Davon Maddox

Mia’s POV:

Growing up in a broken family was not easy. The loneliness and the pain it’s a lot to take in. But over time, I learned to roll with it. Although sometimes I wish my life would be like other families, complete and happy.

Mom works as a nurse. We were doing fine even without my dad, but then she married Jaret Colton. A police officer in our town, life became tragic. He often hurt my mom or me. I told her to divorce him, but mom was afraid of him. He threatened mom to hurt us if she left, and I kept my mouth shut to protect her. My brother Oliver is the only person who keeps us in this miserable life.

“Mia!” Cheska threw a rolled paper on my face. 

“What?”

“Gosh! Look at you, lost again. What’s up? Did Jaret beat your mom again?” Cheska came to me and whispered. 

“They fought this morning. I’m just worried.”

“You know, if you take a picture of your mom and file a complaint to your lunatic stepdad, he would have been in prison by now.”

“I can’t do that. He’s still Oliver’s dad, and I don’t want him to grow up like me.”

“Look, there are things in this world that you cannot control. I know your brother can sense how bad his father is. He’ll understand.”

The bell rang for our recess. A perfect excuse for me to drop the subject about Jaret. It makes my blood boil, and my guilt is eating me. I know I can do something about our situation. But just like mom, I’m afraid of Jaret too, of what he’ll do. We grab our things and head out to the canteen. 

“You’re starving yourself,” Cheska hates it when I buy yogurt and apple for lunch, even though she knows I’m on a tight budget all the time. She grabs a bowl of vegetable salad and chicken for two. 

“Cheska, you know you don’t have to pay for my daily lunch. It’s not good for you to spend your money on….”

“Oh, shut up!” she interrupted, “I am privileged to have a rich family, and my parents provide me well. It’s the least I can do for my best friend. You’ll do the same for me if we switch situations.”

Cheska and I have known each other since grade school. I found my best friend when I needed someone my age to comfort me. Since then, we’ve been inseparable. She has a good life. Both of her parents have businesses, and they travel a lot. That makes her very lonely, being left alone and the only child. 

We carried our food to the table just in time for Theo to join us. He’s our guy best friend. We grew up together, and as usual, he skipped classes again. Theo, on the other hand, lived with his grandmother and aunt. His parents died in a car crash when he was eight. He’s the brain in the class. So even if he skips classes, he’s still the top student. I don’t know how he does it, but he’s a genius. 

“Where on earth did you go again?” I scolded. Because despite being the smart ass, he is addicted to online games and gambling. Most of the time, when he’s not in school, he’s in the casino playing slot machine.

“I was…stumbled into something.”

Cheska and I glared at him knowing the truth.

“Okay, fine. I was in the casino and won $100!” Theo grinned. Proud of himself. He retreated a pouting lips seeing the look on our faces.

“You are going to get yourself in trouble one day,” I shook my head, starting my lunch. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Theo went to the buffet table and grabbed his lunch. He always did that to avoid the conversation. 

“Mia, my parents are out of town again. Do you mind for a sleepover?” 

“I love sleepovers. I’m in!” Theo answered behind me. 

“Who says I invited you?” Cheska teases. 

“Ouch! Is that how you treat your best friend?” 

“Only you,” Cheska teases again, laughing. I laugh and mimic Theo’s pout face retrieving the phone from my pocket. I texted my mom about the sleepover. 

Cheska loves a sleepover. Whether her parents are away or not, she always makes an excuse to them for a sleepover which she knows I like very much. It’s one of my escapes from my horrendous life.  

She lives in a mansion. Their ten-hectare property was the only residence in the woodland part of Broek Town. She said her parents value their privacy which is why they built the mansion away from the townspeople. They have their cemetery, horse stable, and who knows what else lies in their land. We never get the chance to tour around, not even in their house. It scared the hell out of me.

“I realized we’ve been best friends since we were kids, and yet, I never tour you around,” Cheska announced over dinner. 

“No thanks,” I quickly turn down the idea. We might see something we weren’t supposed to see. 

“You’re still scared, Mia?” she laughed mockingly. 

“Did you see your house? You have like twenty or more rooms, and the only person who lives here is you, your parents, and some maids! Creepy.”

“Are you thinking I’m a vampire and kill you both?” Cheska uttered sternly while slicing a portion of meat on her plate. Theo and I glance at each other, gulping. 

