The Alpha's Cursed Mate

The Alpha’s Eyes on Me

The air in the grand hall was thick with authority, a force almost tangible as Kieran Blackwood stood at the head of the room, commanding the attention of his wolves.

He was speaking of alliances, of threats to the pack, of upcoming trials—his voice was smooth, authoritative, undeniably Alpha.

But I wasn’t listening.

I was watching.

The way he held himself—broad shoulders squared, his stance unwavering, his presence powerful enough to silence a room without even trying.

The way his golden eyes flickered over the gathered wolves, unreadable, distant—until they found mine.

And stopped.

A second of stillness.

Then his jaw tightened, his fingers flexing ever so slightly at his sides.

He felt me before he saw me.

I could tell. It was in the way his posture had changed, the way he’d faltered mid-sentence before collecting himself.

It was subtle, but I caught it.

And when his eyes locked onto mine, I braced myself.

I expected hatred. Loathing. Regret.

Instead, I got nothing.

A blank, unfeeling gaze.

Like I was nothing more than a ghost in the crowd. Like I hadn’t once been his mate.

Like he hadn’t once destroyed me.

Good.

Because I wasn’t that girl anymore.

I let a slow, amused smirk curl at my lips. If he thought he could pretend I didn’t exist, then he was in for a rude awakening.

Lena, beside me, nudged my arm. “You’re playing a dangerous game,” she whispered under her breath, so low only I could hear.

I didn’t answer. I was done playing by Kieran’s rules.

The meeting dragged on, the murmuring of wolves growing restless as Kieran spoke of the future. But I barely processed a word.

I was too focused on him.

Waiting. Watching.

And then—just as I was about to let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding—he did it.

Kieran turned to face me fully, his golden gaze boring into mine with quiet intensity.

And in a voice as smooth as a blade, he spoke.

“Elara.”

My name.

Spoken by him.

The entire pack turned to me, the weight of their stares pressing in. Some with confusion, others with barely concealed curiosity.

Kieran Blackwood never acknowledged the weak. He never addressed the forgotten.

And yet, here he was. Calling my name in front of everyone.

I refused to falter. I wouldn’t let him win.

So, I met his gaze head-on and smiled. “Alpha Kieran.”

A flicker.

Just a flicker of something in his eyes.

Surprise? Annoyance? Recognition? Regret?

It was gone before I could place it.

His lips pressed into a thin line, but his voice remained cool. “Join me outside. Now.”

A challenge. A demand.

A trap.

I knew it.

And yet, as the pack murmured around us, as Lena shot me a warning glance, I did what I swore I never would.

I followed him.

The moment I stepped outside, I knew i had agreed to a walk with the devil. The temperature difference hit me. The night air was crisp, biting against my skin, the moon high above casting a silvery glow over the clearing.

The moon was in it's waxing crescent phase. It was waxing crescent on that night too when I was killed by the man I once loved.

Kieran stood near the treeline, his back to me, his shoulders rigid. He was tense.

Good.

I approached, my steps slow, deliberate. Unafraid.

“You shouldn’t have come back,” he said without turning around.

A bitter laugh escaped me. “I don't think that you get to decide that for me, Alpha Kieran.”

His hands clenched at his sides. "You should have stayed gone."

Gone. Dead. Forgotten.

A year ago, those words would have shattered me. Now, they only fueled the fire inside me.

I stepped closer, tilting my head. “Why, Alpha? Are you afraid?”

That got his attention.

He turned, his golden eyes flashing dangerously. “Of you?” His lips curled into a smirk. "Never."

A lie.

I could see it—the way his breath hitched, the way his jaw tensed ever so slightly. He was unsettled.

Good.

I took another step forward, closing the space between us until I could feel the heat radiating off his body. His scent—smoke and pine, dark and intoxicating—wrapped around me like a vice.

Damn him.

“Then why acknowledge me at all?” I asked, keeping my voice even. “Why call my name in there, in front of everyone?”

Silence.

A long, unbearable silence.

And then—so low I almost missed it—he said, “Because you don’t belong here anymore.”

It was meant to hurt. It was meant to push me away.

But it did the opposite.

I smirked, tilting my head up. “Then you better get used to seeing me, Kieran. Because I’m not going anywhere.”

His gaze darkened, his body going rigid, tense.

For a moment, I thought he might say something.

Something cruel. Something cutting.

Something that would remind me of the past and all the reasons I should hate him.

But instead, he did something worse.

He leaned in—just enough for me to catch his scent, just enough for my body to betray me and remember what it once craved.

And then, in a voice that sent shivers racing down my spine, he murmured, “Then don’t expect mercy.”

My heart pounded against my ribs.

I swallowed down my words, forcing my face into a mask of indifference as he stepped back, his expression unreadable.

Then, without another glance, he turned and walked away.

Leaving me standing there—angry, breathless, and more determined than ever.

This was war.

And Kieran had just made his first mistake.