Wolfish: Curseborne

by G. K. DeRosa

  “With no pack,” he growled. “She doesn’t get a seat at the table without a pack to represent.”

  Convenient.

  “Is that what you came to ask?”

  “No, not at all. Did you have something to do with the disappearance of Sierra’s mother, Montana Wildstone?” I’d decided on the direct route despite the likelihood that Sonia was listening at the door. I’d hoped to catch my father unaware, and it had paid off. I knew my father well enough to know the shock on his face wasn’t from the woman’s disappearance but rather that I’d questioned his involvement. The look vanished a second later as his alpha mask slid back into place.

  “Why would I have anything to do with that?”

  “I don’t know, Father. You seemed to have taken quite an interest in the newest member of your pack.”

  “As have you.”

  I folded into the chair beside him and willed myself not to think of Sierra. Who knew when he’d start probing my mind. “Why shouldn’t I? She’s the last of the Mystics. A pack we’d all been convinced had long died out. Shouldn’t I be protective of her?”

  He smirked. “Or is there more to it? Are you bedding the pretty little she-wolf?”

  My wolf growled, surging to the surface. It took all my restraint to tamp down on his wild emotions. “That’s none of your business, Father.”

  “For now. But if you ever hope to become supreme alpha, you must find a mate, and I would hope you’re not stupid enough to think Sierra would make a good option.”

  Fury surged through my veins, and I clenched my fingers into tight fists.

  He waved a dismissive hand and snorted. “I know, I know. You’ve made it perfectly clear time and again that you don’t want a mate because of the curse. You’re going to have to get over that.”

  “I can’t!” I shouted, my anger getting the best of me. “I won’t trap someone in a loveless mating. I’d rather forgo my chance at alpha than force a woman to endure that contemptible future. What you did to Mother—”

  Tyrien jumped up and his hand closed around my neck, claws digging into my flesh. “Never speak of her! You know nothing of my relationship with your mother.” His dragon wings unfurled, pitch black drowning the light.

  “I know she was miserable,” I spat and leapt up, wrenching free of his hold. I was growing stronger by the day while he was only weakening. It was only a matter of time before someone stole his supreme alpha title. I smirked at the thought.

  He stepped back, loosed a sharp breath and his wings receded. “This conversation is over.”

  I stood and closed the distance between us. I remembered a time when my father towered over me, his all-powerful presence overwhelming. I was so scared of him as a child. Now I stood taller by a few inches, and I feared him no more because there was nothing else he could take away from me.

  Until now. Sierra’s face flashed across my mind. Her intense violet eyes, the perfect pout of her lips, the small line between her brows that crinkled when I denied her.

  Tyrien barked out a laugh, snapping me from my musings. “Oh gods, Hunter. Your ludicrous wolf has chosen her as his mate.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest and ground my jaw. “No, he hasn’t. I haven’t.” I paused and drew in a calming breath. “You’re right, Father, we’re sleeping together. That’s all. Just like with all the females, I feel nothing for her. She’s nothing more than a scratching post to my ravenous male urges.”

  He eyed me, his dark brow lifting into an incredulous arch.

  “Now, I’ll ask one more time, do you have any idea where Sierra’s mother may be? She went missing yesterday, and I know wolves have gotten to her. They’re the same rogues that attacked Sierra.”

  He laced his fingers behind his back and sneered. “I have no idea, son.”

  I grunted and turned to the fireplace, to the dancing flames. I took a second to gather my thoughts before turning back to face him. “If it had been you, why would you have taken her?”

  My father waggled his finger at me and flashed me a ferocious smile. “Perhaps it was to protect our people from the re-emergence of the Mystics.”

  “Why would her mother have anything to do with that?

  He shrugged. “One can only guess.”

  “The rumors are true then, Father, you did slaughter the Mystics, didn’t you?”

  “I did what I had to in order to protect my people.”

  My claws dug into my palms as I tried to contain the rage. “And in turn condemned your only son?”

  His eyes narrowed, and he cleared his throat but didn’t utter a word.

