All the factions turned their heads in the direction they heard the voice. A woman stood in the distance with the city returning to life behind her. Each building the woman passed collected its fallen pieces, putting themselves back together and igniting their lights back to life. The people were shocked that one woman could repair the damages of their broken city so easily.

As the woman came closer, Vita and Amanda recognized the person moving toward them. The pendants they wore blinked happily as a beacon of strength. A rush of relief flowed through them when they realized the cavalry had arrived.

Emil stood there watching the woman he mated to over a century ago walking toward him. She was just as beautiful as he remembered. The woman stopped before him and stood there quietly. “Merida, you are breathtaking; you look exactly as I remembered you,” he said softly to her as he stroked her face with his fingers. Emil jumped back from the burning sensation he received when he touched her skin. Emil’s brows furrowed, “Why can’t I touch you, my love?” He asked her.

Merida smiled and tapped the leather bracelet wrapped tightly around his wrist. “Your little girlfriend slapped you with the spell for a cursed mate,” she informed him.

Emil was conflicted with his thoughts; as much as he wanted to wrap his arms around his mate and kiss her, the last thing he wanted was to feel the incineration of his skin burning off his body. Emil smiled pleasantly at the woman before asking, “How do we fix this, my love?”

“That’s an excellent question; I’m so glad you asked. Wait, hold that thought for a moment,” she said as she froze him before turning to the crowd. “People of Silver City, My name is Merida, and years ago, I lived in this beautiful city we call home. My father was emperor of this blessed place until, one day; he was killed. My mother, sisters, and I were forced to flee, hiding amongst a small coven of witches. They took us in and treated us like family until one day, this man you call king threatened me to mate to him so that he could gain control of my power or kill everyone I knew and loved,” Merida explained as she pointed at Emil. “So, I agreed to save the people I cared for, and then one day, he moved me back here, to the place I knew so well. I had hopes of reuniting with familiar people I grew up with. Instead, Emil threatened all your families that I would take the very thing that makes you different and unique. He scared them into believing I was dangerous because I wouldn’t allow him access to my power. So, he had me banished. I have been waiting for this day to come back here to tell you the truth. To be reunited and restore the beautiful and loving community we used to be.”

She waved her hand through the air, and a picture appeared before them all, showing the love and peace the little city once had, factions living amongst each other in harmony. It wasn’t perfect, but it was better than what they had the last several years.

“The choice, of course, is yours; you can continue to live the way things are now, under a king who instills fear, or we can rebuild our home while learning to grow together and bring Silver City back to its glory.”

Vita stared at Malakai, Deak’s wolf, carefully. She was worried he would do something Deak would regret. Every time she approached him, Malakai would move farther away. Her heart beat frantically against her chest; she feared making the wrong move and risked losing her mate forever. Vita turned her attention back to Merida when she heard about a choice.

“You have a choice, Emil; you can either reject me as your mate and never come back to Silver City, or two, live with the curse until it drives you to insanity and you die,” Merida offered.

Emil narrowed his eyes at the woman he had waited all this time to offer him two choices that didn’t have her included in his life. “Well, it seems neither choice is good if I have to live without you.”

Merida closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. “You don’t get to have me because you never really loved me. You wanted my power; you wanted to rule over all and never be told what to do. I gave you my love; I did whatever you asked me to do.” She expressed. “All I asked for in return was your love, and you couldn’t even give me that.”

“You betrayed me when you wouldn’t turn them into my minions,” Emil snarled. “I think I’ve made my decision. I choose to live out this curse and force you to endure the torture I endure until my dying day.”

“Allow me to help you,” a voice whispered in Emil’s ear.

Emil’s chest shook, and his body wiggled as he stood there in his spot. His skin grayed as his body froze, eventually falling to the ground, dead.

Vita sucked in a breath when she saw Deak standing behind where Emil had fallen, holding something bloody in his hand. Deak dropped the object to the ground as he tried to grasp what he had done.

Merida turned to Vita and nodded her head quickly. It was now or never for Vita to break the curse.

Vita walked up to Deak, who was trying to step away. “Deak, stop.”

“I’m no good for you; please let me go. I don’t want to do this,” he pleaded.

Vita grabbed Deak and pulled her into him; she reached up and placed both hands on the sides of his face forcing him to look at her. “Deak, I know how to end the curse.”

“No, it’s too late.”

“Deak, listen to me. If you love me, you will do this, please, I’m begging you. Complete the bond!” Vita grabbed the back of his head, guided him down to the base of her neck, and waited for the pain to come.

“NO! Don’t do this; you don’t need her,” the voices screamed.

“If this is what you want, my Vitaline LeMarquee, I do this for you.” Deak kissed and licked the spot before his fangs bit into her skin; he felt Vita quiver in his arms as he held her tighter against his body. He could taste her blood hit his tongue as his eyes popped open, and he felt his life renewed. The bracelet bound to his wrist broke and drifted to the floor. Deak pulled back his head as he felt the power of their love radiate through his blood, forcing the darkness out of his head.

Tears rushed down Vita’s face as she tried to keep herself from falling. Deak held her in his arms, whispering, “Vita, my Vita. I love you; I love you. We will never part ever again.”

Vita pulled her head back from his body to look into his eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes, how much she had missed looking at them, and now she would get to look into them for the rest of their lives.