Enchanting Winter
CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Willow had imagined two armies walking towards each other. She had a vision of something akin to Braveheart or even Lord of the Rings. The fight is nothing like Willow could have possibly imagined it is impossible to keep track of where people are or who they are fighting.

A chorus of snarls and growls is paired with sparks and magic off shoots. Lightning and flames spin around through the forest narrowly missing branches and leaves to hit their vampire targets. Willow adds spear-like icicles to the fight.

“Be careful my love.” Cassius’s voice sounds in her head.

You be careful too.

…

Willow wants nothing more than to run the other way the second she walks through the cafeteria doors.

“Is everyone staring at me?” She mutters to Jonathan.

“Yes m’lady.”

Willow rolls her eyes. She had expected school to be tense, after all when is high school not awkward?

Jessica waves and Willow ducks her head as she hurries to Jessica’s table in the centre of the room. The murmurs and whispers around the room seems to get louder as Willow drops into the seat next to Jessica. Thankfully the others at the table ignore her, or at least appear too, as she sits down.

“How was your winter break?” She asks. Willow furrows her brows at Jessica. “Ok, so I know how your break was but how are you?”

Willow sighs. How was she? What a question…

She is still recovering from her broken ribs. Cassius is awol. Willow hasn’t seen him since the fight ended. Nicholas was helping Willow get Luke back to the house when a black blur whizzed passed her leaving only a whisper behind. “Willow, my love.”

“I’m fine.” Willow finally responds.

“Really?” Jessica prods obviously not buying it but the whole cafeteria stops as the doors are forcefully pushed open.

The doors fling back and hit the wall revealing a dishevelled Luke. Spencer hurries over to help him but Luke waves his cousin away. Luke’s eyes meet Willow’s as he hobbles towards her table. Sling on his left arm, moon-boot on his right foot.

“Hey.” Willow kisses his cheek, protocol be damned and the whispering starts all over again. “I thought wolves healed quickly.” Willow teases.

“Turns out when I shift back with broken bones they take longer to heal.”

“Come sit.” Willow grasps Luke’s right hand gently pulling him towards the table.

Looking around, the cafeteria is only really at sixty percent capacity. So many helped in the battle of Winter Grove.

“So, I was wondering what you are doing this weekend?” Willow asks after Luke and Jessica have greeted each other.

“Why?”

“My grandfather has organised for me to go home for the weekend.”

“Winter Grove?”

“Cali.” Willow corrects. “And I want you to come. There are some things I need to clear out of my house plus I haven’t seen my friends in ages.”

“You want me to go to the non-magic realm?”

“Yeah.” Willow shrugs.

“What about your mate?” Luke asks and Willow’s stomach flops and her throat tightens.

Where are you? Willow thinks to herself secretly wishing Cassius is listening.

But just as she expects she gets no response.

“This doesn’t concern Cassius.”

Luke raises his eyebrows at Willow’s snippy tone but doesn’t push it.

“California it is.”

…

The trip back to California is definitely more interesting than her original trip to Winter Grove especially conserving Willow is awake this time.

Jonathan and Anna chatter away at the front of the coach, Nicholas, who insisted on coming along is talking to Luke about something or other but Willow is distracted by the magical landscapes swirling passed her at warp speed. Her mind wanders as she gazes out the window. Willow wishes she could talk to Cassius even if it was on in her mind.

Cassius was so solid before the fight, so set in his ways, so set on Willow but that all seemed to change in a moment.

With the vampire king gone the rest of the vampires fled from Winter Grove but he wasn’t just the vampires’ king, he was Cassius and Nicholas’s father and losing a parent is no cake walk, Willow knows that.

Willow takes a break from staring out the window to glance over at Nicholas. Nicholas looks up from his conversation with Luke.

“Are you alright Lady Willow?” Nicholas asks, concern marring his features.

“I’m fine.” Willow says with a forced smile. “Just thinking.”

“I haven’t heard from him.” Nicholas says. “But he’ll be back, he loves you.”

“Lady Willow, I believe we are nearing our destination.” Jonathan announces.

“Thank you Jonathan.”

Willow looks back out the window just in time to see the San Fransisco Bridge appear out of nowhere.

“Trippy hey?” Luke comments from next to her.

“Very.”

Before the pair can say another word the coach pulls to a stop right in front of Willow’s childhood home. The five of them move from the coach out to the footpath.

“Your house is small.” Nicholas comments.

“I like it.” Anna adds.

Luke takes a deep breath in and his brows furrow.

“What’s wrong Luke?” Willow asks.

“Wolves.” He says his voice almost a growl.

“Here?” Jonathan clarifies.

“There.” Luke points towards Willow’s house.

The front door swings open and a squealing Clare runs and throws herself at Willow.

“I can’t believe you are here.”

Willow hugs Clare tightly but is distracted by Luke growling behind her. The two pull apart and Clare eyes Luke cautiously.

“I see you bought friends.” Clare says taking in the group flanking Willow.

“Yeah.” Willow smiles.

Charlie appear behind Clare.

“Will!” He steps forward to hug Willow and Luke’s growls get more agitated. Willow steps back next to Luke and elbows him.

“Enough! What is your problem?”

“Wolves.” Luke repeats.

“Luke, we have been through his there are no-” Charlie clears his throat cutting Willow off.

“He is talking about us Will.”