  “I figured it out, you know. I finally understand why I was cursed. It was because of you and what you did to the Mystics. Wasn’t it?”

  My father’s lips pressed into an unbending line. The color in his cheeks waned, and a sickly pallor blanketed his harsh features. “I did what was right for my people. I never thought that damned witch would come after my family.”

  Adrenaline shot through my veins, and my heart catapulted against my ribs. “Who was she?”

  He waved a nonchalant hand. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve told you before she’s dead.”

  “It does matter!” I howled. Fur sprouted over my arms, and my fangs lengthened. “Tell. Me. Her. Name.”

  “Hyacinth. She was the leader of the Lune Sacré. She was obsessed with the Mystic Pack, spent more time with them than her own coven. She fought to save them as if they were her own children. I should’ve killed her myself before I finished off the pack.” His hard expression softened for an instant, and he took a step toward me. “I tried everything to break the curse. It’s not possible, Aristaeus. You need to accept it. Find a mate and use her power to make you stronger. Continuing the Dragos bloodline is all that matters now.”

  I clucked my teeth, slowly shaking my head. “I see. Breaking the curse is so important to you not for my happiness, but to ensure a strong alpha.” I whirled toward the door and stomped out. My father didn’t even try to stop me.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Sierra

  Hunter stalked toward me with venom spewing through the bond. All eyes in the subterranean Lunar Lounge trained on the approaching beta. All night I’d gotten surges of anger through our connection, but when I’d asked him about it, he’d insisted he was fine. He never returned last night, which pissed me off a little especially after he’d said he’d gotten nowhere with his father. I had stupidly hoped he would return so we could come up with a plan. Instead, Vander had kept me company, and I’d drilled him with questions all night. With his SIA background, he was a wealth of knowledge on all things Azar. Too bad he didn’t know how to break curses or find mysterious covens who seemed to have disappeared off the face of the earth. Cass’s tracking spell had yielded zero results.

  “What are you doing here?” he growled, the force of his words sending me a few steps back so I hit the door of my private changing room.

  “What do you mean what am I doing here?”

  “I thought I made it perfectly clear that with everything going on it was too dangerous for you to continue with the trials.”

  Oh, right. He had lectured me over our mental link on why continuing in the competition was suicide. “I never agreed on quitting,” I countered.

  He pinned me to the door with his dark glare. “I assumed anyone in their right mind would heed my warning.” He lowered his voice and leaned closer. “When Vander told me you ran off this morning, I nearly lost it.”

  My bad. I sent Vander for coffee and headed straight for the arena. “I thought it was more of a suggestion than a command.” I shot him a smirk. I knew how much it irritated the proud alpha heir that his wolfish powers didn’t work on me. The fear reflected in his golden irises zapped the fun right out of teasing him. I stood on my tiptoes and whispered in his ear, “I can’t stay at home doing nothing, Hunter. Not while my mom is out there somewhere. At least the competition will take my mind off of how useless I feel.”

  “I
told you I’m working on it,” he murmured back. “But I can tell you one thing, getting yourself killed in the trials because you’re distracted isn’t going to bring your mom back.”

  “That’s why I have you to protect me, right?” I gave him my sweetest smile and ran my finger down his chest. He shuddered at my touch and my inner wolf awoke, her furry head grazing my insides. A deep purr rumbled my ribcage.

  “There’s only so much I can do with the eyes of the entire valley on us. My father’s already getting suspicious.”

  My eyes widened. That was news he hadn’t shared. I wanted to ask for more details, but he pressed his finger to his lips. Too many witnesses. So I returned to our heated discussion. “Anyway, it’s only the second round. Ransom said things don’t get dicey until the third or fourth.”

  He muttered a curse through clenched teeth. “I don’t know why you even listen to him.”

  Approaching footsteps forced Hunter back a step, and I inhaled a breath untainted by his distracting warm vanilla scent.

