The Cursed Awakening book 1

Chapter 2 Boy Across the Roundabout

Flashback

Coral age 12

Evermore Werewolf Realm

The gentle hum of cicadas filled the warm summer air as I sat on the front porch bench, my legs tucked beneath me, completely absorbed in The Tales of Beowulf. The warm wooden seat creaked slightly under my weight as I shifted, turning another page. The Beta house behind me buzzed with its usual chaos.

Inside, my father, Beta Gregory, sat at the kitchen table with Harmony, my one-year-old sister, perched in her high chair. Her giggles punctuated the sound of cereal hitting the floor.

"Harmony, come on," Dad groaned, his deep voice laced with both amusement and exasperation. "You're supposed to eat it, not throw it."

"Let her express herself, Greg," Mom called out from the other room, her voice light but tired. She was heavily pregnant, her round belly carrying not one but three new additions to our family. Despite her weariness, her hybrid aura, part lycan, part witch, seemed to glow with a quiet strength.

I glanced at the screen door behind me, the familiar sounds of my family’s bustling life making me feel both comforted and slightly suffocated. Out here, I could escape, even if only for a little while, into the world of stories and legends.

The crunch of tires on gravel drew my attention. I looked up, squinting against the late morning sun, just in time to see Jason pedaling his bike around the circular road connecting the Alpha and Beta houses. At fourteen, he was taller and broader than most boys his age, his royal blood evident in every confident movement. His dark hair caught the sunlight as he pushed himself faster, his long legs pumping effortlessly.

Jason’s house, a sprawling estate that practically screamed wealth and power, stood directly across the roundabout from ours. Despite the grandeur, he never acted stuck-up about it, well not with Reid and me, anyway.

He spotted me on the porch and veered his bike toward our house, skidding to a stop in front of the steps. His grin stretched wide, a mix of boyish charm and mischief.

"Hey, Worm!" he called, his voice teasing but warm.

I groaned. The nickname had stuck ever since Jason caught me sneaking a book to read during pack training. Being a "bookworm" was apparently a crime worthy of lifelong teasing.

Jason leaned his bike against the railing and bounded up the steps, his energy as infectious as ever. He plopped down on the bench beside me, sprawling out as if he owned the place.

"What’re you reading now?" he asked, eyeing the book in my lap.

I held it up without looking at him. "It’s called The Tales of Beowulf. You wouldn’t like it."

Jason tilted his head, pretending to examine the cover. "Looks boring. Probably has too many words and not enough explosions."

I rolled my eyes. "Not everything needs explosions to be good, Jason."

"Eh, debatable," he said, flashing a grin.

Before I could respond, the screen door creaked open, and Reid stepped out, his wiry frame taut with energy. At thirteen, my older brother was already fiercely competitive, always looking for a challenge. A basketball was tucked under his arm, his dark brown skin glistening slightly from the heat.

"What’s going on here?" Reid asked, his hazel eyes narrowing at Jason. Despite their constant banter, the two were close friends, a bond forged from growing up in the same pack and countless hours of training together.

"Just hanging out with your little sister," Jason said, leaning back with a smirk. "Trying to figure out why she likes these old, boring books so much."

"She’s always been weird," Reid said, shrugging as he spun the basketball on his finger. "You know that."

"I’m sitting right here," I muttered, glaring at both of them.

Jason ignored me, standing up and stretching. "Come on, Reid. Let’s hit the court before lunch."

Reid gave a sharp nod, already bounding down the steps. Jason hesitated, glancing back at me.

"See you later, Worm. Try not to get lost in that book of yours." His teasing tone was lighter this time, almost fond.

I watched him jog after Reid, his laughter mingling with my brother’s as they disappeared down the road toward the basketball court at the edge of the subdivision.

The screen door creaked again, and my mother stepped out onto the porch. Her long braids swayed as she moved, and her dark brown skin seemed to glow in the sunlight. Despite her exhaustion, she radiated a quiet power, the mix of her witch and lycan heritage evident in every graceful step.

"Jason still teasing you?" she asked, sitting down beside me with a hand on her belly.

I shrugged, a small smile tugging at my lips. "It’s fine. He’s just Jason."

Mom chuckled softly, her eyes full of warmth. "He’s a good boy, that one. Stubborn like all Alpha bloodlines, but there’s kindness in him, too. Don’t let his teasing fool you."

I didn’t respond, but her words stayed with me as I turned back to my book. Jason was just Jason, an annoying ass, always teasing and full of boundless energy, but something about him lingered in my thoughts long after he was gone.

And though I didn’t know it, then that summer morning would be one of the last moments of innocence between us before the expectations of rank, responsibility, and the mate bond would complicate everything.