Eyes of Light

I could see their surprise--it was apparent on their faces. I gave a small wave and a tiny smile, taking a small step back, clasping my hands together. Yes, I was nervous. But they looked nice… kind of the opposite when I first met Nick.

“I like her,” Joe announced, smiling brightly, but Kevin looked at me skeptically. I could tell he was more of the thinker, like Nick, but he even offered a timid smile.

“Of course you do,” Nick snorted, sighing heavily, and I wondered what he meant by that.

“So the whole soul mate thing is true?” Kevin spoke up. “Mom always said it was and she even said you’d find one, but I don’t think we expected her to be… a witch. Isn’t that forbidden?” I could see the worry in his eyes when he looked between us, his hazel eyes settling on Nick, but Joe was the one that spoke.

“It can’t be too forbidden if these two are together.”

“That’s because she’s the new great witch and he’s the new great wolf. It’s going to be set in once they defeat the black magic,” Kevin explained. Did he know all about this stuff? As much as Nick did? I sort of doubted it since they were actual creatures: they were human. I was human too, though. I was just… a witch.

“Guys,” Nick commanded, his voice stern, but I could see that sparkle in his eyes as they trailed over his three brothers--each one of them smiled. “Where’s mom?”

“In the house,” Kevin answered, turning around to look at the large stone building again. His eyes then traveled to the small bag and they’re faces dropped.

“You aren’t staying Nick?” Frankie whispered, his voice saying he knew the answer already. I glanced at Nick’s face, seeing it slightly torn.

“I can’t. We have to-”

“Save the world?” he asked excitedly, his deep eyes beaming, and Nick let out a soft chuckle--amused.

“Yeah,” he breathed, nodding a few times. “But we’ll come back really soon, okay?”

I felt my interest pique at the word ‘we.’ I smiled softly.

“Okay Nick,” Joe answered for Frankie, setting his hand on the boy’s small shoulder. “But have fun convincing mom that,” he then chuckled.

Nick cracked another smile and turned to me, a soft expression on his face. “Come on Lonnie.”

I nodded and quickly walked past them, keeping my head down and doing my best to stay with Nick’s fast walk. He looked around as we stepped onto the path and towards the large door. There was a window next to it, the shape oval and the bright glass covered with a velvety curtain from the inside. Nick took a step forward and pushed the door open, standing in the entrance with a waiting look on his face.

“You just… step in?” I whispered, smiling when he shrugged.

“Come on.”

I followed as he stepped fully inside, shutting the door gently behind us, and repositioned the bag to hang off one shoulder. He looked around the big room with a face of concentration. My eyes scanned every object in the spacious room; there was a large couch with a dark wooden table placed in front of it, stacked with papers and old looking books. The oval window allowed the sunlight to peak through the velvety curtains and I could see the tiny specks of dust in the air. It always fascinated me when I was younger--I didn’t know why. There was a reclining chair towards the wall and a bookshelf next to it, all the missing spaces saying that the books on the table belonged on the shelf.

The floor was wood, much like the table, and dark, but it looked shiny, only a few scuffs and dings here and there. My eyes settled on a large archway and I turned my head to peak inside, my eyes settling on yet another window. It was above the sink with the same colored velvet curtains, but they were open, allowing full sunlight on the small flowers that sat on the windowsill. The countertop was long and the part next to the sink held a few sparkling dishes and cups, the dark cabinets with glass doors showing where they belonged but hadn’t been placed yet. A cream colored fridge sat next to the darker cream stove and a hand towel was hanging on the handle, a dark red teapot sitting on one of the vacant burners. It looked homey and neat, warm.

Nick’s hand on my arm made me jump and he gave me a questioning look before nodding towards the entry way, taking a few light steps forward. I followed quickly, trying my best not to make any noise when I heard footsteps in the kitchen. There was a humming sound, a peaceful and soft tune being splayed through the air, and a woman suddenly came into view with her back turned. She reached over and grabbed the towel off of the handle and began to wipe off the dishes. She opened the cabinet softly and placed them away with slight clangs, keeping her tune while she worked.

