Fated To The Alpha’s Curse

Ariana Bellamy always liked the quiet of the night. It was just that type of stillness that set her free from the noise of her life: law books, deadlines, and the eternal circle of routine. But tonight, the stillness felt wrong, unnatural. The air was thick with an energy she couldn't explain, a sense of being watched, which raised the hairs on the back of her neck. She stopped in the middle of the dark sidewalk, drawing her jacket closer to her as the wind began to whip around her. The quiet streets of Ravenwood, her town had never felt uncomfortable. It wasn't the cold seeping into her bones but something else. something was pulling at her instincts. Ariana turned on her shoulder to look back. Of course, there was nothing but the stretching shadows of a deserted street. A soft hum of a far-off streetlamp danced, casting an eerie glow over the cobblestones. Her house wasn't that far anymore, just a few more blocks ahead. She had been at the small bookstore in town, picking up a few

Ariana walked home with a bunch of thoughts still running in her head, replaying the encounter she'd had with Liam. His warning seemed to ring in her head loud and clear, sending chills down her spine. "There are things in this town you don't understand... Stay out of the woods.” What was that supposed to mean? And how did he know her name? Those were the questions tumbling in her head, but one thing was palpable: Liam was not any kind of stranger. There was something about him that had her insides twisted with curiosity and fear. The way he moved, the way he'd emerge from shadows, the way he'd looked at her like he was part of the dark. Ariana reached her front door, pausing with the doorknob in her hand at the threshold. It was dark inside the house, her grandmother was more than likely asleep by now. Yet Ariana's nerves still hummed, and she wasn't so sure she could sleep when so many questions swirled inside her mind. She stepped inside and silently shut the door behind her, l

Ariana hadn't slept much that night. The journal lay open on her bed, its brittle pages softly lit by the warm glow of her bedside lamp. She had read it a million times, her fingers tracing over her mother's handwriting, but each pass through its pages brought more questions. The Moonstone. The curse. The wolves. And now, Liam. Everything was leaning against her chest the moment she shut her eyes. Her world was upside down, and she just didn't know how to steady herself. The thing that really terrified her was that her whole life could be built upon secrets-which were now unraveling at a speed faster than she could master. And when the sun finally showed a little through the curtain, Ariana knew it was time to face it all head-on. Liam had promised her answers, and if she was going to make it through this, well, she needed to understand exactly what kind of danger she was in. Ariana had thrown on a pair of jeans and a hoodie, padding downstairs. Her grandmother still lay asleep

The tension did not dissipate as they trekked through the forest. With each step, Ariana felt the weight heavier, like the weight of all these secrets she now carried was weighing her down. Each crunch of leaves under her foot sounded like a loud megaphone because the forest was near silent following their near escape. Every rustle of the wind through the trees had her starting, half expecting another attack.Liam did not quicken his pace, but his senses seemed on high, though without a sign of fear in him. Ariana was taken aback by how serene he was, how calm he could be while danger was just inches away from them. It was a stark reminder to her that this was his world and violence and power plays, curses and betrayal. She was just an outsider being pulled deeper into it, randomly."We're close," Liam said, long silent minutes later, his voice low and confident.Ariana suddenly felt a mix of relief and fear. The sooner they found Yulian, the better, since that would mean an end to th

Soft morning light struggled through the curtains, casting a warm gloss in Ariana's room, but did little for the dark circles beneath her eyes. She had hardly slept, her mind racing through everything that had happened. The memory of Yulian's threat, of the danger lurking just beyond the edge of her grandmother's home, and... the kiss with Liam. While everything was knotted into one endless emotional loop in her mind, emotions she would never be able to get rid of.Ariana let out a sigh and pushed herself off the bed toward the bathroom, hoping the quick shower might at least wash off the exhaustion. But then again, looking in the mirror, she winced, the trace of bags under her eyes spoke their own story, one she'd be better off not sharing with her grandmother.She entered the kitchen where her grandmother was already scurrying around in it, the singing of her tune wafting across. Ariana hastened to her grandmother's side and picked up a dishtowel as she saw her grandmother catch sig