Chapter 2 The Curse

Alpha Boaz glanced at me. Oh, no. I didn't want to go with him. He came too soon. I wasn't ready to go with them today.

"You and your party must be tired after the long journey. Take some rest. You can leave tomorrow in good spirits," Father suggested as if he could read my mind.

"Your Majesty is too kind," Alpha Boaz refused, unsettling me.

He glared at Father, daring him to refuse his request a second time. However, I sensed a powerful aura slowly creeping toward Alpha Boaz. Father looked at the man, returning his challenge.

"I insist. Moreover, you can meet my daughter at dinner. There is a feast to welcome you in the hall. I also want to entertain my people for helping me with my mother's funeral. So, your arrival is just in perfect time," Father pointed out.

"Your Majesty," he replied obediently, much to my relief.

Father glanced at me before turning around and leaving with Mother through the side door. Their bodyguards accompanied them. I stood stiffly with my body trembling. After taking a deep breath, I approached Alpha Boaz.

"Your Royal Highness," he greeted me politely.

I gave him my hand. "Just call me Crystal. I'll be your wife."

Alpha Boaz was briefly stunned when he held my hand. He must have felt it trembling. "I wouldn't dare," he refused. The Alpha kissed my hand without taking his eyes off me.

He looked taller when I stood close to him. His strong aura made me tremble, even though he was only an Alpha. My position was higher than his as the daughter of the royal Lycan, but I feared him. No wonder he was the strongest Alpha in the Southern Kingdom.

Many women desired him. Seeing him that close, I understood why they liked him. His dark brown hair harmonized with his brown eyes. His square face and strong jaw were perfect with a Roman nose and a heavy lower lip.

"Come, I'll show you your chambers," I invited. Please say no. I beg you to say no.

"No," he refused again. "That's not your job. Just have the servants escort us to our rooms. I'll see you at dinner."

"Do you realize you've defied my orders twice?" I challenged him, though I was relieved that he'd declined my offer.

"I dare not, Princess." He bowed his head. "As your future husband, I am obligated to maintain your honor. People would gossip if they knew you were in my room."

I stared at him for a moment. He seemed sincere. I watched his face intently. Celyn and everyone else was right. He couldn't know it. The curse on his pack was real. How had they survived that long?

I excused myself and had the servants escort him and his entourage to their rooms. I followed my parents to my father's study. Although I didn't see him, I could feel Alpha Boaz's eyes following my movements.

The warrior on guard opened the door for me. After he closed it, I sighed. I sat on the empty chair next to Mother. She propped her forehead with her hand while Father leaned against the chair. They both looked frustrated.

"I thought we were going to die today," Father admitted. "Boaz brought so many of his strong men to talk about Celyn. I only have half the troops in the capital. The rest haven't returned from searching for Celyn."

Father could easily defeat Alpha Boaz. His royal Lycan was the strongest in the realm. However, his grief weakened his Lycan. The same applied to the royal warriors. Alpha Boaz would effortlessly win if he attacked us.

"I'd do the same thing if I were him," Mother shared. "He's been waiting for his wedding day with our daughter for so long. You see it for yourself. He didn't believe Celyn was the destined mate for him at first.

"It took him a long time to believe that fact. Then, when the wedding day approached, his hopes were dashed. It made sense. He thought we were liars and was ready to fight for his rights. A promise is a promise," Mother concluded.

A witch cursed Alpha Boaz and the Violet Storm Pack to ten generations. She kept them from knowing their mates by smell and touch. They only knew their mates right after marking.

Werewolves, destined by the Moon Goddess to be together, would form a unique symbol after marking. The chosen mates' marks were only two dark blue circles. However, the function was similar. The marks strengthened the couple's emotional bond.

As a result of the curse, Alpha Boaz could not be sure Celyn was his mate. It took him months to believe my sister's claim. Poor guy. When their relationship was getting intimate, he lost her forever.

Father took my hand. "My Princess, are you sure you want to do this?" he asked sadly. The king then looked at me in surprise. "Dear, your body is shaking."

I put my hand over his. "I have to do it, Father. The future of our kingdom lies in that marriage. The danger is on the horizon, and we don't know when a major war will erupt. Other kingdoms are already feeling the strain, ours, too."

"Celyn's death is beyond me. I cannot believe my daughter is gone," Mother sobbed. "I should have said no when she requested permission to find medicine for the Queen Mother. As a result, Rogues kidnapped her and took her life." Mother covered her face with her hands and cried.

"Mother. Darling," Father and I said simultaneously.

"It wasn't your fault, darling," Father consoled. "Celyn wasn't a weak woman. She could have protected herself and left with her guards. Besides, it wasn't far from the gates. That means they'd been after her for a while."

My parents prepared Celyn to be queen from birth. She learned martial arts, politics, economics, and even war strategies from competent people in the Southern Kingdom. Her intelligence and physical abilities were not inferior to Father.

Therefore, her death came as a shock to us. She was hard to beat whenever she went one-on-one with our best warriors. Rogue wasn't her opponent. She crossed paths with them several times and could defeat them effortlessly.

We couldn't investigate her death because there was no trace or evidence left behind. Celyn seemed to have died and vanished from this world. Our best trackers couldn't find her whereabouts. So, we gave up and performed the funeral ceremony without her body.

"Have you forgotten? We sensed Celyn's death shortly after the Queen Mother died," Mother explained. "The rogue killed her because she and her guards were in pain from the Queen Mother's death. Even though Celyn was powerful, the enemies could defeat her in a moment of weakness."

I was stunned by Mother's words. Why didn't I think of that? Oh, Goddess. Celyn was gone. I had hoped she was alive because we didn't find her body. Oh no. Did that mean I lost my twin sister forever?

"And I must surrender to losing my second daughter. You're not even ready to be a queen or a wife." Mother touched my chin. "Oh, Moon Goddess. What did we do wrong in the past? I cannot bear to lose again."

"Oh, Mother." I hugged Mother and cried with her.

After lunch with my parents, I walked to my room. I had to prepare for dinner with Alpha Boaz. My maids left me on the second floor. So, I went to my chamber on the fourth floor alone.

"I can't do this, Chris," someone said when I was only steps away from my room. "We should have announced our relationship on Princess Celyn's wedding day."