Nicklaus’s POV
“I know her well. Maybe a witch did this to our daughter, but we need a powerful witch to undo whatever has been done to her,” Gabby added with certainty, believing that Margaret could assist.
“I understand you have reservations, especially due to our past experiences with them, but trust me, this is our only option. We must do everything we can to help our daughter recover,” she urged, and I reluctantly acquiesced.
“Alright, let’s spend the night in our daughter’s room to keep watch over her. In the morning, you can contact Margaret, and I’ll stay here to look after our child,” I suggested, and she agreed to the plan.
Gabby lay down near Estella, and I decided to remain awake to watch over them. The events of the day replayed in my mind. How could Estella have been possessed? Why did this happen to our daughter, out of all the children? I was determined to find a solution. Martins was missing, and someone was tampering with Estella’s mind. There had to be a way to resolve this once and for all. I kept my thoughts to myself, talking myself through the situation, until I finally drifted off to sleep.
In my dream, I witnessed the enemy winning the war, capturing my family. I was powerless to save them, overwhelmed with a feeling of loss and despair. When I woke up, I realized it was just a dream, but it left me with a sense of foreboding. Could I really protect my loved ones? What if I failed? Doubt crept in, but my wolf, Lethal, reassured me. “It’s only a dream. We will prevail in this war.”
“Thank you, Lethal. Let me quickly prepare breakfast for the two most important people in my life,” I said, rising from the bed. I left the room, and one of the witches informed me, “A woman named Jessica is here to see you.”
“Jessica?” I repeated to confirm, and she nodded.
“Alright, where is she?”
“She’s waiting outside.”
“Thank you.” I stepped out and found her there. She appeared pleased to see me, but something about her frequent visits unsettled me. Given the circumstances, I couldn’t afford to overlook any potential threats.
“Hi Nick, good morning. I apologize for coming so early, but I was here yesterday. It was today that you were out.”
“Yes, I wasn’t home yesterday. Is there something wrong? Why are you looking for me?” I inquired.
“It’s about Martins. I have a feeling he’s in trouble. I wanted to confirm. Where is he?” she asked, and I hesitated. Revealing the truth to her could put her in danger, and I needed to protect her.
“He’s not in trouble. He returned to the pack for some pack-related matters,” I lied.
“Oh, I’m glad to hear that. When is he expected back?”
“Why are you inquiring so much about him? Are you certain that’s the real reason you came here?” I probed further.
“Yes, that’s the reason. I’m sorry for disturbing you this morning. I’ll take my leave now,” she replied before departing, leaving me with a sense of empathy for her.
I returned to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for Estella and Gabby. In about forty minutes, breakfast was ready. When I entered the room to serve them, I was alarmed to find Gabby in tears. I quickly asked her what had happened.
“She has a high fever. Something is wrong. Please, do something,” she said, her distress evident. In response, I abandoned the breakfast and rushed to Estella’s side, lifting her gently from the bed.
I touched her forehead and felt the intense heat radiating from her skin. This was dire. I had to take action, but what could I do? Estella was shivering, her eyes shut tight in discomfort. How could I alleviate her suffering?
“Go to Margaret immediately. I’ll take care of Estella,” I instructed.
“Are you sure? I’m terrified to leave her like this,” Gabby admitted, her eyes red from crying.
“Nothing will happen to our daughter. Trust me. Just go to Margaret. She must know something that can help her. I’ll do everything I can to calm her down,” I assured her. She kissed me before hurrying off to find Margaret.
I did everything within my power to combat Estella’s fever, but it seemed to worsen instead. When she opened her eyes, they were completely white. “Lethal, any ideas what’s happening?” I asked my wolf in desperation.
“I really don’t know. Let’s wait for the witch and hope for the best,” Lethal replied. Not long after, Gabby returned with Margaret, who seemed visibly concerned. Clearly, Gabby must have informed her about Estella’s condition.
“Do whatever you can to save my daughter. I just hope none of your fellow witches are involved this time,” I warned Margaret sternly.
“Gabby, please ask him to wait outside,” Margaret requested. My anxiety spiked as I warned her once more, “If anything happens to my daughter, blood will spill in your home.”
Gabby tapped my shoulder in an attempt to calm me before I reluctantly left the room. I hoped fervently that whatever Margaret was doing would provide a solution.
Time crawled as I waited outside. I couldn’t hear anything from within the room. My wolf hearing seemed blocked, and I sensed something amiss. After a while, Margaret emerged and left in a hurry. Still, there was no sign of Gabby coming out. Unable to wait any longer, I reentered the room to find Gabby in tears.
“What did the witch say?” I urgently inquired.
“There’s no hope for Estella.”
“That can’t be. Tell me what she said.”
“You don’t understand. Dedusa has chosen our daughter.”
“And who is Dedusa?”