Thirty days to seduce the cursed Alpha

Nadia jolted awake, a strangled breath escaping her lips as she sat upright in bed. Sweat clung to her skin, dampening her nightshirt and plastering strands of ginger hair to her forehead. Her heart pounded wildly against her ribs, each beat so violent it felt as though it were trying to break free from her chest. Her trembling fingers immediately sought the moonstone pendant hanging around her neck. The smooth stone was cool beneath her touch, a stark contrast to the heat consuming her body. It had belonged to her mother. Before dying while giving birth to twin daughters, their mother had gifted each of them a moonstone pendant, a promise that no matter where life carried them, they would never truly be apart. The irony of that promise nearly broke her every time she remembered it. Because Talia was gone. And had been gone for two years. Kidnapped by the ruthless Alpha Lockwood. Stories about him spread across every pack like wildfire. They called him worse than the devil himself. A monster cursed by the Moon Goddess. An Alpha so terrifying that even his own pack trembled in his presence. Some claimed he had murdered his mate. Others whispered that the Moon Goddess had punished him by turning him into something hideous, forcing him to hide behind a mask. Every night, Nadia prayed for one thing. Let him die. Let him choke on his curse. And let her sister come home. Sleep was impossible now. She threw back the covers and walked into the kitchen, where the tiles were cold beneath her bare feet and pulled a bottle of water from the refrigerator. The moment she looked up, her chest tightened. Photographs covered the fridge door. There was one of her and Talia on their sixteenth birthday, their identical smiles stretched wide as they held a cake between them. Another showed them at the Moon Festival, their arms wrapped around each other beneath glowing lanterns. There were pictures of picnics, training sessions, and lazy afternoons spent laughing until their stomachs hurt. Every memory on that refrigerator was a reminder of what she had lost. The water bottle slipped from her hand and rolled across the floor. A tear slid down her cheek. Then another. Her legs gave out beneath her, and she sank onto the cold tiles, clutching the pendant so tightly that its edges dug painfully into her palm. Grief washed over her in familiar waves, suffocating and merciless. She had spent two years searching. Two years hoping. Two years failing. And every day that passed felt like another betrayal of the sister she had sworn to protect. It was at the peak of her despair that her phone buzzed beside her. Nadia blinked through her tears and grabbed it. The notification tone was peculiar to the pack, one reserved for urgent announcements. Her heart skipped. The Alpha had summoned everyone to the hall. She quickly unlocked the screen. **EVERYONE TO THE HALL. THE ALPHA HAS A PRESSING ANNOUNCEMENT.** A surge of hope shot through her. It was foolish. Dangerous, even. But every emergency alert carried the same possibility. Maybe someone had escaped. Maybe scouts had returned with news. Maybe... Maybe Talia had finally been found. She pushed herself off the floor and hastily pulled on a hoodie. Moments later, she was outside, climbing onto her bicycle and pedaling as fast as she could. Most werewolves would have shifted and reached the pack hall in minutes. Nadia couldn't. She hadn't been able to shift since the day her sister was taken. Trauma had broken something inside her, leaving her wolf buried so deep within her that she could barely feel its presence anymore. By the time she reached the hall, she was panting heavily. Sweat dampened her hair and trickled down the back of her neck. She could have sworn she smelled terrible. She didn't care. Several heads turned in her direction as she entered. Some of the stares were annoyed, others judgmental, but she ignored them all. She was here for one reason and one reason only. Hope. No matter how many times it disappointed her, she couldn't stop hoping. "Werewolves of Silvermoon Pack!" Alpha Adam's booming voice echoed through the hall. "We have been insulted! We have endured and we have raged! But the time has come to act. The Demon Alpha has stepped on our tails!" Nadia frowned. Pain and fury radiated from the Alpha's voice. What happened this time? There had been countless abductions over the years. Men, women, even children had disappeared beyond the forbidden woods. The Alpha had never sounded this angry. Whispers spread throughout the hall. Questions bounced from wolf to wolf. Then Alpha Adam raised his hand. "Our Luna has been taken." Silence. A stunned, suffocating silence. Then the hall erupted. Growls filled the air. Eyes glowed. Fangs descended. Hundreds of wolves bared their teeth, fury and fear radiating from every corner of the room. Nadia remained perfectly still. In fact... She was almost amused. Two years ago, she had stood in this very hall and begged these same people for help. She had cried until her throat was raw. She had gritted her teeth so hard her jaw ached. She had clawed at her own skin and knelt in this hall for seven days, pleading for warriors to be sent after her sister and the others who had been taken. No one had listened. The Alpha and the very Luna who had just been abducted had dismissed her. Collateral damage. That was what they had called Talia. Collateral damage. Then they had sent Nadia away like she was an inconvenience. So yes. She was amused. She wasn't the only one, either. A handful of wolves remained silent, their faces cold and unreadable. The ones who had lost family members. The forgotten ones. "Alpha Lockwood must die!" someone shouted. "He must be taught a lesson!" Nadia raised an eyebrow. A bitter laugh nearly escaped her. "Yes! Alpha Lockwood must die!" the crowd roared. This time, a snort actually escaped her. Hypocrites. Their Alpha was powerful, yes, but he only acted when his own interests were threatened. Still... Perhaps she could use this. Whatever mission he planned to rescue his precious Luna might also lead her to Talia. "I need five women to volunteer!" The hall quieted immediately. "We have learned that Alpha Lockwood has a weakness for women. Five volunteers will be trained and sent into his territory. One of you will succeed in seducing him. Gain his trust. Lower his guard. Then rescue our Luna." Five women. An infiltration. An opportunity. Nadia's eyes widened. Before she could think better of it, her mouth moved. "I volunteer!"