1. Cursed

I stand in front of my father’s chamber, seething. Tears blur my vision as I listen to my parents' voice tearing through the door.

"You cannot do this, Adric!" Mother cries. "She is your daughter. This is so cruel! I was the one you hated, not her!"

"Stay out of this, you whore!" Alpha Aldric snarls. "Your daughter is of no use after all. Her life is pathetic. A curse and a disgrace to the family, whom I should have ended the moment she was born. This is the only value she has. We'll marry her off to him and save the pack from those ruthless rogue bandits.”

"Send a complaint to my brother, the werewolf king! They'll send the army—”

“Do you think I haven’t tried?!” he roars, voice filled with irritation. “Your brother has ignored us for years. You are worthless just like your daughter. Our marriage should have secured the royal family's support, but they abandoned us. Drogo wants to Isolde. There is no going back.”

I freeze.

Drogo?

As in Drogo, the rogue Alpha.

“Please. Aldric," mother pleas. "She cannot marry him. Your mistress sealed my daughter’s wolf. She won’t survive!”

I’m breathing way too hard. My veins are on fire, and the world around me has blurred into darkness. This can’t be right. There is no way my father will be this cruel to marry me off to the cruelest man in the country.

I want to storm in and yell at my father. I want to let him know that I would rather be sold to the sickest whorehouse than marry Drogo. But, knowing my father, it is impossible to change his decision.

“Your daughter was born under the red moon and doesn’t have a wolf because you slept with someone else. It’s probably a curse the moon goddess laid upon you.”

“You did not believe that nonsense, Aldric. Isolde is your pup. Flesh and blood”

“And this is a way for her to prove it. She will marry him, and we’ll save the pack!”

“You shouldn't have made deals with Drogo in the first place!” Mother’s voice edges with anger and frustration. “You are the cause of this, Aldric! Why use my daughter to cover up your mistakes, you old fool! Come at me! My daughter has suffered enough, bastard!"

I don’t remember my mother ever cursing, especially at my father. She always kept her head low, obedient, as if immune to the jeers thrown at her, and she forced me to do the same as an act of protection, because our pack was filled with people who wanted me gone.

It's a miracle I've spent twenty years living.

The silence that follows is deafening before my father’s voice comes, deeply dangerous. "What did you just say to me?"

"Aldric, I... I..."

A loud crash echoes.

I burst into the room before I can stop myself. It was forbidden to enter the Alpha’s chamber without a knock, but I don’t give a damn anymore.

My stomach churns at the sight. Father approaches mother, whose back had cracked against the wall, a sword in his hand, eyes glowing with rage. In the next breath, he shoves the sword into her belly.

The walls shake with my scream. Tears blur my vision as my father whispers to her that he should have done this a long time ago.

My gaze finds my mother's. Her eyes brim with tear as they begin to lose light. Her blood pours, dark and heavy, soaking her dress and pooling at her feet.

"Run," she raps. "Run, my daughter."

Mother gasps as Alpha Aldric ruthlessly yank out the sword and locks his thick, heavy gaze with mine.

Anger consume me.

"I'd rather die than marry Drogo, you monster!!!" I yell and bolt out of the room.

He yells orders to the guards to catch me. Even though my wolf is sealed, I knew every nook and corner of the pack better than anyone else. And it was for this reason: To escape.

I manage to slip away. Barely. There is an arrow plunge at the side of my waist, soaking my cloth in blood. I snap it off, leaving the head of the arrow in my flesh, and wrap a cloth around it.

There is only one place I can turn to, and that’s where I’m going.

I nudge my horse forward, riding through the dark forest with a dark cloak concealing my red hair. The hoof thuds against the grasses hastily. Trees hang above, stretching like claws desperate to reach the dark sky.

The moonlight pack was a pack away. The Alpha son, Nathan, is my secret lover. He is my first friend, first crush, and first love. His father and mine were allies, so he visits frequently. Unlike the others, he never treated me like a curse, and our relationship miraculously bloomed into love.

Nathan promised to end my misery once we get married. He’ll be mad to hear my father wants me off the most ruthless man in the country. And hope to the moon, he’ll save my mother too.

Hang on, Mother. I’m going to save you.

Reaching the pack, I dismount my horse with a painful groan. My hand clutches the bleeding wound that has soaked through my dress. My breath comes ragged, my head spinning. Every movement stings as I drag myself toward the building ahead.

The Alpha’s house.

“Back off,” one of the guards barks, crossing my path. His gaze flicks to my wound and back to my face with a look of disapproval.

“Nathan… I need to see Nathan,” I rasps.

“Sire Nathan?” He shoots a snobby look at me. “How dare you call him by name. You got a death wish?”

“I need to see him,” I say again, staggering forward.

They all draw out their swords, pointing them at me.

“I’m the daughter of Alpha Aldric. Not an enemy.” I shake my head. “Tell Sire Nathan, Isolde is here to see him. He’ll understand.”

“You don’t look like an Alpha’s daughter. You look more like a rogue to me,” their leader snarled. “Go back unless you want to lose your head.”

This is bad. My father’s men must already be close by now, and these men won’t let me see the only man who can save me.

I’ve never visited Nathan in his pack. He'd insisted I shouldn't due to his privacy. He had been the one visiting, promising once his father gives him the Alpha position, he will marry me.

“You don’t understand. I need to see him!” I surge forward, only to be shove back.

I yelp loudly as my tailbone hits the floor with a thud.

“Arrest her!” The leader snarls.

Just in time, the door creaks open. Nathan steps out, clad in a fine silk dress, with a frown. He asks what was going on. As the guards explain, his eyes meet mine, and his brows crease harder.

“Nathan, I need your help.” I scramble to my feet, ignoring the pain. “Alpha Aldric. He wants to kill my mother and marry me off to…”

"I don't care whatever you are about to say, woman. Get out," Nathan cut in. His tone sends a shiver up my spine.

My breath hitch “Nathan…”

"How dare you let a cursed woman cross the territory!" He snaps at the guards, voice colder than the frigid air.

What is he saying?

Cursed woman?

Me?

The guard stiffens, mumbling apologies. One begins to explain, but Nathan raises a hand to silence him. Then his cold eyes meet mine once again. Colder than ice and slicing through my guts in the most brutal way.

No recognition. Just pure undiluted hatred.

"Remove her from here. Today of all days, I will not have her filth near my wedding."