The Golden Lycans (Ella) novel Chapter 86

Wisteria

*Austin***

It’s four o’clock by the time we pull back into the school parking lot. I cut the engine, exhaling asl glance over at Ella.

“Today was good,” I say, turning fully toward her. “Thank you for coming with me to talk to my parents. I know my dad has been nothing but negative toward you, and I really appreciate the effort you made despite that.” I pause, studying her expression. “Honestly? I think you handled yourself in credibly well.”

Ella sighs, shifting slightly in her seat.

“He’s a little more… aggressive than I pictured,” she admits, “treating our one-day-old relationship as some sort of power play for your pack? It’s a lot. I don’t even know how to feel about it yet. I stil feel like my brain hasn’t caught up.”

I nod, understanding completely. Hell, I never expected a non-Lycan mate either, but now that she’s here, now that I have her, I know I have to tread carefully-to make sure she feels just as sure about

this as I do.

“I get that,” I say, my voice steady, “and you need to know-whatever pace you need to take, we take it. I know you’re being asked to one day help me lead a pack of people you’ve never met, of a species you barely know. Everything else? It’ll take as long as it takes. We’re on your schedule, Ella. Not mine, and certainly not my father’s.”

She nods, relief softening her features. I watch as her shoulders relax, tension draining from her

posture.

“You….” she starts, tilting her head at me with a small, mischievous smile, “are a very considerate, ex ceedingly lovely… dangerously hot man.”

I let out a laugh, but her words send a thrill through me, nonetheless.

“You say that,” I murmur, leaning in slightly, “but the image of you, last night in that dress? In your garden of Eden, with your wings on display? That’s going to be living rent-free in my head for a long

time.”

Before she can respond, I steal a quick kiss, just enough to taste the smile that curves on her lips.

We exit the car, and walk into the school, hand in hand.

“I’m just going to go pay the rest of my ski trip money while I remember,” Ella says, drifting toward the reception desk where Lynda is sitting. I watch her for a second, shake my head with a grin as I

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feel her immediate absence from me.

Yep. I’m already in deep, I admit to Atlas, who only chuckles at me in response.

Olite suddenly bursts out of one of the adjoining corridors, moving so fast I barely have time to

react before he’s in front of me.

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“Aus, have you seen Freya?” he asks urgently, running a hand through his already-messy hair. I

narrow my eyes at him. He looks wound up-more than that, and unusually for him, he looks stress

“No… Ella and I literally just walked in,” I reply, frowning at his expression. A flicker of

I

creeps in, “why? Is my sister okay?”

Ollie steps closer, lowering his voice.

“She kissed me, man.”

I blink.

worry then

“My sister kissed you?” I turn to fully face him now, brows raised in pure disbelief, “Freya? Freya kissed you?”

I repeat, because surely I misheard that.

“Why would she do that?”

Ollie rolls his eyes, looking thoroughly unimpressed.

“Gee, thanks, mate.”

I bite back a smirk.

“I just mean-”

“I was trying to figure out why she’s been acting so weird all day, and then-bam-she just grabbed me,” he says, shaking his head, clearly still trying to process it, “it was quick, and she immediately freaked out, apologised, and mumbled something about Mira. Then she bolted-and I haven’t been

able to find her since.”

I can’t help it. I laugh.

“Mira’s a bit of a minx,” I chuckle, clapping Ollie on the shoulder, “you do know what they say about

alpha she-wolf spirits, right? Maybe… Mira has a bit of a thing for you.”

Ollie glowers at me.

“Not funny, Aus. Freya was acting really off earlier.”

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Before I can respond, Ella returns to my side.

“really need to take care of something, so…I’ll see you at dinner?” she barely waits for my nod before she’s heading off down the sports corridor. I watch her go, then shrug.

“Probably going to the greenhouse.”

“The greenhouse!” Ollie exclaims, snapping his fingers.

“That’s the one place I didn’t check! I forgot that place even existed.”

I smirk.

“Well, Ols, I’m sure that was weird and confusing for you, but maybe give Freya some space,” I

check my watch, “right now, it’s gym time. Let’s go get changed.”

Ollie drags a hand down his face.

“I don’t really feel like it.”

I raise an eyebrow, starting up the stairs.

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“Wow,” I say, voice thick with amusement, “that’s so interesting to hear… now you know how I’ve felt

for the past few months.”

“Shut up,” Ollie complains, beginning to follow me up the stairs, “but, it’s not like you to drag me along. What’s changed?”

I glance up at the painting of Atlas, before I look back at Ollie.

“Everything,” I say simply.

***Ella***

I move swiftly across the dimly lit sports hall, my breath coming deep and steady as I near my

destination.

