THIRD PERSON’S P.O.V
Charlotte was mingling with the guests with a smile on her face. She had the part of being Luna down to a pat, she was sweet, respectful and paid attention to every little detail.
Logan stayed behind her to give her space to talk to the people, but also close enough that he always had her in his sight. He was on edge and for good reason too; they hadn’t heard from the witch in a few days and that probably meant she was waiting for a good time to strike.
A little girl walked up to Charlotte and softly tugged at the hem of her hoodie. Charlotte turned her attention to the girl with a smile on her face. She crouched down so she was at eye level with her.
“Can I help you?” she asked and the girl nodded.
“I was wondering how it feels to be pregnant.” Charlotte was taken aback by the question.
“I don’t know; I’ll let you know when I am pregnant.”
She started to rise but the girl held onto her arm with a grip that seemed too strong for a girl who looked no older than eight years old. The girl’s eyes turned a violent shade of purple and she gave a curved and wicked smile.
“Yes you are,” she mused, “I’m here, and I’m ready for you.”
The little girl blinked and her eyes went back to normal. She had a confused expression on her face and scurried off.
The fear on Charlotte’s face was so obvious that Diana and Greg who were standing a few feet away noticed and rushed over to her side, but they were not as quick as Logan who rushed over to her and cradled her cheeks in his palms.
“What happened?” he asked, the worry on his face evident, “Are you hurt?”
Charlotte swallowed before responding, “She is here,” she didn’t need to clarify who ‘she’ was, “She wants us to know that she is here and she is ready for us.”
The expressions on Logan, Greg and Diana’s faces changed to worry, annoyance and fear respectively as Charlotte recounted the event that just took place.
“How did she get in?” Diana asked, “The pack is secure.”
“She’s a witch,” Greg deadpanned, “She can get into anywhere she likes. Speaking of which, where is our witch?”
“I’m not your witch,” Adamaris walked towards them as if summoned, “I am on your side, there is a difference.” She turned to Logan, “You called me.”
“She’s here,” those two words were enough to drop the smile on Adamaris’ face, “Charlotte spoke to her in the body of a little girl.”
Worry took over Adamaris’ face as she began looking around the clearing, “Where is my daughter?”
“She isn’t after your daughter; she’s after-,” Logan began but Adamaris cut him off.
“I don’t care who the hell she is after. If there is anything I’ve learnt from being in the center of this; it is that she will hurt anyone to get what she wants. My daughter will not be that person, so I need to find her.”
“I’ll get her,” Greg said and he walked away with Diana in tow.
Adamaris paced and swore under her breath until Greg returned with Celeste in his arms.
“I had to drag her away from the other kids,” he mused as Celeste frowned from her spot in his arms.
While Adamaris scolded her daughter, no one but Charlotte noticed the little girl from the stage- Jordan get pushed to the floor.
Charlotte rushed over to help her and gently guided her to her feet while simultaneously dusting off the particles of grass on her skin.
“What happened?” Charlotte asked, “Are you okay?”
“I am now,” the voice sounded too mature to be a child’s and when Charlotte looked up, her eyes were purple, “Make a sound and everyone here dies.”
“What do you want Esmeralda?” Charlotte asked and she gave a smile.
“I see you found out my name,” she mused, “I want you to come with me.”
Charlotte looked back at her mate and friends. They seemed to have noticed her disappearance and were already searching for her. All it would take is one scream and they would see her, but everyone at the party would suffer for it.
All it took was ten seconds for her to make the decision and take Jordan’s hand.
Jordan- Esmeralda led her into the pack house and into an empty room. When she opened the door, she saw the real Esmeralda sitting on a chair with a doll in her hand that looked just like Jordan. She dropped it and the real Jordan fell to the floor in a heap.
Charlotte made to get her but Esmeralda made a clicking noise with her tongue.
“Get in here,” she instructed, “And close the door behind you, I will take care of the little girl.”
Charlotte swallowed but did as the witch said for fear that she would hurt someone if she didn’t.
Esmeralda pointed to a spot in the middle of a circle of salt and Charlotte had flashbacks from the time she spent in Hunter’s cabin. She sat in the circle and exhaled deeply as Esmeralda sat opposite her.
“Your family is dead,” she said as a way of conversation, “I sent your sister to you, but you turned her away. Their death is on your hands.”
“Their death is on their hands,” Charlotte said unflinchingly, “They chose to work with you; they knew the consequences.”
“I see we still have the issue with the baby.” She smiled softly, “But fortunately for me, I am stronger now and I can afford to do what I need to do.”
“Your magic will eat you up from your inside.” Charlotte warned, “You can’t hurt me.”
“It will eat me up, yes,” she admitted, “But it’s not an immediate thing, it takes time. And the moment I get my hands on that talisman, it will give me so much power that I can cast away all the magic I got from my coven. Do you know what that means?
