Chapter 47, And The Moon Comes Up
"You put a disgrace to the Grey name."

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It had been a strange couple of days to say the least. For starters, Mia and Jackson have become closer and spend everyday together, which meant starting to get along with the rest of the pack. It was refreshing being able to head to the reservation without being afraid of the ocean anymore. While she hadn't fully moved on from that traumatic night, she now understood the water couldn't ever reach her and she was safe.

Due to the telepathy between shapeshifters, it didn't come as a surprise when the pack already knew of her magic loss. Jacob kept apologizing, but Mia didn't hold any resentment. If anything, it was relieving not keeping this secret any longer. There was a sense of freedom that came with it and she detested not having thought of confiding in them sooner.

Which brought her to a secluded part of the beach, where she was standing in front of the ocean with her hands extended while the pack was gathered around her. She was unsure as to why she agreed on giving her magic one more chance when she was just bound to end up disappointed, but the pack insisted that she should give it a shot.

Who knew?

Maybe she would be surprised.

"I want you to concentrate on the water," Jackson gestured to the calm waves, his voice low yet also loud enough for the others to hear. "Imagine you're their controller. Hold the waves and imagine how you want to shape them. Forget about everything and only focus on this."

"Try not to create a tsunami and drown us," Jared joked, the support in his voice and tone becoming more noticeable.

Mia didn't have faith in being able to control the waves. Let alone create a natural disaster. His sarcastic comment was appreciated, but a part of her was also afraid of the smallest possibility that she could make everything worse. Nothing good ever happened to those around her, so practicing her magic with them terrified her more than anything.

"I give you permission to drown Embry," Paul whacked the back of his head, earning a shove from him.

"Nah, you should do it to Jake," Quil intervened as he attempted to push them apart. "He's been too annoying lately with his thoughts."

Embry agreed, "His breakup with Bella really has taken a toll on him. He should just tell her already."

"Couldn't agree more," Mia had been trying to convince him to tell her the truth. Considering Bella already knew about the existence of the supernatural, learning her boyfriend or ex-boyfriend was a shapeshifter wouldn't seem like the greatest shock. Sure, it would be temporary, but Bella had always been good at handling the strange and unnatural.

Jackson rolled his eyes and slammed his palms together for their attention, "Alright, enough. Let's get back on track. Jake will tell her when he's ready, but let's worry about this right now."

Mia shook her head, "Oh, I'm more than happy to discuss Jake's love life instead."

"Where is he?" Jared looked around, curious on why he was not present.

"I'm right here," Jacob approached them with Sam by his side. "I could hear your annoying voice all the way from the forest."

"Damn it," Mia complained, wishing he had stayed away to keep having a conversation about him and avoid doing this.

Jacob scoffed in offense, "Nice to see you too."

"Sorry, it's just that I was really hoping not to have to do this," she gestured to the ocean, a sense of dread consuming her and preventing her confidence from resurfacing.

"You can do this, Mia," Sam encouraged her.

"We believe in you, Grey," Jackson squeezed her hand two times, a secret gesture between them to express their support and care for the other. "No matter what happens, you got us."

Mia took a deep breath and slowly raised her hand. She focused on the spell and concentrated on creating greater waves. The water remained calm, simply unmoving and not receiving the smallest ounce of control. She repeated the spell, urging the words to express the power and follow her guidance.

Nothing was happening.

"Don't strain. Trust your magic to do the work," Jackson reassured her, his gaze switching between her and the ocean.

Mia's hands trembled to an extremity. She willed her entire strength and concentration on this one thing. If she couldn't perform the simplest of spells, how would she be able to handle more? She needs to do this. She needed to salvage herself and find her worth as it was the only thing keeping her afloat.

However, something strange happened. There was movement in the water and it was not correlated to mother nature. This was linked to her. It was a small step, but her magic was now fighting to escape its barricade.

"You got this, Grey," Jackson smiled with pride, his heart warming up and becoming full with joy.

"Our girl is getting there!" Jared applauded her, he and the rest of the pack staring in amazement at the waves starting to take the form of an intricate shape.

