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The Curse of the Alpha
The Curse of the Alpha
Author: Midika

1

Author: Midika
last update Last Updated: 2022-10-06 14:27:50

~Meara

“Here.”

Groaning, I dump my pack against a nearby tree, stretching my stiff back.

“Here?” I look around the clearing. Seems a lot less impressive than what I envisaged in my head.

My friend glances over her shoulder from where she is rifling in her bag.

“What did you expect?”

“Something more than a random clearing…A marker, maybe?” I kick at the dirt, expecting fairy dust or something of similar affect to float up from the ground.

See, when your friend tells you about an ancient curse keeping an Alpha entombed alive underground from centuries ago, you expect more magic.

Hazel herself has partial witch genetics, which is why I agreed to accompany her on this tiresome hike.

The story is compelling. The Alpha beneath our feet is encompassed in a unique spell. He was placed there during a war between two Pack's, considered too dangerous to continue living, but impossible to kill.

Well, that's if the story is true, anyway.

“It took years for my father to find it. He wants to keep as few people in the know as possible,” she explains.

I wander back and forth aimlessly.

“I thought he could only be risen by his mate?”

Hazel loosens a large leather bound book from her back, dumping it onto the grass.

“That’s the story," she mumbles.

“Do you believe any of it?"

I jump up and down, testing the earth. It's firm, having not been touched in centuries.

This Alpha, Sire, may not even exist.

Hazel has been insistent that truth becomes muddled over so many years, and that the Alpha of our Pack may have boasted about entrapping his enemy as a way to suggest strength.

I shiver. Still, something about the story sounds so intriguing.

“I’ve always believed my father has a weird thing with his magic. He senses something is here, and the lore suggests it’s him," Hazel tells me, flipping her book open.

“So if his mate touches the dirt he rises from the dead?” I ask.

“The sources differ. Some legends state merely standing on the dirt will rise him, others believe one must lie on the spot under the full moon and chant a spell. Who knows," she explains with a shrug.

“Cool.”

Something dark plays in her eyes. “It’s not a game, Meara.”

“He’s dead. And considering how ancient he is, he’s not finding his mate anytime soon,” I assure her.

“And be thankful for that,” she mutters under her breath.

She resumes her reading, although I note the tension in her shoulders. She’s taking this far more seriously than I would have expected.

“Why?” I ask warily.

“He’s dangerous. Some sources say if he is risen, it will unleash an ancient curse.”

I shudder, looking up at the sky. Midnight draws near, a thrill dancing through me. I’m anticipating the moon reaching the centre of the sky, even though I’m aware of what unleashes the curse.

“What’s more dangerous, the curse, or him?”

She laughs softly to herself, although there’s an edge to it. “Depends how spiteful he is toward the Alpha and the Pack who spelled him in the ground in the first place.”

Thumbing through the pages, she doesn’t look up at me.

“The Pack we are part of, by the way,” she adds.

“I’d be pissed.”

The merciful thing would have been to kill him, although Hazel suggests it’s almost impossible. Plus, Alpha’s are spiteful, arrogant creatures.

This spell was probably Sire’s punishment for daring to be an enemy.

I clap my hands together, the sound ringing through the trees. “So, shall we dig him up or something?”

Hazel gapes at me. “No, absolutely not. That’s disturbing, first of all, and second, it’s a spell, it’s cannot be broken by a shovel.”

I giggle. “So what, the ground is impenetrable?”

“Let’s not find out," she grumbles, shaking her head hopelessly.

“What do you need for your research?”

“I’m hoping to harness the magic from this site tonight, under the full moon. With whatever residual magic lingers here from Sire’s spell, I can boost my magic and enchant this…” she points down to what she is reading.

“A book?”

“I want to start writing my own spells. Whatever scraps of magic I have in me is enough for me to create, but I need other magical sources. I want it all written down, but inaccessible for anyone else,” she explains to me.

