The Curse

by Jaimi Wilson

  I take a seat across from my father. Benji stays in his wolf form at my right side, while Liam sits down on my other side. Josh and Jenkins are somewhere behind us, choosing to remain standing. It gives me comfort to know they’re protecting our backs, and I’m thankful for their efforts.

  My father looks at me from across the table. His green eyes remind me so much of the ones I see in the mirror when my magic is in control that it’s startling.

  "The woman who raised you, the one you lived with all your life, is not your birth mother," he says sadly. I can hear the guilt in his voice, and he lowers his eyes to the table, no longer able to meet my gaze.

  "When your mother found out she was pregnant with you, we knew we had no choice but to give you up. We had to hide you with someone that we knew the Order would never suspect of harboring our child. That would be your adopted mother, Belinda."

  So, my mother isn't really my mother, but my real mother had to hide me with my adopted mother to keep the Order from finding out about me? Ugh, this is giving me a major headache. And if I have a biological mother out there, why is he insisting that we have to leave here to see her? Why did she not come with him?

  "Why did you need to hide me from the Order?" I ask, eager to make some sense of this mess.

  "It’s because of who you are, Jasmine. Tell me, what do you sense when your magic runs over me?"

  Curiously, I let my magic out, not in the way I would with a spell but to let myself feel out his aura. This is the only sure fire way to determine whether a human is actually a wolf or even a witch who is hiding their true nature from their own kind.

  As my magic hits his aura, I cringe, watching as it changes from blue to green, then purple, and from there to black. I let my magic die and meet his eyes with my own surprised ones. "Your aura, it’s changing. That's not possible," I insist, shaking my head in confusion.

  Your aura is a representation who you are; it should be one fixed color. Mine is green with tinges of blue around the edges, while Benji's is a pale orange and Liam's is a pale lavender. To have an aura that changes... "What are you?"

  My father grins at me and I see his canines lengthen to two sharp points. Liam gasps at my side and Benji's hackles rise, while I just stare at him open-mouthed, completely and utterly shocked.

  During all this, Josh and Jenkins have remained quiet, which leads me to believe they already knew about this key piece of information.

  "I was born a hybrid of two species, a werewolf and a witch, and was one of the first of my kind. When I was on my deathbed, a woman came to me and told me she was a part of the earth. She said wanted to give me a gift because she knew I would be important in the future to come. And so, she bestowed me with the same gift the vampires once possessed, that of everlasting life. That was a little over eight hundred years ago."

  Seven

  My father, who is a triple hybrid (or would that be tribrid?), is also over eight hundred years old? None of this is making any sense.

  Why would the earth gift him an extended life? It’s her job to keep everything in balance, and granting him the ability to live forever is not within keeping that balance.

  "What you're saying isn't possible," I breathe out into the stunned silence. Benji and Liam look confused by the news and even Jenkins seems to be a little surprised.

  My eyes, however, linger on Josh, who remains unfazed and I just know in my heart that he knew everything. "What else are you keeping from us?" I ask Josh as my anger thickens the air.

  I don't bother giving my father any attention, my glare fixed solely on Josh. He's supposed to be my friend and I thought I could trust him. Then he kissed me and practically admitted he was my mate, and now this? If he was able to keep this from me, then what else could he be hiding? How can I trust someone who would hide something this important from me?

  My father is the leader of the Soldiers, the group responsible for keeping the supernaturals in check, but is also one of the very things he's responsible for hunting... yeah, because that's not fucking confusing as hell.

  On top of that, I find out Josh has been hiding all this information Benji, Liam and I should have been aware! I can feel myself on the edge of snapping and giving in to the rage that threatens to take over. But if I do, I have no idea if I’ll ever come back from that.

  "Nothing, Jas.” He sighs heavily and frowns. "That was the last thing I was keeping from you, I swear. And it was only because I didn't want to upset you. You were already dealing with enough as it was."