“Really? You should see your faces. I can’t believe you would think that way!” 

“We are just kidding, you nuts!” I laugh. 

“We got you there!” Theo added. 

As Cheska promised, she tours us in their mansion. We started in the gallery. I have never seen so many portraits in my entire life. I felt like I was walking inside a museum, seeing the old pictures of her ancestors. One thing that caught my curiosity is that they all wear black. Her family is fond of that color which is so weird. Even Cheska likes to wear black all the time.

We retired to bed early since I have work tomorrow. Yes, I work part-time at the Moon Hotel as a housekeeper. I support my studies and save for college. 

******

“Please, help me, please.”

Midnight. I woke up hearing a voice somewhere in the house. A man’s voice. He was crying, pleading for help. I thought it was just a dream. The voice was gone when I woke up and checked my phone’s time. Cheska was sleeping beside me while Theo was in another bed on the floor. I went to the toilet and peed, but when I went back to bed, I heard the voice again. 

I don’t know, but the voice was dragging my feet in his direction. The house was half-lit. Every corner was shady. All I did was follow the voice, and I found myself in a private room upstairs. His voice gets more vigorous. When I checked inside, it looked like a stock room. There were old furniture, clothes, and toys covered with dust and spider webs. I was about to leave when a secret door opened on the wall. Frightened, I stepped back and headed out, but the voice begged me to stay.

“Please, don’t leave! Help me!”

Out of curiosity, I peeked inside the secret room and was shocked to see a blazing notebook on top of a table. I blinked my eyes repeatedly, but it was real. I was ready to leave when I heard the voice again, pleading to take the notebook. I looked around. I was alone, obviously, so I took it, and the light disappeared.

The voice stops, and everything becomes quiet. I decided to check the notebook. I saw the date and the initials on the first page, DM 1970. When I turned to the next page, the word cursed startled me, but my curiosity deepened.

I was cursed. A witch accused me of killing her son.

“A curse?” I uttered and continued reading. Making myself comfortable in the corner of the room. 

I was the Alpha King. I ruled my people with honor. But just like other men, I was lost. For years I searched for my mate. Without any luck, I spoon around with girls. I dated many and had sex. A werewolf’s heart is bound to his mate only and, upon death, shall separate them. 

Every Moonshower, all werewolves found their mate but me. What’s the use of being a king without his queen? I waited for years until I found my Laura, my mate. We fell in love instantly. Her smell is like wildflowers in the forest, sweet and fresh. I could wake up on her morning breath forever, like the morning mist, cold but enlivening. Her beauty is like the moon above, alluring but mysterious. I could never forget her face, her name that was carved in my heart.

We were happy and in love. But she died. She was hexed by a witch named Vera. The witch I helped and welcomed into my pack. For months, she stayed with us, and my people began to trust her. I showed her nothing but kindness. 

I prisoned her and decided to exile her with her son. But on the day of their exile, I was tricked. I woke up with her son’s dead body beside me. I couldn’t remember anything. I explained. Instead, she has gone mad and cursed me. Since then, I have been stuck in this notebook for fifty years. Waiting to be free. I am Davon Maddox.

And with that, the notebook light up, and a man emerges. I was about to scream, but he quickly covered my mouth with his hand.

“Please don’t! You will wake the whole house. The house of witches.”

What is he talking about? 

“I will let go of my hand, but please don’t shout. I won’t hurt you. If the witch finds out, they will trap me back inside the notebook.”

I nodded. He slowly removed his hand, and I saw this handsome guy I had never seen in my entire life. He was enchanting, and I couldn’t help myself to mesmerize him. 

“Oh my God!” I gasped softly in shock. Am I dreaming? Did the guy just come out of the notebook?

“Laura? Oh, Laura!” the guy hugged me tightly. Was he referring to Laura in the story? 

“I am not Laura. My name is Mia,” I pushed him away and kept my distance.

“But you look exactly like her!”

“Am I? What a coincidence since I freed you.” The guy was about to hug me again, but I stepped back, “I am not Laura. Do it again, and I’ll scream. Who are you anyway?” 

The guy stopped and gazed at me. He has such beautiful eyes. 

“Hi, I’m Davon Maddox.”

“Holy shit! You are the curse werewolf guy!”