Her thick dark curls, both loose and bouncy, sat just below her shoulders and shined in the sunlight. Her frame was small, petite, and she wore a dark red three-quarter sleeved shirt with black trousers and slippers; I smiled to myself at the sight and I knew this had to be his mother. Glancing over at Nick, I watched as he leaned against the frame, staring at her back intently, hoping she’d turn around. I wasn’t surprised when she paused, her humming dying down, and she slowly turned her head. Her eyes were big and brown, a small gasp escaping her thin lips and she dropped the towel to clutch her chest.

“Oh my god,” she breathed, shaking her head quickly. It didn’t take long for her to recognize Nick, her response being so quick.

“Mom-” he started slowly, pushing off the wall, and she hurried forward. She was shorter than Nick by a few inches, but her arms wrapped tightly around him, clutching him to her, and he hugged back eagerly. The room was silent, her breath quivering seeming to echo before she spoke.

“Nicholas. Nick. It’s really you?” she whispered but didn’t bother to pull away. She knew her son. I know I would.

“Yeah mom,” he whispered back, his smiling face soft.

“Two years,” she sighed, slapping his hand when she pulled away with a scolding look. “Couldn’t you come back every month or so?”

“Sorry,” he chuckled, rubbing his neck nervously.

She opened her mouth to speak when her surprised eyes sat on me, taking me in for the first time. Her attention had been on Nick that she didn’t even notice me, until now. She offered a smile, her bright eyes holding mine with interest and surprise. She sighed slightly and shook her head in what looked like disbelief, her fingers gripping Nick’s forearm gently, like she were afraid to let him go again.

“Is this… Lonnie?” she whispered, her eyes never leaving me. “It has to be her Nicholas. Is it really Lilliani?” She tore her gaze away from me after a few seconds of silence and looked at Nick, waiting for the confirmation eagerly.

“That’s Lonnie,” he whispered, something in his voice setting me off. It was… softer, gentle. I didn’t need to think about it though. There was no point to it.

“She looks just like Rosalind,” she whispered, turning back to face me. I automatically placed my fingertips on the orb necklace, smiling at the sound of my mother’s name. “She’s beautiful.”

“Umm,” I started, clearing my throat nervously, my eyes trailing between Nick and his mom as they both stood there, watching me. “Hi,” I breathed, smiling nervously. I took a step closer to her and felt my face heat up in embarrassment.

“I haven’t seen you in years, dear,” she sighed, finally releasing her grip on Nick’s arm. I could see the redness from her tight grip, but he didn’t complain. “You look so grown up.”

“I’m… sorry, but I don’t remember you,” I admitted sheepishly, scratching my head. Her laugh was so light.

“I didn’t expect you to, Lilliani. I’m Denise, Nicholas’ mother. Rosalind was my best friend. The last time I saw you…” she trailed off, shaking her head. She took a deep breath and replaced her expression with a smile, holding out her arms for a hug. I didn’t have to think twice before I placed myself in her grasp, feeling how easy it was to hug someone made me think about my mother even more. She used to give the best hugs and I missed it. If only it were this easy to give Nick a hug; I’d have to try it sometime.

“Could you tell me something about my mom?” I whispered when she pulled away, ignoring Nick’s gaze. I told myself not to cry, especially not in front of a stranger, but was she really? Denise was my mother’s best friend and I remembered how often her name would escape my mom’s lips.

“She loved you very much,” she said softly, clearing her throat. “And she told me that, if I ever saw you again, she had something for you…”

That sparked my interest. I glanced over at Nick quickly, his face just as clueless as mine, but not nearly as emotional. I breathed deeply and turned back to Denise, knitting my eyebrows together.

“You see, we knew. We knew about you and we knew you’d be gold, just like Nicholas: the great wolf and the great witch… that’s what both of you are to be and for the first time, you two are to be together. My husband is the great wolf, as you know, and your mother introduced me to him. She said she knew we were to be together and she knew Nicholas would be with you. She was a great leader for witches and for people like myself who needed guidance in this crazy world.”

“Is that why Nick was looking for me?” I questioned, confused. He said he didn’t know that we were supposed to be together… I didn’t understand.

“I didn’t know about this,” Nick answered quickly, crossing his arms. “I was to look for you in place of my father because I was fulfilling my duties.”

