Chapter 0003

Miguel

I wondered why Alpha King Caleb had invited me to the pack house. Had something happened? He only ever allowed me into the pack when he needed my help. Were the rogues loose again?

Lately, they’d been around the pack's borders. I could hold them off but couldn't stop them from coming continually in their multitudes.

I did a perimeter check to be sure no rogue dared follow me into the pack. Once I was convinced that there were none, I hopped into my car and drove off.

It was too late to be out. Not that I was scared. I simply wanted to postpone my arrival at the Eclipse Pack until the following day. But Caleb wouldn't have it, and I couldn't decline his invitation. Besides, I owed him my life.

After the demise of Alpha King Elijah, my life became worse than that of a forgotten rock. He had adopted me when I was younger. I couldn’t vividly remember my childhood before Alpha King Elijah saved me, but when I thought hard about it, I always had a blurry hallucination of two people: a man and woman holding my hands. I’d often wondered if they were my parents.

Regardless, the alpha king trained me as his own son, and I had lived a royal life, though I hadn’t been worthy of such a privilege. I had been happy, content—until he passed away.

Before he did, he made me promise never to contend for the alpha king position. I supposed he knew I would be a curse and a plague to his pack at the end.

I thought I could still be happy living in the alpha's mansion, but as soon as Caleb became Alpha King, the entire pack went against me and rumored me to be cursed. Initially, I was enraged. But as time went on, I began to believe I really was cursed.

All the she-wolves I ever courted died mysteriously. So for the sake of the pack’s lives, I had to live at the borders of the pack. Since the only thing I attracted was death, I might be a good way to scare off the rogues.

Thanks to Caleb, Alpha King Elijah's son and successor, I wasn't stoned or burned to death, and I could still visit the pack but only when he invited me.

My engine reared as I drove past the gates of the mansion, and I thought wistfully of my time living there. But then, the past must remain in the past.

I got out of my car, admiring my former home. In a way, it still felt like home to me, but I was forbidden from saying such a thing. Some of the mansion guards passed me, and I ignored their spiteful looks as I marched into the mansion, eager to learn why Caleb wanted to see me.

"There you are," he said loudly, welcoming me into the mansion with open arms. He might be the alpha king, but he was still my younger brother, though not biologically.

"Did you miss me so much you waited at the door?" I joked as I received his hug. He was the only one I could still laugh around, even if only a little.

"Well, what can I say? It's not the same without your presence." He smiled a small smile, but then it vanished, the air becoming heavy with tension. “What are you wearing?” he asked.

My brow furrowed, wondering why he was asking. “I don’t see anything wrong with—”

“Never mind,” he said with a wave. “Cyrus!” he yelled to one of the mansion servants.

Cyrus entered immediately like he had been lurking nearby, waiting for Caleb to call him. He had been my personal servant as a child when I was still living under the privileges of Alpha Elijah. “My King.” The dirty blond-haired man gave Caleb a curt bow.

“Clean him up and ensure he looks presentable. If possible, make him look like a king,” Caleb instructed Cyrus.

Cyrus nodded, but the creases in my brow deepened. “Why would I need to look like a king?” I asked.

“You’ll see.” Caleb smiled and walked away.

As instructed, Cyrus did make me look like a king. Even I couldn’t recognize myself after he’d finished with me.

Caleb had arranged for the drivers to take us somewhere but in different cars, likely so I wouldn’t ask him more questions. As we traveled, I recognized the route. We were headed to the Mistwood Pack. I remained confused, not understanding why Caleb would have me accompany him there.

Once we stopped, I rushed out of the car and went straight to Caleb. “What is this about?” I asked.

“Didn’t you catch a hint already?”

I hadn’t. Not even a little. I shook my head.

“You’re getting married, brother!” he said with excitement.

“What?” My eyes grew wide. “That can’t be,” I said in barely a whisper, trying to comprehend. “You cannot do this to me,” I said. How could he possibly suggest I get married despite my curse?

“Look Miguel, I know—”

“You don’t know anything,” I said too loudly. “Seven wolves already died because of me. What more proof do you need that I should never be with anyone?” He had matched me with the last two wolves I courted. Both eventually died.

“Miguel, I know what you’ve gone through, but you need to put the past behind. It’s the only way to enjoy your present.”

He’d said that before, and I was tired of hearing it. How was I to move on from every ill fate that had befallen me? My life had been a wreck, and he dared ask me to put it in the past?

“And who’s ignorant enough to marry me even after knowing my identity?” I asked, unable to imagine anyone fool enough to marry me, knowing about my curse and the evil it brought upon those around me.

“The beta’s daughter. You’ll be married to the beta’s daughter, Miguel,” he said with pride.

I assumed she felt she was doing me a favor and had probably been bragging about it to the rest of her pack. Little did she know she was doing herself more harm that she could ever imagine by being close to me.

“You didn’t even ask me about this,” I said, still talking too loudly in my disbelief.

“It doesn’t matter, Miguel. What matters most is that you—”

“How can you say it doesn’t matter? That my feelings on it don’t matter?”

“Look, I’m trying to help you, okay? How could you decide to be a lone wolf?”

“Nobody cares if I’m a lone wolf. That doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re endangering an innocent wolf’s life! You’re supposed to protect everyone as Alpha King, not endanger them!” My volume had grown to a yell. But at that moment, I didn’t care if anyone heard.

“The others weren’t strong, Miguel. The wolf you’re going to meet tonight is the beta’s daughter. She’s stronger than the others.”

Couldn’t he just accept his mistake and call off the wedding? “Please don’t tell me she hasn’t already agreed to this?”

“Who wouldn’t agree to being with the zeta of the Eclipse Pack?” Caleb said with a smile on his face.

“No. I will not be a part of this,” I said, then turned and walked away.

“Miguel!” he called.

I ignored him and continued on, my thoughts whirring. Maybe if I didn’t show up, the beta’s daughter would leave, and they would cancel the wedding?