Cursed Lycan’s Human Bride

Monster

Rays of sunlight penetrated through the window blind into the room. With eyes closed, she had cried herself to sleep the previous day after learning she was the bride of the cursed alpha, Atlas.

Birdie squints her eyes and rolls over on the king-size bed. Her eyes fluttered open like someone who had just remembered something in their sleep.

“ Oh no,” she panicked and rushed down from the bed.

“ Amanda would kill me.” She mumbled as she hurriedly made her way to the door, forgetting that she was no longer in the Nightshade manor.

She held the door handle and then paused. She turned her head and scanned her eyes throughout the room and that is when it dawned on her that, she was no more in the Nightshade manor. She is in a new hell, Atlas’s Den.

She bit her bottom lip slowly and returned to the bed. She lay on it, facing the ceiling, and let out a little shriek. She wanted to scream but she just couldn’t. She’s heard the cursed alpha has a bad temper and hates noise. She doesn’t want to die yet. Not until she finds her mother.

A gentle knock came from the door and Birdie quickly rolled to her side and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.

The door opened and she tried as much as she could to keep her breath steady.

“ You don’t have to pretend to be asleep,” A woman said.

Birdie opened her eyes, knowing she had been caught, and sat up on the bed.

“ Good morning,” she muttered under her breath, looking at the face of the woman dressed in maid clothes standing in the room.

“ What a swollen eyes you got there. I bet being the cursed alpha’s bride is a huge blow to you,”

Birdie listened to the woman, feeling a sense of familiarity with her before she looked away.

“ I’m Natasha, Atlas’s maid since he was a boy,” Natasha introduced herself.

“ Then you must know him very well,” Birdie drawled, glimpsing at Natasha who only chuckled in response.

“ Get ready, we are going shopping in twenty minutes. You must make your first appearance at the end-of-year celebration at the pack’s house tonight,”

Birdie's eyes popped and she climbed down from the bed.

“ Must I? I’ve never attended the end-of-year celebration before. Humans are not allowed. Besides…” she paused and chewed on her lip.

“ I haven’t accepted to be his bride yet.” She mumbled under her breath.

Natasha c****d her head to the side and watched Birdie’s expression. She could tell that the human girl was afraid but what could she do?

“ It has been decided. You have no choice,” Natasha said firmly, not wanting to give Birdie anyway out.

“ You are now the cursed alpha bride. No one will deny you entrance into the ceremony. You should stop seeing yourself as a mere human and embrace your new identity.”

“ We leave in fifteen minutes,”

With that said, Natasha left Birdie in the room to wrap her head around her new life.

Birdie slowly reached her hand for the sapphire pendant on her neck. It felt smooth, and comforting and brought good memories and bad memories to her.

“ I know my identity. Mom said to always remember,” she mumbled and held the pendant as if her life depended on it with eyes dilating.

Exactly fifteen minutes later, Birdie found herself entering a car with Natasha. She wrapped a scarf around herself and sat next to the window, avoiding physical contact with Natasha.

“ The weather is warm. Why do you need a scarf?” Natasha asked, pointing at the scarf on Birdie’s shoulder.

Birdie coughed nervously and pointed her finger at it feigning a smile. “ This, it’s quite hot.. umm I mean cold,” She said, clutching the scarf to herself as if it would fly away and reveal the scars she was hiding.

“ Werewolves body temperatures are different from that of humans. Your kind is naturally warm and my kind,” Birdie paused and drew in a sharp breath. She has identified as a human for more than a decade now, why still feel this way?

“humans' body temperatures are unstable. We can easily get cold and catch the flu,” Birdie explained, feigning a smile at Natasha who smiled back at her.

“ I understand,” Natasha replied.

A brief silence loomed over them as they drove through the tall trees.

‘ The cursed alpha sure lives a secluded life,’ Birdie can’t help but think to herself.

“ Where is he?” Birdie asked, turning to look at Natasha who was knitting something Ava believed to be a cap. She was immediately reminded of her mother. She was a master at knitting.

