POV: JACKSON
This can't be true! It's impossible. Tom is a witch?
"I think you're wrong; Tom can't be a witch. He's my son."
"I didn't say he wasn't a wolf; he's just both."
"But you just mentioned a child witch. What does that mean?"
"Let me clarify. Witches usually don't show their powers at such a young age. We typically do so by the time we turn twelve. Since you said he's seven, that makes him a child witch."
"What exactly is a child witch?" Chris inquired.
"A child witch is someone whose powers are as a result of desperation," he said, looking at our puzzled expressions before letting out a sigh.
"You're not making any sense, Owen," I said, frowning.
"A mixed witch has the choice to accept or reject their powers when they first appear. If she chooses to reject them but later wants them back, there's a consequence. Their children receive powers at a younger age instead."
"Wait, how is that a consequence? If anything, that's a good thing." Saint said and I agreed with him.
"Because the child won't have the choice to accept or reject their powers. Since you're his father, I can only guess that his mother is a mixed witch who turned down her powers but later wanted them back out of desperation."
This new information left me stunned. Anto was a witch? She had rejected her powers but later wanted them? What could have made her so desperate to reclaim her abilities?
"Hold on, this is overwhelming," Chris said. "Anto didn't smell like a witch; she was a full wolf."
"You don't understand. She was mixed, which means she turned down her powers and became a full wolf."
"Will he smell like a witch then?" Chris asked again.
"Since he's an alpha and a young witch, he will have traits of both. But that will only happen when he turns twelve."
I looked down at my son. He was watching everyone talk, completely unaware that his life was about to change. This information would make him different from the rest of the pack.
"But don't worry; he will still be an Alpha. Just...more powerful. An alpha witch, I suppose."
An alpha witch? I had never heard of such a thing. Would the pack accept him as their leader even if he was a witch? It didn't matter. I would protect and fight for my son no matter what. I picked up Tom and hugged him tightly. He could be anything he wanted; he was still my son. He was still a wolf and an alpha.
"Hmn, I see you all need time to take this in. I'll head home and wait for your invitation to talk again."
"Wait, please don't share this with anyone. Let's keep it between the four of us," I said.
He smiled slightly. "I wouldn't think of it." Then he left.
"Based on your reaction, I'm guessing Anto didn't tell you she was mixed," Chris said. I shook my head while still holding Tom.
"I should let you both talk," Saint suggested.
"It's okay. You don't need to go," I replied. I trusted him, and he already knew everything, so there was no point in leaving.
"This is all so complicated."
"I don't think she meant any harm. Owen did mention that they would find out by the age of twelve. Maybe she just didn't want to talk about a past she turned away from," Saint said.
"Saint is correct; I don't believe Anto had any bad intentions. Given that your dad didn't like witches, she probably assumed you wouldn't either."
"But still..." I hesitated. I understood their point, but didn't she trust me enough to confide in me? If I could put up with Cora even when I wasn't fond of her, why would I dislike my mate?
"But why did she want it back? What made her so desperate, and when did that happen?" I asked aloud.
"Daddy, is something wrong?" Tom inquired as he pulled back to look at me. I shook my head, saying, "No, everything's fine. It'll all be okay, right?" He nodded and smiled.
Then he turned to Saint, "Uncle Saint, are you okay now? You said you would be, and then we can play."
"But it's not the end of the day yet. We'll play later, alright?"
"Okay," Tom said with a grin. "Can I go to my room now?" I nodded, and he dashed upstairs.
"Don't worry about him, Jackson. We'll keep him safe. We get our inner wolf at age ten, so things should be fine. He'll awaken his wolf before his powers become clear. Plus, I doubt the pack will mind; he's still an Alpha, after all."
I sighed and said, "You're right. I need to think this through. Please come back with Owen in two hours so we can see what he can do regarding Saint's situation."
He nodded, placing his hands on my shoulders. "Don't overthink it, man." I nodded back, and then he left.
"I think for now, you should stay close to Tom in case Ava tries to mess with your head again," I told Saint, who agreed with a nod.
"I'll be in my room," I said as I walked away, my mind swirling with different thoughts as I climbed the stairs. In my room, I paced back and forth, trying to make sense of everything I had just learned.
We had been together as mates for nearly four years, and she hadn't trusted me enough to tell me she was mixed? If Owen was right about Tom being a child witch, what could be so important that Anto wanted her powers back so badly? Before the rogue attack that took her life, she didn't seem like a witch at all. If she was in such a desperate situation, it must have been significant. But why hadn't she confided in me? Or did it all happen during the rogue attack?
«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»
We sat in the living room, waiting for Owen and Chris to arrive. Tom was sitting next to me, glancing around.
"Are you okay?" Saint asked, concern clear on his face as I turned to look at him.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I responded. And that was the truth. After thinking it over, I realized that Anto must have her own reasons for keeping things from me. Perhaps one day, I'll understand why.
Moments later, Chris and Owen walked in. "So, have we sorted everything out?" Owen asked as he took a seat.
"Yes. Now that we know Tom is a witch, what can you do to help Saint?"
"I've done some thinking and research on my own, and I've found something even better," he said with a smile.
"So, there's good news?" Saint inquired.
"Yes! We're going to go into your mind and figure out who the child is," Owen stated, standing up.
"Inside his mind? How is that possible?"
"Simple. Tom will possess Saint and explore his mind. When a voice whispers to you, it doesn't just vanish. It stays in your head. That's why you haven't been able to hear your inner wolf's voice," he explained, and Saint's eyes widened as he nodded.
"So, you're saying this child is in Saint's mind, and you want to use Tom to find out who they are?" I asked.
"Exactly."
"But this won't hurt him, right?" Saint asked, looking worried.
"Not at all. It will be easy since Tom is a child witch. It'll feel natural."
"Can we do it now, or do you need time to prepare?"
"Now. We'll do it in Tom's room to make it comfortable for him."
"Okay, this way." I took Tom's hand as we headed to his room. Once everyone was inside, Owen locked the door.
I knelt down in front of Tom. "Tom, you know that Uncle Saint is sick, right?" He glanced at Saint and nodded. "We need your help. You're the only one who can help him get better."
"How can I do that?" he asked, tilting his head.
"This uncle here," I said, pointing at Owen, "will help you heal him. Don't worry; it won't hurt." I reassured him.
"Okay," he replied with a smile. I tousled his hair and smiled back.
I stood up and glanced at Owen, who nodded and moved closer to Tom. "Saint, come here and kneel down," he instructed. Saint obeyed and knelt in front of Tom. "Tom, place your hands on Saint's head and your thumbs over his eyes, alright? Don't let go." Tom nodded and did as he was told.
"And while you're doing that, make sure to follow my instructions, okay?" Owen said, and Tom nodded again.
"Chris, please stand behind Tom, and Mr. Alpha, stand behind Saint," he directed, then began murmuring some incantations. I felt a bit confused about why we had to stand behind them.
Owen's hair started to glow as he spoke softly. As his voice grew louder, Tom's dark hair and eyes began to shine too. Saint remained still, but tears streamed down his cheeks despite Tom's thumbs covering them.
Owen placed his hands on both of their heads, causing them to lose consciousness. I caught Saint while Chris did the same for Tom.
We placed them side by side, and Owen sat between them, quietly chanting some spells. Chris and I simply observed as Tom and Saint's hair sparkled and twitched while they lay there, unconscious.