I nod. That makes sense.

“Can I touch the dirt?” It's going to get under my nails, but I can't leave here without trying once.

Mary considers it, then shrugs. “I suppose.”

Stooping down, I grab some in my hand, letting it sift through my fingers. There is nothing to indicate a body is buried below.

“Nothing," I sigh.

Hazel laughs a little. “You expected you’re his mate?”

I give a half shrug. “No. Should I lie on it though?”

It would ruin my hair that I only just washed this morning, but to be able to say I did it makes it worth it.

It's not everyday someone can confirm whether they are mated to an ancient, cursed Alpha.

“It needs to be under the full moon, which isn’t for another hour," Hazel tells me, looking up toward the sky.

I note the dark, looming clouds that are approaching. “It’s going to start raining soon.”

“Then help me get all this ready.”

An hour passes and the rain manages to hold off. I’m not looking forward to the trek to our camping spot for the night, although I am excited to see my friend using her magic.

It is incredible, after all…

“It’s kind of sad, you know,” I mumble, scuffing my feet through the dirt as I pace back and forth.

“What is?”

“Sire. Being locked away just because he’s was too powerful of an Alpha.” The story is so tragic it seems just that. A story. Pure fiction bred from the mind of some poor, bored soul.

Hazel frowns a little. “He had magic.”

“You have magic…”

Something dark shifts in Hazel. “He’s not like me, Meara. His blood is as pure as it comes. More so than that anyone that walks this earth. He’s one of the original Alpha’s, and his power could crush this entire Pack and then some.”

A chill crawls over my skin, but I shrug it off.

“That doesn’t mean he deserved to be cursed like this. You told me he is likely still conscious, at times, right? That’s horrifying.” The thought makes my stomach turn.

“Maybe, but it cannot be undone. There is no point mourning a man who has the power to be a monster,” she warns me coldly.

I stare at the ground. I’m not mourning him. Not when there is a chance this is all just folklore and myth.

“The whole mate thing is torturous and romantic,” I sigh wistfully.

Hazel looks up, book in hand. “The full moon has crested. Everything is in place-“

“Come on, we both have to do it, at least once,” I encourage. It’s the main reason I came up here, to sate my curiosity.

Hazel looks up warily. “We don’t have much time.”

“I know you’re curious,” I nudge her side with my elbow. She anxious about this spell, but I’m sure confirming that she isn’t mated to an ancient Alpha would make her enjoy this experience some more.

She rolls her eyes. “Fine.”

I watch with a gleeful smile on my face as she gets down, laying across the ground.

Nothing happens.

“Now I just have dirt in my hair,” she grumbles, scrambling back up again, ruffling her hair about.

“Weren’t you meant to chant a spell?” I question. I’m not sure what a couple words will do to change a spell that has been in place for centuries, but it fits the ridiculousness of this entire thing.

“Who knows. Lie down then, we don’t have time for this," Mary insists hurriedly, motioning to the ground.

I oblige her, quickly lying amongst the dirt.

“I don’t know what words I’m meant to-“

All of a sudden, a strange rumbling sound lurches up from the earth, the ground starting to shake beneath me.

My panicked shriek echoes through the air as I try to sit up, but the dirt quickly smothers my limbs as I sink lower. I'm pinned down by some invisible force that drags me mercifully into the ground.

“Ah!” I scream, looking toward my friend, who has discarded her book, rifling through the dirt to try dig my arms out.

“Meara!” she exclaims with equal franticness before muttering what must be a spell under her breath.

Dirt ripples up around my body as I'm dragged downward, snagging at my clothing, splaying out across my skin. “Get me out of here, quick.”

“It’s too strong.” She pulls at my hand, but sure enough, it's no use.

“I’m going to suffocate!” I yelp as dirt starts to cover my eyes, falling into my mouth and down my throat.

Soon, Hazel's screams are muffled as the entirety of my body is smothered.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I clamp my mouth closed and hold my breath as I'm dragged lower and lower.

