Her Cursed Alpha

I don't remember a time when we weren't at war. From the moment I could walk, my mother, Queen Cally would show myself and my brother Ryker, our next Alpha and King, to every evacuation point or hidden bunker. I knew all the hidden tunnels in the castle better than the hallways. Even though the war with the Dragons raged on outside our walls, I always felt safe inside with my mother, but that all changed when I was 6. I'd overheard her screaming at my father while I was sneaking through the tunnels to go steal some snacks from the kitchen, my pet wolf Fang trailing behind me, but I didn't pay their argument any attention, they were always fighting lately. But the next day, my world shattered into a million pieces when I found my mother dead, her wrists and throat cut in the bathtub, and a note laying beside her body. "You chose this," She'd written, "You broke your vows first and father that bastard with your wh*re. May the Goddess curse you." I remembered hearing screaming as I ran from the room, note clutched in my small hand. It was only after I hit the solid wall of my mother's maid that I realized I was the one screaming. "What is it child?" Collette asked, sounding impatient, "Why are you creaming the castle down?" "Mother's dead!" I managed to choke out. Everything happened so quickly after that. Maids rushed into the bathroom, all of them screaming for healers. I was sitting with my brother in the living room when my father finally showed up smelling like a tavern. His hair messed and his shirt on backwards. He ran to my mother's room and we all heard him howling and breaking the furniture. I looked down at the note, still in my fist and I shakily got to my feet. I don't know where I got the courage, but I walked straight to my father, who was now holding my mother's dead body in his arms, rocking her and begging her to come back him. "Father," I said loudly, and he looked up at me with agonized eyes, "This is the last time I will ever call you that," I said, and I saw a flicker of confusion in his expression. "You killed her. I will hate you until the day I die." I then shoved the note at his face, and walked away. He must have read the letter because he started howling on agony again. The funeral was only a day later, and one year after that, he moved his w***e, Bonnie, into our home, with her one-year-old bastard. They marked one another at a simple ceremony that I refused to attend, and he made her Queen not long after she gave him a son. Life with them was awful. The King was often away for months at a time due to the war, and my brother turned from me, and embraced his new family. Claiming I was always making everyone's lives difficult. The day I called him a traitor to our mother, and wished he'd died instead of me, was the day I stopped talking to him altogether, though I heard him crying the night I'd yelled at him, but I no longer cared. All Alpha men were the same in my eyes. All traitors. I didn't want to be mated to an Alpha. It was my greatest fear. My aunt Tanya, the King's sister, was mated to an Alpha, but she would often visit the castle and every time she came, she'd remark on how my future mate would most likely be an Alpha thanks to my lineage and would remind the King that I needed to start being trained as a Luna. I hated it, sitting through countless hours on how to run a pack, how to calm scared pack members, how to please an Alpha. I just wanted a quiet life. A life away from the war. Away from the castle. Away from the duties of a Princess or a Luna. My best friend Eric was my only salvation. He was an omega blacksmith I'd met one day while I was sneaking out of the castle, and we'd been friends ever since, though we had to pretend we didn't know each other on public due to my rank. We would often talk about sneaking out of the pack and living at one of the border cities where the King's law didn't reach. We were going to take one another as our chosen mate and live a happy little life. Owen working as a blacksmith, while I worked as a apothecary. I had a knack for medicines. On my mother's side of the family, her grandmother was a witch, and now, thanks to her blood, every female in the family would get a specific gift. My mother's was foresight, which was how she knew my father was cheating, and mine was potion knowledge. I don't know where it came from, I just knew some herbs worked better together then others, and thanks to that knowledge, I'd created a cream that worked even better then our own healing abilities, not that I'd told anyone but Eric though. Sometimes, however, late at night, I'd sneak off to one of the military hospital tents and tend to the most severe patients, the ones no one thought would make it, so they were simply left to die. I'd heal them in secret, before hiding any traces of my being there, and sneaking away