Prologue
“With the love of the earthly beauty in his heart, when he takes his 3000th breath, heaven shall be obliged to bestow death upon your most beloved son, Alpha Eliezer! And thus will your reign meet its end.”
In the Sin Garden of Azalea, almost 2000 years ago; the alpha, also known as the ruler of the biggest werewolf pack, Amon Eliezer, got cursed by a rogue were-monk. A curse that was going to be passed down generation after generation as a terror and a legacy. He was a pure blood alpha, a direct descendent of the first alpha to exist — Azazel Eliezer.
Amon Eliezer was a warrior, one of a kind. Fighting battles and conquering as many territories as possible. There came a time when the entire Lycanaria bowed in front of him. The curse seemed to have been overlooked for years. Amon had four lunas alongside the hundred more concubines in his harem, he won in wars. Except for his four lunas, others rarely saw him in his harem. Selena, Cecil, Claudia and Inara were his lunas who bore his children, but there was only one who was with him when he was nothing more than a prince of a declining kingdom — Inara. She was the one he considered as his mate and loved her more than anyone else. But years passed by, Inara could not conceive. Amon loved his family and his kids from other lunas, but he was concerned about Inara's mental health. She skipped nights with Amon, and didn't show up in front of him.
Over a hundred years later, after a lot of efforts from the pack doctor, Inara and Amon, she gave birth to the crown prince. Since Inara was his first wife, the child she gave birth to was to take over the throne from Amon. Azalea was happy and so was the Eliezer family, except the ones who were hungry from power and saw it slipping into the hands of a kid. Unfortunately, exactly nineteen years later, Amon killed his dear son, Asher Eliezer, with his very hands. Inara fell into madness and chronic depression, shivering even at the sight of Amon.
Amon ruled the kingdom for another thousand years, with many being added to his harem and his family. In his palace, he still spent time with his four lunas. His contact with Inara became rare. Every time he looked in her eyes, he could see himself killing Asher. Inara couldn’t make herself hate him, but she didn’t like him either. A thousand years later, rebels from all over the globe started and Amon lost most of his territories. Many from his harem and pack fled to those free kingdoms and helped the rebels. Because of his powerful military and a secret weapon, Eliezer hid from the entire world. He came out without a scratch and could reclaim his lost lands, but he lost many from his family. Almost all his kids died either by staying on his side or against him.
One of his luna, Cecil, killed herself and Selena and Claudia secluded themselves in the Sin Garden, repenting and asking forgiveness for the g******e their husband stained his hands with. It was Inara who stood by his side again. He won the battle, but he lost his family. There was no one left to succeed him. Inara decided to bear a child for him again. It was then; the curse started echoing in Amon’s mind as his health started declining gradually.
“Inara, our kid and the future of Azalea will be cursed by the monk.” Amon placed his hand gently over Inara’s baby bump, lying in their ornately decorated room in the Liezer palace.
“What!” Inara panicked. Her heart used to skip out of her chest often after going through so much. “What makes you think so?”
“I don’t know, that monk said my most precious son will be cursed and right now you and he are the most precious to me.”
“How do you know it’s a boy, he hasn’t even come into this world and you are cursing him already?”
“You were there when he cursed us, do you not remember?” Amon’s head rested on his hand that was resting on the headboard of the grand bed, covered with red velvet sheets and silk blankets. Gold being an essential part of the decoration of the room.
“He cursed us for no reason. My only mistake was to laugh while he meditated. It wasn’t even a mistake. We didn’t know he was meditating there. I was happy about your victory. Tell me, am I not allowed to be happy? After he cursed us, I thought it was because of him that I wasn’t able to conceive but…” she stopped. Gloom, darkening her eyes she looked into nothingness.
“Past can die in the past, Inara. I want my kid to be safe and sound. I won’t let any curse touch him no matter what!” Amon held Inara’s hand. Inara wrapped her hand slowly around his wrist and nodded.
Gestation period ended, and the last hope of Azalea was born. Amon picked him up in his hand and raised him high as he threw his tiny hands and legs trying to embrace the entire sky in his arms, “to my people and my pack even to the independent states, I, Amon Eliezer declare… Zane Eliezer, to be my crown prince. He will create greater history and far better fortune than his father.”
He didn’t know if Zane was cursed or not, but he was ninety-nine percent sure he was, so he called a well-known witch, Sacra. A witch with blue eyes, white hair and pitch black skin.
“His curse will be triggered only when he falls in love, but what if I take away his emotions from him and hide it in a place none can reach? If he never falls in love, he will never die because of the curse.” Sacra showed them the easiest path, and they agreed. She took away all the emotions from Zane with her and hid them. “Let me warn you, Alpha Eliezer, now that his emotions are gone, he will be empty. The way he sees the world will be the way you show it to him. He will have his natural wolf's instincts and rage. Except these he will remain emotionless for the rest of his life. Because of the lack of other emotions, he might get overpowered by rage, teach him to control it well.”
“I understand, I can never repay you enough.”
“I will take his emotions with me and hide them. If you ever feel like seeing me, you can always summon me.” Sacra bowed, placing her hand on her chest and vanished into thin air.
Years passed by and Zane grew eighteen years old, never feeling a single emotion. His face used to remain as impassive as stone. Even with pitch black hairs, amber eyes glaring like lava, well-built body and exceptionally good looks, he was the most unapproachable man in the entire Azalea.
“It’s time he finds his mate. Maybe she might help him with the emptiness he feels within him.” Inara suggested.
Amon nodded. He had grown old and weaker too, but was strong enough to keep the kingdom together. “Right, I will announce ladies from all over the kingdom to be invited to the ball where Zane would choose his mate.”
Inara hesitated but then continued, “m-my love, please don’t be enraged but just to cut any chances of the curse to realise can you order only the ugly ladies to join the ball?”
“What…”
“Say no more. The curse said earthly beauty. I have kept him away from all the beautiful maids and females in our palace. If an ugly girl becomes his mate, he would never like her nor fall for her.”
“He can’t either way, he has lost his emotions.” Amon was conversing with his wife in privacy where the ears of the walls were shut, too. Except Amon, Inara and Sacra, none knew about the curse or the cure they found for Zane.
“Despite that, I don’t want to take any risk. I beg you, Amon.”
“Inara, I understand your fears and I am ok with this decision. I will find the ugliest lady to be my son’s bride.” Amon said halfheartedly.
Thus, it was announced in the entire kingdom and even the independent states to send all the ugly ladies for the masked ball that would take place in the Liezer palace
Postpone it for as long as you want, but the curse will always find a way to realise itself. The curse resulted from a broken heart and it was time to decide how many more hearts were to be shattered.