But as expected, the euphoric feeling didn't last.

Blood started dripping from her nose and her trembling was no longer focused on just her hands. Her entire body quivered under the pressure as the strain of her magic created an internal tear. It was painful to endure it, but Mia refused to stop. She was afraid that if she did, her magic would return behind bars and never set foot into the light.

No matter how much pain was felt, she needed to continue.

"That's enough," Jackson demanded, but she refused to listen.

"I can do it," Mia tried convincing him, but was mostly trying to convince herself. "Let me do this."

Jacob and Sam moved forward at the same time, both of them attempting to get her to stop. "Mia, you're hurting yourself. It's enough."

Nothing they say mattered now. She was so close to reaching paradise, so close to placing the key and entering the gates. Stopping would return her to purgatory and she would rather die than stop trying when she was nearing heaven.

"Mia, stop!"

Jackson tried bringing her hands down, but it was her stubbornness that outweighed his strength for the moment. She was too engulfed in her thoughts to listen and consider that she might die from putting too much strain on herself. It was only now when he started doubting that maybe suggesting practicing her magic had been a mistake. Maybe it was only creating more harm than good.

"Stop! You're going to hurt yourself!" Jacob pleaded, but his voice went in one ear and out the other.

"Mia!" Sam attempted to regain her attention, failing along with the others.

The pack watched with unease and constantly looked at her and the water, noticing her strain was causing the waves to move chaotically as if a hurricane were about to impact. They were stunned in silence with eyes wide and mouths agape, afraid this activity could bring a tragedy to occur.

While Mia was aware this was becoming too dangerous, she didn't dare stop. The adrenaline her magic brought was starting to run through her veins, filling the hole in her chest that had been threatened to remain empty. The waves were taking the form of the shape she ordered it to. They were rising slowly, but it was happening. It was all occurring because of her, so how could she dare stop now?

However, the water soon started to lower. Her control was starting to fade and the same empty feeling she carried for months returned. She had flown too close to the sun and now her wings had burned. She was the new Icarus being forced into a life of affliction, but the thing was, she was not letting the fire put a cease to her triumph.

Mia shut her eyes and concentrated solely on the spell. She ignored her friends' pleas and focused on envisioning the waves rising and forming an intricate pattern, but that was when it came. The voice in the back of her head returned, but had now brought more companions.

Edward's words begin repeating constantly like a broken record, "Every time I look at you, I see them. I see the darkness starting to consume you and turning you into a monster."

Her mother confirming how afraid she was that Dimitri's essence were within her, "Because of you, they found you and now you'll become a monster like your father!"

Mia tried shaking their words from her head, but they were resilient in staying. They were forever engraved in her and no amount of attempts would prevent their truth from torturing her and reminding her of who she truly was.

"Don't expect him to love you, darling... you're not meant to be loved," Dimitri's harshness pierced her soul, preventing her control to be maintained.

Everything that was told returned to her like a cruel joke. She was being reminded of her truth and the betrayal she faced by almost every person. Her father was a different case, but having been given those words by Edward and her mother was something entirely apart. They were the ones who were supposed to love her and assure her the light was what she emanated, but they convinced her that only the obscurity had a home from within.

"All this time, I've been lying and you didn't even notice."

How foolish she had been to have trusted his word. The months by his side had been wasted and she no longer believed anything he might have said before was the truth, but his final words, they were the only thing she was certain about.

"Acting like this is what makes you just like your father."

Isobel throwing her insecurity to her face shouldn't surprise her. It was all she knew and while she was aware her mother loved her, it was undeniable that having Dimitri's reflection in her eyes served as a reminder of the worst years of her life.

"You're nothing without your powers. You put a disgrace to the Grey name."

Being a Grey had been her sentence. From her first breath and first look at the world, she had been condemned to a life full of unwarranted burdens. She had been forced to carry a cross meant for another and forced to endure the resentment and isolation from everyone. By refusing to accept her given destiny, she had always been a disgrace to the Grey name and not a part of her was regretful for it.

If she was meant to be the villain of someone's story, then so be it. She would follow the plot until the very end without stopping.