again. When they were miraculously healed, the pack celebrated it as a divine sign from the Goddess. I was almost 18 now, and I'd finally be of age, so Eric and I had been making plans to leave. Eric and I had put our gold together, and he's purchased a home for us in Baltic, a busy city near the Lycan and Dwarf territories, and he'd already moved his entire belongings there. I had been packing for days, only one more week, and I'd reject the King and his pack, and I'd be free. I just didn't expect for all my years of planning to be foiled by the end of the war. "Aunty Cora!" My 4-year-old nephew came running into my room and climbed onto my bed. As much as I hated my brother, I did adore his son, he'd had with his mate Sophia. "What is it Ezra?" I asked grumpily as I rolled over. "Daddy said grandpa is coming home, because we won the war!" He said, bouncing up and down, "Mommy and grandma are preparing a big party for tomorrow night, and the other Kings are coming too!" I couldn't believe it. Peace at last. No more dead. No more tormented mates or orphaned children. No more rationing food. "That's wonderful baby," I smiled at him, "Now you will have a peaceful rule when you become King." "Come have breakfast, everyone is celebrating." "I can't. I have practice. You go." "You never eat with us." He pouted, his chubby little cheeks puckering. "I have morning practice, you know this, now off you go." "Okay." He said, before slipping off the bed and walking out. "So, the King is coming back," My Lycan Clara commented, "It's been, what? A year?" "Who cares, but it is good timing. I can reject him in person in 3 days, instead of linking him." I climbed out my bed, showered, and sat down at my makeup desk wrapped in my robe. "Good morning Princess," Merin, my personal maid, greeted me with a warm smile, "Did you hear the news?" "Yes, the wars over," I smiled at her, as she came over to do my hair, "Just braid it today please." "Yes Princess," She responded, though she sounded annoyed. She often complained that her talents were wasted on me because I never allowed her to do anything extravagant with my hair, clothes or makeup. "Are you excited to see Lathan again?" A massive smile spread across Merins face. She'd only been mated to Lathan for a few weeks before he was sent off to war, and she'd been down ever since. "I am, you have no idea!" She squealed as her fingers moved through my thick blonde hair, "I am very ready to start our family and my heat is only a few days after yours, so I was hoping to have the whole week off." I gulped guiltily, "Actually, after my birthday, I am planning on leaving," I admitted, and Merin froze. There was no point in hiding it any longer. There was only one more week to go, and the King couldn't stop me anyway. "So after my birthday, I will no longer need a maid, but don't worry, I've set aside a year's worth of wages for you, along with a bonus for all your years of hard work, so you won't have to find a job for at least two years. You can enjoy being home with your pup." Merin looked at me through the mirror, tears filling her dark brown eyes, "I always knew you were unhappy here, but to actually leave. Princess, where will you go? How will you live without the King's protection and money?" "I have it all planned out, don't worry about me," I smiled at her, "Please finish my hair, I have to get to my training lesson." Merin nodded and finished my braid, though she was silent now, probably worrying about me. Once she was done, I went to my closet and dressed in tights and a loose shirt, before I ducked down and pulled up a loose floorboard where I kept my secret stash of gold. I pulled out a small box filled with the money I promised Merin and handed it over to her, while she made my bed. "Here, hide it under the laundry and take it home," I instructed, "I doubt anyone would robe the maid of the Princess, but just in case, keep it secret until you're home." "Thank you, Princess," She smiled sadly at me, "I will miss you." I laughed and touched her arm, "You're acting like I'm dying. I'll still be here until my birthday and once I'm settled, you can visit me. I want to meet all your pups." "Yes, Princess." She agreed. "Once the troops return, you can take the afternoon off to... Catch up with your mate, just be back for my bedtime routine." "Yes, Princess." "I'd give you the rest of the day off, but the Kings w***e complained last time, and I don't want to get you into trouble again." "I understand, it's alright." I left her to her tasks and walked down the hallway. I could hear the royal family talking about the end of the war, and how excited they were to have the King home, but I felt nothing but disgust. Who cares if he comes back? In fact, I'd hoped he'd died during the war, but there was no justice in the world. A pure soul like my mother was taken while a