I Broke The Curse of the Alpha King

Blood flowed beneath every full moon. The heads of wolf warriors were displayed upon walls as proof of their wickedness. There was no peace or rest anywhere in the kingdom. Wolves fought among themselves endlessly, all in pursuit of power. It nearly drove them to extinction. Entire packs were wiped out. Histories and cultures were erased completely. Then a wolf named Aeron rose. Powerful and strong, Aeron defeated every Alpha responsible for the wars. He became the Great Alpha King. Aeron brought peace back to the land and united all wolves under a single banner. We were one pack at last. And during those peaceful years, Aeron found love. Lyanna, a priestess wolf chosen by the Moon. Lyanna carried the ancient magic of the wolves within her. She was as powerful as a queen and as beautiful as the moon itself. And she, too, gave her heart to the great king. But peace did not last. Soon, other wolves emerged—wolves as strong as Aeron—challenging his position as Alpha King again and again. That was when Aeron invaded the sacred Temple of the Moon and, without permission, searched through the ancient scrolls of magic. There, he found a spell. And he became convinced it was his only way out. Aeron insisted that Lyanna perform the ritual. But Lyanna refused, beginning to see the greed hidden behind the love she once knew. Blinded by the fear of losing his throne, Aeron seized the temple by force and ordered the priests to prepare the forbidden ritual. On the night of a red eclipse, Lyanna, through tears, completed the spell to save her people from the king's wrath. Moon silver was melted. Aeron's blood was poured upon the sacred stone. And from the flames, an ancient crown was born. The moment he placed it upon his head, Aeron became invincible. His wounds healed instantly. His strength doubled. And no wolf could challenge him ever again. But Lyanna had hidden a cruel price within the enchantment. Whoever wore the Crown would live forever, yet never find peace. The more power they called upon, the more of their mind and soul they would lose. Their inner beast would continue to grow until it devoured the person they once were. And every heir who inherited the throne would inherit the curse as well. When Aeron discovered her betrayal, he roared with fury and killed Lyanna beneath the moon. Before she died, she spoke her final prophecy: "One day, my blood will return. And by the hands of the one who truly loves, the Crown shall be broken." Since then, kings have come and gone. The throne remained. And so did the curse. And it was through this story that the Lunares Pack was born. --- I wake from that dream, one that has become far too familiar. Slowly, I rise and stretch. Only then do I realize where I am. The forest. More specifically, among the ruins of one of the ancient Temples of the Moon. Beside me lies my inherited book, the one I carry everywhere. I glance up at the sky, almost completely hidden by the trees. Yet the sunlight seems much brighter than I remember. "Too bright for late afternoon," I mutter to myself. Had I really spent the entire night here? My eyes widen. Grandma would kill me. I had promised her I wouldn't do this anymore—that I'd be home at our usual time. But somehow, whenever I came to the Temple of the Moon, I completely lost track of time. Clutching the book to my chest, I ran down the narrow trail between the trees. Branches slapped against my arms. Leaves tangled in my hair. Roots nearly sent me crashing to the ground with every step. "Damn it... damn it... damn it..." I muttered without slowing down. Grandma Maelis hated when I came to the ruins alone. She always said that place held echoes too ancient for young ears. That stones had memories too. I always thought she was exaggerating... Until I started falling asleep there and waking from dreams that felt like memories from another life. When the small cabin finally appeared between the pines, I was already breathless. Thin trails of smoke drifted from the chimney. A sign she had been awake for quite some time. A very bad sign. I pushed the door open carefully, trying to appear calm. "I'm back." Silence greeted me first. Then came the dry sound of herbs being crushed inside a mortar. Grandma stood with her back to me, bent over the wooden table. Her gray braid nearly reached her waist. "You promised." Her voice was low. Firm. I shut the door behind me. "I know. I just... lost track of time." "No one loses track of time in the Temple of the Moon. There, time takes back what belongs to it." I rolled my eyes and placed the book on the table. "Always with the mysterious sayings. I just overslept." She turned so quickly that I instinctively took a step back. Her pale eyes fixed on the book. Then on me. "You took that with you?" "I always do." "I told you never to open it inside the ruins." My stomach dropped. "I... only read a few pages." The old woman took a deep breath as if fighting her frustration. Then she grabbed my left wrist and pulled it toward the light pouring through the window. The crescent moon mark beneath my skin glowed. Brighter than ever. The color drained from her face. "No... too soon." "What is it?" Before she could answer, heavy knocks echoed from outside the cabin. Three sharp strikes against the wooden door. Grandma shoved me backward without warning. "Don't say a word." "Grandma—" "Now, Elara." She ripped away the cloth covering a trapdoor in the floor and pointed toward the narrow opening. My heart began to race. I had never seen it open before. "Get inside and stay quiet." "What's happening?" The knocking came again. Harder this time. The door groaned on its hinges. Maelis cupped my face with both hands. Her eyes looked terrified. And determined. "If you love me, obey me this once." I swallowed hard and climbed down into the darkness. The moment I hid, I heard the lock being removed. The door opened. Heavy boots crossed the wooden floor. Then a cold, official male voice filled the cabin: "By order of the Lunares Pack, we are searching for a young woman marked by the Moon."