Chapter 4 The Curse That Followed Her

Gina's POV

I barely slept that night.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Gabriel standing in front of me in the market.

Alive.

His hand around my wrist. His silver eyes fixed on mine. The warmth of his skin against mine.

I turned sharply beneath the blankets, frustrated with myself.

Why was I thinking about him this much?

Men had approached me before.

Not many, but enough.

Some were curious. Some were arrogant enough to think the curse was a lie. Others simply believed they were stronger than death itself.

None survived.

That should have happened to Gabriel too.

But it didn't.

The memory alone made my chest tighten strangely.

Outside, the wind rattled the windows of my cabin while moonlight spilled across the wooden floor. The forest surrounding my home was unusually quiet tonight.

Too quiet.

Usually I could hear owls or wolves in the distance.

Tonight there was nothing.

A bad feeling slowly crept into my stomach.

I sat up immediately.

My wolf stirred uneasily beneath my skin.

Something was wrong.

I grabbed the knife hidden beneath my pillow and moved quietly toward the window. The cold floor pressed against my bare feet as I carefully pushed the curtain aside.

Darkness.

Trees.

Fog.

Then movement.

My breath caught sharply.

Someone was standing near the edge of the forest.

Watching my cabin.

I stepped back instantly.

Fear exploded inside my chest.

Most people avoided this place completely. Nobody came near my home unless they wanted something dangerous.

The figure slowly moved forward.

A man.

Tall. Broad shoulders. Black coat.

Relief hit me so suddenly it almost made me angry.

Gabriel.

What was wrong with this man?

I yanked the door open before he could knock.

"You need to stop doing that."

His eyes immediately moved over me carefully.

Like he was checking if I was hurt.

"You shouldn't open doors without confirming who's outside first," he said calmly.

I stared at him in disbelief.

"You're the one appearing outside my cabin in the middle of the night."

A faint smile touched his lips.

"You noticed me quickly."

"Because you weren't trying to hide."

"True."

I crossed my arms tightly.

The cold night air slipped around us, carrying his scent toward me again.

Rain. Smoke. Cedar.

Dangerously distracting.

"You said you would come back tomorrow," I muttered.

"It is tomorrow."

I blinked at him.

Then irritation rushed through me.

"You're impossible."

"Not according to most people."

Despite myself, a short laugh almost escaped me.

Almost.

Gabriel noticed.

His expression softened slightly, and for some reason, that made me nervous.

No one looked at me that gently anymore.

"You shouldn't be here," I said again quietly.

"I know."

"Then why are you?"

His silver eyes held mine steadily.

"Because I couldn't stop thinking about you."

The honesty in his voice caught me off guard.

Most men flirted with charm or arrogance.

Gabriel spoke like he was simply stating facts.

That somehow felt more dangerous.

I looked away quickly.

"You don't know me."

"Then let me."

"No."

The answer came too fast.

His gaze sharpened slightly.

"You're afraid of me."

"I'm afraid for you."

Silence stretched between us.

The wind blew strands of dark hair across my face while Gabriel continued watching me with that intense stare that made my pulse uneven.

Finally, he spoke again.

"How many?"

I frowned slightly. "What?"

"How many men died?"

Pain twisted through my chest immediately.

I hated that question.

Because there was never a number small enough.

"Too many," I whispered.

Gabriel stayed quiet.

Not pushing. Not judging.

Just listening.

That alone felt strange.

Most people either feared me or accused me.

Nobody ever listened.

"The first was when I was ten," I admitted quietly. "After that… it kept happening."

His jaw tightened.

"Did the priests ever examine you?"

I laughed bitterly.

"Examine me? They wanted me executed."

Anger flashed across his face instantly.

"They said the Moon Goddess cursed me for a reason." I swallowed hard. "Some believed killing me would lift the curse from the pack."

Gabriel looked genuinely furious now.

My wolf noticed immediately.

Strangely… it liked his anger.

Because it wasn't directed at me.

It was for me.

The realization made my chest ache unexpectedly.

"I stayed away from everyone after my mother died," I continued softly. "It was safer."

"For them?"

"For me too."

His expression shifted slightly.

I could tell he understood what I meant.

Loneliness eventually stopped hurting when you accepted it fully.

That had become my life.

Empty. Quiet. Safe.

Until him.

Gabriel stepped closer slowly.

I immediately stiffened.

"You shouldn't do that."

"Why?"

"You know why."

"But nothing happens when I touch you."

"We don't know that yet."

His eyes darkened slightly.

"You think I'll suddenly collapse?"

Fear curled painfully in my stomach.

"I don't know."

That was the worst part.

I didn't understand the curse anymore.

Not after him.

Gabriel studied me silently before speaking again.

"I'm willing to take the risk."

"No."

The answer came instantly.

"You don't get to decide that."

"Actually, I do."

His calm confidence irritated me.

"How are you an Alpha with no survival instincts?"

That finally made him smile fully.

And Moon Goddess…

He looked unfairly beautiful when he smiled.

I quickly looked away again.

Dangerous.

Everything about this man was dangerous.

Before either of us could speak again, my wolf suddenly growled low inside me.

A warning.

Gabriel reacted instantly too.

His entire posture changed.

Predatory. Alert.

"What is it?" I whispered.

Instead of answering, he slowly turned toward the forest behind him.

The air shifted.

Cold.

Wrong.

Then I smelled it.

Blood.

Gabriel moved in front of me automatically.

My eyes widened slightly.

He was protecting me.

The thought barely settled before a scream echoed through the trees.

Human.

Male.

Pain shot through my chest.

I knew that scream.

"Elias," I whispered.

Gabriel glanced at me quickly. "Who's Elias?"

"The hunter from the southern road."

Another scream tore through the night.

Closer this time.

Without thinking, I ran toward the forest.

"Gina—"

Branches snapped beneath my feet while Gabriel followed closely behind me. My heartbeat pounded violently as we moved deeper between the trees.

Something terrible had happened.

The scent of blood grew stronger.

Then we found him.

Elias lay twisted against the ground, clutching his throat desperately while blood soaked his clothes.

My stomach turned.

His eyes locked onto mine instantly.

Fear exploded across his face.

"N-no…" he choked weakly.

Gabriel crouched beside him quickly.

"What happened?"

Elias pointed shakily deeper into the woods.

"There's… something…"

His body suddenly convulsed violently.

Then stopped moving.

Silence.

I froze.

Gabriel slowly stood beside the body, his expression dark.

"This wasn't your curse."

My breathing became uneven.

"No," I whispered.

Because I could smell it now.

Magic.

Ancient magic.

Not werewolf scent.

Something colder.

Something unnatural.

The forest around us suddenly became silent again.

Then branches cracked nearby.

Gabriel immediately stepped in front of me.

A low growl rumbled from his chest.

And from the darkness between the trees…

Something growled back.