Healed by the Cursed

CHAPTER TWO

The chamber was eerily quiet, save for the muffled sounds of footsteps and soft voices from the corridor. Trying to understand the abrupt change in the environment, Aria's heart raced in her chest, and her senses were sharpened. There was something wrong—something hiding in the shadows of the packhouse she couldn't quite identify. An uncanny stillness hung in the air, the sort of quiet that made the hairs on the back of your neck rise.

Still next to her, Kade's body was tight as he looked around the room. At this moment, his usual confidence and authoritative demeanor seemed diminished, which caused Aria's chest to tighten. Once the pillar of strength, the Alpha was now depending on her to assist him; that idea alone made her feel vulnerable in waves.

She had never witnessed Kade like this. He was always the one who defended everyone else, the one who, with only a glance, commanded respect. But there he was, his power gradually fading, merely a shell of the guy she once knew.

His voice was hoarse as he said, "Stay close." Stay put. I... I'll protect you.

Aria, however, did not feel secure. From all angles, she could sense the pressure of something dark bearing down on them. Something evil.

At that moment, the door to Kade's room sprang open violently, causing the furniture within to rattle. Aria winced, her heart racing into her throat. Two men—pack members—stood in the doorway, their gaze harsh and cold with urgency.

“Alpha,” one of them said gruffly. “We need to talk.”

Kade's face grew sombre, but he stayed put next to Aria. "Not now," he said, his voice low. Leave.

The men paused, trading looks until the second one moved forward. The Bloodstone is the subject; boundary violations have occurred. The ancient relic was claimed to be the source of immense strength for the Moonstone Pack; Aria gasped at the mention of the Bloodstone. Rumor had it that whoever had the Bloodstone might shape the destiny of whole packs. However, the Bloodstone held more significance than just an artefact; it served as a symbol of the pack's power, and its violation would have dire consequences.

Who accomplished this? Kade's voice was low, almost a growl, but Aria could detect the underlying dread in it. He wasn't terrified of many things, but the Bloodstone was a different story.

The first man said, "We don't know, Alpha." "But we discovered remnants of something... unnatural."

Aria could sense Kade's tightening hold on her, his eyes sparkling with resolve. We will locate them then. No one touches the Bloodstone.

As the guys prepared to depart, the tension in the room was obvious; Kade's gaze shot back at Aria just before they could leave. His gaze softened for a brief moment, causing her stomach to turn.

"Stay here," he ordered, his voice betraying some subtle worry. I have to accompany them.

Aria didn't want to be left behind. She wanted to show she wasn't just the frail woman she had been before, so she tried to assist. Kade's words, however, rang in her head and made her aware that she lacked the fortitude to face the darkness at the borders. That was not the case, at least not yet.

Softly, she murmured, "I'll be here," but her voice showed uncertainty. She had come to heal him, but now she doubted her strength to confront what lay ahead. Kade bowed briefly and then turned out of the room, his steps reverberating in the ensuing quiet.

The moment's gravity bearing on her shoulders made Aria sit there for what seemed like an eternity. Though muffled and unclear, she could still hear the far-off noises from the hall. Thoughts of Kade, of the Bloodstone, and of the evil power invading the pack's territory filled her head.

An instinct tugged deep within her, urging her not to remain silent. Her power had always been connected to the pack's equilibrium, and she could sense it within her, wanting to be used. But she was terrified—terrified of what it signified for her to release her power.

What if she lost control? What if it harmed others?

Her fingers shook as she reached for the old pendant around her neck—the sign of her rank as a Moon Priestess. It was a present from her mother, a reminder of her ancestry, and something she hadn't worn in years. But now, it seemed like a burden she had to carry.

The door opened again and Riona walked in; before she could understand her ideas,

Riona spoke, her voice chilly but not unpleasant. "I'll be honest with you." "You don't fit here." Once you left this pack, they did not forget. Kade might be unwell, but it does not qualify him to pardon you for the past.

Aria struggled to formulate a reply. The chill in Riona's words made Aria doubt her position here, even if she had returned to assist and heal. Was she only a reminder of Kade's failure? Was that all she was for these folks?

Aria replied softly, her voice constant despite the inner chaos, "I'm here to help him." "That is all that counts."

Riona looked at Aria for a time, her keen eye combing over her features. Then, gently sighing, she spoke once more.

"Just keep in mind that this pack is no place for weakness. Not anymore. Should you wish to be here, you must demonstrate your suitability.

With time, Aria's discomfort only increased. Kade had not come back, and the unknown dark force's menace loomed large in her head. What had crossed the Bloodstone's borders? And why did it seem as though the pack was about to collapse?

The door opened once more just as she was ready to stand and search for Kade. This time, it wasn't Riona; it was one of the guys who had departed earlier.

"Alpha's gone," the man murmured, his voice tense. The pack is in danger. We require you.

The man's intense, urgent gaze on Aria made her heart race. She didn't have to enquire about what was going on. Kade was not present to protect the threatened pack. Now it was her responsibility.

The burden of her choice lay over Aria like a shroud as she inhaled deeply. She had come here to heal Kade, to show herself as more than the shattered woman she had been. But suddenly, she realised that her actual strengths would be challenged in ways she hadn't anticipated.

"I'm ready," she responded, her voice strong despite the lingering uncertainty.

The man nodded, and they both exited the room, the air heavy with the promise of impending hazards.