The Curse

6.1| In which, the plot thickens

She reached for a tea-cup on the table, before having her hand roughly slapped away.

"No, no dear. Not this one, this one is not destined for you," she whispered, a mournful look on her face, "It'll burn your insides you see," she mumbled, as Madeline watched in concern, and confusion.

"It's not natural, no, no," the women continued speaking and Madeline was speechless. Was she talking about the issue with the town? The way that it had somehow jumped into the water system with no-one knowing? It that's what she meant, then Madeline really didn't want her insides burned.

"Do you mean, the water from the town?" She asked slowly, she didn't want to spook the old women, she was the most open person she'd met so far, even if what she said didn't make much sense. The women nodded blankly before turning her eyes away from Madeline.

"Safety isn't a priority here. Pack wouldn't betray, Pack isn't a suspect. You aren't safe" she mumbled lowly, and Madeline noticed tears at the corner of the womens eyes. If she wasn't mistaken, the women was telling her that someone from the pack had betrayed them, she instantly knew who she thought it would be,

"Pack killed her." She whispered as the tears began dropping from her eyes, "Thats why I was sent away, I wasn't pack, and pack wouldn't betray". She wiped them away with her hand before sighing and smiling. Turning back to Madeline she grinned again,

"I knew your mother you know?" Madeline smiled lightly back at the women before nodding,

"Yes, I know," she said before nodding back at the women sadly, she didn't seem to be aware of her rambling, as she mumbled between proper sentences.

The womens facial expression changed before she dropped her cup and grabbed Madeline wrist, Madeline noticed her eyes seemed to glow as the women wafted off power stronger than anything Madeline had ever felt,

"Born from the soul-bond between Veritas and Neaera,

Descendant of the Wolf and Fae,

Power is given to the only child,

So she may revolt against those cruel and vile,

Control of love, of death, and pain

Reborn is the Monarchy so peace may reign"

Madeline could only stare at the women as she finished and slumped back on her seat. She'd never heard that part of the rhyme and doubted that anyone she spoke to would have either. The women had seemed possessed, and Madeline shivered and she stood suddenly,

"I'm going to get help!" She exclaimed before bursting out the door, navigating her way through the streets she started as she ran straight into Xavier,

"I need your help!" She yelled at him, watching as he winced at her tone, she spun on her heel and ran back the way she came. She wasn't sure how she could tell what way that was but felt his presence behind her.

Finding the red door, she slammed straight in and into the lounge before kneeling before the women, she checked and found her pulse was extremely weak before turning to Xavier,

"Help her," she whispered, pleading with him,

"Madeline," he started cautiously, "She shouldn't be here, she was exiled years ago for murder," he trailed off before walking to wards her and pulling her back from the women.

"Xavier, I was led here by a young girl. She didn't look afraid?" She exclaimed, feeling as though he was blaming her for the womens presences. Flinching when the womens eyes open, lips moving fast,

"I didn't do it," she mumbled looking Xavier in the eye. She'd quickly learnt it took immense effort to look into the eye of an Alpha, and lie. That alone left Xavier looking at her quizzically,

"Who exiled you Mrs Matthews," he asked gently as Madeline gasped, she had to be Arthurs mother. It somehow made sense, maybe that's who she was trying to warn her about? After all, if he told his mother the intricacies of his plans, who was going to believe her. An exile?

"Arthur and Elder McKenzie," she mumbled again before shaking her head, "I didn't do it, he did it Xavier, she isn't safe, I didn't do it," the women began repeating the same things over and over again, before her voice trailed off and her entire body went slack.

She felt tears in her eyes and realised the women had passed away. She didn't understand, and looked at Xavier in confusion. He sighed before looking around the room, as his gaze landed on the teapot. Lifting it and taking the lid off he gasped as he sniffed what was in it,

"Did you drink any of this," he asked angrily looking towards her. Madeline was even more confused, simply shaking her head at him,

"She wouldn't let me," she explained, glancing at the women again, "Why?" He sighed before answering her and she knew she wouldn't like what he was going to say by the look on his face.

"It was poisoned Madeline, someone brought her back, and poisoned her."