“Nick didn’t know of any soul mate. He never believed me when I mentioned it. He was always so stubborn,” she smiled, placing her hand on her cheek. I listened eagerly, biting my lip. “But Rosalind told me and she also told me that, with you two ruling and being together, all of us involved in this world would stay safe. She had me keep something very special to her for you. Would you like to see it?” she whispered, a sparkle in her eye.

“Yes,” I blurted, nodding quickly. She smiled genuinely and moved forward, motioning me forward, but Nick stood where he was. He wasn’t going to follow us.

She led me out of the kitchen and down a short hallway, turning around another corner. She pushed open the door and ushered me inside. I focused on a large neatly made bed in the middle, a rose colored quilt draping down to the floor. The curtains were partially open and the dresser held picture frames and perfumes and make-up, but there were no clothes on the floor or in sight. She lead me to a single door and gently slid it open, the contents of a closet coming into sights. Hangers holding t-shirts and sweaters and jackets, and skirts and dress pants and old jeans. There was a plastic bag sticking out and I focused on the hidden contents as she grabbed the hanger.

She pulled it from behind a coat and turned it around in her hand, the bag making noises under her touch. She moved over to the bed and set it down, pulling at the old zipper. I watched with eager eyes bit down on my lip again. Pulling the bag open, my mouth dropped open in shock. An elegant white dress. That’s what was in the bag and now taking over my vision. It was the same dress from my dream last night and I didn’t know what was going on. Did that mean what I thought it meant? Did I even know what I thought I thought it meant? Was I confusing myself? That was an easy one: yes!

I took a shaky breath and trailed my eyes over the close detailing; the little lace flowers on each frilly layer and the way a bow draped on the front. It had thin straps, the edges holding lacy thicker straps--the ones that hung off the shoulder. It was beautiful and I was just so confused.

“It was Rosalind’s wedding dress,” she whispered gently, turning to face me. I reached out and ran my fingers over the sheer and soft fabric, taking in the feel. It was hard to grasp. “I remember how beautiful she looked in it the day she got married. That was the day she introduced me to the great wolf--Paul. Your father, Rob… he didn’t really know what was going on. She didn’t want him to because she didn’t want him caught up in everything. But they loved each other dearly and they got you out of it,” she whispered again, setting a hand on my shoulder.

I swallowed back my tears and tried not to picture my mom in this wedding dress. Did I dream about my wedding? Now that I thought about it, I remembered seeing Denise’s curls on a woman and Joe’s spiky hair and Kevin’s curls on two boys their age. I even recognized my father, but the dead and embarrassing giveaway was Nick. He was wearing a tuxedo--he looked devilishly handsome--and I was wearing a dress… this dress. Was this a sick joke or was it really going to happen? My dreams seemed to be pretty accurate, but I didn’t really want to think about it.

“She-she wanted me to have it?” I whispered, my voice quivering, letting me know I was about to break at any moment.

“Mhm,” she muttered softly, nodding slowly.

I looked down at my hands and blinked back tears, standing up straight. I was better than this. I didn’t need to cry. It wasn’t as if she just died; that was more than five years ago. I didn’t really want to remember that though, but it kept coming to me.

I let out a shaky breath and sniffled, backing up slowly. Denise smiled sadly at me and gently zipped the dress up, proceeding to put it back into her closet, but I didn’t stick around. I walked out of the room slowly and into the hallway, turning the corner to see Nick staring out the window through my teary eyes. I heard my footsteps become quick as I tried for the door, but he turned his head with curiosity, his chocolate eyes now settling on my crying figure. This was silly. This was uncalled for. This was me missing my mom and I wondered if I really could do this without her.

Heading towards the door wasn’t easy because Nick was faster and his muscular figure was now blocking my exit. I knew I had no where to go, but I didn’t want to cry in front of him. I guess that was too late.

“Where are you going? And why are you crying?” he breathed, his voice sounding almost irritated, but I hoped I heard some sort of worry or care hidden in there.

“Leave me alone,” I whimpered, trying to move ahead, but he stood his ground and grabbed my shoulders, his eyes locking mine.

“Lonnie, why are you upset? Is it because of your mom again?”

How the heck did he know?

