Magic and a Mate

Chapter 3

Fern’s POV

I swear if Juniper didn’t have me to keep her focused on the life she really wants and needs, she would just let life and random, irrelevant people of no importance to her life dictate where and what she would be doing. I mean really, the way she lets her boss, that she says she hates, dictate her life is ridiculous. Between her Scrooge of a boss and lackluster boyfriend, she seems to let their wants and needs dictate her life and what she does.

I am just not willing to let that happen tonight of all nights. She may have said she just finished her work, but she cannot fool me. I know she was reading that contract in her hand with the intention of continuing to work. I am glad that I had the forethought to get her to ride home with me, or she would be just as late as she was last year.

The fact that we narrowly missed her boss only confirmed my thoughts, as I know he would have given her some other task to complete. I don’t know what his problem is, but that man really, and I do mean REALLY, hates the holidays. He is a modern day grinch. Juniper doesn’t call him Scrooge Mc Mathews for nothing.

Now that we are on our way to the festival, my nerves are humming with anxiety. I really need this year to boost my magical input and the longer that I am surrounded by other Magicals, the more magic that I can take in and store.

I know Juniper is worried about me, so I never let her know how bad it has really become. At this point I am more like a rechargeable battery, I can store and use magic but I don’t seem to be able to make my own or even absorb any from nature anymore. As a stare out the car window, I can feel Juniper’s calming aura pulse through me and I have to hold the tears that want to fall, not wanting to spoil tonight.

Looking out into the forest I can see the silhouettes of wolves outlined by the full moon’s light. I wonder how many are out there hidden amongst the trees. Not for the first time, I wish we could reveal ourselves to them and live together harmoniously.

I have always had a fascination with werewolves. They seem to be an honorable, nurturing species that take care of each other with a fierceness like no other. Their love for family and their pack is something that Magicals could learn from. Not that Magicals don’t love their families, but being a weak magical you get the gift of seeing the worst of your species. I get looked down on, bullied, looked over and disregarded on a regular basis. Juniper has been the first and really only high powered magical that has accepted and fought for me. She gives me hope that the current social structure can change with the right influence.

Refocusing my attention back to the forest, I wonder how hard this full moon will be for werewolves, knowing we have taken over a large part of their forest. Having to keep hidden, thinking we know nothing of their kind, that must be frustrating. If I had it my way, there would be no separation between species. The hierarchy would be dependent on the people’s principles and their ability to lead, rather than just what bloodline they have. That way, what the leaders actually did and what kind of people they were would be just as important as their bloodline.

I am brought out of my thoughts as the voices of hundreds of thousands of Magicals start to penetrate the glass windows of the car. The crunch of gravel under the car’s tires marks our arrival into the parking lot.

Juniper turns in her seat to face me and makes eye contact as she asks, “Ready?”

Such a simple word, but the weight of the question is heavy. I slowly nod my head and let a whisper of a smile ghost my lips. “As ready as one can be,” I say as I reach across the center console to squeeze her hand. “I have a feeling tonight will bring us more than we are expecting.”

“One can only hope,” she says and then adds, “as long as we can avoid Thorn and Stone.”

She jumps out of the car before I can respond, knowing I would want to slap her. “Don’t think you got away with that comment,” I say stomping through the needles and leaves blanketing the parking area.

“Hey, it’s not my fault they both want to see more of you, and I do mean that in the most literal sense of the words.”

“Goddess Juni, that was years ago. Are you ever going to let that go?” I make wide eyes and shake my head at her. I know she is only trying to lighten the mood and I do appreciate her for that. But, I really do wish she knew the whole story so she would let it rest.

She cackles at my response, “Nope, never! It could be worse, at least they are nice to look at and the whole thing was hilarious.”

She only thinks that because she doesn’t know the whole story. “Really Juniper, that is all you have to say. That was so embarrassing back then, I still feel uncomfortable around those two. Can you imagine how much worse it would have been if Brin and her group’s plan actually worked. I never would have been able to show my face,” I scold her as I help pack the blankets, handmade ornaments, crystals and food into the wagon.

Junipers snorts a laugh at me and puts her arm over my shoulder. “You know my brothers and I always have your back, right? We never would have let that b***h hurt you like that.”

