Moonlit Magic

Rita "Blackthorn wasn’t built for the weak," Gogo said, stirring a steaming cup of rooibos tea with a long, carved bone spoon. The scent of cinnamon and earth filled the kitchen as Rita leaned in, listening."Three founders—a witch, a werewolf, and a vampire—came together in a time when our kind had to hide or be hunted. They made a place where magic wasn’t just tolerated. It thrived."Rita traced the rim of her own cup. "So it was always a school?""No." Gogo’s dark eyes gleamed. "At first, it was a refuge. A secret. Then, as more of us were born into power, it became something greater." She set the spoon down with a deliberate clink. "But remember this, Sthandwa—no matter how polished the halls or how sweet the smiles, everyone there is still a predator in their own way."Rita’s fingers tightened around her cup."Witches covet power. Werewolves hunger for dominance. Vampires? They crave control." Gogo reached across the table, pressing a beaded bracelet into Rita’s palm. "You will

NathanNathan lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, his fingers drumming restlessly against his chest.The witch.The one he’d seen in the window last night.Even with her light off, his night vision had captured every detail—the curve of her cheek, the defiant tilt of her chin, the way her fingers had lingered on the curtain before yanking it shut.He needed to find her.It wasn’t just curiosity. It was something deeper, something primal. His wolf had howled the moment he caught her scent on the breeze, and now? Now it wouldn’t shut up.Find her.He groaned, rolling onto his side. This was ridiculous. He was the most disciplined wolf in his pack. He didn’t stalk people.…Except he was absolutely going to. He was already planning how to get close to her.Rita Rita adjusted the strap of her bag as she walked between Freda and Pru, the three of them weaving through the crowded halls."So, your magic," Rita pressed, nudging Pru. "You never finished explaining."Pru grinned, twirling a

Rita The dorm room was a cocoon of warmth, lit by flickering candlelight and the soft glow of Pru’s enchanted dreamcatcher. Freda sat cross-legged on her bed, her brow furrowed as she traced ancient symbols in a weathered spellbook. Across from her, Rita held a tarnished silver locket in her palm, her eyes closed as Pru guided her.“Focus on the energy it carries,” Pru murmured. “Objects hold memories. Let them speak to you.”Rita exhaled, trying to quiet her mind. For a moment—nothing. Then, a flicker. A woman’s laughter, the scent of roses, a whispered promise—“I see her,” Rita breathed. “She’s… happy.”Pru grinned. “You’re a natural.”Deidre, sprawled on her bed like a starfish, sighed dramatically. “I wish I was a witch. You all look so… ethereal.”Freda snorted without looking up. “Says the cornflower-blue-eyed, pure blond-haired, tall, pale, long-lashed immortal. If anyone is ethereal, it’s you, Vampire Barbie.”Rita burst out laughing. Deidre did look like a high-end doll, he

RitaThe air in the hidden wing of the library was thick with the scent of aged parchment and something deeper—magic, old and restless. Rita trailed her fingers along the spines of the grimoires, each one humming under her touch like a sleeping beast."This one," Derek murmured, pulling a heavy tome bound in cracked leather. "It’s been calling to you since we walked in."Rita took it, the moment her skin met the cover, a shudder ran through her.Voices.Laughter, sobbing, whispered incantations—echoes of every witch who had ever held this book. She gasped, nearly dropping it."You can hear them?" Derek’s voice was sharp, his gaze suddenly intent.Rita blinked. "Yeah… Pru taught me how to read objects. I didn’t know it would work on books."Derek stared at her for a beat too long before shaking his head. "I just didn’t realize you could do that.""You barely know me," Rita countered, uneasy under his scrutiny."Touché." He smirked, but his eyes stayed calculating.They spent hours pour

Nathan Nathan clutched his phone, his father’s voice steady and grounding in his ear.“You are the future of this pack, Nathan. Your wolf may be restless, but your mind must remain clear.”The words were familiar—a mantra drilled into him since childhood. Duty. Control. Legacy.“I know, Dad,” Nathan murmured, his gaze drifting to the window, where the first light of dawn painted the sky.“Do you?” His father’s tone sharpened. “Because a wolf who forgets his purpose is no wolf at all.”Nathan exhaled, the weight of the words settling into his bones. “I won’t forget.”By the time he hung up, the restless energy that had plagued him for weeks had dulled to a quiet hum. His wolf, for once, was silent.Nathan strode into his leadership seminar with renewed focus. The lecture on pack dynamics and decision-making was second nature to him, and for the first time in weeks, his mind wasn’t wandering to Rita.Until she appeared in the hallway.“Hey,” she said, her smile like sunlight breaking t