Page 10 of Cursed Magic (Rejected Fate Trilogy #2)

CHAPTER TEN

M y pulse thundered in my ears, and my eyes popped open as I sat bolt upright. Sunlight streamed through the massive windows, casting long golden rays across the floor. Each of the Grimstone pack members slept deeply, their chests rising and falling, and Briar lay beside me, completely unaware, her light copper hair splayed across the beige pillow.

There was nothing out of place or amiss.

Everything inside me screamed that someone had been in here. I leaned toward the edge of the bed where the person must have stood in order to touch me, and for a split second, I smelled the faint aroma again before it vanished into thin air.

It didn’t smell like shifter but rather like the unique floral odor I’d smelled in the woods when Ryker had been hunting Simon.

The scent didn’t seem to come from this world.

My wolf stirred, her magic pulsing through my body as if in agreement.

My mouth dried and my head spun .

Had I really just thought a scent couldn’t be from this world? Maybe I was losing my mind after all. I wanted to focus on locating the enemy and eliminating the threat, but if my grief kept messing with me like this… I needed to take the time to mourn my parents, the loss of my alpha and pack.

The mere thought of them had pain radiating from my heart to the missing spots of my packmates. My lungs struggled to breathe, and I slowly lowered myself back on the bed, not wanting to disturb anyone.

My wolf, however, disagreed. She prowled inside me, her senses heightened and alert.

I agreed that something seemed off, but I wasn’t sure if I could trust my logic. The cold touch, the ethereal scent—it felt like a warning, a whisper from something beyond my understanding.

Of course, my traitorous gaze landed on Ryker. He lay on his back, his chest rising and falling steadily. Even in sleep, he looked powerful, his muscular frame proof of all the training and fights he’d had all his life. Seeing the return of his olive complexion soothed some of the ache in my heart.

Despite it being late morning, I knew all of us needed more rest, including me. I turned on my side so I could see anyone who stood beside me. Every time I tried to close my eyes, they popped back open, scanning the area for the intruder.

I concentrated on my breathing, attempting to calm myself, but my mind wouldn’t stop, and my wolf hadn’t settled.

That cold touch replayed across my cheek, worsening my unease.

My wolf paced restlessly inside me, her senses alert. The magical energy that always hummed beneath my skin felt different—sharper, more electric. The air itself seemed charged with an otherworldly tension that made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end from both some unexplained recognition and fear.

The weight of the unknown pressed on me like a palpable force that made it hard to breathe. I had to get a grip. I couldn’t allow fear to dictate my actions, especially when there was no way someone could have been in the room without one of us stirring… and yet, I couldn’t shake what I sensed was true.

I took a deep breath, focusing on the familiar scents of the room—the comforting musk of Briar, the earthy aroma that clung to Ryker, and the faint traces of the other pack members. But the memory of the phantom scent lingered, a ghostly reminder of the presence that had invaded my space.

Stop. No one could’ve been here . I was allowing my imagination to run wild again.

I fidgeted, trying not to wake Briar, my wolf growling softly in my mind, urging me to take action.

I glanced at Ryker, his face serene in sleep. I walked toward him, needing to close the distance between us. With each step closer I took, the panic that clawed inside me eased. I propped myself against the wall near him, and eventually my wolf relaxed, and my heart returned to its normal rhythm.

The late-morning light filtered through the windows, casting golden rays across Ryker’s sleeping form. My fingers itched to trace the line of his jaw to confirm he was still alive and healing, which was asinine. I could hear his heartbeat and see his chest rising and falling.

I kept my hands firmly at my sides and played the events of the past night through my mind—the attack, the knife, Ryker’s willingness to sacrifice himself for Briar—for me.

The connection between us seemed to buzz through the distance like a tangible vibration. It felt even more intense than it had last night, as if a bond continued to strengthen between us. Yet, I had already found my fated mate, and he’d rejected me and killed my pack. Nothing should be able to form between Ryker and me, and yet, each day, spending time away from him became harder and harder.