“ your husband to be?” Natasha replied with a question and Birdie looked away awkwardly.

“ Busy but will be back on time to take you to the ceremony,” Natasha answered and Birdie's eyes squinted as if she remembered something.

“ I will attend the ceremony with Atlas,” Birdie said, her voice sounding almost excited and Natasha paused and raised her brow in curiosity.

“ why the sudden change of heart?” Natasha asked.

“Because I’m breaking into Daisy Whistlebird's chamber tonight to find evidence of the missing kids while she is in the ceremony having fun,” Birdie was glad she didn’t say that aloud, or else, her plans for the night could have been ruined and all her effort would be in vain.

“ You are right, I should embrace my new identity,” Birdie lied and let out a slow sigh.

They arrived at the clothes shop five minutes later and Birdie followed Natasha in her tail like a child under her mother’s protection.

“ Try these on,” Birdie took the dress from Natasha and with the look on her face, Natasha understood Ava needed her privacy and she was not going to intrude even when Atlas ordered not to let her out of her sight.

Birdie quickly changed into one of the sleeveless satin dresses that highlighted her curves and revealed her bosoms. It’s a pretty dress but it reveals too much of her scars.

“ What the f**k is a human doing In the dressing room?” Birdie recognized the irritated voice and immediately she turned around, her fear was confirmed. No one hated humans more than Emily.

For the first time, she held Emily’s gaze. She wasn’t scared even when she ought to be. She hated her as much as she did. The hate is mutual but Emily’s hate for her is extreme. It incited her own hate.

“ You?” Emily wrinkled her nose but it didn’t hide her admiration of how perfectly the dress fitted Birdie and how beautiful the dress was.

“ Who allowed you into this place, you filthy human?” Emily raged, furious that Birdie had worn a dress that she might have bought for the ceremony.

Birdie snubbed her and grabbed her scarf, she wrapped it around herself to hide her scars before grabbing her things. She walked out of the dressing room in search of another and Emily followed her.

Birdie gasped when the scarf was pulled away from her body and in fright, her things fell to the ground. She turned around and saw Emily holding her scarf. She wanted to run away but there was nowhere to run to. The clothing section is filled with shoppers and Natasha is nowhere in sight.

“ I will say this again, Bird. YOU ARE BORN TO TAKE THE THINGS THAT I REJECTED. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MY SUBSTITUTE FOR THINGS THAT I DON’T WANT,” Emily enunciated, word for word and every word that left her mouth pierced Birdie like a thousand needles.

Birdie gulped hard, fighting the warm tears burning her eyes. She turned around and saw everyone holding their phones up with their cameras on.

“ Look everyone, she is the bride of the cursed alpha!” Emily yelled at the top of her voice and Ava buried her gaze on the floor. The Nightshades having a human daughter has been one hot topic of gossip for years and the Nightshade's daughters fighting in public is another topic while the cursed alpha human bride is another gossip.

“ Look at all these hideous scars. Do you think he will ever touch you? Do you think he will look at the face of a human and make love to an ugly woman with scars like you?”

Birdie’s eyes burned and she couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. For the first time, Emily said truthful words. Atlas will never touch her. She is human with ugly scars. No wonder he didn’t look at her for once yesterday. Not even a glimpse. He didn’t want to see her face so he left early. What man won’t take a glimpse at the face of their bride?

“ He will,” Birdie said, loud enough for Everyone to hear.

“ Do you want to know what he whispered to me last night?” Birdie c****d her head to the side before turning around to face their audience. They want gossip, she might as well give them one that will give them sleepless nights.

“ He said humans are sweeter than shewolves. It was his best night so far,” Birdie said mischievously, her gaze fixed on their faces and nothing brings her more joy than the inferior look on their faces.

“He adores my scars and I don’t give a f**k if it disgusts you. They were meant to disgust bitches like you!”

“ She is lying! Nobody will look at those ugly scars twice! “ Emily shrieked, trying to convince her friends that what Birdie said wasn't true, and for the second time, Emily said something factual.

