Chapter 41 - Curse
Brent's POV:
"Kill him," Alyssa said, her face void of emotion for the man who had made her life hell.
I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling in amusement at my mate, my wolf grumbling in excitement with her acceptance of Dalton's fate. It would've happened regardless, but her support was appreciated nonetheless.
"With pleasure, my love, but first we get you healed up and home. I have no desire to leave your side right this moment for that piece of shit."
She shook her head, "now, please. I can't relax knowing he could escape at any moment."
I stood up, becoming serious, "Alyssa not only is he in the most secure cell in the world, but he no longer has his wolf," she tried to protest, but I cut her off, "and with the number you did on his leg, there is no chance in hell he could get to you. I completely get why you are anxious. He never should've gotten out of Wolf Moon, to begin with, and an extremely thorough investigation is going on as we speak. The council, along with 30 of our warriors, are there right now in the midst of the investigation and my brother has taken lead. We will figure out how and why this occurred, but in the meantime, you are extremely safe." I squeezed her hands and brought them to my lips, kissing the knuckles on each hand .
She stared at me for a moment, I could tell from the look in her eyes she was struggling with believing me, but who could blame her, "he will be dead in the next 48 hours, I promise you," I reassured her once more.
She seemed to relax at having a more exact time frame, nodding her head in understanding and the bond became less anxious with each passing second.
A knock at the door alerted us to Dr. Greer and Emily arriving for their morning assessment. Dr. Greer entered first with Emily following behind pushing a portable ultrasound machine.
"Good Morning, Luna, Alpha," he addressed my mate first, and then me.
"How are you feeling, Luna?" Emily asked while Alyssa pulled her blanket down and her gown up over her bump.
Alyssa softly smiled and responded to the midwife, "I actually feel great, all things considering of course."
"That is wonderful to hear, Luna. Here comes the cold gel," she said while squirting it on her stomach, "okay, let's get a look at your little one. Have you felt much movement this morning?" She asked while rubbing the probe across her stomach.
Alyssa nodded, "yes, I sure have, he is quite active this morning actually, or maybe it's just that he's getting bigger and I can feel him more, but either way, yes he's been very mobile." She smiled brightly, she loved talking about our kids and it made me so proud. Our pups could not have asked for a better mother.
Emily smiled back, "that's wonderful, and yes at 9 weeks you should for sure be feeling him more, so that is right on track. "
She silently pressed a few buttons and then spoke once more, "alright here we go, here is his profile. You can see his little nose really well right here," she said, pointing at the screen, making Alyssa tear up while I stood there smiling from ear to ear.
My son, I thought, staring at the screen in bewilderment, he was so much smaller the last time we saw him on an ultrasound. Wolf pregnancies were fast, but I was still not prepared for him to have practically doubled in size, the pregnancy very nearly halfway over.
Emily continued her exam, making sure blood was flowing to each and every organ, and from the placenta through the umbilical cord, checking for something she called "placental abruption." Thankfully she gave us the all-clear but warned that Alyssa needed to report even the slightest hint of abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding just to be extra cautious. Of course, we agreed, and after a few more checks, and a couple of vials of blood later we were once again left alone in the room.
"Gracious," Alyssa said sighing loudly.
"What is it, my love?" My tone full of concern.
She rubbed at her eyes, "I'm okay, really, but my gosh I am so exhausted and my feet haven't even touched the floor."
I looked at her knowingly, "I tried to tell you I didn't think it was a good idea to have them come up here. I can link Anderson right now and tell them that you need more time and we will meet with them tomorrow or some other time entirely?" I asked, hoping she would agree, but I should've known better.
"No, I'll be fine. I really want to see them. Plus I'm really hoping Tenley gets released in time to come snuggle and take a nap with me. Do you think the staff would allow that even if she's not discharged yet?" She asked hopefully.
"I'll make sure it's arranged no matter what, my love," I said, softly kissing her on the head and linking Anderson to see how far they were.