When Charlotte didn’t answer, her smile grew, “It means that I can hurt your baby, and not a damn thing will happen.”
She placed her hands on either side of Charlotte’s temple and she let out a scream.
Worry and anxiety climbed up in Logan’s chest the longer he went without finding Charlotte. He searched every nook and cranny of the outside but he couldn’t find her. Adamaris, Diana and Greg had also taken to searching for her.
He was about to go outside when Jake approached him looking and smelling like a dumpster.
“I found it,” Jake said as he held up what looked like a little golden coin, “She was right, it was on Hunter’s body.”
“That’s great, but we need to find her now.”
Just as he was talking, Charlotte ran out of the pack house looking a bit rough and wearing a red sundress. Her hair was a mess around her and her eyes looked wild.
“Where did you go?” Logan rushed up to her but she ignored him and turned to Adamaris.
“Where is she?” Adamaris kept a black expression on her face which pissed off Charlotte, “Tell me where the hell she is right now.”
**************
Esmeralda was growing increasingly frustrated because she couldn’t find their mating bond. Charlotte looked like a mess with blood streaming down her nose and tear streaks down the side of her face.
“I see your witch employed stronger tactics this time,” she mused, “Well not to worry, I always have a backup plan.”
She produced a large butcher’s knife from behind her back and Charlotte struggled to drag her body out of the circle.
Esmeralda grabbed her legs and pulled her right back into the middle then straddled her body with a smile while Charlotte struggled aimlessly against her hold.
“There is one sure way to break a bond,” she began, “Death.” She leaned into Charlotte’s ear, “Your mate is on the way; he’ll get here just in time to see you bleed.”
She grabbed the knife and plunged it right into the center of Charlotte’s stomach just as the door flew open.
Logan rushed in first with Adamaris behind him and his eyes immediately flew to Charlotte’s dying body on the floor. He rushed over to her and Esmeralda let him.
“There is nothing you can do,” she mocked him, “She is dead.”
“Actually,” Logan began and the click of metal was heard. Esmeralda gasped as she realized what was circling her wrist.
It was a creation of old meant to hold witches and prevent them from using their powers. It worked on every kind of magic, even blood magic.
She tried to break the hold but Adamaris rushed in and knocked her out.
“The council is on their way to get her.” She rushed over to Charlotte on the floor just as another Charlotte walked in through the door looking alive and well.
She looked at the person on the floor and was immediately reminded of what she saw when she held Celeste’s hand for the first time. Everyone in the room except Adamaris looked confused and shocked.
“Who is the real Charlotte?” Greg asked and Adamaris raised her hand.
The person on the floor shimmered until their appearance shifted to reveal Samantha. Charlotte let out a scream as she rushed over to her side.
“Why would you do this?” her scream was aimed at Adamaris, “Why would you let her do this? Save her.”
“I can’t,” Adamaris explained, “The knife she used was cursed.”
Charlotte stood up and rounded on the witch, “You ambushed me when I went to use the bathroom and knocked me out so she could take my place. She has a child, a little girl. And now she is dead because of you.”
“It was the only way,” Adamaris argued, “I asked Celeste to check, this was the only way that you came out alive. I was protecting you, because I care about you. Your life was more important to me and Samantha agreed.”

“That wasn’t your call to make,” tears began streaming down Charlotte’s face as she turned back to Samantha and held her hand, “Why would you do this?”
“It was so sad living without Aiden.” Samantha whispered, “I’m going to be with him now.”
“What about Amy?”
“I can see Aiden.” Samantha coughed, “I can-,”
Her voice trailed off as she took her last breath and Charlotte let out a loud wail. Logan’s arms came around her and he pulled her close to him. She buried her face in his shoulder a sobs wracked her body.
“Take care of the witch and the talisman,” Logan’s voice held authority as he spoke to Adamaris, “Jake, get Amelia. We have to figure out if Sam had any family in another pack that would take her.”
“No,” Charlotte’s voice was shaky but audible, “Amelia comes with us; it’s the least we can do.”
Logan looked at his mate for a second then nodded and turned to Jake, “Take Amelia to the house and clear the party. Let everyone know that tomorrow we are burying Sam.”
Everyone nodded and got to work while another sob broke free from Charlotte. Logan felt his heart and resolve crack with each sob that escaped his mate’s chest.
He leaned over Samantha’s body and whispered so only she could hear, “Thank you,” he said, “For saving her for me. I will protect Amy with my life.”
He pulled away and swallowed the knot in his throat then picked up Charlotte so he held her in a front piggyback. He would allow her grieve, but he would not. Because Samantha didn’t die in vain, she sacrificed for the greater good.
And as much as he would grieve her later, he would first appreciate the gift that she gave him- his mate, alive and well.