Life Of A Cursed Wolf

“Where's this curse called a child?” Cheyenne, the Luna of Lydrian Marsh asked as she arrived beside Basanistērío—a circular platform at the pack central—a nightmarish tableau of blood-soaked stone, rusted iron maidens, and skeletal gallows, with prisoners shackled to walls and brutalized by guards wielding fiery lashes, amidst screams, moans, and the stench of sweat, and blood.

She stopped abruptly, her entourage halting behind her—two maids and one guard on each side. The guards stood rigidly, holding long pointed arrows, while the maids bent their necks, clasping their hands together over their stomachs.

She glanced over her shoulder. “Go get her.”

The guards quickly broke formation, moving swiftly towards Hierós Klōbós—the cage at the center of Basanistērío.

As they reached the Hierós Klōbós, Kaidos turned the arrow upside down and jabbed it through the bars, striking Izzy's feet.

“Ah!” 

A pained gasp slipped past Izzy’s lips and her eyes fluttered open. She jerked her legs, and the cold iron bars of the cage dug into her skin.

“Argh!”

“Get up!”

Izzy gritted her teeth, pushing the pain aside. She wanted to stand, but the cage was too small, forcing her to curl up to fit. She had to move slowly.

As she got out, she stood up, but her feet screamed in protest, and she collapsed to the ground. 

"Get up!" Kaidos barked, jabbing her with the arrow's pointed tip. 

"Argh!" She winced as the arrow pierced into her arm, making blood rushed out.

With the Luna in sight, Izzy knew the hitting wouldn't stop until she kneel in front of her. She released her arm and summoned every last bit of strength to slowly stood up. 

She stumbled forward, her legs trembling beneath her. The pain still lingered, and every step was an agony. 

Kaidos yanked her arm, nearly dislocating her shoulder, while the other poked her with the arrow, making her wince.

As they reached the Luna, Kaidos roughly dropped her to the floor, her knees slamming into the hard stone. A sharp pain shot through her legs, but she bit back a cry. 

One sound, one moan, could warrant a week's punishment, and she knew better than to risk it.

"I've been waiting for you," Cheyenne said, her voice measured, yet clear to Izzy and her entourage. 

Izzy kneeled before her, arm cradled against her side, her face downturned. 

The silence hung heavy, punctuated only by the distant sounds of suffering from the torture instruments.

“May I know the reason you haven't woken up until now?”

Cheyenne's gaze lingered on Izzy, expectant of an explanation.

Izzy remained silent, her gaze fixed on the floor, knowing that any words would only invite further wrath. Though the quiet didn't also guarantee leniency.

Cheyenne glanced at Kaidos, signaling with her head. 

Kaidos bent his neck. He moved forward and slammed the flat side of the arrow on Izzy’s back.

“Ahn!” Izzy groaned, falling onto the floor. 

“More.” Cheyenne instructed, and Kaidos continued pummeling her, not minding where it hit her.

“Ohhhh!”

Izzy struggled on the floor, her palms scraping against the rough stone, sand and dust clinging to her lips and tongue as she pressed her face into the ground.

Cheyenne's eyes gleamed with pleasure as she watched Izzy writhe in agony, her smile growing wider. Izzy's suffering was her entertainment. 

The pack's hatred for Izzy was no secret, fueled by the prophecy that she was destined to be the downfall of their beloved Alpha.

Cheyenne raised a hand, and Kaidos blows ceased instantly. With a curt gesture, she signaled him to check Izzy's condition. 

He dropped his arrow and knelt beside her, his hand on her chest and a finger under her nose. “She’s stopped breathing.”

Cheyenne’s gaze narrowed slightly. “Bring her back,” she said. Her voice was calm, devoid of any concern, as if merely instructing to revive a mere object rather than a living being.

“Once she’s conscious, torture her, and administer the draught.” 

Kaidos nodded. “Understood, Your Majesty.”

Cheyenne’s soft exhale was followed by a radiant smile—one she reserved for the public. To the pack members, she was a benevolent Luna, kind and just. 

Alopex stepped forward, adjusting the lace of Cheyenne’s gown. The rich velvet fabric rustled softly as she settled the golden embroidery into place. 

Cheyenne faced her front, elegantly taking her step one after the other. The guards and maids followed at a respectful distance, their footsteps quiet on the floor as they trailed in her wake, heading towards the Alpha's north castle.

As the Luna disappeared into the distance, Kaidos’s gaze swept around before he beckoned Lykos, a junior guard. “Fetch hot water from the kitchen, now,” 

Watching as Lyros sprinted westward, he turned to the others, commanding, “restrain her.” 

The guards sprang into action, their movements swift and merciless as they dragged Izzy to the gallows, tossing her carelessly onto the Basanistērío. 

They tied her to the gallow, positioning her to face the setting sun—its harsh rays a torment on her skin. 

Kaidos nodded. “Good job.”

Lykos returned with the hot water, and without a word, he approached the pole, maintaining a cautious distance, as the others retreated to avoid splashback. 

With a swift motion, he poured the scalding water over Izzy, the liquid splashing against her skin.

