Chapter 13 - The Alpha King's CurseDamian became the very monster he had spent his life fighting.The curse arrived like fire.
Damian screamed.
Black veins spread across his chest.
His wolf slammed against his bones.
Alora ran toward him.
"Damian!"
He pushed her away.
"Don't touch me."
His eyes flashed red.
Every wolf in the temple backed away.
Serafina whispered:
"The curse feeds on the Alpha King's rage."
Damian fell to his knees.
Memories flooded him.
His father's violence.
His mother's death.
The wars.
The betrayals.
Serafina leaving.
Finn disappearing.
Alora's pain.
The curse fed on all of it.
His wolf changed.
He was becoming the First Alpha.
Alora refused to step back.
Damian roared.
"RUN!"
She moved closer.
"No."
"I could kill you."
"I know."
"I don't want to."
"Then fight."
His claws dug into the stone.
"You don't understand."
"I do."
She took his hand.
The curse burned her palm.
Damian screamed.
The black veins spread across Alora's arm.
"Let go!"
She didn't.
"My grandmother taught me something."
"What?"
"Every curse has a place where it began."
She pressed her forehead against his.
"And every bond has a place where it ends."
The First Alpha watched.
"The true mate can break the curse."
Damian gasped.
Alora kissed him.
The darkness exploded.
For several seconds, nothing existed.
Then Damian's wolf howled.
Not in rage.
In surrender.
The black veins disappeared.
He fell unconscious.
When he woke, Alora was gone.
Serafina stood beside him.
"Where is she?"
Serafina didn't answer.
Damian rose.
"Where is Alora?"
"She sacrificed herself."
His world stopped.
"What?"
"She took the curse into herself."
Damian staggered toward the temple doorway.
Outside stood the Moonbound.
Silent.
The First Alpha was gone.
And Alora...
was nowhere.
On the stone floor he found her pendant.
Broken.
Damian picked it up.
Then heard a heartbeat.
Not his.
Not Wren's.
Not Finn's.
Alora's.
Far away.
Deep beneath the mountain.
Damian looked toward the tunnels.
"She's alive."
Serafina shook her head.
"You can't reach her."
"Why?"
"Because the curse took her below the Moon Door."
Damian's expression hardened.
"Then I will go below."
Serafina grabbed his arm.
"You cannot."
"Watch me."
"The door will close behind you."
"Then it closes."
He looked toward his children.
"Nothing takes my mate from me."
Serafina finally let go.
Damian entered the darkness.
Behind him, Wren began crying.
Finn suddenly spoke.
Not in a child's voice.
In the voice of the First Alpha.
"Father."
Damian stopped.
"There is one thing you must know."
He turned.
Finn's silver eyes were glowing.
"The woman you love..."
The pup swallowed.
"...is not only your true mate."
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A pause.
"She is the last Moon Queen."