"Mia!" Jacob shook her shoulder, causing her to shove his arm off without hesitation.

Despite the blood continuing to pour and her entire body riveting with pain, she forced herself to continue regardless of everyone's begs. The waves were getting stronger and starting to form into an intricate shape. They were no longer just a couple feet high, but have reached a higher altitude that was unusual for this beach.

"Mia, stop-"

The shock in the pack's expression was undeniable. They had never seen anything like this and witnessing it beforehand left them stricken and at a loss for words. Amazed, their gaze remained intact and set on the ocean.

"Well, I'll be damned," Jared breathed out, nearly passing out from disbelief.

Hearing their amazement made her feel better in spite of the pain. She urged her magic to keep the tide up, but the amount of strain she put herself through was starting to take a toll on her. Her surroundings started spinning uncontrollably and a tightness gathered in her chest, preventing her from breathing with ease and enjoying this triumph.

Mia considered ignoring it, but remaining upright was becoming harder to withstand. When her hands lower, the waves come crashing and splatter against the few that got too close. She tried keeping her balance steady, but the hint of magic that emanated left her weaker and crumbling down like a fallen soldier.

"I got you," Jackson caught her before she fell, quickly placing her into his arms and carrying her away from the beach.

"We're taking her to my place. It's closer," Jacob sprinted toward his house while the rest of the pack continuously asked her questions about her well being.

They meant well, but it was only making her headache worsen and causing her to start falling into unconsciousness. She rested her head against his shoulder and for a fleeting moment, her thoughts sent her back to the feeling of being held in Edward's arms. It was pathetic, really, but in spite of her hatred, she couldn't immediately forget her love just as quickly as he did.

"You did good, M," Paul softly said as he squeezed her hand before she's brought into the house.

A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips, especially when realizing the grumpiest of the pack offered her congratulations. She tried to thank him for it, but before she knew it, she was placed onto Jacob's bed before falling into a deep slumber.

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When Mia awakened, she was welcomed by the sound of knocking on the front door. She sat up and rubbed her eyes to rid them of the tiredness. Thinking the rest would have recharged her, she wasted no time in standing up, but was instead welcomed by her vision turning dark for a moment before regaining normality.

"Bella," she heard Billy say with hesitance.

Standing still like a statue, a sense of awkwardness surrounded her considering she and Bella haven't spoken much after the incident at Port Angeles. It was all her fault since after saying those hurtful words, she couldn't face her and thought it'd be best to let time pass and hopefully, the memory of that night would be forgotten about.

"I need to see him," Bella stated through a firm and assertive tone.

Billy denied her request, "He's not in."

Mia wasn't sure what to expect, so it came as a surprise when Bella barged in with determination in obtaining a word with Jacob.

"I'm sorry, but I need to see him," Bella's footsteps get nearer, each step becoming louder and matching her need for answers.

Mia considered that maybe she finally figured out the truth and was coming to confront him. It would make perfect sense as to why she sounded incredibly serious and had entered without a care.

"Bella!" Billy called out to her in hopes of preventing her from continuing.

However, it was the sound of laughter from the pack arriving that made her stop. Mia looked out the window, already sensing nothing good could come out from this. She knew how Bella can get when secrets were kept from her, especially when she believed it was all due to the pressure of others. Her protectiveness was her greatest strength, but also led to reckless behavior.

The sound of the back door slamming open definitely sent warning signs through her head. Quickly, she put her shoes on and ignored the pain ricocheting through her body. She flinched on the way to her friend, quickly putting on a stoic expression to keep up appearances that she was alright.

"Bella," Mia called out, causing her to turn around in wonderment.

"Mia? What are you doing here?" Bella narrowed her eyes in curiosity, but her expression faltered into worry when noticing how pale and weakly she looked. "Are you okay? Did they do something to you?"

"Bells, I'm more than alright," she assured her, but the Swan girl's stubbornness refused to believe that the pack didn't have something to do with her weakened state.

"I'm going to kill them," Bella gritted her teeth and stormed in their direction, wasting no time in shoving Sam. "What did you do? What did you do to them?"