I'm a sacrifice. The earth is offering me to this cursed Alpha.

The burning sensation in my lungs hardly compares to the pressure on my entire body as I'm mercilessly pulled toward the centre of the earth. There is nothing I can do but accept my imminent death.

And then, I'm falling.

The earth gives away and I'm suspended in the air for a few seconds before my back slams against something solid. Any air left in my lungs is knocked out of me, leaving me gasping for precious air.

Rolling onto my side, I spit a dirt and salvia onto a grimy tile floor as soil from above rains down upon me.

That hurt.

Once I've scraped together enough air to feel comfortable, I raise my head, only to see a sight that is more horrifying than death.

I'm in a tomb, with a mossy stone casket set right in the centre.

And I know exactly who's in it.

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  • The Curse of the Alpha   2

    ~MearaScrambling backward, I don't stop until my back is pressed against a wall.The tomb is decently sized with tile walls and a natural ceiling of dirt, which seems unaffected even though I just sank through it.The air is stale and mossy smelling. Every crevice of the walls and floors are caked with dirt and fresh growth. Water drips down most of the walls, wetting my back while it feeds the flora.And from what I can see, there is no escape.My head falls into my hands. This can't be real.There is a terrible reality that echoes through my head, but I refuse to acknowledge it. This was meant to be a fun, stupid trip. The story is amusing, sounding more like fiction than reality.And yet here I am, in a tomb that can only belong to one person.Finally, I drag a reluctant gaze to the stone casket.It's perfectly untouched. The stone is still bright and polished, as if it were just put here yesterday, while the rest of the tomb decays.Magic.It sits a top a dais that is half submer

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  • The Curse of the Alpha   3

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  • The Curse of the Alpha   4

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  • The Curse of the Alpha   6

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  • The Curse of the Alpha   7

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  • The Curse of the Alpha   8

    ~Meara Somebody is shaking me. For a blissful moment I'm shrouded in darkness that I don't want to escape from. The shaking only increases until I'm groaning, forcing my eyes open. A man is looming over me, only vaguely familar. The light from above him casts a halo over his face, causing it to take a few moments for me to realise I'm staring up at the man who drugged me and dragged me from my house. I yank myself up, nearly toppling off the couch I've been laid on. "What is going on?"The man steps away, saying nothing. When I look around I see I'm in a small sitting area, completely unfamilar to me. Sitting on a seat opposite to me is a man I've only ever seen through a television screen. Carran was appointed Alpha when I finished with my schooling, so it's only been recently. His father died in a tragic way, allowing his young son to take his place. I've never been convinced that Carran could be a good Alpha...And now I'm in the same room as him. "Ah, Meara right?"I gape

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  • The Curse of the Alpha   9

    ~MearaI stare at the food before me, arms folded over my chest.“You can eat, you know," Carran exclaims, piling his plate full of breakfast foods right in front of me.I have been subjected to a night here against my will. At this point I'm so desperate to get out of here that I will hear this man out. He clearly won't let me go otherwise.“I’m ready to go home," I grumble, pushing the plate away.Thankfully I told Sire I needed the day, so hopefully he hasn't noticed my absence. Knowing he is out there, capable of being chaotic and unpredictable while I'm gone makes me want to get out of here even more.“Home as in your cabin, or home with him?” Carran questions."I don't like that you know where I live," I tell him sharply. He is my Alpha, and such a tone would usually be severely frowned upon, but I think this situation warrants it.Carran leans forward. “Where is Sire staying?”“I don’t know. I'm not your spy anyways," I bite back.Carran's lack of magic is widely documented, so

