Elliott rushed down the hallway in the Art Guild. He had seen the ambulance and police car just outside and tried to keep the curious students away while he tried to figure out what has happened. Of course, something bad would happen the day he went on a date…Meeting.

He might not believe in fate but clearly, someone is trying to tell him something. He was stopped by a policeman but was allowed to pass by another who was a member of his pack.

“What happened?” Elliott asked.

“An attack. Wolves,” his pack member reported bitterly.

“Who was the target?”

“The damn… Sorry, the witch. Eh, the teacher in Dark Arts.”

“Pyramus Marshall,” Elliott said grimly. That can’t be a coincidence.

“Yeah, that isn’t the bad news though. Jack Brown was hurt in the attack,” the pack member growled.” The poor, old fool tried to save the witch.”

Elliott groaned in dismay. The old janitor has worked on the school for almost fifty years. His grandfather had been a wolf, even though Mr. Brown himself never had been chosen. He was still considered by many to be part of the pack. This was not good.

“That damn witch!”

“I thought you said this was done by wolves?”

“Well technically, but that damn hedgewitch put a curse on the wolves with a snap of his fingers. He could have done it easily before old Brown was hurt. But he didn’t!”

“Magic cannot be done easily, I needed time to cast the curse. Dear, old Brown gave me time,” Pyramus said who just arrived at the scene.

“Did you see who did this?”

“Some wolves I have not seen and some I know very well as they are students. One was called… What was the pretty little redhead called? Darryl?”

“Dale Hawker,” Elliott muttered and Pyramus snapped his fingers.

“That’s the name.”

“If Dale was here then so must Mark as Dale is never far behind him,” Elliott thought grimly and bit his lip. Were the other from Ronan’s pack?

“Why attack you though? Why be so foolish?” Elliott mused and Pyramus gave him a light-hearted chuckled.

“Most likely, to gain respect. You just witnessed how this pack member reacted when he talked about me,” Pyramus pointed at the pack member who winced,” can you imagine the respect Mark would have gotten if he had succeeded.”

Elliott watched the ambulance drive away with Mr. Brown. He could only thank his lucky stars it had not been Pyramus. If it had, then he most likely would have lost some of his pack members who hated dark witches and wanted Pyramus gone.

This is starting to escalate and he had a feeling it only could get worse from here on out.

*****

Jaxon walked through the dark forest. The snow lit up his path but the trees still obscured the moon. He took a deep breath of the cold air but came to a halt when he smelled something making his wolf growl.

Smoke. A lot of it.

Jaxon saw smoke slither through the trunks of the trees like they were seeking a way out of its embrace. He rushed forward as the only thing that laid before him was his home. Soon he saw it. Wild flames rose to the dark sky coming from what he once called home making it seem like the heavens were on fire. His mother stood outside along with his father coughing while the pack members desperately tried to save the mansion.

He soon saw a familiar shape of white hair as Blake stood in front of the mansion briskly reading his grimoire. Jaxon rushed forward and grabbed onto Blake.

“Are you okay?”

“I… She… Jaxon, she is still in there!”

“Who?”

“She… God. I came here to wait for you and then there was smoke. Fire erupted from everywhere. She helped me out but… She got stuck.”

“Who? Blake? Who?”

“Joanne… Joanne Lyndon,” Blake sniveled while staring at his grimoire. “I can’t find a spell to get her out!”

Damnit! Jaxon had grown up with Joanne. She was never far away from Elliott and always bandaged the brothers when they had gotten into a fight. Why was she still here?

“What the hell happened?” Kai’s voice echoed over the raging fire as he and Elliott reached them.

“Damnit, they must have done this,” Elliott exclaimed grimly.

“Who?” Owen asked with rage in his eyes.

“Mark Rowe and some other students. Ronan sends them to attack Pyramus Marshall, but they failed,” Elliott nodded towards the house,” they must have thought burning down our home would make up for the failure.”

“Elliott, she is still inside,” Jaxon shouted.

“Who?”

“Joanne!”

Elliott froze for a moment before rushing towards the mansion. Kai grabbed onto him and pulled him back before the flames engulfed him.

“Are you daft?”

Owen came to help as Elliott refused to relent as he shouted for Joanne and tried to rush in.

“That is no way to help, you will need to think-“

“She is carrying my child!”

Owen and Kai almost released Elliott in shock but Mya saved the day by slapping her son.

“I know, but you will be of no help to her dead.”

All turned toward her this time in confusion as she watched the mansion with a grim look on her face.

“We have to do something,” Blake said meekly.”I’m trying to find a spell-“

“Dear, I have already figure out how to do this but I need help. I called for it a while ago-“ Mya lit up as two figures rushed towards them.”And they have arrived.”

Jaxon knew of one of them, the science teacher Ciaran MacGreine who is also the teacher of Arcane Magic. He looked strange with his dark brown skin and white hair along with the purple eyes that distinguished him as a fae. The other one though was unknown.

“Mr. Nemain!” Blake exclaimed answering Jaxon’s unasked question. The Justicar.

“Fancy meeting you again, Mr. Oakley. Though I had preferred meeting you again under less stressful circumstances,” Nemain said with a gentle smile before turning to Mya. “Elemental fusion?”

