Curse of the Wolf King - Tessonja Odette Page 0,130

pulse races, mind whirling after everything I just learned and experienced. At the forefront of my mind is a flicker of trepidation, which only increases when I see the rigidity of Elliot’s posture. I lift my eyes to his, finding uncertainty in his expression.

With the curse broken, have things changed between us? Elliot has his magic, his immortality, his memories. Even the ability to return to his unseelie form. Do I still mean as much to him as I did when he was cursed? Or is this where everything goes wrong again? Like it always—

No. I will not expect the worst. Not this time. If it comes to pass, so be it. But I will not fall victim to my doubts.

I open my mouth, but he speaks first. “Gemma, I don’t even know what to say.”

My heart lurches. Why does that sound like the beginning of a letdown?

“You…you broke my curse. You did the unthinkable. And I…I have my memories back. Things I didn’t even realize I’d forgotten have returned to me. I feel like they’re written all over my face.”

I furrow my brow. “What are you saying?”

“Surely, you can see it all. You must have seen it in Nyxia’s eyes. I was not a good wolf, Gemma. But I promise to be better.”

My breaths grow shallow, my mind reeling as I wait to see where he’s going with this.

His lips pull into a frown as he reaches a trembling hand to my cheek. “Do you still love me? I understand if you don’t, but…but I really hope you do.”

My heart flutters with warmth while relief and annoyance fight for dominance within me. “Of course I do, you fool. Do you think I tried to sacrifice our entire relationship for nothing?”

His lips pull into a sad smile. “I just thought…after what Nyxia said about me and the Alpha Council…well, my point is, it will take a lot of effort to repair the relationships with the other royals. In the meantime, they’ll talk. They’ll speculate. They’ll probably continue to hate me. I know you’ve been on the wrong side of gossip before, and I can’t—”

“Elliot,” I say, silencing him as I throw my arms around his neck, “let them talk. I don’t care. If they say anything to my face, I’ll have a few choice words for them myself, royal or no. All I care about is you. You, Elliot. The one I love.”

His lips pull higher, and finally I see that genuine smile of his, the one I first glimpsed in his parlor so many weeks ago. “I love you too, Gemma.”

He brings his lips to mine, tossing his staff to the side and gathering me in both arms. I pull him close, careful not to disrupt his precarious balance, reveling in the feel of him, the smell of him, the way his heart hammers against mine.

When we pull away, I feel like my grin will split my face in half. “So, your name is Flauvis? I suppose I should stop calling you Elliot Rochester.”

“Honestly, I don’t care what you call me,” he says. “Call me Elliot, Flauvis. Anything. So long as I’m yours.”

Epilogue

ONE YEAR LATER

At the top of the stairs, I call down the hall toward the children’s room. “Dinner’s ready.”

I hear an excited whoop, followed by a bark, then three figures charge out the room and skid down the hall. Micah and Jenny are in their seelie forms, while Charlie pads over in wolf form.

My heart squeezes, noting Franklin’s absence. The fourth child left the manor just last month when his mother finally came to claim him. I’m happy that he’s been reunited with his original family, but I don’t know if I’ll ever get over the ache of having had to relinquish the pup I’ve grown to love over the last year. But I must bear it, for in time, all the children might be reclaimed by their parents now that the curse is broken. Until then, I will love them like they are my own with every beat of my heart.

“Who’s eating what?” I ask when they approach.

Charlie barks, Micah says, “Bread!” and Jenny shifts from foot to foot, lips pursed. Then, with a shudder, she dissolves into a puff of black and gray fur and lets out an excited bark.

“All right,” I say. “You know where to go.”

They charge down the stairs, and I follow them at a more leisurely pace. Once inside the dining hall, Micah takes a seat at the long table, while