  “Is this a private party or can anyone join?” Ransom cocked a brow and leaned on the locker adjacent to my door. His skintight crimson suit stretched over his perfect form.

  “We were just talking about my mom,” I whispered.

  “Still nothing from Lucien.” He’d texted me a few times yesterday after he’d sniffed around his father’s chambers. “I don’t want to confront him about it directly because it would only make matters worse if he really is involved.” He turned to Hunter. “How about you? Any luck with the supreme alpha?”

  My reluctant mate grunted. “He claims he knows nothing.” He glanced around the room at the half a dozen curious gazes slanted in our direction. “Anyway, now is not the time to talk about this.” He spun toward the door with the Dragos crest emblazoned in the wood. “I’ll see you out there.”

  I nodded and turned back to Ransom. “So what’s on the agenda for today? Poison dart throwing? Walking on hot coals? Sword fighting?”

  “Nothing quite so barbaric, Violet.” He grinned, flashing a pair of pointy incisors. “In the second round, we’re allowed to shift so many of the events will involve our wolves.”

  It was a good thing I’d been guzzling Terra’s magical potion every morning to conceal my lavender glow. “But we can’t use our special powers yet, right?”

  “Nope, not until the third round.”

  Phew. Another week to figure out how to coax my nonexistent magic out. “Okay, so what are we doing today?”

  He ran his tongue over his sharp fang, and a drop of blood fell to his bottom lip. “Today we hunt.”

  I gulped at the wicked gleam in his eye. This couldn’t be good.

  Ransom slung his arm over my shoulder and pulled me into his side. “Relax, little wolf, stick with me and you’ll be fine.”

  We stood at the edge of the forest, the air thick with testosterone. Dozens of wolves were sprawled out awaiting instructions from the male attendant standing in the shade of the towering pines. A massive wooden crate sat beside him with a few quarter-sized holes drilled into each side. Airholes. What would we be hunting today?

  I pawed at the earth, anxious to run, to flee. With so many dominant wolves crammed together, the tension was palpable. It was like standing at the mouth of a volcano, counting down the seconds for it to erupt. We’d lost a few competitors in the first round but not many. Most of the lesser pack alphas and betas were still in the running. I hoped that would change after this round. The less competition the better.

  Hunter’s massive black wolf stood on one side of me and Ransom’s gray beast on the other. My mate wasn’t happy with his proximity, but I’d done my best to convince him that two wolves protecting me were better than one.

  The man raised his hands, silencing the muttered whines and growls. “Attention, please. For today’s competition, you will be on the hunt for a pack of gora bora demons.” Sharp howls rang out over his words, rippling through the quiet. “There are ten demons and thirty-seven of you. That means there will be ten winners. Points will be given based on speed, the maximum amount awarded to the first wolf that brings me a head.” More excited howls and yelps broke through his speech. “In case any of you are not familiar with gora bora demons, their saliva is toxic. A few drops will paralyze you, more than that could kill you.” He paused, letting his words sink in. “The healers have several antidotes ready to go, but I’d recommend avoiding the whole nasty business if possible. If you are hit, you have approximately ninety minutes to secure the cure before death becomes unavoidable.”

  Seriously? Poisonous demons? I glared at Ransom and growled. I wished we shared a pack mind link so I could yell at him. Instead, I broadcasted to Hunter, I thought the second round was supposed to be easy?

  It is.

  Oh my gods, I was never going to survive this. Maybe my revenge plan on Tyrien had been overly confident. My mom’s face flashed across my mind, and I steeled my nerves. No, I had to do this. Stealing the high alpha title from under the supreme alpha’s nose was the best vengeance I could find. I had no idea how I’d do it, but I’d find a way.

  I couldn’t consider what that meant for Hunter. Or more importantly, what that meant for us.

  We’ll stay together, he continued. Gora boras are pack animals, like we are. We’ll find them, kill them and get out before anything happens.

  So you’ve killed one of these demons before?

  No, but I have felt the effects of their poison. He paused and darkness blanketed our connection. He’d shut me off, and I knew exactly why. He was reliving the past, reliving the tortures of his first time in the trials.

