Broken Curse

6

She placed a surprisingly warm hand on my arm.

“But my dad was a shifter.”

“He was the product of fated mates from the Rogers and Murphy packs several years after I perished.” She frowned with sadness, which turned her eyes a darker blue, eliminating any hint of gray. “The man was from the Rogers pack and my grandson. A gift from my eldest child.”

“Wait … you had another child?” No one had mentioned that before.

“It’s not common knowledge. Not even that bastard Murphy alpha knew about him.” She turned and stared off toward the border that separated the two packs. “A mother always protects her child.”

“So, when the alpha killed your shared child, he killed the wrong one that would set the prophecy into motion.” A cold realization filled me.

“See, this proves you’ll be able to figure everything out.” She bent down and ran her fingers along the grass.

“What kind of monster are you?” Maybe the alpha hadn’t been the sicko. “You had your daughter, knowing she would die.” She had the gift of foresight, so had this been her plan all along?

“No, I did not.” She stiffened and stood, turning toward me with a scowl. “I would’ve never willingly had my child killed like that … as if she were nothing.”

“But you could see the future.” It was that simple. There was no getting out of it.

She clenched her hands into fists. “The gift of foresight does not let a person see their own future or their children’s. If you could see your own death, you would try to change destiny, which is not allowed. So that’s why there is that one exception.”

That made sense, but I’d verify it once I got back to Aidan. “Then, who fathered your other child?”

“My husband was also a witch, and he died shortly after our son’s birth. That’s why I found the Rogers pack for protection. The humans had found out about us and were going on a killing spree.” She clutched her chest. “Little did I know that by going there for protection, I’d cause not only my death but my daughter’s.”

I didn’t say anything, wanting her to continue.

“I wanted protection, so I looked for a strong alpha, and Murphy fit that exact mold.”

“Murphy? He went by his last name?”

“No, child. The pack was named after him.” She shook her head. “It was given out of respect. The next alpha took it, not only as the pack’s name but as their own last name,” she spat.

That blew my mind. “They worship him.”

“No, they feared his version of the future.” She chuckled. “He’d come to me nightly, desperate for my body.”

“Okay, you can stop there.” She was family, and the last thing I wanted to hear was their sordid s*x details.

“Fair enough.” She smirked. “Murphy would come once my son was asleep, so he never knew about him. He never cared to spend time with me during the day, but the night I told him about our baby, he told me to get rid of it. When I refused, he beat me and kicked me in my stomach to make me lose her.”

My stomach revolted. Who could do that to his own child?

She held up a hand. “I don’t want to get into the specifics. You’ve read my diary and know everything that happened from that point on.” She took in a shaky breath. “So, my son was cared for by the Rogers pack just as you were. He fell in love with a female shifter, and they promised themselves to each other. That’s when my plan was set into motion. You see, after what happened, I made sure another witch wouldn’t go through what I had unless it was one I’d granted the prophecy to. So, I allowed my son to have one child with his wife, and I made sure it was more wolf than witch so no one would ever know outside the pack.”

“But the Murphy and Rogers packs were enemies then. So how was my father a descendant?” I was still missing an important piece.

“They weren’t enemies yet.” She frowned. “But when my grandson fell in love with a Murphy pack shifter, tension escalated over who would be the couple’s future leaders. After all, they would want to be pack members, which meant they’d have the same alpha. That was the final straw and when my grandson decided to leave the Rogers pack.”

That would be yet another blow the Murphy pack had inflicted on the Rogers pack.

“You are my direct descendant. That’s how you’re different from the rest. You have more of my blood in you than anyone since my grandson.”

“And that’s why I’m the one who could be the most worthy?” That added even more pressure on me. “And why I’ve had the mark since birth.”

“Exactly. I’d hoped the women before you would be worthy, but they weren’t strong enough, despite my help.” An adoring smile filled her face. “So of course, you’d be the one to get us this far. When you figure out the missing piece, you’ll be unstoppable. My blood is strong.”

The surrounding light dimmed, and the original witch gave me a sad smile. “Your time here is up. If you stay much longer, you won’t be able to return to your body.”

“Are you going to give me a hint?” She couldn’t have only brought me here for a history lesson.

“There is a piece of the puzzle you’re missing.” She arched an eyebrow. “It can be found on each one of the girls.”

“Wow, that’s super helpful.” My mind reeled. What the hell was I missing?

“I have faith in you.” She walked into the woods as the darkness took over. “Oh, and when you figure it out, don’t trust right away. My blood had to be tested, and each drop has its own demons.”

“What does that mean?”

But darkness was my answer, and I began falling.

Aidan

I

t had been the longest twenty-four hours of my life. I held Emma tightly in my arms, right against my chest, listening to her breathing and heartbeat. No one knew what was going on, but one thing was clear: whenever a witch touched her, they were shocked. They couldn’t bring her back from wherever she’d gone.

My eyes were heavy, but I wouldn’t dare close them. I had to make sure she was okay.

A light knock sounded on the bedroom door.