The Cursed Alpha’s Regret

Chapter 9: Breaking the Curse

Killian laughed victoriously as he saw Ethan fall. "The great Alpha is dead!" he cheered, turning to signal his remaining troops outside the valley.

But Aria’s heart stopped. Seeing Ethan’s giant body fall into the mud to save her and their son triggered something deep inside her soul. The wall of anger and revenge she had built over five years crumbled in an instant. She realized that he truly loved them. He had given his life to protect them from the same fate he had once caused.

"No!" Aria screamed.

She ran out of the cottage, ignoring the rain and the danger. She fell to her knees beside Ethan’s giant black wolf body. The wolf shifted back into human form. Ethan lay there, pale as snow, the silver spear sticking out of his chest. His breathing was shallow, and his golden eyes were starting to glaze over with death.

"Aria..." Ethan whispered weakly, his blood-stained hand reaching up to touch her cheek softly. "I... I saved you this time. I'm sorry... for everything. Take Leo... run..."

"No, Ethan! Don't you dare close your eyes!" Aria cried, her tears falling onto his face. "You chased me back, remember? You can't die now!"

Killian walked up behind her, raising a sharp dagger. "Move aside, girl. I'll finish him off, and then you belong to me."

Aria stood up slowly. Her emerald eyes were no longer just green. They were shining with a brilliant, blinding white light. Her silver-white hair floated in the wind. The ancient royal wolf blood inside her fully exploded with power. The selfless act of Ethan’s sacrifice had unlocked the final restriction on her magical bloodline.

"You will never touch him again!" Aria roared with a voice that sounded like ten goddesses speaking at once.

A massive wave of pure, golden-white energy blasted out from her body. The force was so powerful that it lifted Killian off his feet, throwing him through the air. He crashed against a distant stone mountain wall, his bones breaking instantly. He let out a painful groan before rolling down into a deep ravine, defeated and ruined forever.

Aria turned back to Ethan. She knelt down and placed both of her hands over the silver spear. She pulled it out with a swift movement, making Ethan gasp.

She closed her eyes, and a brilliant, warm golden light flowed from her palms directly into his chest wound. The royal magic chased away the black veins of the curse. The dark family curse that had plagued the Vance line for generations was completely burned away by the purity of her true, unconditional love. The wound closed, his skin became healthy and warm, and his heart began to beat with a strong, powerful rhythm.