Wolf Cursed (Forged by Fate book 1), page 1
WOLF CURSED
FORGED BY FATE book 1
LANA MELYAN
Copyright © 2023 by Lana Melyan
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual locales, organizations, events, or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.
Lana Melyan
Cover Designer: Orina Kafe
Created with Vellum
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Also by LANA MELYAN
Chapter One
SPENCER
“Have you seen Brian?” I asked Alex, shouting over the music. She was chatting with Emily where they sat on the wide windowsill.
She shook her head. “He could be upstairs?”
I glanced at the crowded staircase. “It’s okay,” I muttered to myself. “I’ll text him.”
I pulled out my phone. All I had was one beer, but my head felt big and heavy, and I wanted to go home.
I was on my way to the door when Brian grabbed my arm.
“Were you hiding from me?”
“Me? I was here the whole time. It’s you who keeps disappearing.” I pushed the phone back into my pocket.
“I was having a beer with the guys.”
“Listen, it’s late. I want to leave.”
“Come on, babe, the party is just getting started.”
We’ve been dating for three months now, but I still hated when he called me that. He was a good-looking guy, a good football player, and many girls from school wished to be in my place, but sometimes he could be a real ass, and whatever we had didn’t feel right to me anymore.
“You can stay if you want to, but I’m tired, and I promised my mom I’d be home by eleven.”
“In a couple of weeks, you’re finishing high school. You’re an adult now. You can do whatever you want.”
“Exactly. So I’m going home. Because that’s what I want.”
His face sank.
“I’m sorry, Brian, but I’m not feeling well.” It wasn’t just my head. I was frustrated, and I didn’t know why. My blood was boiling, and every bone in my body was aching.
Making my way through the hyper crowd, I finally reached the door and walked outside. He followed me down the porch and to the street.
“Spence, this is the last party with our classmates. We should have fun.”
I knew what he meant by fun.
“I’m not in the mood.” I gave him a weak smile. “We’ll see each other Monday. We can have some fun after school.”
He grabbed my arm and headed toward the trees across the street, dragging me along.
“Brian, what are you doing?”
He pushed me against the tree trunk. He was drunk and agitated, and that wasn’t a good combination.
“Let go of m—” He cut me off with a kiss. One of his hands ran under my long hair, settling around my neck, and the other slid under my short skirt.
“Stop it.” I grabbed his hand.
“Come on, babe.” He pressed his body against mine, pinning me to the tree.
My attempts to push him away were fruitless. He was a few inches taller than me, and he was strong.
Mom forbade me to use magic on people or around them. She warned me like a million times. If someone found out we were witches, we were doomed. We would have to leave town. Again. But right now, I was so pissed that I was seconds away from hexing him.
“Hey, man,” a calm male voice came from the street. “I think you should leave her alone.”
Brian turned his head.
“Mind your own business,” he barked at the guy.
The moment he loosened his grip, I slammed my fist into his chest.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I pushed him off me with both hands.
I fixed my crooked skirt and was about to walk away, but the moment I took the step, he grabbed my arm again.
The guy who was in his car came out. He shut the car door and leaned against it, still gazing at Brian.
“What are you staring at?” Brian let go of me and started toward him.
The guy didn’t move. The street was dark, and I couldn’t see him clearly, but I could tell he was taller than Brian and had broader shoulders.
“Brian.” I took him by his arm, but he shook me off. He dashed to the guy and swung his fist.
The guy caught it in mid-air. His fingers clenched around Brian’s fist, and he straightened up before forcing it down.
I pressed my lips together to prevent my jaw from dropping.
“Listen, man,” the guy said patiently, “how about you take a nap, and we'll do this tomorrow when you’re in better form?”
“Are you saying I’m drunk?” Clenching his teeth, Brian pointed his finger into his chest.
“Yeeeah . . .” the guy tilted his head “. . . maybe a little.”
“Who the hell are you?” Brian glared at him. “I’ve never seen you before. What are you doing here?”
“You need to get inside.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.”
I wished I could go, but it was obvious that the guy was much stronger than Brian, and some part of me was afraid to leave them here alone with each other.
“Brian, go back inside.” I insisted.
“You’re taking his side?” He turned around and looked at me as if I was the world’s biggest betrayer. “Wait a minute. Do you two know each other?”
“What?” I snorted. “No. I’ve never seen him. But—”
“Then why are you protecting him?”
“Protecting him?”
It’s you I’m protecting, you idiot.