“I miss her!” I bawled like a child, shutting my eyes so I could cry like one. “I miss her so much more every day.” Nick sighed heavily and I could feel his arms reluctantly wrap around me, pulling me to his chest gently, not expecting me to really hug back: he was wrong. I flung my arms around his torso tightly and rested my head against his chest, able to hear the quick patter of his heart between my cries. The warmth was shooting through me repeatedly.

“She’s with you, though. Everyday,” he mumbled, unsure of how to get me to calm down.

“What if I lose the necklace? Then I won’t have anything that she loved anymore,” I gasped, my hot tears spilling onto his tight shirt, wetting my cheek.

“Not the necklace,” he grumbled, his hand patting my back gently. “She gave you her powers. Those were hers and that’s something you’ll always have no matter what.”

I let my crying become softer and kept my arms tightly around him as I thought about that. It was true. She gave me her powers so I had hers along with my own. I’d always be a witch just like her and I couldn’t help but smile a little at that recognition.

“Now stop crying,” he ordered, pulling me away from him. I expected to see a scowl, but his smooth face was soft instead. “You look like Rudolph.” He patted my nose with the tip of his finger and gave me a tiny smirk as I gasped, narrowing my eyes at him. I let out a giggle though and smacked his arm, only imagining how red my nose looked against my pale skin.

I wiped my cheeks quickly and wondered how fast I could recover over something with Nick. Would this always happen? Was I that comfortable around him despite his attitude. I ran my fingers through my hair and sighed, pulling myself together. Nick gave me a silent moment, his arms crossed over his chest patiently, and his eyes locked onto mine.

“Ready to see the great wolf?” he asked hesitantly. That definitely sparked my interest.

“Yes,” I smiled, almost jumping up and down. I think I did a little and he rolled his eyes.

“Stop dancing, please,” he chuckled breathily and I did so, smiling at the fact that he laughed. It was cute and I was surprised I had just noticed it, but that was probably because he didn’t do it much.

He left the pack by the door as he exited. I followed quickly, glancing around at the few people that still stood outside, immediately taking sight of Joe, Kevin, Frankie, and three other boys. Two of the boys were tall with short mud brown hair and gray eyes--they looked like twins. The third boy also had brown hair, but it was a little lighter and his eyes were a deep blue, his height around Nick’s. Their eyes settled on us as we moved forward and I instantly looked to Nick as he sighed, taking steps towards their direction.

“I didn’t believe Joe when he said great Nicholas was back in town,” the one with blue eyes smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. Joe rolled his eyes and muttered to himself. “And lookie here; you brought a seductress.”

“She’s not a seductress Jeremy,” he muttered, reaching out to grip my hand. He seemed to pull me closer, but I didn’t know if that was my imagination. “She’s the new great witch.”

Joe and Kevin nodded in agreement, the two boys who looked alike smiling in awe.

“Lonnie, this is Jeremy-” he started, pointing to the boy who had just spoken. His eyes stayed locked on me and I looked away to glance at Nick who then pointed to one of the boys with mud brown hair. “That’s Ryan. And that’s Russell-” he then pointed to his twin, but Russell held a scar above his eyebrow. That’s probably an easy way to tell them apart. “They’re my pack, so to speak.”

I raised my eyebrows and glanced at the three of them, smiling shyly. The boy with a scar began to speak, his voice deep.

“Joe tells us that she’s your soul mate…” Nick nodded slowly and cleared his throat. I understand why they thought it was strange. Wolves and witches didn’t match, but this was… different. We were different. Maybe I didn’t mind it so much. I glanced back at Jeremy and suddenly remembered Josh and Anna. I kind of missed them, but that was beside the point.

“So what are you doing back after two years?” Jeremy asked with sarcasm, raising his eyebrows at Nick. Nick sighed and gave him a look that said he wasn’t in the mood, but he answered anyway.

“Don’t be bitter, alright?” he said, and I wondered what he meant. “I have to talk to my dad about the black magic and tell him I found Lonnie. Maybe if I get back soon, we can talk, but we’ll be leaving tonight.”

Joe, Kevin, Frankie, Ryan, and Russell all looked disappointed but they accepted it and all mumbled their ‘see ya’s.’ Nick pulled me away from the crowd without another word and onto the path behind his house, leading us into the trees once again. It was silent for a moment and I couldn’t stand not asking my question.

