More than Secrets

Blood Curse

DANI'S P. O. V.

I toss and turn in bed. I've been up all night, unable to fall asleep for some reason.

Giving up on finding rest any time soon, I get out of bed and make my way over to my bedroom window. I throw it open and breathe in the fresh, cool evening air.

Everything is so calm and quiet. The rest of my family are snoring happily. They're all off in dream land while I sit at my window and stare up at the moon.

Dinner tonight went really well, though I did notice mom was more reserved at the table than usual. She wasn't her happy, joking self.

I frown. What if she doesn't like Tyler?

No, that can't be it. They were having a blast and were really getting to know each other while they were cooking together. Her mood only changed afterwards.

She's probably just got a lot on her mind right now.

"I know how that feels," I say out loud.

Lately, I've been feeling so strange... I feel different, but not necessarily in a good way. Yes, I feel more powerful and stronger than I ever have before, but there's something more too.

This rage I feel and the red haze I see when I'm upset or being challenged, it's like I lose all control over my actions and I just want to hurt something... or someone.

I'm really not a mean person, nor am I a violent person, and I'm, certainly, not the type of person to just express her inner most desires to her boyfriend in such an upfront way.

But what if I'm fast becoming that person?

I'm terrified... I don't want to end up hurting the people I love most.

BRIE'S P. O. V.

"We're going shopping later," Lee says to me before taking a sip of water from her flask.

I look at her like she's just grown two heads. "No thank you," I reply, lacing up my sneakers.

It's after school on Friday and we're waiting for tryouts to begin.

If the weather had just been cooperative, at least then the cheerleaders could have had their tryouts, outside... far away from me.

I sigh, but as it stands, the pouring rain has us all sharing the gym for tryouts today. Lucky me.

"Come on, Brie! The party's tomorrow and I have nothing to wear," she wines and pouts, giving me her sad, puppy-dog eyes.

"Fine," I mumble.

"Yay! Thank you Brie!" she squeals and hugs me, then starts to back up. I give her a questioning look. "Oh, and did I mention we're going shopping in the city and that Dani's coming too?" I want to strangle her. The city? What's wrong with the little boutique store we have here? "Oh, I didn't? Hmm... silly me. Well now you know." I roll my eyes at her. The little she devil just smiles innocently at me before turning on her heel and shouting over her shoulder, "And also, we're getting our nails done. Okay, bye!" she runs off to the other side of the gym before I can kick her ass.

This is going to be a nightmare, I groan inwardly.

LIAM'S P. O. V.

I already know my mate is here as soon as I walk into the library. Jane's wonderful cinnamon sugar scent hits with me with full force and I have to fight with my wolf, Felix, for control.

I look around. The library's almost empty as most students have gone home already. I catch a glimpse of golden hair over in the reading corner. Big blue eyes peep up at me from behind a chemistry textbook.

Jane sits, snuggled into a ball on one of the large green beanbag chairs. Her textbook is so big she's using her knees to prop it up at the bottom.

I watch as she pales over and ducks behind her book in an effort to hide from me.

I sigh and make my way over to her. "You can't possibly avoid me forever," I say to her, plopping myself down in the beanbag chair next to hers.

"Yes, you're right, but I won't have to avoid you for forever... just the year." she says with a smirk, her eyes never leaving her textbook.

I sigh again. Felix is whimpering in the back of my mind. He's sad our mate doesn't want us. She's human, Felix. She doesn't feel the mate pull like we do, I try to comfort him.

"Jane, will you please just give me a chance?" I plead with her.

She slams her book shut and gets up. "I have to go," she holds her phone up to my face, "my twin sister just texted me to say tryouts are finished. I think you may know her? Her name is El and you dated her for over a year. Remember?" she snaps with venom in her voice before storming out of the library like an angel on a mission.

Oh Goddess, how am I going to make her see that there's no one else for me?

I can't lose her.

TYLER'S P. O. V.

"Have you found out anything about Dani's birth mother?" I ask my father as he comes into the kitchen.

I'm sitting at the island counter, "sampling" some of the hors d'oeuvres that are being prepared by the kitchen Omegas.

Mrs. Lawrence, our Head Chef, smacks my hand away playfully. "Alpha, if you keep sampling these, we'll have nothing left for tomorrow," she chides me.

I put my hand over my chest in feigned outrage. "I'm offended, Gail. I'm simply doing my Alpha duties by making sure that these have not been poisoned," I hold up a mini tuna and red pepper mousse tart, and inspect it closely before popping it into my mouth. "It's definitely not poisoned, but it is... delicious!"

She laughs and shakes her head at me.

My father motions his head for me to follow him. We go up to his office (my soon-to-be office when I graduate and take on being the Alpha full-time) and I go to take a seat while he locks the door.

All of the rooms in the packhouse are soundproofed so no nosy pack members will be able to overhear our conversation.

"I found Lorna," he says, but he doesn't sound very excited.

"That's great news, father! So, she's alive and well?" I ask him.

My dad sighs and leans back in his chair. "She's alive. Whether or not she's the latter, well, who can say for sure." I furrow my eyebrows at him in confusion. "She's the Luna of Half-Moon pack," he says.

I sink back into my chair. Half-Moon is one of the most feared packs in North America. We are not enemies, but we are definitely not allies either. They don't have any allies because they're incapable of forming alliances... They're incapable of forming any friendships at all.

You see, all of the ranked members of Half-Moon's pack are cursed and anyone who comes from that same bloodline (their relatives) will be cursed too.

It's what's referred to as being a "Blood Curse" in the werewolf community... There is no cure.

My eyes widen as the realization of who Dani's father is finally clicks. If her mother is the Luna of Half-Moon pack, that means, her father is the Alpha, Henry Stone.

Henry is infamously known to be a ruthless and cold man who runs his pack like a military, with absolutely no room for emotions or weakness.

Oh Goddess, that would explain Dani's strange behavior... she's cursed too.

DANI'S P. O. V.

"Ooh... Lee, that color is so pretty," I say, admiring her perfectly-manicured nails. She chose to have them done in a beautiful coral color.

Brie wanted to remain as natural as possible and opted for simple French tips, while I chose red. It just seemed fitting.

"Thanks," Lee smiles and waves them around. "I'm surprised you went for such a bold color," she says to me.

"Yeah, I guess red is my new favorite color," I reply with a shrug.

I'd asked mom and dad if I could use some of my savings to pay for my nails and to buy a new dress and heels for the party. Mom was more than happy to oblige.

She is so excited, you'd think it was her that's been invited to the party, not me.

I smile to myself, finally feeling the excitement building too. I have a feeling that tomorrow's gonna be a night to remember.