End Of The Curse

“Oh!” 

Izzy moaned as her eyes opened, her gaze bleary with the remnants of unconsciousness. She lay on the cold floor, her face covered with dried blood. The morning’s torment had left her broken and unconscious, yet they left her, knowing she’d awaken with the dawn’s demise—as always.

Her face was a mess of scars and scabs, old wounds that healed into thick, jagged lines, and new ones that still oozed and stung. Her skin was dirty, her cheeks smeared with grime, and her clothes were nothing but tattered rags.

It was like her body always fought itself, healing up old wounds and seemed to beg for new ones. Every morning, she’d wake up to find some of the damage had fixed itself—like her body was just preparing for the next beating.

With a slow, agonized roll, she turned onto her back, her battered body aching in protest. She lay there, staring up at the sky with a desperate intensity, her eyes burning with tears. 

“Moon goddess... You up there?” She whispered, her voice a mere breath. “Why won't you just kill me? End this wretched life... for mercy’s sake.” 

Her words were a familiar plea, one she’d uttered many nights, yet the moon goddess remained deaf to her cries. It seemed her voice was cursed, blocked by some unseen hand from reaching the heavens.

“If you won’t forgive the sin of mine or mine ancestors, why grant me life only to suffer? Why…” Her words trailed off as fresh tears coursed down her cheeks, falling like rain upon the cold earth as she rolled onto the ground, her body shaken by sobs.

She’d spent half of her life seeking forgiveness for a sin she wasn’t even certain she’d committed, yet she’d convinced herself of her guilt, for what other explanation could there be for the endless torment? 

But forgiveness and mercy seemed forever beyond her grasp, and so she’d long since surrendered to despair, pleading instead for death’s sweet release. Yet even that solace seemed denied her.

She shut her eyes tight, gritting her teeth against the agony as she heaved her head off the ground, slowly sitting up. Her tangled raven hair, uncombed since birth, cascaded down her back.

She discharged a deep breath and looked up at the sky before she slowly lifted her arm, pointing a finger at the sky. “I… Cursed the days… the day my parents mated… the day I was driven into this painful world to face this meaningless fate I wasn’t even sure I tempted…”

She paused and sighed, taking her arms down with her gaze still on the floor. “And most importantly, I cursed the day it crossed my mind that you could ease my pain…”

As the final word left her lips, a low thunderclap rumbled through the air, but the desperation devouring her mind gave her no pause. Her voice rose. “I curse the very days... all the nights I spent looking up to you, begging for forgiveness and mercy!”

Her eyes reddened, and her jaw clenched tight, the vein in her neck throbbing like a livid snake beneath her skin. A guttural “hmm…” escaped her lips as she struggled to rise, her hands grasping her knees for support.

As she stood upright, her chest heaved with ragged breaths, but she refused to let pain best her. Her gaze seared the sky, one eyebrow arched in defiance. 

“Suit yourself…” Her voice dripped with venom. “Do with me as you wish, let them torment. And if I finally succumb, let them roast me like carrion. Descend to earth, so you can feast upon my flesh, and share it with thy messengers of darkness.”

As the last words left her lips, thunder boomed, startling her into a step backward. She dropped her gaze and started walking slowly towards Hierós Klōbós. 

Hierós Klōbós was an old sacred cage, meant for locking up lust wolves to drain their dark powers. But she’d been sleeping there since she was ten because Luna Cheyenne believed she had a demonic energy.

A heavy breath echoed from behind, followed by the thud of footsteps hitting the ground. Someone had just jumped down from the wall separating the Alpha’s castle from Basanistērío.

She turned around, her gaze catching a fleeting shadow—someone had slipped in from the other side “Is someone planning to attack the pack?” She wondered, her brow furrowed. “An assassin? Sent to take out the Alpha?”

She took a step forward, intent on alerting the guards, but a treacherous thought slammed into her mind, freezing her in place. “If the Alpha’s killed, the prophecy is wrong... and I’m free.”

A sly smile spread across her face and she spun away. But as she lifted her foot to step into Hierós Klōbós, an impulse stopped her. Without hesitation, she changed direction, her feet carrying her toward the Alpha’s castle instead.

As she crept closer, she slowed to a tiptoe, careful not to make a sound. But as she turned the corner, she stumbled into someone, her body crashing into his chest. 

His strong arms caught her, holding her steady. 

“Uhm!” She exclaimed. Her widened eyes locked onto his, the slightest glint of his black monolid eyes visible under the golden Venetian Mask that covered half of his face, leaving his sharp nose and lips exposed.

He waited a bit, expecting her to scramble off him, but she just stayed put. So, he let her go. 

“Ahn!” She sounded, plummeting towards the floor. In a flash, she stretched out her arms, grasping his long white hair to break her fall. The tug loosened his mask, exposing his entire face, while she landed on the ground.

“Hun!” His eyes widened in shock, and he stepped backward. He stared down at her crumpled form on the floor, and in an instant, his gaze turned fiery red. His hand clenched into a fist, teeth grinding together, as he bellowed, “how dare you!”

