The Chosen One •

37

✨🌕 Isabel 🌕✨

As I washed off the exfoliant, my mind raced with questions. My maternal grandmother? How would Nana even know about her? And if she did, why hadn't she told me before? I dried off quickly and slipped back into my robe, tying it tightly around my waist as I reentered the room. Nana, her hands already slick with oil, gestured for me to lie down on the massage table.

I hesitated but did as she asked. "You said you know my other grandmother? How? And why would she want to know about me?" My voice carried a mix of curiosity and unease. "I thought she'd see me as... an abomination, or something."

Nana chuckled softly, her hands beginning to work the tension from my shoulders. "You've been carrying a lot lately, Isabel. Let me ease some of that before I tell you everything."

"Nana..." I started, but she gave me a look that silenced my protest.

"Relax," she insisted. "This is important, and you'll want to hear it with a calm mind."

I sighed and tried to let her words sink in as her hands worked magic on my sore muscles. Finally, she began to speak.

"Your mother's mother is named Celeste," Nana began. "She was the high priestess of the coven your mother belonged to. After the war between their coven and Marcus's pack ended, Celeste and I... we found ourselves in a unique position."

I turned my head slightly to look at her. "Unique how?"

Nana smiled faintly. "We were both grieving. Marcus was my son, and Selene was her daughter. They were taken from us because of the feud, and while others saw their love as betrayal, we saw it for what it truly was—sacred. A bond neither side could understand or accept."

Her words made my chest tighten. "You... you grieved together? Even after all that?"

She nodded, her eyes misty. "Yes. At first, it was out of necessity. We needed to identify the dead, to bury them properly. But as we worked together, we realized we shared a pain only we could understand. And as we mourned, we also began searching... for you."

My breath hitched. "Me?"

"Yes," Nana said, her voice soft. "Neither of us believed for a second that you had perished. There was something about the way your mother spoke of you when she was pregnant—she knew you were special. Celeste felt it too. But we couldn't find you. Your mother's coven hid you well, and by the time the war ended, you had vanished."

I stared at the ceiling, processing her words. "Why would Celeste care? I'm half-wolf. That's like... heresy to them, isn't it?"

Nana's hands paused briefly before continuing. "At first, yes. But losing Selene changed her. She began to see things differently, to question the rigid traditions of her coven. She came to believe that you were proof that wolves and witches could coexist, even thrive together. You were her granddaughter, no matter what blood ran through your veins."

I closed my eyes, a mix of emotions swirling in me. "So where is she now? You said she's an hour away?"

"She is," Nana confirmed. "She moved closer to me a few years ago. We kept in touch over the years, though we've both lived very different lives. She's been eager to meet you, Isabel."

"Why now?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Because she's heard whispers," Nana said. "She knows you've come into your magic, and she believes it's time for you to hear the full story of your parents—from her perspective as well as mine."

I swallowed hard. "I'm not sure I'm ready for this."

Nana smiled gently, placing her hands over mine. "You are, my child. You've already proven yourself stronger than any of us could have imagined. And besides, Celeste will help you understand the legacy you've inherited from both sides of your family."