Cursed Mate Of The Supreme Alpha

RAINA

"Do you ever think of revenge, Raina?"

Diego suddenly asked me out of nowhere. he had left me in the kitchen for over an hour all by myself toiling away to prepare dinner for the pack.

I froze when he asked me that unimaginable question, the ladle i held in my hands halfway between the simmering pot of stew and the chipped wooden bowl. The stew bubbled, thick with herbs and meat scraps, filling the kitchen with a savory scent that doesn't quite mask the damp, smoky air. Diego leaned against the counter, his sleeves rolled up, his dark eyes watching me too closely.

"What?" I asked trying to feign ignorance though I heard him perfectly.

He smirked but there was no humor in what he had asked "You heard me. If you had the chance, would you ever poison Alpha Dirke and that snake he calls Luna? Maybe that brat Trish too?" My stomach knotted with fear, the spoon slipped from my hand clattering against the pot's rim. Hot stew splashed on my wrist, but I barely felt it.

"Diego," I whispered glancing frighteningly at the kitchen door to make sure no one was around "Don't say things like that, you could get me into trouble."

"Why not?" he said, stepping closer, he had a smug look on his face. "You can't tell me you don't think about it. Every day, I see how they treat you, you are covered in bruises, Raina. If you were anyone else, if you had any power at all you would have torn them to pieces by now."

I turned away from him and pretended to check the cake in the oven, though my hands were trembling. "Power?" I asked softly, my voice breaking. "That's the problem, isn't it? I don't have any. I'm not wolf enough, not human enough, I am just a mistake the Moon Goddess cursed."

He lets out a low chuckle. "Maybe girl, or maybe you're more than that."

His tone made me really nervous and I didn't know why. I glanced at him, his eyes gleamed with something I couldn't quite place; maybe pity, or calculation. But he is the only one I could call a friend in the pack.

"I don't want to poison anyone," I replied while stirring the pot again just to have something to do with my hands.

"I just want to be free, to breathe without someone calling me a curse, to see what's beyond these walls or simply die."

Diego sighed wearily "Freedom!" He said the word like it's something unattainable "You think there's freedom out there, half-blood? Out there, they would tear you apart faster than in here, so you better snap out of your delusions dear."

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat, maybe he's right, or maybe not. But even a world that hates me would be much better than this one with the moonshire pack. Diego didn't say anything else to me, and for a few moments, the only sound that broke the silence was that of the fire crackling, the bubbling stew and Diego chopping onions. Steam rose around us, the heat from the fire making us sweat profusely. After a few minutes of silence he cleared his throat. "You haven't heard, have you?"

I glanced up and starred at him, bracing myself for the story he would tell "Heard what?"

"Alpha Dirke received an invitation from the High Council this morning. The Supreme Alpha himself, Alpha Zane of the Howlers Pack has called for a Mating Ceremony in Howlgroove. He's searching for his fated mate."

I blinked, unsure I heard him right. "The Supreme Alpha?"Diego nodded

"The most powerful werewolf alive. Some say his power comes straight from the Moon Goddess herself, they say she gifted him the cosmic powers of the stars only his fated mate can absorb. All ten clan packs has been invited to send their most beautiful daughters. Alpha Dirke is over the moon about it, he thinks it's an opportunity to restore the Moonshire Pack's lost reputation."

A bitter laugh escaped me, "And let me guess, Trish will be his offering?"

Diego grinned "Ofcourse dear, Who else?"

I shook my head "Then may the Moon Goddess help the Supreme Alpha, because she's cruel enough to curse a saint."

Diego chuckled nervously, "Careful what you say, Raina. The walls here have ears."

"I'm not afraid of walls," I muttered "Just the monsters living inside them."

He looked at me for a long moment, then leaned closer, lowering his voice. "If you had the chance, would you take it?"

I frown. "What do you mean Diego?"

"To leave," he said. "To run, to be free from this godforsaken place, even if it means never coming back."

"I..." I stuttered, then shook my head. "It's just a dream."

"Dreams start somewhere," Diego said softly. "Remember that."

Before I could answer, the heavy kitchen door swung open. The hinges creaked , and both of us stood to attention.

Luna Fran walked into the kitchen, her perfume choking the air, she wore a long red silk dress with a cape that trailed behind her. Her eyes landed on me first, sharp and filled with hate.

"Still here?" she snapped at me "You should have served dinner ten minutes ago, half-blood b*tch"

I bow quickly, my pulse racing. "Yes, Luna. It's almost ready."

She wrinkled her nose. "You stink of smoke and filth. How dare you breathe the same air as your betters?"

