Finally, after almost two hours of Claire's intensive care, my mother and Nina enter my room.
‘Magnus! What has happened? You look even worse!’ My mother frets.
‘Oh, I thought he was improving?’ Claire says.
My mother turns to Nina. ‘Fetch the pack doctor for me and show Claire out along the way, please.’
‘Of course, Luna,’ Nina replies.
‘Bye, Boo-boo. I’ll come to visit you after school tomorrow,’ Claire says, planting a kiss on my dry and flaky lips.
Nina gladly escorts Claire out of the packhouse and calls for the doctor. Returning to the room, she opens the windows, glances around, and grabs a spare pillow.
‘Luna, could you please lift his head while I swap the pillows?’ Nina requests.
My mother nods, lifting my head as they change the pillow. The new one feels dry and fresh, and the breeze from the window is revitalizing.
‘He needs water,’ Nina observes, filling a glass from the bathroom sink. She sits beside me, lifts the glass to my lips, and I drink as much as possible.
Finally, the doctor arrives with Yiselda. She has round, short, puffy grey hair and numerous necklaces adorned with charms. Her robe-style dress is intricately embroidered with sigils along the sleeves and front.
Nina stands up and moves aside to let Yiselda approach and assess me.
‘Can you tell us what is wrong with my son?’ my mother pleads to her.
Strangely, Yiselda doesn’t approach me. Instead, she looks over at Nina with a peculiar expression.
‘He is reacting to a curse,’ she says, locking eyes with Nina.
‘What curse?’ My mother panics.
Yiselda points a finger at Nina. ‘Her curse,’ she says ominously.
‘My curse?’ Nina says, startled by the accusation.
‘Yes, your curse,’ Yiselda replies adamantly.
‘Are you implying Nina has been playing with magic and cursed my son?’ my mother asks Yiselda.
‘No, but she does have a curse shadowing her. It’s affecting Magnus.’
Nina shakes her head. ‘I’m sorry, but you must be mistaken. I’m not cursed,’ Nina says.
Yiselda looks Nina up and down. ‘Oh, you’re cursed, sweetheart. I can see it lingering all around you,’ she asserts.
‘What kind of curse? How do I get rid of it?’ Nina asks, her expression filled with worry.
‘What kind of curse, I do not know, nor how to break it. Only the one who cursed you knows how. Until then, you are stuck with it,’ Yiselda states.
‘How do I find out who cursed me, then?’ Nina asks with confusion across her face.
‘Only time will tell,’ Yiselda replies, turning her attention back to Magnus and approaching him.
Hovering a hand over him, Yiselda chants an incantation. A glowing light emits from the palms of her hands, flowing into Magnus’s chest. The light abruptly dissipates, and Yiselda steps back.
‘The magic will break his fever, but, in the meantime, until Nina’s curse breaks, I suggest you have Magnus avoid shifting.’
‘Why is that?’ Astrid asks her.
‘Because of the curse, it’s going to be painful each time he shifts,’ Yiselda says, then swiftly turns around to leave. However, she vanishes before even reaching the door, leaving Nina and my mother staring at each other, perplexed.
Breaking the eerie silence, my mother turns to Nina. ‘We need to have a pack meeting immediately.'
Nina nods and follows her out of the room.
I notice I suddenly feel cooler and less sweaty.
Yiselda’s magic worked. It broke my fever. I sit up, walk to the bathroom, and have a cool shower, feeling refreshed and much better afterwards. I find my favourite black, tight-fitting shirt and dark-coloured jeans and put them on.
As soon as I’m dressed, I walk down the stairs to find the meeting in progress.
‘Magnus, you are looking better,’ Seth smiles.
‘Yeah, I feel heaps better after Yiselda used her magic on me,’ I reply.
‘You better join us, son,’ my father says in a serious manner.
Seth and Mia find their places at the end of the table while Nina settles next to Leon and Amelia on the left side. I take my seat beside my father.
‘As we all know, someone has placed a curse on Nina, but it’s also affecting Magnus,’ Ryker says, a note of concern in his voice.
‘I don’t understand who would want to curse my daughter,’ Amelia sobs.
Leon rubs her back, providing comfort. ‘We will sort this out, Honey. We will find out who cursed her and have them break the spell,’ he assures, his words carrying a determination to protect their daughter.
‘Nina, can you think of anyone who would want to curse you?’ Leon asks, turning his attention to her.
Nina shrugs her shoulders and looks down with a sombre look.
‘Everyone loves Nina,’ I interject. ‘I don’t understand who would curse her,’ I express my confusion.
Leon studies me carefully. ‘It is strange. It is only affecting Magnus, but it doesn’t seem to be affecting Nina. Nina is gifted, if anything. She has great speed, is the fastest runner in our pack, and has top grades. So, I struggle to see how she is cursed,’ he says, his voice reflecting a mix of perplexity and concern.
We're all at a loss. The room falls into a heavy silence as we contemplate the inexplicable situation.
Astrid stands, breaking the silence. ‘There isn’t much we can do other than monitor Nina and Magnus, figure out what the curse does, and who is behind it. We are not to tell anyone else about it for Nina’s safety.’
‘Why wouldn’t Nina be safe?’ I ask my mother, bewildered at the notion.
My mother fixes me with a grave stare. ‘Magnus, you are the future Alpha of the pack. Some pack members will go to great lengths to protect you. Many would even kill to keep you safe. If people find out Nina is cursed and it’s affecting you, they could harm her,’ she explains.
Nina and I exchange concerned looks, silently acknowledging the dire situation, and nod in agreement.
The meeting finally concludes, leaving an unsettling heaviness in the air. The prospect of harm befalling Nina gnaws at my thoughts, and I decide to step outside for a breath of fresh air. Seated on the staircase, Nina surprises me, unexpectedly joining me and taking a spot beside me.
‘Magnus, I just wanted to say how sorry I am that you won’t be able to shift without it causing you any pain,’ she says, her voice laced with guilt.
‘It’s not your fault, Nina,’ I assure her, but I can see the guilt she carries in her eyes.
A solitary tear rolls down her cheek, and without a word, I pull her closer, wrapping an arm over her shoulder. She buries her face into my chest, seeking comfort. ‘But it is my fault. Someone cursed me, and it’s hurting you,’ she sobs.