Chapter 102 - Their Cursed

“When was the last time you could feel anything?” I asked. I was not only worried but a little irritated that they had neglected to tell me anything.

“As soon as we got back, it started to feel like something was muddling our bond.” Now that I thought about it, I wasn’t really feeling much from them either since we got home from the Fae territory. “Neither of us has been able to come up with any reason, especially after you marked us,” Calder explained.

“I don’t understand….” I trailed off.

“We don’t either,” Cullen said gently. “When you came out of the closet that night and crawled into bed, it was like everything hit us all at once. We could feel everything after that until we returned from vacation. Since then, we have only been able to feel you occasionally.”

“Is something wrong with me?” I asked panickily. Cullen pulled me into his arms.

“No, there isn’t anything wrong with you,” he whispered.

-

I stood in the bathroom, brushing my hair. I looked down at the broach on the counter as I tried to figure out why there was something wrong with our bond. Was the Moon Goddess just messing with us? Was there actually something wrong with me? What was so different about Thanksgiving night that made them be able to feel me all of a sudden? I didn’t notice Calder come into the bathroom. He wrapped his arms around me from behind and rested his chin on my shoulder. I closed my eyes, leaning back into him.

“What are you thinking about, baby?” he asked.

“I just can’t figure out what could be messing with our bond. Why after I marked you both?” I mused.

“I don’t know…” he said. I knew they were both bothered by this. Not only could they not feel their mate, but they didn’t have answers as to why. They are Alphas; they like to be in control, and this didn’t seem to be in their control right now.

“Could this be the curse?” I asked, turning in his arms to face him. I reached up and wound my arms around his neck.

“I don’t think so. It would make sense that it would have been affecting you in this way all along, not just so suddenly.” I sighed. “Let’s go to bed. We don’t have to figure this out tonight.” I nodded my head, and we made our way out to the bedroom.

Cullen was sitting on the couch, reading something on his phone. I left Calder and went over to him, crawling on his lap so that I was straddling his hips. He looked up happily as I sat on him. He ran his nose along mine as his arms wrapped around my waist.

“I really love all the decorations and the tree. They are perfect,” I told him for the hundredth time tonight. He smiled warmly.

“Anything to make you happy, my love,” he said.

“Being with you both makes me happy,” I told him.

“That’s good because nothing will ever make us let you go,” he promised.

-

It’s Christmas Eve, and the twins brought me downtown to where the city’s annual Christmas Village is in full swing. We were strolling around, hand in hand, enjoying all the festivities around us. Cullen didn’t seem to understand the commotion surrounding Christmas, but he was a good sport for my sake. They were both vaguely aware of the various holidays in the Ordinary Realm but never paid much attention to them.

It was easy to ignore some of the looks and whispered comments we got walking around together. Our relationship was far from ordinary here, but I didn’t care. I loved both my mates and wasn’t going to pretend here. Calder pulled us over to a gourmet hot chocolate stand. We stood in line chatting and laughing when I heard my name called. The twins moved immediately, blocking me from view. I tried to look around them, but I was sandwiched in between them.

A low growl came from Calder. “What is going on?” I linked. I tried to push past them, and I managed to just barely do so. They both stood like statues staring at someone. When I turned toward what they were looking at, my heart fell.

My parents stood only a few yards away from us, giving me hard looks. I forgot that they used to bring me into the city to visit the Christmas Village on Christmas Eve when I was little. I wrapped my arms around Calder’s arm. Cullen moved to my side, his arm coming protectively around my waist.

“Let’s go,” I whispered. Neither of the twins moved at my words, so I tried pulling on Calder’s arm. I peeked at my dad, whose face was getting angrier. Were they all linking each other? I let go of Calder’s arm and turned to face Cullen, his arm keeping me to him. “Cullen, please. Let’s go….” I pleaded softly. I didn’t want to do this in such a public place. I hadn’t thought about my parents in a while, and I didn’t want to visit those feelings. His gaze was stern, and I could feel his anger.

I pulled on his jacket, desperately trying to get his attention. I didn’t want my mate angry. Everything was going so perfectly. Finally, his gaze broke away from my parents and went to me. “Please, let’s just go….” I whispered now.

“They won’t disrespect their Luna,” he growled in a low voice. His hand was gripping me tighter.

“Cullen, they threw me away a long time ago. It's not worth it. I have you. Please, I just want to go,” I tried. His face grew even tighter at my words. His hand gripped the back of my head, tilting it back so his mouth could consume mine. He kissed me hard, right there in front of my parents. I didn’t put up a fight, just brought my hand to his face, hoping to calm him even a fraction. When he let me go, I was gasping for air. He looked up, his gaze connecting with Calder. They both turned and pulled me away hastily.

I let them lead us away for a few minutes before I broke the silence. “What happened?” I asked shyly. Cullen slowed his pace, stopping Calder as well. He let out a deep breath.

“You won’t be seeing them again,” he said. “I won’t allow anyone to disrespect you whether we are in our territory or elsewhere.” I looked up at him curiously. He was still angry, but he was much calmer now.

“It’s okay,” I tried to reassure him. “I barely even think about them anymore….”

