A Fate Forged in Poison and Magic
Part 2
I shove hard against his chest, the blood roaring in my ears as my heart hammers against my ribs.
“How do you know about my coven?”
I demand answers, unable to hide the tremor in my words.
He holds up his hands, trying to look as non-threatening as possible.
“Please calm down,” he says gently.
The softness in his tone only makes my anger burn hotter.
“Leave my coven alone,” I snap, backing toward the door.
All the intoxicating warmth I felt moments ago vanishes.
It is replaced by a creeping, cold dread.
“You do not understand,” he pleads, a pained expression crossing his features.
“They have been lying to you.”
“You are the liar,” I shout, refusing to hear another word.
His broad shoulders slump in defeat.
“Remember the dark magician who visited you?” he asks quietly.
“He confirmed that the mark on your arm is not a symbol of belonging.”
“It is a brand used to siphon your power.”
Staring blankly, I feel a violent spin overtake my mind.
“You do not know what you are talking about,” I insist.
“Sister Heather saved me when wolves killed my parents.”
He steps closer, his blue eyes filled with devastation.
“I looked into your parents’ death, Megan,” he murmurs.
“It was a tragic accident caused by faulty wiring.”
“No shifters were involved.”
A sharp pain lances through my skull.
Flashes of fire and smoke dance before my eyes.
“Wolves killed them,” I whisper, clutching my temples.
He reaches for me, looking utterly desperate.
“That is what they conditioned you to believe,” he says.
“They manipulated your memories to turn you into a weapon.”
“No!”
Screaming in denial, I spin my body toward the hallway.
Racing blindly, I let my feet carry me away from his office.
The guards do not even try to stop me.
Slamming the bedroom door shut, I let my knees buckle against the wood.
My head throbs as the terrifying images come faster and faster.
Could my entire life be a fabricated lie?
Could the alpha actually be telling the truth about everything?
Wrapping my arms tightly around my waist, I tremble uncontrollably.
Suddenly, a voice echoes from the corner of my room.
“Hello, Megan,” the voice says.
Springing up from the floor, I pivot on my heels toward the window.
Standing by my window is Kelly, a fellow witch from my coven.
She smiles at me with a predatory gleam in her eyes.
“I am here to help you kill the alpha,” she whispers.
What should I do now?
Part 3
Megan stared at Kelly.
The fellow witch stood near the window frame.
Moonlight caught the silver streaks in Kelly’s dark hair.
Kelly placed a single finger over her lips.
A soft shushing sound escaped her mouth.
Megan snapped her jaw shut.
Her heartbeat drummed a frantic rhythm against her ribs.
Kelly stepped forward, her boots making zero sound on the floorboards.
She gestured to the empty air around her.
A cloaking spell concealed her presence from the guards outside.
Megan swallowed the heavy lump in her throat.
She raised her hands in a silent question.
Kelly closed the distance between them.
A predatory smile stretched across Kelly’s face.
“I am here to rescue you, of course,” Kelly whispered.
The words barely reached Megan’s ears.
“After you went missing, Sister Heather concluded you were captured.”
Megan balled her hands into tight fists.
Her fingernails dug half-moon crescents into her palms.
Kelly reached into her dark cloak.
“I have been observing you undetected,” Kelly continued.
“You did magnificently tricking the alpha.”
“Getting so close to him will be very handy for the next step.”
Megan furrowed her brow in confusion.
She mouthed the words, asking about the plan.
Kelly pulled a small silver tube from her pocket.
The metal gleamed under the room’s dim light.
“The plan to kill the alpha,” Kelly mouthed back.
Megan felt the blood drain entirely from her face.
Her stomach plummeted toward the floor.
“Do not worry, sister,” Kelly added.
“Together, we will rid the world of his evil ways.”
Kelly extended her hand.
The silver tube rested in her palm.
It was a simple lipstick tube.
Megan recognized the intricate engraving on the metal cap.
It was a vessel for wolfsbane poison.
Megan had helped cultivate the deadly plant in the coven’s greenhouse.
The lethal concoction was designed specifically for shifters.
It worked with terrifying speed.
The poison was completely untraceable in the bloodstream.
Victims felt a rush of intense euphoria instead of pain.
They never realized they were dying until their hearts stopped.
“Go on, take it,” Kelly urged.
