Blessed by the Moon, Claimed by Two

Chapter 4

Kaelani POV

It’s been a month since I had the dream with my grandmother.

I’ve tried not to think about it, but that’s hard to do when things around me start levitating on their own. Or when, during combat yesterday, I literally shook the ground.

Hard to explain that one.

The altar tree still hasn’t found me again, and I’m struggling to keep myself together. My magic feels unstable, like it’s always hovering just beneath the surface, waiting for the wrong moment to explode.

Kieran and I started talking more over the past few weeks. Real conversations. Interesting ones. But today, something about him feels… off.

Liam and I have gotten closer too, and that’s been nice. Comfortable. Easy.

Nyra thinks I should tell him about the witch thing.

He won’t think we’re a freak, she insists.

I’m not convinced.

When I walk into Pack Law—my second class with Kieran—he’s already there, sitting in the front of the room. He doesn’t look back. Doesn’t acknowledge me at all.

Weird.

“Something feels off with him,” I murmur to Nyra. “Do you feel that?”

Yeah, she says slowly. He feels… cold.

I head to my seat and force myself not to think about him. The class drags, every minute stretching painfully long, and the second the bell rings, Kieran is out the door without a single glance back.

As I’m walking toward my locker, I hear Kaia call my name. I stop so she can catch up.

“Hey, what’s the deal with Kieran?” she asks.

“What do you mean?” I reply.

“Well,” she says, lowering her voice, “I saw him in the hallway a minute ago. We were talking, and when I mentioned your name, he completely flipped. Snapped at me. Told me never to talk to him again if I was going to talk about you.”

“What the hell?” I mutter. “He’s been completely blowing me off since first period. Third period too.”

“I wonder what you did to him,” she says. “I thought he got over you being friends with Liam already.”

“Yeah,” I say quietly. “So did I.”

“Well… maybe he got tired of pretending,” she adds.

That thought sits heavy in my chest.

When I see Liam in Healer Sciences, I wait until the teacher assigns our work before leaning closer.

“Can I tell you something I haven’t told anyone yet?” I ask.

“Always,” he says without hesitation.

I take a breath. “Last month my mom basically hinted that I was… something else, but she wouldn’t say what. Then I had this weird dream—except I don’t think it was actually a dream. I was inside this huge magical tree. My grandmother was there.”

I glance at him. “She told me I was awakening my witch half. Apparently, I’m a High Priestess of an entire coven. By blood. By name.”

“That’s… a lot to process,” he says carefully.

“Tell me about it,” I mutter.

“So the ground shaking yesterday in combat,” he says slowly, “that was you?”

“Yes,” I admit. “I think my magic is acting on its own because I haven’t found the tree again. Being near it helped keep everything stable.”

I swallow. “Now it feels like I’m constantly trying to hold it back.”

“I’ll help you,” he starts. “The best way I can—”

We’re heading toward lunch when the feeling hits.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand straight up. Goosebumps race down my arms.

“Kaelani?” Liam asks. “Are you okay?”

I don’t hear him.

Do you feel that, child? my grandmother’s voice whispers inside my head.

“Feel what?” I murmur.

The dark magic, she says. Feel it. Recognize it. It is here—and it is strong.

“How do I fight it?” I ask silently, panic rising.

Liam grabs my arm just as my knees buckle.

“Hey, Kae—look at me,” he says urgently. “Are you okay? Your nose is bleeding.”

My vision swims. “Someone is using dark magic,” I manage. “And I think it has something to do with Kieran.”

Kaia comes running toward us just outside the cafeteria.

“Lani, what happened?” she asks. “Why are you bleeding?”

“You haven’t told her yet?” Liam snaps. “Kae, you’ve been dealing with this alone for a month. She can help.”

“Please,” I whisper. “Be quiet.”

Locker doors slam open and shut. Metal screeches. Anything not nailed down starts flying.

“Please stop!” I scream.

Calm yourself, child, my grandmother’s voice urges.

“I don’t know how!” I cry. “It’s too much!”

“Kae, you have to calm down,” Liam says, gripping my face, trying to ground me—but his features blur, slipping in and out of focus.

I hear shouting. Screaming.

“Liam, do something!” Kaia yells.

Everything sounds distant. Muffled.

The next thing I know, everything goes still.

Liam’s lips are on mine.

And then—

Black.