THE ALPHA'S CURSED MATE

Chapter 4 – Secrets and Prophecy

I woke in the same cabin, but the light outside was softer — morning. My shoulder throbbed, but the burning had dulled to a low ache.

The air was thick with the smell of herbs. An older man sat at the table, his silver hair tied back, long fingers grinding something in a bowl. His eyes, sharp and knowing, lifted to meet mine.

“You’re awake,” he said, voice deep and calm. “Good. We nearly lost you.”

“Who are you?”

“Elder Corvin,” he said simply. “The pack’s historian… and the only one who can tell you what you’ve become.”

I shifted uneasily. “Rylan said something about a curse—”

Corvin’s expression turned grave. “The Cursed Mate. A woman born under the wrong moon, bound to the Alpha by fate… but fated to destroy him. It’s an old prophecy, one most hoped would never come true.”

My stomach knotted. “And you think that’s me?”

His gaze didn’t waver. “You were bitten under the Blood Moon, and yet you live. That alone makes you different. The bond will grow stronger now. You’ll feel his presence in your bones, his emotions in your own heart. And one day… you’ll have to choose whether to save him or kill him.”

I shook my head. “No. I don’t believe in destiny.”

“You will,” Corvin said simply. “And sooner than you think.”

The door banged open, and Rylan strode in. His eyes swept over me, scanning for injuries, and only when he saw I was upright did his shoulders ease.

“You should be resting,” he said.

“I want to go home,” I said firmly.

His jaw tightened. “You are home.”

I glared at him. “You can’t keep me here—”

“Yes, I can,” he cut in, stepping closer until I could feel the heat of him. “Because out there, the rogues will kill you. In here, the only danger… is me.”