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CHAPTER 39 - OCTAVIA
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A Dark Curse CHAPTER 40 - EZRA
As I lay in the dimly lit room, my thoughts drifted back to the night of the Marking ritual with Octavia. The memory flooded my mind, vivid and intense, like a scene from a dream I couldn't quite shake. She had been radiant, bathed in the soft glow of moonlight filtering through the trees, her eyes alight with an inner fire that seemed to consume everything in its path. In that moment, she had been the epitome of beauty, a vision that stole the breath from my lungs and left me reeling in her wake. And yet, it wasn't just her physical appearance that had captivated me—it was something deeper, something primal and instinctual that defied explanation. From the moment I laid eyes on her, there had been an undeniable pull, a magnetic force that drew me to her like a moth to a flame. I had tried to resist it, to deny the feelings that surged within me, but in the end, it was futile. The bond between us was stronger than any force in the universe, an unbreakable tether that bound our souls
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 1 - OCTAVIA
We were wild once. Creatures that belonged to the world, and the world to us. Before there were laws and progress, before humans, there was us. Those days are long gone, forgotten by man. But we still remember. It’s in our blood, this wildness. Our people were blessed. When the world was young and still evolving, we were in tune with the nature that surrounded us. It ran through our veins and filled our lungs. Now, I fear that we’re losing ourselves. I sit at the window, staring at the blank night sky. I know there are stars…somewhere. Just not here. Whatever blinks in this sky is not made from light but from metal. I try to picture it in my mind, what it would look like uninhibited by the city’s lights. But I fail. “Miss? It’s almost time for dinner.” I turn, warily studying the maid that dares to interrupt me. Her nose twitches slightly as her fingers twist in front of her. Her spirit animal is a nervous creature—a Rodent and lowest ranking Shifter there is. I can almost see h
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 2 - TRISTAN
I take my time going home. It’s hard to leave her behind when everything inside of me is screaming at me to stay. Especially when she needs me. My fox growls as I force myself to leave her family’s house behind, whining to go back. I ignore him. I’ve been in love with Octavia Hart since we were kids, though I never realized what these feelings meant until we were older. By then, it was too late. I know how she sees me. How she thinks of me. To her, I’m her best friend. Her partner-in-crime that she can always depend on. I wish I was more. Letting go, my fox leaps forward as I change. My paws sink into the earth, leaves and grass flying as I run through the woods toward my own home. It’s just a few miles down the road, an old house passed down from generation to generation. When my parents pass, it was supposed to go to my older brother. But he’s no longer here. As soon as I spot the lights of our mansion flicker through the trees, my fox slows. Even he dreads going home. I can
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 3
“They can’t do this.” Tristan runs his fingers through his hair, leaving a tousled mess behind. “I mean, they can. But it’s fucking barbaric.” I pace before him, my claws extending and retracting anxiously. “No. They can’t do this. This isn’t the 1600s. I still have rights.” “Rights are for humans,” Tristan comments blandly. “We’re Shifters. Completely different.” “Now is seriously not the time to joke,” I snap. “Do you want me to be shipped off? To the bloody Wyres of all people?” Tristan’s dry expression turns dark. A vein ticks along his sharp jaw. “No. Of course not.” “Then help me figure out a way to get out of this.” He shifts on the bed, snatching my hand in one, smooth move, and pulls me closer. “I would do anything for you. You know this. But I’m also a nobody.” “Your father owns half of Atlanta,” I reply. “You’re not a nobody.” Tristan waves my words away. “An heir is nothing. A Fox Shifter heir to Wolf Shifter parents is even more than nothing. They tolerate me beca
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 4
Nothing has been working. My usual repertoire of resistance goes virtually unnoticed by my parents. Wolves are stubborn, and this battle between us is turning into a cold war. It doesn’t matter how many times I refuse to attend dinner, or how long I refuse to speak with them—they just…don’t care. In between the bouts of silence and petty behavior, I spend most of my time in the library. Usually, I avoid confining myself to the mansion as much as possible, but duty calls. I’ve read up on everything we have about the war, though most of its earliest accounts were lost to myth and legend. My family brought over most of their records from the Old Country, but it’s not enough. With a frustrated sigh, I slam one of the few hundred old texts shut. More are scattered around the long table in the center of the hall, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. I’m not even sure why we have so many books. It’s not as if anyone actually comes to the library and reads. Not in this day and age. W
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 5
He stands so still it’s almost as if he’s carved from marble. Those golden eyes track my movements as I force myself across the ballroom floor. The Bloody Prince has a wild look about him, something untamed despite the clear evidence of an attempt to look civilized. And, behind those eyes, his wolf waits. I can smell it on him. The wrongness. With Shifters, we’re one with our spirit animals, but the Wyres are cursed. Their spirits had been mutilated, twisted into a completely different being—a being that mirrors the ruthlessness and darkness of their souls. The first Wyre had been a monstrous man, a killer who had no qualms about taking what wasn’t his. He insulted a witch, forcing his pack to live the rest of their existence separated from their spirits. Two minds, one body. It would make anyone go mad. I stop just a pace away from where he stands, my eyes locked onto the pillar just over his shoulder. I can’t bring myself to look directly at him. Not yet. I let my gaze wander,
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 6
“Oh, now you want to talk?” I turn away from him, fighting the mix of emotions that threaten to drag me under. “A little late for that.”“Please,” he begs quietly. “Just hear me out.” Glancing back towards the glass doors, I make a split decision. “If my parents catch me out here with you…”“Two seconds.” He takes another step forward. Pleading. “Please.” I sigh, glancing back toward the ballroom. “Tonight. After…all this. I’ll meet you in our usual spot at one.” Tristan doesn’t look happy. Mouth thinning, he gives me one last look before disappearing back inside. I watch him go, my heart dropping low in my stomach. I know he’ll probably want to talk more about my failed attempt to seduce him, and that’s something I just can’t deal with now. Or ever. A rustling sound pricks at my ears, drawing me away from the warmth and light of my home. Scanning the yard, I see nothing. But I can smell him. Moonlight filters across the open space, highlighting each neatly trimmed shrub and tree
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 7
My mother comes to tell me the dire news the next morning. Well, good news for everyone else. Dire for me. She’s standing just inside my doorway, looking more at ease than I’ve ever seen her lately. Her lips pull back in a wolf-like grin, her eyes dancing with relief. Not a single hair is out of place, her makeup flawlessly bright. I look like shit compared to her. “So?” I sigh, yanking a brush through the soft waves just to make them extra bouncy today. Mother shifts slightly, finally picking up my wariness. “They’ve signed the treaty. As of right now, we’re at peace.” She hesitates. “As long as the marriage holds.” “And when am I supposed to be married?” I ask quietly, setting the brush back on the vanity. “Not for a few months. The Pr—Alpha explicitly asked if an engagement would be enough.” Our eyes meet in the mirror. “The Alpha asked that?” Frowning, I turn to face her. “Not Father?” “Alpha Ezra didn’t seem too worried about marrying quickly,” Mother replies. “Your father
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