  I laugh sarcastically. 'I was already dealing with enough' is not an excuse to keep more things from me. I mean it’s not like I expect him to reveal every damn secret he has, but when something pertains to me specifically, he has no right to keep it from me.

  I narrow my eyes and glare at him, letting him feel the brunt of my anger. "I know exactly what I'm dealing with, but you know what helps?" I ask sarcastically as he stands there looking clueless. "My mates and friends NOT lying to me! Every time one of you lies to me, all that tells me is you either don’t trust me, or you don’t think I’m strong enough to handle shit. Well I've got news for all you misogynistic assholes. I am stronger than all of you combined. You are nothing compared to me and if you don't stop treating me like fragile fucking china, I will leave you all to deal with the crap going down and go live my life on a beach somewhere!"

  My anger continues to rise and then I feel someone behind me. I get ready to let my magic free when I sense the soothing presence of Jenkins. But I don't want to relax right now.

  "Jasmine, you need to calm down. Your magic is riding you hard and making you angrier than normal."

  I turn to face him, feeling tears well up from how angry I am. "My magic isn't riding me. I called it." His eyes widen and I look at each of the men around me, wishing all this crap would just stop for just two fucking seconds. "News flash guys, I don't have to stay here. I chose to be here. I chose to accept you as mates, but I am sick to death of being treated like I'm some weak little girl. I just want a little respect and for you all to stop with the fucking lies!"

  Jenkins eyes me with pity and my anger sparks again. Now he pities me?!

  My chest heaves with my rage, and I know my magic won't stay contained much longer. I'm going to have to release it soon. Fuck!

  I stride across the porch, down the steps, and then start making my way across the ground, ignoring the gazes of other pack members as I go. My destination is the tree I destroyed not too long ago. I need to release the buildup of magic, or it will fucking kill me.

  Magic pulses under my skin and I barely make it to the tree. I drop to my knees a few feet from it, just as magic explodes out of me in a destructive wave. The earth rumbles and shakes beneath me, as if it feels my pain and gives me the strength to fight back against those who would dare hurt me.

  Power rocks me to my very core and in this moment, I feel more connected to the earth than I ever have been before. My eyes glaze over and I feel something rise up from deep within me, a secret part of myself that I haven't yet explored. I used to think it held just backup magic, the kind that would be triggered if I ever I depleted myself. But this is pure power, stronger than anything I’ve ever felt, and it takes over my whole body.

  Huh, this feels strange...

  "Jas, can we please talk?" Josh asks, obviously having followed me out here.

  I stand and turn around until I'm facing Josh. His eyes go wide with fear upon seeing the cruel smirk that rests on my lips. Something dark has awoken within me and he knows it. And now, he will know what pain truly feels like.

  Wait, pain? Why would I want to cause Josh pain? The questions echo in my mind until the overpowering rage pushes my doubts away.

  I look Josh up and down with a scrutinizing gaze. I feel the connection between us and know he's my mate, but the bond isn't there yet. He’s only our mate in name since a bond hasn’t developed, so it won’t matter if he’s gone. He is nothing to us.

  No... Not nothing. H
e's our friend, I think.

  "What do you want, lower being?"

  My voice is deeper and more menacing than before. It makes me wonder if I'm having some kind of out of body experience. No, I am still thinking the words, but its like two personalities are fighting for control within me.

  "Jas, is that you?"

  My eyes meet Josh's concerned ones and I cock my head, watching as the other men in my life fan out behind him. "What's the matter, Joshie boy? You don't like this side of me?"

  I pout and take a step towards him, enjoying the fear that runs through him. From the subtle shift of his feet, to the loud pounding of his heart that I can hear as clearly as if my ear was pressed to his chest. The salty scent of sweat soaks the air and I take a moment to marvel at my newly expanded senses.

  Why do I enjoy his fear? Why am I speaking like this?

  "Or is it that when faced with true power, you now realize your mistake? I could have helped you, but now, well now I get to decide if I should kill you and feast on your heart, or simply break your body into pieces."

