Page 88 of Cursed Bonds: An Alpha's Destiny

“What?” Jace sputtered. My heart hurt seeing the way his face warped into a look of pure devastation. I didn’t think I’d ever seen a man look so miserable.

“You heard me,” I whispered, the strength leaving my voice.

“No. You’re wrong. I can fix this. They just need to understand. I can make them understand.”

A familiar and welcome sensation descended over my mind and my heart. Barriers flying up, walls being rebuilt. Protection from all the things that might hurt me.

“I’ve always been a loner, Jace. I never had a big family, only one or two real friends. My father is a disappointment, and I could never rely on him. All I ever had was Nana, and she’s gone now. I…” I paused, looking at him, the fresh sting of tears hitting me again. “I thought I might have found a place that would be that for me. A family. But I don’t need that. I don’t need this pack, and I sure as hell don’t need them judging me and calling me a monster.” I took a deep breath. “I’ll free you of your curse, Jace. You’ll be free to find the right person for you. Because that person, obviously, isn’t me.”

Jace’s face crumpled, and he lowered himself down to his knees. He looked like someone who’d just had his entire heart torn out and stomped on, but I felt the same way. I guess we were in the same place. Before he could speak, I hurried away, striding around the building. I could still hear the sounds of arguments and shouting inside. It wasn’t until I was in the parking lot that I remembered I hadn’t driven myself. Fuck. Waylan had brought me.

Looking up at the darkening sky, I wished like hell I could actually fly away on a broom like a cartoon witch. It would have made my life so much easier. Jace might come looking for me any second, and I didn’t think my heart could handle seeing him again. Did I start walking?

Thankfully, my decision was made when Waylan came rushing out of the front door, swiveling his head frantically, obviously searching for either me or Jace. When he spotted me, he rushed forward, boots crunching on the gravel of the parking lot.

“Kirsten! Are you okay? I’m sorry about all that in there. Where’s—”

“Take me home,” I snapped. The last thing I needed to hear was Jace’s name.

“But…” Something in my face must have given him pause. Maybe the heartbreak or anger. Slowly, he nodded. “Okay. Yeah, sure. Come on, let’s get you out of here.”

He led me to his truck, and I climbed in, stewing in a soup of mixed emotions. Waylan started the truck and pulled out. In the rearview mirror, I watched the building as we drove away. No one had exited yet. Probably all still muttering about me. All worried about what the witch was doing to their pack.

“Don’t give up on Jace,” Waylan said, his voice barely above a whisper.

I ignored him, praying he’d shut up.

“He really does care for you,” he continued. “I’ve never seen him like this. So head over heels—”

“For a witch who can give him what he wants?” I asked icily.

Waylan winced. “No, Kirsten. Maybe in the beginning, he did think about that, but once he got to know you, it changed. You know that. You must.”

“And all your friends?” I hissed. “Your whole town is ready to burn me at the stake. They’ll never accept me. Not after what I just saw. And why should I try? I don’t need to prove that I’m worthy to a bunch of strangers. I have nothing to prove to anything or anyone.”

Waylan looked lost for a moment. Unsure what to say, we drove in silence.

As he pulled up in front of my cabin, he said, “I don’t care about the pack or the town at this point. I care about Jace and you. How this works for the two of you. I don’t want this to happen because I know, in the end, it’s going to hurt both of you beyond belief.”

“Thanks for the ride. I won’t be here in the morning. It was nice knowing you, I guess,” I said, hopping out of the truck.

Slamming the cabin door behind me, I leaned against it, taking huge, steadying breaths. As I glanced around, my anger only grew. It seemed to take over my very being. This had been a place of good memories and happiness. Tonight had ruined more than my relationship. Instead of seeing the cabin as a refuge, a place where I’d had fun with my grandmother, it now looked dark and dank, like a prison. I had to get out of here.

After dragging my suitcases from the closet, I tossed my belongings into them. Underwear, clothes, toiletries—everything went in haphazardly. I didn’t slow until I pulled my purse off the bedside table and heard the clinking of the two vials inside it. The cure for the curse.

For the barest second, anger almost overcame me. I wanted to smash them on the ground, stomp the glass to sand, and smear the potion across the floor. But mercy prevailed. I wasn’t a vengeful person. Not even now. Jace might have had ulterior motives, but deep down he was a good person. He deserved to be free of this curse. Plus, it would sever whatever remained of the bond between us. Not even my great-grandmother’s curse would tie us together anymore. It was the best way to end this.

Then? He could find the person meant for him. A person who wasn’t me.

Chapter 26

Jace

Langston had kept the pack from leaving the auditorium at my behest. A pack needed direction, and I would give it, even as my rage seethed. I ordered him and many of the male members of the pack to get ladders out and use lightbulbs from the janitor’s closet to replace the lights.

The crowd sat, mostly quiet, while the men worked. Even in the darkness, lit by flashlights and cellphones, I could see their eyes on me. What I didn’t see was Eren. I’d scanned the crowd as soon as I came back from chasing Kirsten. All I’d wanted was to tear his throat out, but the coward had disappeared as soon as the lights went out.

I didn’t want to be here. At this point, I didn’t give a shit about any of it. All I wanted was to be with Kirsten. My wolf whined and snarled, urging me to leave and rush to her cabin. I couldn’t. As the alpha, I had responsibilities. Besides, Kirsten likely wasn’t in the mood to see me just yet.

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