"Serge," I said, forcing his name out through my reluctant throat. I made myself look him in the eyes again.

He smiled amiably.

"I guess we should talk," I said slowly.

"We should," he agreed. His expression was grim. "Deck?"

"Sure," I agreed. I walked around to the back of the house. Serge sat down in one of the comfortable chairs, I took one at a ninety degree angle. Even though it was getting easier to look past the magic at my new pack, it was still easier if I could look across towards something neutral.

I studied the mass of evergreens at the edge of the lawn and tried to think of how to say what needed to be said.

"Congratulations," he told me, breaking the silence between us.

"Thanks," I said. "And thanks for following me."

"You're welcome," he said simply.

"So, I, um, guess you know my decision then?" It was a stupid rhetorical question, but I was struggling to think of what I should say to him after everything.

"I knew before you even decided. You made the right choice," he told me.

A shot of pain for his suffering was followed by a wave of my ever present dread. He was gracious even in rejection. "Then you're not upset?"

I glanced at him and saw him half smile. "Well, I would be lying if I said I was overjoyed that you picked him, but I do understand. Ultimately, what matters most is that you get your life back. If that's how you want to try, I respect your decision."

I tried to smile back at him, but inside it felt like I was being torn in two. This was why it was such a difficult choice.

Only my desire to be free from the curse combined with the desire not to make them wait pushed me to make such a quick decision. It might have taken a lifetime with each to figure out who I could love more, and even then I was not confident I would know the right decision at the end, if there even was a right decision.

From the outside it probably looked easy. Matthias had never harmed me. Serge was directly responsible for my suffering, but I had no doubt now that it had been a momentary lapse in judgement, a grave error he deeply regretted when his adrenaline had been high and his attention split. He was loyal, honourable and patient. I could not help but empathize with his suffering and care about him for the good I had discovered within him.

But, I had chosen Matthias so that was all it would ever be between Serge and I. I just wished there was some way to lighten the blow. Matthias was my past as much as he could be my future.

I swallowed. "I f-forgive y-you for everything. I even care about y-you, but..."

"You don't have to say more," he said.

"I feel like I owe y-you an explanation," I whispered.

"You don't owe me anything," Serge responded quickly. He met my eyes directly and I felt a shot of something unidentifiable. "You never have."

I did not know how to respond. We sat in silence for a long moment until Serge cleared his throat.

"I assume you'll hold your wedding back home," he said in an even tone.

"We didn't really talk about that yet, but I think so. All our family is there."

He nodded. "I'll have to come, so that you don't suffer from the distance."

"Of course," I agreed. I could feel my hands shaking.

"I don't have to be there with you, though. I could just wait nearby," he said.

The curse bit me, but I did not need its motivation. "No, of course not. Y-you're invited to come, S-serge!" I protested.

"I doubt anyone wants me there," he said.

He was right. Matthias was not going to be impressed, but I was not going to give in on the point. My father, brother and the rest of my pack were not exactly Serge's biggest fans, either.

"But I do. I don't want you to have to sit all alone in the forest and wait."

"That doesn't matter. Besides, I wouldn't sit in the bush, I'd sit in my truck again. I've always got work I could bring."

The curse tried to prevent further argument as magic fear slid under my flesh and prickled my skin.

"You're welcome to come if you change your mind," I forced out, but maybe it would be worse for him. I left it alone.

He changed the subject. "There's actually something I'm more concerned about, Elise. There's no guarantee that this will work, and if it doesn't, we need to decide how to proceed."

I nodded that I understood.

"If the curse breaks, then you're obviously free to go wherever you please, and I can only assume that will be home to your families and pack. But if it does not, I can't leave mine. I believe it would be easiest if Matthias joins here. If he doesn't want to, he can still stay indefinitely."

"Here?" I asked past my ripples of fear. Dealing with both Serge and Matthias under one roof sounded like fodder for terrible reality television. Matthias had a bit of a temper and even Serge had a breaking point.

"In my lands, close enough that the magic won't hurt you more. We'll find a way for you to have a home of your own, Elise," he explained. "It's the least I could do."

"Thank y-you," I said. My heart was hurting, but I could not refuse his generosity.

"Do you need me to take you to see your family?"

"No thanks, I'll just call them. They'll understand under the circumstances."

"Very well, then. Just let me know if you need anything, Elise."

"I will. Thank you, S-Serge."

He got up and left the deck. The sound of the door was intense as it shut behind him, and he was gone.

I sat shivering on the deck for a long moment before I followed Serge into the house. I walked to my room and found my phone. I hit my father's contact.

