All Chapters of Destined to Save the Cursed Alpha: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

NIKOLAIAnaiyah’s heart hammered beneath my hand.I could hear every beat. Too fast. Too hard. The faint mark on her wrist had faded, but the trace beneath her skin remained.I had faced armies without hesitation and survived wounds that should have ended me. Yet, I didn't know how to help her.That helplessness turned my jaw to stone.“Orion, take her toward Silver Crest with the escort,” I ordered. “Keep everyone away from her.”Anaiyah caught my sleeve. “Where are you going?”“To get answers.”“That’s not an answer.”“It’s the only one I have.”Her fingers slipped from my arm. I watched Orion guide her toward the waiting SUV. She looked back once before climbing in.Draven strained after her.'Go with her.'“Not yet.”Her scent faded as the vehicle rolled down the road. I turned toward the mountains. Shifting into my massive midnight-black wolf, I raced through the trees, determined to find a sliver of truth about my mate and my curse.The seer’s sanctuary lay beyond the old boundar

ANAIYAHMorning light filtered through the bedroom windows before I was ready for it. Warmth surrounded me, and the distant chirping of birds and the sounds of soldiers training outside reminded me of my new reality.I was no longer at Crescent. I was now in Nikolai's world, where his pack would scrutinize my every move and test my loyalty."Slept well?" Nikolai's deep voice pulled me from my thoughts.I turned to see him standing by the window, his gaze intense as he watched me. Despite the warmth in his words, a coldness in his eyes made me shiver."Y-yeah, I slept fine," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. Nikolai's presence was both comforting and intimidating, a stark reminder of the delicate balance I now had to navigate in this new world.He approached the bed and took my hand in his, his heartbeat steady under my palm."Should I ask where you ran off to yesterday or what happened on the ride here, or…"Nikolai looked at our joined hands. Then at me. “I think my curse has

ANAIYAHI walked the garden paths, counting exits.The hedges were trimmed, flowers bright, and a fountain spilled water into a stone basin. Guards stood at the gates. Two more watched from the wall.Old habits. Beauty didn’t make me careless.A young woman carrying flowers greeted me. “Good afternoon, Luna.”“Anaiyah is fine.”Her smile stayed easy. “Good afternoon, Anaiyah.”An older woman paused by the fountain. “Have you found everything you need?”“I think so.”“If not, ask. Someone will help.”She continued along the path before I could figure out what she wanted in return.Nothing, apparently.The young woman noticed a flower on the path, picked it up, and offered it to me. I took it and tucked it into my pocket. I wasn’t ready to trust the kindness, but I couldn’t throw it away.Near a covered walkway, two women stopped talking when I approached.“Luna,” one greeted politely.The other looked me over. “Has Alpha Nikolai arranged lessons in Luna etiquette for you? Missy has alwa

MISSYSilver Crest woke around me, and everyone expected me to help it wake properly.“Missy, do you think the eastern hall is large enough for the visiting leaders?”“Ask Elder Rowan before you finalize the seating. He hates being placed near the western windows.”“Missy, the flower deliveries are late.”“Send for Marla. She keeps a second supplier in the village.”I answered without thinking. Names, preferences, old grudges, and small alliances. I knew them all.This world had always been mine.Not given to me. Built, over years, through attention and patience and an understanding of how Silver Crest actually worked beneath its formal surface. I knew which elders needed consulting before decisions were announced, which families held grudges older than anyone cared to admit, and which wolves repeated things they weren't supposed to have heard. I'd made myself indispensable without ever being asked, and the pack had rewarded that investment with exactly the kind of quiet trust that mat

ANAIYAHThe training grounds smelled of damp earth, leather, and sweat. All around, wolves in human and wolf form were warming up for combat.Warriors moved through drills with practiced precision. Fists thudded against padded targets. Wooden weapons clashed. The air carried enough energy to prickle my skin.I stood at the edge, tugging at my sleeves.A few warriors glanced at me. Others whispered. I recognized the look before I heard the words. Too thin. Too fragile. Probably useless.Nikolai approached in training clothes rather than Alpha’s formal dress—no crown of authority. No distance. Just him, broad-shouldered and impossible to ignore.“You’re going to train,” he told me.I looked at the warriors, then back at him. “You say that as if my body received the invitation.”His expression barely changed. “Your body will manage.”“Comforting. And if it doesn’t?”“Then we’ll discover what needs work.”He didn’t promise I would be brilliant. He didn’t pretend years of hunger had left no