Chapter 21 CURSED
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE | CURSED
LYRA
Avoiding the twins was a hassle, but it was something I needed to do for my own sanity.
The anxiety about what was going on was killing me.
I didn’t know what to make of it, but I knew something deep was going to happen.
I was just scared for my child. I didn’t exactly care about what happened to me. As long as my child was fine, I knew I would be fine too.
I needed to know if he was going to be in danger.
A knock came at my door, but I pretended to be asleep like I’d been doing since yesterday. The door was locked, and I hoped whoever was on the other side would take that as a cue to leave me alone. But instead, I heard the door being unlocked.
My worst fear had come true, they had a spare key to my room.
“Lyra?” Damian’s voice called as he walked in, but I still pretended to be asleep, hoping he’d leave. “I know you aren’t asleep,” he whispered.
I sighed, knowing I couldn’t keep pretending.
Sitting up and resting against the headboard, I shot him a glare. “What do you want?”
“You’ve been avoiding me.”
“Yeah, so?” I retorted.
He observed me for a while, clearly not knowing how to deal with my attitude. Then he sighed and reached out to me, but I pulled away.
“Don’t touch me.”
“Is this about what Orion said yesterday?” He finally dropped the bomb after a few minutes of silence.
I didn’t respond. I only lay back on the bed, feeling tears well up in my eyes. Everything Orion said about me suddenly rushed back, hitting all my sensitive spots.
I hadn’t thought much about his words at the time because I was angry and anxious, but now that someone mentioned it, I felt vulnerable. “Get out.” I wanted to be alone. I didn’t want him to see me cry.
He didn’t move an inch. He came closer and placed a hand on my waist. “Whatever he said isn’t true, Lyra. Don’t let him get to you. Damien and I care about you deeply, and we’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”
His words should have comforted me, but they didn’t ease the pain I felt. I felt even worse remembering what I overheard them discussing yesterday.
“Please, just leave. I don’t want to talk about it.”
He stayed silent, and I genuinely thought he was about to leave, but he didn’t. Instead, he lifted me and placed me on his lap. I should have fought him, but I didn’t have the strength. I just lay there, my shoulders shaking as I cried.
“He was right, you know?” I said through sobs.
“About what?” he asked softly.
“He was right about the fact that no one wants me. My parents didn’t want me. They hated me more than anything in life. My pack members hated me and bullied me. My first mate rejected me and chose my younger sister over me. My sister couldn’t stand the thought of me being alive, she wanted me dead at all costs. Hailey hated me. And now…” my voice cracked, but I kept going. “And now, my second chance mates hate me too. It’s pathetic, really. I must be cursed or something.”
I noticed how rigid he went when I said that, and my mind flashed back to the painting I’d seen. I laughed bitterly, realizing it might be connected to the tragic events that kept happening to me. “I get it now,” I said with a sad smile. “I’m cursed. That’s why misfortune keeps befalling me.”
“Don’t say that. You’re not cursed.”
My anger rose to the surface, enraged that he was still hiding the truth from me. “Then explain it! Explain everything that’s been happening to me! I don’t know what I did to deserve a curse like this from the Moon Goddess. I don’t know what crimes I committed, but I can’t take it anymore. She might as well just take my life!” I cried.
Damian held me as I cried, whispering soothing words that did nothing to ease my pain. As long as he was hiding something from me, I was going to take everything he said as lies.
“You’re not cursed, Lyra. You’re a blessing to anyone who has ever met you. And anyone who doesn’t see it is stupid. Your pack was stupid, so was Orion. Anyone who can’t see your worth is blind and an idiot.”
I couldn’t take his words seriously, no matter how genuine he sounded. He was just like the rest…a liar who only wanted something from me.
“If it’s really a blessing to know me and be with me, why do you both treat me like a curse?”
His movements froze when I said that. He paused the stroke of his hand on my hair for a few seconds, but when he continued, I could feel the slight tremor in his touch.
“We don’t treat you like a curse. Why would you even think that?”
I lifted my head from his chest so I could look him in the eye. “Because you keep hiding things from me. I’m walking in the dark, and I can’t do anything about it. You both keep tiptoeing around me, hiding things that could ruin my life. I want to know the truth, no matter how painful it is. I deserve to know the truth, even if it’s dangerous. I need to know what’s going on, Damian. I need to know who I am. The anxiety is killing me.”
He closed his eyes as if trying to resist the urge to tell me what I wanted to know. I knew he wanted to. He’d been the one fighting Damien for my right to the truth, but he was still holding back because he’d been ordered not to say anything.
If I pressed further, I was sure he would break and tell me something…anything.
“I’m sorry. I can’t tell you anything. Now isn’t the time. When the time is right, Damien will tell you everything you need to know himself.”
“Please, I just need an idea. No matter how little it is. Just tell me a snippet. I can’t keep sitting back and watching my life fall apart because of ignorance when I can do something about it. Help me, please.” I held his face, forcing him to look at me.
I could see that I was getting to him, but he still didn’t tell me. He shook his head, helped me back onto the bed, and stood up. “I’m so sorry. I can’t go against my brother’s wishes.”
I turned away from him, hurt and betrayed.
“I came here to inform you about the ball that will be held tomorrow. Damien plans to introduce you as our mate.”