Diego bowed his head low. "Forgive us, Luna. We were only making sure the meal is perfect." "Perfection isn't in your hands, cook," she said coldly. "Just serve it before the Alpha loses his temper. And you......." she glared at me, "you are coming with us tomorrow."

I looked up, startled. "Tomorrow?"

She frowned "Did I stutter stinking wretch? You will accompany my daughter Trish to Howlgroove. She'll need someone to carry her gowns, fix her hair, and remind her what real beauty looks like when she stands next to a creature like you."

My stomach dropped "Luna, I....."

"Silence!" she snapped "Be grateful you will even set foot in the capitol. Do not embarrass me or the pack half-blood or else I will make sure your tongue is cut out before we return."

I bite down on my tongue to keep my quivering in check and bowed "Yes, Luna.

"Good," she said , smirking. "Now, serve dinner. And wash yourself, you look like a stray dog." She walked out of the kitchen, her red cape sweeping against the stone floor. The moment she left the air in the kitchen felt lighter, I exhaled deeply.

Diego exhaled too shaking his vigorously "Guess that's your dream answered. You are leaving the Moonshire pack house, after all."

"Not the way I wanted," I replied . "I have never been outside these walls, heck! , don't even know what Howlgroove looks like."

He studied me, his gaze unreadable. "It's beautiful, so they say , I have never been there myself either. A city of moonstone and gold. They say the Supreme Alpha's Castle is made of pure gold, but not all that glitters is safe."

Something about the way he says it makes the back of my neck prickle.

"What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "Just... be careful, Raina. People notice more than you think."

He moved past me, grabbing a tray of roasted meat meant for Alpha Dirke.

"I will see you tomorrow," he murmured "Don't be late, you know Luna Fran doesn't like delays."

He carried the tray out of the kitchen, leaving me alone with the simmering pot and my racing thoughts.

For a while, I just stood there, my hands shaking as I ladle stew into bowls.

Tomorrow I will be going to Howlgroove, my first time leaving these walls. Part of me should be excited, but I wasn't, I felt caged. I hurried out of the kitchen to the dinning room to serve the pack. As I placed the bowls of stew on the large oak table something struck me.

"Maybe this is my chance. Maybe..." I whispered to myself. I shook my head , it seemed almost impossible. could I really escape, run away forever and finally be free.

After dinner was done, I stood by the kitchen sink with a mountain high of dirty dishes while everyone else partied at the grand hall, I could hear their howling, it was past midnight already.

This might be my only opportunity to finally escape this prison even if I could never escape my curse. I quickly submerged the dishes in cold soapy water while working out the plan in my mind. At last, Freedom, I could almost taste it now.

RAINA

"Hold it higher, slave! Don't drag my gown on the floor!" Trish yelled at me as I limped behind her on our way to the great Hall.

Howlgroove was everything I had ever imagined and even more. The city sparkled in the morning light when we arrived, and in the evening, the Supreme Alpha's magnificent Castle made of pure gold as rumored shone bright in the setting sun.

"Yes, my lady," I whispered, though my arms ached from holding up the heavy train of her black and burgundy gown. The fabric is so rich and thick she looked like royalty in it, but every other she-wolf I had seen from the other clans looked royal too.

My feet burned inside my torn shoe as I put every effort in moving. I noticed everyone who passed by me looked at me strangely, some sniffed trying to place my scent.

The golden walls of the palace reflected everything - the glimmer of torches, the rustle of silks, everything here screamed power.

We reached the towering double doors, carved with wolves howling at a moon of pure crystal. Two guards stood on either side, dressed in the black and gold insignia of the Supreme Pack. They didnt even glance at me, my ragged clothes and tangled white hair gave me off only as a slave.

Luna Fran walked beside her daughter, she wore too much jewelry and makeup which made her look like a drag queen. She looked back at me with a scowl on her face.

Standing by the large double doors of the entrance of the great hall, she turned around

"You will wait outside, half-blood," she said coldly "You are not worthy to enter the presence of the Supreme Alpha, you stink and I wouldn't want your presence to taint the image of our pack."

I bow quickly, hiding my relief. "Yes, Luna."

Her gaze narrows. "Do not wander, do not draw attention to yourself. If anyone asks who you belong to, you say nothing. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Luna."

Trish smirked. "Don't think you'll see anything grand from here, Raina. This place isn't meant for creatures like you."

"Yes my lady," I murmured

"Good." She tossed her hair, the scent of roses choking me. "Now fix my train, and remember, one mistake tonight and Mother will skin you alive."

I watched as they walked into the ballroom, vanishing into a swirl of music and laughter, the large doors close.