  A horn blasted through our conversation, and the lid of the enormous crate creaked open. A horde of gorilla-like creatures darted into the forest. A second horn sounded a few seconds later, and Hunter nudged me in the shoulder with his big muzzle. Go!

  I darted between the mass of furry, snarling bodies, keeping an eye on Hunter beside me. Ransom remained at my right as we entered the forest, and wolves began to split off in different directions.

  The gora boras were fast, much faster than their lumbering ape-like forms portrayed. The pack of demons separated, vanishing in the dense underbrush before we’d gotten far into the woods. I sniffed the air, trying to catch onto their scent but with all the wolves around and dozens of woodland creatures scurrying about I had a hard time deciphering.

  Wolf-Ransom lifted his nose and let out a howl. He took off toward the right, and Hunter sped after him. Okay, then, guess that’s where we’re going. My wolf was having a hard time focusing, excitement pounded through my veins at the run, the thrill of the chase. I could barely rein her in. For the first time ever, I wasn’t in control.

  My claws sank into the moist earth, propelling me forward with each powerful thrust of my hindquarters. I darted between the trees, over narrow streams and across fallen debris as the tantalizing scents of the forest awakened the beast within. Ransom and Hunter were a few lengths in front of me, but despite my brain’s best efforts, my instinct had taken over. I knew what I should be doing, but I couldn’t get my wolf to listen.

  An interesting scent caught my attention and I veered off the path, slowing. I lowered my nose to the ground and sniffed as I kept moving toward the mouthwatering fragrance. Licking my lips, I drifted deeper into the woods.

  Sierra? Sierra, get back here! Hunter’s voice echoed through my mind, his beta power calling to me.

  I lifted my head and scanned the suddenly silent forest. Shift! How did I get so far away from them?

  Sierra, watch out!

  A dark form leapt out from behind an enormous trunk and lunged for me. Long, human-like fingers reached for my throat. I barely darted out of the way in time. The gora bora streaked past me before spinning back to launch a second attack.

  Glistening fangs dripping with saliva blotted out my vision. My wolf growled and took a measured step back. Wolf-Hunter shot from between the thick copse of trees and planted himself bet
ween the salivating demon and me. A deep snarl ripped from his mouth, showcasing sharp fangs.

  Stay behind me. Hunter stalked closer to the growling beast. The gora bora was big, but nowhere near the size of my mate. The demon hissed, and venom sprayed in a wide arc. Watch out!

  Hunter leapt to the right and I darted to the left, narrowly missing the venomous bath. I pushed myself up and shook out my fur. Hunter was a few yards away behind a towering oak. Are you okay?

  Fine. You?

  I scanned my white fur, but there was no gora bora spit in sight. Yeah, I think so. Glancing back at the small clearing, a gigantic rock sank to the bottom of my gut. It was gone.

  Hunter crept closer, obviously noticing what I had. His ears flickered to the left and right as he noiselessly moved toward me. For such a gigantic wolf, he was insanely graceful. I hoped I could master that one day.

  When he reached me, his big wolf nuzzled my shoulder before creeping up to my muzzle. He licked my face, and a rumble shook my ribcage. Never go off by yourself like that again.

  I didn’t mean to. She was so excited I couldn’t control her.

  He huffed out a wolfish snort. We’ll have to work on that in your training.

  I dipped my head for a second before nuzzling his ear. His scent clung to my nostrils, and now my wolf was excited about something else. I jumped up onto my hind legs and pawed at his back.

  A low chuckle reverberated through my mind. Now is not the time, Sierra. You have to focus.

  I let out a grunt. Fine, fine. Now where to?

  Ransom was tracking a pair of gora boras. Let me check where he’s at. The sooner we get you out of this game the better. His eyes glazed over, and I assumed he was chatting with Ransom through the link. A moment later the haze cleared, and his golden irises settled on mine. Follow me. He thinks he’s got the demons trapped. He just needs some help to kill them.