. Holding you hostage until I can break that spirit of yours. I didn't spend the last month hunting you down just to kill you, but if I need to do so to your dog and his pack? Well, I have no issues with that."

A cruel smile curls onto her face and she waves her hands in the air. The storm clouds regather above her and I take a defensive stance. Luckily protection charms were some of the only things I've practiced all these years because I am going to need them.

"Can't you freeze her?" Owen yells over the whipping of the wind.

"Active powers don't work on fellow witches. Only spells and charms!" I shout back.

"Fuck!" He screams and I nearly huff out a laugh.

Fuck indeed.

The wind pulls a tree up out of the ground and it barrels straight towards us. I blast it into wood chips while Owen's arms go around me to protect me.

"Get in the house!" I yell at him and he shakes his head firmly.

"Fuck no! I'm not leaving you out here by yourself!" He screams and I practically growl myself.

"I can't focus if I'm worried about you!" I shout, muttering protective charms under my breath as Elena flings a bench at me.

If she fucks up that gazebo I'm going to be pissed.

The bench bounces off of the protective barrier and Owen snarls from behind me. I see Liam from the corner of my eye try to sneak up behind her, but she sees him at the last minute and flings him back. I hear Gavin's distressed cry, but redouble my efforts.

"You need to go on the offense, Grace! If you just keep blocking her attacks she'll tire you out!" Owen yells in my ear.

I nod, knowing he's right. I know I need to attack her. I know she needs to die because if she doesn't, she will never give up. My heart pounds painfully in my chest at the thought of destroying my own mother, years of brain washing flood through me and I work hard to beat back the intrusive thoughts. I need to do this to protect my pack and my mate. I need to do this so I can find my sister and protect her from the horrors of growing up in a coven only obsessed with destroying anything in it's path.

But to do it I will need to tap into dark magic and I can't help but be afraid at how much it will cost me.