Page 87 of Cursed Bonds: An Alpha's Destiny

“Explain! Explain what you’re talking about.”

“Explain?” Eren called out, turning to face the crowd like a showman. “I’ll gladly explain what your precious alpha has kept hidden for a hundred years.” More gasps from the crowd. “It seems dear Kirsten’s great-grandmother lived here many years ago and cursed your alpha to never find his mate or sire an heir.”

Jace’s lip curled in distaste as he turned back to Stephanie, danger sparking in his eyes. “You fucking told him?” Even in my own distraught state, the rage in his voice was terrifying.

Stephanie was openly crying now, tears streaking down her face. “Jace,” she croaked. “I was just trying to get Kirsten out of the way. I wanted to save you from yourself.” She sniffled and wiped at her eyes. “I didn’t believe her intentions were pure. I had to protect you and the pack. If you had any doubt, I needed to act.”

“I can’t believe you,” Jace growled. “Who do you think you are?”

Their voices were almost drowned out by the crowd. In the back, Waylan and a hulking man tried to shout the crowd down, but they weren’t succeeding. My head spun as the words from the pack registered through the chaos.

“Liar.”

“Witch.”

“Curse.”

“Secrets.”

Outrage and fear reverberated throughout the room. Every face looked upon me with distrust and suspicion. It all pissed me off. They didn’t know me, they didn’t understand my motives. All they thought was that I was some sneaky witch here to ruin their alpha and pack.

Jace was still having a conversation with Stephanie, him shouting, her sobbing, but even that was lost in the roar of the gathering. Eren looked on at what he’d created with a glee I’d only ever seen on the faces of children on Christmas morning. My magic sizzled across my skin and through my body, fed by my fear and outrage. It was all I could do to keep it contained. Never before had it struggled so hard against my control, almost like it was a living creature threatening to tear out of me.

The woman from the other night, Sandra, jumped up and pointed at me. “Her bloodline should not be brought into our pack. We never should have allowed her grandmother to live here.”

Another shifter, a man, stood and yelled at the stage. “Witches should have stayed hidden!” He turned his gaze on me. “You need to leave. This is not the place for you.”

Seething with anger, I opened my mouth to speak, but felt a strange pulse deep in my chest as I did. A whoomp echoed through the building, then one window shattered along with every lightbulb in the room, plunging the auditorium into darkness. The shouts turned to screams of terror, and the crowd backed toward the outer walls, pushing and clawing to put space between me and them. They were shouting that I wanted to kill them all, that I was only here to see them all dead.

Jace wasn’t trying to defend me. His rage at Stephanie hadn’t abated, even with my display. I was by myself. All alone. Just like I’d been since Nana died. No one was coming to save me.

Not him.

Not anyone.

I turned, walking to the back of the stage, leaving everyone behind. The cacophony of the disaster faded as I found my way to the rear exit. Ten minutes ago, I’d been so excited—scared, yes—but excited. I’d allowed myself to believe that things were going to work out. That I’d end up with some type of happily ever after. Now? Now I saw the truth. I never should have believed any of it.

“Kirsten!” a shout from behind me. Jace, screaming my name.

There was nothing I wanted to say to him. I slammed my palms onto the crash bar of the door and stomped out into the night air, sucking in a lungful to stave off the tears.

Jace followed, running out to catch up to me. “Please wait. Please,” he begged.

“Wait for what?” I snarled, turning on him. “Wait for you to use me?” I ran a hand through my hair, turning in a circle, thinking. Finally, I turned back to him and shook my head. “You know, it’s not even that. It’s not the fact that you originally planned to use me as some tool—”

“Kirsten, I didn’t—”

“Let me fucking finish!”

He bowed his head, recoiling at my outburst.

“What makes me both the angriest and saddest,” I said, “is the fact that your pack was so quick to turn on me. Did you see what happened in there? As soon as any mention of a curse came out, they were at my throat. Making me out to be some kind of monster.”

Jace looked at me, distraught, but he didn’t interrupt.

A decision had been made. Deep in my mind, a switch had flicked and I was now seeing the truth.

“It’s pretty clear this was a mistake. I don’t belong here.”

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