"Bella!" Mia attempted to hold her to take her away from the pack, but she was still weak from her magic that it prevented her from successfully dragging her back to the house.

"Watch it!" Jared defended the alpha and got closer, but Sam stopped him from becoming involved.

"Easy," he ordered him and Paul, holding his arm up and preventing them from getting closer.

"He didn't want this!" Bella loudly said as she got closer to them for a confrontation.

"What did we do?" Paul got close to her face, his obvious anger becoming apparent. "What did he do? What'd he tell you?"

"Paul!" Mia shoved him back and grabbed hold of Bella, knowing how unsafe it was to be around a shapeshifter about to lose their temper. "Just let it go. Come on."

Sam tried being the voice of reason, "Both of you calm down."

Refusing to let this go, Bella moved closer with smoke coming out of her ears, "Nothing. He tells me nothing because he's scared of you."

That was enough to cause Paul and Jared to laugh, which definitely does not go well with Bella. Now, Mia was not entirely sure what her friend's next step would be, but it certainly wasn't her hand slapping Paul across the face.

Mia ran a hand through her hair in frustration. Out of all people, Bella chose to hit the most temperamental one. Paul easily loses control, which was enough to make her start dragging Bella away as any moment now, the truth would officially be witnessed.

Paul started trembling with anger. His eyes that were once a bright brown have now turned into a pitch black. His face started turning into a beet red as he breathed heavily, his chest pumping up and down uncontrollably and fists clenching.

"Too late now," Jared remarked as he took a couple steps back.

"Bella, Mia, get back!" Sam ordered them and attempted to help Paul control his temper, but like Jared said, it was already too late. "Paul, calm down. Now."

Within the blink of an eye, Paul's body distorted into an unnatural shape. His hands transformed into paws, his torso transitioned into an animal form, and the last of his human-like features took on the figure of a gray and white wolf. Growling, the wolf raised its paw in a challenge and snarled its teeth.

Mia knew better than to attempt using her magic again, especially when it weakened her and left her in an agonizing state, but she couldn't allow Paul to hurt Bella. She extended her hand forward and thought of a defensive spell, the pain returning just as a surge of power impacted Paul and sent him crashing to the ground.

That was more than enough to burn her insides and make her feel as if her soul was tearing apart. She stumbled back and nearly crashed to the ground, but Bella held her upright and grabbed her hand. Without thinking, she started running in the direction of the house, not noticing how challenging it was for Mia.

"Bella!" Jacob jumped over the railing of his house and sprinted in their direction.

"Run!" Bella desperately demanded, but he kept running toward them while Mia struggled to keep up. "Jake, run!"

Jacob transformed into a wolf midair, his teeth snarling and growls being exchanged between him and Paul. Assertively, he pressed his paws into the ground as both of them deliberated their next move before launching forward in an attack.

"Unbelievable," Mia struggled to catch her breath as she fell to the ground. She glanced at Bella, who was staring at her ex-boyfriend fighting with Paul in a wolf form.

It didn't take a genius to know how much this revelation was turning her world upside down. Even if she was aware of the supernatural, finding out the greatest secret from those closest to you would be a lot to handle.

Jacob and Paul attacked the other through intricate movements. Bites, scratches, and growls were exchanged as they tumbled around with no means of stopping. Paul managed to get an advantage, but it was his hubris that allowed Jacob to take the winning shot and improve his chances at defeating him.

"Paul!" The pack attempted to regain his attention, but his terrible temper prevented him from listening to their demands and now take the fight into the woods through various tumbles and growls.

"Hey, take Mia and Bella back to Emily's place," Sam ordered the rest before he turned around in the direction Jacob and Paul went in.

"Guess the wolf's out of the bag."

Mia took a deep breath and used her remaining strength to stand up. She offered her hand to Bella, who took it despite continuing to stare into the woods with a fearful and shocked look. Well, it looked like it was going to take a lot of explaining, but what brought her comfort was knowing that it would all fall on Jacob's shoulders.

Now that she was grateful for.