The Cursed Alpha's Guide

The Seventh Grave

The moon hung low above Blackthorn Academy, its silver light swallowed by restless clouds. The cemetery behind the academy was never supposed to grow. Yet tonight a seventh grave stood among the others. Fresh. Silent. Waiting.

No one spoke as black-cloaked students gathered beneath the ancient willow trees. Even the wind seemed afraid to breathe. Rain fell in a slow, relentless rhythm, tapping against umbrellas, soaking polished boots, and turning the earth into dark mud. Seven white lilies rested upon the coffin. Seven Guides. Seven funerals. All connected to one name.

Kael Ravenhart. The strongest Alpha of his generation. The undefeated heir of House Ravenhart. The boy cursed by fate itself. No one dared to speak his name above a whisper. Not because of respect. Because of fear.

The Academy Headmaster stepped forward, his weathered voice cutting through the silence. "The Seventh Guide is dead."

No cries. No whispers. Only fear. Because everyone already knew what those words meant. Another Guide had bonded with Kael. Another Guide had died.

A girl standing near the back of the crowd tightened her trembling fingers around a black umbrella. "Was it really his curse?"

"No," another student whispered. "They say death follows him."

A third voice answered quietly, "They say the Moon Goddess abandoned him."

Someone else muttered, "If you're matched with Kael, you're already dead."

An older professor overheard the conversation. "Enough." His sharp voice silenced the students instantly. "You speak as though you know the truth. None of you were there."

None of them dared to reply. Because everyone knew one thing: every Guide chosen for Kael Ravenhart had died. But no one knew why.

Some believed he was cursed. Some believed he carried a forbidden bloodline. Others whispered that an Ancient Demon had marked his soul before he was even born. Rumors spread faster than truth. And fear spread faster than rumors.

The Headmaster lowered his gaze toward the coffin. "Eleanor Vance dreamed of becoming one of Blackthorn's greatest Guides." A long silence followed. "She deserved a future." His voice cracked. "But fate denied her one."

The rain grew heavier. Lightning flashed across the sky. For a brief moment, every grave in the cemetery was illuminated. Seven identical headstones. Seven lives cut short.

The youngest first-years instinctively stepped closer together. One of them swallowed hard. "Do you think he'll come?"

His friend immediately shook his head. "Don't be stupid. He never comes. They say he stopped attending funerals years ago."

Another student looked toward the dark forest surrounding the academy. "My brother saw him once. He was standing alone in the rain. Not crying. Not speaking. Just staring."

The silence returned. Even the ravens perched upon the ancient branches remained unusually still, as though the entire world had paused to mourn. Or to wait. Because somewhere beyond the cemetery, beyond the towering academy walls, someone else stood alone beneath the storm.

Far from the funeral, at the edge of Blackwood Forest, a lone young man stood beneath the rain. Tall. Motionless. His black academy coat fluttered in the cold wind, its silver crest barely visible beneath the falling rain. Golden eyes stared at the newest grave from a distance. He had not moved since the funeral began. Not even once. He didn't need to. He already knew every word the Headmaster would say. He had heard the same speech six times before.

Kael Ravenhart. The strongest Alpha of his generation. The most feared student in Blackthorn Academy. The boy everyone called cursed.

Rain slid down his face, mixing with the strands of his midnight-black hair. He didn't wipe it away. He simply stood there, watching.

His wolf remained silent. Not because it had nothing to say, but because it had already screamed itself hoarse after the first death. Then the second. Then the third. After the fourth, even grief had become exhausted. Now silence hurt more than guilt.

A calm voice echoed behind him. "You didn't come to say goodbye."

Kael didn't turn around. "I stopped saying goodbye after the third."

The Headmaster walked beside him, his hands clasped behind his back. For several moments, neither of them spoke. The rain filled the silence between them. Finally, the old man sighed. "Another Guide died because of you."

Kael slowly closed his eyes. "I know."

"You've repeated those words seven times."

"I know."

"And every time"—the Headmaster's voice grew heavier—"you believe them."

Kael's jaw tightened. "What else should I believe?"

The old man looked toward the cemetery. "I've spent thirty years searching for the truth. And I still refuse to believe you're the one killing them."

Kael let out a quiet laugh. It wasn't mocking. It wasn't happy. It was the sound of someone who had long since stopped expecting hope. "The Academy blames me. The Council blames me. The Guides' families blame me." He looked down at his hands. "If everyone reaches the same conclusion, maybe they're right."

The Headmaster frowned. "No. They're afraid. Fear always chooses the easiest answer."

A flash of lightning split the sky. For a brief second, Kael's shadow stretched across the soaked ground like a black wolf standing behind him.

The Headmaster noticed it. His expression changed. "Your wolf."

Kael remained silent.

"It hasn't spoken again?"

"No."

"When was the last time?"

Kael answered without emotion. "The night Eleanor died."

The old man's face darkened. "What did it say?"

Kael's fingers slowly curled into a fist. "It asked me"—his voice almost disappeared beneath the rain—"how many more graves I was willing to dig."

