THE CURE

BlOOD ON SNOW

*Chapter 3: BLOOD ON SNOW*

*SERENA POV*

The shadows shifted. The leaves shook.

I felt the eyes on me first.

Then I saw them.

Staring straight into my soul.

I’d never been this frightened.

Not when Liora hit me.

Not when Kade looked at me like I was trash.

Not like this.

Is this it?

Is this how I die?

A hysterical laugh almost ripped from my throat.

_Just when I could finally prove to my dad I wasn’t a weak, wolf-less omega._

_Just when I could finally make my mom proud._

I stepped back.

My paws sank into the mud.

The Terror tilted its head. Red eyes never blinking.

Blood dripped from its claws onto the snow.

Each drop hissed as it hit the ice.

Nyx was snarling in my head. _Fight._

But my body wouldn’t listen.

18 years of being told I was nothing. Of being prey.

My legs gave out.

The world tilted.

The rain. The blood. The red eyes.

All of it went black.

The last thing I heard was a growl.

Not mine.

Not Nyx’s.

And then—

Nothing.

*FROSTBITE PACK*

The moon was high.

But it gave no warmth.

Only pale, sick light.

Because every pack needs an Alpha.

And Frostbite was no exception.

The doors to the great hall opened with a boom.

Frozen walls shook.

He walked in.

Maids froze in the hallways.

Eyes down. Breath held.

No one dared look up.

*KIERAN POV*

I’m the youngest Alpha across all packs.

But do not be deceived by my young face.

I am the deadliest weapon the north has ever seen.

Cursed by the Moon Goddess herself.

My face is as cold as the ground my pack stands on.

My blood runs as slow as the rivers in winter.

You never want to cross my path.

Because when you do...

The snow turns red.

I reached my chambers.

Vex and Silas bowed. My guards. Cold. Ruthless.

The Ice Throne Room.

No one entered without my word.

The cold hit me first. It always did.

Blue fire burned low in the hearth. It did nothing.

My bed was covered in black wolf furs.

From the wolves I killed myself.

Across from it, a wall of weapons. Each with blood on it.

On the stone table, a map of the north.

Thornclaw was circled in red.

I poured whiskey. It froze halfway down.

At the window, I could see all of Frostbite.

All of it was mine.

All of it was frozen.

“Come in,” I said.

Ethan stepped in. My Beta.

“Alpha,” he bowed.

I felt it.

Heat. In my chest.

For the first time in years.

It happened when I looked at her.

The bleeding omega in my snow.

I am a cursed hybrid.

A secret my clan knows nothing about.

And I must get to the root of it.

“Prepare my things,” I said.

Ethan froze. “Alpha?”

“We leave for Blackwood Pack at dawn.”

Shock flashed across his face.

But he knew better than to question me.

“You are dismissed.”

He left immediately.

Blackwood.

A weak pack. One I despise.

No wonder he was in shock.

*BLACKWOOD PACK*

LIORA POV*

*BLACKWOOD PACK HALLWAY*

Heels clicked.

Sharp. Loud. On purpose.

I walked down the hall and every head dropped.

Maids. Warriors. Even the elders’ wives.

Of course.

Who doesn’t know Liora.

The rude. The short-tempered. The Alpha’s first daughter.

One of them moved too slow.

A water bowl tipped.

A few drops hit the stone floor.

She froze. Eyes wide with fear.

Pathetic.

I grabbed her arm. Dragged her.

"To the dungeon," I snapped.

"Let’s see if fear teaches you to have steady hands."

She was sobbing by the time the guards took her.

I didn’t look back.

I ordered them and walked straight to *Red*.

My room.

The doors shut behind me with a slam.

*LIORA'S ROOM - RED*

Crimson. Everywhere.

Red silk drapes fell from the ceiling to the floor.

Red furs on the bed.

Red candles burning on black stone tables.

The smell of iron and rose oil hung heavy.

A mirror covered one whole wall.

Gold frame.

So I could watch myself when I wanted someone to bleed.

Weapons lined the other wall.

Daggers. Whips. The one Kade gave me when I turned 16.

All polished. All waiting.

In the corner, a desk with letters.

Invitations. Marriage proposals.

All addressed to "Lady Liora of Blackwood."

And in the middle of it all — me.

I paced.

My nails dug into my palms.

I was in a bad temper.

A terrible one.

Because I wasn’t able to trash that frump.

Serena.

Wolf-less. Weak.

And yet the Alpha said her name like it mattered.

My jaw clenched.

The door burst open.

"LIORA!"

My sister.The door slammed open so hard the candles flickered.

Of course.

I knew it would be Mira.

She stormed in like a wildfire. Eyes red. Chest heaving.

"THAT WOLF-LESS b***h!" Mira yelled.

"I HATE HER! I HATE SERENA!"

She kicked a chair. It splintered.

"Father looked at her! ! And you just stood there, Liora!"

Her voice cracked.

She was shaking with rage.

I watched her.

Let her scream.