“I…” She looked up to apologize, but the words caught in her throat as their eyes met. She couldn’t help but stare at him, transfixed. 

She’d seen plenty of royal guys in Lydrian Marsh, but none compared to the one standing before her, his presence mesmerizing, despite a large scar dividing the upper part of his face. She’d never had a crush on anyone. How would she when she usually kept her gaze downcast when speaking? But something about him drew her in, making it impossible for her to look away.

“Do you know you’ve just committed a grave sin?” His voice was like ice, getting her out of her imagination. “No one sees my face and lives to tell the tale. The last person who dared was hung to death... by my own hands.”

She sprang to her feet. “That's good,” she said. She took a step back, eyes closing, arms stretching out to the sides. “Go ahead. Kill me. That might be the best thing you’ve done all year.”

His eyes furrowed in surprise. “You're not afraid of death?” 

She opened her eyes, a scoff escaping her lips. “Afraid of what I've been praying for?” she retorted, her voice laced with desperation. “Death is peace for someone like me. Please, don't waste time. Kill me before the guards come for you.” 

She closed her eyes again, bracing herself for what was to come, but the silence stretched out. After a few moments, she opened her eyes, frustration on her face. “Why aren’t you holding back?” She demanded. 

She took a step forward, grabbing his clean hand with her dirty ones, and placing it on her neck. But he swiftly pushed her back, his voice dropping to a low growl. 

“I hate dirt.”

She scrubbed her hand against her dirty clothes, and as she stepped forward, he retreated. “I said I hate dirt. I won't tolerate it. Don't come near me.” 

She nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. “Okay…” 

She quickly stepped back, her eyes pleading. “You have the power. You can kill me without touching me. Use it to strangle me, or do whatever you want. Just please, kill me.”

He smirked softly, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Not killing you... again,” he said, and her gaze locked onto his face, questioning. He licked his lips, crossing his arms behind him, his tone calm. “For someone like you... Who’s begging for death, I doubt killing is punishment enough,” 

His eyes bore into hers, a cold smile playing on his lips as he continued, “I won't give you the satisfaction you crave. Instead, I'll take you away and give you a life far more miserable than whatever you’re enduring within these walls... one that’ll make you regret ever making this wish.”

She collapsed to her knees, hands clasped together, tears streaming down her face. “Please...” She begged, her voice cracking. “Kill me. I've lived a life of misery, known nothing but pain since the day I was born.”

She paused, sighing heavily. “I don’t know what you have in store to make my life miserable, but I doubt it could be worse than what I’ve endured within these walls. Look at me... just look at me. Do I look like someone who’s ever tasted the sweetness of life?”

She shook her head, a despairing whisper escaping her lips. “No... I never have,” she said. “I’ve tried to end my life countless times, but nothing works. No amount of torture from them can end me, and my attempts are futile. I've stabbed myself, hurt myself, made desperate attempts... but I'm still here,” 

Her voice cracked as she pleaded, “please... you’re not from this pack, and your aura radiates power. If you’ve never done it before, make tonight the first—or maybe the last—time you show mercy. Take my life. End my pain.”

He uncrossed his arms and let out a sigh. “What do you have to offer if I do?” He asked, his tone measured. “I don’t do favors for anyone, not even the gods. If I grant you this mercy, how do you plan to repay me?” 

She quickly responded, “I have nothing now... but if I’m given another life, I’ll make sure to repay the favor. Whatever you want, however you want it. I promise with the life I’m yet to live.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “That's a complicated task,” he said. “Since you can only repay me in your next life, I'll need to ensure your soul is reincarnated. That requires a ritual...” 

He sighed, rolling up his sleeve. “I’ll take care of it,” he agreed. “Before you take your last breath, if you have a wish you’d like me to grant, I’ll consider it. But keep in mind, the greater the favor, the greater the payback.”

Without hesitation, she sprang to her feet. “I want to lay a curse on my fated mate,” she said, her voice firm. “Can you do that for me?” 

Before he could respond, she elaborated. “I want him to suffer from the moment I die until his last breath. I want him to regret never accepting me for who I am,” 

Her eyes burned with intensity as she continued, “I want him to suffer, no matter how many times he reincarnates, until we cross paths again.” She locked eyes with him, her gaze unyielding. “I want the curse to affect not just him, but his entire lineage—if he ever chooses another mate and marries.”

He chuckled softly. “Isn’t that a bit extreme?” 

She shook her head emphatically. “It’s not... for someone like him. I don't know who he is, but I'm certain he exists in this pack. I felt it the day I turned 19,” she said. “I'm sure he didn't mark me because I'm a curse. He's ashamed of me, and just like I suffer because of his cowardice, he should suffer too.” 

“Okay,” he said with a subtle smile. “I'll forge a curse thread and bury it inside you. I'll take your corpse with me—without your remain, the curse is unbreakable,”

“You can only be reincarnated three times due to your weakness, so if you don't cross paths until the last trial, it'll be his fate to live a miserable life repeatedly.” 

She cut him off, her voice resolute. “I don't care about the consequences, just do it.”