The Moonstone Curse

Fates Cruel Joke

Zeke POV

I used to think that fated mates were nothing more than a myth—something crafted to give us hope in a world that thrives on cruelty. But when I met her eyes, kneeling there in my room, I felt the undeniable truth of it—like a bolt of lightning striking through my veins.

My mate.

She was meant for me, and my wolf stirred inside me, raging with the instinct to claim her, to mark her as mine. A sick joke played out by the forgotten Goddess. A fated mate, forbidden in this cruel world.

Light doesn’t break through the darkness here—it gets devoured. There are no happy endings, no fated mates, no tender moments to hold onto. The world is a flood of violence, drowning anything pure in its wake.

"Did you appreciate the little gift I left for you?" My father's voice, dripping with malice, echoes across the table. His smirk unveils the sinister intentions he's harboring.

Does he know that she is my mate? Surely, if he did, she would already be dead.

I show no emotions to the man who calls himself my father. “The little stray – Who is she?” I ask, my tone cold and controlled.

I can't let him uncover the truth. Despite my constant gut feeling that she's unsafe here, she's safer now than she would be if he knew she was a fated mate, my fated mate. At least now she's a commodity; if he discovered she's meant for me, she'd be worthless to him, yet potentially everything to me.

Regina saunters into the dining room, a mirror in hand as she applies a deep crimson stain to her lips. Her laughter dances through the air, grating on my nerves. "You've got to be kidding me. She's no stray. Can't you recognize her?" She takes a seat beside me, her movements exuding an air of theatrical drama.

She flicks her hair back and leans in, elbows on the table, basking in the drama she thrives on. "You should pay more attention, big brother. We’ve been busy while you were off pretending to be a lone wolf in the wilderness." A sinister smile curls her lips as she gestures across the room, making way for our father to drop the bomb I’ve been dreading.

He sets down his fork, a look of twisted pride stretching across his face. “She’s the Moonstone Alpha’s daughter.”

Regina’s grin widens, her voice dripping with glee. “Daddy slaughtered the Alpha and took her pack as prisoners. Pretty neat, huh?"

“The Alpha was weak and the Moonstone pack was practically harmless. Why’d you even bother?” I chuckle as if pleased with my father, my way of hiding the fury boiling inside me, threatening to detonate like an atomic bomb.

My cousins join the table, both tense at the conversation they are walking into. Rowan's gaze conveys a warning, urging me to rein in my emotions and continue the charade. Sage, on the other hand, appears oblivious, his bewilderment masking deeper emotions. He nods towards the Alpha, a gesture of respect, an unspoken apology for being late to dinner.

“Pussy.” I link him.

“Late because of p***y, actually,” Sage responds with a smirk. “You should try it sometime.”

Our father watches us, waiting for the silent exchange to finish before continuing. "My original plan was to secure a bond with the Moonstone princess. Rumor has it she’s a skilled warrior, one of their finest." His gaze flickers to Regina, clearly a dig at her lack of usefulness. "But, surprise—ended up crashing her engagement party instead."

His grin widens, revealing his decaying teeth. "When I offered her the position of Luna beside you, son, her father refused and dared to insult our beliefs. So, I removed his head and forced her pack to submit."

Regina laughs, but it feels like nails digging into my skin. “You should have seen the look on her face when she realized her fate. The Rumors are true though, that girl is a fighter. She killed one of Daddy's guards while they were corralling her pack into the cells.”

Rowan interjects with a pointed question, "Why not just kill her along with her father? If she's a fighter and loyal to her pack, won't she be a problem?"

Fathers’ brows rise in surprise. "You have much to learn, kid.”

His expression neutralizes before he carries on. “She carries the Alpha bloodline. Uniting two powerful lineages will yield the strongest offspring. Imagine what our future will look like in a few decades once we breed her into submission, a never-ending line of pups to ensure our dominance.” He rises from his seat, discarding his napkin on his plate “You will breed with her, boy, or you will regret it.”

***

I stare at her chart, watching as flames consume it, the edges curling into black ash that drifts away on the wind. The weight of it all feels lighter, yet the burden remains.

"Fated mate, huh?" Rowan's voice is steady, but his skepticism bleeds through. There's a strange calmness in his tone, as if he’s already accepted this twisted reality.

Sage stands at the lake’s edge, his back to us, lines of tension etched across his frame. He’s always been good at hiding what he’s really feeling—whether it’s rage or sorrow, he covers it with humor. But I can see through it. We’re the same. Both waiting for the chance to leave this world behind and disappear into the mountains.

"I suppose she’s coming with us, then?" Sage asks, his mind already made up, his voice steady with the resolve to protect this small hope the Goddess has granted us.

His question catches me off guard, and I instinctively defend my decision. I shake my head, the ashes falling from my hand. “No, she’s not. She’s a liability, a target. If we take her, he’ll hunt us to the ends of the earth.”

“And if you claim her, her life will be in danger. At least now she's valuable to your old man; he'll ensure she stays alive.” He nods, comprehending the complexity of my situation.

"According to her chart, she's just two days away from her fertile window. The Alpha expects you to breed her." Rowan reminds me, his words an unwelcome echo.

This situation is morally f****d. If I give in, it would activate the bonding process, steal her innocence and shatter her trust in me. I'm also afraid my wolf will take control and mark her in front of my father's guard, which will cost her head… but if I don't then I'm leaving her unclaimed.

My father wants her offspring. If I am unable to breed her, then he will have one of the twins do it, or worse… he will breed her himself.

I drop my head into my hands, the weight of the decision crushing me. There’s no way out.

“We’ll stall,” I say, rising to my feet. “We need more time.”

Rowan nods. “And Calista?”

I exhale sharply. “I’m going to see her now.”