Curse & Blackmoon Pack

Leia - POV

I had taken sick leave from work and was pacing back and forth, feeling on edge after receiving Sia's letter. I knew going to the office in this state would not help, and it could raise suspicions about my unusual behavior, causing Vincent to suspect and force me to reveal what was bothering me. I assumed Sia didn't want her sons to know about our meeting and preferred speaking with me privately.

I checked the clock like a lunatic, and all the questions seemed crazy. After showering and dressing up, I left my suffocating apartment. My nerves calmed down after taking a sip of warm coffee and a bite of the bagel.

As I sat in the café, I watched people hurrying to get to work. It reminded me that I had been doing the same thing for five and a half years with no time to relax, which was hard for me as a workaholic.

I opened my laptop and scrolled through my social media, finding Alpha Francis and his wife Leena's family photos, which looked happy. It brought back memories of rejection, making me feel bitter. I knew I shouldn't be stalking him and felt creepy about myself, so I blocked him from all social media. I hated being stuck in the past, so I tried putting myself out there, but nothing seemed to work. The irony was that I wasn't even a shifter.

I checked out my side hustle business, which I started a year ago, selling only fashion clothes online. The poor sales numbers discouraged me, but it couldn't have been better for me to quit my job and work on my business full-time.

I couldn't shake it off despite trying to divert myself from the anxiety eating me up about what Sia would say to me. I killed time by working on my business while waiting at the gazebo in front of the mansion. When the attendee walked towards us, I didn't see Sia, so I sat on the chair waiting.

"You came early," Sia said as she elegantly walked towards me in a luxurious, casual outfit. We sat opposite each other, and the attendee poured tea for us.

"You left a note for me, and here I am," I said, getting straight to the point.

"Straight to business," Sia added, sipping her chamomile tea. I should have exchanged greetings and asked about her health, but I was too anxious.

"I'm sorry; how are you doing?" I asked, trying to redeem myself, but it was too late.

"No need for it, Leia; I understand you well," she said with a smile, but her gaze held an unsettling expression. She took a deep breath, and I could tell she was struggling or maybe thinking about how to start the conversation.

"Leia, did you see the old wooden box with old photographs of your parents?" I sat upright in my chair.

"So it wasn't a dream; it was real?" I asked desperately, and Sia nodded her head sympathetically. My heart was pounding with mixed emotions, realizing that my friends betrayed me and those alphas were my stepbrothers.

"Alphas, are my stepbrothers?" I asked.

"So, you married my father or something? Because I don't get it," I asked, confused.

"How about you catch your breath or sip tea first? You are shaking," Sia said. I looked at myself, and my hands were trembling with emotion. I took Sia's advice and sipped the tea, which helped to calm me.

"First, I didn't marry your father. When you were young, your mother was out of town for some days, and you cried, feeling lonely. You always wanted siblings or family members to be around you. Your father couldn't be there for you as he was busy working for our pack," Sia explained.

"I recall nothing," I said, feeling lost.

"I will explain it to you when the time is right. But about the stepbrother thing, you and my sons were best friends from childhood; I remember you throwing tantrums and being jealous of them being brothers," Sia added.

"So, I am like a foster sister?" I asked, trying to make sense of it all. Sia nodded.

"You need to know why my sons kept things from you and why Vincent and Daisy betrayed you while hiding this. You should know your past and why your dad was exiled from the pack." Sia paused.

Suddenly, a headache surfaced, and my body fell underwater. "Shit, Leia, your curse is back up..." Sia said as she came closer, trying to heal me with her magic. My vision turned blurred.

An image flashed in front of me "You need to save my daughter!" My father's loud cry spoke, and I saw through the eyes of my younger self. It covered my arms in bruises and gashes, and Dad was pleading with someone dressed in black to heal me.

I felt myself drifting toward something in my past, but I couldn't stay longer. I tried not to lose consciousness, but the pain in my body felt like someone was breaking all my bones.

"Mom, what happened to her?" I heard Kai's voice.

"Mum must have disclosed Leia's past, and it triggered her dark curse," Xavier said with disappointment. Sia looked at me with guilt as Kai took me inside the mansion and put me on the bed. After a few minutes, I saw three women dressed in white. They seemed to be shamans. I felt their magic brushing my skin and slowly leaving me. I shut my eyes in relief but could still hear noise from my surroundings.

"Alphas, I suggest you take her to the Black Moon pack," someone said.

"Why would Leia have to go to the pack? It could make it worse for her," Sia replied.

"Of course, it can. But I sense something else, and Leia needs to return to her birthplace, where she can be secure." Shaman said.

**********

Leia - POV

I opened my heavy eyelids and tried to sit up in bed. Familiar faces greeted me. I glanced at each one again, then pinched to confirm I wasn't dreaming.

"You must be exhausted. Here, dear." Sia handed me a glass of water. I chugged it down, quenching my parched throat.

"I need to know more about my curse and past life," I croaked.

"This is not the time to dwell on the past. You look too weak to handle the truth," Alpha Xavier replied. Sia glared at him in response.

