Family curses must be inevitable, they are like a prick in one's side. It gets even worse when you have a seed with curses from both bloodlines. It's the unlucky ones that get chained to demons, that are bound to something so wicked and disastrous they have no choice but to do their bidding. Some get help, get healed but others... don't understand the consequences, they don't realize that a house of cards brings down everyone they put in it. They don't care if their loved ones get hurt because they don't see it as a bad decision. They just see it as a decision.

Maybe Juniper Stalker was a bad seed, maybe she could've been fixed along the way, or maybe she went through something so catastrophic her whole world changed. She had a soft spot for Bella, she wanted her to be just like herself. She loved brewing trouble for the family in the midst of her visit but before she left, she wanted to see her sister again. Past experiences made it difficult for Mr. Stalker to have a proper relationship with this girl. It was hard to let her go but it was even harder for her to stay there with Bella. June never had a problem with stating her feelings and when it came to her father, he wasn't an exception.

"No wonder Mother left him. " She cursed, slowly knocking at the back entrance.

When the door opened, he was quick to keep his guard up."Juniper. I told you not to come back here."

"Believe it or not, Daddy ~" She mocked. "I didn't come here to see you. Where's my sister?" She curled her lips.

A grip at his arm and pearly brown eyes assured him she was going to be fine. "I'll handle it." She said softly, closing the door behind her.

"What do you want?" She stuffed her hand in her coat, watching out as the ocean hummed to her.

"Well, I see the Beckingham boy is fond of you." She watched Bella's bright yellow jacket then sighed, looking at the crashing waves. "I needed to say goodbye."

"Is that all?" She said.

"No." She folded her lips. "I saw our mother, she looked great but she looked broken, didn't even recognize me. That woman is no mother, I tell you."

"I really don't care about my mother, she can go to hell and so can you." She stopped walking.

Sometimes enough is never enough. It can really consume a person, it soils their minds and their hearts. It makes them think that being greedy is the only way to be happy but if your heart is filled with gold, how can it beat? You'll be lucky if someone actually loves you for you but you'll be so cautious of your tangible things that you won't be able to decipher genuine people from scammers and thieves.

Both their hairs lashed in the wind along with their dresses, it was an unbreakable silence that could only be wrecked with June's words.

"How have I wronged you? All I ever did was look out for you."

"I asked you to make sure Lily stays away from William. I never asked you to hurt her."

"You didn't clarify it either, Isobel, I'm sorry for that." She let out a deep breath. "And she deserved it and maybe next time, you'll want to make your request a bit more transparent."

"No, she didn't. You don't know how I felt when I saw her. It brought back so many memories, like when we were children." Isobel gulped then continued. "I remember everything. How you would push her head down~" She tried to catch her breath. "so far, that she'd stop moving and then you'd take her out the water and try to save her. I can't help but think what would've happened if she didn't wake up again."

Juniper started laughing, she held her stomach and laughed like it was the best joke she ever heard. She sighed joyfully, wiping a tear from her eyes. "Those were good times, weren't they?"

"No! It wasn't!" She yelled, grabbed her sister by the shirt, and shook her uncontrollably, she cried hard and rocked her while June tried to hold her still. "You took her life away from her, June! She is broken because of you! Scared because of you! You even tried to get her killed when we would go horse riding, June. You even burned her hair, it was horrible!"

"You laughed, didn't you?" She had a scowl now. "So don't cry now. It doesn't come off as being sorry, sister, it's more like hypocritical if you ask me."

"I was a child! She was a child! You were supposed to take care of us." She loosened her grip, pushing Juniper aside. "He trusted you with his daughter."

"I tried my best." She said, staring with a grin.

"Someone died last night, June!" She screamed, thinking about it. "It was horrifying!"

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"That someone shouldn't have been there." She chuckled. "You know what they say, when you play fire you get burned."

"You're sick."

"No." She nodded. "I'm leaving. Isobel~" She sighed. "~and I want you to have this. It was my good luck charm when I was your age... and I realize you're going to need it more than me." June slipped a small dagger, resembling a sword. "Here."

"I don't want anything from you."

She rushed up to her and gripped her wrist tightly, placing the knife in the palm of her hands, whispering. "Take this and some advice, sister. There's something going in that house but unfortunately, I'm not getting enough paid to know what it is."

Isobel watched the knife in her hands, she nodded and cried as she said. "Don't talk like you care about me. You only care about yourself, June."

"You're wrong again, sister." She said, sadly now. "I only care about you." She strolled away, and Isobel watched. Somehow, she knew it was the last time they would cross paths. In a way, June knew that Isobel yearned for William's affection, and in a way, she knew William would never truly give it.

