The Cursed Alpha's Salvation

Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Cursed Truth

*Zander's POV*

Dimitri Shadowclaw stood at my border with fifty warriors. He looked perfect, as always. Platinum hair slicked back. Ice-blue eyes that made people trust him. A smile that hid poison.

I wanted to rip his throat out.

But I couldn't. The curse he put on me three years ago still held chains around my mind. Even knowing about it didn't break it. I could fight it more now, but when he gave me a direct order...

"Zander!" He opened his arms like we were old friends. "How's the pack? I heard about the plague. Terrible thing."

Liar. He probably caused it.

"We're managing," I said through clenched teeth.

Sera stood beside me. She'd pulled her hood back up, hiding her face. But I could feel her power rolling off her in waves. It made my wolf Kai whimper and howl at the same time. Our mate was strong now. Stronger than any wolf I'd ever met.

And I had thrown her away.

"Who's this?" Dimitri's eyes locked on Sera. Something hungry flashed in them.

"The Shadow Healer," Marcus said quickly. He stood on Sera's other side, protective. My little brother had always loved her. I used to be jealous. Now I was grateful someone had been there when I couldn't be.

"The famous Shadow Healer!" Dimitri stepped closer. "I've heard so much about you."

Sera said nothing. But I felt her power spike. The air got heavy.

"I brought help," Dimitri continued. "My healers. My warriors. This plague is spreading, Zander. Three other packs are infected now."

Three other packs. All neighbors to Dimitri's territory. What were the odds?

"We don't need help," I said.

"Really?" Dimitri smiled that poison smile. "Your Luna is dying. Your children are dying. And you refuse help because of pride?"

My wolf snarled inside me. But Dimitri was right. I looked weak refusing him. And looking weak as Alpha was dangerous.

"One day," I said. "You can stay one day."

"Perfect." He looked at Sera again. "I'd love to learn from the Shadow Healer. Maybe we can save more packs together."

Sera finally spoke. Her voice was different, lower, scarier. "I work alone."

"Pity." But Dimitri smiled like he'd won something.

We walked back to the pack house. Dimitri's warriors spread out, but I had my best fighters watching them. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

In the meeting room, Dimitri sat in my chair. My Alpha chair. The disrespect made Kai rage, but I couldn't do anything. The curse wouldn't let me challenge him directly.

"Tell me about the plague," he said.

Elder Morgana spoke up. "It attacks the shift. Makes the wolf and human sides reject each other. We've tried everything."

"Everything except dark magic," Dimitri said.

The room went cold.

"Dark magic is forbidden," Morgana said.

"Forbidden by who? The Moon Goddess who lets children die?" Dimitri stood. "I've found ways around the old rules. Ways to heal what can't be healed."

"At what price?" Sera asked.

"Does it matter if it saves lives?"

"It always matters."

They stared at each other. Something passed between them. Recognition? No. Sera kept her hood up, her face hidden. But Dimitri looked at her like he was trying to solve a puzzle.

"Show me the sick one g," he said.

We took him to the medical building. Celeste was awake, barely. The black veins had spread to her face now.

"Luna Celeste," Dimitri said softly. "Such a shame. You were so strong."

"Still am," she whispered.

He laughed. "Brave to the end. But bravery won't save you. You need something more."

He pulled out a black bottle. The liquid inside moved like it was alive.

"No," Sera said sharply. "That's shadow poison. It'll kill her faster."

"Or cure her completely." Dimitri looked at me. "Your choice, Alpha. Let her die slowly or take a chance."

I looked at Celeste. We weren't mates. We never loved each other. But she was a pack. She was carrying a baby. My baby, even if I couldn't love it the way I should.

"Zander," Celeste said. "Don't. Something's wrong. He smells like.." She started coughing. Blood came up.

"She's dying anyway," Dimitri said. "What do you have to lose?"

Everything. But the curse made the words stick in my throat. I couldn't warn them properly. Couldn't say what I suspected, that Dimitri had caused all of this.

Sera moved so fast I barely saw it. She knocked the bottle from Dimitri's hand. It shattered on the floor. The black liquid ate through the tiles like acid.

"Oops," she said flatly.

Dimitri's eyes flashed red for a second. Wolf eyes. Angry eyes. "That was expensive."

"Send me a bill."

The tension could have been cut with a claw. My wolf wanted to attack Dimitri. But more than that, Kai wanted to protect Sera. She'd just challenged another Alpha. That was dangerous.