“That is what I have in mind. I have control over wind, Mr. MacGreine here can control water, and from what I have heard you are a master of fire.”

“That is correct, then let’s do it. I fear the young lady stuck inside does not have much time,” Nemain said and the three people stood facing each other. All three reached into the circle they formed with one hand. A flame hovered over Nemain's hand, water circled Ciaran while wind gushed around Mya.

All three started to speak at the same time. Repeating one sentence. Jaxon could not recognize the language but could distinguish they did not speak the same words. All three said the words in a strange rhythm, it did not sound like a spell but more of a chant from a monastery and each time a word was said the air trembled with the power coming out of the three.

Steam suddenly rose when the snow melted and was lifted to the sky which flashed with lightning as clouds appeared to cover the moon. Blake stared at the three reaping the words like he was helping them, not really noticing the incoming rain so Jaxon took it upon himself to cover Blake up with his jacket to ensure he did not become wet.

Waterdrops fell from the sky. First just a few. Then it was like someone pour gallons of water over them as the rain became a storm. The fire sizzled like it tried to fight it but soon diminished to vanish completely as Owen, Kai, and Elliott rushed inside to find Joanne.

Jaxon watched as Blake continued to repeat the chant with a frown.

“What are you doing?”

Blake winced like he had been in a trance before looking around. “Did it summon the rain?”

“Yeah, that’s why they cast the spell.”

“Oh, amazing. What-“

“It’s called elemental fusion. You use two or more elements and combined them to create a new element,” Ciaran said as he heard them speak.

“Will that come up on the elementalism course?” Blake asked but Ciaran merely smiled.

“Maybe in a few years, it’s very advanced magic. You should focus on mastering fire.”

Blake looked uncomfortable.”I’m trying but… Leon hasn’t been around to teach me and he won’t answer my calls.”

Nemain turned to Blake with a frown. “Has he not contacted you?”

Blake shook his head,” Is he angry at me?”

“No, he is under pressure from his mother. He can’t teach you since he isn’t allowed to leave the Graycrest mansion. I’d hope he had spoken to you about it though,” Nemain muttered.

“Is he held prisoner?” Blake said with an angry look on his cute face. Jaxon wanted to lick it but had a distinct feeling Blake would hit him if he did.

“Not really, more like pressured not to leave,” Nemain answered while his eyes darted to the ruin of the Price mansion as the shouting grew louder. Elliott emerged with Joanne in his arms. She was covered in soot but seem to otherwise be unharmed. Jaxon noticed Nemain seem to show fairly little interest in Joanne though and just watched Elliott.

Jaxon grimaced as he did not like the Justicar for some reason. Maybe because he was a witch. Well, Blake was one too but… It’s Blake.

His mother rushed towards Joanne and made sure neither she nor the child was hurt. The pack closed in on the two as they had heard what Elliott had said before they extinguished the fire. She carried his child. His heir. God, his little nephew… Or niece.

Owen also walked closer and Jaxon could hear him mutter to Elliott that he wanted an explanation as to why his best friend was pregnant with his child. Jaxon wanted to know the same thing as he was sure his brother liked men. “And Joanne is no man… I mean she is pregnant.”

“We have come to help,” Alex suddenly entered the scene with Hadrien at his heels. All turned to them as Alex frowned with a pout at the burndown house.”Well, Hadrien is here to help.”

“Excusez-moi!”

“Let’s face it. I might have helped if the building was burning but I am no builder. You have a tad more muscles for that kind of work,” Alex shrugged casually and pointed to his thin arms.

Hadrien rolled his eyes,” I have seen you carry both men and women.”

“Then I was motivated.”

“Alex!” Blake exclaimed.

“Blake!” Alex exclaimed dramatically and Hadrien groaned.

“Fous,” he muttered.

“Help me break into the Graycrest mansion!” Blake said while rushing towards Alex.

“Sure. Wait, what?”

“Leon is being held prisoner, I need to go save him!”

“Okay, are you sure he isn’t there by choice?”

“Then why hasn’t he called me? He even refused to look at me at our meeting!”

“That is still a bit drastic isn’t it,” Hadrien intervene but Alex just gave Blake a mischievous smile.

“Sure, why not. I have snuck into the Graycrest mansion before.”

“You what?” Jaxon asked.

“They have the most luxurious beds. Not to mention their bathtubs. They are big like islands. I practically could swim laps in them.”

“I don’t even know what to say to that,” Hadrien muttered.

“And I really shouldn’t hear this,” Nemain muttered from behind them and walked over to Elliott.

“So, who is in?” Blake asked eagerly.

“Sure, why not,” Hadrien muttered. “I have gotten used to dumb plans. Might as well throw in some dark magic as well.”

“I’m going with Blake!” Jaxon said with a determined pout.

“No, you are not. You suck as sneaking. You can be the lookout,” Alex said which only made Jaxon growl. Though he had a fair point. He had never succeeded in sneaking out of the house for a party or stealing his brothers' candy without being caught. Maybe it was safer for Blake to leave him behind…

“Well, I am the mastermind so, of course, I will help. Let’s ask Aeron, Haley, and Hamish later. Though, it’s better to do it with fewer members,” Alex shrugged.

“Then we are all set. Let’s start planning!”