BOUND TO THE ALPHA'S CURSE

ra'

different after sunset,

-covered root carefully, her fingers b

rcing as always: "Remain within the boundar

der the full moon's pull, and Mira had b

lence of the wilderness. She knelt by a group of Nightthorn flowers, the fragile violet petals already opening u

before she

shi

d. The birds st

seemed to lean clos

. Blood. E

an injured animals in the forest,

resh b

bl

not a

slowly scanning

s, splashes of red smudged on the wood, and c

peed up. She sh

lowing signs like this. But something

llowed t

chways engulfed by vines, toppled statues engraved with ancient symbols. In

ma

streaked with blood and mud, a tangle

taut, tr

, and carved into his skin, just over his heart. It was a b

k a step

wasn't just hur

H

ed, kneeling

ou he

espo

er fingers brushing

n touched, the air e

htning in her veins. A he

n, in the back of her m

ga

led b

t ra

ips parted, dry and cr

's breath

lv

just

t refle

moon itself had taken

t and

li

growled, Low and deep, it rumble

, he

now how he k

w why her bloo

and it was far too late to run From the trees above, a low how

ning.

she wasn't just in

on a wro

she was running until th

o the woods, distancing me from the security of Mira's cottage and the existence I b

shimmered softly beneath my skin, resembling moonlight ca

't have t

hing in m

. I he

Not the usua

gr

Closer than

fr

t held it

Massive. Mismatched eyes glinting

art l

sn't

blood on his jaw, dark hair

wrong about him. Somet

prey... and something els

arse when he spoke

ered. "It just happene

loser. "The bond

ed. "Who

A bitte

u should h

ething I couldn't hear. His nostrils flared. And then

o exist, he growled. Y

t ki

dropped t

's not just a bo

h caught

, a howl shattered the silen

t

mi

he

r his breath.

ho

un

not l

"Then stay close and

another question, t

Cracks of bra

rees. Wolves. T

just any

nt

ed his teeth and st

orth dying for,

g, eyes blazing, just as the fir

shifted. I felt it, something ancie

akened it,"

, a howl split the a

d to the trees.

to me, voice

R