Let her break two more things.

Then I grabbed her arms. Hard.

"Mira. Breathe."

She tried to pull away.

"Don’t tell me to breathe! She’s ruining us!"

"I said. Breathe."

My voice cut through hers. Cold. Final.

She stopped. Gasping.

Her eyes met mine.

We were the same.

Gold children. Born to rule.

And that frump was standing in the way.

I let her go and walked to the window.

Red drapes. Red sky outside.

"Yelling won’t fix it," I said quietly.

"But a plan will."

Mira wiped her face. The anger didn’t leave. It just got sharper.

"What plan?"

I turned. Smiled.

"It’s better you don’t know the details yet. Safer that way."

Her eyes lit up.

She understood.

We didn’t need words for this.

We never did.

I picked up my training gloves from the table. Threw one to her.

"Come on," I said.

"Let’s go."

Mira caught it. Her grin was ugly and perfect.

"Let them go for practice," we said together.

Time to bleed something.

*THE MEETING HALL

The elders sat in the chamber. Waiting.

Waiting for the Alpha.

“It was their fault,” Elder drake spat. “They should have obeyed the curfew.”

Murmurs of agreement filled the chamber.

The doors opened.

Two warriors carried her in.

The room went silent.

The Beta moved first.

He crossed the chamber in three strides.

Dropped to his knees beside the stone table.

Serena.

Pale. Bruised. Barely breathing.

His hands were on her neck in a second.

Checking her heartbeat.

One beat.

Then another.

Weak. But there.

He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

“She’s alive,” the Beta said.

His voice was low. Rough.

His eyes flicked over her.

Blood on her skin. Cuts on her arms.

But not torn apart.

Not like the others.

He pulled his own cloak off.

Draped it over her.

Then he stood.

And looked at the elders.

The room went silent.

The elders rose. Even the oldest among them staggered back.

The Alpha’s daughter.

Unconscious. Breathing.

Not disappeared like the others.

Not torn apart like the others.

The other bodies...

Gods.

Limbs missing. Ribs exposed.

Faces frozen in terror.

As though a terrible beast had torn them apart.

But Serena?

Bruised. Bleeding. Cold.

But whole

“Impossible,” Elder yalda whispered.

“No one survives the woods after dark.”

Wailing echoed from outside.

More casualties were being carried in from the treeline.

The Alpha hadn’t arrived yet.

“Then what is it?” Elder drake asked. His voice shook.

“What is really attacking them?”

No one answered.

Because none of them knew.

The chamber doors opened again.

The Alpha stepped in.

Followed by his first daughter.

Liora.

Tall. Beautiful. Cruel.

The golden child of Blackwood.

The same Liora who slapped Serena for "shaming the pack."

Her eyes swept the room.

Landed on the bodies.

Landed on Serena.

Liora stopped walking.

Her perfect mouth twisted.

"Her?" Liora said. Her voice dripped with disgust.

"She’s alive?"

The Alpha’s eyes moved from Serena... to Toren’s cloak on her.

One word fell from his mouth.

"Explain."

His voice was quiet.

That’s what made it dangerous.

Liora stepped forward first. Chin high.

"Father, she’s the reason the pack is dying," Liora said.

"Wolf-less trash brings bad luck. You know this."

Toren finally looked up.

His eyes were dark.

"She’s still breathing," Toren said.

"The others aren’t."

Liora laughed. Sharp. Ugly.

"Coincidence."

The Alpha ignored her.

He walked to the stone table.

Looked down at Serena.

Bruised face. Torn clothes.

His daughter.

His jaw ticked.

Behind him, the doors shook.

A guard. Young. Panicked.

Armor crooked.

He should’ve been at his post.

He dropped to his knees in the middle of the hall.

"Alpha! Elders!" he shouted.

"It was her! The wolf-less one! Serena did this!"

The whole hall went silent.

Toren’s head snapped up from beside Serena’s still body.

My father didn’t move. But his eyes went dark.

I stopped walking.

"How do you know?" Toren asked, voice low. Dangerous.

"And why are you not at your post? You disobeyed curfew."

The guard stammered. Sweat running down his face.

"I-I saw her! In the east wing! I heard—"

He didn’t finish.

Because I was already moving.

One step.

Blade out from my boot.

Clean.

His head hit the floor before his body did.

Blood sprayed across the black stone.

I wiped my dagger on his cloak.

"He disobeyed Father’s rule," I said sweetly.

"Curfew means curfew."

Mira behind me let out a slow breath. Proud.

The First Elder stepped forward. Old. Wrinkled. Eyes sharp.

He looked at the body. Then at Serena.

Serena stirred.

A weak groan.

Her fingers twitched.

She was regaining a little consciousness.

The Elder’s gaze narrowed.

"We have to interrogate her," he said.

"Now. While she wakes.

If she’s responsible for what happened to the pack... we need answers."

All eyes turned to Serena.

Bruised. Barely awake.

And surrounded by blood.

Toren moved in front of her again……