***A/N: Unedited, let me know if there're any mistakes***
Marie (Anouchka) POV
Seeing her cousin again had been somewhat reassuring for Marie. Ever since she'd received word from her cousin being mated to Daniel Jaxon she had been worried that Alice was going to be in trouble or possibly even changed like Marie had been, and that was a pain she never wished on anybody.
"Thank you for allowing me to stay Daniel," Marie addressed the Alpha who sat on the other side of the table from her next to Alice.
Daniel simply nodded to her in approval, "Family of my mate is welcome in our home."
Marie watched him smile at Alice and some of her fears over her cousin's welfare were put to rest. There were many aspects of the relationship between the two that had all of her warning bells going off, but at the same time, it was clear that he loved her cousin very dearly.
But the whole business of this witch didn't sit well with Marie.
Nothing good ever came with dealing with magic of any kind, and she was worried about her cousin getting caught in the Jaxon brother's mess. That's how it always worked in the end, the cruelest type of punishment was always when it fell on someone else because of you. Guilt and regret were sometimes as harmful as any type of physical wound.
"Darling," Daniel pulled away from Alice, "I must leave you now. I have... somewhere I must be."
Marie didn't need to be a mind reader to realize that Daniel was going to see the witch. There was something in the way Daniel's somewhat playful attitude that went darker, and how Alice nodded with a smile that seemed only for pretences as it didn't meet her eyes.
Marie heard Daniel leaving the house and she watched her cousin get a heavy look across her face. Marie leaned closer to Alice so that their conversation could be kept quiet as she asked, "How often does he see her?"
"Often enough."
Nothing about any of this was good, Alpha Daniel was playing with fire here and it seemed very soon people were about to get burnt.
Marie's senses were suddenly clouded by a sharp, strong smell. It was a dark, foul smell that was a cross between decay and burning ash. It was a smell that she was strongly assaulted with as a changed wolf, not born, her senses were automatically so much stronger and it was this very distinct smell of a witch that made her almost want to gag.
Surely Daniel wasn't stupid enough to bring the witch onto the pack lands.
As the smell came closer towards her Marie clamped her hand over her mouth in an attempt to keep herself from gagging. It really was such a horribly awful smell she couldn't understand how the born wolves were so immune to it.
But instead of a witch entering the room like her nose was hinting to her, it was a man. One who had the same dark hair and dark eyes, there was a striking similarity between this man and Daniel. And if that wasn't enough to clue her in, then the way Alice lurched up out of her seat to embrace him was most definitely a confirmation as to who this person was.
"Thomas! Let me introduce you to my cousin Marie."
His eyes looked over to her at Marie was thrown off by the intensity of his gaze. All at once her sharp senses detected something else laying beneath the surface of that horrible witch scent something far more appealing and alluring... being a changed wolf she'd never been sure if she would ever get a mate or not, yet here he was standing before her incredibly handsome and completely covered head to the toe in the scent of a witch.
Thomas made a move to come towards her and Marie leapt from her seat in an effort to get away from him. She held her hand up to indicate for him not to come any closer, "Stay where you are."
Her words sounded muffled between the hand that was over her mouth but she continued to speak anyway, "I can smell her all over you and it's not pleasant."
Understatement.
Her mate - Thomas, tilted his head as he looked at her a teasing smile on his face as he said, "If you're jealous there's no need to be. I was done with her the moment I saw you."
She wanted to roll her eyes but found she couldn't do much but struggle to keep down the dinner she'd just finished. She'd sometimes entertained the thought of having a mate but their first meeting was never pictured to be like this, and she had no idea what she would want for her mate to say for the first time, but that's not what she was hoping to hear.
Marie offered a tight-lipped smile towards her mate, trying to conceal the hurt and the betrayal that she felt. It was odd to think that this man before her was able to make her feel so... unwanted, as though she was second best.
"Actions speak louder than words, dear mate," Marie informed him coolly, to which her mate's eyes darkened and his imposing figure seemed to grow larger, radiating strength.
"You question my honour?"