Birdie is sure Atlas is disgusted by her. That was why he never looked at her and only welcomed her to his hell. Birdie felt a sting inside her chest and she gulped slowly, hoping the pain would go away.

Her lips parted and she forced a smile on her face.

“ But you did Emily. You looked at these ugly scars more than twice,” She fought back the tears brimming at the back of her eyes and tried not to let her lips shiver.

“ SHOPPING IS CLOSED!” A female voice came from the intercom and Birdie breathed in relief. At last, Natasha will hear this announcement and come take her out of this place.

“ SHOPPING IS CLOSED! EXCEPT FOR THE CURSED ALPHA BRIDE, EVERY OTHER PERSON ARE TO EXIT THE MALL!!”

“ Nonsense!” Emily yelled and everyone started mumbling amongst themselves, wondering who could shut the mall down for one person to shop.

“ Who dare shut the mall down for a human to shop alone?” Emily flared. She hasn’t even picked a dress for the ceremony and it is tonight.

“ I DID,” Came a deep husky voice and Birdie turned around to see a tall hot man in weaves dressed in grey pants and a t-shirt. His face is covered by a black mask. His clothes were simple but he was what everyone described him to be ( terrifying).

Except Birdie who is lost in the physique of the demigod approaching her with Natasha by his side, every other person fell to their knees and bare their necks in submission to his authority.

He stood before her, staring down at her, his gaze fixed on her oval face and for a moment, Birdie’s mind went blank. She opened her mouth but nothing came out. It was as if the world was still. She tried to imagine what his face looked like beneath the mask but all she could see was his lilac eyes piercing into her soul.

Her body tensed and she felt some invisible force pulling her towards him like a force of magnetism. The room temperature suddenly shot up and her skin burned. His pink lips invited her in for a deadly kiss.

He is her hell.

Breaking eye contact, she blinked rapidly and looked away awkwardly. She quickly reached for her scarf on the floor to cover herself but she was stopped by Atlas’s cold grip pulling her wrist.

She gasped loudly, her chest rising and falling erratically.

He leaned closer to her and his hand found its way to her chest. Her body shivered as his cold fingers made gentle movements over a healed scar on her chest.

“ Who did it?” He asked her, his voice cold and terrifying. Birdie felt her heart skip a thousand beats.

She shut her eyes tight, her lips squirming at the effect of his touch on her skin. It was tormenting, yet wanting.

She felt his cold breath on the skin on her face and her eyes shut wide open at his closeness.

Sweat dripped down her hand as she curled her fingers into fists by her side. What is he up to? Why is he sniffing her? He must hate the way she smells. So many thoughts ran through her mind.

“ You are very interesting Relia,” He clicked his tongue, his voice low enough for only her to hear. She felt tingles all over her body and her heart raced, bringing back memories. The first and last person to call her Relia was her mother.

“ Why don’t we try out what you said?” He asked and Birdie wondered what he meant by that.

“ If humans are sweeter than shewolves,” He said devilishly as if he heard Birdie’s silent question and Birdie's jaw dropped, her face burning like lava.

Atlas leaned backward and snapped his finger at Birdie’s face.

“ Breathe Aurelia,” he snapped, letting out an evil chuckle at Birdie’s dazzled and embarrassed expression.

He turned around and said in the most grim voice Birdie had ever heard.

“ Mall will be opened for shopping after twelve hours,” He said with finality and Birdie watched as they all ran out of the mall with their tails in between their legs.

The ceremony would have started and the mall would have closed twelve hours from now. Could it mean, he is punishing them for making fun of her by depriving them of attending the ceremony?

“ Birdie! Get out of the way!” Natasha yelled and before Birdie could blink, she was sent flying but before her body could hit the shelf, she landed on soft arms and when she turned around, she saw him, Atlas, he looked pale, dark claws elongating from his fingers and his eyes bloodshot.

He took unsteady steps in her direction, his bone cracking and snapping disturbingly.

Shivering with blood shooting through her veins, she let out a scream, sending the lights off