Stepped Up [COMPLETE]

37

It seems like Jack was right about the werewolf-like transformation that comes with the first trimester of pregnancy. At 10 weeks, I finally started to feel some relief from the constant nausea and was able to keep more food down. As my pregnancy progressed, I found myself developing more and more cravings. Although I had been able to hide my growing bump with baggy clothes at first, as we approached summer, I knew it would become more complex. With May already here, I had to start thinking about how to announce my pregnancy. Jack had requested that I make the announcement during his upcoming birthday party, which was only 10 days away. Time was flying by!

"Isn't it the new moon tonight?" Jack asked as he came into our room. As I prepared to change, I saw the long, flowy white dress I had picked out earlier. It was absolutely stunning, with a style that seemed straight from a fairy tale or a Renaissance-era painting. The off-the-shoulder sleeves added a touch of elegance, while the lace-up bodice and back with tail gave it a regal feel. The long trumpet sleeves were the perfect finishing touch, making me feel like a true queen. "You look beautiful," he whispered.

"Thank you," I said as I cupped my hands under my bulging bump. "It was my mothers,"

"So you're doing it tonight?"

"Yes, the doc got me a vial of Elena's blood; I will use it as an anchor,"

"Do you need my help?"

"No, thank you, my love," I kissed him quickly before leaving the room. I headed into the back garden, where I had set up my altar.

I called upon the five elements, lighting the candles as I did and blessing them. I took Elena's blood and smeared it on the sides of the candles, strengthening the connection with the woven magic. With a deep breath, I called to my ancestors and Elena's paternal bloodline. I imagined the old weave that bound Rick's pack together. It was frayed, breaking and loose around the edges. I held on to the binds and used Elena's blood as an anchor. The weave was flickering in and out of focus because I was far away from the Franks pack. I put some of Elena's blood on the base of my wrists and bound her DNA into mine – temporarily. I dipped a woven rope into Elena's blood and strengthened my connection to the weave, which stopped the flickering.

As I meticulously unpicked the threads of the physical weave in my hand, I felt each fibre slide through my fingertips, smooth and cool to the touch. The magical weave around the Franks' pack began to unravel, the once-taut threads giving way to the gentle tug of my movements. As I continued to work, I saw the weave slowly losing its form, fraying and frizzing into a tangled mess of fibres. It was as though the weave had a life of its own, and I could feel the sense of resistance as it struggled to hold on. But with each thread I removed, the weave grew weaker, its hold on the pack loosening. In my mind's eye, I could see the weave breaking down into tiny particles of ash as though it was being consumed by a raging inferno. I watched with fascination as the once-powerful magic was reduced to nothingness, breaking the pack's strength and connection.

As I perused through the intricate web of connections before me, I couldn't help but notice the thicker and more extensive weaves that seemed to represent Rick's strong ties with higher-ups like his Beta, Warriors, and Advisors. The intricate network was a testament to the level of respect and trust Rick had earned from these elite community members. Despite these connections' complex and delicate nature, I couldn't help but notice that Rick's bond with Cassidy, once a part of this network, had already been severed. It was a stark contrast to the tightly woven and strong connections surrounding it, leaving me wondering what could have gone wrong between the two.

"I call upon my great-great-grandmother, Victoria, the Original Weaver, to break the bond of the advisors," I said as I used scissors to cut the physical weave, which cut the ethereal version of the weave.