Chapter 4

—Callum—

I jolted awake and stared at the man who burst through the door. Panic was written all over his face.

"What's wrong, Turan?" I asked, confused.

"Alpha, are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine," I replied, trying to keep my composure. "What's going on?"

Turan sighed and stepped closer.

"Sorry, Alpha, I didn't hear any sounds. That's why I got so worried. I was afraid something bad had happened. This isn't how things usually go."

Turan sounded nervous. I understood why—usually, I lose control whenever the curse flares up.

"Relax, Turan. I'm not going to die just yet," I said with a smile.

"Is... the chain...?" Turan seemed hesitant to finish his sentence.

"Yes, the chain can be removed now. My wolf has calmed down," I reassured him. "But my body feels very weak. Please help me to my room."

"Of course, Alpha," Turan replied quickly. He immediately unlocked the chains on my ankles and wrists, then supported me as we walked to my room.

"Alpha, should I prepare the usual medicine?"

"There's no need, Turan. I just want to rest. My eyes feel heavy."

"All right, Alpha. Get some rest. I'll post guards around your room. If you need anything, just call them. I still have some work to finish."

"Thank you, Turan," I said. He started to leave, but I called out to him before he reached the door.

Turan turned back to face me. I motioned for him to come closer.

"Yes, Alpha. Is there something else you want to say?"

"Turan, please find out where Rhea is. Has she really left the Pack, or is she still here?"

Turan hesitated, looking confused. Earlier, I had rejected my mate in the hall, but now I was asking about her.

"Understood, Alpha," Turan replied with a nod.

I lay down, exhausted. When I closed my eyes, Rhea's face appeared in my mind.

Oh, Moon Goddess, I want her to stay away, but if things keep going like this...

Eventually, I stopped protesting to the Moon Goddess. Rhea's presence comforted me, and I soon drifted off to sleep.

A knock at the door woke me. Morning sunlight streamed through the gaps in my room.

Turan came in with Elder Normand and a servant carrying supplies and food.

"Good morning, Alpha," Turan and Elder Normand greeted.

"Morning," I replied, sitting up against the headboard.

"How are you feeling now, Alpha?" Elder Normand asked.

"I'm feeling better, Uncle. I slept well and got some of my energy back."

"I'm glad to hear that, Alpha," Elder Normand replied. He paused for a moment, looking hesitant to say something.

"What's wrong, Uncle?" I pressed. After all, I'd known him so long, he couldn't hide anything from me.

Elder Normand sighed before finally speaking. "Beta Turan has already explained what happened last night—this is the first time something like this has occurred. What really happened, Alpha? I hope this is a clue to breaking the curse."

I paused, already guessing what Elder Normand would ask. I wanted to talk to him about it—he knew my situation better than anyone except my late parents.

I glanced at Turan, who bowed his head in fear.

"Forgive me, Alpha, for telling Elder Normand about it before you had the chance."

"It's all right, Turan. You two are my most trusted people. I wanted to talk to you both about this anyway."

I took a sip from the glass the servant had prepared.

"Honestly, I don't really understand what happened, either. Last night, my wolf was ready to go berserk. That damn curse started tormenting me again. My hands and feet were already chained, and then suddenly..."

I went quiet, watching my two trusted companions. They looked tense.

"Suddenly what, Alpha? What happened?" Elder Normand urged.

I sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

"Suddenly, I saw an image of Rhea. She smiled, came closer to me, stroked me, and embraced me. I could still feel her calming scent, which soothed and hypnotized my wolf, making him calm down."

I fell silent again, watching Elder Normand and Turan. Both looked shocked.

"Really, Alpha? Just the image of Rhea could be that effective?" Turan said, a mix of awe and wonder in his voice. Normand remained silent.

"Yes," I replied with a nod. "It's strange, isn't it? But I felt it myself."

"It's not strange, Alpha."

At last, Normand spoke up after being silent for so long. Turan and I looked at him, confused.

"What do you mean, Uncle?" I asked.

"Rhea is the girl whose fate is tied to yours. So the curse will also bind her," Normand replied. His words startled me.

"You mean, when the curse attacks me, she feels it too?"

"That's right, Alpha. You could say you share the pain. So last night's attack didn't fall entirely on you."

I was stunned. This was exactly what I had tried to avoid. I never wanted someone innocent to bear the weight of this curse. That's why I rejected her. But she's stubborn. Silly girl.

"But, Uncle, haven't I already rejected her? Even though our mate bond is still hanging, she shouldn't be feeling this pain anymore."

Normand closed his eyes, searching for an answer. After a moment, he opened them and sighed, looking at me.

"It seems that girl actually wants to take on part of the curse herself."

"What? That's impossible. She doesn't know anything about this curse, does she?"

"Yes, no one knows. But it seems she can sense it."

I was speechless. Could Rhea really feel this pain? I remembered how she acted in the hall, staring at my neck as if she knew what was hidden under my scarf.

Does Rhea really know about this curse? How could she? She also said she would uncover all my secrets. Rhea, what do you really know?

"So what should we do, Uncle?" I asked, confused.

"We need to investigate."

"Investigate? You mean investigate Rhea?"

"That's right, Alpha. We need to look into her background. I feel there's something special about her. She's not just your mate."

I frowned at Normand's words but stayed silent. I understood what he meant: Rhea might be connected to this curse. Although it seemed implausible, it hurt nothing to look into her past.

Everyone always thought of her as a rogue. They caught her sneaking into the heart of the pack. When I met her, our mate bond reacted instantly. The truth is, the Moon Goddess chose her as my mate.

I love Rhea. I can't deny it. But I can't drag her into my suffering. So I asked Turan to investigate her.

While we were talking, there was a knock at the door. A scout came in and reported to Turan, whose face grew serious as he nodded.

"Turan, what is it?" I asked impatiently, sensing it had something to do with Rhea.