Cursed to Claim Her

From the deafening sound of music in Maverick Hall, everyone in the whole of Maverick City could tell that a party was going on, not just any party but the biggest in the whole lunar calendar. The red carpet was still in session with several high-level cars trooping in. Indeed, it was a mix for the elites. Maverick City’s sweetheart and heir to the Alpha King, Tim, was having his twenty-fifth birthday. More than just a celebration, it was also a politically defining moment for the werewolf community. He was going to be marked as the undisputed heir to the throne of the Great Alpha Vega, his father. “Man, don’t tell me you are nervous!” Nolan, his beta and best friend, smacked his back. “It’s an open secret that you are the heir, so whether this party goes well or not, you are the heir.” “Shut up, Nolan.” Adjusting his cufflinks even though the omega maids had dressed him perfectly, he added, “Don’t jinx things.” He looked out the window from his private suite. He could see the hall full of dignitaries from far and wide, most of whom he had never seen, but he could tell that his mother and the council had probed everyone before qualifying them to be invited. “Let me in!” Tim and Nolan gave themselves a quizzical look. “Who’s there?” “I’ll check.” Nolan pulled the door open. His straight face soon curved into a teasing smirk. “Of course, if it isn’t the most elegant lady in Maverick City.” Celina rolled her eyes. “Tell these lowlifes to let me in.” Nolan gave a signal and she catwalked in like it was a runway for hire. Her beautiful curves were more than accentuated in the red dress, her visible cleavage making her red lips stand out even more. “Babeee!” Running toward Tim with open arms, she added, “You look so good… I can’t believe it’s almost time.” Kissing the back of her palm, Tim smiled. “Finally.” She held herself back from kissing him. Despite her longing for her boyfriend, she had invested too much in her look to allow a brief moment of intimacy get in between them. Celina Woods, daughter of the city’s prime minister, was a renowned and popular model which got her the ranking of a gamma even though a lot of people protested it. For Tim, she was perfect for his ambition as an Alpha King. Her family was one of the richest in the city and her name opened doors. Ten minutes later, the Alpha King was escorted into the hall with the Luna, Lucy, alongside the council. After a briefing, the king’s spokesman announced the arrival of Tim. The orchestra blew the horn for the kingdom’s anthem as Tim marched according to the rhythm. Shutters and flashes of cameras went off with his right hand locked with Celina’s. He would never admit fear, but in that moment, he was elated to have his girlfriend by his side. Alpha Vega took the stage, with shoulders spread and a glint of pride in his eyes, seeing his young son now take full responsibility. “I call on the whole clan and lunar system to bear witness to today’s declaration…” the alpha continued. “Tim Vega has proved himself from birth…” The crowd giggled softly, already getting the hint that the Alpha was referring to the experience with Tim’s birth. “I now pronounce you, in front of amiable citizens, heir and legitimate successor of this nation!” Firecrackers and ululations went up in the air. More cameras flashed with Tim nervously smiling. It was his whole life’s dream. For a brief second, he shut his eyes to reminisce on how he had everything perfectly set. Taaaaaaah!!! Sets of champagne bottles fell to the ground. Mild gasps filled the hall, yet that wasn’t all. The ground shook with vibrations and force that made it hard for guests to keep standing. “Protect the alpha!” “Protect the prince!” “Take cover!” Tim could barely move two steps forward when a big black orb appeared in the center of the hall. A fatal wind blew everything off, yet he was somehow able to maintain enough vision to see a figure climb out of the looming orb in black. Her eyes blazed with passion that could kill, yet she had her eyes on one target. “Tim.” His heart sank into his stomach. He made to run, but his legs wouldn’t move. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see royal guards trying to save him, but a force held them back. Something as dark as night, yet so powerful. “Look, alpha heir!” His eyes widened at how lightning spiraled in her fingers like flowers. “Just as the day has a say and the night has a fight… surely the prince is cursed and becomes a walking dead at the sight of moonlight!” His head suddenly began shaking and his knees went weak. None of his powers could help him up. He forced his eyes to stay awake, but soon the darkness caved in. As heavy as his eyelids felt, he still found strength to pull them apart. “Ahhhh!” Blinding lights nearly pushed him back into the darkness. “He’s up!” The excited voice of Bianca, his sister, resounded in his chambers. The door flew open with the Luna Lucy and Alpha Vega rushing in. They were far from shining in their worn-out expressions. “Mum?” “Honey?” Lucy wrapped her hands around him. “I thought I lost you.” Her cologne filled his nose. Alpha Vega snapped his fingers at Thorsen, the head of guards. “Get everyone out of here.” “Yes, my lord!” Thorsen spoke with his eyes and soft claps of his hands, and the maids and guards all evacuated the chamber, leaving only the royal family. Tim could still feel his head banging despite the fact that his hands supported it. “Honey, are you okay?” “My head… hurts… a lot,” he managed to voice. “The physicians predicted it.” Alpha Vega sat on the bed with a frown. “What happened… Dad?” After a long awkward glance, Alpha Vega clenched his fist. “Catherine… that witch! She broke the protective spell of the hall and forced herself in.” “Wait!” Tim adjusted on the bed. “The same witch Catherine from the Maverick history of monsters?” “Yes.” Luna Lucy wiped her eyes. “Turns out the legends that she made herself immortal were true.” “How does that have to do with me?” Alpha Vega took a deep breath. “It was a full moon night and in time for a full eclipse, so… she placed a curse on you… as revenge for Maverick City.” Danger alarms blew off in Tim’s head as he sprung to his feet. “I don’t understand! A curse on me? Why? I don’t even know her.” “Well, her goal is to destroy Maverick City, and what better way to do that than to destroy the heir?” The air thickened in the room, especially for Tim, who still couldn’t make sense of everything. “But she failed, right? Because I’m alive… right?” he asked, peering at his parents. “Thanks to the healing elves… you are back,” Alpha Vega wagged his head, “for now.” “What?!” Tim’s eyes widened. “What do you mean, Dad?” “A curse of doom has been placed on you and your bloodline… one that the elves say can never be reversed.” Silence. “What?!” He found himself kicking the wall with blurry eyes filled with tears that threatened to fall. All his life, he had only one dream, being the Alpha King, and that was taken away. “But there’s a way!” Luna Lucy ran to cup his face. “You can still beat this.” A glint of hope flashed in his eyes. “How?” “A human,” Alpha Vega cleared his throat. “You can stop the curse by marrying a human.”