His hand gripped my chin gently. “No, it isn’t. Not only will you be Luna very soon, but you are also their daughter. How they can have so much disdain for the most perfect creature I have ever met is unfathomable.”

“They have been cast out of the pack and warned never to return to the Supernatural Realm,” Calder said next to us. I turned to him wide-eyed.

“What?” I asked in disbelief. He nodded his head, and so did Cullen. “Just like that?” Again, they nodded. I didn’t know how to feel. My parents’ actions hurt me but that seemed a little harsh.

“Let’s go back to the apartment and begin our celebration. We don’t need to worry about them any longer, and they certainly won’t be receiving a wedding invitation,” Cullen said. That made me smile a little bit. I decided to let it go and move past them. My mates defended me without hesitation, and now my parents couldn’t interfere in my life. I could thank the Moon Goddess that Calder and Cullen never even spared their opinions a moment’s thought.

“Oh, yea. Your mom wants us to pick a date for the wedding. She was leaning towards your Alpha ceremony so the whole pack would be there,” I told them with a smirk.

-

I stood at the stove in the kitchen, giggling to myself. After some grumbling and griping, I guilted the twins into putting on the matching pajamas Pip, and I originally picked out. They were upstairs changing while I made eggnog. The plan was to watch a couple of classic Christmas movies curled up on the couch together tonight. I already had a pizza prepped to just put in the oven for us to keep things simple.

“Love, I am beginning to think we are going to need to alter some of these traditions of yours,” Cullen grumbled as he came into the kitchen. I had to suppress my laugh as I looked at my large, intimidating Alpha mate in a zip-up onesie covered in polar bears wearing Santa hats. He scowled at my reaction.

Calder joined the party in his identical pair, and I wished Pip was here to see this. I stepped around the counter, and they realized my pajamas were the same design as theirs but shorts and a button-up shirt instead of a onesie. They immediately began to protest.

“You both said that you would follow whatever my traditions were, right?” I guilted them. They stopped, both looking like they slightly regretted their decisions. Calder came over to me, grabbing my hips.

“Fine,” he said, bending over to tease my neck with his lips. “But next year, we get to choose the attire.” His voice was husky and threatening, sending a delicious shiver down my spine. You would never know they threw my parents out of the pack an hour ago. The elevator doors dinged, indicating someone’s arrival. Calder stood up and cursed.

“Who’s here?” I asked. Calder and Cullen were looking at each other like they wanted to run. I took their momentary distraction to wiggle out of Calder’s grip and hurry out of the kitchen. I stopped in the hallway to see everyone standing there- Pip and Ryker, Gentry, Carson and Elias, and Nicole and Cassius. Everyone was in all the matching pajamas that Pip and I found during our shopping trip; she even managed to get something for Ryker and Elias. I stood there with my mouth hanging open.

“What are you all doing here?” I asked. Pip ran over to me, her arms flinging out to hug me.

“We wouldn’t miss this!” she said excitedly. “Wait, where are your mates?”

Realization hit me. They were hiding because they hadn’t been expecting our whole family to show up. I smiled devilishly. “Calder, Cullen, are you going to come to greet our guests?” I called loudly. Pip giggled, knowing exactly what I was doing. They both appeared in the doorway. Gentry and Carson doubled over in laughter at the sight of the next Alphas of the largest pack in the Supernatural Realm in Christmas onesie pajamas. Admittedly, everyone else’s outfits weren’t as bad.

Cullen growled, but they didn’t stop. I smiled at them, but they still looked grumpy. “Weren’t you all supposed to be coming tomorrow night?” Calder asked flatly.

“Wait, they were supposed to come tomorrow? I thought you said we would be celebrating just the three of us?” I asked them.

“Pip told us that this was partially about spending time with the people you love. Although we love you more than anything, we know everyone else also cares about you. We planned to have them join us tomorrow evening for dinner,” Cullen said, the end sounding accusatory.

“Now we couldn’t let you have all the fun without us,” Nicole said, coming over to her sons. She kissed them on their cheeks. “And I am glad to see you two stepping up like men.” Her smile moved to me. “You did a fantastic job with all the arrangements. I love this whole pajama thing; it is quite charming. I hope you aren’t upset with all of us here.”

“Not at all,” I told her, smiling brightly. “I should probably make some more eggnog and popcorn.” I looked at the group around me. The apartment was chock full of the most important people to me. This was my family now.

“It may have taken a while, but it was worth it in the end,” Calli said happily in my head. I couldn’t agree more.

Sam

“You bastard,” I spat at his feet.

“Did you really think that your little spell on the jewelry would keep her hidden from me? I’ve known precisely where she is her entire life,” he laughed at me.

“Her mates aren’t going to let you succeed. You will never get her. She isn’t Rose Marie,” I argued. A deafening roar sounded from him.

“Those mutts will not keep me from taking what I am owed! I will be given an heir one way or another!” He stormed out of the room, slamming the door and leaving me bound in the darkness again. All I could do now was pray that I left enough clues to help them. I closed my eyes and tried to conserve my energy. When Remi and her mates come for him, they will need my help to stop Voldigoad. I just hope I have enough power left to weaken him.