    Last Updated : 2023-01-02

Latest chapter

  • The Curse of the Alpha   38

    ~MearaI rest my hands on Sire's shoulders, trying to ground him.Today is what all of this has been about. Although it doesn't feel like it for him, it's been centuries since Sire has been in power, and no one here knows of what he is capable of.It's why Sire didn't sleep last night, spending most of it pacing back and forth down the hallway.We both know words aren't going to be enough to convince the people that he can be trusted. They have no idea who he is, and he killed their Alpha. They will learn, though, that there hasn't been such a powerful Alpha since him, and there will never be another one again.Sire looks up the stairs of the raised stage, hearing the murmurings of those who await news on their Alpha. We are in the busiest part of the Pack, and everyone has been alerted that an important announcement awaits them."Don't be nervous," I soothe. Despite my urging for his calm, my own tone is tight and strained.I have faith in him, but I'm also nervous. What if the peopl

  • The Curse of the Alpha   37

    ~MearaCarran's panic sets in immediately.He sends a few guards off to search the home, but that only makes him more vulnerable. Sure enough, only moments later the last guard sets off, Sire stalks through the door, closing it firmly behind him.Carran immediately scrambles back, rounding the desk as if it could do anything to protect him from his imminent death."You don't want to kill me," he hisses.Sire glances to the side, to where I lean against the wall, cradling my bleeding wound. Something dark and lethal flicks across his eyes before he drags them back to Carran."Actually, I think I do," he says lowly.Despite being the picture of death, he looks awfully casual. His hands are seated in his pockets, and there is not a single weapon in sight."My witches have very specific instructions if you do," Carran spits out, trying to hide his obvious fear behind a wall of venom. "Far more terrible things await you, Sire, if you kill me.""You hurt my mate.""She can be healed." Carra

  • The Curse of the Alpha   36

    ~MearaI storm up the steps, trying to force some calm into my body.He doesn't need to die. He doesn't need to die.I repeat my mantra over and over under my breath, trying to keep to my morals. As much as I would like to see Carran suffer for detaining my best friend, and causing her physical injury, I can't give into the temptation when there is so much more at stake.Sire was more than willing to oblige my angered intentions. I've managed to calm down within the hour. Enough, at least, to decide that no harm will come to Carran unless he instigates it.Or if he causes Hazel any more harm...I slam my fist into the door rapidly. His guards let me into the property with nothing more than a murmur of greeting.Carran knows I'm coming. He's betting on it, I assume.The door opens moments later, and instead of it being one of his staff like I suspected, it's Carran. He gives me a lopsided grin, propping the door open for me to storm into the foyer."I assume you know why I'm here," I g

  • The Curse of the Alpha   35

    ~MearaI draw the curtains back, the sun warming my skin.That feeling used to be one of my favourites. After a satisfying sleep, standing under the morning sun rays would bring a pleasant feeling. Now, that feeling is suffocated by what I've woken up to.I feel like I am a completely different person.Sire was asleep next to me when I woke up this morning. I snuck from the room and headed downstairs, wanting to avoid the conversation that I know is inevitable.Even doing that was difficult. Since waking, I can feel a tension between us, that I almost deluded myself into thinking I could physically grab it. The more I've stepped away from him, the more the bond has tightened.I already can tell that if we are too far away, it will go from feeling vaguely uncomfortable, to overwhelmingly painful.The witches weren't lying about the connection...“Good morning.”I flinch, whirling around.With my thoughts no longer crowded by thoughts of the bond, I feel the tension ease with Sire's pro

  • The Curse of the Alpha   34

    ~MearaI shift into the room uncomfortably, my cheeks stained with a semi-permenant blush.The weight of what is supposed to happen tonight hangs between Sire and I. He's transported us from the ceremony site to a tense dinner with Hazel, and back here again, to his manor.Now we stand in my room. Well, I stand in the centre of it, and he lingers apprehensively in the doorway."How are you feeling?" He asks gently.He has never seemed more uncomfortable than in this moment."I'm fine," I mumble, rubbing the back of my neck.We stand in silence for a few long, painful moments. My skin feels hot, my eyes unable to meet his intense stare. I'm afraid that if I look at him, and how tall and imposing her looks, I'll panic and try to take back the whole ceremony.I mean, how can I have sex with this man when I can't even look into his eyes right now?"Do you need something to eat?" He questions, rubbing a hand through his hair."No...no I'm fine.""Alright." He clears his throat, looking mo

