Page 43 of Cursed By Fate

When the knot took hold, I didn’t flinch. I welcomed it. The magic between us surged like a storm breaking. It didn’t just bind our bodies—it unbound everything that ever kept us apart. The weight of him pressed me into the bed, and I held on as tightly as I could, like he’d slip away if I didn’t. I never wanted to let go. Not of him. Not of this.

We stayed tangled for what felt like forever. It was breathless and perfect, and my mind was too full to even think. I kissed his shoulder, tasted the salt of his skin. I wondered if I would ever have enough of him.

“Serena,” he said again, his voice ragged and soft. I felt it more than heard it, felt it inside me, just like the knot that still tied us together.

When we could finally move again, he pulled me to his side. My head rested on his chest, the rise and fall of his breathing steady and slow. I let my fingers trace the scars there, and his hand smoothed my hair back from my face, gentle, a counterpoint to everything we’d just done.

We didn’t speak at first, just lay there and listened to the night. I could feel the weight of his thoughts and his heartbeat under my cheek. He turned my face to him, brushing his thumb over my lips.

“Do you think this will change everything?” he asked.

“I think we already did.” I smiled, feeling the truth of it.

His eyes met mine, serious now. “And if the mountain won’t let us have this? If my pack—”

“Then we fight it,” I said, my voice strong. “We fight everything and everyone if we have to.”

A soft smile broke across his face. “That’s my mate,” he whispered softly. “Mine,” he whispered again, forehead pressed to mine.

“I love you,” I whispered, the words soft against his skin. “I think I have for a while. I just didn’t let myself believe it could be real. I never believed in forever. Not until you. I love you, Tristan. I’m not running anymore.”

His hand curved around my face, reverent and steady. “Then I’ll never let you go.”

I clung to him, the bond thrumming between us like wildfire.

I was home, but the war wasn’t over. The pack still needed rebuilding. But for now, I had what I needed to fight for it. For him. For us.

The first light of dawn filtered through the open balcony doors, casting a soft glow on the rumpled sheets and our entwined limbs. I stirred, the cool mountain air prickling my skin, and carefully extricated myself from Tristan's embrace. He murmured something unintelligible in his sleep, reaching out as if to pull me back, but I slipped from the bed, wrapping a fur around my shoulders.

The balcony stones were cold beneath my bare feet, the air crisp and fresh. The sun was just beginning to crest the mountains, painting the sky in hues of pink and gold. I leaned against the railing, taking in the breathtaking vista of Stormvale. The compound was quiet, the usual hustle and bustle of pack life not yet begun. It felt like a private moment, a stolen glimpse of tranquility before the day took hold.

I heard the rustle of the sheets behind me, and then Tristan's warm presence was at my back, his arms wrapping around my waist. He nuzzled into my neck, his breath warm against my skin. “Morning,” he rasped, his voice still thick with sleep.

I leaned into him, feeling the solidity of his body against mine. “Morning,” I replied softly. We stood there in silence, watching as the sun slowly ascended, casting longer shadows across the courtyard below. The compound seemed peaceful from this vantage point, as if the turmoil of the past weeks had never occurred.

Tristan's hands roamed gently over my body, tracing the curve of my hips, the flat of my stomach. His touch was possessive yet tender, a stark contrast to the heated passion of the night before. I could feel the hum of our bond, a steady thrum beneath my skin, connecting us in a way that was both exhilarating and comforting. The mark on my wrist pulsed softly, echoing the beat of his heart against my back. I covered his hands with mine, squeezing gently, feeling a sense of contentment wash over me. This was real. We were real. I had spent my whole life waiting to be chosen. But this—this was the first time I’d chosen myself. And I chose this. Him. Us. And despite the challenges that lay ahead, I felt a sense of peace in this moment that I hadn’t known in a long time.

The scent of the mountains filled my lungs—pine and crisp air, the faint hint of wildflowers that somehow managed to bloom in this rugged terrain. It was a stark contrast to the heavier, earthier scents of Silver Ridge, but it was growing on me. There was a wildness here that called to something deep within me, something that yearned to be free.

Tristan squeezed my hand, and the look in his eyes was as raw and certain as it had been when he first laid claim to me. “Do you feel it?” he murmured, brushing my birthmark. “The mountain’s changed. So have I. You’re the only truth I’ve ever needed. I loveyou, Serena. And if fate tries to take you again, I’ll rewrite the stars to keep you.”

I turned to him, blazing with the idea of us. Tristan’s lips brushed against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. “What do you think fate has planned for us today?” he murmured, his voice steady.

“I don’t know,” I said with a laugh. I took a deep breath. “But this time, we don’t follow fate. We lead it.”

The mountain had stopped roaring, but it hadn’t fallen silent. There were still echoes. Still work to do. But we’d face it together.

Epilogue

Serena

The café in town was quiet, tucked between a crumbling bookshop and an old apothecary that still smelled faintly of crushed herbs and rain. Warm sunlight filtered through the frosted glass windows, casting honeyed shadows across the mismatched tables and chairs. I curled my hands around thechipped ceramic mug in front of me, inhaling the scent of fresh coffee and something cinnamon-laced that made my stomach growl.

Lila dropped into the seat across from me, her blonde braid wind-tangled, cheeks flushed from the mountain chill. She tossed her coat over the back of the chair like she owned the place and stole a sip from my cup before sliding her own across the table.

“Well,” she said with a grin that had just enough bite in it, “you look like someone who’s been thoroughly ruined by a certain Alpha.”

I rolled my eyes, but the heat in my cheeks gave me away. “You promised not to lead with that.”

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