Claimed By The Alpha’s Curse

Ghosts

LENNOX'S POV

I made it halfway down the stairs before Davian grabbed my wrist.

"Let go," I said, not looking back.

"Not until you calm down."

I spun around and shoved him hard. He stumbled back two steps, his eyes widening in shock.

So did mine.

I'd never been strong enough to move an Alpha before and not like that…

"Lennox," Davian said carefully, straightening up. "You need to stay here."

"No."

"You're not stable right now, the curse—"

"I don't care about the curse," I snapped. "Ryker is downstairs in your house acting like he owns the place and you want me to hide?"

"I want you to not do something you'll regret."

"The only thing I regret is not doing this sooner."

I turned and continued down the stairs, feeling Davian follow behind me like a shadow. The bond hummed between us, tense and electric, but I pushed it aside.

Callum was waiting at the bottom, his hand resting on the knife at his belt. When he saw me, his eyes widened.

"They're in the main hall," he said to Davian, not taking his eyes off me. "Should I—"

"We're going now," Davian cut him off.

Callum nodded and led us down the hallway. My heart pounded harder with every step, I could hear voices up ahead, Ryker's voice, smooth and confident like always.

We reached the double doors and Callum pushed them open.

Ryker stood at the far end with Seren beside him and a dozen warriors behind them. He was laughing at something, acting like he belonged here.

Then he saw me and the smile died on his face.

For a second, just a second, I saw shock flash in his eyes, then confusion, then something that looked like fear.

Good….

Seren noticed me next, her hand flying to her mouth. "Lennox?"

I didn't answer, just walked into the room with Davian beside me.

The warriors shifted, hands moving to weapons. They could feel it, something wrong radiating off me.

Ryker recovered fast, smoothing his face into that practiced smile. "Lennox, I didn't expect to see you here."

"I bet you didn't."

He looked me up and down, taking in the black veins on my neck, the grey tint to my skin. "You look different."

"You look the same."

His smile tightened. "I heard you'd gone rogue."

"I did, and now I'm here," I said, my voice flat. "With Alpha Kross."

Ryker's jaw clenched, his eyes flicking to Davian. "How long?"

"Three weeks," Davian said.

The room went silent.

I watched Ryker's face as he put it together, three weeks, black veins, standing next to the cursed Alpha.

His face went pale. "You didn't."

"I did."

Seren gasped. "She's the fourth woman? The one who survived?"

"Survived and still breathing," I said, taking a step closer. "Disappointed?"

Ryker's hands clenched into fists. "Lennox, do you have any idea what you've done? That curse—"

"Is none of your business," I cut him off. "You lost the right to care about me the day you brought another woman to that council meeting and put your mark on her neck."

"The council voted—"

"After you stole my clan!" My voice rose, echoing off the walls. "After you made me believe you loved me just so you could take everything my father built!"

"That's not what happened—"

"Then what did happen, Ryker?" I moved closer, the hunger stirring in my chest. "Because from where I'm standing, you're a liar and a thief."

His warriors shifted forward but Davian's guards blocked them.

"Lennox, calm down," Seren said, her voice shaking.

I turned to look at her and she actually stepped back.

"Don't talk to me," I said quietly. "You took my place, stood there and smiled while they erased my name, so don't pretend you care now."

Seren's face flushed. "I didn't ask for any of that—"

"You didn't stop it either."

I felt Davian's hand on my shoulder, a warning through the bond, but the rage was too strong.

Ryker was watching me carefully now. "You've changed."

"You have no idea."

"The curse is killing you," he said, and there was almost pity in his voice. "You're going to end up like the others."

"Funny," I smiled. "That's exactly what you wanted, wasn't it? For me to disappear."

"That's not—"

"But here I am," I continued. "Alive, bonded to an Alpha whose power makes yours look pathetic, and I'm not going anywhere."

Ryker's face hardened. "What do you want?"

"I don't want anything from you, you already took everything worth taking."

"Then why the hostility?"

"Because you're in my territory now," I said simply. "This is my pack, so the real question is, what are you doing here?"

Ryker glanced at Davian. "I came to discuss an alliance—"

"With a dying Alpha?" I laughed. "You came to scout his territory, see how weak he was so you could claim his lands when he's gone."

Ryker's silence was answer enough.

"That's what I thought," I said. "You're predictable, always looking for the easy win."

"I never took anything you didn't give me willingly," Ryker said coldly.

"You're right, and you know what I learned from that?"

"What?"

"Never give a man power over you unless you're prepared to take it back."

Ryker's eyes narrowed. "Is that a threat?"

"It's a promise."

"Everyone stand down!" Davian's voice cut through the tension, his Alpha aura flooding the room.

Everyone froze except me… The curse pushed back against his aura, refusing to submit. The black veins on my arms started glowing red.

Davian's eyes met mine. "Lennox, control it."

"I'm trying," I said through gritted teeth but I wasn't, the curse was feeding off my rage and I could feel myself slipping.

"You need to leave," Davian said to Ryker. "Now."

"We came for an alliance—"

"And you're leaving before someone dies," Davian cut him off. "Get out."

Ryker looked at me one more time and I saw it again, fear.

"This isn't over," he said quietly.

"Yes it is, you're just too stupid to realize it yet."

Ryker turned and walked toward the doors, his people following. But before he left, he stopped.

"You're going to regret this."

"The only thing I regret is wasting three years loving you."

With that he left and the doors slammed shut and the room fell silent.

I stood there shaking, waiting for the rage to fade.

It didn't.

Instead, the hunger came roaring back, twice as strong as before.

My vision blurred red, my gums ached, and suddenly all I could think about was blood.

Davian's blood.

I turned to look at him and he must have seen something in my eyes because he stepped back.

"Get Thea," he said to Callum, his voice tight but my legs were already moving, carrying me toward him before I could stop myself.

"Lennox, stop," Davian warned.

I couldn't, the hunger was too strong, drowning out everything else.

I lunged.

Davian caught my wrists before I reached his throat, holding me back as I fought against him. The curse roared inside me, demanding I take what it needed.

"Lennox, fight it!" Davian shouted.

I tried, I really tried, but the hunger was winning.

My vision went completely black and the last thing I heard before I lost consciousness was Thea screaming, "Hold her down! The bond's trying to complete itself!"