CHAPTER 101 BOOK 1

Miranda POV

I felt different. More different than before. I sat there by myself, but could still hear Brent in the room that was next to ours, but connected by a swinging door. It looked more like a separate living space where we could hang out and be ourselves with couches and chairs, a huge television with different gaming consoles. I tried not to listen in on his conversation, but I couldn't help it. My hearing was just that good, even if he was trying to keep it hushed. I heard everything and even part of her end of the conversation.

"You didn't see it. Her body was floating and covered in flames. It was like she was locked in a trance of some sort, fighting herself to wake up." Brent continued, "When can you be here? Please tell me soon?"

The female voice on the other end spoke in a serious tone, "Calm down, you are panicking and that isn't going to do anything but scare her. Chill, I will be up in a few minutes. Have you spoken with Queen Avalynn yet?"

I smiled a nervous smile as I looked at my hands, rubbing them together. The way he looked at me did scare me a bit. I didn't even realize I was completely engulfed in full flames until he rushed to get the big mirror that was in the closet so I could see myself. I knew I was floating and felt like I didn't want to wake up. Apparently, it was difficult to do so. He was pacing the room for minutes and was asking me how I had managed to do such a thing. I didn't know anything, so he picked up his phone and walked into the other room. At least Avalynn will be there with me, to help me with this process. He could have had a conversation with me, I was the one on fire after all. I let out an annoyed sigh.

The door swung open and Brent walked into the room. I had heard him coming but still jumped at the door swinging opening. "Sorry, love." Brent smiled at me. He took a few steps towards me and stopped at arms-length. "So you don't know how you did that?"

I shook my head and looked at the floor. Tears began to sting my eyes and one escaped rolling slowly down my cheek. "No, I don't know how. Are you afraid of me?" I looked back up at him, uncertainty in my eyes.

When my eyes locked with his, I saw the flash of emotions cross his face, scared and seriousness moved to sadness. He was feeling my pain. He stepped forward as his hands rested on either side of my cheeks, his thumb brushing the single tear away from my face. "I am not afraid of you. Did it startle me and cause me to panic? Yes, maybe slightly." I raised a brow at him. "Okay, maybe a lot. But, to be perfectly honest, it is not every day you wake up to your mate floating above your head engulfed in flames." He chuckled and I smiled.

"Yeah, I would have probably freaked out completely too. Probably more than what you did. What was weird though, is how I didn't even realize it until you brought that mirror out." I shrugged my shoulders.

He moved to sit next to me on the bed. He pulled my body close to him. I leaned into him, letting him hold me tight. My head moved to lay against his shoulder. I felt his lips press into the top of my head, causing me to smile. I closed my eyes and thought about how I made that happen. Maybe my Lycan would know? I felt myself zoning out, leaving everyone behind. I could hear everyone around me, but I got lost in talking with Seraphine. I felt people touch my arm, trying to get me to, but I was too lost in our conversation.

"I do." She smiled at me.

"How?" I asked Seraphine.

"It's just when your transition was fully completed, that was the final phase. We will be extremely powerful and dangerous to cross." Seraphine's voice was flat and serious as she spoke to me. "If we give into our darkness, we will be lost. You must remember the truth that lies within your heart when you use your magic. If you give into your emotions, you could lose yourself and leave a path of destruction in your wake."

"Really? I could be that destructive?" I frowned. This content © 2024 .

"Miranda? Hello? We need to talk about what you're going through." The voice was muffled, but I could tell it was Brent's.

"They want to talk to you. You should get back out there." Seraphine moved further away in my mind.

"Wait, stay. I am not ready." I told her.

"Okay. Yes, you can be that destructive. You can destroy an entire village, clan, hell Miranda, even a small human city, if you aren't careful." She sighed.

"But how do I not give into my emotions or urges when fighting? That seems like that would be rather difficult." I wondered how bad it could really be.

"It could be dangerous for both sides. You could wipe out your own people. You must learn to control yourself, keep an even mind, and focus all of that energy for the good of your people. Never give into your emotions unless you want everyone around you dead. You must go, they're getting worried. Take it slow and practice constantly. Be consistent. If you find something that works, keeps you calm and grounded, go with it. You got this. I believe in you, in us." She smiled and retreated back.

My eyes rapidly blinked as I focused back in on what was going on around me. I looked and Brent was now standing in front of me. I was no longer sitting on the bed but in one of our chairs. Avalynn and

Melissa were sitting on the couch opposite of me, chatting. My eyes moved and saw that Brent and Everest were standing on the other side of the room discussing plans.

"Hello, everyone." I watched as all four heads snapped at my voice. "Sorry about that, I was talking with my Lycan about what happened this morning." I gave a small smile.

"What did she tell you?" Melissa asked curiously. I knew that she probably had an estimated guess, that was probably correct, but I let them all know. I told them exactly what Seraphine told me. I watched their facial expressions and waited for their reply.

Brent was first, "How do you control it?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "I don't really know yet. I am unsure if I can call on it the way I could call on my magic before. I don't want to do it inside. I want to do it outside in a huge open field." My eyes cut over to Avalynn.

"I wonder if you would be able to picture it as a color? It's obviously fire, so maybe you can see it as an orange tether?" She was thinking out loud.

"Maybe," I said.

"Yes." Seraphine piped up in my mind.

"Yes." I changed my answer quickly and Melissa smiled.

"So you use pyroknesis?" Melissa asked and I nodded my head. "Fascinating, beautiful, and dangerous. We must get to work right away." Melissa stood ready to get started.

"Now?" I asked, slightly confused.

"Yes, right now. You need a lesson in calling and control before the crowning ceremony and ball tonight. You don't want to accidently call on your magic and blow up the castle with everyone inside, do you?" Melissa let out a soft laugh.