  Josh’s gaze darts around, desperately looking for a place to disappear. Then another man crosses my vision and I grin in excitement. "Why hello, Father! Fancy seeing you here.”

  I frown, feeling confused. Why am I smiling at him? Why do I feel pleased to see him?

  "Jasmine, I know you're hurting and I bet you're really confused right now, but I need you to find the balance within you. You are stronger than this."

  I smirk and let my feelings project into his mind, enjoying the squint of unease in his eyes.

  "Ah, but dear Father, I don't want to stop this. I'm hurt. You hurt me; you all did," I accuse, directing my gaze out to each of the men present.

  "You left me when I needed you most," I tell Benji, watching as his gaze falls to the ground in shame. Then I turn to Liam. "You didn't believe me. I got tortured in that cell because of your friend. All I wanted was trust, but you gave me none."

  I don't linger on Liam, moving on to Josh. "Lies. Lie after lie, after lie. I already have that enough in my life, why would I want that from you, my friend? The mate bond hasn't even started to form between us, but you want to start our relationship off with lies? Nope."

  Our gaze settles on Jenkins and my head cocks in confusion. "I like you. You calm me down, but if you're anything like the other men I've met, then I would rather give up the chance to know you and save myself from the inevitable pain."

  He smiles in relief and stands tall, puffing out his chest proudly. "I won't lie to you. There are things we should talk about, but I will wait until you ask, so I know you’re ready to hear the answers. I too, believe lies are detrimental to any relationship. And for what it’s worth, I like you too.”

  I smile at him, sensing he’s being genuine about his feelings. Finally, I turn my gaze to the most horrible man of the bunch. "And you," I say, clicking my tongue in contemplation. "Where to start? I remember when you tried to take us, but now, I remember everything else too. Like the fact that you left us on that awful woman's doorstep."

  His eyes widen in shock, obviously surprised that I was able to access those memories since he was the one who blocked them in the first place.

  He watches in horror as I snap my fingers. I hear a loud pop: the sound of his knee being dislocated. He cries out as he falls to the ground, and I slowly stride towards him. "That happened on my eight birthday. I asked for a birthday cake so I could blow out the candles like the other kids did. Well, my 'mother’ called me ungrateful and flat out refused. Later that day, our neighbor, who also happened to be a fellow witch, heard me crying out in the backyard. She asked what was wrong and I confessed that I wasn't allowed any cake on my birthday. That night, a member of the Order paid us a visit to make sure I was being cared for properly. After he left, she punished me for speaking out of turn and bringing unwanted attention down on her," I say, grimacing at the reminder of that beating. My dislocated knee was really only part of it.

  "Then there's this," I go on, clicking my fingers again, enjoying the hiss of pain that crosses his lips as bruise after bruise forms all over his body. "I was fourteen and went to the mall with my friends down the street. When I got home, that woman beat me until I couldn't even move."

  Sudden movement behind me alerts me to the fact that Josh, Jenkins, and Neira are getting closer. I pause when I feel cool magic rush over me. I turn slowly, glaring at Neira who somehow seems to have gotten her magic back. A cruel smirk crosses my lips and I swear Neira wets herself. Well, good. Time that bitch understands just what I am.

  "Why hello, Neira. If you'll give me a minute, I'll deal with you too." I have no idea who lifted the spell and gave her back her magic, but they too will suffer my wrath.

  I turn my gaze on Josh and Jenkins, who are standing behind her, a little off to the side. "This is your only warning. If either of you use magic on me, I will kill you and not even shed a tear over it. My softer side will, I’m sure, but right now I'm pretty neutral about all of you."

  My father pants from his position at my feet, before glaring at Josh and Jenkins. "I demand that you two stand down immediately. I deserve everything Jasmine has to dish out. She won't be satisfied until I feel her pain. Just, stay back," my father warns, gasping through his current bout of pain.

  I smile down at him, glad he seems to be catching on. "Ah, Daddy Dearest, you are so right. You will feel my pain."

