Frieda's POV

I gripped the oval's door knob with my fingers and twisted it diagonally. I felt as though I had unlocked a portal because of the click sound that reverberated as the door swung wide. Jana Doherty's spell room had an atmosphere that felt more powerful than ever. I lighted the candles that were recessed into the marble floors with a flick of my fingers.

My gaze moved to the floating magic book in the far left of the enormous space. The light from the spells engraved inside emitted power shone brighter than it's ever been. As I've done countless times before, I quickly browsed through the pages until I stumbled across a concealed page.

It wasn't there before.

As the final full moon of the curse approached, I could only conclude that it was the reason why the spell book was disclosing new information that we had previously overlooked. I tried closing my eyes and conjuring a spell to unlock the locked page, but it did not work. If only the ancestors would provide some guidance, I thought to myself.

Even though Talia was the subject of the hex, I was tremendously motivated to help her find a way to overcome it without dying. She deserved a better life than one overshadowed by the hex's hardships. I deeply valued her reliance on me and did not want to let her down.

I sat on the floor, hoping for a response as I called out to my ancestors one final time. But ultimately, access to their domain was barred. The ancestors were opposed to aiding a true-blood hybrid in any way. All of my years of pride in becoming a witch culminated in disillusionment. I did not grasp the significance the ancestors have towards the racial bias of true-blood hybrids.

The uncertainty of what might happen during the final ritual prompted me to sigh as I exited the spell room. As I moved closer to the mansion's entrance, I could hear Talia and Hugo conducting their routine training exercises. Talia had been training him for four days, but he was still unable to unlock the Alpha gene.

Talia could be heard saying "Again" every time Hugo failed to lunge at her wolf, so it wasn't for lack of trying. However, I have never seen Talia appear more at ease and joyful despite the heavy burden on her shoulders. Even when she is berating Hugo for not being rough enough with her on the battlefield, he never fails to make her laugh with his jokes.

Sometimes, they would play fight. Other times, Hugo would rush at me and urge me to conceal him so he could 'surprise her'. They have been training hard for the last four days, cooking together, and frolicking around the mansion like toddlers and during the night, I'd have to step outside the mansion because of their 'loud activities'. Anyone who saw them would know that they were madly and deeply in love with each other.

But was love enough to break the hex?

The question remained the same. Meanwhile at the garden, Talia growled at Hugo "Is that all you got? Come on, do some damage, little claws!"

They were both covered in each other's blood while oblivious to the reddened green grass around them. My initial assumption was that Alpha Talia had simply consented to allow Hugo to partake in the ritual in order to stop going back and forth with him as they were both obstinate little creatures. But after observing their shared commitment to uncover the Alpha gene, I realized that Tal was clinging to hope. A hope she hasn't felt in two years.

My thoughts were interrupted when Hugo walked towards me and asked, "Frieda, we need more of the concoction drink."

I sighed as I stared at the empty jar that stood on the porch table. "You can't depend on the concoction drink when you're in a real fight" I stated.

"Yes, but she's a hybrid and I'm a beta. It's not a fair fight to begin with" He complained, turning back to face Talia and stuck out his tongue at her.

"You have a point there" I laughed. I walked back inside and he followed me to the dining room. I opened the cabinet, and a small gasp left his lips.

"How many of these do you have?" He inquired, grabbing a bottle of concotion.

The bottles were carefully arranged in chronological order. I had spelled them to be chilled as they were to be kept cold at all times. His hands made contact with the larger bottle that contained a considerably darker crimson liquid.

"That's the oldest concoction in the shelf. The most powerful one. I've been saving it for a day Talia would need it the most" I stated.

"So you think she'll need it during the last ritual?" He asked curiously.

"I think she'd need all the strength she could possibly get" I softly retorted. He knew what I had meant, even if I wasn't uttering the words. He backed up a few paces.

"You don't think I'm her mate?" Hugo asked. His eyes met mine as he awaited my response.

"I think you both love each other, a lot. But when has the curse considered love as a factor to determine a true mate?" I replied.

"You're right to be skeptical about it. But we won't know for sure until we try, right?" He remarked.

"You don't have to convince me, Hugo. I've been begging Talia to let you join the ritual from the very start. But it doesn't mean, we completely eliminate the fact that it might not work" I replied. I tried to remain optimistic throughout this process, but I couldn't help but remind him of the significance of this final ritual and what it entailed.

"I know, Frieda. But living in fear from uncertainty is also letting that vile woman win" Hugo retorted, keeping the bottle back in the cabinet. I admired his tenacity to keep everyone's spirits high. But the vile woman he mentioned was not someone he could disregard easily. Her spells were strong and dangerous.

"It'd be a mistake underestimating Jana Doherty, Hugo. Her spell book is something I never seen before. There is always a catch in each one. And Talia is fully aware of it. The full moon is tomorrow, do you really think Tal is going let you join when you haven't unlocked the Alpha gene?" I questioned.

"I'll convince her. I just can't let her go through with it alone" Hugo replied with a determined tone. As I handed him a fresh concoction bottle to help with the training, I stared him firmly in the eyes, wanting him to understand that what I was going to tell him was done so in good faith

"Whatever you do, don't allow her to perform the ritual alone" I stressed the words.

"You have my word, Fri" He nodded in agreement.

I felt a glimmer of hope as he walked away. The only thing I knew for sure was that Talia would live through this full moon. But after the ritual, Hugo had little to no chance of surviving unharmed. It was impossible that the curse didn't have a catch. More so if Hugo was still in the beta stage. However, Alpha Talia is the one to whom I have a duty, and I was determined to shield her from any danger.

After failing to unleash his Alpha gene, I wasn't sure how Hugo would persuade Talia to include him in the ritual. However, this time I wanted hope to withstand against the chaos. Because based on what I can now see, they are destined to be together.

I made my way back to the porch of the mansion and stood there as a beta and a hybrid engaged in combat. Both have hearts that beat for one another despite their different classes, breeds, backgrounds, and eye colors. While Talia helped Hugo feel whole again, Hugo alleviated Talia's suffering. If Hugo wasn't Talia's true mate, I found it hard to believe anyone else could make Talia ever feel this way.

Nevertheless, I knew I had to find a way to unravel the cloaked page in the spell book as it might have all the answers we need. I summoned the members of my coven into the dining area. I set the floating spell book down on the table as each of them gathered one by one.

Even though we were witches, our power remained restricted. However, if we combined our powers, they could still be strong enough to decipher something as simple as a camouflaged page. Jana Doherty was no simpleton; if she wanted to keep something a secret, she would do whatever it took for it to remain hidden.

But I, Frieda Sterling was no ordinary witch either, and I would stop at nothing to ensure the safety of my Alpha.