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CHAPTER NINE
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2024-11-27 15:04:28Related chapters
The Alpha and his Cursed Mate CHAPTER TEN
It happens during dinner service, as I'm pouring wine into Alpha Stone's glass. One moment I'm focused on keeping my hands steady, maintaining perfect form as Master Kane taught me. The next, Lady Victoria's voice cuts through the quiet."Clumsy little slave," she purrs, her foot withdrawing after deliberately bumping my elbow. Red wine splashes across the Alpha's white shirt, staining it like blood.The room freezes. Even the air seems to still."I..." My voice catches as those silver eyes lock onto mine. "My Lord, I—""Silence." His voice is soft, deadly. "Everyone out. Except her."Chairs scrape as the inner circle hurries to obey. Victoria's triumphant smirk is the last thing I see before the doors close, leaving me alone with him.Alpha Stone rises slowly, his height making me feel impossibly small. Wine drips from his ruined shirt, and I can smell the aggression rolling off him in waves."Do you know what happens to slaves who make such mistakes, little wolf?"I sink to my knees
The Alpha and his Cursed Mate CHAPTER ONE
My hands won't stop shaking as I stare at the full moon through my bedroom window. The silver light bathes my cream-colored walls in an ethereal glow, but nothing can calm the fire burning beneath my skin. Tonight's my seventeenth birthday, and my first shift is moments away. I've dreamed of this night since I was little, but now that it's here, something feels... different. Wrong.A wave of heat courses through my body, making my silk nightgown cling uncomfortably to my sweat-slicked skin. Mom said the first shift could be intense, but she never mentioned this burning sensation, this ache deep in my core that makes me want to crawl out of my own skin."It'll be okay, sweetheart," Mom whispers from my doorway. She's wearing her favorite lavender sweater, but something in her expression makes me wonder if she senses what I'm feeling. "Every Mitchell has shifted successfully for generations."I try to respond, but another surge of heat steals my breath. My legs tremble, and I grip the w
The Alpha and his Cursed Mate CHAPTER TWO
Three days after my first shift, and the burning hasn't stopped. I sit cross-legged on my basement floor, sweat trickling down my spine despite the cool concrete beneath me. The circle of moonstones Mom laid out pulses with a soft blue light, but even their calming energy can't completely quiet the storm raging inside me."Focus, Alora," Dad commands from where he stands shirtless in the center of the room. His pack tattoos ripple across his shoulders as he moves – protection runes mixed with strength sigils. "Find your anchor."Easy for him to say. He's not fighting both a blood-wolf and pre-heat urges. Another wave of warmth floods my core, making me shift uncomfortably in my training clothes. The black leggings and sports bra feel too constricting, too hot against my fevered skin."I'm trying," I grit out, closing my eyes. The mirrors surrounding us make it worse – I can feel my reflection a thousand times over, each one showing the slight red glow beneath my skin that we're trying
The Alpha and his Cursed Mate CHAPTER THREE
Three weeks before my eighteenth birthday, and I can't stop trembling. Not from the heat this time – we've learned to mask that with a complex blend of herbs and meditation – but from the whispered conversation I wasn't meant to overhear.Silver Creek Pack. Alpha Alexander Stone. The Beast of the Northwest.I press my ear harder against my parents' bedroom door, my enhanced hearing catching every terrified whisper."He breaks them, Elena," Dad argues, his voice hoarse. "Every wolf he's ever owned. They say he can smell defiance, that he takes pleasure in crushing it.""Better broken than dead." Mom's voice cracks. "The Seekers are coming, James. You know what they'll do if they find her. A blood wolf in heat—""Don't." Something crashes against a wall. "There has to be another way."I slide down the wall, wrapping my arms around my knees. The thin cotton of my sundress does nothing to stop the shivers wracking my body. They're right – the Seekers are coming. Even now, I can feel them
The Alpha and his Cursed Mate CHAPTER FOUR
