Cursed Lycan's Scarred Mate
Chapter 43: A possible solution

Chapter 43: A possible solution

Vivian’s hopes were brutally shattered.

Lady Morgana certainly didn’t restrain the bluntness in her honesty about Vivian’s condition.

However, the she-wolf was somewhat appreciative of the fact that the coven leader didn’t regard her like a child who needed to be consoled with a sugar-coated lie.

Ronan helped Vivian redress, unwilling to leave her exposed to Lady Morgan’s intense gaze longer than necessary. He seated himself on the edge of an infirmary bed, pulling Vivian to sit on his lap in order to warm up her body.

The she-wolf was far too devastated to object or feel any sense of embarrassment. She simply relaxed against his chest, her emerald eyes devoid of any feeling as she absentmindedly stared off into space.

"Do you know the story of sleeping beauty?" Lady Morgana asked, taking a seat on a cushioned armrest chair, crossing one leg over the other.

"The fairytale?" Ronan said questioningly, returning to take control of his own mind as he darted a confused look in the coven leader’s direction, bewildered by the change in topic.

"Yes, it tells the tale of a princess, cursed by a witch but saved because, while the benevolent witch was unable to counteract the curse in its entirety, she was able to alter it enough to change the outcome," Lady Morgana related, thoughtfully tapping her chin with her finger.

"So, you propose to alter the marks?" Ronan assumed, listening attentively to what she was implying.

"Yes. To try and bind the power to our pretty wolf instead of it fighting against her shifter energy," Lady Morgana further explained.

Vivian’s head perked up, and she cast a look in the coven leader’s direction.

"It will mean you’ll be changed forever, altered forever," Lady Morgana remarked bluntly, meeting Vivian’s gaze. "But the Wickan magic will become a part of you instead of a curse on you. If

it is successful, you could live a long and happy life with your mate." She held Ronan’s gaze as she spoke the last bit.

If it was successful. Was there even a chance it would be successful at all? Was Alaric truly lying to Vivian after all when he said only he could remove it?

"I was under the impression that Wickan and shifter magic were incompatible," Ronan spoke again, and Vivian was no stranger to doubt in his voice that echoed her exact thoughts.

"It is, almost always," Lady Morgana answered in a matter-of-fact tone. "However, you do get occasional exceptions. Children born of Wickan and shifter parents are such exceptions. But Wickans very rarely survive a shifter bite, and the dark magic that’s been done to our pretty wolf is so rare and ancient that we don’t have any records or it being overwritten."

"But you assume you can?" Ronan pressed for more details. He noticed a flicker of hesitation in Lady Morgan’s eyes, almost as if she was deliberately concealing more information about Vivian’s condition.

What was she hiding? She was being rather vague about the details of the magic.

"We can try," the coven leader emphasised again. "It won’t be a smooth sailing procedure, and it will require a lot of time and power. I may need to summon the assistance of a sister coven. There are some who will refuse to interfere with Estwood Coven’s actions."

"I believe you said this type of dark magic is against Wickan principles, yet other covens will not refute what Estwood Coven has done." Ronan’s tone grew slightly hostile, and if it weren’t for the understanding friendship between him and Lady Morgana, she would have undoubtedly ushered him out along with his mate.

"Other covens will see interfering in this as another wrong and would preach mercy as the Moonborn Pack did," Lady Morgana said defensively.

"But not you," Vivian suddenly spoke, intervening and contemplating why Lady Morgana’s principles were any different.

"The loss of a cursed Lycan’s mate to a magic curse would be a grave unbalancing of the world." Lady Morgana uncrossed her legs, standing up again to walk over to the fire hearth where she stood idle, her gaze lost in the crackling flames. "It would have repercussions that would affect us all for a century to come."

She returned her attention to Ronan, looking in the Lycan Alpha dead in the eye as aged sorrow subtly reflected in his eyes with her next words.

"After what happened the last time a shifter of such importance died unnaturally, I have no wish to see history repeat itself," Lady Morgana declared, her gaze tense with aged and buried pain.

Vivian glanced up at Ronan for answers to what Lady Morgana was referring to, but the Lycan Alpha shook his head.

Not a discussion for now.

"If you’re prepared to undergo the altering process, I’ll need to make preparations and summon others to assist," Lady Morgana steered the conversation back on track. "I’ll investigate more about the origins of this dark magic and discuss with other Wickans."

"In the meantime," she continued, "You’re both welcome to stay here. We’ll have some tea and food prepared for you, and then you can bathe to relax. You both need to mentally prepare yourself for what’s to come."

Her words were ominous, but she was hellbent on cautioning them.

"It’s going to hurt," Vivian stated, reading between the lines.

"The process will hurt, yes. But the end result should be a cessation of the pain if the procedure goes as planned."

"And if they don’t?" Vivian pressed her lips together.

"We’ll be merciful," Lady Morgana promised.

Ronan cupped Vivian’s face, tenderly brushing his thumb across her cheek.

"The choice is yours, sweetheart," Ronan murmured comfortingly, offering her a soft smile filled with hope. "If you don’t want to do this..."

"I...will need time to think about it," Vivian answered uncertainly. It wasn’t just her own life and freedom at stake, but also her niece’s.

Avery’s life was in Alaric’s hands, and if Vivian didn’t heed his orders to completion, she didn’t want to delve into the unthinkable of what he’d do to her niece.

"I’ll give her time," Lady Morgana agreed, sympathising with Vivian’s reluctance. "Stay here a few days and then make your decision."

Before Ronan could voice another thought, the immense weight and weakness wearing him down came crashing over his body in a single strike. His limbs went limp and the Moonbind Draught’s effects assailed his senses all at once, driving him into a state of unconsciousness.

Alarmed, Vivian cupped his face, shouldering his heavy weight as his body fell forward while she was seated on his lap.

"Ronan? What’s wrong?" Concerned, Vivian gently shook him.

Soran had just returned with a tray of tea and food, setting it down on the table swiftly upon noticing the scene.

The Wickan immediately approached to offer his assistance, managing Ronan’s large body by himself so that Vivian wouldn’t receive any strain.

"Did something happen on the way here?" Lady Morgana strode to where they were, alerted by the sudden deterioration in Ronan’s health.