'Just go their stuff dropped off to their room and we're headed back to the car to head to the hospital, ' Anderson quickly responded.
'Please give them the heads up that Alyssa is very tired and while she's trying to power through, I know she's much more exhausted than she's letting on,' I said in concern for my mate, I had an obligation to protect her, even if that was as simple as making sure she didn't overdo herself.
'You got it, boss,' he responded, and I cut off the link, satisfied with the conversation.
"They'll be here soon, last chance to back out," I jokingly taunted.
"Not a chance, Mr. Alpha," she winked at me.
I shrugged, "didn't think so, but it was worth a shot."
Alyssa's POV:
I was more than ready to pick my aunt's brain now that I had all of this information about Maci. Speaking of which, I had no clue what I hoped would happen to her. Death seemed far too swift for someone who ruined so many lives with her selfish intentions. I knew that Brent would want my input on her punishment, he has always been very clear that we rule together and make all decisions together, but I wasn't sure what to do. I hoped this conversation with my aunt would provide some much needed clarity .
I was getting more and more anxious to speak with her, the minutes passing slow as molasses.
"They're here," Brent finally announced, getting up to open the door when they were still halfway down the hall.
"Oh, my darling," my aunt cried rushing into the room and hugging me tightly. She is my aunt by marriage, with my uncle being my biological father's brother, but we had always had an extremely close relationship.
"I'm okay, really. It seems that your great-niece has the ability to link to the subconscious mind. Brent found us not too long after, thankfully." I swallowed the lump in my throat, I had cried enough tears for today.
Her eyes rounded as she took in the information, "hmmm...she has a gift as well, are we sure I am not your blood aunt," she smirked and winked at me.
My uncle scoffed in return, "I sure as hell hope not. That would make our mateship quite awkward, my dear."
She laughed and waved him off, turning her attention back to me and I wasted no time getting down to business, "so, Brent filled me in on the conversation you two had before you left, and it seems that you were unfortunately correct. Maci admitted to using a black magic witch."
The light banter of the encounter was long gone as soon as the words left my mouth, my aunt turned to Brent, "is this true? You have proof and didn't immediately call me to release her of it?" Her tone grew with worry and agitation, making her snap at him.
"Beth," her mate warned, "I understand that being part Oracle and part wolf lessens your wolf's sense of hierarchy, but you cannot speak to an Alpha that way. I am sure there is a perfectly good explanation, let's all just take a moment and calm down," he nervously glanced between my mate and his own trying to gauge Brent's reaction.
I looked at Brent, he was struggling with his wolf. He could understand my aunt's outburst, but his primitive nature demanded respect and my aunt raising her voice at him did not settle well.
"Brent," I whispered making him look at me instead of my aunt, his pupils blown with the black of his wolf, "it's okay." His demeanor softened at the sound of my voice.
"Alpha," Beth spoke again, "I am in no way trying to be disrespectful, but it is extremely important that we release this curse from you both and give her the proper tools of protection. It is urgent. Where is Maci now?"
"The cells," Brent responded in a clipped tone.
"Does she still have her wolf?" She continued with the questions.
"For now, but what does that have to do with anything?" He asked, confusion lacing his response.
She sighed in relief to hear Maci still had her wolf and answered Brent's question, "we need to break the curse she has over both of your wolves. Rejecting you was only the first step. If she ever were to realize it, she could draw you right back in with a simple incantation."
Brent cut her off, "that's impossible, my heart is for Alyssa and only Alyssa."
Beth slowly shook her head, "with all due respect Alpha, she's already done it once before. "
Brent's jaw clinched once more, his face turning red with anger with the reminder, but he eventually blew out the breath he was holding and dropped the tension from his shoulders, "just tell us what we need to do."
Beth immediately got to work. She opened the windows, letting in the chilly winter breeze, and then dug around in the burgundy velvet bag she had brought with her, producing a bundle of sage, a black candle, a roll of twine, scissors, a selenite wand, and many other interesting crystals in an array of shapes, sizes, and colors.
