I can’t even process Stone’s words, let alone respond to them.
My heart is doing somersaults in my chest—and not the good kind.
“What?” I gasp out, more to myself than to him.
I’m struggling to understand, to find some kind of footing in this sudden, unfamiliar landscape opening between us.
For a brief moment, Stone looks just as lost, his hands pressing against his temples as if he can physically push away whatever’s taken hold of him.
“I—I’m sorry, Ella. I don’t know why I said that.” His voice is laced with genuine bewilderment, but it does nothing to ease the tight knot of dread coiling in my stomach.
My mouth runs dry and I fight back tears.
Everything was perfect—so beautiful.
Until it wasn’t.
I want to shift into my wolf—to run away so he can’t see me cry because I feel it coming on.
Instead, I’m frozen—my old F habit deciding to make an unhelpful reappearance.
All those feelings of connection, of rightness that were so vivid just moments ago are now overshadowed by a stark, cold reversal.
My body is still tingling, the remnants of euphoria lingering in the background of what feels like betrayal. Adrenaline takes over and my body begins to shiver in the August heat.
Stone stands in front of me with a look of confusion and agitation fighting for dominance across his features. Yet, his erection is still evident—glistening in the dappled sunlight like some kind of sick joke reminding me of what we just had.
What we almost had.
I can still feel him inside me. I can feel the evidence of him running down my leg.
“I think I’m going to be sick,” I blurt out, turning away from him.
I can’t look at him, not after what he just said. I can’t let it taint this for me. But I think it already has.
“How do you think I feel?” Stone retorts with a grunt, and I whirl around, my gaze sharp enough to cut.
However, any sharp words I might have said are swallowed by the sudden, overwhelming need to understand—to figure out what just went so terribly wrong.
This isn’t Stone.
It can’t be.
Something must have happened to him.
I shake my head, trying to clear it—to force some logic through the hurt and confusion.
“I need to think. I need... I need to talk to Jinx,” I say, more to myself than to him.
Maybe she and Trudie have come across something like this before, something that could explain why Stone would suddenly turn like this. If nothing else, maybe they can help me fix it—fix him.
An almost bored expression takes hold of Stone’s features and he rolls his eyes. “This isn’t that big of a deal, Ella. We tried it”—he shrugs—“just didn’t work out. You don’t have to be so dramatic about it.”
Bile rises in the back of my throat and I glare back unable to believe what I’m hearing.
This can’t be real. He can’t be—
“I’m not being dramatic. I need to find out what’s wrong with you,” I snap back, taking a step further from him.
He huffs a humorless laugh. “Nothing’s wrong with me. Maybe I’m just seeing things clearly for the first time.”
This is bullshit. I glance around the space, wondering if the ritual site had something to do with this.
Or was it Jinx? Did she accidentally mess with my mojo?
“I’m going to see Jinx,” I repeat, unwilling to participate in whatever this is.
Stone looks like he wants to argue, to insist on coming with me, maybe. But I can’t have him there.
Not when I don’t even understand what I’m feeling or what I’m about to face. I need distance to work it out.
Using every ounce of willpower I have left, I lock eyes with him, my voice finding the steely edge of authority that comes with being an Alpha. “Do your own thing, Stone. I’ll see you at home later.”
It’s a command, not a suggestion, fueled by my need for space, for time to process this heart-wrenching turmoil without the added weight of his verbal barbs and my own overwhelming emotions.
The moment the words leave my mouth, I turn away from him, not waiting to see his reaction—not sure I could bear it.
Thankfully, my command must have hit its mark because he doesn’t say anything behind my back.
The need to shift, to let my wolf out, becomes an insurmountable force. I sprint, putting distance between us, until I’m far enough away, secluded by the dense embrace of the forest that has always felt like a sanctuary.
With a deep breath that feels like it’s tearing my chest apart, I let go, surrendering to the shift. My body contorts, the familiar pain a welcome distraction from the chaos of my emotions. Bones realign, muscles reshape, and fur sprouts.
In moments, my human worries are overshadowed by the more straightforward thoughts of my wolf.
I run.
The forest blurs past me, a streak of colors and sensations, as I push my legs to carry me faster, further.
My heart still aches, but the physical exertion, the rush of wind through my fur, offers a temporary reprieve from the pain, the betrayal, and the utter confusion.
Eventually, exhaustion claws its way into my limbs, forcing me to slow down and acknowledge that I can’t outrun my problems, no matter how fast I go.
Besides, the further away from the scene, the more agitated I get.
With a irritation, I make my way back to where I left my clothes, shifting back with a sigh that feels like it carries the weight of the world.
How the fuck did things go so terribly wrong?
The tears come and I let them fall. Willing them to come so I can release them and be done with it.
I can’t—won’t—let this break me. No matter how much it feels like it could.
Dressed once more, I head toward Jinx’s house, my mind spinning with questions.
Each time I run through them, the further from a resolution I get.
All I know is this isn’t Stone. It can’t be the real Stone.
Please, don’t let it be the real Stone.
Something’s happened to him when the darkness crept over the bond.
As I knock on Jinx’s door, I brace myself for the conversation to come. I need answers, and I need them now. But I don’t even have any idea if she and Trudie will be able to help.
“Ella, ‘bout time. Took you long enough to get back—” Jinx says when she opens the door. However, her expression shifts from sarcastic to concern at the sight of me. “What’s wrong?”
I step inside, my face crumpling despite trying to stay calm. The tears come and I’m helpless to stop them. “Something happened with Stone. I think... I think we might be dealing with something supernatural. Something beyond my understanding. I don’t know what to do.”
