Moon Cursed (Book 2 in The Star and Her Moon Series)

Promise

Raff

 Lincoln found Raff standing in the center of his room looking lost. The Beta stepped inside, and his nostrils flared. "What the hell happened here?"

Raff arched a brow. "Your nose is telling you exactly what happened."

"Dude, that's a little messed up. I mean, I'm not really judging you... not hard, but going out and sleeping with someone because she's smells like MB...that's pretty low."

Raff let the man ramble. He would tell him the truth in a minute, but he was still reeling from the revelation. Dealing with Lincoln's over the top reaction was more than he could handle right now.

"I won't tell, Thorne. I won't tell anybody, but I hope you picked someone discreet. I'd hate for word to get around to Dorea. Of course, she might get it. These selkies put me to shame. The old me, of course."

Raff walked out of the cottage and stared toward the sea. He could feel Meribella walking in that direction. A gust of wind stirred the branches above, and a shower of pine needles fell to the ground, each one pointing in her direction.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he sighed. If that wasn't a sign, he didn't know what was, but he didn't know what to say to her. Not once during their time together had he ever been at a loss for words. Communicating with Meribella was easy, but mostly because he never questioned what he was feeling when he was around her. Now, there was so much going on...

And what did she mean the curse was broken? Her phrasing had been so peculiar. Not the Curse is broken, but specifically between them. And Aurora? He growled and kicked the pine needles, sending them scattering into the shadows. Why hadn't he just kept his mouth shut and let her explain? At least then, he could argue knowing all the facts.

"Raff? You okay?"

He exhaled and looked at Lincoln. "She's alive. I don't know how, but she is."

Rather than erupt in excitement, Lincoln turned somber. He stopped speaking and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I know it feels like it, but it's only because you pretended like that was her back there. If it gave you some relief, that's cool, but it's dangerous. You can lose yourself that way."

"No, Lincoln. I'm not crazy. I thought I was when she first walked in, and if it had just been sex, I might think you were right. That I slept with the first woman who reminded me of her, but I can feel her." He thumped a finger over his heart. "It went silent, and now it's back."

"Maybe I should go get one of the healers. You've not slept since everything happened."

"I'm telling you-"

"Raff, stop doing this!" Lincoln shouted. "I don't know how to fix this. I can fight against the sleeping and the drinking. I can't fight against a ghost."

"I'll prove it to you," Raff said.

"I'm going to get Thorne."

He let his Beta leave and jogged the path to the beach. The Harpy Clan houses were bright with warm light, and he could hear them talk and laugh inside the walls. But unlike most nights, no one was outside. They were all gathered together, reveling over their survival and mourning their losses. It allowed him to slip to the ocean unseen.

As he guessed, Meribella was on the shore. From the way the t-shirt clung to her curves, he figured she'd been for a swim, either to calm her nerves or wash him off her skin- maybe both. She gave no outward sign that she realized he was there, but he could feel the pattern of her heart change.

"Meribella, we need to talk about this," he said, sitting beside her. A low growl rumbled from her other side, and he caught a glimpse of blue peeking under the bend of Meribella's knee. "Hello Aurora."