Dawn breaks on my last day of freedom, and I haven't slept. My room is too quiet, too empty – most of my belongings already packed away or donated. Slaves travel light. Slaves own nothing.I've repeated that word so many times it's lost all meaning. Slave. Property. Possession.A soft knock interrupts my thoughts. "Alora?" Mom's voice carries through the door. "The market delegates are here. They... they have more information about Silver Creek."My heart skips. I've spent all night imagining what awaits me, each scenario worse than the last. "Come in."She enters carrying a tray of breakfast I won't eat, dark circles under her eyes matching mine. Behind her, Sarah – my childhood friend whose cousin serves in Silver Creek – hovers nervously."Tell her," Mom urges softly, setting down the tray.Sarah wrings her hands, avoiding my eyes. "My cousin Mira wrote to me about... about him."The way she says 'him' makes my skin prickle. "Alpha Stone?"She nods. "She says... Alora, are you sure
The Alpha and his Cursed Mate CHAPTER FIVE
The tribute caravan stops at Silver Creek's borders just as dawn breaks. I clutch my identification papers in trembling hands, trying to steady my breathing. In a few moments, everything I am – Alora Mitchell – will be reduced to one word: slave."Strip." The command comes from Master Kane, the tribute master. His cold eyes sweep over the six of us lined up outside the inspection tent. "Everything is off. Now."The other girls begin disrobing, shoulders hunched in shame. I force my fingers to move, untying the simple gray shift they gave us for travel. The morning air bites at my exposed skin, but it's nothing compared to the burning inside me. Three days of travel have made controlling my heat symptoms harder, the constant proximity to unmated males testing my limits."Wolfless." Master Kane spits the word as he stops in front of me. "Let's see what the Beast is getting for his charity."I let the shift fall, fighting to keep my eyes downcast, submissive. To suppress the urge to claw
The Alpha and his Cursed Mate CHAPTER SIX
ALEXThe scent hits me before I enter the inspection tent – sweet vanilla and wild jasmine, undercut with something darker. Something that makes my wolf snap to attention after decades of disinterest."Alpha." Victoria's simpered greeting grates against my nerves. "We were just examining the new tributes. Nothing worth your personal attention—"I silence her with a look. My focus is entirely on the source of that scent: a small figure on the inspection platform, bent forward in submission. Even in this humiliating position, something about her radiates defiance."Leave us," I command, not bothering to look at the others scrambling to obey. "All of you."Only when the tent flap falls shut do I approach her. She's trembling slightly, but not from fear – no, this is something else. Something she's fighting to control. My wolf prowls beneath my skin, desperate to investigate."Stand up," I order, softening my voice despite the Alpha command threading through it. "Turn around."She moves w
The Alpha and his Cursed Mate CHAPTER SEVEN
My new quarters in the main house are nothing like I expected. Instead of the cramped slave dormitory I'd prepared for, Sarah leads me to a luxurious suite with four other female slaves. The room screams wealth – plush rugs, silk curtains, and beds that look softer than clouds."Personal slaves sleep close to Alpha Stone," Sarah explains, helping me place my meager belongings in an ornate wardrobe. "He likes to keep us... accessible."The way she says 'accessible' makes my skin prickle. Before I can ask what she means, a scream pierces the evening air. Not of pain – of pure terror."No, no, please!" A male voice begs. "My Alpha, I can explain—"Sarah grabs my arm. "Come on. We're required to watch.""Watch what?" But she's already dragging me toward the balcony overlooking the pack's central courtyard. Other slaves line the railings, faces grim.The sight below steals my breath. Alpha Stone stands in the moonlight, his massive frame somehow larger than I remember from this morning. At
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The Alpha and his Cursed Mate CHAPTER TEN