I stood there for a moment, clutching the edge of my ragged shawl. I heard faint echoes , laughter, the clinking of glasses and the steady rhythm of music.

After a while the hallway became empty, all the guest had gone inside the hall.

My heart beat wildly against my chest, this was my chance to run away.I glanced around.... empty hallways, guards stationed far at the ends. The corridor stretched before me towards the massive golden gates.

Now, I tell myself. Run. I lift my skirts and take off.

The sound of my feet slapping against marble echoed louder than my heartbeat. My lungs burned but I didnt stop. I run past gilded pillars, through a hall lined with ancient tapestries of wolves and moons.

I could almost see the front gates open to everyone for the night. Beyond them, dark woods stretch out under the stars. If I could just reach them.....

Suddenly I collide with something hard, darkness was thick but it felt like a wall of muscle. The impact threw me backward, and I stumbled crashing to my knees. My palms sting as they scrape against cold stone, my vision blurry.

A growl filled the air, it was loud and menacing

"Who dares?"

My breath hitched, I looked up blinking through the blur in the darkness of the night and see boots. Black leather polished boots. Then a black cloak long, embroidered with silver wolves.

And then faces, one which was most striking I knew instantly I was looking at the supreme Alpha.I had seen his face staring down from billboards and portraits when we arrived Howlgroove.

Zane, the Alpha of Alphas. My heart stopped for a second as I knelt on the hard floor shaking. Behind him stood another man..... his Beta, by the insignia on his clothe , his eyes sharp and cold as steel. He stepped forward instantly.

"Answer the Alpha," he snapped "Who are you, girl?!"

"I ... I.." I stuttered unable to speak.

Zane's gaze locked on me, and something stirred in the air between us. The hallway trembled slightly.

"Speak," he thundered

My lips trembled "R-Raina, my lord," I whisper, lowering my head. "I didn't mean to... I wasn't...." I knew I was done for, he will order my execution; my tragic end.

His beta grabbed my arm, yanking me up from the ground where I was grovelling like a begger. His grip strong like an iron "You dare cross the Supreme Alpha's path and think an apology will save you?"

"Please," I cried , tears streaming down my face

"I didn't know....... I was just....."

"Running," Alpha Zane's deep voice cut me off. His tone calm, but the power in it makes the air vibrate. I couldn't look into eyes. My mind screamed at me to bow, to crawl, to vanish all at the same time.

He steppes closer, his scent hits me; the strong most overpowering wolf scent I had ever smelled... he smelt like wild cedar, smoke, and blood. Suddenly I felt a low growl stir inside me, no, no it couldn't be. My wolf? I have no wolf, I was told the moon goddess bound my wolf at birth never to be awaken. But now, suddenly restless , she stirred inside, though i had never felt her before now, I knew it was her.

"Look at me." Alpha Zane ordered, his beta and bodyguards were all at alert as if waiting for his signal to tear me into shreds.

I shook my head, trembling. "I can't... my Lord"

"Look at me " he repeated, softer this time but I knew it was a command I couldn't disobey, so slowly, I lifted my eyes and our eyes meet, locked in the moment.

And everything stopped , the world tilted, the torches flickered, the ground felt like it's moving. My breath hitched as his pupils dilate, the golden light in his eyes deepened into something dark. his jaw tightened, his nostrils flare slightly. His entire body goes still, his gaze fixed on me.

Then his wolf growled, I feel it, it surged beneath his skin, roaring to the surface.

"MATE."

The word echoed in my head before I realize he never spoke it aloud. My own wolf, non-existent and silent for eighteen years, stirred faintly in response ,...... like a whisper in the back of my mind, faint but undeniable.

No. No, it can't be, not me, not him. Everything was happening so fast my head spinned, my thoughts were chaotic.

Firstly I was supposed to be escaping, secondly I was cursed at birth as a half-blood by the moon goddess never to have my wolf, never to find a mate or become a Luna- much more a Supreme Luna of the ten clans. This isn't fate, it's. a cruel joke being played on the miserable little half-blood.

How ?.. why?... questions gnawed at me. He is the Supreme Alpha, the most powerful werewolf in existence. I am... nothing, so how could this be.

His Beta stiffened beside him, eyes widening.

"My lord?"

Alpha Zane didnt answer, his gaze is locked on me, unreadable, as if the world has narrowed down to this one impossible moment.

My legs feel weak. My vision blurs. I whisper,

"Please, forgive me my Lord, I will go....."

"No," he growled, his voice low but firm "You won't."

He took a step closer to me and I feel the pull from his wolf to mine. something magnetic, ancient and terrifying. It's not just attraction. It's instinct, a bond older than time itself.

