Chapter 75

~Grace~

“Please work, please work, please work,” I whispered to myself under my breath.

Enzo sat on the ground, in the center of a circle Christopher drew on the ground with what looked like salt.

He looked barely conscious, and I felt awful for him. But if this ritual worked, then he wouldn’t hurt anymore, and neither would the rest of the Lycans.

It all hinged on this.

I looked at the moon. It was low in the sky. It would be dawn soon, meaning Christopher and I pulled an all-nighter for this.

It would be worth it.

It had to be.

I paced around the circle, my arms crossed as I watched Christopher set things up. It looked similar to when he used the soul binding spell on us. Candles were set up around the edges of the circle, a symbol underneath each one.

“Do you need any help?” I offered.

Christopher didn’t look at me, just continued lighting the candles. “It’s almost finished.”

I stood behind him awkwardly, not sure what to do with myself. How much longer would it take? We had the rest of the day to figure this out, but… Everything took time.

I didn’t want to waste any.

I walked around the area for a bit longer, eyeing the symbols and the setup Christopher put together.

How did he know how to do this? Magic was rare and frowned upon amongst werewolves.

Although, I guess when you’re a Rogue, things are probably a little different than when you grow up in a pack.

“It’s done,” Christopher finally said, standing up. He wore a long black coat that swayed when he moved. His cheeks were pink with cold.

My heart leapt. “Good–I mean, okay. What now?”

I joined Christopher by his side. He pulled out a thick book, the same one he had been searching through in his study.

I glanced at the pages as he flipped through them. There were words in this one that I actually recognized, unlike the last tome he gave me.

Most of it seemed to be readable, but the incantations themselves were the things I couldn’t read.

He stopped on a page with symbols I recognized, as he just drew them on the ground. The diagram with a circle and symbols around it looked identical to the one he made.

I looked up at Christopher expectantly, but his brows were furrowed as his eyes moved across the page.

I decided to stay quiet, so as not to interrupt him.

“Okay. This is the first time I’ve done this spell, so I can’t guarantee I’ll get it right the first time,” he said, looking up from the book.

I gave him a reassuring smile. “I’m sure you’ll do great.”

He smiled back.

It’s not that I really wanted to support him, but I needed him to get this spell right.

Finally, he stepped forward so his toes were right at the edge of the circle. Enzo struggled to sit up straight, but I could see that his eyes were slightly open. He was awake.

Christopher began to speak a strange language, and the symbols on the ground started to glow. I watched in amazement. This was different from the last ritual he performed on me.

I could practically feel the power emanating from the ground. It sent a shiver down my spine.

A bright blue glow surged from the lines, shooting up into the air like fire. It sent a blast of air past me, blowing my hair back. I had to shield my eyes, it was so bright.

The light dimmed, sinking back into the ground. I blinked rapidly to let my eyes adjust to the darkness.

Was that it?

I looked at Christopher. He stared straight forward, his expression intense.

Then, a scream cut through the air. Birds flew up from the trees, startled.

I jumped, surprised by the sound, and realized Enzo was bent forward, gripping the grass in his fists, muscles tense as he screamed.

“Enzo!”

I rushed forward, but Christopher put his arm in front of my chest, stopping me.

He looked at me with wide, fearful eyes.

“Don’t. The same could happen to you.”

I looked back at Enzo, tears filling my eyes. He looked to be in so much pain.

“We have to do something!”

“I know!” Christopher snapped, flipping through pages in the book.

I bit my lip to keep myself from crying, looking over Christopher’s shoulder. There had to be something I could do, I hated just standing around!

Enzo’s screams became louder, and I winced. I’m so sorry, Enzo, I’m so, so, so sorry.

Christopher seemed to find a page that might do something, as he reached his hand out and began reading an incantation from the book.

The salt rose from the ground slowly, as if gravity lifted from it. I scrunched my brows together in anticipation. Was this going to work?

Then, the salt stopped. It hovered in the air for a moment, then fell to the ground, messing up the perfect line Christopher made the circle with.

I looked back at Christopher with wide eyes.

“Well?” I asked, impatient. Enzo was still groaning on the ground.

Christopher seemed at a loss for words, shaking his head.

“I don’t… I don’t know-”

What? You can’t give up, now!

I grabbed the book, and Christopher gave me a sharp look. “What are you doing?”

“You aren’t helping him! Give it to me, and maybe I can do something-”

“You don’t even know how to use it! You might make things worse,” he fired back, keeping his grip firm on the book.

I glared at him, panic pulsing through my veins.

Something had to be done, now. What if this killed Enzo?

“Christopher-” I began, but he wasn’t looking at me. He looked pale, and frozen, like a statue.

He looked toward the treeline, across the field.

I followed his gaze, and spotted a figure.

I’d know that face anywhere, even in the dim morning light.

Alex.

My heart sank. What was he doing out here? I thought he was too sick to get out of bed!

Everything seemed to stand still for a moment, except Enzo, who still shrieked in pain, holding his head with both of his hands.

I opened my mouth to say something, my hands still gripping Christopher’s book, but in a flash, Alex darted forward, a black blur.

I barely had time to blink before Christopher was on the ground, across the field, Alex on top of him.

Stunned, I just stood there, holding the book. It drooped in my hand as I let my wrist go limp.

What… just happened?

Turning toward Alex and Christopher, I suddenly heard yelps as I realized Christopher had shifted, snarling and biting at Alex, who did not move from on top of him.

“Alex!” I shouted, but he didn’t respond. Did he not hear me?

I began to run toward the two. I needed Christopher now more than ever, if he were to die, we may not be able to get Enzo out of this mess!

“Alex, stop! Don’t kill him!” I screamed, still running toward them.

He still didn’t move, and a yelp rang out through the air.

What was he doing to him?!