Intended Series Collection: Books 1-6 by Abigail Grant (most important books to read TXT) 📕

was alone, and couldn’t talk about who I was. All this time, I had more family than I could’ve dreamt of, and I wasn’t alone at all. I look around the cozy sitting room at the eyes watching me and I smile, because I’m still not alone.

Chapter 9

Today is Halloween, and I would normally be excited for it. I always love getting dressed up with Kassy and planning out our night. It used to be that we would go to some party that a friend from school was throwing, or Kassy’s parent’s would do a big shindig. Her mom and dad were the best and they knew how to make the spookiest houses.

Technically, I’m sitting in a spooky house on halloween, even though I’m not convinced that it’s haunted. It’s comfortable and with some work could be beautiful. My knee won’t stop bouncing up and down as I stare unblinking at the front door of mine and Neo’s temporary home.

I don’t think I’ve ever been this nervous in my life, but I also never knew my adoptive mother was a Wicca before, so things have changed. I mull over the story aunt Morgan told me only two nights ago. It’s incredible that my mom and adoptive mom were once BFFs. I wish I would’ve known earlier on, then I could’ve grown up with more stories of my parents, besides the usual, “I don’t know” that I got from Aunt Mags.

Sitting here on the raggedy sofa, I can hardly picture my birth mother’s face anymore. Anytime I think of the sound of my parent’s voices, they’re all distorted and off-sounding. I can’t say I’m too upset about it, though. I did have a mom growing up who treated me like her very own, and now I know that she was more to me than a random neighbor. She was my protector.

A soft knock sounds at the door that my eyes are glued to. I flinch, but I don’t immediately get up to answer the door. Neo clears his throat behind me, completely forgotten.

“You know, she is a Wicca, so she could easily bust through that door. Do you want more mess to clean up than we’ve already dealt with?” His tone is calm, and I can’t relate.

I give a barely noticeable nod and stand on my feet. “Who is it?” I shout through the door, but I already know the answer.

I can hear my mom groan on the other side and I can already see her angry face in my mind. “Aella Mae Lundon! Let me in right now!”

I turn the brass handle and pull the door opened with a loud creak. Aunt Mags practically jumps at me with her long sleeved arms open wide. She squeezes me so tight that I can’t physically lift my arms to return her embrace. Her wild wavy hair smothers me with the overpowering scent of lavender and I instantly release the tension that I’ve been feeling for three whole weeks.

“Hi, mom,” I sigh against her and a tear slides down my warm cheek.

She releases me and pushes me at arm's length. Her green eyes roam over my face and my hair as she sniffles but no tears of her own come. I’ve never known Aunt Mags to cry really, unless she watched sad commercials about abandoned animals. That’d always do the trick for my sweet mom.

She nods approvingly after her perusal. “You look clean, sweetheart. That’s good.”

I roll my eyes. “Really? That’s all you have to say after I’ve been away from you for three months!” I shout, let down by her snipped words.

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “I’m trying not to smother you, hon. You’ve learned a lot of new things lately, and I… I just.” She doesn’t finish her thought.

I tilt my head at her and raise my eyebrows. “What? You just what?” I urge her.

She scoffs and blurts out, “I just don’t want you to run away from me!”

I’m taken aback by her words. How could she ever think that I’d run from her? She raised me. I guess leaving everything and everyone behind without a word didn’t go so well… Yeah, yeah. I’m a monster!

I pull Aunt Mags back to me and hug her as tight as I can, Seer strength omitted. “I love you, Aunt Mags. I wouldn’t want any other mother in the world and I promise, I will never ever run from you.”

We hold one another for a few minutes, not wanting to lose the other again. Our sweet moment is interrupted by a cough from behind me.

I turn around and Neo is standing on the opposite end of the living room near the entrance to the kitchen. He is smiling awkwardly at us and makes a short weak wave when we spy him. I laugh. “Neo, come here and meet my adoptive mom, Maggie.”

I wave him over and he speed walks to us. Everything about him in the moment is awkward, like he is my first ever boyfriend meeting my parents. If he were Gavin though, I know he would be so smooth.

Aunt Mags places her hand out to Neo. “Hi, Neo. It’s great to meet you. Of course, I’ve heard nothing about you except for what my sister Morgan has told me.” She raises a single eyebrow at Neo and he freezes.

“I… uh. I mean, what has she told you exactly?” He stutters the words out, worried about his reputation.

Aunt Mags laughs and waves a hand at him. “Only good things, I promise!”

He sighs and we all chuckle together, clearing the awkwardness from the room. Aunt Mags takes a single step back into the still opened doorway and scans the house. She smiles and closes her eyes briefly.

I touch her shoulder, removing her from whatever dream she has fallen into. “What’s up, Aunt Mags? I know the house isn’t much to look at but it has been so great.”

She shakes her head at me and her