Offers and Secrets

"I know it sounds crazy," Phil said in a hushed voice. "It doesn't make sense but I think Mama left that day to meet another witch."

Instead of saying anything, Ava started thinking about Gabriella's state when the authorities found her remains. No. It can't be.

Why would a witch cut her mother up like a pig?

"Why would you say that?" she asked. Just like her, Phil saw Gabriella's body. He was with Ava when they identified their mother's body in the morgue.

He must have seen it. He must have seen the state she was in.

Why would he then say something like this?

Ava and Phil knew how much their mother valued Wicca. While she was kicked out by her own Coven, she never stopped practicing witchcraft. She never stopped worshiping the Goddess. And Gabriella never stopped helping people.

While she was mostly known as a good teacher in the neighborhood, everyone was aware that Gabriella was also good with herbs.

Everyone in the community— witches or humans— loved her.

Moreover, Ava saw her death in her dreams. She saw what killed her. She looked at Phil. She could feel hesitation and doubt emanating from him.

But before Phil could answer her question, her phone vibrated.

Looking at the number, Ava said, "I need to take this."

Phil nodded in response.

"What is it?" she asked as she made her way outside of the house.

"Is this how you answer the call of your partner?"

Surprisingly, Matthew's voice on the phone is even sexier than what he sounded in person. His voice became a painful reminder of the sleepless nights that she had since she met him.

Three days had passed since she last saw him but the mere mention of his name would send her lust into a spiral.

In the past three days, Ava spent a day in Valdez. She talked to the person who knew Miss Monton, the witch who just died. She did her best to stay busy and when his eyes haunted her dreams, she decided to drown herself with coffee to stay awake.

She had hoped Matthew would not call or see her again.

She had made it clear that she didn't like working with him. With the secrets that they both have, working together is just… useless and dangerous.

"Ava?"

Her heart skipped a beat.

How could someone she just met have this much effect on her?

"Why did you call me?" she hissed.

"It has been three days since I last saw you."

"And?"

"You never called?"

"Matthew— "

He must have sensed the irritation in her voice as he let out a chuckle.

"You need to come. We found something interesting."

She squinted. "I told you— "

"It might be related to your dead witches."

She wanted to say, no thank you. After all, she also had a team of experts testing all the evidence that they have so far. She had her own people working for her.

However, she couldn't help but be curious.

What would a Lycan find interesting?

"Alright, send me the address," she said before she ended the call without waiting for him to say anything.

When she went back inside the house, Marylis was already sitting next to Phil. The look in her brother's eyes was enough for her to not ask him anything about what he said earlier. So she quickly bid them her goodbyes and promised to see them again when she wasn't as busy.

"Listen… about what I said earlier," Phil said while he was walking her towards her car. "Don't mention it to anyone. Especially not to another witch."

"Not even to Marylis?" Her brother and Marylis were called the ideal couple. They have been together for more than ten years, married for four. She never thought that one day, Phil would actually hide something from his own wife.

Now that she looked closely, her brother looked like he hadn't had any sleep. At first, she thought it was perfectly normal considering they just had a newborn.

But what if it was something else?

He shook his head in response. Then he looked back towards his house. "I know what you are doing, V."

"Phil— "

"It's alright if you won't tell me. I know you have your reasons. However, I want you to take care of yourself. I will tell you what I know next time."

"I— "

"That wasn't a request V."

Seeing the concern that flickered in his eyes, Ava nodded. Just like her, Phil must have his own reasons. While she was already convinced that the people who killed the witches were shifters, she couldn't just blurt this out to her brother.

That– and she was curious about those words.

Witches killing witches is a cardinal sin punishable by eternal damnation. It was a crime bigger than killing a human or a shifter.

"I will," she said. Yes. She will take care of herself and she will definitely find her mother's killer. "I will Phil." She gave her brother a hug before she drove towards GD Pharma where Matthew was waiting for her.

…..

"Sit… "

Just like the first time she was in his office, Matthew's confidence oozed from him. Even though he had his back to her, Ava could feel the man's curiosity mixed with irritation.

"What is it?" She made herself comfortable on the chair across from him.

Without saying anything, Matthew turned toward her and handed her a tablet.

Seeing the screen she instantly frowned.

"What is this?"

"The reason why Trillium should care about Amelia Rena Jones and her disappearance."

Reason?

She started reading. However, the content of the tablet only raised more questions than it answered. And the Goddess knew she had enough of those unanswered questions already.

"I can assure you, everything that you are reading is confidential and a hundred percent real," Matthew said. He was still standing behind his table, staring at her intently. "Lycans protect their secrets and that was the reason why I didn't let you read this the first time."

She placed the tablet on the table and met his gaze. "So, you only let me read the contents after intense research about me and Trillium. How nice." Sarcasm laced her voice. She then leaned back and tilted her head.

"Why show it to me now?" she asked. What made him and the Lycans think that she would work with them now?

"Your boss said you have the final call."

"You talked to Samuel."

"You are calling him by his first name?" A sudden suffocating feeling emanated from him. But the emotion vanished as quickly as it came. Confused, she scowled. What was that just now?

"He trained me. I'm sure you already know that," she said. "Anyway, I don't like working with shifters and Samuel knew this."

"I am not just any shifter."

"That would make things more complicated than they already are," she argued. The attraction, the confusing emotions that his presence caused her, were too much to handle. She already had a lot on her plate and a hot Lycan who awoke some unknown cravings inside her body wasn't going to help.

"I see," he smiled and walked around his table. Then he sat on the chair just across from her. "The Lycans won't just ask you to work without an equivalent payment, Ava. I'm sure you already know that."

"Before we talk about payment, I want to know something." Something that has been bothering her since earlier.

"Go ahead."

"Why me?" she asked. "You could ask another witch to work for you. I am a member of Trillium, Matthew and if you don't know this, we apprehend both witches and shifters alike. We are hated by both communities. Working with someone like me could complicate things."

Matthew squinted at her. Then, he leaned closer. "I think you already know the answer to your question, right Ava?"

…..

Ava walked out of Matthew's office with a dark look on her face. She came here with nothing but curiosity. Now, she was walking away wondering if she was ready to take on another responsibility.

First, it was the responsibility of keeping a huge secret from the Lycans.

Second, it was the responsibility of helping them perform a spell that could find the woman.

She looked back at the door of his office. Then a curse left her lips.

How the hell did Matthew know about her Magick?

How the hell did he know that hers didn't just come from nature just like the other witches?

She gnashed her teeth before she walked toward the elevator.

No matter what, she was going to find out why and how Matthew knew things about her. Things that she hasn't told anyone else. Not Samuel, not her mother, and definitely not Trillium.