“Buddy,” the guy stepped forward. “You need to calm down.”
“And you need to shut the fuck up when I’m talking to my girl.”
I had enough of this circus.
“You know what?” I gazed at Brian. “You can continue your pissing contest without me. I’m done here.”
I turned around and took off. My house was about ten minutes away at a normal pace at the very end of the lane. While I walked, I could still hear Brian bark at the guy, who I supposed got back into his car since the only reply I heard from him was the car door slamming.
I was halfway home when I heard a car behind me. It slowed down as it leveled with me, and I threw a sideways look at the driver.
Of course, it’s you.
“Just wanted to let you know that he’s safe. I didn’t touch him.”
“What makes you think I was worried?” Looking ahead, I kept hammering my heels against the road.
“I know you were.”
“He’s not a bad guy, you know. He was just drunk.”
“Not an excuse.”
I stopped, and so did the car.
“Listen,” I turned to look at him, “I’m grateful for you helping me out there. But I’m okay now.”
“Are you? I heard you say you weren’t feeling well. I thought you could use a lift.”
He was listening to our conversation?
“Thanks. But I’m almost home.”
The guy pulled over and got out. This time, he was close to the streetlamp, and I threw a careful glance at him, looking for proof that his noble behavior wasn’t just some Oscar-worthy act.
I could tell he was a few years older than me. He was wearing gray jeans and a black shirt, and even though his shirt was loose, it couldn’t hide the shape of his masculine body.
Damn, he's hot. And look at that face. I’ll be damned.
The moment our eyes met, I turned away and started walking again. Okay. He doesn’t look like a criminal. Though that conclusion didn't cover the main feeling that told me I could trust him and urged me to look at him again, which had nothing to do with his good looks. Then what is it?
He left his car behind and walked beside me but kept his distance.
“You don’t need to be afraid of me.”
“Who said I’m afraid? It's just . . .” I lifted my chin. “You’re new here.”
“What makes you think so?”
“I’ve never seen you before. I would remember if I had.”
He smirked. “Glad to hear that.”
“Cocky much?” I rolled my eyes. “This is a small town. It’s hard to remain unnoticed.” The fresh air eased my headache, but the pain in my bones was getting stronger, and I couldn’t wait to get home and at least take my shoes off. “So,” I heaved a breath, “what brings you to this almost-not-on-the-map place?”
“It’s not what. It’s who.”
“Really? Who is the who? Do you have family here?”
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“No. Not a family.” He cleared his throat. “It’s you.”
I stopped. “Me?”
“Yeah. I mean . . . I was passing through the town and stopped at the motel. I needed to get some rest after the long ride. This morning when I came to the diner to have a bite, I sensed you.”
“What do you mean you sensed me?”
“I could sense your wolf. That meant you were nearby. I came out and saw y—”
“My what?” My eyebrows jumped up.
“It’s okay. You don’t need to hide it from me. I’m like you. I know your wolf hasn’t come out yet but—”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Why? Why does this always happen to me? You think you met this interesting person and then . . . It’s like when you see this perfectly wrapped present under the Christmas tree, and you can’t wait to find out what’s hidden inside that shiny paper, and the moment you rip it off you realize that it was just—What the hell is this? Wolf? Really?
“Is this some kind of new pickup line?” I stared at him. “Because if it is, you better never use it again.”
He bit his lip to suppress the smile.
“Look up.”
I did. “And?” I asked, staring at the moon in the sky right above us.
“It’s full.”
“Oh, now I get it.” I shook my head, then glared at him. “You know what, it was nice meeting you,” or I thought it was, “but I need to go.”
“Holy Alpha,” he released a soft gasp. But as I scowled at him, he added, “Bet . . . Alphabet.” He grinned. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” He looked confused now. “You really have no idea what you are?”
“What I am?” I know what I am. I’m a witch. But it was not what he was talking about. “I’m not what, I’m who.”
Suddenly, his face became firm.
“You said you were not feeling well. What’s wrong? Where does it hurt?”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s not the first time. It will pass.”
“Okay. Let me guess. It happens once a month. You feel angry without any reason. You feel this heat like your whole body is on fire, and your bones are in pain like they’re about to crack.”
I stared at him. “How did you—”
“When is your birthday?” he went on. “When are you turning eighteen?”
The seriousness of his tone alarmed me.
“June twelfth.”
“You still have a month before it happens. And when the next full moon comes, it will be much, much worse.”
“Before what happens?” I rubbed my aching arm.
