Page 22 of Moon Cursed

Megan and her friends shared another look. I could tell they weren’t pleased with my caveats, but—

“Agreed,” Megan replied, holding out her hand. “Can we hold the first one this Friday, because we have a list.” She squeezed my hand harder than she needed to. “A verylonglist. And right at the top... is a demand for a new headmistress.”

I laughed, strangling her hand just as hard. “Friday it is. See you there.”

Shaking her off, I continued on to the serving window but my wolf ears heard Megan and her cronies loud and clear. They were already rattling off requests for their lists, and absolutely all of them benefited the alphas and the alphas only.

I heaved a sigh. Minds couldn’t be changed overnight, and definitely not by force, but I damn sure wished they could be. I had three monthsmaxto turn the whole of Wolf Nation against the alpha council and everyone willing to slaughter omega babies for the incredible powers they were destined to have. I had to burn down our sick and twisted world and create a nation where Hope would be safe to live among her own people without fear one of them would rip her soul out of her chest. I had to do it all with almost everyone against me—even one of my own mates.

The fact is the prophecy proclaiming the Golden Age of Wolves had been around decades before I was born. It told of a time when werewolves would come out of hiding and become the strongest race on the planet. We’d take over all five dominions and be unstoppable—ruling on earth for forever and a day.

All of Wolf Nation and beyond knew this was coming... and they knew it all began with me.

I never had a chance to hide. I never had a chance to be normal, or live a different life than this one. The only hope I had, and Luame made this clear to me, was to fight.

So that’s what I’m going to do no matter how many Megans whine, complain, and moan.My fists balled at my side.For Hope—my only hope.

A scent hit my nostrils, spinning me around. “Hey! What are you—?” I froze, my jaw hanging open at the sight before me.

Straightening, Paxton cleared his throat and held out what he had clutched in his calloused grip—a bouquet of lilies. “Good morning, Daciana, I’m here... I have to— Hold on. I wrote it down so I wouldn’t miss anything.” Tossing his head, he dug in his pocket and pulled out index cards. Trying again, he read them off. “Good morning, Daciana, you look beautiful as always.” Paxton paused to look me up and down. “Damn, you really do. You’ve got great legs, girl. Definitely the kind you want wrapped around your ears.”

“Excuse me?!”

He flashed me a look. “I’m doing a thing. Just let me finish. Okay, what was I saying— Oh, right,” he went on. “You look beautiful. You are beautiful, and I’m one of the five luckiest men on the planet to have been chosen as your fated mate.”

“What the fuck is happening?” I breathed, looking around like someone was going to help me or explain.

“I came here to say I’m sorry,” Paxton read. “I called you a bitch and that never should’ve happened. I have no excuse, only apologies. Do you accept them?”

“No,” I dropped—voice dead.

He sighed, tucking away the cards. “Fair enough. I wouldn’t let me off that easy either. I am sorry, for what it’s worth. My mom would rip my tail off if she heard me speak to a woman that way. I’m not the complete jackass that I’ve been, and I’m going to prove it to you.”

“Uhh, no,” I drew out, “you’re not, because I don’t care if you shape-shift into an actual jackass. You tricked me, used me, and lied to me so that you could get close and steal my mother’s letters. You’re luckyIdon’t rip your fucking tail off, so get out of my face.”

Paxton didn’t move. “I can’t do that, and you know that, Volana. You and I have got to make it right.”

“Why in the hell would we need to do that?”

“So that we can be fated mates again.”

I turned around and walked off. “Peanut butter–stuffed French toast, please, Nataly,” I called through the serving window.

“Coming right up, Headmistress.”

Heavy footfalls and the smell of cedar-vanilla shampoo proved I hadn’t shaken the idiot off. “Daze, I’m serious.”

“Don’t call me Daze,” I snapped. “Only my friends, family, and people who have a chance of seeing me naked can call me Daze.”

“I literally saw you naked on the first day of school.”

“You know what I mean!”

Paxton laughed, risking serious bodily harm. “I get it. You’re not going to make this easy for me. You’ll make me work for it until I’m good and humbled,” he said. “Don’t worry, I’m all in for it. Nyx told me this would happen.”

“Nyx?” I temporarily halted my determination to get the hell away from him. “What’s he got to do with anything?”

“You know.”

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