None of this made sense. Fated-mate bonds were predetermined before either person was born because their soul was split in two.

I leaned against the wall and slid to the wooden floor. As soon as my butt hit the ground, Ryker stirred.

He moaned softly and moved closer to the edge of the bed near me.

I closed my eyes as if that would somehow make him unable to see me if he leaned over, and I wondered if the crackle I sensed in the air had become some sort of beacon to him. Hopefully, the sensation was one-sided.

His eyelids flickered open. For a moment, he scanned the room before his eyes finally locked on me, and somehow, the friction between us sizzled with even more energy.

“Are you okay?” he rasped. His brows furrowed, and he lifted his head then winced, one hand covering his injury. “What’s wrong?” He studied my face and tried to sit up.

“I’m fine.” I lifted both hands. “You need to stay still and not aggravate your stab wound,” I deflected, hoping that he wouldn’t ask me what was wrong again.

He lifted a brow, studying me with an intensity that made me want to squirm. If I’d believed a person could see into someone else’s soul, I’d swear that was what he was doing to me, and it was unnerving.

“You’re pale,” he said, his voice rough from sleep. “Paler than before you went to sleep. And you look…” He paused as if searching for the right word. “Unsettled.”

I swallowed hard, aware that my attempt to appear calm had failed spectacularly. “I’m fine,” I repeated, the words hollow even to my own ears. Still, that was the one thing I could say that was true—right here next to him, everything seemed fine… Right. The cold touch and floral smell damn near disappeared from my mind.

“I know this trick. You say you’re fine to skirt around the problem.” He placed a hand on the side of the bed and sat upright. “Let me see your back. You could be bleeding again.”

Damn him for being smart. I’d thought that, with his wounds, he would be less aware of mine.

I sighed, knowing he wouldn’t relent. “My wound has been healing. It doesn’t hurt as much since I woke up.”

“Then there’s no risk in humoring me, is there?” He placed his hands on the white sheets, readying to throw them off.

“Fine. Stay put. You’re still hurt.” I got up and sat on the bed with my back to him. Our proximity turned the air into static electricity but without the shocking discomfort. I pulled my hair to the side so he could see my upper back. Before I could reach back to pull the collar lower for him, calloused fingertips touched the skin at the back of my neck and did it for me.

Electric pulses shot throughout my body, and my breath hitched.

His fingers traced the edges of the wound, sending shivers down my spine. Each touch was featherlight, and the heat of his breath hit my skin.

My wolf and body wanted to tremble, but I clenched my teeth, refusing to show how much I wanted him.

“That’s amazing.” A low rumble vibrated from his chest. “Your wound is almost completely healed. How bad was it?”

I bit my lip, fighting the urge to lean into his touch. “It was super raw, and it hurt to move. It’s now just a tad uncomfortable, and I was surprised how much it had healed by the time I woke up.” Despite my best efforts to remain aloof, my body betrayed me, leaning ever so slightly into his touch.

“Well, if your wound didn’t wake you, what did?” His hands stilled on my back, setting the one section he continued to touch ablaze.

I hesitated. The memory of that cold touch and the lingering floral scent felt too surreal to explain. I’d sounded paranoid in front of him too many times. My imagination must be playing games with me.

“Just a bad dream.” I didn’t know what to say to him other than that. It was the truth.

He exhaled and dropped his hand, and I immediately missed his touch. He said, “It was an awful night. I’m not surprised. Why don’t you tell me about it?”

I tensed. The last thing I wanted was to speak out loud that my mind was continuing to play tricks on me. “I’d rather not. It’s over, and…” I stopped myself, realizing that I’d almost said that being next to him made things better. It did, but I didn’t need to voice that. “It was just a dream.”

But as the words left my mouth, a warning shot down my spine—a sensation so sharp and sudden it made me stiffen. It felt exactly the same as when we’d been in the woods with Simon.

