Page 76 of A Curse So Vile

But she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

He took a step forward and took her hand in his. He was even stupider than she’d thought.

“Your people need you, Brenna. Fiona needs you. I need you.” He took her hand and pressed it against his chest.

Brenna…that name…

“I love you, Brenna. I’ll always love you. From now until the end of time, my heart is yours.”

The answer lies not in what ye chant or what ye drink. It lies in a heart. The heart of a noble man.

She’d heard those words so long ago. Was it a thousand years? Two?

Images flashed in her mind, but instead of mayhem, they were of people. People she knew.

This isn’t you…

This man…he was doing something to her. He was…Cole…

But who am I?

The white beast brushed up against her leg. Icaries was his name, and he was her wolf sibling. He’d told her to find her way home.

And somehow, through thousands of memories, through worlds she could hardly remember, she had returned. Not to the Den. But to Cole and Icaries. A noble man and her wolf brother.

“Feast, my love,” an ancient blooded man said.

His name was Constantine…

He was…bad.

The world grew bigger. Cole was no longer so tiny. The white wolf’s fur—Icaries—felt different.

Her legs started shaking violently, and when she fell, Cole caught her in his arms.

She felt suddenly weak.

Cole’s face came into focus. Her hand closed against his chest, forming a fist.

“I knew you were in there,” he said, pulling her fist up and kissing her knuckles.

“What folly is this?” Constantine sneered.

Brenna pulled herself up and stood before the room, naked but unafraid.

“Apparently, you were right,” Brenna said. “I wasn’t cursed after all.”

“Why do you look so,” Constantine’s lips sneered, “disgusting?”

“Because having power isn’t what you think.”

“Oh, how you disappoint me.”

“I will give you this one chance. Submit to me now and commit to changing your ways, or you will be sentenced to execution.”

Constantine scoffed and extended his arms wide. “You think you could take on all of my people? I was willing to take you as my bride, put you on a throne, and let the lands run red with blood for you. But now,” he chuckled dryly, “now I’ll keep you chained and use you how I please. You’ll still bear my children, and one day, we’ll feast on your blood, strengthening our own. You’ll regret this day, Brenna. You’ll regret it with every breath you take.”

She’d been hoping he’d see reason, but she wasn’t surprised by his stubbornness. The Ossorians weren’t known for logic or intelligence.