Kelly pushed the silver tube closer to Megan’s chest.
Megan stared at the small object.
Her hands remained glued to her sides.
She pictured Craig laughing.
She imagined his blue eyes bright with artificial joy.
She pictured him collapsing to the floor.
A tight knot of panic twisted her airways.
She shook her head.
Her hair whipped across her face.
“This will not work,” Megan whispered.
Her voice trembled with unshed fear.
“He can feel what I feel through the bond.”
Kelly frowned.
“Then you must keep your emotions controlled.”
Megan took a step back.
Her spine pressed against the solid wood of the door.
“I cannot do it,” Megan breathed.
Kelly’s expression hardened into sharp lines.
“Sister Heather warned me about this.”
“They got inside your head.”
Megan shook her head vigorously.
“Craig is different,” Megan insisted.
“He does not kill innocent people.”
Kelly scoffed.
“You have been here for one month.”
“You are already taking the side of a beast.”
“It is not just him,” Megan pressed.
“A dark magician came here.”
“He told me our coven marks are not symbols of belonging.”
Kelly held up her hand, cutting off the sentence.
“That does not matter.”
“Sister Heather will sort out your mind when we return.”
Megan clenched her jaw.
“I am not going back to her.”
Kelly let out a harsh breath.
“I was just testing you anyway.”
A grim smile touched Kelly’s lips.
“I do not need you to do anything.”
“I already took care of it.”
Megan froze.
The air in the room felt suddenly thick.
“What do you mean?”
Megan asked her.
Kelly held up the silver lipstick tube.
“I applied this to your lips while you were asleep.”
“It is already done.”
Megan pressed her fingers to her own mouth.
The realization slammed into her chest like a physical blow.
She remembered kissing Craig in his office just moments ago.
She remembered the heat of his mouth against hers.
She had delivered the poison directly into his system.
“He is already dying,” Kelly confirmed.
Megan let out a choked gasp.
Horror washed over her in icy waves.
Kelly lunged forward.
She clamped her hand tightly over Megan’s mouth.
“Shut up,” Kelly hissed.
“The guards will hear you.”
Megan barely registered the physical contact.
Her mind raced with images of Craig.
She remembered his gentle touch.
She remembered the raw honesty in his voice.
She grabbed Kelly’s wrist and yanked it away.
“We need to leave right now,” Megan lied.
She injected fake urgency into her tone.
Kelly blinked, momentarily thrown off balance.
“Now?”
“Yes, right now,” Megan insisted.
“When he drops dead, the entire pack will hunt us down.”
Kelly studied Megan’s face.
Suspicion narrowed Kelly’s green eyes.
“What do you suggest?”
Kelly asked.
Megan held out her wrists.
“Take off my cuffs.”
“I can use my magic to get us out of here.”
Kelly let out a humorless laugh.
“Nice try, Megan.”
“I do not trust you at all.”
“You had fear in your eyes the moment I mentioned his death.”
Megan rolled her eyes, forcing an exasperated sigh.
“I am afraid of his massive guards tearing me apart.”
Kelly shook her head.
“You are worried about him.”
“You actually care about the alpha.”
Disgust twisted Kelly’s features.
Megan dropped her hands.
“Fine.”
“Leave without me.”
“I will stay here and cover for your escape.”
Kelly faltered.
Her posture lost some of its rigid hostility.
“I cannot leave you behind.”
“They will blame you for his death.”
“They will tear you to pieces.”
Megan seized her opportunity.
She lunged toward the heavy nightstand.
Her fingers closed around a solid crystal paperweight.
She spun around in one fluid motion.
She swung the heavy crystal with all her strength.
The glass connected with the side of Kelly’s head.
A sickening thud echoed through the room.
Kelly’s eyes rolled back.
She crumpled to the floor like a discarded doll.
“I am sorry,” Megan murmured.
She dropped the paperweight onto the rug.
Kelly was not truly evil.
Kelly was just another pawn in Sister Heather’s twisted game.
Megan dropped to her knees.
She patted down Kelly’s cloak pockets.
She searched frantically for an antidote.
Her fingers found nothing but lint and spare spell components.
Panic threatened to choke her.
She forced the terror down.
She noticed the silver ring gleaming on Kelly’s limp finger.
The source of the cloaking spell.