I turned to look out the windows that faced the woods. There had to be someone watching us.

A breeze picked up, swaying the blades of grass. The sunlight still filtered softly through the window, casting golden patterns across the wooden floor. The other pack members continued sleeping deeply, their chests rising and falling steadily.

Yet, the feeling persisted.

My wolf whined softly in agreement. But I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what and where the sensation was coming from. Nothing seemed amiss inside or out.

“Hey, I get it. Not seeing the face of the enemy is scary. Come here.” He scooted over and lifted the edge of the covers. “Lie down and get some more rest.”

Everything inside me yelled at me to oblige him. “I can’t.” I shook my head, and when the corners of his lips angled downward, I realized that I might have hurt his feelings. I continued, “If Briar wakes up and I’m not on the air mattress, she’ll freak out.”

He smiled, and my mouth watered. With his still-sleepy eyes and morning scruff, his entire essence made him delicious. He reached out and gently touched my arm. The connection between us responded immediately, sending a warm tingle up my skin. “I won’t sleep. If she starts moving, I’ll wake you first,” he promised. “Trust me.”

“I do trust you.” When I hadn’t, it was a lot easier to fight this connection between us. “It’s just more important for you to get rest, especially since my wound has healed almost completely.”

He licked his lips, and jealousy churned in my stomach. I wanted it to be my tongue, not his. The spicy scent of arousal wafted around us, calling my ass out. My face heated, and I wanted to cover it with my hands, but that would only make things worse.

His eyes glowed faintly, his wolf no doubt catching the scent.

I opened my mouth to argue, but the vulnerable look in his eyes stopped me. His injury was still fresh, and despite his bravado, he needed rest more than I did.

“Before you answer, just know that, after seeing you like this, there’s no way in hell I’m falling back asleep anytime soon. The best way for you to get me to rest again is to lie down here with me until we’re both calmer, and then I swear I won’t harass you when you leave to crawl back in bed with your sister.” He pouted a little, though his eyes danced with mischief.

I hadn’t seen this playful side of him before, and it melted my heart a little. Before I could stop myself, I exhaled. “Fine, but only for a few minutes.”

Ryker smiled, and he lifted the blanket higher, creating a warm invitation.

I turned and placed my legs on the mattress but didn’t lie down. “We’re keeping our hands to ourselves. Got it?”

“Scout’s honor.” He held up a hand with all fingers straight.

A faint giggle escaped before I could stop it. “It’s a three-finger salute, and we both know you were never a scout.” I moved to put my feet back on the floor, seeing as he clearly wasn’t willing to make that promise. My wolf growled in my head, but I had to ignore her.

“Stop.” He nodded toward the bed. “I promise to keep my hands to myself even if I don’t want to. Okay?”

“Okay.” My wolf huffed as I placed my legs back on the bed and scooted down. He settled the covers over me, and I was surrounded by the best smell in the entire world. Though our bodies didn’t touch, I could feel the heat gather between us, and before I even realized it, my eyes were closing.

The door to the bedroom banged open, startling me from sleep. I bolted upright as Ryker tried getting up beside me. He groaned, his injury still too fresh for him to move easily.

Kendric, Gage, and Xander were already on their feet while Briar gaped from her spot on the mattress as Raven strutted inside and slammed the door.

Her violet eyes were laser-focused, her gaze cutting through the room with an intensity that immediately set my wolf on high alert.

“We have a problem,” she announced in a voice as cold as winter frost. The air in the room seemed to drop several degrees.

“It better damn well be a fucking good one with how you just marched into our room,” Ryker snarled, finally managing to get to his feet.

The urge to reach out and steady him almost took over, but Raven answered, “It is. We have a visitor.”

Briar’s copper hair was tousled from sleep, and she pushed it out of her face. “Who?”

Raven’s gaze swept across the room and landed on me. “Someone who wants to speak to Ember alone.”