Page 92 of Red's Beast

Pa growls and places his hands on my mother's shoulders as he looks at Emmeline with a look of hatred. "Why would you do this to our son?"

"Oh, it wasn't me. I was banished here, just like you were. Actually, it happened all on the same night, remember? I was here setting up the house, then poof, here you came. My darling sister is the mastermind behind this, though I never thought she'd go this far." Emmeline shrugs and goes to put the pot on the table. "We're all just victims of hers."

Ma lets out a small cry as she throws her arms around me. "I'm so sorry you've had to live like this all this time. We never knew. I thought you got to live your life with Emily, have pups, and die an old man."

I stare at the wall behind my family, uncertain of how to react. It's not like they understand me, though they should since we were pack when all this happened. Something tells me the witch played with more than I can ever imagine.

Emmeline goes and fetches the muffins off the stove. "I believe Emily went by Lira after that incident. Natalia didn’t want anyone figuring out how Lucian’s curse could be broken.”

"Lira? That sounds insane," Pa says in a whisper.

"It’s just another thing my sister caused. She is definitely a tricky witch who had a plan.”

Ma and Pa exchange a look while Logan moves quietly over to the table and sits.

"It sounds like you speak in riddles. Why don't you tell us how to break this curse that is over my brother?"

"I wish I could help, but unfortunately I can't. You all weren't the only ones she cursed that night and she made sure it would never be spoken of again, even if she died or met a block in the road."

A whimper escapes me and she cuts her eyes over at me. "I know you tried to tell your mate before you got sent here, but you and my sister are the only ones who know how to break it. Even if I could tell them, what good would it do? You know it's up to you and your mate. That's all I can say."

Ma goes into shock. "You have a mate?"

Emmeline nods. "One which he hasn't claimed, but that is all I can tell you. It's between the two of them to figure out the rest."

As I sit on my haunches, all they can do is stare at me. I know the frustration they feel because I have felt that way my whole life. When I was first cursed, I wandered to the cottage only to discover my family was gone. I wandered the woods, hopeless and alone, then I heard the ramblings of a beast that lived in the woods. At first, I was petrified because I didn't want to mess with a beast like that.

I edged closer to the village and went to cry out for help, but hit a barrier. It wouldn't let me pass through and I didn't understand why. Sadly, I soon realized the monster they were terrified of was me.

Oddly, after days of searching from the edge of the woods, I saw Natalia was nowhere to be found. Not only that, but the village acted differently. It was like my family never existed.

Shortly after that, the alpha family moved several books to my old home. They looked like they were in a trance-like state as I watched them. Once they were back in the village, they shook their heads and looked at each other as if they didn't know what they had just done.

All hope was lost until Lillian's grandfather was challenged by Corbin's father and lost, though I’m still perplexed as to how he ever arrived in Dark Moon when I patrolled the woods. Grandmother moved to the house as an outcast and it's like the cloud lifted little by little. She found the books and came outside to ask me if it was me?

The only bad part was when she tried to tell her family she was muted and couldn't say anything. Her daughter and mate lived in fear of me, though I never harmed them.

Later on, they were tossed into the woods for me to devour and rumors spread that I killed them. Instead, I carried them to the Night Walker’s pack through the woods. I thought they would mourn for the daughter they left behind, but I was surprised when they went on like nothing happened.

It was like leaving the village erased everything. Now I sadly realize the witch ensured they wouldn't remember before they were cast out of the village because she was hiding in plain sight all this time.

"Lucian, you poor thing. I just can't help but keep thinking about how alone you were all this time." Ma strokes the fur on my face softly as the tears continue to fall. "I wonder what the village did with you like this."

Feared me. Ran from the woods. Screamed and yelled at me. You know, the things you do when you're utterly terrified.

Emmeline chokes back a laugh. "Well, he lived in the woods. He could go anywhere, except the village."

Ma looks back and forth again, the sadness clearly visible. "I will kill that witch for ever thinking she could mess with my son."

Emmeline shrugs. "Come eat. There is nothing you can do, though you'd like to. Now, we wait."

Pa and Ma move to the table and sit next to Logan. Emmeline joins them, then looks at me. "Oh, I promised you another muffin."

She gets one off the plate from the table and puts it on the dish she gave me earlier. When she sets it on the floor, my mother scoffs. "Why are you feeding him like an animal?"

"Does he look like he can sit at the table and eat off a plate with a fork?"

They all turn to look at me. My brother has a smile on his face as he looks at me from head to tail.No, I couldn't do that. Not only would it be awkward, but I'd probably break the chair as well.

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