Bound To The Cursed Alpha

Bargain

Chapter Five

The council’s shouts faded behind us as Kael dismissed them with the faintest gesture of authority. One by one, the remaining envoys slunk out, muttering and shooting wary glances back at the Alpha King and the rogue assassin he had inexplicably chosen to protect.

I stayed where I was, the chains around my wrists jingling softly as I took careful, measured steps across the polished marble floor. The room felt impossibly quiet without the weight of so many Alphas pressing on me. Almost peaceful, except for the thrum of the bond between us, pulsing hotter now, insistent and unignorable.

“You’re hiding something,” Kael said, voice low and measured.

“So are you,” I shot back. My eyes never left his.

He gave a small nod, acknowledging the truth without conceding it. His gaze traveled over me as if weighing my value, measuring my worth, and for a fleeting moment, I felt exposed. Not physically, but something deeper, something the bond refused to hide.

I walked slowly, letting the chains clink, aware of every breath, every heartbeat, every pulse of instinct. “That symbol belongs to an organization that experiments on wolves,” I said finally, breaking the silence. “They steal unbonded wolves, perform rituals, manipulate bloodlines, and sell results to Alphas desperate for power. They’ve been operating for years, and no one suspects them… except me.”

Kael’s eyes sharpened, tracking every microexpression that crossed my face. “You’ve been hunting them alone,” he said softly. There was no accusation, only observation.

“For years,” I admitted, jaw tight. “I’ve never asked a pack for help. Packs protect themselves first. Rogues like me exist to be used, discarded, or eliminated.”

“And yet, here you are,” Kael said, stepping closer. The bond flared stronger as he approached, warmth pooling beneath my skin, spreading to my wolf, who had begun to stir. I felt her curiosity, her hunger, and I kept her at bay as best I could.

“You’re not killing randomly,” he said. “You’re dismantling a network. Calculated. Targeted. Dangerous.”

“Yes,” I admitted. Saying it aloud made it feel real, and I hated the weight it carried.

He let out a long breath, as if measuring the air between us. “Then our enemies align.”

I didn’t trust kings. Not one, not ever.

“I don’t trust assassins,” he replied evenly, almost amused, almost teasing, though his eyes were dangerous.

I let out a humorless laugh. “You make it difficult to hate you.”

Kael didn’t respond. He merely stepped to the floor-to-ceiling windows and looked out over the city. Lights flickered in the distance, smoke curling into the night. Somewhere out there, my sister, the organization, and every danger I had ever fought against waited. The city felt alive, breathing, and hungry.

“What are you proposing?” I asked finally, breaking the silence.

“A temporary alliance,” he said. Calm. Precise. Dangerous. “You help me uncover this organization. I ensure you survive long enough to find your sister.”

I swallowed. Logical. Dangerous. Necessary. My wolf throbbed with anticipation, with instinct, but I forced myself to ignore her.

“Temporary,” I said.

“Temporary,” he echoed, voice steady, almost hypnotic.

He extended his hand. A simple gesture, but the weight behind it was heavy….trust, power, agreement. I hesitated, as if the decision could fracture reality itself, and then I took it.

The moment our hands touched, the bond flared brighter, stronger than before. Heat, instinct, awareness, and a pulse of shared power surged through both of us. The air between us seemed to hum, electric and impossible. I stepped back slightly, gripping the edge of a table to steady myself.

Kael exhaled sharply. “That,” he said quietly, “is new.”

I didn’t reply. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, curious, alert, eager, but I forced her to stay silent. The bond was unpredictable. Wild. Powerful. It was a reminder that nothing between us would be simple.

A distant explosion shook the walls of the palace. Dust rained from the high ceilings. Alarms blared. The scout’s voice echoed down the corridor: “Alpha King! The outer district is under attack!”

Kael released my hand slowly, meeting my gaze. His eyes were gold threaded with storm gray, predatory and commanding. Every instinct in me recognized danger, but every pulse of the bond reminded me we were stronger together than apart.

“Looks like negotiations are over,” he said. His voice was low, and his lips barely moved.

I felt the wolf inside me rise, eager for the fight, for the chaos, for the hunt. “Good,” I said, matching his step as we moved toward the corridor.

We passed through the palace halls, moving silently, smoothly, like predators navigating territory we owned even though it wasn’t fully ours yet. I kept my senses sharp, aware of the bond, aware of the electricity coiling between us. Every footstep, every glance, every half-breath spoke volumes without a word.

Outside, the city was alive with fire and smoke. The streets below were chaotic. Alphas, rogues, and mercenaries clashed, illuminated by flickering streetlights and moonlight. The scent of blood, burning wood, and fear was thick, heavy, and intoxicating. My wolf whined softly in excitement, but I kept her leashed, controlled.

Kael’s hand brushed against mine as we moved into the street, an almost imperceptible warning. Not possessive, not intimate—yet both at once. Just a predator sharing space with an equal.

“We fight together,” he murmured. “Not because we trust each other, but because it’s necessary.”

“Necessary,” I repeated. The word tasted bitter but honest.

Somewhere in the chaos, I saw the symbol again—the one burned into the cloth from the council. My sister’s face flashed across my mind. Fear, anger, and determination mixed in a cocktail of adrenaline. This was no longer just about survival. This was about retribution, strategy, and reclaiming what had been stolen.

Kael adjusted his coat, eyes scanning the street for threats. “We move fast. Strike first. Strike hard. No hesitation.”

I nodded. My pulse matched his, the bond thrumming between us like a living thing. This partnership……temporary, dangerous, unspoken—was our only chance.

A figure darted from an alley ahead, weapon glinting. My wolf snarled, reflex taking over for a fraction of a second before I forced control. Kael moved instinctively, intercepting the figure, his body a shield, his claws flashing. The movement was precise, lethal, and beautiful in a way that made the bond flare again, tightening, pulsing, alive.

“Stay close,” he said, voice low, almost a growl.

I did. Not because I had to, but because I wanted to. Because instinct and necessity intertwined until I could no longer tell one from the other.

The city was burning. The enemy was coming. The war had begun. And for the first time, I realized that surviving alone wasn’t enough. I would need every ounce of cunning, every shred of strength, and the dangerous, consuming connection to the Alpha King at my side.

Because the organization that had stolen my sister wasn’t just powerful. They were ruthless. Calculated. And now, with Kael Nightbane and me together, unstoppable might be the only word that described what came next.

The bond between us pulsed in time with the chaos outside. Not gentle. Not forgiving. Predatory. And undeniably ours.

The first step into war was taken, and there would be no turning back.