A Witch in Time

I …” She didn’t want to go. She didn’t even want to be here right now. I wish I was back in California. Back in her home in Napa Valley where she could shift into her wolf and be at peace. “Mom, I can’t be ready in that time.”
“I’m so sorry, darling. I know it’s last minute, but maybe you can move a little quicker?”
“Yeah, I’m not really ready.” For any of this. But if her mother knew anything was wrong, she would be like a rabid dog. “You know, I’ve been to The Enclave dozens of times. I can get there by myself. I’ll grab a cab.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah.”
There was a resigned sigh. “All right, we’re leaving in an hour if you can manage to get ready by then, then you can just drive over with us.”
“Sure.”
Elise flopped down on her bed. The hour passed in an excruciatingly slow manner, and when Lara knocked again to check if she was ready, she told her that she wasn’t and to go ahead without her. She listened carefully to the sounds outside—the three women rushing about and gathering their things, and the door closing behind them. Finally, she was alone. Maybe I can—
A knock on her door made her bolt up in bed. Who could that be?
“Lara, it’s me.”
Uncle Daric? Confused, she got up and walked to the door. “I thought you’d left with them.”
Daric smiled at her weakly. “You heard them talking.”
Her shoulders sagged. “Yes.”
His expression became doleful. “She did what she could.”
“She did,” she shrugged. They all did. Him. Grandma. Even the powerful warlock, Lucien Merlin, couldn’t do anything. “It’s me. I’m the one who can’t control my powers.” Her gaze dropped down to her gloved hands. They had been a crutch, they said. It was all in her mind. She had the strength to control her powers, but she wasn’t trying hard enough. Well, there was no way she was going to risk anyone’s life again, which is why she resigned herself to wearing the gloves forever.
“I’m sorry there wasn’t more I could do for you.”
“I—” She stopped short, an idea forming in her head. Why didn’t she think of that before? “Uncle Daric, when we were young, you bound our powers, right? All the hybrids?”
“It was a necessary precaution.” The warlock’s golden brows drew together. “Cross caused an accident when he was an infant, so we decided that all hybrids would have their magic bound until they were older.”
“So … could you do it again? This time … permanently?” She reached out for that small bit of hope dangling in front of her. Without her powers, she could live a normal life. Maybe even touch another human without the damned gloves.
Daric shook his head. “I cannot, Elise.”
“But why?” came her bitter reply. “The mages that you sent to the Lycan Siberian prison … you bound their powers, right?”
“Yes, but that’s different. They were pure magical beings. You, on the other hand, are a hybrid. Your powers are intricately bound to your wolf. I do not know what a permanent binding would do to your wolf in the long term or your ability to shift.”
She could lose her wolf? So, her choice was to lose a part of her or to live like this forever. Living half a life, her powers within her reach but being unable to use them. “There has to be a way. Maybe if …” The lump in her throat made it difficult to breathe.
“Elise, this is not the answer.” He lifted up her gloved hands. “I know you can control your power. It’s you who won’t believe it. What happened was tragic—”
She yanked her hands away. “Please! I-I don’t want to talk about that now.”
The warlock nodded. “As you wish.” A heavy silence hung between them. “I shall head to The Enclave. If you would like—”
“I’ll find my own way, thanks.” She yanked on the doorknob and shut it. It was rude to do that to her host, but she was too angry and disappointed to care.
She waited a few more minutes, using her razor-sharp hearing to observe the sounds in the apartment. When she could no longer sense Daric’s presence, she sighed in relief.
What do I do? She didn’t really know how she could stand being around people right now, or face her mother after what she’d overheard. But it wasn’t like she could just not show up to the ceremony. It was tempting but disrespectful to the Andersons, one of their closest allies. There was going to be a lot of people there. Perhaps she could just blend in and find a couple of acquaintances. She knew Lucas’s sisters casually, plus Aunt Cady and her family would be there too. You’re the daughter of an Alpha, she told herself. And she had a duty to her clan to represent them.
She took her time getting ready, showering and putting on her makeup, then the plain, long black dress she had chosen. As she reached for the matching gloves, she paused. Did she dare …
“No.” She couldn’t risk it, and put the gloves on. Grabbing her purse, she exited the loft and took the elevator to the street level to find a taxi.
Fifteen minutes passed and there was still no taxi. Elise grumbled. At this point, I’ll be really late. Turning on her heel, she decided to walk a block up to try and catch a taxi before other people hailed them first.
“Excuse me.”
She pivoted and found herself nearly nose-to-nose with a stranger. Where did he come from? “Yes?” she said, taking a step back.
The stranger was a man, about her age, dressed casually in jeans and a shirt. “Miss, do you have a light?” He raked a hand through his raven-dark hair and smiled at her.
“Uh, sorry, I don’t smoke.” Without waiting for him to say anything else, she turned around. She had only taken three steps when she felt her wolf’s hackles rise for the second time that day. But unlike