The Weak Wolf's Curse (1)

I was born cursed — or so my mother always said. In a world where power defined your worth, having a weak wolf was no better than having none at all. The Moon Goddess, it seemed, had a cruel sense of humor, because she bound me — the weakest of them all — to the strongest Alpha in the pack: Alpha Kaden.

The moment his scent reached me — cedarwood and pine — my heart skipped, and my frail wolf let out a joyful, hopeful howl. But the look Kaden gave me crushed that hope. His eyes, cold and sharp, were filled with nothing but disgust.

“You?” His voice dripped with disdain as he took a step back. “You’re my mate?”

My heart sank, the rejection in his tone cutting deeper than any wound. I glanced at Lila — my best friend — standing beside him. Her emerald eyes widened in mock shock before her lips curved into a wicked smirk.

“Alpha, surely this is a mistake,” she purred, sliding her arm around his. “How could someone like her ever be worthy of you?”

I opened my mouth, desperate to speak, to explain that it was the Moon Goddess’s will. But Kaden’s growl silenced me before I could utter a word.

“I, Alpha Kaden of the Black Crescent Pack, reject you, Ella Thorn, as my mate.”

His words hit like a blade through my chest. Pain unlike anything I’d ever known shattered through me as the bond broke, leaving only emptiness in its place. I gasped, clutching at my heart as if I could hold the pieces together.

And then — for a fleeting moment — power surged through me. My vision blurred, a flash of white light engulfed me, and I saw him. Kaden. Kneeling before me, regret darkening his eyes. But just as quickly, the vision faded, leaving me trembling and confused.

Kaden’s gaze faltered, uncertainty flickering for a breath before his cold mask returned. “You’re nothing but a weakling,” he spat. “From now on, you’ll live in this pack as my slave.”

Lila’s laughter rang out, victorious and cruel. I saw it then — the hunger in her eyes. She had always wanted him, and now she had him.

“I saw her sneaking into the herbalist’s hut last night,” Lila added, voice laced with poison. “She must have cast some spell on you. That’s the only way she could be your mate.”

My eyes widened in horror. “No! I swear—”

“Silence!” Kaden’s roar shook me to my bones. He turned to the guards, fury blazing in his eyes. “Take her to the dungeons. Let her rot until she learns her place.”

Rough hands seized me, dragging me away. I struggled, desperation clawing at me. “Kaden, please! You’re making a mistake!”

“I see clearly now,” he sneered. “You’re nothing but a scheming, pathetic wretch who tried to use dark magic to trap me. You’ll pay for your treachery.”

As they pulled me from the hall, my eyes met Lila’s. She smirked and winked, satisfaction shining in her gaze.

That was when I realized the truth. This had been her plan all along.

And I’d walked right into it.

---

The dungeon was cold, the walls damp with moisture that dripped and echoed in the darkness. The heavy door slammed shut behind me, sealing me in. I sank to the stone floor, shaking from the pain, the betrayal, the sheer weight of it all.

Lila — the friend I had trusted with my heart, my secrets, my dreams. We had grown up side by side, sharing everything. And she had thrown me to the wolves to get what she wanted.

A sharp, searing ache twisted in my chest, the remnants of the shattered bond cutting deeper than before. My wolf whimpered, her strength fading with each heartbeat.

Time lost meaning in the darkness. Hours, maybe days, passed. My stomach clenched in hunger, my throat burned with thirst, but no one came.

Until the door creaked open, spilling light into the cell. I blinked, my eyes struggling to adjust. And there she was. Lila. Her green eyes glittered with triumph as she stepped inside, every inch of her radiating victory.

She crouched before me, a cruel smile tugging at her lips.

“Poor, pathetic Ella,” she cooed. “Did

you really think you were ever good enough for him?”