Jamal Kunis POV
I felt a surge of anger and frustration as I walked up to the door of the witch's house and knocked. Don't get me wrong, I had nothing against her in particular. She was the only one who had any solution to this problem.
I just hated coming here, hated asking for help from anyone. And especially, hated coming here because it reminded me of how powerless I was.
But I had no choice. I was desperate to break the curse that had plagued me since that incident.
The door opened and the witch greeted me with a smile. She was a petite woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, dressed in a white robe. She looked harmless, but I knew better. She had power, power that could help me or harm me.
“Hello, Jamal." She smiled calmly, a scent of herbs and leaves surrounding her, "Long time no see."
I shrugged, "What can I say? I have been very busy."
"Come in, come in.” She said, stepping aside to let me enter.
I followed her into the living room, where a fire was crackling in the fireplace. I sat down on a couch and looked around. The room was filled with books, candles, crystals, and other occult items. I felt uneasy, like I didn’t belong here.
The witch sat down opposite me and clasped her hands together. “So, how are you? How is the pack?” She asked, sounding genuinely interested, I appreciated that at least.
I shrugged. “We’re fine. We’re managing.” I said, avoiding her gaze.
The witch nodded. “I’m glad to hear that. And how is your surrogate human? The one you found for the ritual?”
I clenched my jaw. “She’s fine too.” I said curtly.
The witch smiled. “That’s good. And have you told her anything yet? About who you are, what you need from her?”
I nodded “Yes, I have, we are way past that, she even has a contract signed."
The witch frowned. “And there is still trouble I take?"
My eyes shot up to meet her, "How do you know?"
"You wouldn't be here if everything was okay would you?"
"She is reluctant." I blurted out, "With me, physically."
The witch stared at me, "Did you tell her about the curse?"
"No."
"You should."
I sighed. “I know, I know. But it’s not easy, okay? How do you expect me to tell her the entire truth? That I was cursed and that I need to mate with her to break a curse? How do you think she’ll react?”
The witch shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe she’ll be scared, maybe she’ll be curious, maybe she’ll be angry. Maybe she’ll even be flattered that you chose her out of all the humans in the world.”
Jamal snorted. “Yeah, right. Or maybe she’ll think I’m crazy and run away from me.”
The witch shook her head. “No, Jamal. You have to trust me on this. She won’t run away from you. She’s your surrogate human, remember? That means she has a special connection to you, a bond that transcends logic and reason. She’s drawn to you, just like you’re drawn to her.”
Jamal looked at her skeptically. “How do you know that for sure?"
The witch smiled mysteriously. “I just know. I can sense it in her aura, in her soul. She’s the one for you, Jamal. The one who can help you break the curse.”
Jamal shook his head again. “But why does it have to be her? Why does it have to be anyone? Why can’t I just break the curse by myself?”
The witch sighed. “Because that’s not how it works, Jamal. The curse was cast by a powerful dark witch who hated your pack for some reason. She made it so that every time you fall in love with someone of your kind, they die within a year of being with you.”
I felt a pang of pain in his chest as I remembered my past lovers who had died because of the curse. I had loved them all, but I had lost them all too soon.
The witch continued. “The only way to break the curse is to find a surrogate human who can take the place of your mate." She leaned in closer, looking into my eyes, "Have a child with her, before it's too late. Have an heir and the curse will be lifted and you will be free to love whoever you want.”
I frowned. “But what about the surrogate human? What happens to them after the ritual?”
The witch shrugged again. “Nothing. They go back to their normal lives, as if nothing happened. They won’t care anything about the ritual or about you. They won’t be harmed or affected by the curse in any way. They’ll just be a temporary vessel for your salvation.”
I felt a twinge of guilt as I thought about Methis. I liked her, I really did. I didn’t want to use her like that, to lie to her and let her go. I wanted to be honest with her, to respect her, to care for her.
But I also wanted to break the curse, to free myself from the black witch’s wrath. I wanted to be able to love someone without fear of losing them. I wanted to be happy.
I looked at the white witch and asked, “Are you sure there’s no other way? No other way to break the curse?”
The witch shook her head firmly. “No, Jamal. There’s no other way. This is the only way. Trust me, I’ve tried everything else. Spells, potions, charms, rituals. Nothing works. This is the only way.”
I sighed and nodded. She was the only one who had ever helped him and his pack with their problem. She was the only one who knew how to break the curse.
I stood up and said, “Okay then. I’ll do it. I’ll tell Methis everything, but not now. Later, when she is ready.
The witch smiled and stood up too. She hugged me and whispered, “Good, Jamal. I’m proud of you. You’re doing the right thing.”
I hugged her back, “Thank you. Thank you for everything.”
I let go of her and walked to the door. I opened it and looked back at her.
“See you soon.”
“See you soon.” She replied.
I hoped I was doing the right thing.
I hoped I could break the curse.
* * *
Methis
I couldn't help thinking about Jamal, even when he was gone. I had never met him in person, before I signed the contract, which made my initial impression of him even more pronounced He was handsome, I had to admit, with bronze skin, piercing eyes, and a strong jaw. But he also looked cold and ruthless, like someone who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. And what he wanted was me, or rather, my womb.
And yet I couldn't help but feel intrigued by him. I was drawn to him, very strongly.
I wondered if he had a mate, or if he ever loved anyone. Did he have any friends or family? Did he have any hobbies, or interests? Did he ever smile, or laugh? Did he ever feel anything at all?
I shook my head, trying to banish these thoughts from my mind. It didn’t matter who he was, or what he felt. He was the Alpha, and I was his surrogate. That was all there was to it.
I heard a knock on the door, and looked up to see Beta enter.
He smiled at me as he walked in, holding a bouquet of flowers in his hand.
“Hello, Methis,” he said. “How are you feeling today?”
“I’m fine,” I lied. “Just bored.”
“I’m sorry about that,” he said sympathetically. “I brought you something to cheer you up.”
He handed me the flowers, which were bright and colorful.
“They’re beautiful,” I said sincerely. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he said. “They’re from the Alpha’s garden. He has a lot of exotic plants there.”
“Really?” I asked curiously. “Does he like gardening?”
Beta hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.
“No,” he said. “He doesn’t like anything.”
"Does he like... "
He raised his hand suddenly, cutting me off, "Methis, listen." He paused a little bit, as though gathering himself, "Jamal is a complicated man, to say the least. I think it would be better if you tried not to probe too deeply, okay? Just don't ask too many questions don't think about it too much, just focus on fulfilling your contract, okay?"
I swallowed hard. It was the same reaction he had earlier, when he found me with the kids. I had to rectify that immediately. "About earlier today," I started, swallowing hard, "With the kids."
"What about them?" He asked, sounding a bit irritated.
Okay, this was starting to take a nasty turn.