The accursed, black, oozing rain of the city beat these rooftops like an old drum, testing their magical defense. I keep my own defensive matrix over my head, grasping the stolen jewel close to my chest while repeating the words my late mother taught me.
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“Tonight, it will end. At last.”
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That is, if that persistent wolf-kin would leave me alone. I can hear the second set of rapid footsteps behind me, a quiet desperation hidden within splashes of water. But no matter what he does, my plan is set. No one will stop me.
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I jump off the roof and hear a growl of annoyance behind me. The ground does not claim me; that is not the end I desire. Instead, I fall through my prepared teleportation sigil. A witch is always prepared, even one cast out from their clan.
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I land like a feather and stop reciting the defensive spell.
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“It’s not fair wolf-kin are immune to the black rain. Lucky bastard… ”
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I’m finally home, a fancy little condo on the west side of the city. There are no windows for the rare sun to peek through; instead, light from gray magical fires colors the room. Red carpet and purple velvet curtains give the place an additional flair I used to enjoy.
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But that time has passed. I look into the pitch-black jewel and breathe a sigh of relief.
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“Finally, this curse can come to an end.”
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“I don’t think so, Olivia.”
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I turn around to see a wet tank of a man and a hole in my home. I can even see the black rain outside. However, I can’t hear any sound.
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“A silencing spell?”
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“You know it, little moon.”
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Before I can cast any spells of my own, that persistent and annoying wolf pins me to the nearby wall with impressive speed. Still, I refuse to let go of the jewel. Not like he is focused on it right now. No, he would prefer to sniff my neck.
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“Lavender? My favorite.”
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“Get off me, Darian. This isn’t a game.”
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“But I like games.”
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Gods, I love it when he lightly bites me like that. But this will only end horribly. I struggle against his loving touch and try to remind him of the stakes.
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“Darian, we can’t do this.”
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“And I won’t let you turn yourself to stone.” He says as he continues to play my body like a violin. But only lightly, enough to frustrate me and question my plans. But I keep my tough front.
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“You’ve been hunting me for weeks now. You should know that any affection will kill you. You are not immune to my curse.”
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“Yet, I can do this and be fine.” Again, like he used to do when we were younger, he tests fate and kisses my cheek. “I can take it. I’m not like that waste of alpha blood you called a husband. Didn’t even last a day.”
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I think back to that horrible week when my father sold me off to some wolf-kin noble for the sake of our declining magical lineage. Then Darian’s heartbreak. Then the night my curse activated and killed my husband with a kiss.
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I could handle all of that. But what broke my heart was being called a cursed child and being banished by my clan. Despite apparently being a prime candidate for a witch-born Luna, I was untouchable. Many alphas have tried, and they all failed.
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And yet, Darian never stopped trying. He worked to be the alpha of his clan and then started hunting me. Just when I finally became brave enough to end this curse by petrifaction. No one will die because of me; no more alphas will have to doom their bloodlines by being allured by my scent. Why can’t he just let me go?
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“I don’t want you to die.” I say with force, struggling against his gentle massage.
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“Olivia, trust me. Don’t you feel it?” He interlocks our hands and channels a little magic into our bond. My cheeks turn red as I can feel our magic dance and mingle across our skin. My soft blue and his rough but gentle red meld and light up our hands.
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“Aren’t you tired of letting fate dictate your life? The others died because they were weak. They were born into their position; I took mine by force of will. I won’t let some curse take you from me. You’re mine, Olivia.”
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He edges closer to my lips. Touching my body is one thing, but a kiss is always fatal. As much as I want to, I can’t give that to him. I can’t indulge in what was once our favorite pastime. So I finally pushed him away with all my strength.
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He takes a step back, barely moved by my shove. Instead of being upset with me, Darian laughs. A low rumble that rattles my body in all the right ways. “Yes! Just like that, fight back against the curse; don’t give in! If you need to submit to anyone, it should be me.”
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He comes back for more, and I shove him away again. But no matter what I do, he keeps coming. While I run, he chases me with reckless abandon.
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Eventually, I decided to just blast him with magic. But I’m a witch in an enclosed space with a wolf-kin. When he noticed me about to use magic, he stopped playing and rushed me. Before I knew it, I was on my back with my arms above my head held by partially transformed hands.
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What’s worse? I lose the jewel in the scuffle. My final salvation slipped through my fingers. “Olivia, look at me now.” I do so; I look into his deep blue eyes and take in all of Darian’s wide form. Possibly for the last time.
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But the man doesn’t see my distress because he has full confidence in himself. “If I die, then it means I was too weak, and you deserve someone stronger. But I know I won’t fail. Because unlike those pretenders, you’re my Luna. They died because they touched what wasn’t theirs.”
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“And you’re willing to bet your life on that.” I ask with some hope in my voice.
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“When it comes to you, always.” He says with the supreme confidence of a true alpha wolf. For a second, I want to believe him. I want to give myself to him, to submit to my partner, not to this damn curse. So for the first time in a long time, I trust him. My body relaxes as my mouth opens slightly, waiting for him to claim it.
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“Good girl. Don’t worry, I’m not dying tonight.” He whispers while edging closer to my face. I close my eyes and wait for our lips to touch. I’m again tempted to run, to believe that I can’t be saved and I’ll open my eyes to see Darian dead.
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But I swallowed it. I want to believe in him. I want to love again. Soon, our lips collide, and it’s an explosion of familiar bliss. But I refuse to let it show, not until I’m sure.
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As the seconds counted on, it became clear. The truth of the situation was lovingly pressed into me. Darian wasn’t going to die. My curse doesn’t work on him. I’m actually free.
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All the repressed feelings erupted from my heart. Tears flowed as I finally kissed back with equal or greater fervor. Darian let loose a low growl of approval as I did, and I met it with a silky moan. He lets my hands go, and they immediately shoot to his shirt. It couldn’t come off fast enough.
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My alpha thought the same, as his still-transformed hands started tearing my clothes. I didn’t care; this moment was all that mattered. When I finally got his shirt off and ran my hands through his broad, muscular chest, he stopped the kiss. I almost whimpered, but it turned into a lustful moan when he bit my neck.
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“Mine.” He says as he draws blood from my neck.
Yours.” I say as I do the same to his chest, biting hard enough to draw blood.
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It was done; the bond was officially made and signed by intricate magical seals burning onto our skin. The last thing to do was to get claimed, body and soul, by my true alpha, as the gods intended. No… as I intend. I do this for me because I love him, and he loves me enough to brave a life-threatening curse.
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For such an occasion, we deserve a proper altar. Darian picks me up and carries me behind the velvet curtain hiding our bedroom. He throws me onto our bed and proceeds to devour me, filling me with everything I’ve been craving. He shatters my gray world, once again flooding it with color. That night, my virginity was taken by the only man worthy and determined enough to claim it.
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