  • The Curse of the Alpha   33

    ~MearaThe world materialises around me, revealing an unfamiliar sight.Hazel pulls her hand out of Sire, shuddering. The experience of being transported somewhere isn't easy to get used to.She shakes off any uncomfortable feelings before gasping, turning in a tight circle as she drinks in the site of where the ceremony takes place.“Wow, I’ve only ever dreamed of this place," she marvels, pressing her palms to her cheeks.This place is far from our Pack, only accessible by magic. For as far as the eye can see, there is only cracked desert plains, reaching out toward the horizon. The only thing disturbing the hauntingly empty space is a lush oasis that doesn't stretch very far at all.Rubbing a frown from my brow, I look back over my shoulder. Desert. When I look forward, there's the oasis that looks like a crack in reality."How is this even possible?" I question, looking at where the ground has been dug up and a marble pool of some sort lies."Magic," Hazel answers, stepping onto t

  • The Curse of the Alpha   32

    ~MearaI push away from Sire, whirling around to face him.My cheeks are flushed with shame, knowing I've been caught in a lie that I'm not going to be able to escape from. Sire wouldn't have brought me back here so promptly if he didn't know something was going on.“Why don’t you sit down.” He motions into the other room, his stare ice cold.“Take me back, Sire," I growl.He brushes past me, shaking his head. “You’re not going anywhere.”My jaw tightens as I narrow my eyes at his back, contemplating ways to get out of this conversation. He won't understand, even if what I'm trying to do is for his benefit. He would rather kill Carran now then continue hiding.“I just needed a break…” I exclaim, following him into the sitting room.Sire waves his hand in the direction of the double glass doors. They swing open, a warm breeze flowing in, contrasting against the chill that has seized my insides.“I know you were with Carran,” he mutters, falling into his brown leather seat, letting out

  • The Curse of the Alpha   31

    ~MearaI hurry down the stairs, shoving a coat over my shoulders as I go.Time is of the essence. I need to do this today.As I expected, Sire is in his office, pouring over who knows what. I haven't asked him because I'm afraid the answer will reveal a diabolical plan that I don't want to be privy to.I need to focus on one thing at a time.He looks up from his desk as I wander in, hushing my rushed breathing."Can you take me to Hazel?" I ask lightly.I made my decision in the early hours of this morning. Part of me is curious...would Carran even consider it, or would he blow me off? Regardless, the driving force behind my decision is the other repercussion of ending the curse with Sire.Carran will want to know how it ended, and if he asks the right people and the right questions, he will know Sire has been released from his tomb.I can't let that happen. Carran would kill Sire."We can both talk to her," Sire offers, rising from his chair."I want to see her, on my own." I rub the

  • The Curse of the Alpha   30

    ~MearaI stare through the canopy of leaves, stretching out uncomfortably.There's a bitter chill to the air, but at least the rain has ceased. We are camped out in the forest near Kimsa's house. It's too late to walk to the edge of her magical protection bubble, and she doesn't want us in the house with her, so here we are."Tomorrow we go to Hazel and have her bring us to this location," Sire says as he sets down some more blankets next to me, gesturing at me to lay them over myself.I fold my hands over my stomach, staring upward. "You haven't even given me a chance to think about this."This should be an easy decision. I shouldn't be thinking twice about being aligned to Sire. We are mates, we are already bonded. But the way Kimsa described what it would be like to be aligned overwhelmed me.When we are apart, I will feel it...I already do, but now, I fear it may be excruciating. What else might I feel? Will my emotions become too much to handle?The thought is terrifying..."What

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