My mother falls to her knees and tries to comfort me. I’m covered in sweat and feel immense pain.
‘What is wrong with him, Ryker?’
‘I don’t know. Magnus shouldn’t be in pain. I’ve never seen a shift like this before. Something isn’t right. Let’s get Magnus to his room and call the Pack doctor.’
Seth, Leon, and my dad carry me to my room.
‘He’s got a fever.’ Mum says, touching my forehead.
Seth leaves to get the Pack doctor while mum stays by my side, wiping my face with a cold face washer. My whole body is shaking, and I cannot speak.
‘Maybe it has something to do with shifting early?’ Dad suggests.
‘Maybe.’ Mum frowns.
The pack doctor arrives and takes my obs.
‘He has a fever, but I’m struggling to see how it has anything to do with shifting. And you mentioned he was in immense pain when he shifted back?’
‘Yes, he was screaming in pain, doctor.’ Dad says.
‘I see, well, I don’t know what to say. I’ve never seen anything like this. I’ll take some blood samples and see if I can find anything. But, for now, keep Magnus cool until his fever breaks.’
‘Thank you, doctor,’ Dad says and shows him out the door.
The morning arrives, and I’m still shaking. Mum had fallen asleep at some point. Her head rests on my bed.
Someone knocks at my door, stirring her awake.
‘I’ll be right back, Magnus.’ She whispers.
Opening my door, she greets May, Nina, Zak, and Flint.
‘Dad just told us at breakfast Magnus has a fever? Is he going to be, okay?’ Josie asks.
‘I’m sure once the fever breaks, he will be fine.’ Mum assures them.
‘Can we see him?’ Nina asks.
‘Yes, I’m sure Magnus would like to see you all.’
They all step inside my room and approach my bed. Everyone can see I’m shivering and sweating. I’m mumbling, but it’s incoherent.
‘Shh, save your energy, just rest.’ The sweet voice says.
I feel Nina take my hand and hold it between her two hands. She sat in the seat my mother spent the night in and held my hand tighter. ‘You go rest, Luna. I’ll stay and watch over him for you.’
‘Thank you, Nina.’ My mother smiles.
‘You get better soon, brother.’ Flint says.
‘Yeah, we have school tomorrow and would rather you go with us.’ Josie says.
They all leave the room except for Nina, who stays by my side, holding my hand.
‘The whole town talked about your early shift last night and that your wolf is pure white. Even some of our neighbouring Packs have already heard. Some of the Alpha’s want to come to see you for themselves to see if it’s true.’ She takes the face washer from my forehead and rinses it in cold water, and wipes the sweat from my face. She walks over to the window and opens it wide, allowing the fresh breeze to whirl through my room.
Nina stays by my side for the next hour until my parents enter with the pack doctor.
‘He still has the fever? There was nothing unusual about the blood results, which doesn’t help explain why he shifted early and why he has a fever. There has to be more to it, like something we can’t see?’
‘Like magic?’ Nina says, gaining everyone’s attention.
The doctor Reed pauses in thought for a moment.
‘Exactly like magic.’ He says.
‘I don’t understand,’ Astrid says
‘I have a friend, Yiselda, who may be able to help. Her visit will have to remain a secret, though. No one must know she was here or that she exists?’ He warns.
‘Why is that Doctor Reed?’ Nina asks.
‘Because Yiselda is a witch, and with your permission, I’d like her to come here to meet and assess Magnus. She will see if any magic is involved.’
‘But I thought witches haven’t existed in over a hundred years.’ Alpha Ryker says.
‘There is a small coven of witches that no one knows about that still exists. They don’t make themselves known to the public for fear of being hunted and killed.’
‘I see. If you think it will help Magnus, you have my approval.’ Dad says. The doctor nods and takes his leave. Nina sits back down in the chair and holds my hand until Claire comes running up the stairs.
‘Boo-boo.’ She yells, barging into my room.
‘I heard what happened last night. I heard you are with fever?’ She says and discreetly nudges Nina to move. Nina frowns and stands with my parents. Claire takes the seat and grabs my hand, squeezing it too tight for my liking.
‘Claire, I’m sure Magnus appreciates that you have come to see him, but he needs his rest, my dear.’ Astrid says.
‘Oh, Luna, don’t fret. I will take over and watch over him while you all rest. It’s the least I can do since I am his girlfriend.’ She says while giving Nina a quick glare.
‘You can stay with him for a couple of hours, Claire, and then I’ll be back to watch over him.’ Mum says.
‘Okay, Luna, I’ll take good care of him.’
‘I’m sure you will.’ Mum frowns.
They take their leave, leaving me alone with Claire.
‘Oh Boo-boo, let me freshen that face washer up for you.’ she says, dipping into a bucket. She doesn’t rinse the excess water and plops it onto my face. Water dribbles all over my face and pillow. I may as well be floating in the middle of the ocean at this rate. ‘That breeze is messing my hair up, Boo-boo. Give me a moment while I shut the windows.’
I tried to tell her to leave the windows open, but no words left my lips. The room became stuffy within minutes, and my fever felt even worse.
‘Oh Boo-boo, I’ll hop in bed beside you.’
The last thing I needed was body warmth. I already felt sticky and slimy and overheated as it was. Nina lies beside me, sliding her fingers through my hair, and tugs at it as she tries to soothe me. It is annoying me, and I can’t do anything about it. Finally, after almost two hours of intensive care from Claire, my mother and Nina entered my room.
‘Magnus! What has happened? You look even worse!’ she yells.
‘Oh, I thought he was improving?’ Claire says.
Nina, fetch the pack doctor for me and show Claire out along the way, please.’
‘By Boo-boo, I’ll come to visit you after school tomorrow.’ She says, kissing my lips that I can’t even move. They are dry and flaky from dehydration.
Nina happily shows Claire out of the packhouse and calls for the doctor. She returns to the room and opens the windows. She looks around the room and takes a spare pillow.
‘Luna, could you lift his head while I swap the pillows over, please?’ Mum nods and lifts my head as they change the pillow over. The dry, fresh pillow feels much better, and the breeze from the window is refreshing.
‘He needs water,’ Nina says and fills a glass of water from the bathroom sink.
She sits beside me and lifts the glass to my lips. I take as many sips as I can. The doctor arrives with Yiselda. Nina stands up and moves away so Yiselda can assess me.
‘Are you able to tell us what is wrong with my son?’ Mum asks. Yiselda doesn’t approach me. Instead, she looks over at Nina.
‘He is reacting to a curse.’ She says.
‘What curse?’ Mother says.
Yiselda points the finger at Nina
‘Her curse.’
