Four

ALLISON POV

What could be worst than having a powerful witch point a deadly torch at you, calling you a cursed child on your joyous day?

I doubt there was anything worst than that.

"She has the cursed mark!" Her voice was so loud it almost deafened me. I staggered backward as she moved towards me.

Stumbling on my feet, I fell on the ground and stuttered. "W-what do you mean?"

My wide eyes moved around the hall, and I saw everyone was frozen in place.

It was as if time stopped, and only me and the great witch could move.

She snarled. "This is no place for you, the evil one."

"I am not evil!" I said firmly, offended by what she was saying to me.

I didn't understand what was happening, but I wouldn't say I liked it.

More so, what angered me the most was she had jerked me away from my wolf and accused me of what I didn't know of!

"You are, and you shall die!" She said and pointed the torch at me once more.

I saw it glow, and fire spewed out of it.

"Leave me alone!" My yelling helped those frozen in place snap out of their daze, and I began hearing murmuring again. But that didn't stop the fire that was fast speeding towards me.

I gritted my teeth and shielded my eyes from the bright light while awaiting the impact.

"Arrêt." (It means to halt.)

My eyes opened as I heard Artemisia's voice. I shuddered, staring at the fire that was close to my face.

Artemisia had saved me. She had stopped the fire from getting me scorched!

I jumped to my feet and dashed towards the entrance of the large hall but was caught by Sinclair.

I rammed into him, wrapping my arms around his midsection as I shivered.

"What's the matter?" He asked, concern in his voice.

"That girl needs to die. She's a cursed child and shall bring doom to everyone around her."

"How do you mean?" I heard Laurent growl as he joined us.

"Ask your mother, child." I heard the witch say.

I was still in Sinclair's arms, and my face was on his chest.

"She should be long gone. I don't know what she is doing alive. She'll bring disaster to not only this pack but everyone around her." The great witch said. "She's cursed."

"She's my sister." Laurent and Sinclair said simultaneously.

Perhaps, it was this moment I should be proud they were standing up for me. But I wasn't.

I was scared. I wanted to know what the hell was going on. I wanted to ask many questions, but it seemed my mouth wasn't working anymore.

I guessed it was the fear due to the wicked glint in the witches' eyes that still left me in shock.

She moved closer to me with her torch, but Artemisia, Maya, and the rest of the coven intercepted her.

I guessed everyone knew what was happening and had wholly snapped out of their daze.

The great witch harrumphed. "You'll thank me for killing her afterward. Just stay away and let me do my business."

Sinclair shoved me to his back, and he growled. "I am the Alpha here, and I only say who should be killed or not."

"You need to explain what is going on and how you know she is cursed. Seize her!" Sinclair barked.

The guards marched forward, and the great witch halted; her eyes narrowed before she turned.

"Don't say I didn't warn you!" She whispered inaudible words that I believed only the witches could understand and disappeared into thin air.

"She's gone," Artemisia murmured, touching the necklace around her neck.

I heaved out a breath and staggered, but my mom caught me before I could fall.

"What's going on?" I mumbled.

"Come." She said, dragging me towards the meeting room.

I didn't know what she had in mind, but by the look in her eyes, I knew it wasn't good.

.

.

I gazed at the piercing eyes of my mother and shook my head as I tried to understand what she was saying.

"I am cursed?"

She nodded, and I saw the tears she was trying to keep from falling from her eyes drop down her cheeks.

It was the first time seeing mother scared and teary. I didn't know what to make of it. And I believed it was something serious to have made her cry.

"I should have known. The cursed moon appeared, and I never assumed it to be something. Now, you are going to leave us!"

She wailed.

I didn't know what to say. I was still shocked by the revelation of being a cursed child. Now, I was going to die as well.

Nothing was making sense. I tossed my head back and let out a burst of laughter. I couldn't help it. Everything happening sounded absurd, and at the same thing, it wasn't!

I was weak and wanted someone to tell me it was the usual nightmare I often had. Instead, everyone in the room, Artemisia, Mila, Sinclair, and Laurent, stared at me as though I had suddenly developed two heads.

It was Artemisia who broke the silence. She stood to her feet and walked towards me, and she pulled me into her embrace.

"I'll not let anything happen to her." She murmured.

"There's nothing we can do." My mother said. "I was told that would happen, but I never put much thought into it. Should I have left her to die?"

I guessed mother did all she could to keep me alive but left for me; I'd have preferred she left me to die.

Perhaps, I was selfish and never considered the two people involved, but everyone was going to go through the pain over again.

"No, mother," Sinclair mumbled, walking towards her. "I believe something can be done. All rules surely have loopholes, and this isn't any exception."

"Yes," Artemisia affirmed. "I had been researching about the cursed mate. The last that happened was a thousand years ago, and both died without fulfilling each other desires. Until now, I never knew it was a thing. But I promise Allison won't end up that way."

"What possibly can we do to save her? You heard both died, and the great seer affirmed Allison should be dead as well..."

"Have some faith, mother." It was Laurent who butt in.

I stared at him and saw him smirk. "We have powerful witches, and Artemisia here is extremely powerful. We should have faith in what she can do."

For the first time in a while, I agree with Laurent.

I didn't want to die. I had many things I planned to do, and dying wasn't one of them.