If only | Damon Salvatore

024. THE MOON IS TRULY A MYSTERY, IN ITS MAGICAL WAYS

Chapter twenty four

"The moon is truly a mystery, in its magical ways."

The next morning, Beatrix was walking downstairs when the doorbell rang. Furrowing her brows, she stepped down the remaining stairs and opened the door to find Mason Lockwood standing on the porch.

"Well, hello to you," she said, taking in his running gear—a casual tank top and shorts.

Mason chuckled, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. "Hey. I was just out for a jog and wanted to stop by to ask you and your family a couple of questions?"

Beatrix looked him up and down. "About what exactly?"

Mason smirked, his eyes glinting with a knowing look. "About family secrets."

Beatrix raised her brows, instantly picking up on his meaning. She stepped back and held the heavy door open. "Come on in."

A few minutes later, the two of them were sitting around the dining room table with Cassandra and Winnifred.

"So, you know about us? And you know exactly what you are?" Cassandra asked, her posture sharp as she evaluated her high school ex.

Mason shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "Well, I know some of it. At least from what you told me back when we were teenagers. I just never actually expected the legend to be real."

Winnifred huffed, crossing her arms over the table. "None of your kind ever does. That is why your nature has become less of a rite of passage—like it is for us witches—and more of a brutal curse. You have to take a human life just to trigger it, and then every single full moon, you are violently forced to turn. Speaking of turning... have you actually broken the curse yet?"

Mason nodded grimly. "Yes. And it is excruciating. No matter how many times I go through it, the transition just gets worse rather than better."

"And you've tried wolfsbane?" Cassandra asked, her tone softening slightly with medical and historical curiosity.

"I have," Mason admitted. "And I usually chain myself up securely. But now that I'm back in town, I was thinking the old cellar on the Lockwood property would work best since it's isolated."

Winnifred hummed thoughtfully. "That is exactly where your ancestors used to hold themselves during a full moon. But that structure is ancient. It might not hold up against your strength the way it used to."

Mason looked across the table, meeting the eyes of all three Black women. "And that is exactly why I came to you guys for help."

Winnifred raised her eyebrows, a sharp, calculating smile forming on her lips. "Well... we can certainly brew you a stronger batch of wolfsbane. And on the night of the full moon, one of us could potentially use our magic to help ease the bone-breaking process. We can also cast a containment barrier to guarantee you don't break free—or if you somehow do, to ensure you don't end up hurting anyone in this town."

Cassandra scoffed loudly. "And which one of us is actually reckless enough to volunteer for that job?"

Winnifred turned her head, offering a calm, deliberate smile. "Beatrix will help you."

Mason looked at Beatrix and nodded appreciatively. "Okay then. I'll come by and pick you up later."

"Yeah," Beatrix replied, keeping her tone neutral.

Cassandra stood up from the table. "I'll walk you to the door," she announced, her voice flat as she trailed right behind him into the foyer.

Mason raised his brows, a smug grin surfacing. "What? Are you jealous that Winnie is letting your daughter hang out with me instead of you? Thinking about old times, Cass?"