The Alpha's Cursed Mate

CHAPTER TWO:GOLD EYES AND BLOODY HANDS

RYKER’S POV

Everything started coming back in fragments. The pain, the heavy downpour of rain, the memory of being attacked and the sharp bite of silver burning under my skin.

I woke with a snarl trapped in my throat, every single nerve in my body screamed danger. Then it hit me. The mate bond slammed into me, painful and undeniable. It flooded my veins with something I hadn’t felt in years. I felt hunger, need and terror.

My eyes snapped open and were burned by the harsh light above me. The scent of antiseptic hit my nose almost immediately. I looked around me, this wasn’t the forest. And I was being treated?

Then my eyes rested on her. She was human. She leaned over me, her handles laid gentle on the gashes across my ribs. The scent of her blood made my whole body burn.

A low, feral growl ripped from my chest.

“You should’ve let me die”

Before I could form another thought my body moved on pure alpha reflex. My hands shot out and my fingers wrapped around her throat tightly, making her struggle for air. I pinned her to the wall. I could feel her pulse hammering widely under my palm but she didn’t struggle anymore. She just looked at me wide-eyed, no panic, nothing.

I relaxed a bit and then she moved.

Her knee drove up hard and fast between my legs with a surprisingly huge force. I staggered backward, pain exploding violently through my whole body. My grip on her neck loosened just enough for her to twist free. She stumbled back a little, breathing hard but she didn’t run. I could see her observing me, trying to calculate her next move. She glared at me like I was a wounded animal she refused to fear.

For her human, she sure was courageous.

“Touch me again. I dare you!”

Dare?

I stared at her wide-eyed. Did this girl just dare me?

Me.

Ryker Kane. The Alpha leader of the shadow pack.

I chuckled, even in the immense pain I was feeling and I could see her confused expression. I attempted to take a step closer to her and she became even more apprehensive.

“I’m warning you. Touch me again and I’ll make sure your wounds stay opened” She said again, her voice low and steady. That courage, that fearlessness. It had an effect on me. It cracked something deep inside my hardened chest.

Suddenly I became light headed and staggered backwards, the kitchen tilting around me. Blood everywhere, my blood. The silver residue from the hunters bullet was still leaching in my system, it was slowing down my healing, turning any slight movement I made into fire. But beneath all the pain and agony her scent wrapped around me like a forbidden entity.

It was warm, clean and untainted. But it was also deadly.

Then it hit me. It was her.

She was the one the curse had marked. I stared at her in horror.

“No”. The words escaped my mouth without me even realising it.

She looked confused and almost… concerned. Still she armed herself with a kitchen knife.

“Are you okay? What’s happening and why did you attack me? I was just trying to help you”. Her voice was laced with fear, even though she tried to hide it.

“You don’t know what you’ve done”. I said again in utter terror.

She was the fated mate the Shadow pack’s fractured bond has been waiting to destroy. Bringing me here was only the beginning of the chain. The darkness that followed my kind would come for her too.

“No. No. No” I said, staggering back, almost falling.

“What is wrong with you?”. She gripped the knife tightly as she stared at me even more confused.

“You don’t understand do you. You don’t know what you’ve brought upon yourself, woman. You don’t know who you’ve brought into your home”. I continued as I moved closer to her. My eyes glowing violently.

“Death. That is what I am. That is what you’ve brought upon yourself.”

“You’re crazy. You- you need to leave here now!”. She said as she pointed the knife at me.

I’d gladly leave. She would be better off if I wasn’t here.

I tried to walk out. The silver in my system made it hard to move. Then I felt the bond tighten as I tried to get away from her. I needed to leave. Before the pack sensed the connection and came hunting her down.

My legs betrayed me and I crashed to the floor.

“Oh dear”. I heard her voice followed by the sound of the kitchen knife falling to the ground.

I tilted my head a bit and saw her body standing over mine. I could see that she was too afraid to help me again. That was smart.

“A-are you okay?” Her voice was soft and compassionate. How? How could she show concern when I just tried to kill her? If the pack senses and finds her they’d kill her without any effort. I could feel my claws pricking my fingertips.

“You should’ve let me die.”

Her face was a mixture of concern, horror and confusion.

“I’m calling the ambulance and the police. You’re crazy and you’re spouting nonsense”

“You have to run! You’re… you’re already cursed.” My claws extended fully involuntarily. My bones started breaking within me, it felt like I was shifting, or maybe I was dying.

I stared at her frantically dialing a number on her phone. My fiery gold eyes locked on hers. The mate bond pulsed between us, demanding and painful. I knew she could feel it too.

“You… you have to run”. My voice was strained.

The last thing I saw before the pain enveloped my whole body and the shift continued was her face. Brave, beautiful and innocent. She had no idea about the impending doom she had unleashed on herself.

She should’ve just let me die.