monster like the King and his wh*re got to live. It made me sick. I went about my usual routine. Nothing was different for me just because the King was coming back today. I trained, other than my brother, I was the best fighter in the pack. I'd forced myself to be. I never wanted to rely on an Alpha to protect me. After training, I changed and went through my lessons, though I'd long since given up caring at this point, and just sat back dreaming of my escape. Then came lunch, which I snuck away with to eat with Eric. "Are you even a little excited to have the King home?" "Oh yes, I'm thrilled my mother's murderer is returning safely. I can't wait to see him." I said sarcastically, before biting into my chicken drumstick. "I'll take that as a no," He laughed, as he wiped his hands. "Have you mentioned our marriage to him yet?" "Of course not," I answered and looked at him as if he were crazy, "You're an omega and a blacksmith, do you really think he'd approve? I'm just going to reject him and the pack, and we'll leave." "When do you want to do the wedding?" I lowered my food. The wedding. That was the only part of the plan that made me nervous. I looked at my best friend. I loved him, but I had never desired him sexually. But I knew he'd be a good mate and father and that was all I wanted. "I... I hadn't thought about it," I admitted, and looked down, "Maybe, the day we arrive at our new home." "Great," He said quickly, sounding excited, "I will speak to a Priestess in the area, though, as you're of royal blood, and rejecting the King, she might not want to perform the ceremony for us." "Then we'll just mark each other and not worry about the wedding." "Old school, I like it." He smiled at me. "Just eat, we..." My words were cut off when sirens sounded throughout the city, "Great. The King has returned." "You should get back, you'll be punished if you're not there to greet him." "Who cares, it's nothing new," I shrugged and continued to eat. I was often beaten and whipped by the Kings wh*re whenever he wasn't around. Not even my brother protected me anymore, always claiming I deserved it for my disobedience, but I no longer cared, I no longer loved him. I didn't return home after lunch, I went for a run. Clara was feeling very restless for some reason, but I put it down to nerves. We were about to break from our pack and become a rogue. Which would bring great shame to the family. When I did return, it was nearly sunset and the King was sitting on my bed. I was instantly enraged. How dare he ruin my sheets with his disgusting scent. "There you are," He said, his tone a mixture of relief and frustration, "Why didn't you greet me upon my arrival." "I wasn't aware it was mandatory, your majesty," I bowed, not out of respect, but because I knew it would anger him. "For you it is!" He said angrily, and stood up. I immediately gathered up my sheets and walked towards the door. I opened it and looked for Merin who was waiting patiently for me to dismiss her for the day. "Merin, place this in the laundry and go home." "Yes Princess." I closed the door and turned back to the King. "What was wrong with your sheets?" "They had your scent on them." The King growled angrily but suppresses his rage. "Coraline, you embarrassed me in front of our allies today!" He continued, "You should have been there with the family to greet me!" I laughed in disgust,"Family?" I threw the word back at him, "Your wh*re and bastards aren't my family. My mother was my only family. You remember her right? The woman you killed!" The King growled in rage again, but this time he grabbed me by the throat and shoved me painfully against the wall. He rose his hand to strike me, but when I looked into his eyes with pure hatred and defiance, he froze. "What's wrong your majesty?" I asked, my tone mocking, "You can kill your mate but can't bring yourself to strike her daughter!" "I DID NOT KILL HER!" "You keep telling yourself that!" I snapped, as the words of her suicide note sprang into my mind, "Now either strike me or get the hell off me. Your scent makes me sick!" The King shoved me back, but released me. "YOU ARE CONFINED TO YOUR ROOM TOMORROW AND WILL ATTEND THE BALL IN CELEBRATION OF THE END OF THE WAR!" He shouted and started marching out of my room, but then he paused and looked back at me, "Where are all the belongings from you room?" Sh*t... "I burnt everything you ever gave me," I pointed out. That wasn't a lie. I had done that, but everything else that is bought with my own gold from selling medicine I'd packed up and hidden in my closet. "You are an ungrateful, willful child!" "And you're a murderer who betrayed his mate!" I shot back. The King's fists clenched, but I just smiled at him. Go on, hit me. Let's show the other Kings how you treat your daughter. Instead, he just shook his head, "I loved your mother. I was away