"I don't know you, why should I trust you? I tend to avoid people who involve themselves in magic of any kind nothing good will ever come out of it."
Thomas nodded and then much to Marie's confusion he started back out the door. She couldn't help but let her jaw hang wide open as she watched him, leave. Was he really leaving - just like that?
Suddenly Thomas' head popped back through the doorway and he lifted a brow at her as he questioned, "Well are you coming?"
Marie couldn't understand the suddenness of it all. She didn't want to just go somewhere with him, sure he was her mate but she didn't know him, and from what she did know it wasn't all that comforting.
Marie remained apprehensive, "Where are we going?"
"You said actions speak louder than words, so I will act on my mistakes right now. You can come with me to see the witch and I will tell her that whatever had occurred between her and me, is over. And that I am only interested in making you happy."
Not being one to back away from her words, Marie straightened her shoulders and started after Thomas. She didn't know what to expect from following him, but she felt as though she could, at least, trust that he wouldn't do anything to physically harm her.
The journey through the woods was long and she'd kept a safe distance behind him not saying a word. She wanted to see what he had in mind by essentially proving himself through his actions. But the longer Marie followed him, the more she could detect the horrible smell of a witch - of witchcraft.
It didn't take long before the couple approached a cave. And just as Marie and Thomas were arriving Daniel and the witch exited. Marie's eyes instantly flew to the witch and she wasn't too surprised to find that the woman was gorgeous. Flowing dark hair, with exotic features she radiated youth and innocence despite the strong smell that assaulted her.
It truly was a shame that only bitten wolves could smell how off-putting witches were, then she wouldn't be in this situation.
Daniel looked surprised, but the witch looked oddly expectant. The woman looked from Marie and back to Thomas a disappointed and saddened look suddenly took over her features as she turned her attention to Thomas.
"Thomas?"
Thomas straightened his shoulders as he took half a step backwards towards Marie. It was a cautionary step as though he was planning to protect her or prevent her from some harm.
Thomas cleared his throat, "Cassie this is Marie, she's my-"
"I know who she is to you Thomas," Cassie interrupted, "But why have you come here with her?"
Marie was very unhappy with the mess that her mate had created. She hadn't done anything wrong, yet she felt guilty standing there before Cassie as a man she was clearly attached to was her dropping her for someone else. Marie knew, even after today, it would take some time for her to grow some type of relationship between herself and her mate.
Daniel suddenly came beside Marie as he muttered lowly for only her ears to hear, "Did you wish to stay?"
Marie nodded as she folded her arms defensively across her chest, "I told him actions speak louder than words and if he wishes to defend his honour. Make his word mean something to me."
"You knew this would happen one day Cassie," Thomas explained to the witch who looked both half angered and confused.
"Yes, Thomas I know but... it's still unexpected. We've hardly been separated for an hour and already you're choosing her over me. Was I that insignificant to you that you chose a girl you've barley met, over me whom you've known for months?"
"I've messed everything up Cassie and I'm sorry," he apologized to the witch, "I'm sorry for you and my mate but I won't reject her. Already I care about her so much."
Cassie nodded, "More than me."
It wasn't a question but a statement. The atmosphere grew silent with an awkwardness that only continued to build. Finally, Cassie smiled, tight-lipped and forced as though it was a struggle for her to even pretend to be happy, "You're right I did know this was going to happen. Daniel, I'd appreciate it if you didn't come and see me anymore either. I can't make you much stronger than you are now it'll tip the natural balance of things. When you take so much, something will have to give. Good evening gentleman."
She disappeared into the cave without another glance back.
*
*
*
A month or so had passed before Marie had finally begun to trust and truly allow herself to care for her mate. Seated with him now, she and Thomas were out down by the well with Daniel and Alice. It was an unusually nice day, compared to the rainy predecessors and the sunshine was both warm and welcome.
Alice had told her that things had gotten better since she'd came. Both Jaxon brothers had been home more frequently and Alice's constant sickness had almost disappeared overnight. For the first time in a long time, Marie felt happy and content.