“No one ever talked to you about this, did they?” He shook his head. “I can’t believe this. Listen,” he said softly, taking a step closer, “you need to talk to your parents. Right away. Tell them about your pain in detail and tell them that it happens on a full moon. They will know what it means. Or at least one of them will. You have parents,” he looked at me with doubt, “don’t you?”
“Yeah. I have my mom.” I glanced at my house fifty feet away.
“Only a mother. And in the middle of nowhere.” He said, mostly to himself, narrowing his eyes. “Interesting.”
“I need to go,” I started walking away. “This is so weird,” I muttered under my breath.
“Wait.” He caught up with me. “You should have my number. I’ll stay here for another couple of days in case you need me. If you have any questions, call me at once.” He stretched out his hand. “Give me your phone.”
I hesitated for a moment, but the inexplicable trust I felt before nudged me, and I handed it over. He didn’t ask for my number, so it wasn’t a big deal after all.
The second he returned the phone, I hurried away.
“My name is Finn,” he threw after me.
“Bye, Finn.”
“Good night, Spencer.”
He knows my name? Crazy stalker.
FINN
I watched her get into the house before returning to my car and driving back to the motel.
I couldn’t believe this. She was so close to her first shift, and she had no idea who she was. I was sure her mother wasn’t a wolf. It wasn’t something you could hide from your family. Well, maybe she could. But why? And why not tell her daughter, who was about to become one?
Back in my room, I laid down on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
Was it possible that the mother had no clue what was happening to Spencer? If so, then there were only two reasons I could think of. First—Spencer could’ve been adopted. And second—her mother had a one-night stand or a short-lived affair with a werewolf who never told her who he was before he disappeared.
If one of these two theories was right, and her mother, just like Spencer herself, had no clue what was coming, then Spencer was very dangerous. She could hurt, even kill, someone.
And I couldn’t even begin to imagine how scared she would be after the transformation when she realized the excruciating pain that she went through turned her into an animal.
No, I couldn’t leave town until I knew she was taken care of.
It was a full moon and my wolf begged me to let him out, and I was too agitated to sleep anyways. I changed into sweatpants, got in the car, and headed to the grove.
Chapter Two
SPENCER
The lights in the living room were off, which meant Mom was already in bed. I released a moan of relief as I took off my shoes, then, trying to be quiet, I climbed to the second floor.
“Spencer, is that you?” Mom called the moment I opened my bedroom door.
“Yes, Mom, who else is there?”
She was still awake, and I lingered in the hallway for a second, wondering if I should tell her about the guy. Not that I believed the nonsense he poured down on me, but he freaked me out a little. I already had my frustration with Brian, my boiling blood, and my aching bones to keep me up all night. Maybe if I shared the stranger’s raving about sensing my wolf with my mom, the creepy feeling would go away, and it would be one thing less to worry about.
So you want to unload that crap onto your mother in the middle of the night to make sure she wouldn’t sleep either? I walked into my room and shut the door.
I took off my shirt and the skirt, slipped into my PJ shorts, and headed to the bathroom. While I brushed my teeth, I went over the whole conversation with the Finn guy.
I’ve asked my mom all those questions about werewolves and vampires hundreds of times since I was a kid. She was a witch, and so were her dead parents and the whole ancestry. She knew things about the supernatural world. Werewolves didn’t exist. She made it clear.
And that's the exact opposite of what Finn was talking about. He was telling me that there were werewolves out there and that I’m about to become one.
Me? A wolf? I snorted, splashing the toothpaste all over the mirror.
I was warm, and it felt like there was no air in the room. I removed the blanket from the bed and tossed it in the armchair in the corner. Then I opened the window and picked up my phone, which was blinking with notifications, from the nightstand. There were a couple of messages from Alex asking what happened between me and Brian, why was he so upset, and why did I leave so early? I sent her a short reply saying I’ll explain later.
Also, there were several texts and calls from Brian. The texts were saying that he was sorry and asking me to answer his call or text him back. But I was too mad at him, so I didn’t do either.
I laid down and looked at the full moon as it bathed me in its silver-blue light and listened to the silence.
I was in pain. Nearly one hour passed, and I was still trying to find a comfortable position. But no matter how I placed my legs or my arms, they were hurting like a bitch.
And I couldn’t stop thinking about Finn. All this time, I was thinking about what he said about me. Then suddenly, I remembered what he said about himself when he thought I was a wolf: It’s okay. You don’t need to hide it from me. I’m like you. Did that mean—
