Chapter 3 THE CURSE THAT BREATHES HIS NAME

For a full second Rowan couldn't move.

Alpha Magnus's blade gleamed silver under the moonlight-deadly, burning, meant for one purpose.

Not the rogue.

Not a threat.

Him.

"Father-" Rowan managed, breath breaking apart.

Magnus's snarl ripped the night open. "Don't call me that."

The rogue let out a low chuckle. "Magnus, Magnus... still hiding the truth?"

"Silence," Magnus barked, but the tremor in his voice betrayed him.

The rogue grinned wider. "If you think killing him will stop what's coming, you're more foolish than I imagined."

Magnus lunged.

Not at the rogue.

At Rowan.

Rowan reacted on instinct. His body moved faster than his mind could follow-faster than a normal wolf should move-twisting aside just as the blade slashed past him. It hit the tree instead, sizzling as the trunk smoked.

Silver.

Pure silver.

Rowan stumbled backward. "You're trying to kill me."

Magnus's eyes burned with fury and something Rowan had never seen in them before.

Fear.

"You should never have been born," Magnus growled. "You are a threat to this entire pack. To the world."

The rogue stepped between them. "And yet here he is-alive, awakening. Her prophecy unfolding."

Magnus lunged again, but Rowan's body moved on its own-dodging, retreating, trembling as the fire under his skin grew hotter.

His vision blurred.

His wolf roared.

His bones strained, threatening to snap.

"Stop-" Rowan gasped, clutching his chest. "Something's wrong-"

The rogue's voice dropped to a low, reverent whisper. "It's starting."

"No!" Magnus shouted. "Not yet!"

Pain detonated in Rowan's ribs. His knees buckled. He felt something ancient digging into him, ripping through him-

"Rowan? Rowan!"

A familiar voice shattered the chaos.

Liora.

She ran into the clearing, breathless, eyes wide-stopping short when she saw the silver blade aimed at Rowan's heart.

"Alpha Magnus!" she cried. "What are you doing?!"

"Leave. Now," Magnus barked, never taking his eyes off Rowan.

Liora stepped right in front of Rowan. "Not until you put the weapon down."

Magnus's jaw clenched. "You do not understand-"

"I understand enough," she said sharply. "You don't go after someone you were sworn to protect."

Magnus's face twisted. "Protect? He is a curse, Liora."

Liora didn't move. "Then I'll stand with the curse."

Rowan's breath shattered in his lungs. Liora... standing in front of him. Shielding him. Defying the Alpha for him.

His wolf reacted violently.

Heat roared up Rowan's spine, flooding his limbs. He gasped as his nails lengthened, scraping the ground.

No.

No, no-this wasn't shifting.

This was something else.

Something worse.

"Liora-" Rowan choked. "Get back."

She grabbed his hands-and everything inside him detonated.

A surge of power blasted through his veins, electric and primal. His vision flickered white. His heart slammed so hard he felt it in his skull.

Liora's eyes widened. "Rowan-your eyes-"

Pain shot through Rowan's entire body as his wolf howled inside him.

The rogue stared in awe. "There it is... the bloodline awakening. The bond reacting."

Magnus's face drained of all color. "No. No-this cannot be happening."

Liora held onto Rowan tighter. "Rowan, breathe. Just breathe."

But he couldn't.

Not when every part of him surged toward her.

Not when something ancient inside him whispered a word he wasn't ready to hear.

Mine.

His heart lurched. "Liora-"

A violent tremor ripped through him. He shoved her away before he hurt her.

She stumbled back, eyes wide. "Rowan?"

He dropped to his knees.

His bones vibrated. His vision blurred into streaks of gold and black.

Voices swirled around him, distorted.

"Magnus, he's transitioning too fast-"

"This is impossible-"

"Rowan, look at me-look at me-"

"His mark-look at his chest-"

His chest burned as if branded. He ripped his shirt, gasping.

A symbol glowed over his heart-fiery, ancient, pulsing with every frantic beat.

Liora's hand flew to her mouth. "That's... that's an Alpha origin mark."

"No." Magnus's voice broke. "It's older than that."

Rowan's head snapped up, eyes blazing with a color no wolf should ever have.

The rogue whispered, reverent:

"The Ascendant's Mark."

Magnus staggered back as if he'd seen a ghost. "It cannot be. That line was eradicated."

Rowan's breath heaved. "What does it mean?"

The rogue smiled darkly. "It means you were born to lead the wolves that lead Alphas."

Rowan's pulse stopped.

"That bloodline is forbidden," Magnus hissed. "Extinct!"

"Apparently not," the rogue said.

Liora stepped toward Rowan, trembling. "So all these years... he wasn't weak. He wasn't cursed."

"No," the rogue whispered. "He was suppressed."

Rowan clutched his head. Suppressed. Betrayed. Lied to.

His entire life...

Magnus stepped forward desperately. "Liora, get away from him. That bloodline consumes everything it bonds with."

Rowan's world tipped sideways. "Bond?"

Magnus's next words hit him like a blade.

"If she continues touching you, her soul will imprint permanently."

Liora froze.

Rowan's heart plummeted.

Imprint.

Permanently.

As in... claiming.

As in... no turning back.

The rogue laughed. "Too late."

Magnus roared, "No!"

But Liora's hand was already reaching for Rowan.

And Rowan's wolf-

snapped.

He lurched forward, grabbing her wrist before he even realized he was moving. She gasped, meeting his burning eyes.

"Rowan-"

He felt it.

She felt it.

The bond slammed into place like a lock closing.

A shockwave burst through the clearing.

Liora screamed. Rowan screamed with her-pain, power, destiny ripping through them both.

The trees shook.

The ground cracked beneath their feet.

Magnus shouted something, but Rowan couldn't hear.

He couldn't feel anything except-

Her.

Her heartbeat.

Her soul crashing into his.

The rogue's voice echoed through the chaos:

"The Bastard Alpha has chosen."

Another pulse exploded.

Liora collapsed.

Rowan caught her-

Just as darkness swallowed him whole.