“I know,” I say softly as my mind wanders back to that day eight years ago.

~~~~~

Juni and her family had taken me and my family out for my sixteenth birthday at one of the nicest restaurants in town. I was having the time of my life, all dressed up in a strapless emerald green dress and the emerald necklace that I was gifted as one of my birthday gifts. I felt so grown up, so beautiful.

As we were all leaving the restaurant I heard my phone bing with a text message and was surprised when Stone, one of the hot guys of the school had texted me. I didn’t even know he knew I existed and how he got my number was another mystery.

In Stone’s text he said that he and Thorn, school heartthrob number two, wanted to meet me because they heard it was my birthday and they wanted to give me a gift.

My shock soon melted into excitement, the two hottest guys at school not only knew who I was, but wanted to give me something for my birthday. It never even occurred to me that it was all just a set-up. I happily agreed to meet them. Lucky for me, Juniper and her brothers had come along since we were all driving in the same car.

When we got to the meeting place something felt off, but in my excitement I pushed the feeling back. As soon as I entered the building, I was pinned to the wall by Stone’s mouth on mine in a greedy kiss. Next, Thorn’s hands were roaming my body and he starting to unzip the back of my dress.

That made me come back to my senses, I was only just sixteen and had no experience with the opposite s*x. As good as the kiss felt, I pushed Stone away. “What are you doing?”

Stone smirked and Thorn came beside him with a matching smirk. “Giving you your birthday present.”

I gasped in shock, “What?!? Why on earth would you think I wanted this?” I asked pointing between the two of them. What on earth was going on, was all I could think.

Stone took a step towards me, boxing me in with his body. “Oh come on Fern, you don’t have to be embarrassed. Brin told us everything. How you want both of us at the same time for your first time. Don’t worry we are happy to give you what you want for your birthday.” The lust in his voice made me involuntarily shiver in disgust.

I backed away, shaking my head. “And you believed that lying b***h?!?” I shrieked out.

Their faces of shock told me all I needed to know. Of course, two hormonal seventeen year old boys would think like that.

“You have got to be kidding me, who believes that. Do you really think so highly of yourselves?” My yelling must have alerted Juniper and her brothers because they all rushed in, Juni pulling me back out to the car and her brothers stayed to talk to Stone and Thorn.

It turned out that Brin had arranged the whole thing, thinking I was pathetic and would actually go through with having s*x with both of them at once, gag me. She had set up a camera to capture the whole event and planned to put it online for all to see.

To this day, I have never had the heart to tell Juniper just how scared I was or that they had physically assaulted me. She still thinks they had only suggested we sleep together, hence the reason she thinks it is funny and teases me.

~~~~~~

“I know you do. I just don’t get why you think bringing up that horrible moment is funny? Seriously Juni, you have no idea how mortified I was stuck between those two with their lustful gazes.” I shudder at the thought.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize it had gotten further than them propositioning you and you putting them in their place. You never said more had happened.” Juniper’s face was full of regret and anger.

I shoulder bump her. “I know you didn’t mean anything. It’s just something I’d like to forget.”

“I always found it funny how awkward Stone and Thorn are around you. Did they try to force themselves on you?” The fire in her words told me I better stop her from doing anything stupid.

“Stone just kissed me before I could say no. As soon as they found out they had been played just as much as I was they both stopped.” I shrug in response.

“I cannot believe those two idiots, actually believed Brin. Who dreams of a threesome for their first s****l experience? Okay, so maybe hormonal boys.”

I mean she is right, the thought is pretty ridiculous. I’m not one to date, the whole process bores me. I want deep conversations and meaningful moments and men seem to only want s*x. So the idea of me, with Thorn and Stone is quite laughable.

This is why Juniper calls me a hopeless romantic, I don’t want meaningless s*x, I don’t want a half-ass relationship with mundane evenings spent going through the motions of life. I want stimulating conversations, a deep connection that speaks to my soul and a passion that can light the whole world on fire.

Juniper says I am being unrealistic and ideological, ‘relationships take work, they aren’t all sunshine and rainbows’. Maybe they aren’t, but I know what I want and I’m not settling for less.

Making our way down the trail to the gathering has me feeling hopeful that this year will be different, better somehow.