I took the book to my room and sat down, staring at it. Here lay all the answers I could hope to find in this city. And the reasoning behind the engagement that we'd broken off. I knew I had been chosen by Lady Haven because I was a werewolf but why?! There was only one way to find out.

I opened the book.

Offended that the Haven family would turn to a witch before they turned to a wizard, the anger and jealousy of the wizard was paid in full through the curse he set upon the child and would continue to haunt the family from generation to generation. The curse was thus: That the eldest born child, be it male or female, would die before the twentieth year of life.

Horrified to learn this, the parents turned back to the witch and pleaded with her to help them. Realizing what had happened, the witch searched for ten years and on the girl's eleventh birthday she returned with a little boy.

"So long as a guardian is set to protect the child," she said to the parents as she sent him to play with the little girl, "the curse will not touch your child for the life of the guardian. It must be thus forever more, that the guardian die for the child." So saying, she left the castle and returned to her cottage.

Nine years later, the little boy and girl had grown up together as friends. The parents had watched and waited anxiously for any sign of the curse but nothing had happened.

Till the next day.

The boy and girl where in the garden and a man stepped from the trees. "Daughter Haven," he stepped towards the girl, "the time for your curse has arrived."

*SLAM*

I knew what would happen. The little boy was a guardian. He had been sent to protect the girl's life and now the wizard would take the life of her guardian in exchange for hers.

I stood up. How old was Aiden? Eighteen? Nineteen?

I went to my door and opened it, to nearly run into Aiden again. "We need to stop meeting like this." He said with a grin.

"How old are you?" I blurted.

Aiden cocked an eyebrow. "Look, my dad said that it was alright. He agreed to have you stay as his ward. No need to worry about marrying an older guy anymore." He said partially joking partially serious.

"That's not why I'm asking. Please trust me. How old are you?"

Confused but not sure where I was going with this, he replied. "Nineteen."

I almost fainted on the spot. "And the day you were born?"

"Look, you just missed my birthday. It was last month." He smiled, thinking I was worrying about getting him a gift for his birthday.

Talk about relief. I could have laughed with relief. Still eleven months to go before- Oh crud.

"What's wrong?" He stepped forward. "You look like you swallowed a bug."

I took a breath. I had to know the damage. "Did you read the book?"

"I heard the story." He replied. "Mum used to read it to me at night."

"All of it?"

He nodded. "Why?"

"Even the part about the curse?"

"The one that's supposed to haunt each generation to the present?" He replied.

Couldn't she have just lied to him?! Did she have to make it so hard on me?! I put my head in my hands. "So you know what happens on your twentieth birthday?" I asked miserably through my hands.

"What are you talking about?"

I looked at him through my fingers. Pure curiosity was written on his face. "Y-you don't know?"

"Know what?"

I could have screamed at him for being so stupid! "About the curse!"

He sighed, rubbing his forehead with a hand. "Look, could you speak plain English and stop the riddles? What's supposed to happen on my twentieth birthday?"

He didn't know. He had no idea. She didn't tell it all to him! There was hope!

"Oh, nothing." I replied, removing my hands from my face.

"Really? Then how come you were so worked up?"

I shrugged. "Who's worked up?" I said trying for blatant nonchalance. It didn't work.

"Let me see that book." He reached for it but I grabbed it and held it close.

"NO!" I shouted.

Taken aback by my reaction he lowered his extended hand. "Crim, seriously. What is it that got you so worried?"

I clutched the book closer. If I told him then he'd realize what his mum had planned to do with me and he would freak out like I did. If I didn't tell him then he'd not freak out and not hate his mum. Hm, which one should I choose?

"Please don't ask me." I said, turning away. "Just trust me a bit more on this, Aiden. I know it's asking a lot but you can't read the end of this." I put it on my table and turned back to him. "It would hurt both of us if you knew what I know."

He took a shuddering breath, trying to control his temper. "Alright. But if you're in danger, you'll tell me right?"

I nodded. "I will."

"Promise." His gray eyes met mine.

I stared back unflinchingly. "Promise."

"Good." He turned and left.

As he closed the door I uncrossed my fingers.

Great so now I'd taken up lying to him so soon again. Amazing how easy it was to lie.

I hid the book in a loose brick in the wall, a convenient hollow inside the brick itself helped hide the bulk. There was no way that he could ever read the ending or he would kill me.

Unless the curse did it first.