Page 102 of Marked By Moonlight
I frown. “I thought I just had to be able to shift. I’m sure I can…” but that pull to the wolf inside me is weak, just like my pulse. I close my eyes, trying to connect to her—that part of me deep inside that saved me, that part that I barely know. But the connection feels severed, like it was never there in the first place.
When I open my eyes, I see them all looking at me with pity.
“I can still do this whether I can shift tonight or not. That was the plan all along anyway.”
“That was when you were at full strength. In this state, you won’t survive. I know things are rough between the packs, vampires, and witches, but we can all survive another month. Just postpone one month. You shouldn’t die breaking the curse,” Rowena says.
I look from her to Ambrose, then Emeric. Emeric looks away, and I know he knows what Ambrose’s curse is. How could he not when his own curse ties him so closely to Ambrose’s feelings? Rowena is the only one that doesn’t know the cost. That I’ll die either way. If I can’t survive the marking ceremony, I’ll die. But if we wait a month, Ambrose’s growing feelings will ensure that I die from his curse. My only chance is to try to break the curse tonight.
“I know you’re worried about me, Rowena, but I can do this. I have to.”
She shakes her head with tears in her eyes. “You don’t.”
“I do.” I try to make her believe me, but her eyes widen in disbelief.
“Are you two not going to say anything? She shouldn’t do this. It will kill her!” Rowena shrieks.
“It has to be Lumi’s decision,” Emeric says.
Ambrose looks white as a ghost, and I’m not sure how much he’s recovered from losing so much blood. But it’s our only chance. He knows it. I know it. Emeric knows it.
“How much time do I have?” I ask Emeric, who seems like the only one who might answer me at the moment.
He glances out the window. “The sun will set in the next hour. The packs and witches have already gathered. The vampires weren’t invited after what happened last week. Isolde has gathered the witches that will lend their power to the ceremony. It seems like everyone truly believes this will work tonight. Isolde has been studying any texts she can find about the curse and how to break it. It seems this ceremony will be more in-depth than initially thought.”
“Great,” I mutter under my breath, focusing on Ambrose and how healthy he is or isn’t. I have to do this. For him. For me. For Kael—Nyx will kill him if I don’t. And for the rest of the wolf packs. They don’t deserve to live another month with their curses.
“Don’t do this,” Rowena says again. “It doesn’t matter that everyone has gathered. We will protect you for another month.”
I look at her with a serious expression. “And how many Moonlight wolves will die trying to protect me? I’m not willing to let anyone die for me. Not when I can end this tonight.” I turn to Emeric. “Tell everyone the ceremony goes on as planned. Ambrose and I have made a full recovery, and we’re ready.”
He nods and then leaves the room.
Rowena grinds her teeth together.
“I know you think I shouldn’t do this, but like Emeric said, it’s my decision to make,” I tell her.
“I’m not going to watch you die,” Rowena says with tears in her eyes.
“I’m not asking you to.”
“Aren’t you?”A heavy exhale heaves from her chest as she casts her eyes downward in defeat. “I’ll go see if Emeric needs any help.”
“Thank you,” I say, choking back my own tears as she leaves.
Ambrose looks over at me. “You don’t have to do this. We’ll find another way. A way to protect the pack for another month. You and I will spend the month apart. That way there is no way I’ll fall in love with you.”
Our eyes connect, and he feels it just like I do—it doesn’t matter if we spent the entire month apart or not; his feelings would only grow. I don’t know if he has to actually confess the words out loud for the curse to trigger or just feel them, but either way, I’m not taking a chance with the curse.
And he doesn’t know the other reason I have to break the curse tonight. He doesn’t know about the deal I made with Nyx. I have to break the curse for Kael, too.
“Just hold me until we have to go. Just rest and recover with me. Give us both the best chances of surviving.”
He frowns as he climbs into bed with me. “We’ll survive. We’re both strong, even if we aren’t at our strongest. You’re my mate.”
“And you’re mine.”
He kisses my temple as he wraps his arms tightly around me, promising to never let me go. “You’re my queen. And you shifted! I’m so fucking proud of you, so incredibly…” his words drift off as he realizes talking about what happened might trigger his feelings for me.