It happens during dinner service, as I'm pouring wine into Alpha Stone's glass. One moment I'm focused on keeping my hands steady, maintaining perfect form as Master Kane taught me. The next, Lady Victoria's voice cuts through the quiet."Clumsy little slave," she purrs, her foot withdrawing after deliberately bumping my elbow. Red wine splashes across the Alpha's white shirt, staining it like blood.The room freezes. Even the air seems to still."I..." My voice catches as those silver eyes lock onto mine. "My Lord, I—""Silence." His voice is soft, deadly. "Everyone out. Except her."Chairs scrape as the inner circle hurries to obey. Victoria's triumphant smirk is the last thing I see before the doors close, leaving me alone with him.Alpha Stone rises slowly, his height making me feel impossibly small. Wine drips from his ruined shirt, and I can smell the aggression rolling off him in waves."Do you know what happens to slaves who make such mistakes, little wolf?"I sink to my knees
The Alpha and his Cursed Mate CHAPTER NINE
"Eyes down. Back straight. Three steps behind at all times."Master Kane circles me slowly, each word punctuated by the tap of his cane against the marble floor. The training room feels impossibly large, mirrors on every wall reflecting my attempts at proper slave posture."Again," he commands. "Walk to the door."I move forward, trying to remember every instruction. Eyes lowered but not closed. Hands clasped at lower back. Small steps, silent steps. My reflection shows a dozen mistakes I didn't know I was making.The cane cracks against the floor beside me. "Wrong. Your posture suggests defiance. You're a slave, not a soldier. Soften those shoulders."I adjust, fighting my natural instinct to stand tall. The silk of my new robe whispers against my skin as I move, another reminder of my status as Alpha Stone's personal property."Better." Master Kane's voice holds a hint of approval. "Now, serving protocols. Show me how you'd present wine to the Alpha."My hands tremble slightly as I
The Alpha and his Cursed Mate CHAPTER EIGHT
ALEXThe dawn finds me pacing my study, unable to sleep. Her scent lingers here, though she hasn't entered this room. Sweet vanilla and wild jasmine, now tinged with fear after last night's demonstration. Good. She should fear me. They all should.But my wolf bristles at the thought of her fear."The new tribute's papers, my Lord." Marcus, my beta, sets a file on my desk. "Something about them seems... off."I grunt, still tracking her movement through the house by scent. She's in the bathing chambers now, preparing for her first full day of service. The thought of her naked, wet... I grip the edge of my desk, wood splintering under my fingers."Brother?" Marcus's voice carries concern. "You seem...""Leave." The word comes out more growl than speech.He hesitates. "The pack is talking. About how you claimed her for personal service. About how you watched her during the punishment. If she's truly wolfless—"I whirl on him, letting my power flood the room. "I said leave."Once alone, I
The Alpha and his Cursed Mate CHAPTER SEVEN
My new quarters in the main house are nothing like I expected. Instead of the cramped slave dormitory I'd prepared for, Sarah leads me to a luxurious suite with four other female slaves. The room screams wealth – plush rugs, silk curtains, and beds that look softer than clouds."Personal slaves sleep close to Alpha Stone," Sarah explains, helping me place my meager belongings in an ornate wardrobe. "He likes to keep us... accessible."The way she says 'accessible' makes my skin prickle. Before I can ask what she means, a scream pierces the evening air. Not of pain – of pure terror."No, no, please!" A male voice begs. "My Alpha, I can explain—"Sarah grabs my arm. "Come on. We're required to watch.""Watch what?" But she's already dragging me toward the balcony overlooking the pack's central courtyard. Other slaves line the railings, faces grim.The sight below steals my breath. Alpha Stone stands in the moonlight, his massive frame somehow larger than I remember from this morning. At
The Alpha and his Cursed Mate CHAPTER SIX
ALEXThe scent hits me before I enter the inspection tent – sweet vanilla and wild jasmine, undercut with something darker. Something that makes my wolf snap to attention after decades of disinterest."Alpha." Victoria's simpered greeting grates against my nerves. "We were just examining the new tributes. Nothing worth your personal attention—"I silence her with a look. My focus is entirely on the source of that scent: a small figure on the inspection platform, bent forward in submission. Even in this humiliating position, something about her radiates defiance."Leave us," I command, not bothering to look at the others scrambling to obey. "All of you."Only when the tent flap falls shut do I approach her. She's trembling slightly, but not from fear – no, this is something else. Something she's fighting to control. My wolf prowls beneath my skin, desperate to investigate."Stand up," I order, softening my voice despite the Alpha command threading through it. "Turn around."She moves w
