The Black Wolf and The Wildflower
DAISY.
The forest flies around us as Bastian's black wolf speeds across the valley. Wind whips through my hair, and the world becomes a streak of colors and shadows. My own wolf, nestled deep within me, stirs with a primal longing, an urge to answer the call of the dark creature carrying me.
His fur is as dark as the night, and his muscles ripple powerfully beneath me. There's an undeniable allure to this best of his, a beauty that dances on the edge of danger. But it's more than just his physical presence that tugs at me—it's the energy, the wild and dangerous magic that flows through him, intertwining with my own. A resonance that I've never felt before, one that pulls me in, even as I cling to him.
My fingers tighten in the coarse fur of his neck, my heart pounding in rhythm with his powerful strides. I catch glimpses of the landscape below—lush valleys, towering trees, and the distant outline of Margaret's cottage.
‘Hold on tight,’ the wolf's words echo in my mind in that low, raspy voice making my heart pound.
‘Trust me, I'm not letting go anytime soon,’ I respond, my mental voice tinged with a mixture of exhilaration and a touch of nervousness.
The thrill of the ride is unlike anything I've ever experienced. It's as if we're one with the forest, as if the boundaries between us and the world around us have dissolved. The magic of the valley pulses beneath my skin, and I can sense Bastian's consciousness intertwined with his back wolf.
The adrenaline-fueled feeling of riding him is intoxicating. It's not just the speed—it's the exhilaration of being so close to a power that knows no bounds and cares little for the laws of the world. The whipping wind carries whispers of ancient magic embraced at long last, and the energy of it in my veins. It's as if my acceptance of the darkness allowed it to find a home within me, and the resulting sensation is pure freedom.
Soon enough, Margaret's cottage comes into view, nestled at the edge of the woods. Bastian's wolf slows as we approach, gradually transitioning from a sprint to a graceful lope. The magic of the ride is fading, replaced by a sense of weary relief.
Alice and Luke emerge from the cottage, their tired but unharmed faces reflecting the relief I feel. Their jaws drop slightly at the sight of Bastian's black wolf, and I can't help but smile as he comes to a halt, and I slide off.
"We have a lot to catch up on," I tell them.
With a smooth motion, Bastian shifts from his wolf form, his body transforming from the creature that carried me to the familiar boy with emerald eyes.
"I have so many questions," Alice says with a grin. Luke offers me a nod and a satisfied smile, his eyes telling a story of their own.
A familiar voice interrupts our reunion.
"Well, well, well. Look who decided to show up."
Matt stands in the doorway of the cottage, his arms crossed and a playful smirk on his face. Despite his casual demeanor, there's a glimmer of relief in his eyes that hints at how worried he must have been about us.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Bastian replies slyly, but I barely register his words as I rush forward to embrace Matt.
"Can I get in on that action?" Alice laughs, nearly tackling us as she joins the hug. Luke shrugs in defeat and follows suit.
I lift my head up long enough to meet Bastian's eyes, and Matt arches a brow.
"Come on, lover boy. Get in here. You're a part of the club now," Matt says with a crooked smile.
When the five of us are done hugging each other to the point of bruising, we gather inside the cozy cottage. The weight of the recent battles is momentarily lifted, replaced by a shared sense of solace.
We spend the next few hours catching up, talking well into the night. Alice and Luke recount their adventures getting chased by a hoard of Shades and the shock of finding that from one moment to the next, the dark creatures had vanished, sucked back into the shadows they were born from.
Derek joins us later, and we learn from Matt that led by Margaret, the witches managed to cast the protective blessing across the valley throughout the night, uniting withes from several different covens.
As we discuss the blessing and how I redirected the power from it to heal Bastian and blast the Shades, the question resurfaces.
"I still don't understand how I was able to channel magic in the first place," I admit.
Luke leans back in his chair, his eyes narrowing slightly as he considers the question.
"Well, there's a theory."
Curiosity stirs within me. "A theory?"
He nods. "When we first met, you drank Bastian's blood, right?"
Derek's expression brightens, as if catching on to Luke's train of thought.
"Of course! The blood that flows in Bastian's veins is unique. He's a half-wolf, half-witch. Even without the black wolf you told us about and your mother's dark magic, you're still the descendant of a powerful witch. The last of the Ash and Blood lineage."
Bastian's eyes widen as realization dawns. "Wait, are you saying that—"
"—When Daisy drank your blood, some of your magical heritage merged with hers," Derek finishes.
"Exactly. I mean, just consider the power that already flows in Daisy's veins. She's the granddaughter of the Night King- only the oldest and mightiest nightwalker in existence. Daughter of Tristan and Iris Lyall, one of the strongest Alpha's Silvertooth Peaks has ever seen, and the hybrid nightwalker-white wolf who was blessed by the Moon Goddess herself."
"Not to mention that any kind of power exchange between Daisy and Bastian would be amplified by the mating bond," Alice adds. "When you bit your boyfriend, you accidentally became the world's first tribrid."
Elyana's words echo in the back of my mind.
‘Do you know who you are, little princess? Wolf, walker, witch...’
She knew.
Bastian's hand finds mine, his fingers intertwining with mine.
"Princess, I had no idea. I didn't think-" he starts to apologize and try to explain, but I silence him with a kiss. Alice whoops in the background, and I don't care how much my friends will tease me over it later.
I pull away with a smile, resting my hand on his cheek to reassure him. "I knew we saved each other, pretty boy. I knew we changed one another; I just didn't know how much. I regret none of it."
The flickering candlelight dances on the walls, casting a soothing glow over the room, and the warmth in his gaze mirrors my own. With each breath, I can feel the weight of what happened, the uncertainty, and the fear slowly melting away.
A while later, Margaret steps forward, her hands moving gracefully in intricate patterns as she communicates through sign language. Derek stands by her side, translating her words for the rest of us.
"There's news. Traces of black magic across Elysium have vanished, and the Shades are all gone. The covens of the valley have decided to surrender the ruins of Blood and Ash to ghosts and shadows. We can coexist with our demons and our dead so long as they do not take from the living. The witches have already begun gathering to heal and repair our home. We move forward united."
Margaret's eyes shine with warmth as she continues to sign. "That is not all. We've received reports from the nearest pack outside the valley. "The wolves that were affected by the dark plague are beginning to recover. I expect your families and friends will be waking up soon, and they will be eager to welcome you home from your journey."
Margaret's gaze falls on each of us, her eyes filled with a mixture of pride and affection, and we receive news that the magic shield around Elysium will be taken down first thing tomorrow.
As the night grows darker outside, the atmosphere within the cottage becomes lighter. This little house becomes a sanctuary where we can recover and celebrate our victories, and the thought of seeing my mother and father again nearly brings me to tears.
For now, we each retreat to our own little corner to rest. Luke and Alice share one of the guest bedrooms, while Matt unsurreptitiously disappears into Derek's room. Bastian and I agree to take the couches in the living room, but despite my exhaustion, I'm not sure if I'll be able to sleep much tonight.
The air is still heavy with the stories we've told and lived through. The night feels infinite. I'm buzzing with the sensation that the closing of a chapter feels remarkably similar to the opening of a new one, and I wonder if anything ever really ends at all.