YOU ARE CURSED

Alexa held her baby closer to her chest, taking comfort in the Little one's embrace. Her eyes were like that of her father. Her heart sank as she stared at her. This was her fault. How could she be so foolish as to hope for love from him. He was a beast, everyone knew that yet a little part of her heart had hoped he would change for her.

She'd given up on that now. All she wanted was a way to get out. To be anywhere but here.

She had heard stories about a world outside theirs. It was said that humans lived there. She didn't know how true it was but she didn't care either. She just wanted to go.

"Help me, dear moon goddess." She prayed as she neared the border of the clan.

"Why are you here at the border, young lady? answer me!" A guard approached. Alexa looked around for more guards but saw only him. She gathered her strength.

Just a bit closer.

"Tell me why you're here!"

Closer still.

Quick as lightning, Alexa placed her baby on the ground, transforming into a wolf in mere moments. Seizing the opportunity, she attacked the guard, swiftly making him unconscious. She grabbed her child and fled through the gates into the wilderness.

She ran tirelessly, holding on to hope, seeking a new land where humans resided.

******

Muttering words that could only be heard and understood by him, Alpha Valle paced his chambers in anger. With a sudden burst of rage, he grabbed his lamp and hurled it against the wall, his voice booming, "Bloody fool! I shouldn't have listened to him. Look at the embarrassment it has brought upon me."

A knock on the door interrupted his seething. The door opened and Allen walked in. Valle, a mix of anger and bitterness, chuckled with a hint of malice, pointing at Allen, "If you know what's good for you, you should leave. You are the reason for my anger."

Allen, accustomed to Valle's wrath, stepped into the room and gently asked, "How have I offended you, brother?"

Valle's voice rose in rage as he accused, "You convinced me to marry her, that woman. You promised it would elevate my power as the Alpha King, but look what she has done. She bore a girl." Closing in on Allen, Valle asked, "Why do I feel you had another motive for bringing her here."

Allen was taken aback. "What do you mean by that?"

"Oh stop with the pretense. I've seen both of you. I know you've done things with her."

This was it. He'd had enough of this garbage. He turned to leave but Collins' voice stopped him. "He has to know. How will you become king if he doesn't."

Taking several deep breaths to steady himself, Allen turned back to face Valle. With a tone laced with sincerity, he confessed, "I did not act out of selfish motives. I did it because she was the only hope to break the curse."

*13 months ago*

Allen carefully checked the narrow street, making sure no one followed him. This mission had to be kept a secret, at least until he decided to make it public.

He wrapped his cloak tighter around him as he walked down an overgrown alleyway and watched the busyness of the streets. Suddenly, a hand pulled him into a corner.

"Collins?" Allen called out uncertainty. With two claps, the room lit up in glowing yellow light. A man of Allen's age walked in, approaching Allen.

Allen chuckled, "Still smells of bougainvillea, I see," he gestured around the room. Collins was not just the clan's seer but also a wizard. Beyond the eyes of the clan, Collins was Allen's childhood friend.

"I got rid of them, just like you said," Collins replied, rolling his eyes dramatically, motioning for Allen to sit.

"What was so important that you couldn't come to the palace or send a message with one of your magic birds?" Allen asked, his curious eyes shining in the dim light.

"It's something I need to talk to you about first," Collins answered, rubbing an orb on the arm of his chair.

"Talk? What are you hiding?" Allen raised an eyebrow, realizing Collins must mean business with the way he was acting. Collins was not one to think or fret unless it was serious.

Collins sighed deeply, picked up the orb, and whispered a spell. The orb was enveloped in a mist of emerald color, revealing a shadowy figure inside it.

"It's a curse. Your brother, the Alpha King, is cursed."

Allen stared at the orb in horror, wondering what more Aiden had to share about the curse.

*****

“Many months ago, I made a discovery that brought me back to you. Back to our father,” Allen confessed, his voice filled with a blend of excitement and nervousness.

The Alpha King sat up on the bed, reaching for a robe to cover himself. He knew this was a serious conversation that required his full attention.

“What about our father?” he asked inquisitively.

Allen took a deep breath, summoning the courage to reveal the truth. “Valle, you're cursed. And it's all because of our father's past mistakes.”

The Alpha King looked at Allen, disbelief evident on his face.

“Cursed?”

"Yes, curse and....

A knock on the door interrupted them. It was a guard. Seeing the looks on their faces, he new he had interrupted something serious. "I..I apologize my king...the....the elders are in the...they are waiting for you." He stuttered.

Valle with lightning speed rushed towards him and in a swift motion bashed his head on the wall.

"Why did you...You didn't have to....

"You'd better be quiet if you don't want to suffer the same fate." Valle said shutting Allen up.

He dressed up and began to head out. "We're not done with this conversation. I'll send for you when the meeting is over. You shouldn't go far, it won't take long."