"I have more," Dimitri said, still smiling. "But perhaps the Shadow Healer has a better idea?"

Sera walked to Celeste's bed. She pulled back her hood just enough that Celeste could see her face. Celeste's eyes went wide.

"You," Celeste whispered.

"Me," Sera agreed. "Still want my help?"

"Please. The baby..."

Sera put both hands on Celeste's stomach. Silver light poured out. But something else came too. Shadow. Silver and black twisted together like dancing snakes.

The black veins on Celeste pulled back. Not gone, but retreating. The baby's heartbeat got stronger.

"Impossible," Dimitri breathed. "Light and shadow together. That's forbidden magic."

Sera stood, pulling her hood back up. "So is cursing an Alpha to reject his true mate."

The room went silent.

Dimitri's perfect smile finally cracked. "I don't know what you mean."

"Liar." Sera turned to face him fully. "I can smell the curse on you. The same one that's on him." She pointed at me.

My wolf howled in triumph. She knew. She could smell it. Which meant...

"You're a Moonblood," Dimitri said. All fake friendliness gone. "The last one."

Sera pulled off her hood completely.

Her silver hair caught the light like metal. Her violet eyes had gold swimming in them. Power radiated from her in waves that made everyone step back.

Except Dimitri. He stepped forward, hunger clear on his face.

"Seraphina Moon," he said. "I've been looking for you for three years."

"And I've been waiting for you," she said. "Waiting to kill you for what you did to my parents."

Dimitri laughed. "Your parents were weak. They refused to join my vision. A world where the strongest wolves rule everything. Where humans serve us. Where power is everything."

"My parents were good people."

"Which is why they died."

Sera moved to attack, but I caught her arm. The moment I touched her, electricity shot through both of us. The mate bond lit up like fire.

Dimitri saw it. His eyes narrowed. "Still mated. Even after rejection. How interesting."

"Get out," I managed to say. The curse fought me, but my rage was stronger. "Leave my territory."

"Can't do that." Dimitri pulled out something from his pocket. A whistle. "You see, while we were talking, my warriors weren't just standing around."

He blew the whistle. No sound came out. But every sick wolf in the building started screaming.

The black veins spread fast. Faster than before. Celeste convulsed on the bed. Down the hall, children cried out.

"Stop it!" I roared.

"I will. When Seraphina agrees to come with me."

"Never," Sera snarled.

"Then everyone dies." Dimitri walked to the window. "The whistle activates the second stage of my plague. They have maybe an hour. Less for the children."

My wolf lost all control. I shifted without meaning to. Kai took over completely, launching at Dimitri with murder in his heart.

Dimitri said one word: "Stop."

The curse activated. I froze mid-leap and crashed to the floor. My wolf body wouldn't move. Couldn't move.

"Three years ago, I gave you specific commands while cursed," Dimitri said calmly. "Reject your mate. Choose another. And obey me when I say stop. You fought the first two admirably. But the third..."

Sera knelt beside me. Her hand touched my fur. "I'll kill him for this."

"You'll try," Dimitri said. "But not today. Today, you decide. Come with me willingly, or watch everyone die."

"I'll come," Marcus said suddenly. "Take me instead. I'm Beta. I'm worth more.."

"You're worth nothing," Dimitri cut him off. "I need Moonblood. I need her."

Sera stood slowly. "If I come, will you cure them?"

"Completely."

"Sera, no!" Celeste tried to sit up. "He'll force-mark you. He'll…"

"I know." Sera looked at me. I was still frozen on the floor. "But I won't let children die. Not even for revenge."

She walked to Dimitri. Each step felt like claws in my heart.

"Smart girl," he said.

"One condition," Sera said. "You cure them first. All of them. Completely."

"Deal."

Dimitri pulled out another whistle. This one was silver. He blew it. Again, no sound. But the screaming stopped. The black veins started fading.

"See? I keep my word." He grabbed Sera's arm. "Now, let's go."

"Sera!" I finally broke free from the freeze. But it was too late.

Dimitri had dragged her to the window. "The eclipse is in three days. Just enough time to prepare the ritual."

"What ritual?" Morgana demanded.

"The one that will make me immortal. All I need is to mark a Moonblood during a total eclipse." He smiled at me. "Thanks for keeping her safe for me, Zander. Rejecting her made her easy to find once she started using power."

They vanished. Not walk away. Not run. Vanished into shadow.

My mate. Gone. With the wolf who destroyed everything.

And it was my fault. All of it.