176. New Days Ahead
6 months later
Jax
Cora’s stomach was getting larger every day. With so many witches here we had been able to learn more than we had when Cora was pregnant with Max. Jeanie had been a midwife when she was in her early twenties and had been dutiful with helping Cora. It turned out she was able to read the magical signature on our daughter. She was powerful and would be a witch. She was sure of it, her signature as Jeanie called it, was saying there was no wolf in our daughter.
But with all that power our daughter carried it was starting to effect Cora. She would accidently burst things into flames, whenever she got angry. The magic seemed to be controlling her or at least trying to release itself as much as it could. Cora had asked to be put somewhere safe at night as dreams seemed to be the most unpredictable for her. She ended up levitating most nights. I told her “I am not locking you up, you won’t be in that situation ever again.” It had been a surprise for her to even suggest it. I think it came down to she was scared for Max and if she would burn down the house with him in it.
Max was excited about the idea of having a sister. He constantly talked about it and insisted he name his sister. Cora and I had yet to tell him we would let him name her. He had no more magic in him at this point. Jeanie said, “All his magic is gone.” His signature was just that of a wolf. Which was strange to think that magic could just go away like that. But other than Cora being weird with the magic our daughter carried inside her everything seemed to be falling into place.
Most of the old pack had joined us. We had officially come up with a name for the pack. We had bounced around with various ideas, but it was Max who actually came up with the name, we were now called the Coven Pack. It was perfect considering we had witches and shifters in the pack. Everything was going beautifully. With Cora now having so much magic pumping through her system she was easily able to make homes in a matter of minutes. The whole infostructure came together fast.
Everything was self-sustaining and we were 100 percent off grid. Granted we didn’t have shops or anything. It was all houses, school, and a meetinghouse. We couldn’t form an actual city for a while having to go through the humans' legal systems. So, a lot of the pack had to still to travel to Hemmings for their groceries, or they went to Ashville. Overall, it seemed like Cora, and I created something truly original. I was sure things would be going well in the future for our pack.
My brother Tanner had not set foot in Coven Pack lands. I worried we would never reconcile. I hoped after a month or so after Cora won their fight, and most of the pack left he would see his error and come around. But he had not. When his wife and kids came to be part of our pack, I was sure then he would come, but he hadn’t then either. In fact, most days I worried we would both get old and die without ever coming back together. I hated the rift.
It seemed like every month more of the old pack joined us. I didn’t know how bad things had gotten with him. I heard things from the shifters that came to us, but it just didn’t seem like him at all. I did try a few times to go see him but every time I got close, I was told by the few remaining ones “If you don’t leave the pack lands it will be war.” I didn’t want that. I loved Tanner. He was my brother. I didn’t want to fight him; I would have but like Cora I would never have killed him. If it was war, it would most likely end in one of our deaths and neither of us dying seemed to sit well with me. For the time being I would just give him space he seemed to need.
On top of the shifters from the old pack I had also allowed other shifters to join us. There were plenty that were packless. Not due to being cast out, but because their parents had been and upon their birth, they had no pack. So now they were here and enjoying life in a pack as it should be. Not only that but several other covenless witches joined the pack as well. Word was spreading there was a place for both witches and wolves to live together peacefully where both species could live together peacefully. Things were going the way Cora and I planned.
Not to say that things had been easy. We did have a mini war break out. I called it a mini war because it lasted all of five minutes. Cora was three months pregnant and already showing a little. Courtney had brought several packs with her to kill us. She had spread lies saying we were dangerous. I didn’t know if she had done this of her own volition or if Tanner had instructed her. But she recruited several packs telling them that witches were tricking wolves and that Cora and I were building a pack that could wipe them all off the face of the earth.
So they came with the numbers. Problem was that Courtney was right. Everyone stood in a line, like it was the revolutionary war or something. They did the same but Cora stepped forward. She used a spell to amplify her voice and said “I am Luna of Coven Pack, this is our land. We are no threat to any of you. None of us have a desire to hurt anyone. However if you demand some death, it will be yours.” I watched as she zeroed in on Courtney who stood near the front. “Courtney you spread lies, I am tired of this. Jax is my husband,mate, and bonded. You never had a claim on him, nor will you. I don’t desire to kill you, but I have no other choice. Do you have any last words?”
Courtney shouted. “You and him are an abomination, this whole pack is.” Cora nodded and then Courtney burst into flames. Everyone could smell her charred body as it roasted. Her screams filled the open air, until they didn’t. Cora again projected her voice using magic. “Does anyone else want to still fight or have a problem with The Coven Pack living peacefully?” A few people shouted and suddenly they too burst into flames. One person stepped forward. “Luna Cora Alpha Jax, I have three questions.” Cora used magic to project my voice as she had hers. “Ask them.” I spoke.
“Does your pack want to conquer?” Cora and I in unison said “no.” I spoke a little more “As our pack grows, we may need more land but that is the only thing we see in the future. What is your next question.” He paused and said, “All the wolves here that are part of your pack they are okay living amongst witches, are they not scared?” Cora looked at me to answer. “They were at first but the witches in our pack do not use blood magic. In fact, they have been helping build things and have been helpful and after a time we have found that we can coexist quite harmoniously. What is the last question.” He paused. “Do you fear the gods not being happy with this and that they will retaliate.”
I looked at Cora. This had been her biggest concern since Kronos had brought it up. She feared for Max, but that had lessened now that he was only a wolf, and our daughter was just going to be a witch. The fear had lessened. She still was visited by Kronos and his sick fascination with her, since she could channel, it worried her. But the fear of the other gods attacking us was no longer her concern. She knew that she might be targeted but didn’t think our kids would be. Her fear was just for herself and not our children. Which made facing it head on less likely.
“I do not speak for the Gods, but I do not see it being a problem joining with witches who do not do blood magic. I myself was mated to a witch. If that is not an indication that our two species can cohabitate, I do not know what is.” The shifter stepped back in line. “Do any of you still wish to fight?” I asked. No one moved or did anything. “Good then leave and make it known if you want war with the Coven Pack you will be burned alive.” I spoke. The whole pack stood and watched them go back to where they came from. Cora smiled as she looked at me.
I knew she hated killing and had burned sever people alive today, but this was a victory. No one in our pack had been hurt. This was a turning point. We had now shown other packs we were strong and would not be taken out. I knew news would spread. We may in the future have a fight not with a pack but a coven. If that happened, I wondered if it would end like that mini war had. “Jax, can I have a bag of salt and vinegar chips.” Cora said walking in before she crashed onto our couch. I watched as she propped a pillow up for her swollen feet.
“Yeah, I can grab you a bag.” She said thank you. I handed it to her and sat down putting her feet in my lap so I could rub them, they were very swollen. “Anything bothering you?” I asked. “No not really. Kronos visited my dream last night. When he does it tends to make me more tired during the day.” “What did he want?” I asked my mate. “He wants me to strike at Hecate, saying if our daughter channels she will want her dead. He keeps trying to get me to start a war with the gods. I am tired of it.”
I nodded in understanding. “I should just kill him, well if I could, I don’t know if that is possible. It just seems like he wants to use me to start a war and kill off those who imprisoned him.” I responded. “Do you think that is a good idea, you know killing a titan?” I asked and she shook her head. “No, what I need to do is find a way to block him from my dreams. I don’t want anything to do with gods or titans. I just want to focus on living our life.?” I smiled at her. “Then we will find a way to do just that.”