Shadows // Stiles Stilinski x Male OC

17

Alex and I were on our way to the local library. We needed to talk to Amma and see if she could give us more answers. I knew she knew what was going on. When we got there, everything was dark, but I knew Amma was inside. I started banging on the door until she opened it.

"Amma, we need your help," I said urgently.

"Why come to me?" she asked, her expression guarded.

"About the curse. The way you talked about the locket, about the curse. Excuse me, Miss Amma, but I think you know more than you're saying," said Alex, his voice filled with desperation.

"Please, Amma," I pleaded, hoping she would understand the urgency.

Amma sighed, looking between the two of us. "This isn't the place you're gonna find anything you need. Meet me in the back," she said, closing the door.

We hurried around to the back of the library, my heart pounding in my chest. Alex squeezed my hand, and I could feel the tension radiating off him. When Amma finally let us in through the back door, the library's dim light cast eerie shadows across the shelves.

Amma opened a hidden door and gestured for us to follow her. It led to a series of tunnels that seemed to stretch endlessly.

"This is incredible," I said, looking around in awe as we followed her deeper into the labyrinth. "This must run under the whole town."

"The whole country," she corrected. "Gatlin is like the capital of Caster America. It used to be under Washington, D.C., until Nancy Reagan made them move. She was the only mortal they were ever scared of."

Alex and I exchanged a glance, both of us impressed and slightly overwhelmed by the sheer scale of what we were seeing.

When we finally stopped walking, we found ourselves inside an expansive library. Books were stacked everywhere, and intricate drawings adorned the walls—depictions of people, gods, and animals. I was mesmerized as I noticed some of the animals in the images were subtly moving, almost as if they were alive.

"They know a Caster's here," Amma said, noticing that Alex and I were staring at the moving images in awe.

"What is this place?" Alex asked, his voice hushed with wonder.

"This is the hidden heart of Gatlin," Amma explained. "A repository of knowledge, history, and magic. Every Caster in this town has left their mark here."

I reached out to touch one of the moving drawings, feeling a strange warmth emanate from it. "This is incredible," I whispered.

"Amma, why didn't you tell us about this?" I asked, still taking in the vastness of the hidden library.

"A Keeper has to be asked," Amma replied.

"A Keeper, as in you're a...?" Alex began, looking at her with a mix of awe and confusion.

"The Caster Library has been the responsibility of Seers like me for generations," Amma explained. "Something I had no choice about either, by the way. And these books hold the histories of the Casters from around the world... the laws that keep balance between Light and Dark."

"I still can't believe this exists," I murmured, reaching out to grab one of the books.

"Hey! Get away from that," Amma yelled, her voice stern. She looked at me seriously but then continued, "Macon comes here every day and reads every book he can for the Forbidden Spell."

"He found nothing?" Alex asked.

Amma hummed, shaking her head. "But you can do it. God gives us what we can handle, even if we don't believe it ourselves. Close your eyes. See with your mind what you're looking for as if you've already found it."

Alex nodded and did as he was told. He closed his eyes, his brow furrowed in concentration. The room seemed to hold its breath.

Then, a door behind us creaked open.

We turned to see a hidden passage, dimly lit and covered in dust. It looked like it hadn't been used in centuries. I glanced at Amma, who gave us a nod of encouragement.

"I knew it," Amma said, her voice filled with a mix of reverence and caution as she approached the a book closed with locks on the pedestal.

"Book of Moons. It's the most powerful book of the Otherworld. It's as alive as you or me. Strongest of every spell, good and bad."

"Did Macon look through it?" Alex asked, his eyes fixed on the ancient book.

"No, he couldn't. The Book chooses who reads it," Amma replied solemnly.

Alex reached out tentatively and touched the book, and to our surprise, the locks opened by themselves, revealing the inner pages.

"Its Law is 'Like attracts Like.'" said Amma

"There-- There's no writing." i said looking at the blank pages

."It won't reveal itself so easily," Amma murmured, her voice tinged with a mix of caution and awe. "A curse this dark takes its time showing itself. The Dark will test you."

As we peered into the book, the pages remained blank, almost as if waiting for something—or someone—to unlock its secrets. The air around us seemed charged with anticipation, as if the very essence of magic hung thick in the air.

"Don't worry, you'll find it," I said, trying to lighten the atmosphere. "Just check under 'How Not to Turn Into Your Mother.'" My attempt at humor seemed to resonate with Alex, who chuckled softly kissing me.

"Come on, come on," Amma urged, gently pulling me away from Alex and guiding me to the other side of the library. I took a seat on a nearby chair, watching Alex intently as he focused on the Book of Moons. His face was a mix of concentration and determination, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of hope as he spoke.

"It's working. I can read it," Alex said, his voice filled with relief and excitement. His eyes met mine, and a smile spread across his face, infectious in its joy and determination.

Amma stood beside me, her expression softening with a rare hint of pride. "He has a strong connection with the Book," she murmured, more to herself than to me. "He might just be the one to break the curse."