"Fuuuck." I breathed with a long sigh. She was right. I had forgotten all about the crowning ceremony and ball this afternoon. I am absolutely horrible. Damn it. "It's fine, it's fine." I reassured myself and everyone else in the room, mainly Brent.

"Look, don't stress it. I know that it is super formal but we will have you back by three at the latest. That should be enough time, yes?" Melissa's head c****d to the side.

"That should be plenty of time." Avalynn answered for me. I was glad because I honestly had no clue. "I got ready for mine, hair and make-up in like two hours. The crowning ceremony is at six. That is more than enough time with an hour to spare." She gave me a reassuring smile.

"Okay. Alright, alright, alright!" I stood up. "Let's get to moving. Time is precious and we are wasting it."

We all walked out of mine and Brent's room. We made our way outside with a few trusted warriors to stand guard and keep an eye out. We had to be extra careful because the field we were making our way to was a few miles outside the safety of the castle walls. We shifted and, surprisingly, it didn't take me too long to shift. I watched Melissa climbing onto the back of one of the warriors and we walked outside the gate. We waited for the gate to fully close and took off down the road. We found a path to the right side of the road and cut down it, getting off the road and out of plain sight.

I watched behind Seraphine's eyes as she ran quickly and was truly suprised at how quiet all of our movements were. Our agility at such a fast speed was amazing to bear witness to. I am sure we were barely able to be seen by the human eye. Humans, if in the woods, would probably never truly see us. The wind that blew their way would just seem like a big gust more than likely. We reached the field in no time.

Time seemed to slowly tick by. I was frustrated but I tried my best to not be. Melissa and Avalynn banded together and used their magic to put me in a forcefield bubble when my emotions ran rampant. It was hard controlling them now that I had Lycan's blood. I realized I was much more hot-headed than before. I sat on the grass in the middle of the field and laid back. I mentally felt drained. We had been out here for two hours and I couldn't call upon my magic. So being frustrated was only the tip of the iceberg.

"It's going to be okay." Avalynn's voice was soft and reassuring.

"I just don't understand. I just can't connect." I complained.

"Have you tried to picture a use for it?" Melissa asked me.

"What do you mean?" I looked over at her.

"Like you're in danger? A loved one is in danger?" Melissa said flatly.

"Oh, no. Maybe I should try that." I pushed myself up into a sitting position.

"Come on, let's try it." Melissa outstretched her arm, offering me a hand. I took it and stood up.

I closed my eyes and tried to visualize the worst possible thing that could ever happen. I saw our home being attacked by siblings. They were tearing everything apart along with a band of minions. They had captured Cassie and Brent. They had Brent under a spell, chained in his Lycan form, with a silver muzzle around his head. Cassie laid there, with a wound. She was dying as they tortured her. Blood was spewing from her wounds.

"Holy shit." I heard someone whisper.

"Put it up, put it up!" I heard another panic-sounding voice.

I saw the tether now. It was a neon orange. It came to me happily. It danced with twists and turns with loops as it floated towards me. It wrapped itself all around my body. Like someone pinched me, I felt I was now one with the tether as it buried inside of me. I could see it, within me. Just like another vein in my body. It was magnificent. I felt the power it held. The danger that was inside of me now. I could take out a coven who had done me wrong in the past. So many people I could hurt. My vengeance on the siblings would be easy. I could do it for Avalynn. I could do it for myself. Our family was torn apart because of them. We could get even.

I felt the flames ignite, but they weren't hot. Not to me anyway. It felt like when you walked in front of a high-powered fan in the heat of summer. Nice and cool feeling. My skin tingled at the sensation it gave me. It was an inebriating feeling.

"Miranda,you have got to control what you are feeling! Do not lose yourself to this power, this feeling.. I know it is intoxicating!" Avalynn called out to me.

My eyes opened and I saw nothing around me but flames. I had done it, maybe over done it, but I was now connected with my power. I took a deep breath to clear my mind and the flames pulled back. I could see the tether and I reeled it back in. I moved so it was only with my hands and I smiled as I moved a fireball from one hand to another.

"Good work, now release the magic." Melissa instructed me and I did as she asked of me.

I released the magic and it was gone. I looked over at her and smiled. "Should I try to bring it back?"

Melissa just nodded her head. I pulled the neon orange tether into my hands and created a small flame in one hand. I used my other hand to stretch the fire to look like a thin rope.

"Well done. Now think of that feeling that made you angry and want to rage. Control yourself."

Fire flew through my fingertips as I recalled Cassie's small figure. I swallowed as I worked to handle the rage inside of what I made up in my mind. I did it though. I managed to control it. Even when the tether pulled to get away from me, I brought it back to me. I could see how easy it would be to get away from me. I would need to be extra careful, especially with all of these new urges.

"I think that we can call it a day. Let's call it a day. By the time we get back it will be close to three." Brent walked over to me and hugged me. I smiled up at him and hugged him back. He placed a kiss on my mouth and I returned the kiss.

We shifted and made our way back to the safety of the castle. Our warriors ran in front and behind us. We ran through the gate and shifted back into our human forms. It was just before three when we walked back into our room.

"I am proud of how well you handled your magic this afternoon. You did a fantastic job babe. Very impressive," Brent smiled at me.

"Thanks. I thought there for a moment that I was going to fail and not be able to make a full connection to my magic. But I did it and was able to get it back to me and under control." I walked into the bathroom and hopped into the shower. In just a few hours, I will be Queen of the Southern Territories. I hoped that I could be as good of a Queen as Avalynn has turned out to be. She doesn't know it, but I look up to her in so many ways. Seriously, she has been through hell and she seems to always keep a level mind about everything. I only hope that I can keep my emotions in check like she has. If I can, then this whole fire thing should be a bit easier to contain.