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CHAPTER 14 - OCTAVIA
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A Dark Curse CHAPTER 15 - EZRA
If I had stayed in that house a moment longer, I would have done something I’d soon regret. Seeing him walk in behind her, like a pet on a leash, had almost been enough for me to lose control. Almost. I’d sensed the bond as soon as they’d walked through the door. It had been unmistakable. The sense of…belonging. The pull. The magnetic feeling that you had found that one person to call home. The only saving grace for Octavia and the little fox she calls a friend was that I hadn’t felt the Mate Bond emanating from her. And, either she was a spectacular actress, or she really hadn’t known her childhood best friend had been in love with her forever. I chalk it up to the latter. Octavia doesn’t seem like the type to be able to control her emotions that well. She is nothing like Elora. Which is both a very good, and very bad, thing. I need to get away. Not even twenty minutes and already she’s forced me out. Her presence is alarmingly heavy, a magnet I can’t resist. And that’s
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 16 - OCTAVIA
Restless, I sleep for about three hours before deciding it’s too strange. This is my room but…not. When I look out the window, it’s not the Georgia trees and gravel drive of my home I see. As kind as it is to at least make an effort to make me feel more comfortable, it only ended up pissing me off in the end. How dare he try to pretend that this is anything more than it is? It doesn’t matter if the Prince turns this entire house into my family home or plants southern trees in a northern forest—it can’t conceal the truth. The more I think about it, the angrier I become. If he thinks I’m just some pampered princess who would accept any act of kindness…well, then he wasn’t the brilliant strategist everyone claims he is. War is one thing. A woman is an entirely different problem. When the knock comes in the morning, I’m already up and dressed. Forgoing my usual comfort clothes, I know I have to make a statement this morning. Red usually is my best color, but today, it makes me look e
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
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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 39 - OCTAVIA
He bit me. The words echo in my head, over and over again. I stumble from the bed, the sheets twisting around my bare legs. The Mark burns against my skin, flaring with each fluttering beat of my heart. I hadn’t noticed the pain before. I was too distracted. Too focused on Ezra than anything else. But now? Now I feel it all. He bit me. He bit me. He bit me. Gasping, I stumble toward the door, needing to get out of there. To get to the forest and make sure I still had…me. How did this even work? Did the poison spread slowly? Did it kill my wolf right away? Would I be just as cursed as the Wyres…forever? Had that been his plan all along? It can’t be. He needs me alive and not all Shifters make it through the transformation. It’s excruciatingly painful, and only the strong survive. Only the strongest make it. I know what happens when a Shifter is bitten—my parents made sure I knew that much about our enemies. They used to tell me about it whenever I misbehaved, warning me that I
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 38 - EZRA
With wolf’s bane coursing through my veins, I stumble from my room and into the hallway, my vision swimming and my muscles aching with every step. The poison burns like fire, consuming me from the inside out, and yet I press on, driven by a singular purpose. I needed to get away from her. Something was happening—something I knew had nothing to do with the Mark. My vision blackens at the edges, my legs weakening as I lean heavily against the door. Dominic is there, his presence a steady anchor in the storm of my agony. As if he had been waiting for me, his hand reaches out to catch me before I can fall, his touch a lifeline in the darkness that threatens to engulf me. Without a word, he guides me down to the basement, the cool stone walls closing in around us like a protective cocoon. With every step I take, the pain of the wolf’s bane coursing through my veins intensifies, a relentless torment that threatens to overwhelm me. Each breath is a struggle, each heartbeat a reminder of
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 37 - OCTAVIA
“The Mark symbolizes the permanent reminder of this commitment and their union with the Moon Goddess’s blessing.” The elder turns to Ezra, giving him a slight nod. “You may now Mark your mate.” I bite back a scream as Ezra’s fingers dig into my waist. He yanks me toward him, going for my shoulder. Pain sears through me when his canines pierce my skin, warmth blooming from the wound. I can feel my blood trickle down my arm, staining the fabric of my dress. His lips burn into my shoulder, so violent, so different from the kiss that it causes me to choke on my fear. When he pulls away, his mouth is smeared with my blood, streaking down his chin and turning the white of his shirt as bloody as my gown. Something like surprise crosses his eyes as he wipes his mouth. The Wyres go deadly silent. Behind him, Dominic’s eyes go wide, something like pain flickering beneath the gold of his irises. No one says a word. Ezra whips toward the Wyres, a growl in his throat. It’s a warning, but I
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 36 - OCTAVIA
I’m half tempted to rip this dress off and take my chances with the wild forest that surrounds this god-forsaken town. But the Alpha’s warning still rings in my ears, slicing up and down my spine until my stomach lurches in protest. I might actually be sick in this dress. Which might not be a bad idea. Knowing Ezra, however, a ruined dress wouldn’t stop him from forcing me down that aisle. “Stop moving,” Madalynn growls, pins tucked between her teeth. It’s the morning of the wedding and she’s finishing up the last touches of the dress. When she’d told me she’d actually sewn it herself, I was both impressed and wary. It’s no Vivienne Westwood, but it isn’t terrible, either. White leaves and vines creep up from my waist, swirling over my breasts to the edges of my shoulders. My chest is bare, the dress only just hanging on by the swooping, floor-length bell sleeves and low-cut back. The flowers sprout from the top of my thigh into airy gauze, revealing just a hint of my skin beneath.
