Chapter 2 A Deal with the alpha

Seraphina's heart pounded in her chest as she stood there, her wrists still bound in silver chains, the weight of her new reality settling in with a heaviness that almost crushed her. The bond between them had snapped into place like a curse, invisible but unbreakable. Alpha Dorian Nightbane had claimed her, and now her very existence was tied to his in ways she couldn't yet understand and didn't want to. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of the ancient, primal force that seemed to pulse through her veins, linking her to him. There was no turning back.

She could feel it now, that pulsing connection, deep and unwavering. It was there, always, whether she liked it or not. But Seraphina was no stranger to curses. She had lived with them all her life, carried the burden of her family's dark magic like a shadow that followed her every step.

What was one more curse to add to the pile? Dorian stood before her, his gaze unwavering, as the crowd slowly began to disperse. They were all too stunned to speak, too shocked to understand what had just happened. The high priest stood, gaping, his mouth working as if to say something but failing.

"You've made a mistake," Seraphina hissed, her voice raw with fury. She pulled against the chains, but they didn't give. They never gave. The silver burned against her skin, but the pain was nothing compared to the searing betrayal she felt inside. He had claimed her as his mate, but it wasn't a choice she had made. Dorian didn't respond immediately.

His eyes were cold, calculating, as though he were measuring her, weighing her worth. He stepped closer, his presence like a storm gathering in the air around her.

Every step he took made the bond stronger, pulling her deeper into his orbit, a force she couldn't escape.

"You're angry," he said, his voice low, but with an undeniable edge.

"Understandably so.

But you're not in a position to make demands."

Seraphina's lip curled in a snarl, but she kept her temper in check. For now. "What exactly do you want from me, Nightbane? You've already taken everything my life, my freedom, my family's legacy.

What else do you want?" Dorian's lips twisted into a knowing smirk, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly as he studied her, as if finding amusement in her defiance. "What I want, witch, is simple." His eyes darkened, and the air around them seemed to shift, thickening with his power.

"I want you to survive." Seraphina blinked in confusion. "What?" He took another step closer, and for the first time, Seraphina felt the weight of his words. "I'm cursed," he said, his voice soft but deadly serious. "And if you marry me, you will die. In less than a year."

The words hit her like a punch to the gut, and she recoiled, her breath catching in her throat. "What are you talking about?" she demanded, her heart pounding. "You what curse? What do you mean, I'll die?" Dorian met her gaze, unflinching. "It's called the Bloodmoon Curse. My pack's curse. Every Luna I've ever taken, every woman I've ever chosen, has died within a year of our bonding.

It's the price of power. The price of this... curse that's bound to my bloodline." Seraphina's mind raced, trying to piece together the gravity of his words. His pack, his lineage, bound by something dark and ancient. It wasn't just a curse it was a death sentence.

"I didn't choose you for your beauty or your bloodline, Seraphina," Dorian continued, his gaze never leaving hers. "I chose you because you were already marked for death. It's the only reason I believed you could survive me. You're no stranger to curses. You've lived with death following you your entire life. I didn't think you'd be afraid."

Seraphina swallowed hard, her throat dry, as the implications of his words began to sink in. He had chosen her because she was already cursed? Because she was expendable? His cold, calculating words made her stomach turn, but there was something else beneath them something darker, something she didn't fully understand yet.

"You don't know me," she said, her voice steady despite the roiling emotions inside her. "I may be cursed, but I'm no one's pawn. You think you can control me with your dark magic, your pack's curse? You're wrong."

Dorian's expression softened, but only slightly. "You're not a pawn, Seraphina.

You're my choice. And that choice comes with consequences.

You will die, but I need you to do something for me before that happens." Her mind raced, her pulse quickening.

"What do you want from me?" Dorian's lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile.

"I want you to help me lift the curse." Seraphina froze. "Lift the curse?" "Yes," he said, his voice low, deadly serious.

"I need your help, Seraphina.

No one else can help me, no one else has the knowledge you possess.

You've lived with death, with curses.

Your bloodline is bound to magic older than anything my pack has seen. And you " he paused, his gaze sharp, piercing. "You're the key to breaking it."

Seraphina's mind was a whirl of confusion, fury, and curiosity.

He was offering her something that made no sense, a chance to undo what had been done, a chance to stop the curse that hung over him. But why? Why was he trusting her? And why was he so certain she would agree to help him? "And if I help you?" she asked, her voice tight, trying to keep her composure.

"What do I get in return?" Dorian's eyes glinted with something darker now, something that made her stomach twist.

"You survive, Seraphina. You live, for as long as we can break this curse. If you help me, I will protect you. I will ensure you are not killed by the curse before its time."

The offer hung in the air between them, heavy with the weight of a thousand unspoken words. Seraphina felt the bond between them tug once more, like a chain around her heart, binding her to him even as she fought to break free.

"You can't promise me that," she said, her voice sharp.

"How can I trust you? You've already sealed my fate with your curse. What makes you think I'll believe a word you say?" Dorian's gaze flicked to her, his eyes narrowing slightly, but there was no anger, no malice only a calm, unyielding certainty. "I don't need you to trust me, Seraphina. I just need you to play along. For now." She clenched her fists, the silver chains digging into her skin. "And if I refuse? What happens then?" Dorian's expression didn't change, but the atmosphere around them shifted, darkened.

"Then you die. And I will make sure your death is slow, painful, and exacts the highest price on those who wronged you." The threat was clear, but it wasn't what made Seraphina hesitate. What stopped her was the flicker of something she couldn't place in his eyes a flash of sincerity, of something more than the cold power he exuded. It was the first time she saw him as something other than a monster. "And if I agree?" she asked, her voice low, but with a note of challenge.

"What happens then?" Dorian's lips parted in a barely perceptible smile. "Then we work together to break the curse.

And if you die in the process, I will make sure you're avenged." Seraphina's mind spun, the weight of his words pressing down on her chest. She didn't trust him.

Not fully. But she wasn't stupid. She knew the only way she might have a chance at survival was to play his game.

For now. "I'll agree to your deal," she said finally, her voice steady, though her heart hammered in her chest.

"But understand this, Alpha Nightbane I'm no one's sacrifice. If I die, I will make sure you die with me." Dorian's gaze darkened, but there was no anger in it, only the sharp edge of understanding. "If you die, Seraphina, I will make sure you're the last one to go."

The tension between them crackled like static, the bond between them pulling tighter, unbreakable.

A deal had been struck. But Seraphina knew better than to trust it. Deals with Alphas were always double edged, and she intended to use this one to her advantage. She just had to survive long enough to find the truth.