MARRIED TO THE CURSED ALPHA

chapter two : mark

I played in the water and the water was so welcoming. The blue light clung to my skin, a soothing feeling that washed through me. It was cool, and soft, and for a moment I forgot everything.

The moon was high above the water.

That was when it hit me — no, I didn't just remember it. I had always known. Tonight was a full moon. That's why the coronation was set for tonight.

I started praying. Praying over and over to the Moon Goddess that a big wolf would not come and devour me. I was running away from home, I was running away from evil people. I should not end up in the mouth of a monster.

As though my prayers had gone straight up to the heavens — or were directly rejected — I started hearing cracking sounds.

Twigs snapping. Branches breaking.

I immediately ducked beneath the water. Then I remembered the truth: a monster like that would know someone was here. It would have smelled me.

I wondered how far I had gone from my kingdom. Maybe I could just run back home? The lane would be faster. When we are in danger, wolves can cover in minutes what took me hours to walk.

Then I felt it.

A presence at the riverbank. It stared deep into my soul, and I felt it staring deep, too deep.

I raised my head from the water and I saw it.

A huge, very huge black wolf. I had never seen anything that big in my existence. Even my father is not that big. I had seen him transform a few times. I had seen a lot of people transform. But never as big as this.

Its red eyes were sharp and piercing. One could see their own reflection in its eyes even from afar. It was massive. Even its normal eyes were not the normal eyes for a wolf.

He was still staring into my soul and I stood right there under the water.

Somehow, I felt comfortable. Even without air. I had been under for what felt like a full minute, but I was not gasping. It was strange, like something was pulling — not fear anymore, but a spark, arching through my veins.

He was moving closer.

My heart was pounding so loud I was sure he could hear it.

Then, in a breath, he shifted.

He transferred right in front of me into his human form. Wild. Naked. His body was all structured muscle, carved and burned by the sun and war. I looked at him — his face wasn't clear under the moonlight reflecting off the water, but his body was... gods.

From his chest down to his chiseled abs, down to his powerful legs — this man was taller than anything I had ever imagined.

"Come out from the water," he said.

I froze. I was still doubting if he meant me. Well, I was the only one in the water, so naturally it had to be me. But I was reluctant.

What if he does something? What if he uses me? What if he does something out of the blue?

Why should I be subjected to this? I am a girl, but why should I be subjected to this? I am a person. I am a human being. Why should I be subjected to suffering?

He looked at me and felt that I was not coming out. Then he spoke again, in a deep, dull voice, louder this time.

"Come out."

His voice shook the water.

I moved. Slowly, I stepped out of the water.

And that was when I realized —

I was naked.

My veil ,my gown everything I had covered my myself with was laying at the other side of bank ,I stood bare before him , hoping with everything in me , that he would not do the things I feared most

I stood there before him and his attention shifted.

It dropped down to the mark on my stomach and he went still. So still it felt weird. I followed his gaze, I looked down at my own body, and I saw what had caught him.

It was the mark just beneath my left breast.

It was shining. Glowing.

Maybe because of the water — the water made everything on me shine. It was a crescent moon, surrounded by three small stars. I have had that mark for a long time and I have never had an explanation for it.

He was probably the first person to ever see me naked, and this was the reaction I was getting.

I knew I didn't have a perfect body. Not like all the other princesses. But what was making him stare like that?

He looked at the mark, then back to my face, and his expression changed to anger. One could see it in his eyes. He was disgusted. Disgusted by my mark.

He moved closer and I was begging the Moon Goddess in my head, please, just allow me this one request, just this one. I just want to get away from all this. I don't want to be wasted like this.

He looked into my eyes and said, "So you are the one."

That was unexpected. Am I the one? What are you seeing?

Shaking, for the first time I spoke.

He looked at me and his eyes were scary. They were bloody red. he pulled out his claws and I knew this was it .Then all of a sudden, a very black wolf came from nowhere and jumped to overpower him, pushing me back into the water.

I was so scared.

It was war. The black wolf was not relenting. And while they were fighting, the second wolf saw the mark on my stomach and immediately froze.

What is it with this mark? I just don't understand.

His eyes were redder than the other wolf's, and he was an inch bigger than the other wolf — this man's wolf. His fur was not pure black, it had a flaw of grey and black mixed together.

As he came close, he kept fighting, and just from watching like a third person, I could tell this wolf was winning. The former man suddenly shifted into his wolf form and ran away, looking back at me with a look that said — _I will be back for you._