Megan grabbed Kelly’s hand and pulled the ring free.
She slipped the cool metal onto her own index finger.
The air around her shimmered and distorted.
She looked down at her own hands.
They were completely invisible.
She grabbed the bedsheets and ripped them into long strips.
She bound Kelly’s wrists and ankles with tight knots.
She stuffed a piece of fabric into Kelly’s mouth as a gag.
Megan stood up and bolted toward the door.
She slipped into the corridor.
The guards stood at their posts, staring straight ahead.
They did not react to her invisible presence.
Muffled music and laughter drifted up the grand staircase.
Megan took the steps two at a time.
Her bare feet slapped softly against the polished wood.
She reached the bottom of the stairs.
The grand hall was packed with bodies.
Pack members in elegant clothing filled the massive space.
Crystal chandeliers cast a golden glow over the celebration.
Waiters carried silver trays loaded with champagne flutes.
Megan pushed her way through the dense crowd.
She kept her shoulders angled to avoid bumping into anyone.
Her eyes scanned the room frantically.
She searched for broad shoulders and dark hair.
She spotted him near the center of the room.
Craig stood surrounded by smiling well-wishers.
He held a half-empty glass in his hand.
His face was flushed with color.
His eyes held an unnatural, brilliant brightness.
He laughed at something a guest said.
His movements lacked their usual sharp precision.
He swayed slightly on his feet.
He looked exactly like a man who had enjoyed too much alcohol.
Megan knew the terrifying truth.
Shifters possessed enhanced metabolisms.
Alcohol could not affect them this way.
The euphoria was the first stage of the wolfsbane shutting down his organs.
She shoved a tall man aside to reach the center circle.
“Craig!”
Megan shouted his name.
She pulled the silver ring off her finger.
Her body materialized in the middle of the crowd.
Gasps rippled through the surrounding guests.
Craig blinked in utter surprise.
He turned his head toward the sound of her voice.
A sheen of cold sweat coated his forehead.
A rapid, erratic pulse fluttered visibly at his throat.
Before she could speak another word, he closed the distance.
He wrapped his arms around her waist.
He pulled her flush against his chest.
He buried his face into the curve of her neck.
“You came to me,” he sighed.
His words slurred together.
He sounded entirely content.
“Craig, listen to me,” Megan pleaded.
She pushed against his solid chest.
He refused to loosen his grip.
“You smell so perfect,” he chuckled.
His lips brushed against her earlobe.
Brenda pushed through the crowd.
The female guard wore a sharp suit instead of her uniform.
Her dark eyes locked onto Megan with clear hostility.
“Alpha, is this wise?”
Brenda asked.
“She should be in her cell.”
Craig beamed a radiant smile at his guard.
His arms tightened around Megan’s waist.
“She is my mate,” Craig declared loudly.
His knees buckled slightly.
He leaned more of his weight onto Megan.
“I want her with me.”
Brenda’s hostile expression cracked into genuine concern.
She watched the alpha struggle to maintain his balance.
“Alpha, what is wrong?”
Brenda asked him.
She stepped closer, reaching a hand out.
Megan grabbed Craig’s forearms.
“He needs help,” Megan told Brenda.
“He has been poisoned.”
“Take off my cuffs so I can save him.”
Brenda’s face hardened into a mask of pure fury.
“I will do no such thing,” Brenda snarled.
Craig’s head drooped onto Megan’s shoulder.
“Take off her cuffs, Brenda,” Craig mumbled.
His eyelids fluttered shut.
His legs gave out completely.
“Craig!”
Megan screamed in horror.
She wrapped her arms around his torso to break his fall.
His massive weight dragged her down to the polished floor.
Brenda rushed forward and dropped to her knees.
The music cut off abruptly.
The party devolved into instant chaos.
Guests shouted and surged forward to see their fallen leader.
“What did you do to him?”
Brenda demanded an answer.
She grabbed Megan by the collar of her shirt.
“It was an accident,” Megan sobbed.
“I did not know the poison was on me.”
Brenda released her grip and stood up.
“Arrest her,” Brenda ordered the room.
Dan pushed through the crowd.
He grabbed Megan’s upper arm in an iron grip.
Another guard grabbed her other side.
They hauled her away from Craig’s unconscious body.
Megan kicked and thrashed against their hold.
