"The bloodline curse," Lady Arabella repeated herself. "If you have chosen to be with the Alpha, then you must also be prepared to face the possibility that one of your future pups will inherit the true bearer’s fate. Currently, no one knows for certain how the Morgrim’s came to be afflicted with such a sad curse, but in every generation, without fail, there is always someone like the true bearer."
She moved closer, her presence commanding Esme’s attention. "Donovan has always been under suspicion. People believe he is destined to be the next bearer. And they have every reason to think so. His power is unmatched. He annihilated everyone in the fortress, killed the king, and countless lives were lost in the wake of his fury. To top it off, he cannot die."
Lady Arabella’s gaze hardened as she stood before Esme, whose silence betrayed her rapt attention. "If you truly believe that the Alpha is not the true bearer, then understand this— he is still invaluable to the real one. After you were separated from him all those years ago, the court seized the opportunity. They subjected him to countless tests, stripping him of his power to search for any sign of the curse."
She suddenly hesitated, a shadow passing over her face as she recalled the grim ordeal– it was the only time she truly felt sorry for Donovan.
"They found nothing inside him," she breathed. "Though the curse runs through the Morgrim’s blood like a plague, there was no way to remedy it, no way to alter its course. In every generation, one Morgrim is destined to face a terrible fate at the end of the day, and this was something his mother failed to heed to. It’s not that the Alpha is immune to the curse— he’s constantly fighting it. But how long can he resist? Even if he somehow conquers it... what about the generation to come? The cycle won’t end if the curse isn’t broken."
"Donovan is bound to two curses?" Esme’s voice was barely above a whisper as she asked, her mind struggling to grasp revelation her Aunt had just unveiled. "How is that even possible? And how can I be sure you’re not just saying all this to push me away from him? What am I even asking? That is your intended motive, which is why you’re telling me this."
Steadying herself, Esme drew a deep breath and responded calmly. "I’ll believe your words only when the Alpha confirms them himself. Tomorrow, I’ll be visiting the palace. There’s already enough tension between both sides, and I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure we find a way to work together. If it’s within my power, I’d rather help them break the curse than cast them aside. They’re all victims in this, and I’ve already sworn to help them. There has to be a way, there always is."
A firm knock on the door broke through the heavy atmosphere, followed by Atticus’ voice from the other side. "Luna, the carriage is ready at your request."
"I’ll be out shortly," she called back, maintaining a steady voice. She waited until Atticus’ footsteps had receded before turning to face her Aunt, her gaze cold and unwavering this time. "If you won’t stop trying to convince me otherwise, then I suggest you leave with your daughter. Your home in the East is safe, so there’s no need for you to stay here any longer. I will have someone arranged to escort you back. But I have to take my leave now."
Without another word, Esme swept out of the room, leaving Lady Arabella standing in stunned silence, speechless by her niece’s resolve.
-_-_-♡-_-_-
Meanwhile, at the summit of a rugged mountain, clouds drifted lazily beneath the jagged peaks, their shadows dancing across the rocky terrain. Karnath sat cross-legged on a flat stone, his gaze distant as if lost in another realm.
The wind howled softly, carrying the scent of earth.
Eugene and Zarok approached, their footsteps muffled on the weathered rock. Karnath let out a quiet sigh before turning to face Zarok, his dark eyes narrowing.
"Our first target is Althea Woods," he murmured. "Why her? I honestly thought you were going to question Ultima when he changed his plan. He ordered us to pursue them and allowed us to choose our targets, but now, all of a sudden, he wants us to go after the least significant one. I really wonder what goes on in his mind."
Eugene shook his head and sank down beside Karnath. "Mind your words before you say them out loud. Ultima hears more than you think."
At Eugene’s unexpected warning, Karnath’s lips curled into a sly grin, and he threw an arm around Eugene’s shoulder, causing him to flinch. He then pulled him closer to whisper. "Do you think I’m that foolish to be receiving warnings from you? You should worry more about your own hide than my words, Eugene. You know I can just decide to slice you in multiple halves and use your bones to recreate my invention. Don’t test me like this again."
Though he was smiling, the threat in his eyes remained clear and visible. Eugene knew he was no match for Karnath, hence, he swallowed his retort like a bitter pill and remained silent.
Zarok’s voice finally cut through the tension, drawing their attention. "What is Ultima’s true aim? Even though he’s made it clear that he wants to eliminate everyone in Illyria for power, he hasn’t stated exactly why he wants to do it. The throne is not his main objective, so what is? If he conquers Illyria, what happens to the rest of us?"
"Does it matter?" Vaelin’s voice echoed as he strode up the slope to join them. "Who are we to question Ultima? All we should know is that he’s the reason we’re still breathing, and he’s not our enemy unlike the filthy werewolves out there. Our duty is to follow his orders without hesitation. What we should be discussing is how to eliminate his first target."
Karnath’s eyes gleamed with anticipation as he cupped his own cheeks. "When we do kill her, save her bones for me will you? I’ll be needing them for something important. In the meantime, I’ll go get us a ship."
With a chuckle, he leaped off the slope, vanishing from sight. Vaelin’s expression twisted into a deep scowl after Karnath’s disappearance, and he shifted his attention to Eugene, who sat rigid, his discomfort etched across his face.
"Hey, Eugene," he called sharply, gaining Eugene’s startled gaze. "Decide where you stand before we leave. Having Karnath on this mission is already enough of a liability. If you’re going to be dead weight, then do us all a favor and back out now."
Eugene stared at Vaelin with a dumbfounded expression, while Zarok’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What do you mean by that? Ultima already made it clear during the meeting. This mission requires all five of us."
Vaelin’s scowl only deepened further, and his tone was biting as he retorted. "Better to weed out the weak link than watch him sabotage everything again. The Montague girl wouldn’t have slipped through our fingers if he’d just handled the job Ultima gave him the day they wiped out the entire pack. Useless!"