June never had the chance to say how she really felt. When she closed the car door, she stared back at the shore, hoping to see her sister one last time.

"What happened?"

She sniffled a laugh before turning to the man in the driver's seat. "I guess I'm feeling a bit sentimental." They linked in a kiss but before they drove off, he couldn't catch his breath. "I'm sorry." She said, pulling a knife from his stomach. "I asked for a getaway car, not a getaway driver." She smirked, opening the door and then kicking him out. The car disappeared, out of Hope and into the horizon. She drove the roads alone, only loyal to herself, only loyal to the girl she used to be. Juniper was a warrior, fighting her own demons, and in her little world,` everyone else was the bad guy. She lived on the edge, using blinded men and naive women for their wealth and riches. In her future, these things never made her happy. Thinking back on her better days would bring her to tears, for she didn't know why people wanted her around and now she knew; people who are alone and rich seem like there's nothing missing but they seek the love that the poor are fortunate enough to obtain. She found herself laughing, bitterly. "The poor envy the rich and the rich envy the poor, must be how the world works, huh?"

There's nothing more painful than silence, Lily could attest to such a dreadful statement. She knew in her heart something was wrong, she felt it. Something was missing and she didn't know if she could handle it. She sunk into the bed, letting the pink cloudy sheets comfort her. Her eyes stared into a void, a broad collection of scenarios. They all left the room but she still felt their sympathy, she still saw their faces over and over again. She could see their shadows on the wall when they stopped at the doorway to observe her like a monkey in its cage.

"You think it's amusing, don't you?" She said, coldly to the person behind her. Their heavy breathing, she could still hear it. "Please leave me alone." She glared at the shadow on the wall, waiting for it to disappear but it held the same space for a while before she heard a walk then a thump towards her. This chipping sound made her curious, it wasn't anyone she knew. The thought of turning around gave her a freezing burn throughout her chest. "Father?" She jumped up in fright, her lips trembling as she looked at him. All she could do was stare, this figure seized her actions. She watched him limp his way to her side before taking a seat. He seemed so sad, so cold, so alone. "Father." He said, low this time. "Why is this happening to me? Why can't I just be happy? I'd give anything." She nodded, wiping tears from her eyes. "Anything, Anything... Anything. " She mumbled, opening her eyes.

"Lily. Lily, it's okay." She blinked, getting up.

"J-Jacob?" She panted. "Jacob!" She hugged him and smiled then got sad again, looking at him. "I thought you, I thought you died in the fire." She said, thinking about it. "It was June, she did it." She cursed, watching him hopelessly, wishing he'd believe her.

"We know but she left town, Lily. She's gone." He sighed, regretting ever letting her leave his sight. "What matters is that you're okay." He sat up with a flinch.

"What?" She touched his face, worriedly looking around. "What happened?" She said, noticing the clutches at hand.

"It's nothing major, trust me. Just a sprain, that's what it is." He smiled at her. "You thought I was dead? I'd never leave you, Lily, not like this." He bit his lip, staring at her.

"Jacob." She closed her eyes and tried to relax before saying. "There's something you're not telling me." She looked at the door, confused and betrayed. "Jacob." She said weakly. "Why, why won't anyone talk to me?" She grabbed his hands, squeezing them as she says. "Please, what is it that I'm not seeing?"

She could tell he'd been crying and he tried his best to keep the secret from her. "I'm sorry, Lily."

"No." She nodded. "Stop saying that. Don't say that, Jacob."

He looked at her hand in his, hesitant to hold her. "It's Peter."

"Peter? My grandfather? No." She said, firmly. "No. I'm not going to cry. I'm not going to let this hang over my head for the rest of my life."

"This isn't your fault, Lily, you must know that." He said.

"What happened?" She replied.

"When the fire started, it grew really big so when I went in to get you but I couldn't find a way out. It didn't take much time to break some boards out for you but it was too small for me, Lily. There wasn't much I could do, I was happy for your rescue but he kept going. They made a passage but by the time they did that, a beam fell on my foot so they rushed in to get me. Peter lifted the beam and John, pulled me out but before Peter could get out~" She heard how heavy his panting got and instantly dropped herself in his arms. "~ Before he could get out, the house... it collapsed. I'm so sorry." He said, almost crying now. Having her in his arms made him appreciate the sacrifice her grandfather made. Without him, he'd never have this shoulder to cry on, and he wouldn't be blessed with her beauty every morning. Jacob considered the fact that if he was the one that died, Lily wouldn't be as devastated but he knew he was wrong, she would be. He knew if he was dead, he wouldn't be able to save her again... and maybe this time, she'd give up but he didn't want didn't her to. "I love you, Lily." She heard muffling through her hair, she held him tighter for a minute more.