The Luna's Curse: The Twisted Bargain

Chapter 2

The Crimson Claw pack.

ALPHA CEZAR'S POV.

I restlessly paced my large privy chamber space as I peered out the window for the nth time. My frustration could be heard through the rhythmic thud of my boots.

This was unlike my mate. She had never stayed out this late. I know that the coven meeting should have been over by now. The sun was already setting, and unease gnawed at me, twisting a knot of worry in my stomach.

Naya was never one to indulge in a lot of chit-chats after meetings. She always made sure to head back to the pack as soon as the meeting was done. Why was today different?

I brushed off a strand of hair from my face. My gaze rested on my palms. They were damp with sweat - a secret only my mate knew about.

I immediately mind-linked Kael, my Beta, "Gather the warriors. We ride out now!" I said without leaving room for argument.

"Alpha, perhaps we should send scouts first. Let's reason-"

I cut him off, "Reason be damned, Kael! My mate is out there, and every passing moment chills me to the bone!" My tone was rough with a raw emotion I rarely displayed, holding a desperate edge.

Kael had tried to calm me down, telling me the Luna was safe, but I wasn't having it anymore. I had a sick feeling in my gut telling me that my mate was in danger and needed me.

I had tried to mind-link her, but all to no avail. She is probably too far away from my reach. The growing unease in my stomach intensified.

I stormed out of my office; my meticulously trimmed, short, dark hair framed the masculine angle of my face.

My broad chest strained against the dark crimson leather jacket I was wearing. Thick straps, adorned with silver wolf heads, crisscrossed my torso, securing the garment and showcasing the impressive breadth of my shoulders - one feature my mate loved so much about me.

My long, muscular legs, sheathed in dark brown breeches that clung to my thighs, propelled me forward with urgent strides.

I brushed back my tousled hair, which fell over the deep, long scar under my left eye as I approached my Beta and the warriors who were already waiting for me.

"Let's go!" I ordered without sparing Kael a glance.

"Alpha Cezar?" I heard Kael call.

I turned my gaze to meet his with a deathly glare, my jaw clenched, thinking it was yet another protest coming from him, but the expression on Kael's face mirrored something different... More like an expression of surprise and confusion.

Kael was staring at something from a distance, making me turn my attention in the direction of Kael's gaze.

I stepped back from my horse, my eyes narrowing on the two figures walking toward the pack.

"Anol? Fynn?" I called out their names as they came closer to the group.

Glancing nervously at the assembled warriors and my tense posture, they mumbled a hesitant greeting, "Alpha..."

I forced a semblance of calm, "Where is the Luna?" I asked, ignoring their greetings as my heart hammered against my ribcage, the question burning a hole in my throat. There must be an explanation for why they returned without the Luna.

Sensing my barely contained fury, Fynn stammered his explanation, "On our way back from the meeting... the Luna... she excused herself." A wave of fear ran through his voice, and I could feel it. "She said she needed... to ease herself."

My jaw clenched so tightly that my teeth threatened to grind together. "But...?" I pressed, my voice a guttural growl.

Fynn visibly shrank under my intense gaze. "We waited for her on the bush path. After a time... we heard her call out from the woods." he cast a nervous glance at me, but I remained silent, my expression unreadable. "She... she asked us to leave her behind. She said there was a certain ritual she needed to carry out alone."

I could hear the loud beating of my own heart. The entire world seemed to have come to a stop, along with Fynn's last words.

"The Luna would never ask to be left alone in the middle of the woods! What lies are you spewing?" Kael thundered at both men, making them cringe in fear.

Anol, the younger one, gulped, "We are sorry, Beta, but when we insisted on waiting, she threatened... she threatened to report us to the Alpha and have our heads on a stake."

A deafening silence fell on all of us.

Their voices trailed off as I felt the world tilt on its axis, a wave of numbness washing over me.

I immediately remembered the dream Naya had before she set out for the meeting.

She was reluctant to go for that meeting, but I encouraged her to go because it would be in the pack's best interest.

"You better pray nothing bad happens to her," I finally managed to speak, my voice hoarse with a barely controlled rage. "Otherwise, you'll pay with your lives." Burning with a dark fire, my eyes held them captive as I counted my words.

In one swift motion, I sat on my horse, "Let's go!"

***

AUTHOR'S POV

Naya's eyelids slowly fluttered open as a harsh white light hit her eyes. They shone so bright, assaulting her vision, forcing her hand up to shield her eyes.

She sat up weakly, trying to adjust her vision to the unfamiliar environment in which she found herself. Panic clawed at her.

"Where am I?" She muttered to herself in confusion as she struggled to lift her body off the floor.

A soft rustle drew her attention to the corner of the room. Her eyes caught a figure standing beside the tall window a few steps away from her. It was a woman dressed in a white cloak. Long, silver hair cascaded down her back like a frozen waterfall. She looked like an alien, for her beauty was out of this world.

"Who are you? Where am I?" She asked as she jerked up in fear.

"My name is Kaiya. The Moon Goddess asked me to welcome you to the afterlife. Welcome home, Naya, you fought a good fight," The beautiful being welcomed Naya with a warm smile.

Naya's breath hitched. "The afterlife?" she echoed, disbelief lacing her voice. The room seemed to tilt, the white walls blurring as a cold dread washed over her. "Am I dead?"

Immediately, she recalled all that happened in the woods - the face of the man who killed her.

Kaiya's smile faltered briefly, a flicker of sadness passing through her moonlight eyes. "Yes, child," she said softly.

A sob escaped Naya's lips, hot and raw. It couldn't be true. She had so much left undone.

"No," she choked out, pushing herself to her feet, the world swaying around her. "This can't be happening. I can't be dead! There is so much I need to go back for; so many enemies surround my mate; I need to warn him, help him, please!" Tears streamed down her face, blurring her vision. Grief, sharp and agonizing, pierced through her heart.

Vengeance burned through her as the twisted smirk of the man who stole her life came replaying in her memory, fueling her rage and desperate need to go back.

Naya couldn't accept the fact that she was dead. She had to take revenge on the man who killed her. With the face of the man she saw, it made her know there were more enemies around the pack. She had to fix the puzzle.

Kaiya looked at her with a gleam of sadness in her eyes. She understood Naya's situation, but she could do little to nothing to help her.

"Dear Naya, I wish there was something I could do to help, but this is beyond my powers. The Moon Goddess alone has the power to grant your request, and this is a very rare request. The Moon Goddess had so much planned for you. You had a great destiny, but it's so sad that your life had to be cut short by those you trusted," Kaiya explained calmly as Naya listened with tears in her eyes.

"Please, Kaiya, I'll do anything to be able to go back. I'm ready to give anything, please." Naya went on with her pleas, but she was welcomed with silence.

Kaiya felt her pain, but this was beyond her. She knew Naya was a woman of great destiny. One of the reasons the Moon Goddess mated her to one of the most powerful Alphas ever known.

"I'm sorry, Naya, but I can't help you. You have to accept your fate," With that said, Kaiya turned around and disappeared into the blinding light.

"No, I have to do something," Naya muttered to herself with shakey hands.