"My parents are going to except to visit us soon," Alice told her, as both Marie and her cousin lifted water from the wells, as Alice continued, "They'll be very happy to see you it's been a while."
"That it has." Marie agreed, looking over her shoulder to see Thomas sporting a wide grin directed at her, she couldn't help but return the smile.
The air between herself and her mate felt charged with an electricity that she had come to crave. She wanted to throw down the heavy pail of water and run straight into her mate's arms and she almost did, until a pungent smell wafted through to her senses. Its odour was unmistakable, but Marie had smelt it too late.
Already the witch was storming past through the thicket of trees and out into the clearing. Her dark eyes narrowed, her inky black hair blowing in the soft breeze as she appeared to be gliding towards them. Her alabaster skin shined in the sun and her voice sounded melodic like a piano as she spoke, "Well isn't this just a lovely, picturesque little scene."
The witch now had the attention of everyone, Thomas and Daniel were by their mate's sides faster than anyone could blink.
"The Jaxon Alpha's with their pretty little mates. Oblivious to the pain they've caused my daughter."
Daughter? Marie thought confused, Was this woman Cassie's mother?
The witch stopped a few feet towards the group and Marie noticed Thomas stand in front of her pushing her back tightly against the edge of the well. A heavy silence hang in the air is the werewolves and the human waited for the witch to make her move.
"Well don't everyone speak at once," the witch smiled, "Have any of you nothing to say for yourselves on my daughter's behalf, not even an apology? One of you broke her heart and the other was draining her power. And now the two of you think you deserve happiness?"
Marie felt the stirring of trouble in the pit of her stomach and she struggled to breathe as it was all suddenly coming to a crescendo. She knew nothing good ever came from entrusting a witch and now here she was at the mercy of one because of a mistake her mate and his brother had made long before she'd arrived.
"Your daughter knew the risks of her actions," Daniel argued through clenched teeth and Marie could hear the strong wolf of the Alpha ebbing close to the surface, "She knew what it would cost her to offer us her power."
"Forget her power," the witch spat aggressively, "She is suffering something far worse than simply drained powers. A minor thing, overlookable almost in comparison to her depression - clearly you have never experienced a broken heart wolf."
Marie's heart clenched and the witch straightened, "Since neither of you refuses to apologize I will make you eternally sorry instead."
The witch turned to Daniel, the air around her suddenly picked up and the wind blew her dark hair around her immaculately and she laughed as she said, "So you're the brother who was asking for strength and power? I bet my daughter didn't tell you where you were drawing that power from did she? I suppose you would've noticed your mate's illness around the time your strength grew and now thanks to me, this power you have will continue to grow just as she continues to weaken."
"NO!" Daniel roared out, but it was already too late. Alice suddenly gasped and fell to her knees as blood started to run from her nose. Alice was pale and trembling and bleeding, and Marie couldn't help but feel guilty. She shouldn't have pushed Thomas to be so brash with Cassie. She should've warned him of the repercussions of upsetting a witch, or, in this case, the witches mother.
"Stop it," Marie cried out drawing out from behind Daniel as she pleaded, "Please don't harm my cousin she did nothing wrong. I'm the one who forced Thomas to break your daughters hurt, punish me not her."
The witch turned her gaze to Marie, and she smiled, "How very noble of you, but I'm afraid I can't. The spell would've killed her any way I've only made it all the quicker. As for you, well, it's not you I wish to punish but your mate. And what better to punish him than to make him, kill you."
A long, low howl filled the air and looking over her shoulder Marie saw Thomas dropped on the ground, his eyes flashing between the bright gold of his wolfs eye and the natural dark hue of his human eyes. He looked up at her his face strained as he bit out through clenched teeth, "Marie. Run."
When Marie had turned back to face the witch, the wicked woman was gone.
*
*
*
If there was only one hope of saving Alice, Marie had no choice but to step forward onto the witch's territory. It wasn't the cave where she'd found Cassie but a much more established home that she'd learnt belonged to the witch who was Cassie's mother - Vivian Altamura.
