"No! That's impossible, Mom! We all know the werewolves despised the witches. We've been enemies for centuries! How would I be the one to bring back a cursed king of werewolves? Isn't that too cruel?"
Megan's voice echoed through the cave.
A woman with white hair and a long dark coat sighed. "Not me, my dear. The prophecy said it."
The rest nodded. Megan shook her head and burst into tears. "Why me, Mom?" she sniffed. "We all know why the dark witch ancestor cursed and lured those dangerous twin Alphas to sleep! If we wake one of them…"
"Ohhh, no, you got it wrong, my dear." Another woman, her mother's age, stepped forward and placed her hands on Megan's shoulders. "You aren't waking one… but both."
Megan's eyes widened in horror. "What?"
"That's what the prophecy said…"
"How?!" She couldn't believe it. She looked at her mother. "Mom? Why is this happening to me? Is it because I'm different?" She pointed at herself, tears running down her face.
Ophelia shook her head. "No, honey. You aren't different from us…."
"But I'm the only one with black hair! All white witches have white hair! No wand even listens to me!" She looked around at their white hair. "They confirmed I'm a white witch, yet my hair is black. Now they label me a dark witch… and an outcast."
"Listen, honey…." Miranda parted her shoulders gently.
"I don't want to, Aunt Miranda…" Megan whispered.
"We're not happy about the twins' awakening either. We're still trying to figure out why your fate is tied to them."
Megan blinked. "You mean… I'm fated to them? Why would I…"
"You heard her wrong." Ophelia snapped and glared at Miranda. "Enough."
She turned to Megan, her voice soft but firm. "My dear, I am your mother. I will never put you in danger."
"I'm already in danger, Mom!" Megan cried. "We all know how dangerous those Alphas are! They'll kill me! Especially Alpha Ezekiel!" She tried to run, but Ophelia signalled the witch guards, and they held her tight.
"Let me go! I'm not doing this! They hate witches! They'll use me as revenge, I'm the princess of the witches! No, I won't wake them!"
Miranda looked at her with sadness. "What should we do?"
Ophelia kept a calm face. "Nothing. She'll be pushed into the forbidden forest in two days."
Miranda frowned. "She's your daughter, your majesty. Show mercy."
Ophelia watched Megan struggling, her whole body shaking with fear. "Weak… She can't even break free from them." She clicked her tongue. "Take her and keep her hidden."
"No! Mom please!" Megan screamed.
"I've read so much about them! They're the only werewolves who can kill witches and other magical creatures! Alpha Ezekiel was sealed because the dark queen sacrificed his only son to open the forbidden portal…"
"Now!" Ophelia barked.
The guards dragged Megan away as Miranda stretched her wand, creating a white portal. "It leads to her room," she said quietly.
"Mom! Please don't do this! You're the most powerful witch, you can change the prophecy! Please!"
Her screams vanished as she was pulled into the portal.
Ophelia turned away and wiped her tears.
Miranda sighed helplessly. "I would rather die than wake them up."
"I will never sacrifice my daughter for that bitch!" Ophelia snapped.
Miranda's eyes widened. "Who again…? Athena?"
Ophelia nodded slowly. "I wish we had a choice."
"Will the dark witch queen wake up too?" Miranda whispered. "The twins are already huge trouble for us… but Athena…"
"She will rise." Ophelia narrowed her eyes.
"She's also a witch without a wand. Megan and Athena share too much in common…"
Miranda's voice hardened. "Stop comparing that evil thing to my sweet Megan!" she quotes glancing at the third person who is deep in thought.
Athena was the one who cursed Ezekiel and Sebastian the most powerful twin Alphas no immortal dared cross. But after opening the forbidden portal, the magic backfired on the dark queen. Now the three most powerful beings were trapped in coffins deep in the forbidden forest.
The twins lay in an abandoned church, while the queen witch remained hidden from both white witches and werewolves.
Ophelia frowned as she studied the stones around them. They brought Megan here to test her ability… but nothing happened.
"It's rare for a wand to reject a witch. And if it does… there's a big problem."
The third person, Peter, one of the highest-ranked white witches, finally spoke. He had been silent, thinking deeply.
"What do you mean, Professor Peter?" Miranda asked.
He cleared his throat. "If we study our history… white and dark witches were once siblings. We only separated when the dark witches accepted forbidden magic."
"That was thousands of years ago, Professor…"
"Yes. But Athena being that way means one thing…" He paused, looking between Ophelia and Miranda.
Ophelia's eyes widened. "No."
"Impossible," Miranda scoffed. "Athena's parents were both dark witches. She can't be white."
Peter shook his head. "Something similar happened once to our great mother, Hella. Her black hair attracted dark powers. She became strong enough to destroy the world by sacrificing the princess of the werewolves. That's how we became enemies with the werewolves."
Ophelia swallowed, her heart racing. "And my mother killed her by linking their lives together…"
"Exactly. And after her death… Queen Athena was born."
Miranda and Ophelia exchanged a tense glance. "Professor… what are you trying to say?"
He sighed. "This is what other witches and I have been discussing. Be grateful I told you before they take action."
Ophelia stepped forward. "Say it."
Peter took a deep breath. "Princess Megan was born right after the queen witch was cursed to sleep forever. That means… she's the next Dark Queen."
Miranda screamed. "Impossible!"
"Then why does no wand listen to her?!" Peter shouted back. "Watch your mouth Lady Miranda," he warned her, reminding her that his rank is far higher than hers.
"Enough…" Ophelia exhaled shakily. "Don't fight over my daughter."
Peter continued, "She's twenty-five. Too old for her abilities not to manifest. We've tested fire, water, air, and now stone…"
Miranda rolled her eyes. "We know, Professor."
"Say it." Ophelia gritted her teeth.
He looked at Ophelia seriously. "She is linked to dark magic. She cannot wake the twin Alphas without waking her. Two dark queens will rise."
He paused and raised a brow "And you know what that means."
Ophelia stared at him for a moment, then her eyes widened in realisation she staggered back. Miranda caught her immediately.
"Careful, Your Majesty."
"Two dark witches can't be alive, that's impossible… one must die."