The Alpha’s Cursed Bride

The fortress was unnervingly quiet. The usual murmurs of the pack, the echo of footsteps in the halls, even the faint howls from the forest beyond—everything seemed to have fallen silent. Alison sat cross-legged on her cot, her gaze fixed on the glowing mark on her shoulder. The light had dimmed, but the intricate patterns still pulsed faintly, as if alive.

Her mind raced. The mark had changed everything. It wasn't just a symbol; it was a beacon, a target painted on her back. Kane's warning about the hunters now carried a weight she couldn't ignore.

A soft knock broke the silence. Alison tensed, instinctively reaching for the staff leaning against the wall. "Who is it?"

"It's Lyra," came the familiar voice. "Can I come in?"

Alison hesitated before standing and opening the door. Lyra stepped inside, her usual confidence tempered by something softer—concern, maybe.

"You okay?" Lyra asked, her gaze flicking to Alison's shoulder.

Alison shrugged, leaning back against the door. "Define 'okay.' I have a glowing mark on my body, apparently everyone wants to kill me, and I'm stuck in the middle of a war I don't understand. So, no. I'm not okay."

Lyra smirked faintly, though there was no humor in it. "Fair enough."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Lyra leaned against the wall, crossing her arms as she studied Alison. "You're stronger than you think, you know."

Alison let out a bitter laugh. "You sound like Kane."

Lyra's smirk faded. "He's not wrong. You've been through hell, and you're still standing. Most people would've broken by now."

"I don't feel strong," Alison admitted, her voice quieter. "I feel… lost."

Lyra pushed off the wall, her expression softening. "That's normal. But if you let it consume you, the hunters will win before the battle even begins."

Alison frowned. "Why are you telling me this? I thought you didn't even like me."

Lyra tilted her head, considering. "Maybe I don't. But that doesn't mean I want to see you fail."

Before Alison could respond, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the hallway. Lyra straightened, her sharp gaze snapping to the door as it swung open. Darius stood there, his face set in grim determination.

"They're here," he said.

Alison's stomach dropped. "The hunters?"

Darius nodded. "A small group. Scouts, most likely. But they're closer than ever."

Lyra swore under her breath. "How far?"

"Less than a mile," Darius said. "Kane wants everyone in the courtyard. Now."

Alison glanced at Lyra, her heart racing. "What do we do?"

"We fight," Lyra said simply. "Or we die."

The courtyard buzzed with tension as the pack gathered, their expressions grim and resolute. Kane stood at the center, his commanding presence drawing every gaze. He held a map in one hand, the other resting on the hilt of a blade at his side.

"They're testing us," Kane began, his voice carrying across the courtyard. "Scouts sent to gauge our defenses. If we let them escape, they'll bring the full force of the hunters down on us."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd, but Kane's sharp gaze silenced them. "We cannot allow that. We deal with them here and now."

Alison stood at the edge of the group, her hands clenched into fists. She felt out of place among the wolves, their confidence and experience a stark contrast to her own uncertainty. But as Kane's eyes scanned the crowd, they landed on her.

"Alison," he said, his tone firm but not unkind. "You're coming with us."

Her stomach twisted. "What? Why?"

"You need to see this," Kane replied. "You need to understand the stakes."

Alison opened her mouth to argue, but the intensity in his gaze stopped her. He wasn't asking. He was ordering.

The forest was alive with the sound of movement. Alison followed closely behind Kane, her heart pounding with every step. Lyra and Darius flanked them, their senses sharp as they scanned the shadows.

"How will we know when we're close?" Alison whispered.

"You'll feel it," Lyra replied, her voice low. "The hunters carry an energy. It's impossible to miss."

Alison frowned but didn't press further. The forest grew darker, the air heavier, until even she could feel it—a strange, oppressive presence that made her skin crawl.

Kane raised a hand, signaling for them to stop. He pointed ahead, where faint flickers of light danced through the trees. Alison squinted, her breath catching as she spotted the source—three figures moving silently through the underbrush, their movements precise and purposeful.

"The scouts," Darius murmured.

Kane nodded. "We take them quietly. No mistakes."

Before Alison could process what was happening, the wolves moved. Kane shifted seamlessly into his wolf form, his dark fur blending into the shadows as he darted forward. Lyra and Darius followed, their movements swift and silent.

Alison stayed frozen, her grip tightening on the dagger Kane had pressed into her hand before they left the fortress. She watched as the wolves closed in on the hunters, their attack coordinated and lethal.

One hunter fell instantly, Kane's powerful jaws closing around his throat. The second managed to fire a shot from his crossbow, the bolt narrowly missing Darius before Lyra brought him down with a vicious swipe of her claws. The third turned to run, but Alison's gaze locked onto him.

Don't let them escape. Kane's words echoed in her mind.

Without thinking, she stepped forward, her pulse roaring in her ears. The hunter spotted her, his eyes narrowing as he raised his weapon. Alison's body moved on instinct, the dagger slicing through the air as she lunged. The blade found its mark, and the hunter staggered back, the weapon falling from his hands.

Alison stood over him, her chest heaving as the adrenaline coursed through her veins. She had no time to process what she'd done before Kane approached, shifting back into his human form.

"You hesitated," he said, his tone sharp.

"I—" Alison began, but Kane cut her off.

"Next time, don't," he said. "Hesitation will get you killed."

Alison bit her lip, the weight of his words settling over her like a stone. She looked down at the hunter, the reality of her actions finally hitting her. She had fought back. She had survived.

But at what cost?