Cursed Wolf

Luna and Rex held each other in the bed, waiting for signs of the curse’s return. She held him, looked into his eyes as they spoke in soft gentle tones.

“I don’t hear the howling,” he said. “All the pain is gone. It came back just before the mating bite. But then it disappeared. I feel different.”

“It’s true,” Luna said. “I can sense it too. The Snow Queen didn’t lie about how to break it.”

She was so happy she wanted to cry. But instead, she rose to her feet and went to the kitchen. She was positively famished, and she could tell that Rex was too. Being so bonded to him, knowing his inner life and emotions, was so beautiful, so connected. It was like a dream come true.

Every woman wanted to feel as connected to their beloved as she felt. All the doubts and misgivings she’d had in the beginning were gone, and all that was left was this warm, perfect place where she knew his love belonged to her and always would.

She was wrapped in a fuzzy pink bathrobe with slippers. She whipped up some teriyaki chicken and rice and carried it to the dining room table.

Rex hurried to the kitchen and pulled out plates and silverware for them and poured them both a glass of ice water. She could tell how much he wanted to help—he wanted to be there for her and her world.

They sat across from each other, enjoying the simple meal and each other’s company. Despite the beauty of their bond, there was a slight inkling of doubt that the curse was broken, despite how certain she felt. She could tell that Rex had the same worry.

After they ate, they climbed back into bed and turned on the TV.

“It’s amazing what has happened with technology in the last seventy-five years,” he said as they watched a modern detective show.

“You’ll have to tell me all about the differences between now and your time, now that we can be together.”

She leaned against his shoulder, and they watched the show until they both fell asleep in each other’s arms. When they woke the next morning, he smiled at her and k!ssed her gently before they made love in the comfortable splendor of her soft bed. She knew without having to ask that the anger and pain had not come back to him.

She cracked some eggs into a pan while he called the Doolittles on the landline. He asked for his brother Felix, and they conversed.

Over breakfast he told her that Felix had been able to stave off the curse for a few more hours but was unable to maintain the dosage, so he was still feeling the effects of the curse.

“There’s no way that there will be enough potion to maintain them with the amount that we have now.”

“Most of my brothers don’t even want to take the first iteration, never mind the second.”

“Teal and I will continue working on the potion.”

“You’ve done more for us than anyone in many decades,” he said, taking her hand. “You don’t have to feel pressured or guilty that you didn’t get it perfect on the first try.”

“I know. But I want to help your brothers. I want to help them so that they can find the women who will make them happy the way you make me.”

She couldn’t help but feel responsible for the brothers now. It was part of the life that she’d stepped into, and she was proud of it.

I told you everything was going to work out.

Louise’s voice whispered at the back of her mind, and she smiled. No matter what happened with the rest of the Winter pack, she had her man, and he was here with her. They would get through the rest together.

Two weeks later,Luna hurried over to the bakery that opened an hour before the bookshop to have her coffee and croissant with River before the beginning of the day. It was part of their new routine. Rex had gone out to visit his brothers early that morning, so they would be apart for the first time since the day they mated.

River had their usual coffee and croissants ready at their usual table and waved Luna over as soon as she walked in the door. The early morning blurry-eyed customers smiled as she passed and slid into the chair across from her new best friend.

“You are positively glowing this morning,” River said with a wink.

“When you find your mate, you will know how I feel.”

She and Rex were making love night and day. They could feel each other across the room and the subtle love and support that was always there. He’d been running the shop with her, going through all the numbers and suppliers and opening the doors. The coven had all come on the reopening day, buying books and trinkets to help welcome her back into business.

Rex—tall and imposing and handsome—should have seemed out of place in the cluttered little witchy shop. But in fact, he fit in just perfectly. All the customers loved him as much as they loved her. And working together with him all day was the most blissful experience she’d had in her working life.

He told her all the time how much he loved running the shop with her, and she had come to accept now that her life had been turned upside down and inside out and all the best ways.

“He wants to marry me,” Luna said, “but he has business to take care of so he can get me a ring.” She giggled into her coffee cup.

“I heard the Winters have quite a large parcel in the center of the state. If they sell it off, it could bring in millions.”

“Something like that,” Luna said. She wouldn’t have cared if Rex had come to her penniless, but when he told her about the property and the deed on the land, she was pleased for all of them.

The brothers would need help starting out their lives with their mates. Luna knew in the pit of her stomach that they would all find someone soon and the Winters’ curse would be broken even if she couldn’t find the right balance of herbs and potions in the end.

Suddenly, Luna felt a sharp tightening of her belly and she covered her mouth. She stood abruptly and hurried to the bathroom.

She was barely able to lock the door before falling to her knees. When she was done losing her coffee and croissant into the bowl, she stood and wiped her mouth with surprise. And then something dawned on her.

She rinsed her mouth and washed her hands before hurrying out to River.

“I was just sick in the toilet,” she said.

“Oh? I hope it wasn’t my pastry.”

“It definitely wasn’t. I have to go.”

She hugged her friend tightly and hurried down the street to the drugstore. She wanted to know before Rex got back. When she returned to the shop, she went to the small bathroom in the back of the building and took the test. She watched the little windows as moisture moved across the screens.

She bit her l!p and tapped her foot, impatient to know the truth. Almost instantly, the windows revealed two pink lines. Luna gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. She jumped up and down with excitement. After tossing the test in the garbage, she hurried out of the bathroom just as Rex was walking in the front door of the shop.

She hurried to him, her heart bursting with happiness.

“Rex,” she shouted with glee. “I’m pregnant.”

His mouth dropped and his eyes widened. He wrapped her up in his arms, lifting her off the ground as he spun her around. When he set her back down, he cupped her face and looked into her eyes.

“Luna, my darling.”

He dropped to his knees and pulled the box out of his pocket. “I want you to be my wife,” he said. She sank into his arms and sat on his bent knee. He held her, and they cried softly together from the emotion of the moment.

“You didn’t even need to ask. Of course I’ll be your wife.” He picked her up in his powerful arms and stood cradling her against his chest.

“Luna Winter, you’ve made me the happiest man alive.” And Luna knew in the depths of her heart and soul that it was true.