"Alpha Xavier and Alpha Kai, you plan to take me back to the Black Moon Pack?" I asked. They looked at each other, surprised that I knew. But they must have figured out I overheard their conversation.

"Yes. Your curse and impending danger require us to act fast," Alpha Kai said. "Please don't ask more questions about the danger and curse."

"I hate this suspense; it's killing me," I muttered.

"Oh my god, Leia," Daisy burst into the room, followed by Vincent. They both huffed as they came to see me.

"You knew, and yet you acted like nothing happened that night." I glared at them. They looked guilty.

"Don't be hard on Vincent and Daisy. I ordered them to keep the secret because your curse can harm you," Alpha Xavier added. I snorted.

"Kai, Xavier, I don't think I'm interested in going back to the PackPack. I don't even have a wolf," I said, annoyed at being pulled back into Pack life.

"First, no need to be formal. Call us by our names," Kai added, a hint of irritation in his voice.

"Yes, Kai, I will call you by your name after you're my stepbrother," I said, making his eye twitch.

"You're coming with us if you want to know the truth," Xavier said, his persuasive tone making my heart flutter. Kai's gaze also made me feel hot. I wondered if I was getting sick. "How long do I have to stay in the pack?"

"A month," Kai replied. Sia looked concerned as she stared at me.

I still felt angry at Daisy and Vincent for keeping things from me. I was quiet while riding home to get my clothes and laptop. Daisy helped me with my backpack while Vincent waited in the car.

The car ride to the PackPack was filled with silence, despite Daisy's and Vincent's attempts at small talk. I didn't feel like engaging in any conversations. I was nervous about an unknown danger looming over me, and I couldn't shake that feeling off.

Upon entering the PackPack, memories of the Bluewood Pack flooded my mind. Vincent and Daisy looked concerned as the car stopped, and the Mansion, which looked like a grand royal palace, came into view.

Sia greeted us in the hallway with a smile, looking happy. I looked around for the Alphas, but they were not around. Sia noticed my gaze and spoke up.

"My sons are out running some errands. How about I give you a tour of the place?" she suggested. I looked over my shoulder and noticed that Daisy and Vincent had left my backpack behind.

"Sure, but first, can I put my backpack in my room?" I asked.

"No need to worry. The butler has already instructed the maids to take care of it," Sia replied. After a few minutes, a maid came and picked up my backpack, and Sia walked me through a beautiful hallway adorned with beautiful wall paintings. We then entered rooms with ceilings adorned with carvings of wolves, moon goddesses blessing the Alpha wolf, and beautiful chandeliers. She showed me the luxurious rooms and beautiful gardens.

Finally, Sia showed me to my room. I felt exhausted after walking through the grand mansion. My room was fully white, with accents of light blue, and the queen-sized bed, working desk, and drapes had crystal beads. I settled into the room, closed my eyes, and thought about Sia's story about my mother, Jia, and her struggles as a slave to the Blackmoon Pack alphas and how she eventually met my father. Luna Sia believed that the Blackmoon Pack had killed the pack members in war, but a plot by the Devamps cult, a hybrid of demons and vampires, caused their misery.

"What did the shamans mean? The danger is coming. I am in danger but could also be cursed; why am I cursed? " There must be a reason," My thoughts swirled.

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts, and I knew it was Daisy on the other side. "Come in," I said, and Daisy stepped in with a guilty expression.

"I am sorry, Leia," she said.

"Why are you sorry? You didn't know until Vincent told you. I am not angry at you guys, but with my fate," I replied. Vincent's secret-keeping hurt me, but he was following the Alpha's orders, after all.

"Really? You're not angry?" Daisy blinked at me in disbelief.

"Don't look so shocked. I've been thinking about Vincent and your reasons for keeping things from me. You guys are wolves and follow what your Alpha says," I added.

"You're one of us, Leia. Don't exclude yourself," Daisy said.

"I don't need sympathy, Daisy. I know I'm human and not a shifter," I replied. Daisy sighed at my snarky remark.

"How about I show you around our pack?" she suggested.

"Not interested. I don't want other wolves to look down on me," I said.

"This isn't the Bluewood Pack. People don't mock others here," Daisy tried to persuade me. I eventually gave in and walked with her to the backpack, but I missed the human streets. It was easier to blend in with humans as they cared little about the differences.

Xavier and Kai's eyes locked onto me, and I froze under their intense gaze. I could hear a few she-wolves whispering amongst themselves.

"Isn't Alpha Xavier dating Ana, the strongest she-wolf in our pack?" one of them asked.

"Oh! I heard Alpha Kai is dating Caroline. She's stunning, or so I've heard," another chimed in.

"Wait, who is she?" a few other she-wolves inquired while the rest stared at me.

"She's Leia Agnor, Alpha's step-sister, who was banished from this pack. But I don't know why she's back here," the other she-wolves filled in, and Daisy glared fiercely at the gossiping group.

As I heard about my stepbrothers' relationships, a strange sensation overcame me, but I pushed the feeling aside.