Bound To The Cursed Alpha And My Fiancé

03

Selene’s POV

The wind howled through the trees, its icy fingers clawing at my skin as I huddled by the fire. The flickering flames cast long, dancing shadows across the group, making them look like ghosts of the past.

My body still trembled from the adrenaline of the attack, and my hands were numb, not just from the cold but from the shock. I was alive—barely. But the others... they weren’t so lucky.

I glanced at the group huddled nearby. Their faces, etched with fatigue and sorrow, told the story of the night’s horrors. Most were warriors, hardened by years of battle, yet even they looked haunted.

The rogues had come out of nowhere, their attack swift and brutal. Without this group’s intervention, I shuddered to think of the fate that might have befallen me.

I hadn't spoken much since they found me. What words could capture the magnitude of my loss? My parents, my pack—gone in an instant. The grief was suffocating, but it was fear that consumed me now.

Fear of Kieran, of what he might do if he found me again. And fear of an uncertain future, a future I was ill-prepared to face.

I pulled my knees to my chest, feeling the warmth of the fire seep through my torn dress. The lace was filthy and stained with dirt and blood—painful reminders of the night I lost everything. I was alone now, but at least I was safe—for the moment.

One of the women—a tall, pale girl with soft brown hair— whose name was Lyra, shifted closer to the fire. I’d learned that her parents had sold her to the Black Moon Wolf Pack, offering her to their Alpha like a sacrificial lamb. The thought twisted my stomach in knots.

"Why are you going through with this?" I had asked her earlier, my voice barely above a whisper. We’d been riding together at the back of the group, trying to stay out of the way of the warriors leading the pack.

“Our pack… it’s gone, you know.”I felt a tinge of saltiness at the back of my throat as I acknowledged the fact.

She hadn’t met my gaze. “I know, but it’s not like I have anything else to live for anyway. We don’t have a pack anymore, but we’re still alive, and the Black Moon Alpha—he’s not the type of man you refuse.”

Her voice trembled as her fingers clutched the reins, her lifeline amidst the chaos. “I’ve heard the stories. They say he’s killed all his brides before me. But if I don’t go... Well, I don’t even want to think of going through any more torture than what I already went through tonight.”

I was at a loss for words as her words haunted me. The cruelty of a world where a girl could be sold like livestock to protect her family was staggering. I had lost everything, but at least I still had my dignity.

“Why are you going there though?” I heard Lyra ask.

I turned to her and gave her a weak smile. “Between the Black Moon Pack and the rogues, I think I am making the better choice here.”

The sound of footsteps pulled me from my thoughts. I looked up to see one of the warriors approaching. His face was hard, and his eyes scanned the group with cold efficiency. “We move at dawn. Be ready.”

Dawn felt like an eternity away. I wasn’t sure I’d survive the night. As the warrior turned to leave, I noticed Lyra staring into the flames, her expression vacant.

She hadn’t spoken much since the attack, her face a hollow mask. I wondered what she was thinking—if she was praying for a miracle or resigning herself to a grim fate.

"Are you alright?" I asked softly, moving closer to her.

She remained silent for a long moment, then shook her head. “No. I’m not.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I sat beside her, sharing in the silence. After everything we’d been through, words felt hollow. What comfort could I offer when I couldn’t even save myself?

Hours slipped by in uneasy quiet. I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew, the air was filled with the snarls of wolves. I jolted awake, my heart racing as I scrambled to my feet.

“Rogues! Defend!”

Those were all I heard before the realization hit me like a punch to the gut. The attack wasn’t over—they were back, and they weren’t going to stop until we were all dead…or, most likely, until I was dead.

The warriors sprang into action, their wolves shifting before my eyes. The forest erupted into chaos—snarls, howls, and the sickening crunch of bones.

Amid the chaos, I saw Lyra a few steps away. She had risen to her feet as well, expressing sheer terror. Her eyes darted around, searching for an escape that wasn’t there.

One of the rogue wolves lunged at her, its jaws snapping with deadly intent. Lyra’s scream pierced the night, a sound of pure, unfiltered fear.

I felt my feet planted on the ground in fear as I watched the scene unfold. The rogue wolf struck, its mighty jaws closing around Lyra’s arm. She cried out, the sound mingling with the beast's growl as she shifted into her wolf form.

She struggled to free herself, but the wolf’s grip was unyielding. I fell back on my butt as another wolf emerged from the shadows with blood-matted fur and sunk its teeth into Lyra’s side. Her pain-filled growl was cut short as the beast tore into her, its claws raking across her body.

“Run!” someone shouted. “Run!”

Finally able to control myself, I scrambled to my feet again, my legs barely supporting me as I bolted into the woods. The cold night air stung my skin, and the world blurred around me as I ran faster, the sounds of the battle fading behind me. I couldn’t stop.

My legs burned, and my lungs screamed for air, but I pushed on, driven by survival. The rogues were relentless, their snarls growing closer. I wasn’t going to make it. I knew that much.

When I thought it was over, a new sound reached my ears—a deep, powerful growl that cut through the chaos. It was different from the rogues—more muscular, more controlled. Out of the darkness, a massive wolf appeared. His fur was black as night, his eyes gleaming like molten gold as he tore brutally into the rogues. It was over in moments.

I stumbled back, my heart racing as the wolf turned toward me, his eyes locking onto mine. I felt a strange pull, something deep and primal stirring inside me. I couldn’t explain it, but I knew—this was no ordinary wolf. I felt the power oozing off of him. Seeing the other wolves who had rescued us earlier line up behind him, it was evident that he was the infamous Alpha of the Black Moon Pack.

In an instant, he shifted, standing before me in human form, his expression unreadable as he stared down at me. I couldn’t help but notice how striking he was—tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair that fell over his forehead in messy waves.

I struggled to keep my eyes on his face instead of letting my gaze travel down his exposed waist.

“Derek, it seems like she’s the only survivor from the attack just now.” I heard another naked male say as he walked up to the Alpha.

“You’re the bride?” he asked, his voice low and commanding.

I froze, my heart hammering in my chest. I had a choice to make—a choice that could mean the difference between life and death. If he knew the truth, that I wasn’t the bride or just a survivor... there was no telling what he might do.

“Yes,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over my heart pounding. “I’m the bride.”

His eyes narrowed slightly. He stared at me from head to toe but did not question my answer. Instead, he nodded, his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer before turning away.

“You’re safe now,” he said simply, his voice carrying a weight that made me believe him.

But as I followed him back toward the others, my mind raced with the consequences of my life. I was pretending to be someone I wasn’t, stepping into a life that wasn’t mine. And Derek... he wasn’t just any Alpha. He was dangerous.

I had no wolf. I had no pack. And now, I had no choice but to live this lie. I had to get back at Kieran.