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 35 - DOMINIC
The night drags on, the darkness of my chambers enveloping me like a suffocating embrace. Above, Octavia's restless movements echo through the floorboards, each sound a reminder of the forbidden desire that rages within me. I lie there, my senses attuned to every rustle of sheets, every soft sigh that escapes her lips. Each sound ignites a fire within me, a hunger that burns with an intensity I can no longer deny. I know I shouldn't want her. Octavia belongs to another, my prince, my best friend. To even entertain such thoughts is a betrayal of the highest order. But the heart knows no allegiance, and mine is torn between loyalty and longing. It has been a constant struggle, keeping Octavia at arm's length, denying the yearning that simmers beneath the surface. But tonight, as she sleeps just a floor above me, the temptation is too great to resist.I close my eyes, trying to block out the images that threaten to consume me. But try as I might, I cannot silence the voice that whisper
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 34 - OCTAVIA
Two weeks fly by when you dread its arrival. It probably would have gone a hell of a lot faster if I’d actually been the one planning my own wedding. Fortunately, I’m not, though I’m still bitter about it. I guess I should be thankful to the Alpha for letting Madalynn and Dominic plan the wedding themselves rather than forcing it on me. It at least made the time go by somewhat slower. But not slow enough. Tomorrow, my family will be arriving. Tomorrow night, I’ll be married. And I look forward to none of those events. The night before one’s wedding is supposed to be filled with anxiety, yes, but good anxiety. Instead, my stomach writhes with fear and worry, twisting and knotting together until I feel sick. Dominic had my room fixed up last week as an unwelcome surprise, so now I sit in front of my vanity mirror, trying not to throw up in the gold trash bin beside the desk. I’m wearing my comfort pajamas; sweats and a heavy wool sweatshirt that makes me feel like I’m wrapped in clou
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 33 - TRISTAN
As the night cloaked the world outside my prison, I sat alone with my thoughts, seeking solace in the silence. The events of the day replayed in my mind like a haunting melody, each note a reminder of the dangers that lurked in the shadows of the Wyre's territory. But the tranquility shattered when the door creaked open, and Octavia slipped inside like a wraith, her presence both unexpected and unwelcome. I couldn't help but tense at her arrival, my worries for her safety clawing at the edges of my mind. She crept across the floor, hesitating just an arm’s length away. Her face bore the remnants of fear and exhaustion, her features drawn tight with tension. The memory of her recent attack hung heavy in the air, a bitter reminder of the dangers that lurked beyond the safety of our walls. "Tristan," she breathed, her voice a mere whisper in the darkness. I rose to meet her, my concern etched into every line of my face. "Octavia, are you alright? You shouldn’t be up. You should be re
A Dark Curse CHAPTER 32 - OCTAVIA
Breakfast the next morning is tense to say the least. I make it down in time, though Ezra is already in his usual spot, a cup of coffee steaming beside various manila folders and papers. He doesn’t look up when I enter, instead reading over a list of some sort. From the quick glance I get over his shoulder, I see it’s some type of report. “Good morning, Octavia,” Ezra says coldly, setting the paper back into a folder before snapping it shut. He seems to be in a darker mood than normal. I get my own cup of coffee, taking my time. He’s still there when I finally take a seat at the table. Dark, golden eyes study me from across the room, his lips pressed into a thin line. Fingers tap heavily atop the table, a thudding rhythm that slowly grates on my nerves. “Is something wrong?” I finally ask. Dominic sweeps into the room then, actively avoiding my gaze. He bends low over Ezra’s shoulders, whispering in his ear. I only catch a few words, though they don’t make sense. My coffee sits f