Jinx ushers me in, and there’s Trudie, sitting at the kitchen table surrounded by a mess of old books and maps.
“What in the world happened, Ella?” Trudie asks, her voice full of concern and curiosity as she stands up and walks over.
I take a deep, steadying breath, trying to gather my scattered thoughts.
“It’s Stone,” I begin, my voice shaking despite my efforts to sound composed. There’s an edge of anger, total disbelief that I can’t seem to fight off. “Something’s not right. He... he’s not himself.”
Jinx takes a seat at the table. “Ella, start from the beginning. What’s going on?”
“I don’t even know if I can explain it,” I spit out. “One moment, Stone and I were…” I glance between the two of them and scrunch my nose, “close—and then suddenly, he said something so hurtful, so unlike him. And his expression, Jinx, it was like he didn’t even recognize me. Or hated me, even.”
She narrows her gaze. “Not sure I want to know this, but for the sake of argument, what do you mean by close?”
“I thought…” The tears spring to my eyes again and I press my palms over them. “I thought we were consummating the bond.”
When I drop my hands, a look passes between Jinx and Trudie.
“Did you do something, Jinx?” I ask her directly, the question hanging heavy between us. “Accidentally, maybe? With the ley lines or something else? I know your abilities can sometimes go awry.”
Jinx’s face softens, and she shakes her head, a firm certainty in her eyes. “Ella, I swear, I’ve done nothing that could cause harm to Stone or you. Our work with the ley lines has only been about understanding, not manipulation. And especially not to you and Stone. I like you crazy kids.”
Trudie, who’s been quietly observing, suddenly steps forward. “Let me get a look at you, Ella,” she says, her tone commanding in a way that brooks no argument.
Her gaze is intense as she examines me.
After a moment, she frowns, her brow furrowing. “There’s something... odd about your energy. It’s as if there’s a shadow hanging over you that wasn’t there this morning. I’ve felt something similar once before, but this feels more personal, more... targeted.”
“What do you mean? Like a—curse?” I blurt out, my heart racing. “Did someone do this to us?”
She winces slightly. “Perhaps.”
My heart sinks. “Can you help? Do you think you can see what’s wrong with Stone? Fix him?”
I want him back.
Trudie nods slowly. “I need to see him for myself. There’s a harmony I can sometimes bring—a balance to energies that are out of sync. It’s worth a try.”
Jinx interjects, “If little miss harmony over here senses something off with your aura, but Stone’s the one acting out, then this is some serious shit. We’re all going to help you figure this out, Ella.”
Their support, the assurance in their voices, it’s a balm to the raw edges of my emotions that seem to be fighting between terror, sadness, and anger.
“Thank you,” I whisper, feeling the first flicker of hope since this nightmare began. “I just... I can’t lose Stone. Not like this. Not now. There’s so much—”
“We won’t let that happen,” Trudie says firmly, her determination echoing around the small kitchen.
Jinx nods in agreement, her usual banter with her sister apparently forgotten in the face of my crisis. “I’ll check the ley lines again. There could be something we missed—something that could explain this... shift.”
We gather around the kitchen table, a makeshift war room in Jinx’s cozy, cluttered home.
However, my mind begins to shut down. I’m there, but not. My heart and head are at war with each other.
We were so close…
I felt the bond. I felt my mate’s love like it was a palpable thing.
And I have to hold onto that.
In the background, I’m vaguely aware of the sister’s banter returning. Trudie quips about Jinx’s stubbornness, and Jinx retorts with a comment about Trudie’s overly optimistic view. But beneath the surface, there’s a solid, unshakeable foundation of trust and respect. I don’t even know if they realize it. It’s their way of coping, of keeping the darkness at bay, and right now, I’m grateful for it. Because I feel like I’m going to lose my mind.
“Ella, I don’t think this in the ley lines,” Trudie says, shaking her head. “I need to see Stone. I need to feel his energy for myself. I don’t want to alarm you, but curses are tricky and the longer they stick—the harder they are to remove.”
The room falls silent at Trudie’s declaration, the weight of her words settling over me like a thick fog. My heart, already fractured from the day’s revelations, tightens further.
Oh my god, what if we can’t get him back?
No—I can’t focus on that. I have to believe we can fix this.
The thought of facing Stone—seeing him so changed from the man I love, terrifies me. Yet, the possibility of healing, of restoration, nudges me forward through the fear.
“I... I’m scared to see him like that again,” I admit, my voice barely a whisper, choked with emotion. “But I’ll take you to him. If there’s even a chance you can help, we have to try.”
Jinx’s eyes meet mine across the table. “You’re not alone in this, Ella. We’re with you.”
Trudie’s nod is full of a determined kind of grace—the kind that reassures without words. It speaks of her presence and how it brings the hope of mending what’s been torn apart.
“Thanks—both of you,” I say, heading to the door.
I lead the way, my steps uncertain but guided by the knowledge that doing nothing isn’t an option. We have so much going on—so much to be thinking about, worrying about. Stone being cursed shouldn’t be one of them, but here we are.
Trudie and Jinx flank me, their presence a silent vow of solidarity.
As we step outside, the humid summer air does little to soothe the turmoil within me. In fact, the storm clouds that seem to be heading our way feel like more of an accurate representation. But with each step toward Stone, I’m buoyed by the strength of those beside me.
We won’t rest until we figure this out.
As we make our way to Stone’s home, the urgency is palpable, driving us to mend things before it’s too late—before whatever has taken hold of Stone takes him away from me for good.