Chapter 8: The Curse of the Moonborn
997 Words
Pain radiated through Persephone’s wrists where the silver shackles bit into her skin. Each breath felt heavy, her lungs filled with the damp, musty scent of the stone chamber. Cold air slithered along her exposed skin, making her shiver, but it wasn’t just the cold that unsettled her. It was the man standing before her.
Orion.
Alpha of the Frostfang Pack. Ruthless. Cunning. Dangerous.
And right now, the devil she feared most.
He leaned against the heavy oak table, arms crossed, a slow, satisfied smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. His silver eyes gleamed with something cruel—possessive.
"You don’t even know what you are, do you?" he mused, his voice a purr of amusement.
Persephone glared at him, refusing to let him see her fear. "I know enough to recognize a monster when I see one."
Orion chuckled, the sound rich and dark. "Oh, little Luna, if I were truly a monster, you’d already be on your knees, begging for mercy."
A chill slithered down her spine, but she lifted her chin in defiance.
"I’d rather die than submit to you."
His smirk widened. "Ah, but that’s the beauty of it—you won’t have a choice."
Orion pushed away from the table, stalking toward her with slow, deliberate steps. The torchlight flickered, casting shadows across his sharp features.
"You were never meant to be Hades’ mate," he murmured, reaching out to brush his fingers along her jaw.
Revulsion shot through her.
Persephone jerked her head away, but Orion’s grip tightened, forcing her to meet his gaze.
"You are Moonborn," he whispered. "A descendant of the cursed royal bloodline. Do you know what that means?"
She didn’t answer.
He leaned in, his lips a breath away from her ear. "It means you are either salvation… or ruin. And without the right mate, that power will consume you."
Her pulse pounded.
"I don’t believe in curses," she spat.
Orion’s laughter sent ice through her veins. "Then you’re a fool."
His fingers trailed down her neck, hovering over the spot where Hades should have marked her.
A feral growl ripped through her throat.
Her wolf surged beneath her skin, fur bristling, fangs bared.
Orion smirked. "There she is," he murmured. "That power inside you is wasted on Hades. He’s an animal—driven by instinct. With me, you could be a queen."
Her blood boiled.
"I would rather burn."
Orion’s expression darkened. His hand tightened around her throat—just enough to warn her.
"You won’t have a choice, Persephone."
A thunderous boom shook the walls.
Orion’s head snapped up.
Another explosion.
Then—
A roar tore through the air.
Hades.
Her breath caught.
A second later, the doors burst open.
A massive, dark figure stood in the wreckage, golden eyes blazing with fury.
Hades.
He was bare-chested, his body slick with blood, his muscles tensed with unrestrained rage. His claws were still dripping with the remnants of his enemies.
He looked like a god of war.
His gaze landed on her, and something inside her shattered.
Orion barely had time to react before Hades lunged.
The two alphas collided with bone-crushing force.
The room erupted into chaos—claws slashing, fangs tearing, growls shaking the very foundation.
Hades fought like a beast possessed, his strikes brutal and unrelenting. He was not just fighting—he was claiming, avenging, destroying.
Persephone struggled against her bindings, heart hammering. She couldn’t lose him.
She wouldn’t.
Then she felt it—the shift.
Something inside her snapped.
Heat exploded through her veins, her vision turning silver, the air around her humming with raw energy.
Her body trembled as the chains binding her wrists shattered.
Orion’s silver eyes widened.
"Impossible—"
A blast of silver light erupted from her.
The force sent Orion flying across the room, slamming him into the stone wall.
The ground cracked beneath her feet.
The moment the energy faded, she collapsed.
Strong arms caught her before she hit the ground.
Hades.
His breath was ragged, his heart pounding against her.
"Persephone," he whispered, voice hoarse, filled with something raw and desperate.
She gripped his arms, her body still shaking from the power that had surged through her.
Hades cupped her face, tilting her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze.
"You scared the hell out of me, little wolf," he murmured.
Her lips parted, a shaky breath escaping.
The tension crackled like fire between them.
Hades was too close.
His scent—smoke, pine, and something darkly intoxicating—wrapped around her, stealing her breath.
His golden eyes burned with something fierce.
Something dangerous.
Something she had spent too long trying to resist.
His fingers traced the side of her neck, hovering over the place where his mark should be.
A shudder ran through her.
"You belong to me," he whispered, his voice low, almost pleading.
Her breath hitched.
His lips brushed against hers—just barely.
A tease. A promise. A threat.
The bond snapped between them like lightning.
She gasped, her fingers digging into his arms, her body betraying her.
Hades growled, his restraint shattering.
His lips crashed against hers, claiming her with brutal, unrelenting hunger.
Heat. Fire. Devastation.
His arms wrapped around her, lifting her off the ground, pressing her against the cold stone wall.
She should push him away.
She should fight.
But when his hands gripped her waist, pinning her against him, all she could do was melt.
The bond was too strong. The need too fierce.
She wanted him.
Desperately.
But before she could surrender, a sharp pain sliced through her skull.
A vision.
Blood.
The moon, bathed in crimson.
And Hades—on his knees, his chest pierced with silver.
Persephone jerked away, gasping.
Hades frowned, his grip tightening. "What’s wrong?"
She trembled, the vision still burning in her mind.
"The prophecy…" she whispered. "The curse isn’t over."
Hades’ expression darkened.
And deep inside her, the Moonborn power stirred again.
This was only the beginning.
- Writer