He stared down at me as I knelt on the floor, too terrified I glanced back toward the entrance , toward the open gates that had promised freedom just moments ago, far from freedom I knew what lay ahead for me, death, public execution of the half-blood who dared to speak before Alpha Zane, I expected to hear him say it, Kill her, but instead.

"Get up".

ZANE

"Who is she?"

Dante continued to growl restlessly within me, MATE, Mate?. This was so different from how I had thought the evening would turn out, right here outside the the great hall.

The girl trembled before me, her head bowed, her silver-white hair catching the torchlight, I had never seen such magnificent white hair, but it was all tangled as if she hadn't brushed them in ages. Her scent hit me, she smelled strange, something wrong. It wasn't wolf, It wasn't human either, it was something else. I could smell her fear , raw and pathetic, she could never be my fated one.

My wolf, Dante, lunged within me again, Mate. The single word thundered through my head. I felt the bond snap into place between us, cutting through my reason, through my control.

No. It couldn't be, this?

I was Zane, Supreme Alpha of Howlgroove, the most powerful of all ten clans, bound by blood to the Moon Throne itself. I couldn't have this......a trembling, ragged creature, kneeling on the marble like a beaten dog......as my mate.

"Get up," I ordered again, my tone sharp and harsh. She didn't move. Her hands shook against the floor.

"I said get up."

The command came out colder this time, authority erupting from me like heat from the sun. My guards shifted uneasily. Even Beta Mark's posture tightened beside me; he had heard it too-that dangerous vibration in my voice that meant my wolf was barely restrained.

The girl flinched, her body trembling as she pushed herself to her knees. I saw the bruises then dark marks along her arms, her collarbone, the side of her neck. Her clothes were rags, torn at the hem. She wouldn't even look at me.

Dante snarled inside my chest. She's ours.

"She's nothing," I muttered under my breath. "You're mistaken."

But Dante wasn't listening. His energy surged, hot and wild, pressing against the surface of my control. I felt the bond hum again, a pulse beneath my skin, like an itch.

"Alpha?" Mark's voice broke through the haze.

"Do you want me to remove her?"

I nodded stiffly. "Take her to the Great Hall. With the others."

Mark hesitated. "The council......."

"Now," I snapped.

He bowed his head and gestured for the guards. They hauled her to her feet. She didn't resist, only whimpered softly, her eyes still downcast. For some reason, that sound cut through me more deeply than I cared to admit.

As they dragged her away, Dante growled, low and furious. You let them touch her.

"She's filth," I hissed back under my breath. "A half-blood? I can smell her impurity, she's forbidden, she can never be Luna supreme."

She's ours, ours, mate!

I ignored him, but my jaw clenched hard enough to ache. I turned and strode toward the Great Hall, where the gathered clans were still feasting under the crystal chandeliers. Music swelled, laughter echoing off golden walls. The scent of roasted meat and wine mingled with the faint metallic tang of dominance-the kind that came whenever powerful Alphas gathered in one place.

At the high table, the leaders of the ten clans rose as I entered. My presence silenced the room; conversation fell away to total silence. Every eye turned to me, the Supreme Alpha, heir of the Howlers, ruler of all. But my thoughts weren't on them. They were on the girl.

Raina.

I had heard her name whispered as she had been dragged inside. The half-blood of Moonshire Pack. The cursed daughter of Alpha Silver and a human woman. I remembered the whispers from years ago: the scandal that had shaken the southern territories, the child born of forbidden union, the one the Moon Goddess herself had supposedly cursed. And now she was here, in my hall, wearing my mark.

Dante howled with triumph, I flinched , I wanted to strangle him.

Beta Mark stepped forward beside me, clearing his throat. "My Lord, The ten clans of the moon await your word."

I forced my face into neutrality "Proceed."

Luna Fran of Moonshire bowed low, her jewels glittering in the candlelight. "My lord," she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness, "we are honored to stand before you. My daughter, Trish, is humbled to be considered for your grace's choosing."

I didn't look at the daughter. I was too aware of the figure standing behind them, Raina. Her head lowered, hands folded and trembling , trying to make herself invisible. Her smell hit me once again. That strange, clean scent that burned through every other aroma in the room.

Dante pushed forward. Call her to us.

"No," I muttered under my breath.

Mark glanced sideways at me. "My lord?"

"Nothing," I said tightly.

Luna Fran was still talking, boasting about her daughter's beauty, their pack's loyalty, their history. I barely heard her. My eyes kept drifting back to the half-blood. She looked exhausted, thin, pale, a ghost among wolves. Every instinct in me screamed to pull her closer, to shield her from the eyes that sneered, from the whispers that slithered through the air.

