Chapter 4- Another Curse.

At first, he didn't believe what he had heard. But the word came again - from his inside. “Wolf.”

It felt real.

Real and familiar.

It had happened before. Once. And now again, with another woman. “Wolf.” He was thinking when the voice came again, shocking him further.

Immediately, he glanced at Bastian, who was as confused as him. “My lord.” He called with a bow. “Did something happen? You were about to leave.”

The force was strong.

So strong that he found it hard to speak.

“My lord?” Bastian called again.

“Bastian.” He found his voice.

“I shall be in my chamber. Join me there immediately.” He walked out of the room after glancing at the strange lady. Many thoughts ran around in his head, but the one that bothered him the most was what went wrong in there.

First, it was Thalia. Now this?

“Alpha Zevran.” Someone in the hallway snapped him out of his thoughts. It was one of the workers who had a tray in her hand. “You're not going in the right direction. Is something wrong, my lord?”

Correcting himself, he led his way out of her sight. This time, Zevran walked in the right direction - not stopping until he stood at the entrance of his royal chamber. And then he walked in.

More thoughts. They ran around in his head.

He cannot have another mate. There was no way a thing like that could happen - not under his watch. He paced the space, looking around as though it was his first time in this chamber.

“Now where the hell is Bastian?!”

“My Lord.” The door flung open. Bastian walked in. “I delivered a message to the butcherers.”

His eyes opened. “What did you tell them?”

“I asked that they hold off on the cutting process. Something is wrong, but I don't know what it is. Do you want to tell me what's happening?”

“Yes, but when the elder gets here.”

Bastian caught up with him. “My Lord. You should tell me what's going on. I am your beta.”

“You'll know!” Zevran thundered.

He walked to the bedside, sat on his bed, and sighed. “I want Elder Corvin in this place. Whatever he's doing should be ignored. This is a very important thing I must discuss with you two.”

The Beta hesitated.

“I don't see you doing what you should do.” Alpha Zevran snorted. He got off the bed and began pacing again. “Get the old man immediately. Good thing you asked them to hold off on butchering. We'll make up our minds after this meeting.”

Nodding, Bastian turned around.

The door opened and shut, and Alpha Zevran sat again. There was no point pacing around - but he continued to think. What could have gone wrong? Once in a while, he looked at the door , wishing it would open, and these men would walk in.

Of all the women, her?

One who questioned his actions. The one who spoke to him like he wasn't the dangerous man everyone knew him as. What went wrong?

He was pondering when the door opened.

Two men, as he expected, walked into the space. They bowed, and the older one asked. “Bastian here said you sent for me. He said it was urgent.”

“Yes.”

“What's going on?”

“That woman.” He looked at his Beta.

“The one I exchanged words with. She's my mate. I know what I felt, Bastian. I felt it—” He walked around the room while the other men moped at him; both had confusion written on their faces.

“I'm not sure I understand what's going on—” He looked at Bastian, the Alpha and Bastian again. “What is going on with the Alpha, Bastian? What woman is he referring to? And where is she?”

“The men went on a hunt. Human meat, just as the Alpha likes it.” Bastian explained. “They got back. Alpha Zevran went over to check them out. A woman - one of them speaks to him in a manner she shouldn't. That's who he's talking about.”

“She's his mate?”

“My lord said so—” The Beta replied.

Elder Corvin looked at the Alpha now. He walked closer and stood right next to him before asking. “Zevran, are you certain about this? Are you sure you felt it?” He looked at Bastian before facing him again. “Do you know what you're talking—”

“How can you possibly ask me that?” Zevran snapped. Anger lived in his eyes; he shifted from the old man and demanded. “How can you possibly ask me that?” He looked at Bastian, who fixed his gaze on the ground. “Do you also think I am not sure of what I felt, Bastian? Is that it?”

“My lord. I believe you.” Bastian answered. “I'm just surprised. You had a mate before. Thalia. How can you have another in the space of a year?”

“The moon goddess assigns more than one.” Elder Corvin chipped in. “I'm only worried about you. You know what we must do. You know—”

“I know!” Zevran cut him short. “I know already. I'm the one with the curse. Don't remind me.”

The room went silent instantly.

No one talked. No one tried to speak.

Again, the Alpha found a seat. A sigh escaped his mouth as he thought about it.

That woman, whoever she was, couldn't be his mate. There were many reasons - more than enough reasons why he shouldn't accept her as his mate. One, he was cursed. His lineage from a very long time ago. No one accepted a mate and lived - no matter how good or bad they were.

It was why he rejected Thalia.

She was a member of The Stormveil Pack.

He rejected her, and although she still warmed his bed at night, they shared no mate bond.

Now, this woman. She was an Omega Wolf, and there was nothing the Alpha hated more than that. A weak werewolf with an omega wolf or even no wolf inside of them. And her mouth, her gut, it annoyed him so much. No one had ever spoken to him that way - he hated her for it.

“I must reject her.” He broke the silence.

Now, the men looked up at him. They looked at each other before facing him again. “That's a good decision you have made, my lord.” Elder Corvin mouthed. He let out a sigh as he continued. “I know this is going to be hard for you to do, but—”

“No, it's not.” Zevran interrupted. He smiled at the old man who had been confused for a long time. “I don't like the woman. Unlike Thalia, who I really liked, this one is something I don't want to have anything to do with.” He looked at his Beta. “Bastian was there when she spoke to me in a manner no one should. And to think she's a weak Omega Wolf. Why did I expect something more?”

“She's an Omega Wolf—”

“Yes, Corvin. A fucking weak woman.”

“With strength in her mouth—” Bastian chuckled. “I'm sorry, my lord.” He let out when he noticed the look on the Alpha's face. “I am not making any mockery of you; you know this, my lord.”

“Of course, you're not, Bastian.”

Elder Corvin walked to the door. He bowed and let out. “There are things I must attend to, my Lord. The elders and I wanted to have a short meeting before Bastian came with your order. If there's nothing more, I shall go back to it.”

“Thank you, Corvin. That's all for now.”

As the elder moved, Bastian walked to the entrance also. “What do you want me to do next? You must reject the woman as soon as possible.” He walked closer. “What do you want to do?”

“Separate her from the others. Have her cleaned after telling the men to proceed with the killings of the rest. I have no plans to accept her as my mate, but I cannot bring myself to kill her.” He looked at the man who nodded in acceptance. “Bring her to me as soon as she's cleaned.” He lay on his bed. “Do you understand me, Bastian?”

“Yes, my lord. I more than understand you.”

“Good. Now, get on with it.”

The door opened and shut again. While his beta walked out, he lay on the bed, thinking.

When was it going to end?

This was the second woman he would reject. Although he wouldn't accept their bond if the curse didn't exist. She was far from his type, although pretty, womanly looking, she was a weak Omega wolf whose only defense was her mouth. How could he want a future with such a person? He was better off mateless than with her.

These thoughts in his mind, the Alpha dozed off. The sleep, however, did not last long. Someone knocked on the door, and when he opened his eyes, Bastian was in his chamber again.

Next to him was a woman.

The same one he ordered for.

“We have cleaned her up, just as you asked. What's next, Alpha Zevran?”