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CHAPTER 16 - OCTAVIA
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A Dark Curse CHAPTER 17 - TRISTAN
I wake up with an uneasy feeling, trapped inside my small, dimly lit room. The walls seem to close in on me, and I can't shake the restlessness that gnaws at my insides. Octavia—the Princess I've been assigned to protect—constantly occupies my thoughts. She's the reason I'm stuck in this suffocating house, my every move tethered to her. I swing my legs out of bed and stand up, the weight of my duty pressing down on me. I haven't slept well, my mind too preoccupied with Octavia. I've been tasked with being her constant companion during her stay in this territory, to ensure her safety and cater to her every need. But there's more to it—a burning desire that stirs my heart, a maddening mix of longing and frustration. Every moment spent away from Octavia feels like an eternity, and the mere thought of her smile or the musical lilt of her laughter fills me with an ache that refuses to subside. It's a yearning that I dare not speak aloud, for my place in her life is defined by duty, not
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 18 - OCTAVIA
The next morning, I set my own alarm. I’m not sure if the previous morning’s late wake-up call had been on purpose or not, but I know I don’t want to be late again. Ezra isn’t concerned about my welfare as long as I’m still breathing, but my stomach would beg to differ. Even now, as I quickly shut my phone’s blaring alarm off and hurry to get dressed, it grumbles at me to move faster. By the time I’ve braided my hair and tugged on some leggings and a sweatshirt, I’m practically starving. I can hear Ezra already in the dining hall, his trusty sidekick breathing evenly beside him. Whether they hear me coming down the steps or not, they make no move to greet me. I find them exactly where I knew they’d be; Ezra seated at the head of the table, another manila folder in front of him, with Dominic standing near the door. He gives me a slight nod as I pass him, heading to the chair furthest from the Alpha as possible. “Seems you’ve finally realized your phone has an alarm on it,” Ezra comm
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 19 - OCTAVIA
The entire grove goes deadly quiet. Ezra dips between the wooden slats of the fence, stalking straight toward us before we even have a chance to bolt. All eyes are on us, teeth bared and claws extended. The hair rises along my arms at the animosity surrounding us. Clearly, we’re not welcome. “What the hell are you doing here?” Ezra snarls. He looks about ready to kill both of us, those eyes turning to a molten blaze. Behind him, I see Madalynn step out from the crowd. She looks concerned, which tells me I probably should be as well. “I wanted to see where you went every day,” I reply as evenly as possible. I cross my arms to hide my shaking hands. Ezra says nothing. The air is charged with tension as we stare each other down. But I’m not backing down. I’m not a prisoner—or, at least I’m not supposed to be. If I’m to marry their Alpha, that would make me Luna. And Lunas can do whatever the hell they want to do. I think. “Dominic,” Ezra barks. His trusty lapdog detaches himself fro
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 20 - EZRA
My heart still races from the exhilaration of the fight, pounding against my chest as I watch Octavia flee. From me. I watch her wolf disappear beneath the overgrown brush, the ebony fur rippling as she ran. Her little pet shoots me a dark look, baring his teeth before bounding after her. He shifts mid-air, his lithe fox form slipping beneath the brush. I let them go. Dominic would be hot on their heels soon enough. And where else would they go? They had nowhere to run where I couldn’t find them. The Wyres around me howl and bark in raucous celebration, their cheers mingling with the wild forest winds. They have no idea what I’d just done besides put a Shifter bitch in her place. But I know. A throat being cleared pulls me away from the tree line. Madalynn’s dark eyebrows rise, golden eyes flicking between me and where Octavia had disappeared. She’s been by my side for about as long as Dominic has, our bond forged by the same unforgiving world. “You know that will set you
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 21 - OCTAVIA
Tossing my ruined sweatshirt aside, I grab a hoodie, slipping it over my head. The house is quiet, but I can hear Tristan out in the guest house. He’s pacing, mumbling under his breath, nearly as stressed as I am. Guilt pricks at my heart, knowing it’s my fault he’s here. That it’s my fault he’s as much a prisoner as I am. I slip downstairs, heading through the house to the back door in the kitchen. It leads out onto the back patio, a small, cement area surrounded by brush. There’s a circular fire pit dug into the ground with black iron chairs laid out around it. Wood is stacked along the back of the house by the door, ready to burn. Walking past all of that, I pad softly toward the guest house. Tristan hears me coming, the door opening before I can even knock. It’s not a large building; basically the size of a large shed. The outside metal slats are white, with small windows cut out of the sides. Over his shoulder, I can see only two rooms—the main living space with another door l
A Dark Curse Chapter 22 - OCTAVIA
The next morning, I make sure I’m at the breakfast table before Ezra arrives. After leaving Tristan, I wasn’t able to sleep. Dominic had returned to the house hours later, but he mostly stayed outside, at the front of the house and far away from me. Before the sun had even begun to peek over the horizon, I shower and dress, scrubbing Tristan’s scent from my skin. But it’s no use. Even now, I can still smell him. Tristan is right—Ezra is most certainly going to kill us once he finds out. Trying to ignore the butterflies in my gut, I focus on making breakfast. The eggs sizzle in the pan as I add in bits of cheese and sausage I’d found. Flipping the omelets over, I add some tomatoes and pepper, the scent of the food filling the room. The coffeemaker whirs, pouring a large cup just for me. When everything is done, I take my plate and cup to the dining room. Setting everything on the table, I go to the windows, throwing them wide open. And then I wait. It isn’t long before I hear the
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 23 - DOMINIC
I’m torn, my emotions a chaotic mess within me. I know I can’t stay behind with her. Not after what she did. Despite Ezra’s attempt at uncaring, I know otherwise. He’s hurt. Furious. As am I. But I have no right to be. Smelling the Shifter’s scent all over her…I’d held myself back, despite the fact that I’d wanted to claw his face off as much as Ezra had. Jealousy had twisted in my gut like a snake, rearing its ugly head before I could squash it to death. I had no right. Ezra, however, has every right. I can feel his anger as if it were a physical thing—dark and raging, crashing against my mind. It’s a wonder I was able to stop him at all. I could feel every single emotion rolling from him in hot waves of fury. If I hadn’t, both Octavia and her little pet would be dead by now. And all hope would have been lost. Following the scent of anger and bitterness, I head back to the house, sensing Ezra upstairs in his room. This surprises me. I would have thought he’d have taken
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 24 - OCTAVIA
I’m grateful Madalynn stays. Taking the bandages from her hands, I kneel beside him. “You don’t have to be here, you know.” I glance over sharply. “Why are you here? Who even are you?” “I told you,” Madalynn replies. “I’m here to assist you. I just haven’t been around the past few days to give you time to get settled in. Clearly, you did just fine.” I ignore her, checking the bandages she’s already wrapped. They seem fine enough, though my experience with wrapping battle wounds is next to none. “So, if you’re here to assist me, then tell me what Dominic meant when he said it wasn’t his story to tell. I know you were listening.” “I was doing no such thing,” Madalynn sniffs. “But even if I did, I wouldn’t be able to tell you. Pack loyalty and all.” Right. She has no loyalty to me and I have no reason to trust her. My eyes focus on Tristan’s black eye. The swelling has gone down a bit, thanks to his healing, but it was going to hurt for the next few days. The cuts are probably alre
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