  "What are you?" Neira spits from behind me. I turn to her, laughing loud enough for the sound to echo off the trees. How stupid is she to have not figured it out yet? The clues have been there my entire life. Hell, she was the one who figured out my affinity for earth magic was more than that of a normal witch’s.

  "You still haven't figured it out? Oh well, wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise." I wink at her before turning back to my father. "Now where was I? Shall I let you feel what it's like to have your magic bound? Or let you feel the broken wrists, the strangulations. What do you want next, Father?"

  I don't give him a chance to respond, instead just letting it all go. The pain that sadistic bitch caused me by binding my magic, the beatings I endured for small things that any normal child would do, and the broken limbs from when she thought it was fun to push me down the stairs.

  I can hear gasps coming from Benji, Liam, Josh and Jenkins, as if they too can feel the pain I am pushing out, but I don’t know how to stop them from feeling it so they’re just going to have to deal with it.

  My father slowly lifts his head to meet my gaze, his eyes filled with pain and unshed tears. "I'm sorry, Jasmine. So fucking sorry," he whispers. At his words, my magic slows before stopping completely.

  "Sorry, what was that?" I cup a hand around my ear to signify I want him to repeat his words.

  He takes in a stuttered breath, and a tear falls down his cheek. When he speaks, his voice filled with anguish. "You have no idea the regret I have over leaving you there. I swear to the earth, if I had known sooner just what kind of person she was, I never would have brought you there. The only reason I left you there in the first place was because your mother demanded it. She said if you were to survive this world and fix the balance, that's where you needed to be."

  Really, Mother? Thanks for the harsh life lesson. Why didn't she just keep me? Now that I know who she is, though, it’s starting to make a little more sense.

  My father pauses, closing his eyes for a moment and grimacing with pain. When he opens them again, he meets my eyes with a stubborn gaze. "Why do you think I tried to take you when you were sixteen? Because I found out the shit that bitch was doing to you! I couldn't let you stay there in those conditions. I needed to get you out of there."

  I sigh, sensing he’s being truthful and let my magic heal him. Then I turn to face Neira, who is still pushing her magic at me, but to no avail. "I swear, it’s like you've got a fucking death wish. This is your last fucking chance! Piss off before I send your energy back to the earth and your body becomes nothing but a she
ll of what it used to be.” At my threat, I feel the pulse of energy from the earth as it rises within me.

  Her arrogant smirk makes me want to do it anyway just to get rid of her, but I'm a woman of my word.

  "You don't have the power," she scoffs, flicking her hair over her shoulder.

  My father gets to his feet shakily and I hold out a hand to steady him. "My daughter has more than enough power to do exactly as she says. Her mother is the earth itself."

  I grin broadly, enjoying the shocked expressions all around, especially Josh's. I bet he didn't see that coming. As a matter of fact, I bet none of them saw that one coming.

  Eight

  "Okay, Jasmine, it’s time to take control again,” my father says, having gotten to his feet.

  I bite my lip, trying not to laugh at everyone’s confused expressions. No one has any clue what's going on and I find myself very amused by that. Finally, I'm not the one in the dark.

  I close my eyes and let the softer part of myself come back to the surface, but this time, I no longer stay buried in the dark. No, the personality I used to refer to as my inner rage has broken free, finally becoming one with my soul.

  When I open my eyes, I feel weird. I remember everything that happened, but I feel... stronger. While I am still the same person I was before, now I have answers and access to power that had been previously hidden from me.

  "What exactly was that?" I ask, referring to the sudden rush of knowledge that returned to me. I’m not sure how it happened, but now I have access to the vivid memory of the day my father left me with the woman I've believed to be my mother all these years.

  I would have been three years old at the time, if that, but the image is still burned into my mind, along with the many emotions that came with it.

  My father places a hand on my shoulder, giving me a reassuring squeeze. "Come on, Jazzy bear. Let’s get ready to go see your mother. She can explain this a lot better than I can."