The Luna Curse

Chapter 2: The Alpha’s Claim

The gorge shook as the plague beast’s claws gouged the stone, its red eyes blazing like twin fires. Selene Vireya scrambled back, her heart slamming against her ribs, the venison and grain sack forgotten at her feet. The creature was no wolf—not anymore. Its blackened fur hung in clumps, oozing ichor, and its jaws snapped with a hunger that wasn’t natural. She’d heard whispers of a curse, a plague turning werewolves into monsters, but seeing it was something else.

“Move, rogue!” Rowan Dainvaris’s voice cut through the chaos, sharp as a blade. The alpha of Duskmoor Hold lunged, his claws flashing in the moonlight, slicing into the beast’s flank. It howled, a sound that clawed at Selene’s ears, and swiped at him with a paw the size of a boulder.

“Don’t need your help!” Selene snapped, diving to the side as the beast’s tail lashed out, cracking the gorge wall. She shifted fully, silver fur rippling over her skin, and raked her claws across its hind leg. The beast staggered, but its eyes locked on her, burning with something deeper than rage. It knows me, she thought, a chill crawling up her spine.

Rowan grabbed her arm, yanking her behind a boulder as the beast charged. His touch sent a jolt through her, hot and electric, like a spark igniting kindling. She jerked free, glaring. “Don’t touch me, alpha.”

“Stay still, or we’re both dead,” he growled, his gold eyes narrowing. Up close, he was all muscle and menace, his dark hair plastered with sweat, a scar jagged across his jaw. That strange heat flared in her chest again, tugging at something she couldn’t name. His gaze flickered, like he felt it too, but he shook it off. “It’s not a normal wolf. Aim for the throat.”

“Figured that out myself,” she shot back, but she nodded, crouching beside him. The beast circled, its claws scraping sparks from the stone. Selene’s pulse raced, not just from the fight. Why did his scent—cedar, steel, him—make her head spin? She shoved the thought down. Focus, Selene. Survive.

“On my mark,” Rowan said, his voice low, commanding. “One… two—”

She didn’t wait. Selene vaulted over the boulder, claws bared, and slashed at the beast’s throat. It reared back, blood spraying black in the moonlight, but its paw caught her side, sending her crashing into the gorge wall. Pain exploded, her vision blurring.

“Damn it!” Rowan roared, tackling the beast. His claws tore into its neck, finishing what she’d started. The creature shrieked, a sound that echoed like a death knell, and collapsed, its body twitching, then still. The stench of rot flooded the air, choking.

Selene pushed herself up, clutching her side. Blood seeped through her fingers, but she’d had worse. Rowan stood over the beast, chest heaving, his eyes locked on her. That pull between them tightened, a thread she couldn’t cut. Her skin burned where he’d touched her, and her heart wouldn’t slow.

“What are you?” he demanded, stepping closer. His voice was rough, like he was fighting something inside. “No rogue moves like that. And that… feeling. You know what it is.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” she lied, her voice sharp. But she did. The heat, the pull—it was no accident. She’d heard stories of fated mates, a bond stronger than will, but she’d never believed them. Not until now. “You’re the one who brought that thing here, alpha. Your territory, your mess.”

“My mess?” Rowan’s laugh was bitter, dangerous. “You trespassed, rogue. You stole from my allies. And now this—” He gestured at the beast’s corpse. “—is on my land. You’re not walking away until I get answers.”

Selene bared her teeth, stepping into his space. He was taller, broader, but she’d faced down worse. “Try to stop me. I don’t answer to you or your pack.”

His eyes flashed, and for a moment, she thought he’d grab her again. But he froze, his breath hitching, like the bond was choking him too. “You feel it,” he said, quieter now, almost accusing. “Don’t pretend you don’t.”

Her stomach twisted. She wanted to deny it, to run, but her body betrayed her, leaning closer, drawn to him like a moth to flame. “You’re wrong,” she whispered, but her voice cracked. “I’m no one’s mate.”

“Then why’s your heart racing?” he shot back, his voice a low rumble. He reached out, his hand hovering near her cheek, not touching but close enough to make her shiver. The air crackled, the bond pulsing like a living thing.

A howl shattered the moment, high and frantic, from the ridge above. Rowan spun, claws out, as a new scent hit them—blood, fear, and that same rot. Selene’s hackles rose. “More of them?” she asked, her side throbbing but her claws ready.

“No,” Rowan said, his voice grim. “That’s my pack.” He glanced at her, his expression torn between duty and something else—something tied to her. “Stay here. You’re hurt.”

“Like hell,” she snapped, shifting to half-wolf form. “If there’s more of those things, I’m not sitting it out.”

He looked like he wanted to argue, but another howl—closer, desperate—cut him off. “Fine,” he growled. “But you follow my lead, rogue. Or you’re dead.”

She smirked, ignoring the pain in her side. “Lead on, alpha. Try to keep up.”

They sprinted up the gorge, the moonlight casting long shadows. The pull between them didn’t fade, tugging harder with every step. Selene’s mind raced. A mate bond? With him? She’d rather face a hundred plague beasts. But as they crested the ridge, the sight below stopped her cold.

A dozen wolves—Rowan’s pack—fought a swarm of plague creatures, their red eyes glowing in the dark. Blood stained the grass, and a young wolf lay motionless, his fur blackened. But that wasn’t the worst of it. At the edge of the clearing, a figure watched, cloaked in shadow, its eyes glinting with unnatural light. Human, not wolf, but reeking of dark magic.

“Rowan!” Selene hissed, grabbing his arm. The bond flared at her touch, but she ignored it. “Who’s that?”

He followed her gaze, his face hardening. “No one good.” His voice dropped, urgent. “Selene, run. Now.”

Before she could argue, the figure raised a hand, and the plague beasts turned as one, their eyes locking on her. A voice echoed, cold and venomous, not from the figure but inside her skull: “You cannot hide, moon’s daughter.”

Her blood ran cold. How did it know her? And why was Rowan staring at her like she’d just become his biggest problem?