The Headmaster closed his eyes. He had no answer for that.

A long silence followed. Then he spoke again. "The Council has made its decision."

Kael already knew what was coming.

"You'll receive another match next week."

"No."

"You cannot reject the Moon's Bond forever."

"I already have."

"The Moon's will cannot be denied."

Kael finally turned to face him. For the first time, pain could be seen behind those cold golden eyes. "My Bond kills people. I'm done pretending otherwise. If fate wants another Guide, it can find someone else."

The Headmaster's voice became unusually firm. "There is no one else."

Kael stared at him. "What do you mean?"

Before the old man could answer, a sharp pain exploded through Kael's chest. His breathing stopped. His knees almost gave way.

His wolf, after weeks of silence, suddenly roared inside his mind. Not with rage. Not with sorrow. With excitement.

*She's alive.*

Kael's eyes widened. "What?"

The wolf growled again, louder this time. *I can feel her. Our Guide.*

Kael's heartbeat quickened. "No." His voice was barely a whisper. "That's impossible. She's dead."

The wolf laughed—a deep, ancient laugh that echoed through his soul. *Not her. The one destiny has been waiting for.*

At that exact moment, hundreds of miles away, a train racing toward Blackthorn Academy disappeared into the darkness of Blackwood Forest. And for the first time in years, Kael Ravenhart felt hope. It terrified him more than the curse ever had.

Kael's heartbeat thundered inside his chest. Hope. It was a feeling he had buried long ago. Hope was dangerous. Hope was the reason seven innocent people had died.

His wolf's voice echoed again, deeper this time. *She's coming.*

Kael clenched his fists. "You're wrong."

*I have never mistaken our Guide.*

"The last seven were our Guides too."

The wolf fell silent. For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Finally, it whispered, *No. They were sacrifices.*

Kael's eyes narrowed. "What did you say?"

Before the wolf could answer, the connection vanished. Silence. The rain continued to fall.

The Headmaster had been watching him carefully. "What happened?"

Kael looked toward the endless forest. "My wolf spoke."

The old man's expression changed instantly. "It finally awakened?"

Kael nodded once. "It sensed someone."

The Headmaster's breathing became uneven. "Impossible. No Guide has awakened in months."

Kael didn't answer. For the first time in years, his wolf had sounded happy. That frightened him. Because happiness always came before tragedy.

Far away, a silver train raced through the mountains toward Blackthorn Academy. Unlike the silence surrounding Kael, the first-class student carriage was filled with excitement.

"This is unbelievable!"

"I heard every graduate from Blackthorn becomes a commander or joins the Royal Guard."

"My sister said even the cafeteria food is amazing."

"I just want to survive combat training."

Laughter spread through the carriage. Someone accidentally dropped a suitcase. Another student chased after a rolling backpack. The heavy atmosphere of the funeral couldn't have felt farther away.

Near the last window sat a girl quietly reading a worn-out novel. Her long black hair hid part of her face. Unlike the others, she wasn't trying to make friends. She wasn't talking. She simply watched the rain race across the glass.

Lyra Ashwood. A scholarship student. No famous family. No noble surname. No powerful Alpha waiting to claim her. Just another ordinary girl—or so everyone believed.

Across the aisle, a boy suddenly leaned over the seat with an energetic grin. "Excuse me."

Lyra looked up. "Yes?"

"I'm Finn." He extended his hand confidently. "The future strongest Alpha in history."

Lyra blinked. "That's a very big goal."

"It isn't a goal," Finn whispered dramatically. "It's a prophecy."

Lyra stared at him. "Who made the prophecy?"

"My grandmother."

A brief silence followed. Then Lyra laughed. Not loudly. Just enough to surprise herself.

Finn pointed at her triumphantly. "There it is! The first smile! I knew you'd laugh eventually."

Lyra shook her head. "You're strange."

"I prefer the word unforgettable."

Before she could reply, the train suddenly lurched. Finn lost his balance. His confident pose disappeared instantly as he crashed face-first into the snack cart.

*CRASH!*

A bottle of orange juice flipped through the air before landing directly on his head. The entire carriage burst into laughter.

Finn slowly stood up. Orange juice dripped from his hair. He looked around with complete seriousness. "I planned that."

One student laughed so hard he nearly fell out of his seat. Even the elderly conductor covered his mouth to hide a smile.

Lyra couldn't stop laughing anymore. For the first time in months, the sadness she carried felt a little lighter.

Finn proudly crossed his arms. "See? My mission is complete."

"What mission?"

"Making mysterious girls laugh."

Lyra smiled. "And how many have you succeeded with?"

Finn looked out the window dramatically. "You're my first."

She laughed even harder.

Outside, something moved between the trees. Neither of them noticed. Two glowing crimson eyes followed the speeding train. Watching. Waiting. Hunting.

The rain grew heavier. The cheerful conversations inside the carriage continued, completely unaware that something ancient had already chosen its prey.