Surrogate Luna For The Cursed Alpha

Finding Gideon’s Daughter

Gideon was a name spoken with reverence and fear across the Arcane Dynasty. A master of ancient and powerful magic, he was a wizard who commanded respect in every corner of their world. His strength and influence were unmatched, and for many years, he had ruled with wisdom and authority, shaping the Dynasty into what it had become: a thriving, formidable force in a world ruled by magic and bloodlines. But the one thing Gideon could not control, the one thing that eluded even his vast powers, was the disappearance of his daughter.

Years ago, she had vanished without a trace, a mystery that haunted him day and night. The search for her became all-consuming, yet it yielded nothing. His daughter’s disappearance was one of the few things that Gideon couldn’t bend to his will. But as powerful as he was, there was still a glimmer of hope. He had never stopped believing that she might still be out there somewhere, alive. And now, he was ready to bring her back.

Alaric stood in his room, staring at the packed bag on the bed, his hands trembling slightly. His thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief. He had been raised with the expectation that one day, he would be the next master of the Arcane Dynasty. It was his birthright, a destiny that had been mapped out for him long ago. But now, Gideon had dropped a bombshell—his daughter, the one who had been lost for so long, was alive. And she needed to be found. Alaric didn’t know what to think.

A knock on the door broke his reverie. His mother, Elizabeth Ashfort, entered without waiting for an invitation. She looked at him, her sharp gaze assessing him in silence before she spoke.

“You really plan to go after Gideon’s daughter, don’t you?” Her voice was steady, but there was an underlying tension in her tone, something that spoke of long-held secrets and buried resentments.

The news of Gideon’s daughter being alive had spread like wildfire throughout the Dynasty. Whispers of her survival rippled through the ranks, igniting a mix of disbelief, fear, and curiosity. For years, she had been thought lost to time, a forgotten ghost in the shadows of the dynasty’s history

Alaric turned to face his mother, his expression serious. “It’s what he wants, Mother. He said she’s alive, and I believe him. He was specific about her location.”

Elizabeth’s lips curled into a bitter smile. “Fool,” she muttered under her breath. She stepped into the room, her eyes narrowing as she shut the door behind. “You realize that if that girl is found, you stand to lose everything, don’t you? You’ll never become the next Master of the Arcane Dynasty if she’s still out there. No, Alaric, you have to understand. You must not let that happen.”

Confusion flooded Alaric’s chest. “What do you mean? She’s just a girl. She’s been missing for decades. There is no way a girl can rule this dynasty. So, why would she threaten my claim?”

Elizabeth’s eyes gleamed with a cold, unsettling light. She crossed the room and approached him with deliberate steps. “You don’t understand, do you? The girl—she was never just a ‘girl.’ She’s Gideon’s daughter. And that means something far more dangerous than you can imagine.” She reached into her cloak, her fingers brushing something hidden beneath it. “It’s a threat to everything we’ve worked for.”

Alaric’s stomach twisted as his mother pulled out a silver dagger. The weapon gleamed in the dim light, its hilt ornate, engraved with intricate symbols that seemed to pulse with a life of their own.

“What is that?” Alaric asked, his voice barely a whisper.

“This,” Elizabeth said, her voice low and dangerous, “is the only thing that can kill any member of the Arcane Dynasty. The only weapon that can end their bloodline, if used properly.”

Alaric’s blood ran cold as his mother pressed the dagger into his trembling hands. He stared at it, horrified, as she continued.

“You must kill her, Alaric. The moment you find her, you end her life with this blade. Do it, or risk losing everything you’ve ever wanted.”

“No!” Alaric gasped, stepping back. “I can’t… I won’t do that. I—I won’t kill an innocent girl.”

Elizabeth’s expression darkened, her eyes narrowing as she stepped closer to him. “Innocent? She’s no innocent girl, Alaric. You don’t understand what she is. What she could become. She’s the key to everything, and if she’s allowed to return to Gideon, you’ll never be the one in charge. You’ll never hold the power.”

Alaric shook his head, his mind racing. “I don’t understand. Why didn’t you tell me all this before?”

Elizabeth’s face twisted with bitterness. “You were too young to understand then. Too naïve. When I was your age, I was promised everything—control over the Arcane Dynasty, power beyond measure. But I lost it all because the idea of a woman ruling the dynasty was forbidden. I lost it all to my brother. There is no way I will let his daughter rule, not when I wasn’t allowed to.” Her voice trembled with barely contained rage. “I thought I could defeat Gideon’s bloodline. I thought I could kill his daughter. I took her. I cast a spell to make her sleep forever. But somehow, she survived. And now, she’s out there. She must be stopped. You must not bring her home.”

Alaric stood frozen, his mind struggling to comprehend the truth his mother was revealing. “You… you kidn*pped her?”

Elizabeth’s lips curled into a cruel smile. “Yes. And I kept her hidden. Every decade, I went to check that the spell was still in place. But when I arrived last time… she was gone.” Her voice dropped to a whisper, as though the memory of that moment still haunted her. “I’ve searched for her ever since. She has to die, Alaric. She’s a threat to everything.”

Alaric stood there in stunned silence. His mother’s words churned in his head like a storm. Gideon’s daughter—who was she really? What had she become in the years since her disappearance? Was she really the threat his mother claimed?

But one thing was clear: his mother wanted him to do something terrible. Something he didn’t believe he could ever bring himself to do.

He looked down at the dagger in his hand, his grip tightening on its cold handle. He could feel the weight of its history, the blood it had been forged to spill. His heart raced in his chest, torn between loyalty to his mother and his growing sense of morality. The path before him was dark, and Alaric wasn’t sure if he was ready to walk it.

“Alaric,” Elizabeth’s voice cut through his thoughts. “Don’t be weak. If you want to claim the Arcane Dynasty, if you want the power that’s rightfully yours, you will do what must be done.”

He looked up at her, his expression filled with confusion and pain. “But if I kill her, I’ll never be able to live with myself.”

Elizabeth’s face hardened. “Then you’ll learn to live with it. Because there’s no other way.”

Alaric took a deep breath, staring at the dagger in his hand. His mother’s expectations were clear, her threats even clearer. But was it worth it? Was the power of the Arcane Dynasty worth the bloodshed that would come with it?

The choice seemed impossible, and yet, Alaric knew he had to make it.

“Fine,” he said, his voice steady but filled with inner turmoil. “I’ll find her and I’ll kill her.”

Elizabeth’s lips curled into a smile, her eyes gleaming with cold satisfaction. “That’s all I need to hear.”