THE ALPHA’S ADDICTION

Useless.

Worthless.

Fake.

Esther almost slapped her head to stop it from accusing her.

Ever since her war of words with her own version of bully when they had been staying in the witches’ community, few years before her Aunt had decided that they should relocate, she had been dealing with a low self esteem.

Some kids who had thought that she was nothing because of her timid nature then had trampled on her in every way possible. And when she had moved with her Aunt here, she had vowed that she wouldn’t be the same.

She had read more spells, had accumulated more knowledge, had dyed her hair to look like a badass, had formed her own clique, and had also successfully built her own feared reputation.

But it all came crashing down, as she stared at the library.

She couldn’t do anything. She was useless. She could feel herself tearing up, as she bent her head down. Not that she cared a tooth about the alpha boy, but she cared a lot about her reputation. She had spent a lot building it. But it seemed that she was watching it fall apart, and it was breaking her heart.

“Breathe.” She heard Anthony whisper to her.

“You can do it. Just concentrate.” He said, placing his hand on her left shoulder.

She nodded, shutting down the impulse to say that she couldn’t do it. She wanted to do it for him. She wanted to make him proud. He seemed to have a huge trust in her capability, just like her aunt.

Her Aunt had moved away from their community for her sake, especially when she had found out about her bullying.

And so, she concentrated; shutting down the accusing section of her brain, and tuning into the working section of knowledge.

She cut away every distraction, she felt like she was just alone. She wasn’t feeling Anthony’s hand on her shoulder neither was she aware of the others in the room.

She was fully emancipated in magic.

Later, Anthony would tell her that she had glowed as she had focused her eyes on the Library.

***

Firstly, Esther had put herself in Derek’s shoes, and checked every probability of him going through the Library.

She stepped around in a circle, meditating, calling forth her chi, and then stopped as her eyes stuck to a particular book. It stuck, and wouldn’t remove.

Her guts encouraged her to touch the book.

And she did.

She touched the book, and then slanted it, as if, wanting to remove it from its position amongst the books in that particular shelf.

But as she did so, she heard unlocking sounds, and watched as the library parted into two, from that particular book. The book was divided into two equal parts now.

“You did it!” She heard Anthony say, and turned and look at him.

He was smiling down at her.

Esther thought there and then that she would do anything to make him smile at her that way again. She was smitten by his clear cut dentition. She even saw a dimple by his left cheek.

She felt like sinking her touch there.

“Thanks a lot Esther.” She heard the Luna say, and turned away from Anthony, not wanting the others to know of her infatuation.

She nodded at the woman who now approached her, or rather the opened door.

“Nice work.” Anthony said, tapping her gently, twice, at her back before following his Luna into the new room.

***

The first thing Melvina noticed as she stepped into the secret space was her son kneeling down by a pew like object, his head bent so low.

With a sharp cry, she rushed to him. But she couldn’t touch him.

She saw a ring of light about him.

He was holding an orb too in his hands. He looked dead.

The orb was dissipating blue lights, lights that illuminated the room. It looked powerful and brutal at the same time.

Melvina was scared.

“Esther!” She screamed, turning away from her son to call unto the witch.

Esther already in the room, quickened her steps till she got to Melvina.

She balked as she noticed the state of Derek, and then the orb.

What the hell was that?

“What is that?” Shane asked, echoing the thoughts of each and everyone in the room, except Derek who was unconscious.

Well, they all looked at her again, expecting answers.

But how was she supposed to know? Her aunt didn’t fill her in on these things.

“I… don’t… know..” She stammered; her eyes stuck on the glowing orb.

“How can we get him out of it? How can we seperate them?” Melvina asked anxiously, her eyes pleading with Esther for a remedy to her son’s issue.

“I… don’t… know…” She mumbled weakly, the tears threatening to spill again.

She wondered what Anthony would think of her now.

Useless.

Worthless.

Fake.

Her mind started again.

And she was helpless against it.

From the corner of her eyes, she saw them all looking at her. It wearied her the more especially as she saw the Luna fall to the floor helplessly beside her son.

Think. She thought.

Think Esther. She muttered to herself.

But nothing was coming forth.

Her brain rang empty.

She hadn’t seen or heard of the orb before.

As she was still thinking, she didn’t see when Anthony walked out of the room, or when he returned back with a rod.

She didn’t see him either when he raised it up high, and swung at the junction between the orb and its golden plate.

She only heard the noise.

***Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

Esther looked up sharply, as her ears were besotted by a deafening sound.

She saw Anthony breathing in and out, heavily, deeply.

What had he done? She thought, seeing the rod in his hand now.

She looked at the place where the orb should be. It wasn’t there, rather it was on the floor alone, seperated from its plate.

And Derek was in the arms of his mother, lifeless, cold.