“Let me go!” she shrieked.
“He is dying right now!”
“I can heal him!”
Brenda pressed two fingers to Craig’s throat.
Her face turned an ashen shade of gray.
“His pulse is fading,” Brenda announced.
Panic erupted among the pack members.
Dan dragged Megan backward toward the hallway.
“Please!”
Megan begged through her tears.
Tears streamed down her face.
“If I wanted him dead, I would not have warned you!”
Dan paused.
His grip on her arm loosened a fraction.
He looked over his shoulder at Brenda.
“She has a point,” Dan said.
“If we take off her cuffs, she might try to finish the job,” another guard argued.
Megan stared at Craig’s motionless form.
His skin held a terrifying pale hue.
“He does not have time for you to argue,” Megan cried out.
Brenda looked from Craig to Megan.
Her jaw clenched tight enough to snap bone.
“Bring her back,” Brenda commanded.
Dan dragged Megan back to the center of the circle.
He shoved her to her knees beside the alpha.
Brenda pulled a small silver key from her pocket.
She inserted it into the locks on Megan’s wrists.
The heavy cuffs popped open and hit the floor.
Megan gasped as her magic rushed back into her veins.
The power surged through her body like a raging wildfire.
It tingled in her fingertips and hummed in her chest.
“Do not try anything funny,” Brenda warned.
She pressed the edge of a blade against Megan’s neck.
Megan ignored the cold steel at her throat.
She placed both of her hands flat against Craig’s broad chest.
She closed her eyes and focused her mind.
Other witches relied on dried herbs and spoken incantations.
Megan possessed a rare affinity for plant life.
She was a green witch.
The wolfsbane was a plant born from the earth.
It answered to her call.
She pushed her magic past Craig’s skin and ribs.
She visualized the poison inside him.
It coiled around his heart like a venomous snake.
It flooded his lungs and thickened his blood.
She took a deep, steadying breath.
She sent her power out to meet the toxin.
Reaching out with her powers, she mentally grasped the essence of the wolfsbane.
Without hesitation, she began to pull.
It resisted her magic, clinging stubbornly to his cells.
Ignoring the strain, she gritted her teeth and poured more energy into the connection.
Sweat broke out across her forehead.
Using every ounce of her strength, she withered the poison down to its base elements.
Focusing deeply, she neutralized the toxic compounds one by one.
It felt like pulling deep-rooted weeds from dry soil.
The pack stood in dead silence around them.
No one dared to breathe.
Megan felt her own strength draining rapidly.
Dark spots danced at the edges of her vision.
“Fight it, Craig,” she whispered.
“Stay with me.”
Gathering her remaining reserves, she gave one final, massive pull of her magic.
The last trace of the poison dissolved into nothingness.
Craig’s chest hitched upward.
Gasping loudly, he drew in a massive, greedy gulp of air.
His steady heartbeat echoed against her palms.
Color rushed back into his pale cheeks.
Megan slumped forward, completely exhausted.
Her hands trembled against his shirt.
Craig’s eyelashes fluttered.
His brilliant blue eyes opened.
He stared up at the ceiling for a fraction of a second.
His gaze immediately snapped to Megan.
“Megan,” he rasped.
His voice sounded like dry gravel.
A ragged sob broke free from her chest.
“I am right here,” she choked out.
Struggling against weakness, he lifted a heavy hand from the floor.
His warm palm cupped her tear-stained cheek.
His thumb brushed away a stray tear.
The surrounding wolves watched the intimate exchange in stunned disbelief.
Megan ignored the audience entirely.
Craig looked at her as if she held the universe in her hands.
Three days passed in a blur of quiet recovery.
Kelly sat stiffly on the edge of the cot inside her holding cell.
Stubbornly, she refused to meet Megan’s eyes.
Megan placed a thick manila folder onto the metal table.
With a gentle push, she slid the documents toward her former coven sister.
“Just look at the evidence,” Megan said gently.
Kelly crossed her arms over her chest.
“I do not need to read shifter propaganda,” Kelly snapped.
“I know exactly what Sister Heather taught us.”
Megan let out a heavy sigh.
“That is the entire problem.”
“She taught us fabricated lies.”
Kelly finally snapped her gaze to Megan.
Furious fire burned in her green eyes.
“You are the one blinded by lies.”
