The Return of the Hunted Luna.

Chapter One. Alpha Lucien's pov. I sat upon my Alpha throne, outwardly calm while invisible fire devoured my flesh from within. My eyes burned crimson, glowing like fresh blood beneath heavy lids. I expected my skin to blister or crack under the torment, yet it remained smooth and unmarked—as though nothing was wrong. As though I was not slowly burning alive. The heat radiating from my body thickened the air, distorting the space around me like a shimmering haze. It grew stronger with every passing second. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Damien—my most trusted guard—shift uneasily. He usually stood three meters away from me without fear, but now he took another cautious step back. I didn’t blame him. Who would willingly remain near an Alpha cursed to scorch the air itself? “You may leave,” I said quietly, my voice steady despite the agony clawing through my bones. “Go and rest.” I would not allow him to suffer for a fate that belonged only to me. Relief flashed across his face before he bowed deeply and exited at once, as if he had been waiting for permission to escape. The heavy doors closed behind him, leaving me alone with the torment I dared never reveal. Since the day the Ocean Ice Luna cursed me, pain had become my constant companion. An Alpha must never appear weak. A ruler must never break. So I endured, silently. Outside, the sky darkened unnaturally, as though the heavens themselves sensed what was coming. The battle was about to begin. A sudden wave of agony ripped through me. It felt as though invisible blades carved into every nerve beneath my skin. A growl escaped my throat. “Not here” I said inwardly. With a burst of speed, I vanished from the throne room and reached my chambers in seconds. I slammed the door shut behind me. “Hurry, Alpha… fight us before we wound you,” a disembodied voice sneered from the empty air. I sighed, exhaustion weighing heavily on me. Bones cracked and reshaped as I shifted into my massive wolf form. Silver-black fur erupted along my body, muscles stretching with lethal power. The unseen forces attacked immediately. Pain exploded across my back—as if struck by a merciless cane. My wolf growled, the sound deep and violent as it echoed through the chamber. Cruel laughter followed. “Haaa… don’t cry yet,” another voice mocked. “The battle has only begun.” Rage ignited within me. “I will kill you all tonight,” I snarled. I spun toward the source of their laughter and slashed my claws through the empty air. A scream pierced the room. “Oh no—please! Let me live!” A dark satisfaction curled inside me. I had wounded one. “Why should I spare you,” I growled, baring my fangs, “when you torment me every night?” “It is not our fault, Alpha,” a fragile voice pleaded. “The cursed tattoo burning on your chest calls us. It invites us.” My chest throbbed violently at the mention of it—the cursed mark that never cooled. “Hurry, let's go heal him! The wound is deep!” One of them cried out. Their presence began to fade. “Do not think you have won, Alpha Lucien,” their leader’s voice echoed faintly. “We will return…” Silence swallowed the room. I stood alone again—breathing heavily, my body trembling from exhaustion and pain. Another night survived though the battle is unfinished and the curse still burns. I staggered backwards until the edge of my bed met my legs. Exhaustion dragged me down as I sat heavily. My gaze fell to my chest. The cursed red tattoo glowed angrily against my skin, burning like living fire. Heat radiated from it in waves, distorting the air around me. The pain was unbearable—as though I had been thrown into the depths of hell itself. “Why… why?” I rasped, clutching my chest. “Ocean Ice Luna, this curse is too heavy for me to bear. Moon Goddess… please save me!” My voice echoed through the room. Bitter laughter escaped me. I forced myself to stand and walk toward the refrigerator specially stocked with blocks of ice. Grabbing two large bowls, I emptied them into the bathtub until it overflowed with frozen cubes. Without hesitation, I stepped inside. The cold bit into my skin, and I felt a sense of relief. Then, within seconds, the burning heat from my body melted the ice into steaming water. At least the agony dulled slightly. I drained the tub and filled it again and again until exhaustion finally claimed me, and I fell asleep submerged in ice and fading pain. I didn’t realise morning had come until a woman’s voice drifted through the bathroom door. “Does your body still hurt?” I woke slowly, water rippling around me. I didn’t need to open the door to know who stood outside. Queen Mother Morgan. My stepmother—the only person alive who knew my secret… and still stayed. “It’s… better,” I replied, my voice softer than usual. There was a brief pause. “I have found a bride for you,” she said calmly. “The wedding is tomorrow.” My eyes snapped open. “Cancel it,” I said sharply. “What?” Surprise filled her voice. “Alpha Lucien, you have always wanted a mate. When did you change your mind?” I rose from the tub, wrapped a towel around my waist, and opened the door. “Stop forcing she-wolves to marry me,” I said bitterly. “It’s obvious no one wants me. And honestly… I don’t blame them. Who would choose to spend her life with a monster?” “Alpha Lucien,” Mother Morgan replied gently, “you are not a monster. You possess an uncommon nature.” A hollow laugh escaped me. “Not a monster?” I stepped closer, anger tightening my fists. “A wolf must stand five meters away because of the heat burning off its body? A Lycan king who fights unseen enemies every night?” My voice hardened. “Tell me again how that is not monstrous.” She remained calm, watching me carefully. “This time, I forced no one,” she said. “A wolf-less werewolf willingly agreed to marry you.” I froze. “A willing bride?” After everything that had happened to my previous wives? Disbelief filled my eyes. “How dare you lie to your Alpha?” “I speak the truth,” she said firmly. “She agreed on her own.” I studied her face and realised she wasn’t lying. Something dangerous stirred inside my chest—hope. But fear followed quickly behind it. I did not want another wife who would run from me once she discovered the darkness I carried. “I will prepare the wedding for tomorrow,” she announced before turning away. The door closed behind her. And I stood there, torn between longing… and dread.