The handprints I’d burned into the granite worktop had only been the beginning. After spending an

entire day at Austin’s side, his kisses igniting something electric under my skin, his hands keeping

me anchored while my magic swelled… I felt like I was on the verge of bursting. Then there was the love bite he’d left at the base of my neck, right where he would one day mark me, the skin still tingling with residual warmth.

I had spent all afternoon trying to suppress my power, trying control it, but now? Now, I needed to

release it… in a big way.

Reaching the greenhouse, I push the doors open with purpose, flicking on the lights. A soft glow illuminates the space, casting eerie shadows across the rows of plants. The familiar scent of soil

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and fresh greenery rushes over me, but it does little to calm the storm raging inside. My palms bur n, the heat pulsing with every rapid beat of my heart. My magic is clawing at me, desperate for an Qutlet, desperate to be released. I stand near the water fountain, my mind racing.

What do I do? How do I let this out?

Then, my gaze snaps to the far end of the greenhouse, to the bare patch of soil… the patch I’d been silently ignoring for weeks and weeks.

Yes.

As if possessed, I move toward it, dropping to my knees, my breath ragged. My fingers tremble as I press my hands into the cool, dry earth, and I then plunge them deeper. The moment I close my eyes, the dam within me breaks. A rush of power erupts from my core, surging through my arms and into the ground, flowing in waves that I cannot contain. The air crackles around me and the ground quakes beneath my palms. I don’t know what I’m doing. I only know that I can’t stop. Magic pours out of me like a river, unrelenting, unrestrained, filling the earth with something ancient and w ild. Minutes pass before the pressure inside me finally ebbs, the overwhelming heat in my veins

subsiding.

I lean back on shaky hands, my breath uneven, my body spent. I open my eyes, and I gasp.

Before me, where once there had been nothing but dry, lifeless dirt, now stands a towering wisteria

tree. No…seven trees?

Seven thick trunks rise in a perfect line, twisting together two meters up, spiraling around each other in an intricate dance of nature and magic. I get to my feet, my eyes follow their ascent as they reach the ceiling, their limbs stretching outward, claiming every inch of available roof space. From the entwined branches, plumes upon plumes of delicate wisteria blossoms cascade downward, forming a shimmering violet canopy above me. The scent is intoxicating, rich and sweet, filling the air like something out of a dream.

I stare, my chest rising and falling rapidly, a stunned laugh escaping my lips. I did this. But why? I step closer, reaching out to brush my fingers against the rough bark of the trunks, wonder flooding

through me.

“Why did I grow this?” I whisper to the empty greenhouse.

The tree doesn’t answer. But something deep inside me does. There is a purpose to this…a purpose I don’t yet understand.

“What the HECK did I just watch?”

The sudden voice behind me nearly sends me through the ceiling. I spin around, clutching my

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chest, my heart pounding-only to find Freya lounging on the arched bench, wide-eyed, her mouth hanging open in shock.

“Have you been here the whole time?” I demand, still trying to catch my breath.

“Uh, yeah. You came in like you were in some kind of trance, and then you just…wow.”

She shakes her head as she gets up, stepping closer, her gaze lifting to the massive wisteria tree

now dominating the greenhouse.

“I mean, I’ve seen people do magic before, but that? That was insane.”

I exhale sharply, still buzzing from what just happened.

“Why are you in here, anyway?”

Freya hesitates. Then sighs.

“I’m… hiding.”

I raise an eyebrow.

“Hiding from who?”

She groans, rubbing her face like she wishes she could erase the last few hours from existence.

“Mira managed to assert herself for a second… and she made me kiss Ollie.”

I blink.

“Mira made you kiss-wait, what?”

Freya flaps her hands in frustration.

“It was just a quick peck, or at least that’s what she called it, but-argh!” She groans again, dramatically flopping back onto the bench and hugging her knees to her chest, “I freaked out, okay? I had to get out of there, and I knew he’d probably follow me, so I came here and I’ve been hiding for about an hour.”

I sit down next to her, resting my elbow on my knee as I smirk.

“Well… good for Mira, I guess.”

Freya scowls at me.

“Don’t look at me like that,” I laugh, “honestly, I kind of thought you two might have done something

last night.”

Freya lets out a dramatic groan, burying her face in her hands.

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“Ugh. Last night.”

pry her hands away, forcing her to look at me.

“What happened?”

She sighs, biting her lip.

“After Austin whisked you away, Ollie and I danced for a bit… and let’s just say-he definitely

remembered the red dress.”

I raise an eyebrow.

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“His hands were all over my back, Els. And it felt…” She exhales sharply, as if saying it aloud makes

it more real, “it felt good-but also scary and confusing. And now I don’t know what I’m thinking, because it’s Ollie, for crying out loud!”

I grin.

“Right, because God forbid you admit you like someone who’s smart, strong, and actually treats

you well.”

Freya groans again, plucking at the petals of a wilting rose.

“It’s not that simple.”