"I'm cursed," Nate says, once we're sitting in our bedroom.
"You're cursed, with what?"
"My mate will die if I mark her."
"What?" I say, shocked.
"A witch cursed whoever my mate is to die once I mark her."
"Why?"
"Because my mother killed her mate."
He must be talking about Leonardo's mate.
"How did you find out you were cursed?"
"You're not my first mate." He swallows hard.
"Oh, I'm not," I say, surprised. I shouldn't be because, if I remember correctly, I heard women talking about me being his second mate.
"My first mate died when I marked her."
"How did you know it was because you were cursed?"
"Before my mate died, the witch used her body to tell me. She carved the message on her belly."
"That must have been horrific. I'm so sorry, Nate. How old were you?" I'm guessing he was young since it's not a lot of people who know he had a mate before.
"Eighteen. I had recently ascended to the throne."
"You were so young. I can't imagine what you went through," I say, imagining the horrors young Nate must've faced after seeing his mate die because of such a primal and natural part of their relationship. The carving on her stomach must have scared him too.
"You can't imagine."
"Did you try finding the witch to break the curse?"
"She's dead."
"Can another witch break the curse?"
"No, only her or anyone from her bloodline."
"Oh," I say, despondent.
"Yes. I'll understand if you don't want to be with me because of it."
"Why would you think I wouldn't want to be with you because you're cursed?"
"Because I can never give you pups. And you can never bear my mark."
"Even without those things, I still want to be with you."
"Why?" he asks, surprised.
"Because the reason I won't have those things isn't because you don't want me. It's because we haven't found a way to break the curse."
"What if I'm not able to break the curse?"
"I won't leave you, regardless."
"Really, you'll stay with me?"
"Yes, I will."
"I really mean that much to you?" he asks surprised.
"Yes, you do," I say, smiling as I realize I'm starting to have even stronger feelings for Nate.
"Thank you," Nate says, pulling me in for a hug.
"You don't have to thank me," I say into his chest.
"I do. A lot of she-wolves won't stay with a mate who can't provide them with a pup or mark them."
"I can't imagine my life without you in it, Nate."
"Nor I, you," Nate says and kisses me.
As we release from our kiss, I think about telling Nate that I'm a hybrid but decide not to. He's cursed because a vampire killed his father, and his mother took revenge for her mate. Nate must hate vampires a lot, but not witches since he's friends with Ekaterina. I don't think I should ever have to tell Nate. My werewolf side is stronger than my vampire side. I can pretend I'm not part vampire and be happy in my life with him.
YOU ARE READING
My Cursed Mate
Werewolf"Yes, you are. Don't you have any shame?" "Shame?" I asked, confused with what shame has to do with being jealous. "Yes, shame. Don't you have any shame for yourself? You're jealous of a woman being with your mate who wants nothing to do with you. I...