at war. I was lonely and..." "Keep your excuses to yourself. No one here believes your bullsh*t lies!" He growled angrily again, before marching off and slamming my door shut, shaking the pictures on the walls, and causing one to crash down, shattering glass everywhere, but I just left it and pulled out a second blanket free of his scent, and placed it over my bed. After showering, I climbed into the comfortable warm bed and curled up against a big hot water bottle. Ever since I was a child, I could never get warm enough. I closed my eyes and sleep found me instantly. The following day, I did as I was told, I remained in my suite, linking Eric to let him know if been grounded and couldn't join him for lunch today, and asked him to attend the ball. "But I have nothing to wear to such a fancy event." "I've already told Merin to bring you a suite. I'm going to reject the King publicly tonight in front of all of his allies. I want to publicly embarrass him." "Are you sure?" He asked skeptically, "Your birthday is in two days, let's just wait." "Fine, but you still have to come. I don't want to be alone with those Lycans!" "Alright. I'll be there." He cut the link and flopped down on my bed again, bored out of my mind. I hated sitting still, doing nothing. Several times I thought about sneaking out through the tunnels and skipping this ball, but something inside me told me I had to go. Finally, the time came for Merin to help me get ready. Her hands were methodical, cinching the silk of my corset until my lungs felt bruised. She painted my face with the clinical precision of an artist working on a canvas that didn't breathe, pinning my hair into an elaborate crown that felt more like a cage. When she finally ushered me out, I felt less like a Princess and more like a sacrificial lamb gilded in gold. I had orchestrated my arrival to be late, hoping to slip into the shadows of the Great Hall and avoid the suffocating presence of the other royals. But the moment I crossed the threshold, the herald's voice sliced through the music like a blade. "PRESENTING PRINCESS CORALINE!" The sea of velvet and lace parted. Every head turned, a thousand prying eyes cataloging my worth. I stood frozen, but it wasn't the attention that paralyzed me. It was the air. It changed instantly, thickening with a scent that made Clara howl in a mixture of ecstasy and primal terror. It was vanilla and cinnamon, undercurrents of spice layered beneath the heavy, metallic tang of raw, unadulterated power. It was a scent that didn't just fill my nose, it claimed my lungs. "Mate," Clara whispered, her voice trembling in the back of my mind. My gaze was pulled, magnetic and terrifying, toward him. There he stood. King Derick. The Alpha of Alphas, a man whose reputation was written in the blood of those who dared defy him. He didn't just command the room, he owned the very atoms within it. Our eyes locked, his a predatory golden brown that burned with a sudden, violent recognition. A man close to the King whispered something, but then the King growled and he looked terrified. "Mine!" He declared. His voice wasn't a shout, it was a command that rippled through the hall like a physical shock wave. Every unmated man who had been admiring me instantly looked away, their gazes dropping in instinctive, terrified submission. "No," I stammered, the word catching in my throat. My heart hammered against my ribs, a trapped bird. Why now? I was so close. I had spent years planning my disappearance, forging papers, and hoarding gold. I was days away from the border, from a life where no one would ever control me again. The Moon Goddess hadn't just shackled me to an Alpha, she had chained me to a tyrant. I caught Erics eyes, from where he stood near the pillars. He stood pale, his expression a mask of pure, unmitigated agony. King Derick moved toward me, a predator closing the gap. Panic, sharp and cold, finally broke my paralysis, and I spun on my heels, the heavy skirts of my gown whipping around my legs, and bolted. I ignored the gasps behind me. I ignored the breach of protocol. I simply ran. The stone corridor was a blur of flickering torchlight. I could hear heavy, rhythmic footsteps behind me. I ran into an empty room, attempting to get into a hidden tunnel to make my escape when a hand, massive and calloused, clamped onto my upper arm. With a strength that made my bones ache, I was spun around and slammed against the cold stone wall. The impact knocked the breath from my lungs, but the heat of his body, pressing flush against mine, was what truly stifled me. King Derick loomed over me, his shadow swallowing me whole. His eyes were dark, his nostrils flaring as he drank in my scent. "Run again," He growled, his voice a low, dangerous vibration against my skin, "And I’ll make sure you never find the strength to walk, let alone flee from me!"