The Cursed Alpha’s Regret

Chapter 4: The Arriving Ghost

Aria stood behind the thick wooden counter of her healing clinic, her heart racing like a wild drum. She had sent Leo to hide in the secret cellar beneath the house, warning him to stay completely silent no matter what happened. She took deep breaths, forcing her expression to become cold, calm, and distant. She was no longer the frightened girl in the mud.

The heavy wooden doors of the clinic were pushed open. The scent of pine wood and dark chocolate immediately flooded the room. It was stronger now, mixed with the metallic smell of blood and sickness.

Two large Blood Moon warriors walked in first, their hands on their weapons. Then, Ethan Vance stepped through the doorway.

Aria internally gasped. Ethan looked terrible. His skin was pale, and dark purple circles sat beneath his eyes. The fierce, golden glow of his eyes was dim, replaced by a strange, veins-like black shadow that crept up his neck. The Vance family curse was clearly destroying him from the inside out, rotting his spirit and his strength.

Despite his sickness, he still carried himself like a king. He looked around the room until his eyes landed on Aria.

Ethan froze. His golden eyes widened to the size of saucers. His jaw dropped, and the color completely drained from his face. He stared at her as if he was looking at a ghost resurrected from the grave.

"Aria?" he whispered, his voice trembling in a way his warriors had never heard before. "Is it... is it really you? You are alive?"

Aria did not move a muscle. She kept her face completely blank, her emerald eyes staring at him with absolute coldness. "My name is Healer Aurora, Alpha Vance," she said, her voice smooth and formal. "I do not know who this Aria is. You are entering my private property. State your business or leave."

Ethan took a step forward, his hands shaking. "No, it's you. I know your scent. I know your face. The Moon Goddess... she didn't let you die. I saw you fall into the river. I searched for weeks. I thought I killed you."

"Alpha," one of the warriors whispered in confusion. "This is the great healer of the valley. Are you sure?"

"Shut up!" Ethan roared, his wolf’s authority shaking the room. He turned back to Aria, his eyes filled with a mixture of desperate hope and profound pain. "Aria, please. Look at me. I know I did something unforgivable. I rejected you. I left you. But the curse... my mind was dark. I have regretted that night every single second for the last five years."

Aria let out a cold, mocking laugh that cut through the air like a whip. "Regret? An Alpha does not know regret. You threw away an omega because she was weak. Now, you stand in my clinic begging for a ghost. I am a healer, Alpha Vance. I heal those who deserve it. Why are you here?"

Ethan swallowed his pride, a sight that would shock his entire pack. He lowered his head before her. "My pack is dying, Aria. The lands are turning to ash, our pups are born sick, and the curse on my bloodline is killing me. The elders said only the legendary healer of the valley can save us. I didn't know it was you. I beg of you, help my people. Help me."

"Your pack treated me like trash," Aria said, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You broke our bond and watched me fall into a river of death. Your pack’s suffering is not my concern. Pack your things and leave my valley before I use my magic to throw you out."