“You are bewitched by that alpha.”
Megan pulled up a chair and sat down.
“I believed that exact same thing,” Megan admitted.
“Then Brenda showed me this folder.”
Megan flipped the cover open.
She spread the pages out across the table.
“Craig gathered this information long before I ever trusted him.”
She pointed to a black-and-white photograph.
“These are the police reports from the fire that killed my parents.”
Kelly glanced at the paper and quickly looked away.
“It was faulty wiring,” Megan explained.
“It was a tragic house fire.”
“There was no shifter involvement whatsoever.”
Kelly pressed her lips into a thin line.
“They could have forged those documents.”
“I verified the seals myself,” Megan countered.
Patiently, she laid out more paperwork.
Pointing at the margins, she showed Kelly witness interviews and insurance claims.
She presented the coroner’s autopsies.
None of the evidence pointed to foul play.
None of it hinted at the supernatural.
Megan reached for the hem of her sleeve.
She rolled the fabric up past her elbow.
She revealed the dark green coven mark inked into her flesh.
“Brian, the dark magician, explained the truth about these marks,” Megan said.
Kelly flinched at the mention of the dark magic user.
“I was terrified of him too,” Megan added.
“But he showed me the truth.”
“Sister Heather used these brands to siphon our inherent power.”
“Every time we eliminated a shifter, she absorbed their life force.”
“She grew stronger with every kill.”
“We were nothing but disposable batteries to her.”
Kelly stared at the twisted mark on Megan’s arm.
Silence stretched heavily between them.
“Have you ever actually witnessed a shifter kill a human?”
Megan asked the question softly.
“Have you ever seen one drink blood to survive?”
Kelly dropped her gaze to the floor.
She did not offer an answer.
“She kept us isolated in that compound,” Megan continued.
“She filled our heads with terrifying horror stories.”
“They are not monsters, Kelly.”
“We have been hunting innocent people.”
Kelly pulled her knees up to her chest.
She wrapped her arms around her legs.
“I do not know what to believe anymore,” Kelly whispered.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
It was not full acceptance, but it was a beginning.
Megan stood up from the chair.
“Just think about everything I showed you.”
She walked toward the heavy iron door.
She paused with her hand on the handle.
“I miss you,” Megan said.
“I miss the real you.”
“I do not miss the weapon Sister Heather turned you into.”
Megan stepped out of the cell and locked the door.
Her chest ached with sympathetic sorrow.
She knew the pain of having her entire worldview shattered.
She climbed the stone stairs out of the dungeon.
Her feet carried her toward the alpha’s wing on pure instinct.
She had spent the last three nights sleeping in a chair beside Craig’s bed.
She opened his bedroom door and stepped inside.
Golden afternoon sunlight poured through the tall windows.
Craig lay sprawled across the massive mattress.
His chest rose and fell in a steady, peaceful rhythm.
His face looked completely relaxed in sleep.
He no longer looked like an enemy to be destroyed.
He looked like the most precious thing in her world.
Megan walked closer to the bed.
She stood quietly, simply watching him breathe.
Craig stirred, shifting his weight against the sheets.
His eyelids fluttered open.
His brilliant blue eyes locked onto hers instantly.
“Hello,” he murmured.
His voice carried the rough gravel of deep sleep.
“Hello yourself,” Megan replied, forcing a cheerful tone.
Craig pushed himself up against the headboard.
He winced slightly as his muscles pulled tight.
He studied her face with intense focus.
“What is wrong?” he asked.
“You look completely upset.”
“I am not upset at all,” Megan protested.
Craig raised a single dark eyebrow.
“How did your talk with Kelly go?” he challenged.
Megan sighed in defeat.
There was no hiding anything from their bond.
He could sense her emotions as clearly as his own.
“She is being incredibly stubborn,” Megan admitted.
Craig offered a small, knowing smile.
“She sounds exactly like someone else I know,” he teased gently.
Megan walked over and sat on the edge of the mattress.
“I just thought the evidence would change her mind instantly,” Megan said.
“I wanted her to see the truth about Sister Heather.”
Craig reached out and rested his hand near hers.
He did not initiate full contact.
He waited for her permission.
“Give her some time,” Craig advised.
“It took you weeks to start questioning your lifelong beliefs.”
Megan looked down at his large hand.