The phone rang a few times before I got an answer. "Hello, Elise. I'm just going to find your father, I assume he's the one you want to talk to," Moramay told me. "How are you doing?" she asked me conversationally.

"I'm okay," I told her, and I guessed it was true in a sense.

She said his name again as she handed him the phone.

"You could put it on speaker, dad," I told him.

"Speaker?"

"I'll do it," Moramay said in the background.

"I'm so sick of learning new tech," my father grumbled.

Moramay chuckled at him. I smiled to myself.

"So, what is it? Is something wrong?" my father asked, turning his attention back to me.

I swallowed past the lump in my throat. The curse was wailing, but I was a bit nervous in my own right. "I'm going to marry Matt," I told him. The curse wove through me with its rage.

There was a long pause. "Congratulations," my father said, sounding slightly conflicted.

Moramay echoed his words, but she sounded like she entirely meant it.

"I am hoping it will break the m-magic, but there is more there."

"That's great. Seems a bit fast though."

"I've known Matt since before I can remember. I think twenty years is long enough," I pointed out. There was no one closer than Matthias.

My father did not sound entirely convinced yet. "I didn't know he was even thinking about proposing. Isn't dating still a thing?"

I decided not to tell him that Serge's actions had goaded Matthias on. I did not want anyone to be more angry at my leader and I hoped Matthias would agree to do the same. "Yeah, but I think it was spur of the moment."

"I better have a talk with that boy," my father muttered.

"Nick," Moramay chided.

"You really don't need to do that," I protested. Matthias would sooner rip out his own heart than harm me.

Even the memory of his protectiveness made me feel warmth through the storming of the curse. It made me feel hopeful, even though the curse attacked me for that, too.

It did not matter. I was going to move forward with Matthias and stretch that fear until it finally broke.

I hoped.

After I hung up with my father and Moramay, I called Matthias's home phone. It was picked up almost immediately by Ruth.

"Hey, Elise," she said.

"Hi Ruth. How's it going?"

"Not too bad. Just waiting for a call from Dave," she admitted.

"Really?" I asked. The information piqued my interest in spite of everything. I did not know that she and my brother's friend had anything to do with each other.

She sounded a bit embarrassed, but happy in her response. "Yeah. Well, Dave and I have been together for a couple of months. I didn't want to say anything because, well, you know?"

It was unlike Ruth to be nonplussed. "Well, I'm happy for you," I told her honestly. The curse gnawed and I pushed it to the back of my mind.

"Thanks. Well, I'm guessing you want to talk to Matt? He just got in the door a few minutes ago."

"Yeah, thanks. I won't keep him too long," I promised.

Ruth laughed. "That's okay, if Dave can't get through he knows where I live."

I laughed a bit as she yelled for Matthias.

"Bye, Elise," she said as she passed the phone to her brother.

"Hello, Matt," I said to him.

"Elise," he responded. "Is something wrong?"

"No," I said quickly. "I told my dad already."

Matthias paused. "How'd he take it?"

"He sounded mostly happy. He said he wanted to have a talk with you, though."

"It'll be fine," Matthias assured me. He did not sound particularly concerned. He was likely right. My father liked Matthias.

"So, um, I did not mention that S-Serge proposed as well. I thought we could keep that to ourselves?"

Matthias was quiet for a second. "Why?"

"I feel sorry for h-him since I refused. H-he doesn't need more on h-his shoulders."

"Fair enough. I won't kick the guy while he's down. He better not try anyth..." He trailed off right as the curse started assaulting me for his aggression against my leader.

"H-h-he won't." I changed the subject. "So, have you told your parents yet?"

"I just got home, but I will. Don't worry. They'll be thrilled. They've all been harassing me about you for years now. It's been aggravating."

"Yeah, I know," I agreed.

"Wait, but I thought you didn't know."

I smiled at his confusion. "I knew they were bugging you with matchmaking comments. I didn't think you wanted us to be like that. You always looked so annoyed I thought you hated the idea, Matt."

"So if I had what, looked happy about my family tormenting me, things might have been different sooner?"

"I don't know. I didn't question it until something Lydia said."

"Lydia? Damn it, freaking sister," he complained.

I decided to tease him. "What, you're not happy I clued in?"

"Of course I am, but... You know, what, never mind."

Matthias already knew when he could not win, I thought with a welling of amusement. "Well, I should probably stop racking up the bill on my dad. When will I see you next?"

Matthias paused. "Soon. I'll try to get away as soon as possible. I... Bye, Elise."

"Bye, Matt," I agreed.

My smile managed to sneak out through the binding of the curse.