~Ch. 16~ Tabetha
Olivia‘s body freezes as the old woman walks up and hugs her, “I was wondering if you’d ever find me!”
Olivia pulls away from her coldly, “I only have a few days left.”
An old woman rushes to her calendar, “Oh, dear!”
She turns to Olivia, “You must bond with him!”
Sterling Rhapsody’s arm around her and pulls her in for a side hug, “I agree!”
Drew is trying to laugh at him because he still doesn’t trust him, “Do you really love her or do you just want to bond with her to save your skin?”
Their eyes meet and Sterling explains, “I’ve fallen madly, and deeply in love with this woman.”
He looks down at Olivia, “You have taught me so much. I’ve always been treated a certain way because of my title but you’ve made me earn your love. You’ve made me earn your trust. You’ve taught me that it takes more than just a title to be a real man.”
Olivia stops him by pulling him in for a kiss. He blushes and pulls away, “Not in front of your grandmother!”
Olivia is still upset with the woman, “It takes more than blood to be someone’s grandmother.”
She turns and looks at her, “I Can’t believe you would do this to your own flesh and blood!”
The old woman closes her eyes, “I know. I’ve tried to break the curse.”
This captures Olivia‘s attention, “You have?”
She nods, “Follow me and I’ll show you!”
Sterling can see that Olivia is still unsure. He replaces his hand over the top of hers, “We will go together!”
The grandson is still unsure, “He’s a werewolf, he is the enemy!” He moves in front of his grandma, “You’re not going into her house!”
Tabitha surprises him when she swats at him, “Have you not learned anything grandson? I am the reason these two are to be together for the rest of their lives!”
She pushes him aside, “You out of the way!”
She Motions for Sterling and Olivia to follow, “This is your cousin and that is her husband, which makes him your cousin!”
Olivia blushes, “Husband?”
Sterling kisses her forehead, “Would it be such a bad thing?”
Her grandmother suggests, “Don't you think you would make the dating bond a little less awkward?”
Olivia rushes to her side, “There’s no other way to break it?”
Tabitha turns to them both. Placing one hand in Olivia‘s and one hand in Sterling's. Her eyes dart back and forth between the two, “Is that what you want?”
They glance at each other if she continues, “Do you want the bond to be broken? If you do this then you won’t be together.”
Sterling tightens his grip around her hand. The woman continues, “If the bond is reversed and the love is reversed. You can’t break the bond without giving up on each other.”
Olivia surprises Sterling when she grabs his arm and embraces him. He realizes that she’s crying and he lifts her face, “What’s the matter?” He Whispers to her gently.
She sniffles and wipes away her tears embarrassed, “I want to be your mate. I am just not ready to be that intimate yet…”
Drew clears his throat, “Does the bond have to be official, or can’t he just bite her to hold it off?”
Sterling gives him a look, “Do you think maybe just marking her will be enough?”
This gets Tabitha thinking, “Let me check…”
Olivia gives her a look of concern, “What do you mean to let you Check? You’re the one that created the curse.
Drew is protective, “She’s old…”
Tabitha smacks him and sounds offended, “It’s not because I’m old! It’s because I didn’t create the curse. I just used it!”
She turns to Olivia, “Do you seriously think that I knew that it would jeopardize one of my own relatives that I would’ve used it?”
Olivia Starts to feel bad, “You didn’t know?”
Tabitha shakes her head, but Sterling Buts in, “You still cursed someone else’s grandchild. You cursed an innocent child.”
Olivia turns to him with pleading eyes, “How would you feel if I rejected you?”
He stopped to think for a moment and then gave her a knowing nod and a soft smile. “I wouldn’t take too kindly to it either!”
He turns to Tabitha, “I forgive you.” His voice it’s kind and it brings tears to her eyes.
She pulls both of them in for a hug, “I am so sorry that I did this to you too.” Her tears, a wet spot on Sterling's shirt.
He doesn’t complain. He just pets her back and allows her to cry it out. A few moments later, she pulls away and starts as quickly as she can to her house.
Sterling and Olivia stand there staring at each other until she shouts at them, “Are you coming or what?”
They laughed and ran after the woman. They get into her house and she’s already got to spell book out. They quietly watch her as she skins through the pages using her as a guide.
She puts it down and makes her way to them, “If you both make it to the witches' peak of Fang Mountain before the red moon turns into a full moon you don’t have to officially mate!”
“What do we do, kiss?” Olivia asks.
Tanesha laughs, “No, dear child! He had to mark you!”
Olivia grabs her neck, “He has to bite me?”
Sterling chuckles under his breath and shakes his head, “Again with the neck!”
Drew laughs for the first time since they’ve met him, “He’s a werewolf, not a vampire!”
Sterling points to Drew, “See even Drew knows!”
They give each other knowing nods. Tabetha takes Olivia by the arm, “You will face many dangers along the way. Outsmarting a curse is hard work…”
She pauses and uses her free arm to pull Sterling in. She huddles them into her so they are all in close confinement. Continuing, “You will both be tested!”
Sterling groans, “I’m not good at tests!”
Olivia starts to giggle but stops at Tabethas seriousness, “It’s not a game. If you fail then you will both die.”
She rushes to her desk grabs a bag and starts to stuff it with random objects. She hands the bag to Drew and whispers to him. He nods and brushes past the couple and rushes out the door. They watch him wondering what he’s doing and don’t see where Tabetha goes.
She sneaks up behind Olivia and places a necklace on her, “This will help you. It will glow when danger is around.”
She turns to Sterling and places a bracelet on his wrist, “This will help you keep your beast in check!”
She pulls them both in for a hug.