“Ahhhhh!” Izzy's anguished cry pierced the air as the hot water seared her skin. 

Her body instinctively yearned for the relief of a gentle touch or soothing rub, but her bound hands rendered her helpless. She could only writhe in agony, her pain-filled whimpers echoing, but no one cared to look.

She was a spectacle—a tale told to cubs and visitors. Her cursed existence had become an attraction, drawing in those eager to test their dark magic or blades since she seemed impervious to death no matter the torment inflicted on her.

That was her fate. A fate sealed in suffering, forged the very moment she drew her first breath.

Born under a full moon, she was cursed from the start. Her omega status made her vulnerable, but the birthmark sealed her doom. 

Spared from the slaughter that claimed her family, she was instead condemned to a life of torment with no escape. 

***

“Drink it all!”

Kaidos shouted, and Izzy’s mouth opened involuntarily. A white liquid substance was poured into her mouth, its taste bitter. The Luna and Kaidos were the only ones who knew its nature and purpose.

“Argh!”

Since turning seventeen, she'd been fed the mysterious substance daily. That same age, her body should have awakened to its true form, but it refused to shift.

Wofless or not, she was a disappointment, a curse, and a burden to those who wanted her dead.

“Let the draught do its work before hanging her again.”

Kaidos instructed, and as he turned to leave, Princess Anika’s voice halted him. 

“Don’t go. You know no one understands the task like you.”

Kaidos’s gaze lifted, and seeing Anika, his lips curled into a smile. But as she got closer, his smile disappeared, and he looked down.

As Anika stepped onto Basanistērío, the guards and onlookers bowed deeply, their right knees touching the ground. 

“Greetings, Your Highness.”

Anika walked past them, her gaze forward, ignoring the formalities. Unlike her mother, she didn't care about other's opinions—her happiness was paramount, and she derived it mostly from torturing Izzy—the only trait she shared with her mother.

“Hummmm.”

Izzy rolled on the floor, her gaze locking onto Anika's figure, and she knew with a sinking sense of dread that more agony was coming her way. 

Since childhood, Anika had been using her to test blades and swords, as a test subject for her spells, and a hunting target in the woods for her archery practice.

“Whose punishment was she serving?” Anika asked. Before Kaidos could respond, she added, “it didn’t exactly hinder me, did it?”

Kaidos shook his head. “Not at all, Your Highness.”

“Good,” Anika uttered, a smile playing on her lips. Her slender figure draped in a luxurious velvet gown with intricate gold embroidery, her piercing gaze and cold smile radiating an icy elegance as she stared at Izzy on the floor, a disgusted stare on her face.

“Long time no see, Izzy. Miss me?” Anika’s voice dripped with malice as Izzy refused to meet her gaze. With a soft sigh, she turned to Kaidos. “Open the board.”

“Hey.” Kaidos barked an order, and Lyros hastened to comply, unveiling the board’s sharp, sun-kissed blades. 

“Ummm.” Izzy panted heavily, still rolling on the floor with the substance still burning her throat.

Anika nodded, and Kaidos yanked Izzy up by her hair, dragging her toward the board. As Anika approached, her voice dropped to a whisper. “Go ahead.”

Kaidos hoisted Izzy into the air, her body suspended above the board before he slammed her down with brutal force. 

“Ohhhhhh!” Izzy screamed as the blades bit deep into her skin, her jaw clenched in a desperate bid to stifle the agony as the razor-sharp points scraped against her bones.

The searing pain subsided, and her anguished cry trailed off into ragged gasps. Tears she'd vowed to keep hidden now streamed down her face, as she struggled to draw breath.

Anika bursted into laughter as she watched Izzy’s blood spread across the board. “I’ve missed you, Izzy. Your screams are music to my ears—far sweeter than any bird’s song.” 

“Ahhn.”

Izzy’s body trembled with exhaustion, reeling from the previous weeks’ brutal games, where she'd been forced to endure arrow after arrow. 

Anika extended her arms, and Xanthea swiftly helped remove her bracelet before rolling up the sleeve.

With her gaze focused on Izzy, Anika wove her fingers together, channeling the arcane energy to lift a chain from the ground. The chain danced to her fingers’ commands, wrapping around Izzy’s body as she extended her arms, binding Izzy’s arms tightly to her torso.

Izzy's mouth hung open, but her scream was caught in her throat. Her eyes turned a deep shade of red. 

Anika nodded. "Perfect." She breathed, her voice barely audible. With a subtle gesture, the chains tightened further, Izzy's body quivering under the increased pressure. 

When Anika finally relaxed her grip, Izzy's body jerked violently, and a wave of blood spilled from her mouth, nose, and ears as she coughed.

As Izzy tumbled off the board, she felt a momentary numbness wash over her. But as she hit the ground, the impact jarred her, and her vision began to blur. 

Her chest heaved, each breath a laborious struggle. Her eyes fluttered, her gaze drifting upward as if searching for a merciful reprieve. 

‘Moon goddess, haven’t I suffered enough? Take my life and end this torment.’