Chapter 5: The Curse Revealed

“What do you mean, you’re working with the enemy?” I demanded, my voice trembling with a mix of fury and disbelief. The rogue didn’t even flinch. He just stood there, his dark eyes heavy with something I couldn’t quite place. Guilt? Regret? Or was it something far more sinister?

“I didn’t want it to come to this,” he said, his voice soft, almost apologetic. “But I don’t have a choice. No one does.”

I took a step back, a cold shiver running through me. The air felt thick, the tension unbearable. My stomach twisted, but I couldn’t stop myself. I needed to hear this, needed to understand.

“Tell me what you’re talking about.” My voice came out sharp, demanding. “And don’t lie to me. I’m not some helpless pawn anymore.”

He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling like he was preparing for something painful. “Cassia... what you don’t understand is that your family has been cursed. A curse that ties your life to your father’s. Your mother knew this—she tried to protect you from it. But she couldn’t.”

I felt the world shift beneath my feet. A curse. Tied to my father. It made no sense. My head spun with the words, trying to piece them together. “What does that mean? Why would my father’s life matter? And why would my stepmother want to curse me?”

The rogue hesitated, his gaze flickering to the ground as if searching for the right words. “Because, Cassia, your mother was part of an ancient bloodline—one with power beyond anything you could ever imagine. But your father... he wasn’t just her mate. He was the key to unlocking it.”

I blinked, trying to process what he was saying. “Unlocking what?”

“The full extent of your power. The magic you’ve barely begun to tap into. Your stepmother knows this, and she’s been keeping you from it all these years. If you ever learn to control it, there’s nothing that could stop you. That’s why she’s kept you weak, Cassia. You’re not just the daughter of an Omega. You’re the heir to something far more dangerous.”

I recoiled, my mind racing. It was all too much, too fast. “So... she cursed me to keep me from my own strength?”

He nodded grimly. “Yes. And she’ll never let you break free. Not unless she has everything—your father’s life, your power. Everything.”

I felt my chest tighten, the weight of his words sinking in. The rogue’s face twisted a hint of pain in his eyes. “I’ve been trying to find a way to break the curse, but—”

“But what?” I cut him off, my voice rising. “But you’ve been helping her all along? What the hell is wrong with you?”

He flinched, his jaw tightening. “I never wanted to hurt you, Cassia. But I was given no choice. They know about you. They’re watching. I’ve been feeding them information, trying to keep you safe in the only way I knew how.”

I took a step toward him, my fists clenched at my sides. “You’re telling me you’ve been working with my stepmother this whole time? That’s your idea of keeping me safe?”

His eyes darkened. “I didn’t have a choice. I’ve been gathering information, hoping for the right moment to break away. But you need to understand something, Cassia. Your stepmother holds the key to unlocking your magic. Without her, you’ll never reach your full potential.”

I shook my head, the bitterness rising in my throat. “And you expect me to trust you now? After everything?”

“I never wanted to betray you.” His voice was raw, his words heavy with regret. “But the curse—it’s tied to your father’s life. Your stepmother controls him. And as long as she does, she controls you.”

I backed away, my thoughts a swirling mess of confusion and anger. “So what now? What am I supposed to do? Sit back and let you continue your little game with her?”

He shook his head slowly, his eyes filled with regret. “No. You have a choice, Cassia. You can break the curse. But you’ll need my help. I can’t do it alone. No one can. And there’s a price.”

“A price?” I scoffed. “You’ve already made your price clear.”

His expression darkened, and he took a step closer. “The price is this: you must choose between your family and your freedom. If you break the curse, your father’s life will be forfeit. He won’t survive.”

I felt the blood drain from my face. “What? You’re telling me... if I break the curse, my father dies?”

He nodded, his voice tight with sorrow. “That’s the price of breaking it. Your stepmother holds the power. She will never let you go, not unless you take that step. But if you do, your father’s life will be gone. She’ll kill him.”

I staggered back, my mind reeling. How could I even think of that? My father was weak and helpless—he had always been, but he was still my father. The one person who had never tried to break me, even if he had been too broken himself to help me.

“You’re asking me to choose between him and my freedom?” My voice trembled with a raw emotion I couldn’t hide. “Between the man who’s never been able to protect me and my own life?”

“Yes,” the rogue said, his voice strained with pain. “That’s the choice you have, Cassia. Freedom—or your father’s life.”

I swallowed hard, my throat tight. My heart ached, my chest heavy with a grief I couldn’t escape. But something deep inside me stirred. The power—the magic that had once felt like a curse was now calling to me, urging me to act, to fight. My mother’s power, the bloodline that ran through me... it was mine to command if only I could break free of the chains that bound me.

But then, just as I opened my mouth to speak, I heard it—a distant howl. Low, mournful, yet filled with a sense of urgency that made my heart race.

The rogue’s face paled. “It’s too late. Your father is already in danger.”

I froze, my breath catching in my throat. “What do you mean?”

He turned away from me, his hand clenched into a fist at his side. “I mean... the pack knows. They’ve already moved against him.”

I could hear my pulse pounding in my ears as panic gripped me. My mind raced—what could I do? How could I save him when it felt like everything was slipping out of my control?

“Cassia.” His voice was soft, but the urgency in it was undeniable. “We have to go. Now.”

I nodded, too stunned to speak. Without another word, I followed him, my heart pounding in my chest as the sound of the distant howl grew louder and closer.

And then, just as we reached the edge of the woods, I heard something that made my blood run cold.

A second howl.

Closer.

Much, much closer.

“Move!” The rogue shouted, his voice urgent. “We don’t have much time—”