The Alpha and his Cursed Mate CHAPTER FIVE
The tribute caravan stops at Silver Creek's borders just as dawn breaks. I clutch my identification papers in trembling hands, trying to steady my breathing. In a few moments, everything I am – Alora Mitchell – will be reduced to one word: slave."Strip." The command comes from Master Kane, the tribute master. His cold eyes sweep over the six of us lined up outside the inspection tent. "Everything is off. Now."The other girls begin disrobing, shoulders hunched in shame. I force my fingers to move, untying the simple gray shift they gave us for travel. The morning air bites at my exposed skin, but it's nothing compared to the burning inside me. Three days of travel have made controlling my heat symptoms harder, the constant proximity to unmated males testing my limits."Wolfless." Master Kane spits the word as he stops in front of me. "Let's see what the Beast is getting for his charity."I let the shift fall, fighting to keep my eyes downcast, submissive. To suppress the urge to claw
The Alpha and his Cursed Mate CHAPTER FOUR
Dawn breaks on my last day of freedom, and I haven't slept. My room is too quiet, too empty – most of my belongings already packed away or donated. Slaves travel light. Slaves own nothing.I've repeated that word so many times it's lost all meaning. Slave. Property. Possession.A soft knock interrupts my thoughts. "Alora?" Mom's voice carries through the door. "The market delegates are here. They... they have more information about Silver Creek."My heart skips. I've spent all night imagining what awaits me, each scenario worse than the last. "Come in."She enters carrying a tray of breakfast I won't eat, dark circles under her eyes matching mine. Behind her, Sarah – my childhood friend whose cousin serves in Silver Creek – hovers nervously."Tell her," Mom urges softly, setting down the tray.Sarah wrings her hands, avoiding my eyes. "My cousin Mira wrote to me about... about him."The way she says 'him' makes my skin prickle. "Alpha Stone?"She nods. "She says... Alora, are you sure
The Alpha and his Cursed Mate CHAPTER THREE
Three weeks before my eighteenth birthday, and I can't stop trembling. Not from the heat this time – we've learned to mask that with a complex blend of herbs and meditation – but from the whispered conversation I wasn't meant to overhear.Silver Creek Pack. Alpha Alexander Stone. The Beast of the Northwest.I press my ear harder against my parents' bedroom door, my enhanced hearing catching every terrified whisper."He breaks them, Elena," Dad argues, his voice hoarse. "Every wolf he's ever owned. They say he can smell defiance, that he takes pleasure in crushing it.""Better broken than dead." Mom's voice cracks. "The Seekers are coming, James. You know what they'll do if they find her. A blood wolf in heat—""Don't." Something crashes against a wall. "There has to be another way."I slide down the wall, wrapping my arms around my knees. The thin cotton of my sundress does nothing to stop the shivers wracking my body. They're right – the Seekers are coming. Even now, I can feel them
The Alpha and his Cursed Mate CHAPTER TWO
Three days after my first shift, and the burning hasn't stopped. I sit cross-legged on my basement floor, sweat trickling down my spine despite the cool concrete beneath me. The circle of moonstones Mom laid out pulses with a soft blue light, but even their calming energy can't completely quiet the storm raging inside me."Focus, Alora," Dad commands from where he stands shirtless in the center of the room. His pack tattoos ripple across his shoulders as he moves – protection runes mixed with strength sigils. "Find your anchor."Easy for him to say. He's not fighting both a blood-wolf and pre-heat urges. Another wave of warmth floods my core, making me shift uncomfortably in my training clothes. The black leggings and sports bra feel too constricting, too hot against my fevered skin."I'm trying," I grit out, closing my eyes. The mirrors surrounding us make it worse – I can feel my reflection a thousand times over, each one showing the slight red glow beneath my skin that we're trying
