Cursed To The Alpha

Chapter 8

The next morning, I wake up to the comforting warmth of Mister Kal snuggled against my chest. I gently disentangle myself from his paws and stretch my arms, feeling the cool morning air seep through my nightgown. I crawl out of bed and put my dressing gown on. Sitting at my white dresser, I brush my hair absent-mindedly, lost in thought. My reflection in the mirror seems to stare back at me with a melancholic gaze.

Suddenly, there is a knock at the front door. Before I can even make my way to my bedroom door, Rose bursts in, her eyes swollen with tears. In her arms, she carries a large bouquet. Without a word, she wraps her arms around me tightly, and we both start to cry.

'I got you these,' Rose manages to say between sobs, holding out the flowers to me.

Touched by her kindness, I take the bouquet and hold it close to my chest. 'Thank you, Rose,' I say, my voice barely above a whisper. 'They're beautiful. I appreciate you thinking of me.' I wipe her tears with the sleeve of my dressing gown, offering a small smile of gratitude.

I place the flowers in a case on my dresser, but I almost knock them over as Rose lets out a piercing scream. I whirl around to see her backing against the wall, pointing an accusatory finger at Mister Kal. 'It's that cat! What is he doing here?' she asks, panic etched across her face. Mister Kal simply sits up and maintains eye contact with her. 'Janie, why is he looking at me like that? Is he trying to take my soul?' she continues, her voice trembling.

Mister Kal nonchalantly yawns, and Rose's scream intensifies. 'Rose!' I interject, exasperated. 'It's Grammy's cat, and he is just that, a cat. For someone who doesn't believe in magic, you should know he isn't going to take your soul.' I pick up Mister Kal and cradle him in my arms, hoping to calm Rose down.

As Rose continues to stare at Mister Kal with fear, I pick him up and place him in my lap, hoping to calm Rose down. 'Look, he's just a cat. He's harmless,' I say reassuringly.

'There's something strange about that cat,' Rose says, still eyeing Mister Kal suspiciously. I gently stroke Mister Kal's fur, feeling his body's warmth and his chest's steady rise and fall. He purrs.

'All right, if you say so,' she says, but then stares at Mister Kal, 'but I'll be watching you, furball, any furry moves from you, and I'll have to get myself a dog to keep you on your paws! '

Mister Kal lets out a long and deep growl at the mere mention of Rose getting a dog.

'Rose, I thought you would have learnt from last time not to mention the d o g, word around Mister Kal? Now he's probably going to be grumpy all day,' I tell her.

Rose sighs, 'It's not my fault the furball has a problem with-. '

Before she can finish the sentence, I race over, cover her mouth with my hand, and raise an eyebrow, giving her a do not say that word look.

Mister Kal's growl fades away, and he stretches out lazily, giving us a bored look.

'Sorry, Mister Kal, we won't mention the d-word again,' I tell him as if he can understand.

Rose

I nod in agreement but remain wary of Mister Kal.

'Rose, I know you think magic doesn't exist, but I want to tell you something,' Janie says to me.

She grabs her bag and sits in the middle of her bed with her legs crossed. Janie then pats the spot in front of her, gesturing for me to sit there.

I immediately sit opposite Janie on the bed, 'What is it?' I ask her.

'Before Grammy died, she told me a secret she had kept her whole life. She hasn't even told my mother. Grammy said it was to keep us safe,' she tells me.

'Keep you safe from what?' I ask.

'From people in general, I guess,' Janie replies, sounding unsure.

I raise an eyebrow, 'Okay, so what's the secret she told you?' I ask her.

Janie takes a deep breath, 'I told Grammy about how I see things, and she was able to tell me why by revealing a secret she was originally going to take to the grave. Rose. Grammy told me I've come from a line of witches and that I have an extremely rare ability that other witches don't have. She said that I'm a witch and have been gifted with the sight,' she says to me.

I blink a few times, 'You're telling me that you, your mother, and Grammy are supposed to be witches?' I ask her, wanting validation of what she is telling me.

'Yes, but Mother doesn't know,' she answers.

I bite my lip, feeling conflicted about what to say next. I know how much this means to Janie, but I also can't deny the fact that I don't believe in magic. After a moment of silence, I take a deep breath and hold Janie's hands in mine. 'Janie, I know how much you wanted to believe in magic. But the truth is, it's just a fairy tale. Grammy might have said those things in her last moments to bring you comfort, but it's time to face reality. Magic doesn't exist,' I say to her in a tender voice.

Rose frowns momentarily, but then her green eyes subtly glow as she quickly opens her bag, 'Grammy didn't just leave me, Mister Kal. She also left me this family book of spells. See it for yourself,' Janie says, adamantly passing me the book decorated with metal designs and a jewel in the middle of a moon.

'Look at this, Rose,' Janie says, her voice tinged with wonder. 'This is the family book of spells that Grammy left for me. It's been passed down through generations and full of powerful magic that's been used for centuries.'

As Janie hands me the book, I can't help but feel a sense of trepidation.