Guilt coiled tightly in her stomach.
“You should be resting,” she deflected.
“I have been resting for three entire days,” he countered.
Through their connection, she felt his lingering exhaustion.
The poison had taken a massive toll on his strength.
“It was not your fault, Megan,” Craig told her softly.
He pulled his hand back an inch.
The hesitation in his movement made her heart ache.
“Move over,” she demanded.
Craig raised both eyebrows in surprise.
He shifted closer to the center of the bed.
Megan crawled under the covers and lay down beside him.
“You do not have to do this,” he said quietly.
A wave of pure pleasure radiated through their bond at her proximity.
“It is the least I can do,” she replied.
She kept her voice small.
“Since I was the one who poisoned you.”
Craig’s entire body went rigid.
He pulled away from her slightly.
Megan immediately sensed his profound unease.
He was not afraid of her harming him again.
He was afraid she was only touching him out of guilt.
He thought she felt obligated to comfort him.
“I like touching you,” Megan declared loudly.
She rolled her eyes at his shocked expression.
“It is the absolute truth.”
Despite all her lingering confusion, being near him felt entirely right.
Craig melted against the pillows.
Relief washed through their shared connection.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
He pulled her flush against his side.
Megan rested her head against his solid chest.
She felt his pain recede slightly at her touch.
The mate bond carried its own healing properties.
“I also like talking to you,” Megan admitted.
She traced small circles over his heart with her index finger.
His pulse quickened beneath her touch.
“In fact, I like everything about you.”
Craig shifted his weight.
He propped himself up on one elbow to look down at her.
“You like me?” he asked.
His voice sounded incredibly hopeful.
Megan took a deep, fortifying breath.
“Love,” she corrected him.
She cleared the nervous lump from her throat.
“I love you.”
She reached up and cupped his jaw with her hand.
The words hung in the air between them.
She felt the massive impact of her confession strike his heart.
A tidal wave of intense emotion flooded her senses.
It momentarily stole the breath from her lungs.
“You do not have to say anything back,” she added quickly.
“I know our situation is incredibly complicated.”
Craig pressed his fingers over her lips.
“Megan,” he murmured.
“I have loved you since the moment you stood over me with a poisoned blade.”
“I have just been waiting for you to catch up.”
The simple honesty in his words brought tears to her eyes.
She felt the absolute truth of his statement through their bond.
He had held himself back for weeks.
He had contained his intense feelings to keep from overwhelming her.
“You are completely crazy,” she joked through her tears.
“I was actively trying to kill you.”
Craig let out a bright, booming laugh.
“Even so,” he told her warmly.
He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.
The kiss held no desperate demands.
It was soft, reverent, and full of promise.
His love washed over her like steady, warm sunlight.
She felt his profound relief that she finally saw him for who he truly was.
He was her mate, entirely devoted to her happiness.
They parted slowly, lingering in each other’s space.
“What are we going to do now?” she asked.
Craig brushed a lock of hair behind her ear.
“We need to figure out how to rescue the other witches,” he declared.
“Do you think we can actually save them?” she asked.
Craig let out a thoughtful breath.
“I honestly do not know,” he admitted.
“But we will absolutely try.”
“They are your sisters, even if they do not realize the truth yet.”
His quiet determination filled her chest with deep gratitude.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
She pressed a gentle kiss directly over his heart.
“Thank you for never giving up on me.”
Craig tightened his arms around her body.
“You were always worth the wait, Megan.”
They fell into a comfortable, peaceful silence.
They enjoyed the feeling of their bond growing stronger by the second.
Outside the window, the sun began to dip below the horizon.
It cast the bedroom in a warm, golden twilight.
Megan knew the path ahead would not be easy.
The future held countless unpredictable challenges.
Sister Heather would not surrender the coven without a brutal fight.
But Megan finally had her true mate by her side.
“We will face it together,” she murmured into the quiet room.
The word felt like a sacred promise.
Craig pressed a kiss to the crown of her head.
“Together,” he agreed with absolute certainty.
THE END
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Disclaimer
This story is a work of fiction inspired by real events. Names, characters, and details have been altered. Any resemblance is coincidental. The author and publisher disclaim accuracy, liability, and responsibility for interpretations or reliance. If you would like to share your story, please send it to [email protected].
