The Alpha’s Cursed Mate

Chapter8

Alpha Nicholas’ POV

The chamber given to me was large, filled with expensive furniture and decorated with fine details meant to impress. It was comfortable, but it did not compare to my own pack house. The ForestHowl Pack had far greater wealth and strength. Everything there was grander. This room, while luxurious, was still lacking. The MoonCrown pack had done their best, but it only showed how much they were trying to please me.

I walked across the room, feeling the soft carpet under my feet. The heavy curtains swayed slightly from the night breeze coming through the window I had left open. The air outside was crisp, carrying the scents of the forest beyond the pack house.

The treaty discussions had gone well. I had come here to ensure the MoonCrown pack’s alliance with mine. The enemy faction we were up against was growing stronger, and I needed more packs to stand with me. In return, I had offered protection. It was an easy decision for Alpha Darius. His pack needed strength, and I had it. Without my support, they were vulnerable.

I stood near the window, looking down at the pack grounds. The night was quiet. A few guards moved along the borders, their movements slow but steady. Some houses still had lights glowing inside, but most of the pack was asleep. The place had a certain stillness, as if it was holding its breath.

My thoughts drifted to other matters. The state of this pack troubled me. Alpha Darius was not a weak man, but he lacked discipline in his leadership. I had seen the cracks in his rule—the way his own daughter, Tiara, was treated. It was disturbing. A pack that mistreated its own Alpha’s bloodline showed signs of deeper problems.

Tiara. Her face flashed in my mind. There was something about her, something that made me pay more attention than I should. I had only comforted her once, yet I felt a pull towards her. It made no sense. She was not my concern. And yet, I had made sure she was brought into the pack house, away from the servants' quarters.

I exhaled, shaking off the thought. My focus needed to stay on the alliance. Personal matters were not important right now.

The soft creak of the door opening behind me pulled me from my thoughts. I turned, expecting a guard or perhaps a servant, but instead, it was the alpha's second daughter, Phoebe.

She stepped into the room, dressed too finely for this hour. Her gown hugged her form, her hair styled as if she had planned this visit. She smiled, her expression confident yet soft.

“I came to say goodnight, Alpha Nicholas,” she said.

I did not move from my place. Instead, I studied her, letting the silence stretch between us. She shifted slightly, as if expecting a different response from me.

After a moment, I spoke. “Is it modest for a woman to enter a man’s chambers at night just to say goodnight?”

Her smile faltered, but she recovered quickly. “I thought it would be polite,” she replied, her voice lighter than before.

I kept my tone firm. “You are engaged to Luke, are you not?”

Phoebe straightened her posture. “Yes, but—”

“But you still find it appropriate to visit my chamber alone at this hour?” I interrupted.

She hesitated, her fingers playing with the fabric of her dress. “I didn’t mean anything improper. I only wanted to be friendly.”

I looked at her without emotion. “Friendly actions can be easily misinterpreted. I do not assume Luke would be pleased with this visit.”

Her face turned a shade darker, and she quickly shook her head. “No, of course not. But—”

“Then return to your room,” I said, leaving no room for argument. “This is not proper.”

Phoebe’s mouth opened as if to say more, but she must have realized there was no point. She lowered her gaze and nodded. “I apologize, Alpha Nicholas. It won’t happen again.”

Without another word, she turned and left, closing the door quietly behind her.

I exhaled and turned back to the window. The pack grounds remained the same, untouched by the small disturbance that had just occurred.

Phoebe was a problem. She was given too much freedom, and it showed in the way she acted. An Alpha’s daughter should have more discipline, more restraint. Instead, she did as she pleased. It was clear that Alpha Darius did not control his household well.

My fingers drummed lightly against the window frame as I thought about what this meant for the pack. If Phoebe acted this way, what else was being overlooked? How many others in this pack were stepping beyond their limits? And why had no one ever bothered to make Darius see that he was not treating his daughter well?

Darius was too lenient. His leadership, while respected, lacked a firm hand. A pack needed structure, order. If the Alpha’s own daughter was slipping, then it was only a matter of time before others followed.

I sighed. This was not my concern. I had done what I came here to do. The treaty was secured, the alliance formed. But still, something about this pack unsettled me.

My thoughts shifted again to Tiara. She was different from Phoebe. Despite being treated poorly, she did not act out in defiance. She carried herself with quiet strength, enduring the way her pack looked down on her. It was strange, really. She was the firstborn daughter of an Alpha, yet they treated her worse than a servant.

Why?

The birthmark. I had heard the whispers even as I arrived at the pack. They believed it was a curse, something shameful. It was foolish. A mark meant nothing unless one gave it meaning. The way they treated her was disgraceful.

I shook my head. These were not my problems to fix. I would leave soon, and this pack would continue as it always had.

Yet, I could not ignore the uneasy feeling in my chest.

Something told me that this pack’s troubles were far from over. Whatever they did, I didn't need Tiara to suffer anymore.