Bound By The Alpha’s Curse

Chapter4

MIRA

I watched Ronan’s face twist with frustration as he lowered his wooden sword, and I couldn't believe Lucian had actually stepped in. He stood there with his back to the rising sun, and the silence he brought with him was tensed than the noise of the training guards. I tried to stand up, but my legs felt like they belonged to someone else, and the dirt was stuck to the sweat on my face.

“Follow me,” Lucian said, and he didn't even look back to see if I was moving.

I struggled to my feet, ignoring the burning in my lungs and the way the world seemed to tilt every time I blinked. I followed him away from the pit, feeling a small spark of hope in my chest. Maybe he had seen that I wouldn't quit. Maybe he realized that I was still a fighter despite the years of exile. We reached the edge of the stone terrace overlooking the forest, and he finally stopped, turning to face me with a look that made my hope vanish instantly.

“You don't deserve to be out there,” Lucian said, and his voice was flat and cold. “I told you that you could train, but you’re an embarrassment to the rank. My warriors are the strongest wolves in the state, and you can barely keep your balance against a simple lunge. You don't belong with the strong, Mira. You’re weak.”

“I’m not weak,” I snapped, and the effort of speaking made me cough. “I’ve been sick, Lucian. The head maid threw ice water on me while I was sleeping on a stone floor with no blankets. She’s been making me haul crates and scrub floors for eighteen hours a day. If I’m struggling, it’s because your people are trying to drain the life out of me.”

Lucian didn't even flinch. He just watched me with those steady, unreadable eyes, and he didn't seem to care about anything I had just said. “Excuses don't win battles. I don't care who threw water on you or how many floors you scrubbed. If you can’t perform, you’re a liability. And stop trying to get my attention with these stories of being mistreated. It’s not going to work anymore, Mira. I’m not the man who used to listen to your complaints.”

I stood there, dumbfounded. I wanted to scream at him that I wasn't making it up, and I wanted to show him the bruises on my arms from the guards and the raw skin on my hands. But his expression was so closed off that I knew it wouldn't matter. He had already decided who I was. I turned around to leave, my vision blurring with a mix of anger and exhaustion.

“Fine,” I whispered. “Believe what you want.”

I took two steps toward the palace, but a sudden wave of heat washed over me, and the grey stone under my feet turned black. My knees gave out, and I felt the air rush past me as I fell. Just before everything went dark, I felt a pair of strong arms catch me, and I smelled the familiar scent of pine and expensive leather.

When I opened my eyes again, I wasn't in my cramped, damp room in the servants' wing. The ceiling was high and dark, and the bed beneath me was soft and smelled like clean linen. I tried to sit up, but a hand pressed gently against my shoulder.

“Stay down, Mira,” Kara said.

She was sitting on the edge of the bed, her hands glowing with a faint, warm light as she passed her energy into my chest. I felt the tightness in my lungs begin to ease, and the pounding in my head settled into a dull throb. I looked around the room and realized I was in Lucian’s bedroom. His clothes were draped over a chair, and his scent was everywhere.

“You scared the hell out of me,” Kara whispered, and she looked like she hadn't slept. “Lucian brought you in here himself. He looked like he was going to tear the palace apart when he saw how high your fever was.”

“I’m fine,” I said, though my voice was still weak. “I just need to get back to work.”

“You aren't going anywhere,” a voice said from the doorway.

Lucian walked in, and Kara immediately stood up. She gave me a small, worried look and then walked past him, closing the door softly behind her. Lucian didn't move toward the bed. He just stood by the window, looking out at the rain. I could tell he was concerned by the way his shoulders were tensed, but he didn't let it show in his face when he finally looked at me.

I sat up slowly, pulling the heavy duvet around my shoulders. “Why suddenly the change of heart? An hour ago you told me I was just seeking attention. Now I’m in your bed.”

He ignored my question, just like I knew he would. He walked over to the desk and picked up a piece of paper. “Your fever has broken, but you’re still not fit for general training. I’ve talked to Ronan. Since you’re so determined to prove yourself, he will be your permanent training partner. He’ll meet you at dawn tomorrow.”

“No,” I said immediately, and I felt a fresh surge of fear. “He’ll kill me, Lucian. You saw him out there today. He hates me more than the council does, and he won't stop until I’m completely done. Please, don't let me train with Ronan.”

Lucian walked closer to the bed, and the energy in the room shifted. He looked down at me, and his jaw was set in a hard line. “You said you wanted a chance. Ronan is the best teacher I have. If you can’t survive him, you won't survive the rival packs that are already sniffing around our borders. What do you want from me, Mira? Do you want a participation trophy?”

“I want the truth,” I said, and I looked him straight in the eyes. “I want to train with you. You’re the one who thinks I’m a threat. You’re the one who wants a reason to kill me. So do it yourself. Don't hide behind Ronan.”

Lucian leaned down, his face inches from mine. I could see the dark circles under his eyes and the way his pulse was jumping in his neck. He reached out and gripped the headboard behind me, pinning me in place.

“You don't want to train with me, Mira,” he whispered, and his voice was so low it was almost a growl. “If I take you into that pit, I won't be thinking about your fever or your scrubbed floors. I’ll be thinking about everything we lost. I’ll be thinking about the curse you brought down on my head.”

“Then do it,” I challenged.

He leaned even closer, and I felt his breath against my skin. “I would kill you if I did,” he said.