Romance

  
  Lily&#39;s POV
  As I watched Maya and Rose chatter away like two squabbling sparrows, recounting the events (interspersed with copious complaints about each other&#39;s behavior), my first thought was: Holy crap, I seriously need a jumbo-sized ice cream sundae right now, topped with a mountain of chocolate sprinkles.
  Suppressing wolf nature? Summoning forest witches? This sounded like the script for some low-budget fantasy flick, not something happening in my own backyard.
  I massaged my temples, glancing between Maya&#39;s stern expression and Rose&#39;s still-righteous demeanor, then recalled Celena&#39;s lifeless eyes... Alright.
  “So,” I summarized, “what you&#39;re saying is there&#39;s some ancient (and probably fake) witchy fairy tale ritual that might (but probably won&#39;t) summon something that could (in theory) fix Celena&#39;s problem, and one of you opposes it whi

  Celena&#39;s POV
  Ren arrived with her medical kit, quietly settling into a corner and offering us a gentle smile.
  The room soon filled with the chatter of women. They discussed the unusually warm weather lately, the pretty new dresses at the town&#39;s clothing store, and what new words Lily&#39;s daughter Aurora had learned at her grandmother&#39;s house. Ren even shared a new herbal tea recipe she&#39;d been trying. They didn&#39;t deliberately gather around me, but I felt enveloped by this relaxed, warm atmosphere, and it was very comfortable. I rarely chimed in, just listened, occasionally nodding awkwardly when Lily asked me, “Would blue or red look better on Celena for this dress?”
  The twin brothers peeked furtively through the doorway several times, clearly curious about what their witch was up to. Each time, Rose laughed them away with “Girls&#39; time—no men allowed.” Wa

  Celena&#39;s POV
  Rose&#39;s words pierced my heavy despair like moonlight. Maya had rejected me, but Rose... she said she had a way! And she looked so confident, so lively. She was a good witch, having healed many in the pack before, well-liked by everyone. I trusted her.
  My heart beat a little faster with this new hope. Maybe... maybe I could truly escape this damn wolf instinct that always pushed me toward Jacob.
  I followed Rose to the small room where they prepared the ritual. I watched her rummage through dried herbs, oddly colored stones, and a jumble of small animal carcasses. I watched her prepare with eager anticipation, feeling my breath lighten slightly.
  Just as Rose was fiddling with those items, muttering incantations, and preparing earnestly, the door slammed open.
  Maya stood in the doorway, her face ashen. She shot Rose a fierce glare, then dragged her out witho

Lily&#39;s POV
  As I watched Maya and Rose chatter away like two squabbling sparrows, recounting the events (interspersed with copious complaints about each other&#39;s behavior), my first thought was: Holy crap, I seriously need a jumbo-sized ice cream sundae right now, topped with a mountain of chocolate sprinkles.
  Suppressing wolf nature? Summoning forest witches? This sounded like the script for some low-budget fantasy flick, not something happening in my own backyard.
  I massaged my temples, glancing between Maya&#39;s stern expression and Rose&#39;s still-righteous demeanor, then recalled Celena&#39;s lifeless eyes... Alright.
  “So,” I summarized, “what you&#39;re saying is there&#39;s some ancient (and probably fake) witchy fairy tale ritual that might (but probably won&#39;t) summon something that could (in theory) fix Celena&#39;s problem, and one of you opposes it while the other supports it, so you come running to me?”
  Both witches nodded simultaneously.
  I sig

Chapter 194