Page 53 of Wedded Witch

My family needs me to produce an heir before my twenty-second birthday, or the entire Galdur line will die out. Worse, some ancient evil will be unleashed on the world.

No pressure, right?

And now, somehow, I’ve ended up with these three men—no, not men, shapeshifters—who claim to be my fated mates. Everything’s happening so fast, and I can barely keep up.

I rest my forehead against the cool tiles, wishing I could just stay here, hidden in the steam and heat of the shower, where nothing can reach me.

But I can’t. I have to keep going. I have to break this curse.

After what feels like forever, I turn off the water, dry myself, and wrap up in one of the soft towels hanging by the sink. When I emerge from the bathroom, fully dressed again, thanks to someone sneaking my freshly laundered clothes in while I was distracted, the scent of breakfast hits me.

Kel is standing by the stove, flipping pancakes like it’s the most natural thing in the world. The sight of it almost makes me laugh.

“You made breakfast?”

Kel grins over his shoulder. “Seemed like you could use a proper meal after everything.”

I sit down at the table where Ri and Sol are already tucking in. Plates are set out, a ridiculous amount of food spread across the table—eggs, bacon, toast, pancakes, you name it. It’s all a bit surreal.

“Thanks,” I say, trying to sound normal, even though my brain is still catching up.

The three of them watch me as I take a few bites, the unspoken question hanging in the air.

Finally, Sol clears his throat. “What’s your plan for the day, Swyn?”

I pause, setting my fork down. “I need to head back into town. I need to find more information about how to break the curse.”

Ri leans back in his chair, crossing his arms. “You’re not going alone.”

I blink. “What?”

“You heard him,” Kel says, sliding a stack of pancakes onto my plate. “We’re coming with you.”

My first instinct is to argue, but the look on all of their faces tells me I won’t win this one. They’re protective, and after everything I told them last night, I can’t exactly blame them for wanting to keep an eye on me.

“Alright,” I sigh, realising it’s pointless to protest. “Let’s go together then.”

After breakfast, I excuse myself and head back to the room, needing a few moments alone to gather myself before we head into town. The warm shower helped, but there’s still so much swirling in my mind.

I close the door behind me and lean against it for a second, taking in the quiet.

This is my life now—cursed, fated to three men who shift into dogs, and possibly being hunted by a man who’s supposedto be my Watcher. Not exactly what I imagined when I ran from home.

I change quickly into fresh clothes better suited to exploring town, glancing at myself in the mirror. My reflection looks tired, haunted even. The weight of everything feels heavier than ever, and I’m not sure how much longer I can keep carrying it.

But I have to. I have no choice. If I don’t find a way to break the curse, it’s all over.

A soft knock at the door pulls me from my thoughts.

“You ready, Swyn?” Kel’s voice calls through the door.

“Yeah, just a minute,” I reply, slipping on my shoes. I take one last deep breath before grabbing my jacket and opening the door.

Kel’s standing there, grinning that easy-going grin of his, and behind him, Sol and Ri are already heading towards the front door. They’ve all cleaned up too—looking like perfectly normal guys, though the memory of them shifting in front of me earlier still lingers in the back of my mind.

I can’t get over how similar they are, and yet how different. Sure, they’re identical, duh, but now that Iknowthere’s three of them, I don’t know how I didn’t spot it sooner.

It’s not just their three distinctive scents either. Ri’s posture is so much stiffer than his brothers’ and I’d swear Sol has maybe half an inch on Kel. Maybe. If I squint. Ri’s face is serious like Sol’s, but a little more stern, whereas Kel is more open and easy going. He’s the quickest to laughter too.

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