His mark,My curse

The moonlight poured over the Thornwood Pack like silver rain, bathing the forest in a ghostly glow. Crickets chirped in rhythm with the heartbeat pounding in my chest. I stood at the edge of the clearing, bare feet pressing into the cold earth, my breath visible in the early evening chill. Tonight, everything would change. I clenched my fists at my sides, trying to ignore the whispers around me. I could hear them— the sneers, the giggles, the cruel jokes barely disguised. They always laughed at the idea of someone like me having a mate. A nobody. A weakling. An orphaned she-wolf raised by the elders out of pity after rogues tore my parents apart. But tonight was the Rite of Shifting, and I had turned eighteen just yesterday. It was the night every wolf my age waited for—the night we would shift for the first time, and if the Moon Goddess willed it, discover our fated mate. The others were already shifting one by one, howls echoing into the sky as bones cracked, fur burst through skin, and their human forms became wolves. It should have terrified me. Instead, I felt a strange anticipation stir inside me. A hunger. A calling. “Aria.” I turned to find Elder Marla standing beside me, her eyes soft. Of all the pack members, she was the only one who treated me like a person. “It’s time,” she said gently. I swallowed and nodded. My heart thundered as I stepped into the center of the clearing. The cool breeze kissed my skin as I tilted my face to the full moon. It felt as though she were watching me. Waiting. Then the pain hit. It started in my spine, sharp and electrifying, then spread like fire across every nerve. I screamed, dropping to my knees. My bones shifted, cracked, reshaped. My skin burned, stretched, and tore as fur erupted from beneath it. The world spun. My senses exploded. Then, just as suddenly as it began, it was over. I opened my eyes. The world was different. Sharper. Brighter. The forest was alive with scents and sounds I had never noticed before. I looked down—paws. Gray and white fur covered me. I had shifted. Joy surged through me for a fleeting second. Then I felt it. The tug. It was faint, like a whisper across my soul, but undeniable. The bond. Mate. I whimpered, spinning in place, trying to understand. Who? Who was it? My wolf whined anxiously. Then a sharp growl sliced through the air. A massive black wolf stepped into the clearing, larger than any I had ever seen. His fur was as dark as the night, his eyes glowing with a terrifying golden hue. Every wolf dropped to their bellies in submission. My heart froze. Alpha Kael Bloodfang. What was he doing here? Then his eyes locked with mine. My breath left me. My wolf yelped and collapsed to the ground. The bond snapped into place like a chain wrapping around my soul. Mate. Alpha. Death. I shifted back involuntarily, gasping as I knelt naked in the grass. My skin trembled. My head swam. Kael shifted, walking toward me without shame or hesitation. His human form was tall, powerful, and scarred—his presence overwhelming. He didn’t stop until he stood inches away from me. He reached out, his fingers brushing my cheek. The moment he touched me, the mark ignited. I screamed. A symbol seared itself onto my shoulder—crimson, burning, ancient. Kael’s eyes widened. He jerked his hand back as if burned. The entire clearing fell into stunned silence. Someone gasped. “The curse…” I crumpled to the ground, sobbing, the pain stealing my breath. Alpha Kael turned away from me like I was the one who cursed him. Then he vanished into the trees. The Rite ended in silence. No celebration. No joy. Just a curse—and me, bound to it. --- They tried to keep me in the healer’s den the next day. My skin burned around the mark. It pulsed with heat every time I tried to sleep. I had no idea what the mark truly meant. I only knew what everyone else whispered. Anyone Kael marked died. His last two mates? Dead within a year. And now it was my turn. Elder Marla entered the tent, her expression grim. “He’s asked for you.” I blinked. “What?” “Alpha Kael. He wants you brought to the Bloodfang Pack before the next full moon.” I shot to my feet. “No.” Marla’s eyes were filled with pity. “It’s not a request, Aria. He’s your mate.” “He’ll kill me!” “He may be the only one who can stop it.” Tears welled in my eyes. “I don’t want to die.” Marla stepped closer and took my hands. “Then fight. Make him see you’re not weak. Make him want to protect you.” I didn’t know if it was possible. But I knew one thing: I wasn’t going to die quietly. --- The ride to the Bloodfang Pack was silent. I sat in the back of the SUV, flanked by warriors, my arms crossed tightly over my chest. The Bloodfang territory was colder than ours, the land harsh and mountainous. As we approached the gates, a strange pressure built in my chest. The guards opened the gates without question. Everyone knew I was the cursed mate. I was taken straight to the Alpha’s mansion—stone, steel, and shadows. I was shown to a room with a locked door. A prison, not a home. Kael appeared that night. He didn’t knock. He just opened the door and stepped in like he owned the air I breathed. He was shirtless, his chest covered in scars, his presence as dark as a storm. I stood. “Why did you bring me here?” His eyes scanned me. “Because you’re mine.” “No,” I said. “I didn’t choose this.” He stepped closer. “Neither did I.” The mark on my shoulder flared. I winced, grabbing it. Kael’s gaze darkened. “It’s already begun.” “What is it?” I asked through gritted teeth. “What’s happening to me?” He looked at me for a long moment before answering. “It’s the curse. It’s feeding off your life force.” “Then remove the mark.” He laughed bitterly. “If I could, do you think I wouldn’t have done it for the others?” Silence fell. I stared at him. “So you’re just going to let me die?” “No,” he said quietly. “Not this time.” His eyes held something I hadn’t expected—regret. Anger. And something deeper. Hope. “I’ve spent years searching for answers,” he said. “And you… you might be the key to ending it.” I took a shaky breath. “Why me?” “Because the mark reacted to you differently. It’s never burned like that. It’s never... lived.” I touched the edge of the mark. It pulsed beneath my skin. “I’ll help you,” he said. “But you need to trust me.” I swallowed. “I don’t trust anyone.” “Then survive,” he said. “Long enough to learn why the Moon Goddess chose you.” And just like that, he left. I sank to the bed, my body trembling. I didn’t want this. I didn’t ask for it. But maybe… just maybe… this curse was mine to break. Even if it meant breaking my heart with it.