The Cursed Alpha's Mate

The Shadow's Warning

Aria shot up in bed, gasping for air. Her nightmare lingered like a heavy fog, choking the space in her mind. The shadows had crept into her dreams, whispers of something far darker than the creatures that had haunted her before. The Shadowborn were coming for her. She could feel them, close enough to touch. And with them… the curse. The bond she had fought so hard to deny.

Her body trembled as she moved, fast, frantic. Her fingers fumbled with the straps of her boots, the leather too stiff, too heavy. She needed to leave—now. She couldn't stay here, not with them drawing closer. And definitely not with Alexander. She was a danger to him. To his pack. The truth was too ugly. The curse would destroy everything she touched.

Her fingers clenched into fists, but the moment she turned, the weight of the bond flared inside her chest, a painful reminder of what she was trying to outrun. The shadows had found her once, and if she stayed, they would come again, and this time, she couldn't hide behind the walls of this place. No one could stop them.

She paused, her breath ragged. She had to move quickly. She didn't trust herself to stay calm long enough to think things through.

Her hand hesitated on the door handle, the pulse of her heart thrumming in her throat. A faint sound—a soft scratch at the door—made her stiffen.

Her eyes flicked to the door. Then the handle. Her body tensed, every instinct screaming at her to run. But running was only a temporary solution. She had to act. Now.

Slowly, she eased the door open, her senses on high alert. On the floor, just inside the threshold, was a small, neatly folded piece of paper. Her heart dropped when she saw the mark on it—dark and unmistakable. The Shadowborn had left her a message.

Her hands shook as she snatched up the paper. The words were brief, but the message was clear. They were already here.

Before she could think twice, she shoved the paper into her pocket, turning to make her escape. But something stopped her. A presence. Something cold, chilling, and impossibly close.

She spun around, her breath caught in her chest. Standing in the doorway, half-hidden in the dark, was a figure. Not a shadow, but a man. His form was blurred by the night, his outline just barely visible in the moonlight. He stepped forward, and the darkness seemed to cling to him like a cloak. She knew that presence all too well.

"Leaving so soon?" His voice was low, smooth, carrying a dangerous edge. Kael Draven. The rogue Alpha who had nearly destroyed everything before. The one whose influence had twisted everything she thought she knew.

He took another step toward her, and her heart skipped. The shadows around him seemed to shift, bending to his will. She backed away instinctively, but she was already trapped.

"You—" Her voice caught, but she pushed past it, trying to hold onto the last shreds of her control. "You have no power here anymore."

Kael smirked, the expression barely visible under the darkness that enveloped him. "I think you'll find that you're wrong." His eyes gleamed in the dim light, full of something far darker than malice. "The curse you're trying to outrun? It doesn't just follow you, Aria. It binds you. And you can't escape it."

She shook her head, trying to steady herself. "I won't let you control me. Not again."

His smile deepened. "It's not me controlling you, sweetheart. It's fate." He took another step closer, closing the gap between them. "And fate? Well, it's already decided you're mine."

Her skin prickled. Every instinct screamed at her to fight, to run, but the bond… the bond pulsed between them, like a steady drumbeat in her chest. She could feel the pull of it, the way her heart began to sync with his presence.

"No," she whispered. "I'm not yours."

Kael chuckled darkly, the sound like a death knell. "You'll change your tune soon enough." His voice dropped, softer now, but the threat was clear. "The Shadowborn are already here. They've been watching. And when they come for you, don't think you'll be able to hide behind that boy, or his pack."

Aria's stomach turned. The Shadowborn were here. The very creatures she had been running from, the ones tied to her past. But worse than that—Kael was here. And if he was speaking the truth…

The floor beneath her shook, a deep, bone-rattling tremor that cut through the air like thunder. It didn't feel like a normal shake. This wasn't just the house settling—it was the land, the earth itself, warning them.

Before she could move, a loud, bone-chilling roar erupted from outside. It was a sound that pierced through the walls, rattling the very windows, and sending waves of terror rushing through her veins.

She spun, her heart racing as the roar echoed through the park, growing louder with every passing second. What was that?

Kael's eyes locked onto hers, a predatory gleam in them. "It's already started," he murmured, his tone dark. "The Shadowborn aren't the only ones hunting you. And trust me, what's coming next? It's far worse than you ever imagined."

Her blood ran cold as the roar rang out again, closer this time. The ground beneath her feet shook harder, a deep, unnatural rumble that seemed to ripple through the very air.

Aria's body froze in place as the sound of pounding feet reached her ears—too many to count. The shadows surrounding her thickened, becoming darker, more suffocating.

And then, from the doorway, Alexander's voice called her name. Her heart lurched, her instincts pulling her toward him, but the terror clawing at her chest held her in place.

"Aria!" His voice broke through the chaos, full of concern, but it only made the growing sense of dread more intense.

And then—the earth shook again. This time, it wasn't just the house. It was the entire land beneath them, and Aria knew with a horrible certainty: whatever was coming, they weren't prepared for it.