The Mysterious Cure

Mira’s POV

I had been in the Lavender Palace for several days, but I still hadn't figured out Prince Perry. He rarely spoke. He avoided crowded halls whenever he could. He never joined the nobles when they gathered in the palace gardens, and I had never seen him laugh. Even the servants became tense whenever he walked past. They bowed quickly and moved out of his way. No one dared whisper around him. No one dared stare at him for too long. He was the Lycan Prince, after all. The heir to the Blue Ivory Pack. The most feared wolf in the kingdom. And yet, for reasons I couldn't understand, he kept appearing around me.

That afternoon, I was sitting in my room reading the book Prince Perry had given me when there was a knock on my door.

I closed the book. “Come in.”

A palace guard entered and bowed. “Lady Mira.”

My stomach twitched as I wasn't used to being called that. “Yes?” I replied, solemnly.

“Prince Perry requests your presence.” She relayed and my heart immediately began beating faster.

“Why?”

The guard lowered his eyes. “He didn't say.”

I stood. “Where is he?”

“In the western wing.”

I didn't mutter any more words. All I did was find my slippers to put on as I followed the guard through the palace.

The western wing was quieter than the rest of Lavender Palace. Very few servants came there. As we approached the last corridor, I noticed something strange. The guards stationed outside Prince Perry's private chambers were tense. One of them looked at me. Then quickly looked away.

The door opened. “Go inside,” the guard said.

I stepped in. The door closed behind me. I looked up to see Prince Perry standing near the large windows. His back was toward me. For several seconds, he didn't speak but I noticed his rigid shoulders. 

“Prince Perry?” I called, slightly. 

Then I heard it. A low growl. I froze. It wasn't human. It came from deep within his chest. My heart began pounding.

Prince Perry slowly turned. His eyes looked different. The blue color I was used to seeing had darkened. His breathing was heavy. One hand gripped the edge of the table.

“What happened?” I asked.

“Come closer.” His voice was strained.

I didn't move. “Prince Perry, are you hurt?”

“Come here.” His command was quiet but firm. I took a few steps forward. The moment I came closer, something changed. His breathing slowed. The tension in his shoulders eased. The strange darkness in his eyes began fading.

I stopped.

Prince Perry stared at me. His expression was unreadable. “You felt it too,” he said.

“Felt what?”

“My wolf.”

I swallowed. Of course. I had almost forgotten that Prince Perry wasn't simply a powerful man. He was a Lycan. A royal Lycan whose wolf was said to be far stronger than an ordinary werewolf. And right now, that wolf seemed restless beneath his skin.

“What is wrong with you?” I asked.

He didn't answer. Instead, he closed his eyes. I stood silently. A few seconds later, he opened them again. The pain in his eyes had almost completely disappeared.

I countered. “You're better.”

“Yes.” His answer was short as he walked toward me. Then he stopped. His eyes focused on me intensely. “Your scent.”

I stiffened. “What about it?”

“It changes everything.” I didn't know what he meant and this time he looked almost frustrated. “When I first smelled you in Redwood, my wolf reacted.”

I remembered that day. He had found me while Xavier was trying to kill me. Prince Perry had immediately demanded to know who I was.

“I thought it was because I was your…” I stopped. I didn't want to say the word. Mate. He looked at me.

“You are not my mate.”

My chest tightened and I nodded. “I know.”

His expression remained cold. “But my wolf reacts to you as though you are important.” I didn't know how to respond. He walked past me. “Every time the curse attacks, your scent weakens it.”

“The curse?” He stopped. For the first time, I realized I had never heard Prince Perry explain what was happening to him. “What curse?”

He slowly turned. His eyes met mine. “You don't need to know.”

I frowned. “You summoned me here.”

“I did.”

“Because of the curse?” He didn't answer. That was enough to answer. I stepped closer. “Then why didn't you tell me?”

“Because it doesn't concern you.”

I stared at him. “If my presence can help you, then it concerns me.”

His jaw tightened. “You are asking too many questions.”

“And you're giving me too few answers.” I looked at him. I thought he would become angry. Instead, he looked away. I had never seen anyone carry silence the way Prince Perry did. He could make a room feel colder without saying anything.

Then he finally spoke. “A witch cursed me.”

My eyes widened. “A witch?”

“Yes.”

“When?” I questioned, my body trembling from the revelation. 

He hesitated. “Years ago.”

“Why?”

His expression darkened. “Because I refused her.”

I didn't know what to say.

He continued. “She wanted something from me. I refused to give it to her.”

“And she cursed you?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of curse?”

His fingers tightened. “I lose control during the full moon.”

A chill moved through me. That explained his behavior. The strange pain. The way his wolf seemed to fight against him. “The curse affects your wolf?”

He nodded, slightly. “Yes.”

I went on to ask. “And nothing can break it?” 

“We've tried everything.” He mumbled and I could feel the pain in his voice. 

“Priests?”

“Yes.”

“Healers?”

“Yes.”

“Witches?”

His eyes hardened. “Several.”

My eyes widened. “And none could help?”

“No.”

I looked at him. “Then why do you think I can?”

His eyes suddenly locked onto mine. “I don't know.”

Silence filled the room while I slowly folded my arms. “Then why did you bring me here?”

His expression changed. Only for a second though. But I noticed. “You were in danger.”

“That isn't the whole reason.” He said nothing and I continued. “You could have saved me and sent me somewhere safe.” Still nothing. “Instead, you brought me to your palace.”

His jaw tightened. “You needed protection.”

“From what?” I asked with curiosity. 

“Xavier.” He let out. 

I gasped. That shouldn't be an excuse. “Then you could have taken me somewhere outside Redwood.” He didn't answer. I stepped closer. “Prince Perry, why me?”

His eyes remained fixed on mine and I could see uncertainty in his face as he spoke. “I don't know.”

I didn't believe him. “You do know.”

His voice became colder. “Enough.” I stopped. He walked toward the door. “This conversation is over.”

I stared after him. “Did you bring me here because you think I can break your curse?”

His hand stopped on the door handle. He didn't turn around. That silence told me more than his words could have. My heart sank. “So that's it.”

He finally looked at me. “What?”

“You didn't bring me here because you felt sorry for me.”

His expression remained unreadable. “You didn't bring me here simply because Xavier was mistreating me.”

I swallowed. “You brought me here because you think I can cure you.”

Prince Perry stared at me. Then he said something that confused me even more. “I haven't decided what you are.”

I chuckled, coldly. “What does that mean?”

He opened the door. “Go back to your room.”

I wanted to demand answers. I wanted to probe him into telling me why exactly I was at his kingdom but his expression stopped me. I sighed and ahead, past him.

As I reached the doorway, I heard his voice. “Mira.”

I turned. His expression had softened slightly. Only slightly. “Whatever happens. Whenever you see me change, don't fear me.”

I stared at him with disbelief. Was it not the same person that wouldn't say anything to me? I didn't want to go any further. Then I nodded. “I'll try.” I walked away.

I returned to my room with a growing suspicion. All I thought was that Prince Perry had rescued me. Now I wasn't so sure. Maybe I wasn't a rescued girl at all. Maybe she was the answer to a curse and he wouldn't let me know because he was only using me. I sighed heavily as I threw myself on the bed. I would do exactly what he had said. I won't be afraid of him, rather, I would try to help, maybe, I could truly be the source to break his curse