The Cursed Awakening book 1

The Return of the Future Alpha Beep. Beep. Beep. The sharp, relentless blare of my 5 AM alarm slices through the silence, dragging me from the haze of restless dreams. My body protests as I groggily reach over to silence it, but before I can, my bedroom door bursts open. "Hey, worm, get up!" Reid, my ever exuberant older brother, barks as he leans against the doorframe with his usual smug grin. "Future Alpha Jason is back, and Dad wants us on the training grounds 15 minutes early to meet him!" I groan, pulling the blanket over my head in defiance. "Can I just have five minutes? Please?" "No, worm. Dad said it’s important, and you know how he gets when we’re late." His tone hardens slightly, though the smirk remains. "Now, get your flat ass up and get dressed. You don’t want Jason’s first impression of you to be that you’re lazy." At the mention of Jason, my heart does an annoying little flip. I shove the blanket aside and glare at Reid, trying to mask the sudden rush of nerves. Future Alpha Jason. The boy I’d grown up with, the one who left two years ago for Alpha training, was back. Only, he wasn’t a boy anymore. "Fine, I’m up," I mutter, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. "But did you really have to insult my ass at the crack of dawn?" By the time I make it to the training field at 5:30 AM, the crisp morning air bites at my skin. The field is alive with energy despite the early hour. Rows of elite warriors and high-ranking shifters, divided into four groups of fifty, stretch across the vast grounds, each section meticulously organized. This was no ordinary training. This was where the strongest among us was that the future of the pack was forged. Boys and girls started here at age ten, two years before they received their wolves, though the training was brutal even for pups. Most Alpha- and Beta-blooded children received their wolves at ten and shifted for the first time at sixteen, but the expectations here were relentless. Failure wasn’t an option. I take my place among the younger trainees, my muscles already aching in anticipation. My father, Beta Gregory, watches from the sidelines, his stern gaze, a silent reminder to give everything I have. The drills begin promptly, and the air fills with the sounds of exertion and grunts, feet pounding against the earth, and the barked commands of our instructors. Every task is designed to push us beyond our limits, honing our strength, speed, and endurance. By 7 AM, sweat drips from my brow, and my arms burn from the relentless repetition of combat drills. Just as I’m starting to feel the strain, a ripple of excitement runs through the field. Heads turn, whispers spread, and I know without looking who has arrived. Jason. The future Alpha steps onto the field like he owns it, and maybe he does. At twenty, Jason has grown into his role, and it shows. His tall, broad-shouldered frame exudes strength and authority, and his movements are purposeful, like a predator stalking his prey. His dark hair is tousled, as if he’d just rolled out of bed, but his piercing blue eyes are sharp, scanning the field with an intensity that commands respect. Even now, as the daughter of the Beta, I feel the weight of his presence. He’s an Alpha in every sense of the word, yet there’s something missing. His mate. At twenty, Jason has yet to find her, and though it’s not unusual for Alphas to meet their mates later, the whispers have already started. Some say the Moon Goddess is saving someone special for him; others wonder if his fated mate is a rogue or perhaps not even alive. I can’t imagine what it must feel like, knowing your destiny is out there but just out of reach. Jason strides across the field, his eyes briefly meeting mine. My heart skips a beat, I curse him, and I quickly look away, pretending to focus on my form. “Alright, everyone, back to your stations!” his voice booms, commanding instant obedience. As the training continues under his watchful gaze, I can’t help but wonder what his return will mean for all of us and for me. Jason strides toward my sparring group, his commanding presence impossible to ignore. My heart pounds harder with each step he takes, and I try to focus on my breathing, unwilling to let him see how nervous I am. As the final two pairs finish their matches, the sharp whistle from my father cuts through the air. “Training is over! Go get cleaned up and grab some breakfast!” Dad calls, his voice carrying easily across the field. Relieved, I grab my water bottle and towel, eager to escape the lingering tension. As I turn to leave, a familiar voice stops me in my tracks. “Worm? Is that you?” I freeze for a moment, my stomach doing a flip. I know that voice. Slowly, I turn to face him. Jason stands there, a small smirk playing on his lips, his piercing blue eyes fixed on me. He looks older and more confident, but that teasing tone is exactly how I remember it. “Oh, hey, Jay. Long time no see,” I say, keeping my voice casual despite the nerves fluttering in my chest. Jason’s smirk deepens. “You’re telling me, Worm. Come here, give me a hug.” Before I can think of a reason to refuse, he pulls me into a warm, firm embrace. His arms wrap around me, and I’m momentarily caught off guard by how solid he feels. The familiar scent of cedarwood and something uniquely Jason washes over me, and for a moment, the world fades. I shouldn’t. I really shouldn’t. But I lean in just a little, inhaling the comforting scent that stirs something deep inside me. The hug lingers far too long to be casual. When I finally pull back, my cheeks are flushed, and my heart is racing. Jason seems unaffected, though there’s a glimmer of something in his eyes is it amusement, curiosity, or perhaps something deeper. “Still a bookworm, huh?” he teases, his voice softer now. I roll my eyes, trying to act unaffected. “Some things never change. And apparently, neither do you.” He chuckles, the sound low and rich. “Oh, I’ve changed, Worm. Trust me.” For a moment, neither of us says anything. The sounds of the field fade into the background as we stand there, an unspoken tension crackling between us. Whatever this is, it feels like a line I’m not sure I want to cross. Finally, Jason clears his throat, breaking the spell. “It’s good to see you again, Worm. It's really good.” “You too, Jay,” I manage, my voice barely above a whisper. As he walks away, I watch him, a mixture of emotions swirling in my chest. Seeing Jason again feels like the start of something I can’t quite name, but I have a feeling it’s going to change everything.