The Cursed Alpha

Kieran’s POV

I noticed a red wolf running through the woods. I had been scanning the area, getting ready to hunt when she passed. 

I sensed she was a female and followed her. Her fur was unusual and I was intrigued. Loud roaring and howls greeted my ears. Different bikes riding with the wolves. 

They were chasing her. I sensed her tiredness and transformed into my wolf form. 

Unlike the others, I moved quietly even though I was fast. I was larger too and watched in awe as she easily got away from them, making them crash and collide with each other. 

I stood at the top of a hill hiding behind the shadow and noticed a clothed man enter the ruined packhouse. He looked just like the assassins chasing her and I waited. 

Next, she ran in, and I heard her groan with a fall. I ran towards the building and snarled, getting their attention. 

The man already had her pinned to the floor and his claws raised to slash her throat. 

I stopped forward, ready to pounce on him when a huge wind pulled him off her, sending him crashing through the rotting table. 

He groaned, and I stayed still. My eyes moved between them. She looked at her hands. I felt a rush of energy coming from her. 

What the hell was that? 

She sat up, and I saw her face.

Sienna

My mind twirled, staring into her eyes. She looked scared, the second she spotted and stood up. Her legs shook and before I could understand what she planned to do. She ran. 

I turned my gaze to the groaning man, he was recovering. He was a werewolf after all and he snarled, his fangs growing. 

I had no use for him, and I ignored him chasing after the young woman. She didn't stop, and continued running. 

I could catch up with her, and I increased my pace. She seemed to notice and transformed back into her red wolf. 

I growled, chasing after her. She was fast, a lot faster than I had expected. She reached the edge of a cliff and halted suddenly. 

I cornered her, trying to approach her, but she was too scared to notice. I stepped closer, and she moved a bit, almost falling off the cliff. 

I had to act fast, and lunged at her, pushing her away from the edge of the cliff. She hit the tree, falling unconscious. 

Had I hit her too hard?

***********

“You should have killed her the moment you saw what she was."

Darius’s voice cut through the heavy silence like a knife, sharp and irritated. 

He turned dark eyes towards the unconscious girl lying in the holding cell. I did not flinch. Instead, I leaned against the cold stone wall, folded my arms, and watched the girl responsible for putting the entire pack into chaos.

"I have no interest in spilling any blood," I answered. 

I didn't tell him who she was exactly. 

Sienna.

The last Ruby Wolf

Her wrists were chained, silver cuffs gnawing into the skin. 

Even sleeping, her human form jerked, restless. Tangles of dark, unkempt strands stuck to the sweat-beaded surface of skin, and the rise and fall of the chest were shallow gasps. She was much too thin. Too fragile like a wolf about to break.

And yet, nevertheless, she held power.

Power I hadn’t expected. Power I couldn’t ignore.

Darius took one step closer, keeping his voice hushed. "You're hesitating."

He wasn’t mistaken.

I should have killed her by now. That is the Shadowfang Pack's rule. Ask not, kill. But something did not sit right about this one. The Midnight Syndicate did not kill their foes until after they questioned them. If she were their foe, she'd be dead by now. And if not, the devil himself only knew what the devil she was.

I pushed against the wall, leaning towards the cell. Shadows from the iron grating were falling over sleeping features. "I’ll handle this," I growled.

Darius scoffed. "You had better."

"Who is the master here?" I asked, looking at him. He shrunk back, raising his hand in surrender. 

"You are, Alpha. Just be careful, will you? You're too kind," he added, and walked off. 

The sound of his steps ringing through the dark halls of the underground cells. 

I exhaled gradually, releasing the strain from the muscles around the base of my neck. This girl wasn't some ordinary Syndicate escapee. How she'd resisted, the way her ability flailed about; it wasn't coincidence.

It was dangerous.

I unlocked the cell door and went inside. The smell of blood and the stench of the old stone hung heavy over the room. As the instant I crossed the threshold.

I undid the lock on the chains on her wrist and ankles. 

Sienna stirred. She gasped for breath, the hands closing into weak fists.

I crouched beside her, waiting for her lashes to open.

And she did. Her amber eyes met mine. They were wild and resilient.

Then, without hesitation, she attacked.

I caught hold of her hand, slamming her down on the floor with my hand. She moved again, and I pressed her down, keeping her still with my other hand on her neck. It wasn't enough to choke her, just keep her in place. 

She gasped, not looking away, and didn't try to beg.

Interesting. Stubborn and hot headed. 

She bared teeth. “Kill me, or let me go.”

I raised an eyebrow. Why would I kill her?

"Brave for one who'd just gotten their ass kicked," I mocked.

Her pulse thundered beneath my grip. She didn’t flinch, or cower.

Fascinating.

I released her, and she stepped ahead, stumbling slightly before recovering herself. She brushed the corner of her mouth, frowning up at me like a caught wolf. "What do you want?"

"Who says I need anything?" I asked. 

"You didn't kill me. So, you clearly want something," she replied. 

I could have said a thousand things. Answers. Loyalty. Submission.

But instead, I smiled. "You."

Her breath caught for a moment, but she quickly covered the lapse by adopting the sneer. "You're crazy."

I leaned in close, close enough for the breath from my mouth to gently caress against the skin. "No, little wolf. I’m the only one around here using their head."

She struggled, glaring at me with hatred. "If you aren't going to kill me, then what? I'm not playing your games."

“I have no interest in killing you, yet.” My voice dropped lower. “I want you to be my mate.”

The words hung like a hotwire between the two of us.

Her lips parted, incredulous expression passing over the features before hardening into something sharper. "What? No! Go to hell."

"You seem to be in it, darling," I mocked. 

I chuckled, stepping back from her when she swung a fist towards me. She was quick, but clumsy and wasn't strong enough.

I caught hold of her wrist easily, keeping it against mine.

Then I felt something.

A jolt. An explosion of something hot and electrifying coursing through veins the instant our skin touched.

The blood rage inside me grew. The curse placed upon me all those years, started to crawl out. 

No, damn it. Not now, stay back. She didn't do anything wrong. Stay in. 

The animal in me began clawing to the surface fighting for control. 

For a moment only until I could comprehend its implications.

Her lips parted and her eyebrows folded together. She felt the same energy, but only I was losing control. 

I tightened my grip, ignoring the beast.

The blood fury abated.

Sienna’s eyes widened in shock, and she squirmed, trying to get away from me, but I didn't budge. 

"What the devil are you going to do?" She asked, horrified.

I stared back at her, and forced the blood rage back to the depths of hell. "I am going to show you destiny."

"Huh?" She voiced, and let out a breathless laugh, shaking her head. "You're crazy."

I loosened my hold on her slightly. "If you'd prefer to survive?" I asked. "Then you will stay here. With me."

Her chest heaved and dropped. "I told you already. I reject your offer."

I smirked. "Then, you leave me no choice."

I released the grip around her wrist, watching the flinch, cradling the wrist protectively as if scalded. "You're not leaving this packhouse alive unless I say so."

Her gaze snapped towards the door, her thoughts racing. "I don't take orders from you."

“Try me,” I warned.

The silence felt heavy with latent violence. I could sense the battle in her eyes, the part of her that wished to rip my throat, but she was never getting that chance. 

I turned, moving towards the cell door, but stopped and glanced over my shoulder. 

“You have until morning to make your choice,” I said softly but sternly. “You can remain here as my mate…or you can leave here as my captive.”

She didn’t react. I left her alone, closing the door behind me.