“Go ahead,” Nick sighed, loosening his grip on my arm. I felt his hand slide down and into mine, pulling me faster before I could speak, the warmth delaying me.

“What’s up with you and Jeremy?” I could sense tension.

“Uh,” Nick hesitated, using his free hand to rub the back of his neck. “Jeremy’s dad is part of the council. He likes to be able to brag about it to all his friends, the power his dad has is pretty high. He’s one of my father’s disciples which, in turn, makes him one of mine now. Jeremy wants that power and as soon as he’s eighteen, he’ll join the council alongside his father.”

“So why’s he bitter then?” I breathed, scratching my head.

“He doesn’t like the fact that I’ll still be in control. I’m the head of the pack. When you’re on the council, you have freedom from everyone--you can ask Eve all the details, but they still have to follow the great wolf, the great witch… basically the leaders, and he hates that I’m one now.”

“But… if he’s in your pack then why is he like that? Is he jealous?” I questioned, watching him as he walked with a thoughtful expression.

“I don’t know what he is,” he shrugged, shaking his head. “He’s never really liked me and I’ve never really liked him.”

I stopped in my tracks, his body turning to see my hold up, and I smiled. Holding out my arms, I stapped forward and he watched me skeptically, stepping back.

“What are you doing?” he asked, furrowing his thin eyebrows.

“I think you need a hug,” I smiled, taking another step forward, but he shook his head and stepped back. I giggled; I couldn’t help it.

“Nick-”

“No Lonnie. One hug was enough,” he insisted, turning around, but I grabbed his hand and sparks shot through me. He slowly turned, his face close to mine, and he breathed deeply. “Lonnie-”

“Just take the hug Nick,” I whispered, still giggling. His facial expression was so priceless. Was he that afraid of affection? He stared at me with narrowed eyes but sighed, pulling his hand away from mine to hold out his arms, and I smiled widely.

I pulled myself into him and wrapped my arms back around his torso just like moments ago, sighing when my glow brightened and he hugged back. I rested my head on his shoulder and kept him close for a few seconds, knowing he was already ready to pull away, but I was taking this is. Maybe he didn’t like hugs, but I did. Hugging him, at least.

“Okay Lonnie,” he whispered, his breath hitting my ear. I shivered. “Let go.”

I immediately released my grip and blushed; I swore I heard him snicker slightly before he turned around and headed back down the path.

&&&

We kept straight on the dirt path, the farther we got, the darker it became. I wondered where he was taking me and I glanced around eagerly, my eyes settling on a large cave in the distance, the dark pitch black. Was the great wolf in there? Alone? I looked over at Nick and instantly felt bad, pushing my hair back. He kept his eyes forward and seemed to slow down as he got closer, holding his hand out. He shooed me away and I knew he was about to phase, so I just continued forward slowly. A small grunt sounded and the wolf immediately pounced to my side, slowly sauntering forward.

“Dad?”he thought. It was silent for a moment and I wondered if he had gotten an answer. “Stay right there,”he ordered, and I stopped in my tracks, watching him run forward and disappear into the cave.

I looked around at all the trees, unable to find something to focus on. The wind blew gently and I looked around, getting that eerie feeling, but I pushed it away, sighing heavily. A few seconds passed and I sighed again, bouncing on my feet softly, humming to myself. I remembered one of my favorite songs and began to sing to myself. I missed listening to music, to all my favorite songs.

I stopped my singing when I heard a chuckle in my mind and I spun around, completely embarrassed to find both Nick--still as a wolf-- and… the great wolf. My mouth parted in shock and I did my best to rid my cheeks of the blush, but it wasn’t going to work. Sighing, I took a hesitant step forward, my eyes locking on Nick’s gold one’s for a moment before trailing over to his father; the great wolf.

He was gray with light brown specks and big brown eyes, but they held a maroon tint to them, a low glow almost. I cleared my throat and cracked my knuckles, clasping my hands together.

“Dad, this is Lonnie,” Nick spoke, silence following. The great wolf turned to face Nick and I knew they were communicating, but all I could hear was Nick. And even he wasn’t saying much.