My mother falls to her knees and tries to comfort me. I’m covered in sweat and feel immense pain.‘What is wrong with him, Ryker?’‘I don’t know. Magnus shouldn’t be in pain. I’ve never seen a shift like this before. Something isn’t right. Let’s get Magnus to his room and call the Pack doctor.’Seth, Leon, and my dad carry me to my room.‘He’s got a fever.’ Mum says, touching my forehead.Seth leaves to get the Pack doctor while mum stays by my side, wiping my face with a cold face washer. My whole body is shaking, and I cannot speak.‘Maybe it has something to do with shifting early?’ Dad suggests.‘Maybe.’ Mum frowns.The pack doctor arrives and takes my obs.‘He has a fever, but I’m struggling to see how it has anything to do with shifting. And you mentioned he was in immense pain when he shifted back?’‘Yes, he was screaming in pain, doctor.’ Dad says.‘I see, well, I don’t know what to say. I’ve never seen anything like this. I’ll take some blood samples and see if I can find any
‘My curse?’ Nina says.‘Yes, your curse.’ She replies.‘Are you implying Nina has been playing with magic and cursed my son?’ mother asks.‘No, but she has a curse shadowing her. It’s affecting Magnus.’‘I’m sorry, but you must be mistaken? I’m not cursed.’ Nina says.Yiselda looks Nina up and down.‘Oh, you’re cursed, sweetheart. I can see it lingering all around you.’‘What kind of curse? How do I get rid of it?’‘What kind of curse, for I do not know and how to break it. Only the one who cursed you knows how. Until then, you are stuck with it.’‘How do I find out who cursed me, then?’‘Only time will tell.’ She looks back over at Magnus and approaches.She hovers a hand over him and says an incantation. ‘The fever will break soon. But, in the meantime, until the curse breaks, I suggest you tell him to avoid shifting.’‘Why is that?’ mother asks.‘It’s going to hurt every time he shifts.’ Yiselda takes her leave without saying another word.‘We need to have a pack meeting immediatel
I wake up in the nurse’s office with a throbbing headache and look around the room.Flint is with me.‘What happened?’‘Moss decided dodgeball wasn’t over yet… he ran up behind you and threw the ball at her head with all his strength and knocked you out. He is in the principal’s office.’Nina runs into the nurse station and takes my hand.‘I heard what happened. Moss should not have done that. I’m so sorry. I will talk to Moss and make sure he does nothing stupid again.’‘Nina, it’s not your fault. You don’t need to apologise.’‘He just doesn’t like us being friends again, but he will have to accept it.’Claire runs in takes my hand from Nina’s grip. ‘Boo-boo, are you okay?’‘Yeah, every minute that goes by, the pain subsides.’The nurse walks in, ‘That’s because you have your wolf now. You will heal quickly.’ She smiles. ‘Do you feel okay to return to class?’‘Yes, I think I’ll be fine.’ I say and get up from the bed.‘Thanks for checking on me, Nina. I appreciate it.’ I say, waving.
I don’t want to go to school today knowing I have to end things with Claire. Sometimes I have to wonder if it’s me who has a curse. Everyone who seems to care for me ends up hurt. I force my feet out of bed, knowing what I need to do. I get dressed, wash my face in the basin, and head downstairs for breakfast. Everyone is already halfway through breakfast. I must have slept in. Everyone greets me except for Nina. Her eyes stare vacantly at her bowl of cereal as she swivels the milk around with her spoon, lost in thought. As soon as I sit down, she stands up and grabs her schoolbag to leave.‘In a hurry?’ Leon asks her.‘I’m meeting up with Moss so we can walk to school together.’‘Okay, honey. You have a great day.’‘Thanks, I will, Dad.’She runs out the door. Zak, May, and Josie are ready to leave. I grab my bag and join them.‘Have you talked to Nina yet?’ I ask May.‘No, last night I went to her room, but she ignored me and wouldn’t open the door.’‘Nina has gone through a lot. Sh
Pipsqueak waves me over into the back of the office and unlocks the door. We step into the forbidden dark room together. It smells musty, and the many cobwebs show no one has been in here for years.The structure differs from the rest of the library, which has plastered white walls, whereas this room has bluestone walls and old wooden beams across the ceiling. There are old rickety wooden bookshelves filled with old books. Some are leather-bound, and some have steel clasps and jewels on them. We approach the table carved from stone. There are a few small, half-melted candles, with some matches nearby. Pipsqueak lights the three candles. We stand side by side and take in the old medieval room.‘You start with those books, and I’ll start with these.’ I point.‘But I don’t know what I’m looking for.’‘How to break a curse?’‘What are you getting m-me into?’ she squeaks. I sigh and decide that I can trust her, and it’s best to let her in on the secret.‘You can’t tell anyone, okay?’‘O-ok
‘So, it doesn’t look like you two had a full-on make-out session that messed up Nina’s bedroom. Even your mattress is on the floor,’ Josie laughs.I get myself off of Nina and help her up from the mattress on the floor.‘So, which one of you will explain this situation?’ Flint asks.Nina and I point at each other, and the others laugh.‘Well, we can’t tell you.’ I say.‘What do you mean you can’t tell us?’ Zak growls.‘Because our Luna said we aren’t to tell anyone else.’ Nina explains.‘Who else knows about this secret thing you are keeping from us?’ Zak asks.‘All our parents know, and then us two.’ I say.‘So, our parents all know about whatever it is, but we aren’t allowed to be let in on it?’ Zak says.‘Correct.’ I say, too guilty to look them in the eye.‘If you don’t let us in on what is going on, I will tell everyone about you two making out.’ Josie smirks.Nina and I give each other a look.‘Fine, get in here and shut the door behind you.’ I grumble.Everyone finds a spot sit
It’s the night of my wolf ceremony. I’ve spent the day with my parents, greeting all the Alphas who arrived and their families and pack members. It’s been exhausting. I have met hundreds of unmated females who have swooned over me all day. Along with all that, I’ve been worried that I might shift against my will tonight. The pain I went through when I had shifted was unbearable, to the point I thought I would die. It’s not an experience I want to repeat. I know the pack doctor is here just in case but is there anything he can do to help me?More unmated she-wolves arrive and swoon around me. ‘Is it true you shifted early? Is it true your wolf is white? Are your muscles real?’ Another asks, feeling my biceps. I can’t help but notice Nina glaring at me. She looks stunning in her red dress that flows at the bottom. It has a long slit on the right showing off her petite, beautiful legs. Her hair is up high, with a couple of strands dangling down her cheeks.Great, what have I done to upse
I race towards the car; Moss isn’t in there. He has gone. I can smell his scent towards the woods. Nina is unconscious. Blood trickles down the left side of her head. There is glass everywhere.I howl as loud as I can for help. Mum and Dad appear, shift into their human forms, and climb into the car.‘Where has Moss gone? You didn’t kill him, did you?’ Mother asks worriedly. I shake my head and whimper as I step towards Dad carrying Nina.‘She needs to see the pack doctor right away. Otherwise, she might not make it.’I lower myself down, knowing the quickest way to get her to the doctor is me taking her. Dad places her gently on my back and wraps her arms around my neck. I glide through the air like a bird with every leap, increasing my speed and making it a smoother run so I don’t drop her. Mum and Dad shift back into their wolves and can barely keep up with my pace. We arrive back at the ceremony. Everyone parted ways, screaming or startled at the sight of Nina.‘Nina! Amelia screa