The Alpha's Cursed Mate

Chapter 5

Everything felt… wrong, too loud, too sharp, too intense. Xander’s eyes locked onto mine and the world tilted. My breath hitched as that pull slammed into me again, stronger than ever before it wasn’t just a feeling anymore. It was a force, dragging me toward him binding me to him.

I took a step back then another but it didn’t matter because no matter how far I move I could still feel him. “Ariana…” Selena’s voice came faintly beside me distant like I was underwater. My heart was pounding too fast. My chest tight something inside me It was stirring and it wanted him.

Xander moved Just one step forward but it was enough the air shifted. The tension snapped tighter. The entire courtyard had gone silent everyone was watching, Waiting I swallowed hard. “Stop…” I whispered, though I didn’t know if I meant him or myself his jaw clenched, his eyes darkened and then he spoke.

“Come here.” The command wasn’t loud but it wasn’t soft either. It was… absolute. It hit me like a physical force. My body reacted before my mind could. I stepped forward. “No” I gasped, trying to resist, but my feet kept moving.

“Ariana!” Selena grabbed my arm, trying to pull me back but the moment her hand touched me Something snapped a sharp pulse of energy surged through my body and she was thrown back. “Selena!” I cried out, horrified.

“I’m fine!” she said quickly, though she looked shaken. “What was that?”

I didn’t know I didn’t understand but Xander did I saw it in his eyes, Recognition, Shock and something darker, something dangerous by the time I realized what was happening I was already standing in front of him. Too close Far too close.

My heart stuttered. My breathing uneven the world faded there was only him. His scent surrounded me dark, intoxicating, overwhelming and then His hand moved he reached out slowly…as if fighting himself. For a second

I thought he would touch me. Claim me as Alphas male do claim their mate.

Hope flared in my chest, Fragile, Desperate, stupid but then his hand dropped. And everything shattered.

“What are you?” he asked quietly.

The question cut deeper than any insult.

“I-I don’t know…” I whispered.

His expression hardened, cold, detached like whatever he felt a second ago he buried it. “Of course you don’t,” he muttered. Murmurs spread through the crowd, Whispers, Judgment, “She’s nothing.” “A human.” “A mistake.” Each word landed like a slap.

My hands trembled at my sides but I didn’t move Xander straightened, his presence expanding, dominating everything around him. “Do you know what you’ve done?” he said, his voice carrying across the courtyard.

I shook my head weakly. “You’ve disrupted the order of this pack.”

My chest tightened. “You’ve created a bond that should not exist.”

The whispers grew louder.

More vicious, “That’s impossible.” “She’s lying.” “She’s trying to trap him.” “I’m not” I started, but my voice broke. Xander didn’t even look at me. His gaze swept over the crowd, Cold, Ruthless, Unyielding. “This ends now.” Something inside me froze. He finally looked at me again and there was nothing in his eyes, No warmth, No hesitation, No mercy, Just Alpha.

“I, Xander Nightfang,” he began, his voice echoing with power,

“reject you, Ariana… as my mate.” My world stopped for a minute the words hit me like a physical blow, Pain exploded in my chest, Sharp, Violent, Unbearable. I gasped, clutching at my heart as I dropped to my knees. It felt like something was tearing inside me, ripping apart, Breaking. “Stop!” I cried out, my voice raw with agony but he didn’t. “I reject this bond,” he continued coldly. “I deny its existence.” The pain intensified spreading through my entire body burning.

My vision blurred with tears. “Please…” I begged, not even knowing what I was asking for.

A laugh, Soft, Cruel I looked up and that’s when I saw her. she stepped forward slowly, heels clicking against the ground Graceful, confident, untouchable. Victoria of course “She doesn’t even look like a mate,” she said lightly, crossing her arms. “How embarrassing.” The crowd chuckled my chest tightened further.

Xander didn’t stop her, he didn’t defend me and didn’t even acknowledge me. That hurt more than anything “You made the right choice, Alpha,” Victoria continued, stepping beside him.

“She’s beneath you.” “Beneath him” The words echoed in my head Something inside me Broke. The pain suddenly… stopped Just like that Gone. The burning, the tearing, the heartbreak. All of it Gone.

Silence filled my mind Cold, empty my tears dried, my breathing steadied, slowly I lifted my head Something had changed. I could feel it but I didn’t understand it. I looked at Xander. Really looked at him and for the first time I felt nothing. No pull, No warmth, No longing, Nothing. His eyes widened slightly he felt it too.

“What…” he started. I stood up slowly, Calmly, Too calmly. Selena called my name, but I barely heard her. My gaze never left his. “You’re right,” I said quietly.

My voice steady, Empty, “I shouldn’t exist.” The crowd fell silent. “But neither should this bond.” A flicker of something crossed his face uncertainty, because for the first time I wasn’t the one breaking he was and then Without another word

I turned and walked away but with every step One thought echoed in my mind not pain, not sadness, Something darker, Something dangerous. This isn’t over it’s just beginning.