Too late Alpha, the scorned Luna is reborn.

Curses shift

RIVENNA’S POV.

*

.*

*

The day of my shifting ceremony had arrived as jitters and nerves erode my senses ,

gods, what was I thinking asking Vaughn to go against his king's words and not mark me?

It was custom and only way for the bond to approved,

but the fear and trauma from being marked and held down by someone who didn’t care for me made me visibly shudder,

As wren had caused irreparable damage to my heart and trust,

And so I had tossed and turned all night after Vaughn had left, and by morning, I had dark eye bags that Olena had panicked when she saw me.

Her face was laced with worry as she rushed to my side.

“Rivenna, what happened? I thought you needed rest after the burial last night and told no one to come see you, so why do you still have eye bags?" She scolded me.

“I spent the night overthinking, like, a lot..." I sighed. “How is my brother?” I asked just as Olena stopped.

"He isn’t doing quite well; he was worried that that in turn would become stressful for him and he would have to stay without accompanying you on the climb to the shifting hills.” She explained.

“And Darian?” I teased as her eyes widened.

”I am confused why you would ask me about that lycan brute,” she said with a scowl. She could pretend like she wasn’t enamored by the lycan yesterday.

But I could understand, since it was downright forbidden to even think of having a close relationship with a lycan no matter what.

“These questions do matter, Rivenna, not when your shift is today," Olena said with glee as she took my hand and led me towards the bath, where different oils were used on my skin.

It was a four-hour-long ritual before I was let out of the oils and prayer-infused tub and back to my room, where I began to get dressed.

My hair was kept in its natural wavy state, my natural beauty accentuated by natural pink cheeks and lips, and my eyes lined with dark coal.

Just as my ceremonial robe garment was placed on me, its dark silk lay clean on my skin that came with nerves,

knowing it was to be taken off by my chosen mate as per our tradition.

Gamma elders had all come to see me, worry lacing their features as they bowed.

“Lady Rivenna,” the gammas said as Olena stared at me worriedly.

“We urge you not to mate that lycan male! It is an insult enough that the Lycan king did not dare come to claim you himself. It is a disgrace!” The gamma said.

“Wren is a good match. Although his pack was destroyed, he is still a dethroned prince and not a lycan who will give cursed offspring.”

Another elderly gamma spoke, all desperate to influence my decision as they pleaded.

Only if they knew what he had done to me, how he had maltreated me, mocked our child, right after he let me burn to death.

I hissed as that memory haunted me. “Stop…” My decision is final.

I told the gammas, who left with distaste in their gazes and hearts, just as the door opened and Bria came in.

She bowed to me, showing me a kind smile as she eagerly rushed in with a tray.

"Lady Rivenna, you must forgive me for interrupting yesterday; my baby was hurting, and I was desperate," she said.

And I gave her what she wanted — a clueless smile, like I didn't see her and Wren f*****g a few hours ago.

“Alright...you are Wren's beloved friend so I will not blame you,” I said as she eagerly squealed.

“Thank you, Rivenna!” She said as she reached for the tray, eagerly pouring out two cups of tea.

“I know you are having jitters, so I made this. Cheers to your shifting day! I am sure your wolf will be beautiful ,” she said as she eagerly handed it to me.

I pretended to take a sip just as I saw Olena from my reflection and deliberately backed into her as she was picking up my dress,

Letting the cup leave my hands and clatter to the ground, breaking, earning Olena's shocked gasp. “Rivenna, I am so sorry!"

“That's Lady Rivenna to you! How dare you, a mere maid, call her by her name and make her spill such a sacred drink!” Bria screamed.

But I was more than sure the reason she was pissed was that her clearly drugged tea had fallen.

"Bria, enough! I can take your words, but you will not speak to Olena like that; she is my friend!” I said sternly, earning her shock as she didn’t expect me to speak.

“I-i am sorry, forgive me,” she called. “That tea was a rich herb that would aid you to shift better.

And it's so hard to come by; that's why I was angry." She lied so swiftly that anyone would believe her.

“That is enough; I will drink another so you can go. I have to leave now," I said to Bria, whose eyes brightened with a mischievous gleam as she bowed and left.

“Throw that thing away,” I told Olena, who stared at me with shock but pride,

seething that I was standing up for myself and wouldn’t be manipulated into drinking that silver mercury.

“The sun has set, Lady,” the voice of one of the deltas called from outside as I quickly took the proposal box that belonged to Vaughn and headed out of the palace.

We had reached the shifting hills in a few minutes, an ancient hall attended with pillars and statues,

each step sacred to our ancestors and all royal wolves that have shifted here.

All elders and the royal circle were gathered here, all except my brother who was too weak to attend, but I had a feeling he didn't want to attend.

I didn't want to see myself give myself to the lycans, but I was doing this for him, doing this for the cure-all herb.

I had climbed the steps where the gamma priestess stood while others surrounded us.

“Welcome to the shifting hills this very cave was where the first Onyx wolves were blessed with their gifts, as you will be too."

The priestess told me as she gave me a bitter herb to drink, one that would induce my first heat.

“And here you will be bestowed with the gifts of your blood and be bonded with your chosen."

She muttered with a dark voice. All their eyes held a stern distaste for my choice.

"Place your proposed gift into the light pool," she told me as she pointed to the shallow, clear fountain where all my ancestors had given their gifts to the moon.

I opened the box, although feeling Wren's eyes on me, begging me to pick up his diamond ring instead.

I reached for the black rose, placing it into the water as it floated, gleaming in the moonlight of the golden moon.

“It is time!” They called as I was pointed towards the dark cave. From the side of my eyes, I glanced at the tall menacing gaze of the lycan alpha who watched.

“I'm here, Rivenna,” he assured telepathically just as I entered into the space.

Assuring myself it would go well this time, as this time I didn't fall for Bria’s lies, and I did not take the poison that stopped my shift and wolf.

Yet I felt like I couldn’t breathe as the darkness began to slowly seep in. In my past life I wasn’t afraid of the dark or small spaces.

But that was before I was locked in a shed and burned alive as the image of my screams,

With me clinging to my stillborn baby as the flames swallowed me was far too vivid.

I felt so much rush build in my blood. Pain constricted my breathing.

“Come on, shift..." I pleaded with my wolf. I should be able to feel her, but she wasn't there!

"No! No, ah!” I felt a crack in my spine as something began to tear from my flesh.

Earning my cries, but as the moonlight shadow reflected, what I saw made the color drain out of my face.

Instead of claws and my wolf, I saw wings and feathers that weren't supposed to be mine.

"No. No, this can’t be," I whimpered as I felt no wolf!

I had become a monster instead.