I eyed my aunt suspiciously, "you just happened to have all of that on you?"
She shrugged, "I always have the selenite and the sage, but I had a feeling that the rest would be needed." She said matter of factly and offered no additional explanation and I didn't ask. My aunt was always getting "feelings" and we'd all learned to simply trust them.
"You are lucky I had my intuition since both of you failed to mention this tidbit of important information," she grumbled once more.
"Beth, in our defense this all just unfolded in much less than 24 hours, but thank you so much for coming prepared." I carefully laid my hand on her arm. I had no idea how serious any of this actually was, and if I was being honest I was scared to death. However, I resorted to what I always do, and instead of feeling the gravity of my own fears, I offered comfort to everyone around me.
She sighed, "I'm sorry for coming across so tense. I am not in any way mad at either of you, but at the witch that so willingly did this. Black magic is nothing to toy with and is extremely dangerous. Sometimes I wonder if the witches that practice it even realize the gravity of what they are doing..."
She shook her head again, her face lined with worry, "anyway, let's get this over with, and then Brent you will immediately go and strip Maci of her wolf."
"I will pass the order to my Beta, I am not leaving Alyssa. Not only do I have zero desire, but my wolf would never allow it, not after what she's been through. I barely held enough control waiting on them to allow me back after her surgery."
His words were respectful but firm. I could tell by his body language he would not bend on this and I prayed that the counter spell could work without his compliance.
"Fair enough, but he must be willing to go the moment this is complete."
"Of course, I will," Anderson piped up from where he was leaning against the wall by the door, ever the protector and never too far from the entrances.
"Okay, now let's get this show on the road," I pushed.
I was done talking and fully riddled with nerves at this point. The curse made me feel dirty and used, almost like I needed a shower to rid myself of the disgusting feelings.
Brent came and held my hand as Beth busied herself setting up the make-shift alter with crystals and incense. I was doing okay until she lit the candle she had placed at the center and my chest began to feel heavy and even more anxious than I ever thought possible, making me grip Brent's hand tightly.
Beth shushed me in a way that most would when comforting a child, and kindly encouraged me to keep breathing, explaining that the curse would fight back on being released, but would ultimately give in .
"And this won't harm my baby, right?' I asked through panted breath. The weight on my chest felt as though it would crush me at any moment.
"No, my dear, he will be just fine. Now, let's get started," She said, as she stretched the twine tautly between her hands.
She had me repeat the incantation after her three times. On the third time, she had me swiftly cut the twine she held between her hands, and then I was instructed to quickly blow out the black candle, signifying the breaking of the cursed bond.
Immediately upon the flame going out a woosh of wind blew and flipped my hair wildly, a black foggy cloud floating above me and quickly blew out of the open window. The tension in my chest immediately subsided as I felt I could breathe normally once again.
Beth then repeated the process with Brent, who like me, experienced the heaviness of the curse in his chest and winced in pain, "that burns like a fucking fire. What the hell is that?" He asked through gritted teeth, I immediately became concerned because the pressure I felt was nothing like what he was explaining.
Beth spoke before I could start with my questioning, "the curse was meant for you, Alyssa's fate was an unfortunate causality, but the spell was directly meant for you," she explained. "Maci is most likely experiencing this same pain currently, if not worse being that she was the direct vessel that the curse was made through. I apologize for the discomfort, I do not dabble in black magic, I just know how to undo it. Now, Alpha, it is your turn to repeat after me."
Brent gritted his teeth but was able to get through the repetitions. Once he cut the twine and blew out the candle a significantly more dense mass flowed out of his chest and into the room, causing the wind to whip around the room in a fury. Loose papers from the bedside table were now twirling around the room like a small tornado. With a loud scream from the black mass, it whisked off out of the open window, leaving the room a mess and all of us stunned into silence.
Anderson broke the silence, "I'm uh, I'm gonna go strip Maci of her wolf now... that's enough Houdini shit for me..."