3

At eight the next morning, Alexander woke up and went to the pack house kitchen. His face darkened when he saw the empty counters.

As Luna, I used to wake up at dawn to prepare breakfast for the entire pack, ensuring Alexander had a hot meal waiting when he woke up.

The kitchen door creaked, and Emma padded out barefoot. Her nightgown was stained with black marks from the curse that had killed me.

Alexander's eyes fixed on the stains. "Emma, what's that on your clothes?"

Emma rubbed her eyes sleepily, walking towards him.

"Daddy, Emma's hungry."

Alexander glanced at the black stains on Emma's nightgown, then at the art supplies on the coffee table. His face turned stormy.

"Your mother lets you sleep in dirty clothes after playing with paint? What kind of Luna neglects her pup like this?"

Alexander checked his watch, then took Emma's hand. "Where's your mother?"

Emma pointed to our bedroom. "Mommy's still sleeping."

Alexander's frown deepened.

"Isabella! Get up now! Emma needs to go to pack training, and she hasn't even had breakfast. You're becoming more irresponsible by the day!"

He waited, but no response came from our room. Alexander's anger grew as he stormed toward the bedroom.

My spirit followed, heart racing with anticipation.

Daylight had come. As soon as Alexander opened the door, he would see my cursed body and realize I was dead.

Just as Alexander reached the bedroom door, his phone rang from the dining table.

I kept shouting in his ear. "Alexander, open the door first! Just open it and you'll see I'm dead!"

But Alexander paused, turned back, and retrieved his phone.

I saw the caller ID - Sarah, his adopted sister and supposed first love.

"Alex, Lily woke up with a fever. I don't know what to do. Can you come help?"

Sarah's anxious voice came through the speaker, instantly making Alexander's face fill with worry.

It was an expression I'd never seen, even when Emma had once burned with a fever of 104 degrees.

"Stay there and wait for me. I'll come right away."

Alexander quickly put on his shoes, about to leave. He turned back when he saw Emma still standing confused in the middle of the room.

He looked toward our bedroom with annoyance.

"Isabella, stop this nonsense! Get up and get Emma ready for pack training. Sarah's daughter is sick, I need to go check on her."

"I can't take care of Emma anymore, Alexander! You're her father - you can't leave her alone. She'll be scared!"

I screamed in his ear, but Alexander remained unmoved, quickly closing the door behind him as he left.

The house fell back into deathly silence.

Emma returned to our bedroom, gently tugging at my cold hand.

"Mommy, wake up. Emma's hungry."

But my cursed body had long since grown stiff. I could never make breakfast for my pup again.

Emma saw I wouldn't wake, and tried playing with my phone again.

But my phone had died hours ago.

"Mommy, Emma can't open the phone. Can you help Emma unlock it? Emma wants to call Aunt Victoria. Emma wants food."

I still couldn't answer her.

Emma put down the phone and touched my hand.

"Mommy, why is your hand so cold? Are you cold? Emma will get you clothes to wear, okay?"

Emma climbed up and went to the closet, clumsily pulling out several jackets to cover me.

"Now Mommy won't be cold anymore. Emma's a good girl, right?"

Emma proudly pushed at my body, but the movement caused it to slump sideways against the bed.

Emma jumped back, startled, and began to cry.

"Mommy, what's wrong? Why won't you get up? Emma's scared, Emma's really scared."

I tried to embrace Emma, to comfort her, but I could only pass through her body helplessly.

Exhausted from crying, Emma lay down beside me and held my hand.

"Mommy, what does it mean to die? Grandma said when people die, they disappear and can't talk or move anymore. Mommy, are you dead?"

"Yes, baby. Mommy's dead. Mommy can't be with Emma anymore. Emma needs to be brave and learn to take care of herself, okay?"

My spirit crouched beside Emma, trying desperately to touch her.

Suddenly, the front door opened and Alexander strode in quickly.

"Isabella, you're really getting out of hand now! Not answering calls or messages? The pack training instructor called me asking why Emma isn't at training. Have you forgotten your duties as Luna?"

Alexander's angry shout startled Emma, making her scramble away from my body and run out of the room.

He grabbed Emma's hand and headed toward our bedroom.

"Isabella, I just went to check on Lily because she was sick. Do you have to be so petty that you won't even take care of Emma? How long are you going to keep acting like this?"

They were getting closer to the door. My spirit heart raced with anticipation.

He was finally going to discover my body.