Her cousin was on the brink of her death and her mate had already lost his sanity to his wolf. There was no stopping Thomas he couldn't control the wolf inside of him whenever she was within any type of sensory distance from him, he'd left the pack lands to live life as a rouge and it had torn Marie apart. The only thing holding her together was the fact that no matter what she did she had to save Alice.
She wouldn't let her cousin be an innocent victim in this mess.
Marie struggled not to gag from the smell as she was escorted into the home by a human girl. The smell surrounded Marie and made her tremble from the ghastliness of it all. It was so strong and surrounding that she hadn't even smelt the witch herself appear.
The witch narrowed her beady eyes at Marie, "You're that wolf girl - aren't you?"
Marie nodded, "I have come to ask you to remove the curse you placed on the Jaxon brothers and their mates."
The witch smiled, "Come child, you surely didn't think that by coming here and asking me I would remove the curse would you? Don't feel too harshly about it, my daughter was quite angry when I'd told her what I'd done. Besides, it was never to punish you so much as your mate and his brother. My daughter is not some disposable object you can use and manipulate when you please."
"I understand this," Marie agreed with the angered mother wholeheartedly. She had a right to be angered, her daughter had in fact been used and manipulated, Marie felt just as sorry for Cassie as she did for herself. Well, almost. It was Alice that Marie felt the most sympathy for.
"And well avenging your daughter is all good and well Vivian, my cousin and her mate did nothing to deserve your wrath. You even said so yourself that it was a minor thing."
"In comparison to a broken heart, yes," Vivian nodded, "But I cannot help you. My spells do not come with un-doings, once it is in place it does not come away."
Marie shook her head, "I will not take no for an answer. My cousin is dying and..."
It's all my fault.
Marie wanted to say but knew that she shouldn't. What use would it be making herself all the more vulnerable, there was no need to point the blame towards herself both she and the witch could feel it to be true. And besides, if it wasn't Marie's fault than it was Thomas' or Daniel's, but Marie should've warned her cousin better. Made Alice run away when she'd had the chance.
"I will not leave until you revoke this curse."
The witches eyebrow raised up into her hairline, her voice was a whispered softness as she said, "You're going to regret talking to me like that."
With a snap of the witch's fingers, a leather bound book of fine pages and an inkwell appeared in her hands. The pen moved of its own against the parchment and the witch smiled, "I'll offer you a deal. If you, Thomas and Daniel kill your cousin before the effects of the spell does then all of this will ago. If you can't the spell becomes eternal unbreakable a family heirloom of the Jaxon's, this will be your one and only chance to break it."
Marie's eyes widened as the quill stopped writing and she'd realized; she had just made everything so much worse. How could she present this to her cousin, or Thomas or God forbid Daniel? She couldn't. none of them would have the strength to kill Alice, none of them. This curse would be eternal.
"And if neither brother sires no children?"
The witch smiled, "There're always cousins."
Tearing the sheet out of the book, Marie ran from the witch's house before she could make anything else. There was no getting through to Vivian and now there would never be an end to this curse, all because Marie couldn't leave well enough alone. She'd have to hide this somewhere where it could never be found.
This was her burden to bear and hers alone. Nothing would ever free from this, they'd all be trapped in an endless cycle of pain and loss and heartbreak.
Anouchka fell away from Jane as she felt tears subconsciously streaming down her face. It was all her fault she knew that, and now Jane did too. There'd never be a happy ending for them because she'd screwed it up, she'd angered the monster that had bestowed their curse and Anouchka and the others now would forever have to pay the price.
~*~
A/N:
Everything at school literally just hit me like a freight train, hence the late update sorry about that. Although it is roughly 1000 words longer then the length of my usual chapters, so... (trying to put in a little effort)
Anyone else back at school this week or last???
Also quick shout out to any foooers who read my book, because I <3 THE FOOO and my girl is just literally the most amazing song ever.
Make sure to follow me to read little extra chapters and scenes that are hidden within this book and also to keep up to date with my other stories as well. I am working on a new werewolf book set to go once this is finished and I am really excited for it so I hope you guys will be toooooo!!
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