Gail flipped through the old book with a sigh. “Nothing in this one.” ‘I didn’t think I’d ever say this, but I agree with your aunt. It seems these books have nothing about your magic or my curse. Your magic is rare, so rare I am surprised that both your mother and you both had it,’ Joel told her, stretching out his front paws.  “Fine, okay,” Gail said, closing the book and setting it to the side. “But I’m getting pretty good with my magic and using it how I want. Why haven’t I broken your curse yet?” ‘I don’t know, but I’m sure you’ll figure it out.’ She sighed and shook her head. Gail wasn’t so sure she would. Not after all this time. Nothing new had come to her. She hadn’t made a single step towards coming closer to freeing Joel.

Gail sat, crossed legged. She ran her fingertips over the blades of grass, trying to decide if she should ask Joel what was wrong or not. Ever since she’d come back that morning, he’d been distant and quiet. Even now they had taken their habitual walk to the forest clearing, Joel laid in the grass, looking up at the sky. He hadn’t said more than a handful of words to her. Something upset him, but she hesitated to ask what in case he might be mad at her. Gail didn’t think she had done anything wrong. Perhaps it was about her going off with her aunt that morning, but Joel agreed to stay behind. Or perhaps he only said that to get on his aunt’s good side and expected Gail to insist that he go with them? She clasped her hands together, twisting her fingers. She would never figure it out if she didn’t speak up. Gail sighed and looked down at a small patch of dandelions next to her.

Gail’s mind battled with the reality that Joel was going to leave her soon. Also, she couldn’t get angry at the fact. His pack and werewolves needed him. She refused to get depressed over it, either. Gail would not be the type of girl to mope over a guy, even if that guy was as incredible as Joel. She also didn’t want him to feel guilty for leaving. It had to be done and Gail would do her best to make it easier for him when the time came.  “Everything okay? You’ve been quiet since we left,” Joel asked, his fingers drumming against the passenger side door. He was still human, and if the past had anything to show, he would be for almost another hour still.  “Yeah, everything is as it should be,” she told him, then added for good measure, “It was interesting being the one that people suspected.” “They mean

‘Sorry, I didn’t think she would react like that,’ Joel said, sitting at Gail’s feet and glancing back at the door.  “Yeah, no kidding. Neither did I,” Gail admitted. “What did you say to her?” ‘Nothing that warranted that reaction.’  Wow. That explained everything. Gail crossed her arms and looked down at him. “Meaning?”  ‘I just told her how I feel and as you saw, she didn’t like it.’ “What are you feeling?” Gail repeated. What did that mean? And why did her aunt react like that? “And that means?” She let some of her irritation at his evasiveness show through. ‘Just what I said. It’s not important. What is important is you don’t believe I would do any of tha

Gail’s elation at breaking the curse vanished when she saw her aunt. Closing the book she was reading, Aunt Rose stood. Her expression pinched and Gail had never seen her aunt with a frown so big. “Hey, Aunt Rose, I got some good news.”Aunt Rose crossed her arms, giving her a down right glacial glare. “Do you now? Which good news is that? That you ignored me and broke the werewolf’s curse and now you have made yourself a threat to Ricinius or the fact that you ignored me and got emotionally entangled with the werewolf.”“Uhm, I was going to tell you about the curse,” Gail replied. “Why are you so mad?”Aunt Rose scoffed. “Why am I so mad? Why? Have you not been listening to me at all lately, Galiena Faye Palmer?”