All Chapters of The Cursed Alpha's Mate: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Aria woke before sunrise with a strange feeling in her wrist. She sat up and pulled back her sleeve. The two symbols beneath her skin glowed faintly, their silver light fading whenever she tried to look at them closely. She touched the newer symbol and a sudden flash crossed her mind. She saw trees, twisted branches, and a pair of glowing eyes staring at her from the darkness. Then the image disappeared, leaving her breathless. Aria gripped the edge of her bed. “What was that?” She had barely recovered when another sensation swept through her. This time, it wasn't an image but a feeling..something cold and dangerous lurking beyond the walls. She couldn't explain how she knew, but the certainty was strong enough to make her stand. She hurried outside and found two guards changing shifts near the entrance. “There's a feral nearby,” she told them. One of the guards frowned. “How do you know?” “I just do. You need to alert the others.” He exchanged a doubtful loo

Aria stood in Kael's study, her mother's necklace clenched in her hand. “Tell me what happened to my parents,” she said. “All of it. No more half-truths.” Kael stood beside his desk, his expression tense. Darius had left them alone, but the silence he left behind seemed to make the room even smaller. Kael looked at the necklace before meeting her eyes. “Your parents discovered who was responsible for my curse.” Aria's heart began to pound. “Who were they?” “A group of powerful wolves working with witches. They called themselves the Keepers of the First Blood. They believed Lycan Alphas were too powerful to be left uncontrolled. They wanted a way to weaken our minds and force our wolves to obey them.” “And they used you as an experiment?” “I don't know if I was their first target, but I was one of them.” Aria swallowed. “How did my parents get involved?” “They were investigating strange incidents involving Alphas who had suddenly become violent. When they discovered what wa

Aria kept her eyes on the stranger as she backed toward the broken window. The knife trembled in her hand, but she refused to let him see her fear. “You said my parents made a mistake,” she said. “What mistake?” The man smiled. “They thought they could keep you hidden forever.” He moved toward her. Aria threw the small container of water at his face. He flinched, and she seized the opportunity to kick a loose wooden stool into his path before scrambling through the broken window. She landed hard on the other side, scraping her palms against the ground. “Catch her!” the man shouted. Aria ran. Branches scratched her face as she pushed through the trees. She could hear footsteps behind her, but she didn't dare look back. Her wrist burned, and the mark glowed beneath her sleeve. She remembered the lessons Kael had her to practice during her stay at the pack. He had taught her how to recognize weak points, how to use her surroundings, and how to escape someone stronger

Kael could barely feel his fingers around the reins. Every few minutes, pain tore through his chest, forcing him to slow his horse. The curse had grown worse since he sensed Aria's fear, and his wolf was becoming increasingly difficult to control. Darius rode beside him, watching with growing concern. “You should let us go ahead,” Darius said. “If the curse takes over, you could become a danger to everyone here.” Kael shot him a cold look. “I'm not leaving Aria to face those people alone.” “I'm not asking you to abandon her. I'm asking you to stay alive long enough to reach her.” Kael said nothing. He closed his eyes briefly, searching for Aria through their bond. He felt her fear, but beneath it was determination. She was still fighting. That thought kept him moving. They had followed the faint signals north for hours when Darius suddenly raised his hand. “Someone has been here.” They dismounted near the remains of an old stone building hidden among the trees. One wall h

Kael's condition worsened before they reached his territory. By the time Darius helped carry him into the healing chamber, the dark veins had spread across his chest and up the side of his face. The healers immediately surrounded him, preparing herbs and silver mixtures, but nothing seemed to stop the curse for long. Aria stood near the doorway, watching helplessly. The mark on her wrist had changed. Thin silver lines now stretched toward her elbow, glowing faintly whenever Kael cried out in pain. “Why is my mark spreading?” she asked the oldest healer. The woman examined Aria's arm, her expression troubled. “Your connection to him is growing stronger, but the curse is reacting to it. If we cannot find a way to separate the curse from your bond, it may destroy you both.” Aria's stomach tightened. “Then we find a way.” She turned and left before the healer could respond. There was no time to waste. The rescued documents were spread across a table in Kael's study