But I couldn't, not here, not before the council.

The High Council would never permit it. The Supreme Alpha could not take a half-blood mate. It would break centuries of law, shatter alliances, and invite rebellion from every corner of the realm.

This was politics, power, legacy, and she was a threat to all of it. My jaw tightened with rage. The room felt too hot, too loud and too small.

Dante's growl rolled through my mind. You deny what's ours.

"I protect what's mine," I snapped inwardly.

I rose abruptly from my seat. "Enough," I said aloud, my voice echoing off the large hall. "The dinner is over."

A ripple of confusion spread through the hall. The music stopped. Luna Fran's smile faltered.

"B-but my lord......"

"I said enough." I growled and she whimpered in fear.

Mark nodded to the guards, who began ushering guests out. I turned on my heel and walked toward the exit, every step measured, deliberate. The air outside the Great Hall was cooler, but it did nothing to ease the fire crawling under my skin.

I needed distance, space. Anything to quiet Dante's roaring.

You can't hide from the bond.

"She's a mistake," I whispered, pacing the corridor outside the council chamber. "A cursed one."

She's the Moon's choice.

"No," I growled aloud. "The Moon doesn't make mistakes like this." Mark appeared in the doorway, his brow furrowed.

"My lord, shall I summon the Moonshire Alpha? The council expects your decision on the matter of alliances."

"Yes," I said, too quickly. "Bring him. And... bring her too."

Mark hesitated. "The girl?"

"Yes."

He nodded and left.

I turned toward the window, watching the moon hang low over Howlgroove. Its pale light painted the city in silver, the towers gleaming like frost. For a moment, I let myself imagine a different world, one where rank and law meant nothing, where I could follow the pull of my wolf without consequence. But that world didn't exist.

When the door opened again, I turned sharply. Alpha Dirke entered first, his bow too deep to be sincere. His eyes glimmered with greed. Behind him came Raina, flanked by guards. She kept her gaze on the floor, her posture small, submissive.

I hated how my pulse jumped.

"Supreme Alpha," Dirke said smoothly, "I must apologize if my servant has caused any offense. She is... defective. Her presence alone is often enough to sour an evening."

Dante's snarl was instant and vicious. He insults our mate.

I clenched my fists behind my back. "Servant?" I asked quietly.

"Yes, my lord," Dirke said. "A half-blood wretch we've kept out of charity. The late Alpha Silver's mistake. She carries human blood.......unclean, weak. We keep her for labor, nothing more."

My gaze shifted to her. She didn't speak, didn't move. Only the faint tremor in her fingers betrayed that she had heard every word.

Something inside me cracked.

I stepped closer, my voice dropping to a growl. "And yet you parade her in front of me dressed in rags. You bring her into my presence without permission."

Dirke blinked, confused. "I-"

"Do you understand the risk you've taken?" I said, my tone slicing through the air. "What if the Supreme Alpha mistook this girl for something more? What if your insolence cost you your pack?"

Dirke paled. "Forgive me, my lord. It won't happen again."

"No," I said. "It won't."

I turned to Mark. "See to it she's housed in the lower quarters. Away from the others. And make sure she's... cleaned up."

Mark hesitated. "Yes, my lord."

Raina lifted her head slightly then, and our eyes met for the second time in that bright light. She had ocean- blue eyes, wide and innocent.

The bond between us pulsed again, electric and undeniable. Dante pressed against my chest, whispering in my mind, She's ours.

I looked away before I did something reckless. "Dismissed," I said.

They turned to leave. But as she walked past me, her limp pronounced and painful to watch, Dante roared.

She's hurt. She's starving. You let them treat her like this?

"She's not my concern," I hissed inwardly.

She's your mate.

"Enough!" I said aloud before I could stop myself. Everyone froze. Dirke stared at me in alarm; Mark's eyes widened. I forced myself to breathe, to smooth my tone. "Leave us."

They bowed and exited quickly, the door closing behind them. Silence filled the chamber, thick and suffocating.

I turned to the window again, gripping the sill until my knuckles whitened.

"This can't happen," I whispered. "The law forbids it. The council will......"

The council doesn't own us, Dante growled. The Moon does.

I shut my eyes, the pull between reason and instinct tearing me apart.

"She's half-blood," I said. "Unworthy and Weak."

She's fate.

I could feel her heartbeat somewhere in the castle, could sense her scent lingering even after she'd gone. And for the first time in my life, I wasn't sure if being Supreme Alpha meant anything at all. Because what kind of ruler was I... if I couldn't command my own soul?