All Chapters of The Alpha's Cursed Heir: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

After the collapse, there was an overwhelming hush. The air was heavy with dust, and the pungent smell of magic persisted. Lena pulled her eyes open and gasped, her lungs scorching. She was surrounded by darkness, broken only by the talisman's feeble, flickering light against her chest."Kaden!" she croaked, her voice was raw.As she listened for any sign of life, her pulse raced. She heard a low moan to her left and scurried to where it was coming from.Kaden was half-buried beneath a heap of rubble, his face blood-stained and pallid. Reaching him, Lena felt a wave of relief, her hands shaking as she check for wounds."You're alive." She said, tears running down her cheeks."Hardly," Kaden whispered, a little smile forming on his lips. “But I think I’ve had enough rockslides for a lifetime.”Lena laughed, the sound tinged with hysteria, before helping him free himself. Around them, the remnants of Zara’s stronghold were a chaotic mess of stone and shadows.“Where are the others?” Kad

The group's stiff faces were lighted by the faint illumination of the mark on Lena's wrist; each expression reflected some form of dread, uncertainty, or panic. Lena touched the mark with her fingers, feeling its warmth creep into her flesh like an unwanted guest.“Can it be removed?” Kaden asked, his voice tight.Theryn shook her head, her silver hair gleaming in the dim light of the Heartwood. “Not easily. A mark like this is more than magic, it’s a tether. Zara’s essence has tied itself to Lena, using her as a conduit. As long as the mark exists, she’ll know your every move.”Lena’s chest tightened. “So, I’m a liability?”“No,” Kaden said firmly, stepping closer. His hand brushed hers, grounding her. “You’re our strength. Zara marked you because she fears you.”Elara rolled her eyes, though there was no mistaking the worry beneath her sarcasm. “Yeah, but fear won’t stop her from using that tether to her advantage. We have to find a way to sever it.”Theryn paced, her brow furrowed.

The aftermath of Kaelena’s sacrifice hung in the air like an oppressive fog. The grove was eerily quiet, save for the soft hum of the Heartwood’s fading light. Lena knelt beside Kaelena’s lifeless form, her fingers trembling as they brushed against her friend’s pale cheek.“We can’t leave her like this,” Lena whispered, her voice breaking.“We won’t,” Theryn assured her, though her own voice was strained with grief. “The Heartwood has the power to restore life... if its light is fully restored.”“That’s a big if,” Damon said grimly, surveying the fractured glow of the ancient tree. “We barely held Zara off, and now the Heartwood is weaker than ever.”Lena’s hands curled into fists. “Then we need to act fast. We owe it to Kaelena and to everyone who’s suffered because of Zara.”Kaden placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “We’ll find a way, Lena. Together.”---The group made their way back to the Heartwood’s sanctuary, each step weighed down by the tension among them. The emotional

Lena stumbled backward as the Heartwood’s golden light flickered and dimmed. The sheer power radiating from Zara’s tendrils wrapped around the ancient tree sent tremors through the ground, shaking Lena’s resolve. The air grew dense, filled with the oppressive weight of Zara’s dark energy.“Did you think you could defeat me using the Heartwood?” Zara’s voice was laced with triumph as she stepped into the clearing. The faint remnants of golden light illuminated her sharp features, now twisted with malice. "Child, you've no idea what forces you're meddling with."With his blade raised and blazing with a magical light, Kaden headed into the clearing. “Lena, get away from her!” he roared, charging Zara without hesitation.The clash was immediate and violent. Zara deflected Kaden’s strike with a sweep of her hand, sending a shockwave that nearly knocked Lena off her feet. Damon, Elara, and Theryn arrived moments later, forming a protective circle around the Heartwood.“Lena, focus!” Theryn

The clearing erupted into chaos as Zara unleashed her power, the darkness surging toward Lena and her companions like a living storm. Kaden yanked Lena to her feet, his eyes scanning the battlefield for an escape. “We need to move!” he shouted, his voice barely audible over the roar of colliding energies.Damon swung his hammer, smashing a tendril of darkness before it could reach Elara. “There’s no running from this!” he bellowed. “We stand and fight!”The shadow, now locked in a deadly duel with Zara, sent out a pulse of energy that momentarily forced her back. It turned to the group, its voice echoing in their minds. “You must hold her off while I weaken her ties to the Heartwood’s power.”“And how do we do that without dying?” Elara snapped, flipping her daggers into a defensive stance.The shadow didn’t answer, its focus already returning to Zara. Lena’s gaze darted between her friends, her chest tightening with dread. They had fought impossible odds before, but this was differen