Curse
991 Words
Leia - POV
I had taken sick leave from work and was pacing back and forth, feeling on edge after receiving Sia's letter. I knew going to the office in this state would not help, and it could raise suspicions about my unusual behavior, causing Vincent to suspect and force me to reveal what was bothering me. I assumed Sia didn't want her sons to know about our meeting and preferred speaking with me privately.
I checked the clock like a lunatic, and all the questions seemed crazy. After showering and dressing up, I left my suffocating apartment. My nerves calmed down after taking a sip of warm coffee and a bite of the bagel.
As I sat in the café, I watched people hurrying to get to work. It reminded me that I had been doing the same thing for five and a half years with no time to relax, which was hard for me as a workaholic.
I opened my laptop and scrolled through my social media, finding Alpha Francis and his wife Leena's family photos, which looked happy. It brought back memories of rejection, making me feel bitter. I knew I shouldn't be stalking him and felt creepy about myself, so I blocked him from all social media. I hated being stuck in the past, so I tried putting myself out there, but nothing seemed to work. The irony was that I wasn't even a shifter.
I checked out my side hustle business, which I started a year ago, selling only fashion clothes online. The poor sales numbers discouraged me, but it couldn't have been better for me to quit my job and work on my business full-time.
I couldn't shake it off despite trying to divert myself from the anxiety eating me up about what Sia would say to me. I killed time by working on my business while waiting at the gazebo in front of the mansion. When the attendee walked towards us, I didn't see Sia, so I sat on the chair waiting.
"You came early," Sia said as she elegantly walked towards me in a luxurious, casual outfit. We sat opposite each other, and the attendee poured tea for us.
"You left a note for me, and here I am," I said, getting straight to the point.
"Straight to business," Sia added, sipping her chamomile tea. I should have exchanged greetings and asked about her health, but I was too anxious.
"I'm sorry; how are you doing?" I asked, trying to redeem myself, but it was too late.
"No need for it, Leia; I understand you well," she said with a smile, but her gaze held an unsettling expression. She took a deep breath, and I could tell she was struggling or maybe thinking about how to start the conversation.
"Leia, did you see the old wooden box with old photographs of your parents?" I sat upright in my chair.
"So it wasn't a dream; it was real?" I asked desperately, and Sia nodded her head sympathetically. My heart was pounding with mixed emotions, realizing that my friends betrayed me and those alphas were my stepbrothers.
"Alphas, are my stepbrothers?" I asked.
"So, you married my father or something? Because I don't get it," I asked, confused.
"How about you catch your breath or sip tea first? You are shaking," Sia said. I looked at myself, and my hands were trembling with emotion. I took Sia's advice and sipped the tea, which helped to calm me.
"First, I didn't marry your father. When you were young, your mother was out of town for some days, and you cried, feeling lonely. You always wanted siblings or family members to be around you. Your father couldn't be there for you as he was busy working for our pack," Sia explained.
"I recall nothing," I said, feeling lost.
"I will explain it to you when the time is right. But about the stepbrother thing, you and my sons were best friends from childhood; I remember you throwing tantrums and being jealous of them being brothers," Sia added.
"So, I am like a foster sister?" I asked, trying to make sense of it all. Sia nodded.
"You need to know why my sons kept things from you and why Vincent and Daisy betrayed you while hiding this. You should know your past and why your dad was exiled from the pack." Sia paused.
Suddenly, a headache surfaced, and my body fell underwater. "s**t, Leia, your curse is back up..." Sia said as she came closer, trying to heal me with her magic. My vision turned blurred.
An image flashed in front of me "You need to save my daughter!" My father's loud cry spoke, and I saw through the eyes of my younger self. It covered my arms in bruises and gashes, and Dad was pleading with someone dressed in black to heal me.
I felt myself drifting toward something in my past, but I couldn't stay longer. I tried not to lose consciousness, but the pain in my body felt like someone was breaking all my bones.
"Mom, what happened to her?" I heard Kai's voice.
"Mum must have disclosed Leia's past, and it triggered her dark curse," Xavier said with disappointment. Sia looked at me with guilt as Kai took me inside the mansion and put me on the bed. After a few minutes, I saw three women dressed in white. They seemed to be shamans. I felt their magic brushing my skin and slowly leaving me. I shut my eyes in relief but could still hear noise from my surroundings.
"Alphas, I suggest you take her to the Black Moon pack," someone said.
"Why would Leia have to go to the pack? It could make it worse for her," Sia replied.
"Of course, it can. But I sense something else, and Leia needs to return to her birthplace, where she can be secure." Shaman said.
- Writer
