Fated to the cursed Alpha

THE CURSE.

{100 Years ago}

Kaleb had packed some few stuffs he'd use for the hunting in his brown bag. He was ready after so many attempts which ended up into failure.

Today, he had decided to return home with at least a meat or else he wouldn't be returning at all.

They had set off into the woods. The deal was to hunt as a human and not as a wolf.

Kaleb wasn't good at traps and arrows so catching a prey was as difficult as counting the sands at the seashore.

Moreover, Raymond the younger of the two was good at arrows. He was just the opposite of Kaleb. He love living as a human.

Not less than five minutes they arrived in the woods, Raymond already had two rabbits with him.

This got Kaleb pissed off, he abandoned the deal then decided to hunt with his claws, catching four in less than a minute.

As they made their way home, Kaleb sighted a small hut few miles away.

" Come on, let's check this out." He said and Raymond followed him.

"Do you think sneaking into a house in the middle of nowhere is a good idea? " Asked Raymond as they made it to the door.

" We're only spending an hour or two and we're off. I need to have at least one of these rabbits before I head back home. " He gathered the left over sticks together, creating a light with the match stick.

Raymond had to wait for Kaleb to roast his meat before he could do his. While they are silently waiting for the meat , Kaleb perceived a smell, it was strange to his nose.

He sniffed. " Do you perceive that?" He asked, turning to his brother.

" Perceive what?" Raymond raised his head.

" Like burning incense." He said, sniffing in the smell again and again.

Raymond sniffed too. " Yeah. Where would that be coming from?" He asked.

" You stay here while I go check it out. "

Raymond stands up. " No way are you going in there. We don't even know who owns this place and you think snooping around will actually do us good? We better get going. "

" Come on, don't be such a kid, okay? The owner is nowhere which means we are free to do whatever it is we want to. And besides, if you're scared, then stay here. "

Not wanting to hear Raymond's refusal, he went in, following the direction of the incense smell.

Kaleb got to where the smell was coming from, it was in a dark chamber filled with alters at the four sections of the house and a red cloth tied on the walls.

It would have been much better if he had minded his business and just walk out of the room like he didn't notice a thing but instead, he walked round the room, touching items with a label boldly written on it, " DON'T TOUCH.

Despite seeing the inscription, Kaleb went ahead touching the incense cup and it fell to the ground. Immediately, the smoke stopped and the room grew instantly darker.

Quietly, he sneaked out of the room then out of the house using the back door so as not to let Raymond know.

In great speed, he fled away.

Unknown to Raymond who has been waiting for minutes and yet Kaleb hasn't show up. So, he left his meat, heading to the same room Kaleb had gone to.

On getting there, the room was dark. He had to use his wolf eye to see clear. As he strolled around the room, he stepped on something, like a ceramic plate.

Staring at the ground, he saw the broken incense cup on the floor. It then dawned on him that Kaleb must have done something he shouldn't have.

As he tried to leave the room, the door opened and the lights were restored.

An old woman dressed in a long black cloak walked in, her penciled cat eye almost touching her left ear. She looked ugly and... scary.

Raymond shivered.

" What are you doing here?" She snarled at him.

" N... Nothing. I was actually looking for my brother, he was here few minutes ago. I swear I didn't touch anything."

She looked at the broken cup on the ground. " Do you know what you have done?" She growled. " You just committed the worst mistake ever."

" I swear, I didn't do anything. I just walked in here now. I haven't touch anything here." He defended.

" You will regret this." Her face turned into a deep frown.

" I said I didn't do anything, isn't that enough to make you listen?" He growled back.

" For your rudeness I will lay a curse on you in replacement for your evil crime. Beneath the great mountain of Everest shall you dwell. Neither the sunlight nor the rain, nor the moon shall your eyes see.

Darkness shall be your comfort, anger shall be your heart beat, and vergence shall be your song. Until the day which the last leaf of this flower shall fall, you shall be locked forever. "

After the old woman had said this words to him, he began to turn. Not just to a wolf, but to a night beast.

" No. No!!" He cried in agony as the pain of shifting tormented him. " I swear! I didn't... Arrggh... I... Noo!!!"

In a second, Raymond's both hands and legs were tied up against the wall of the cave beneath the mountain. And the flower was mounted at the centre of the cave.

Like the old witch had said, until the last leaf drops, then shall he be released.

" So, that is the end of my story." Theodora said to the little children who was sitting before her, listening to her story.

" He should be released by now. How big is the leaf that it hasn't all dropped?" Asked one of the kids.

" That is a question no one can answer. " Theodora simply said.

" Are you gonna tell us another story tomorrow?" Another asked.

" Yes, of course. And this time, it's gonna be a lot different." She said with a smile.

" Theodora!!" Called her mother from the inside.

" I gotta go, guys. See you tomorrow, okay?" She waved them off before she went in to answer her mother.

" Still telling them the story of the cursed beast?" Asked her mother as she walks into the kitchen.

" That has been my favorite story since history class. " She said, taking the vegetables from the counter. " Should I cut all of them?" She asked.

" Yes." She nods. " Do you think those stories are real?"

" Of course, they are. I believe the beast is out there just beneath the mountain. All I can feel is pity for every single soul. He is gonna have our heads taken when he finally breaks free from the curse." She said as she chopped the veggies

There was a brief silence. Theodora asked, " But mother, do you think Raymond deserves the curse?"

" Well, what I do think is he was only trying to defend himself to the old woman but she wouldn't listen. If only he can rise from his hell prison, I pray that he first have alpha Kaleb's head first before any single one of us."

Another silence as they went ahead cooking their soup for dinner. For the first time since Theodora learnt about the story of the cursed beast, she has never gone so deep to think of it.

It was as if it was new to her hearing. How possible is it that a beast would survive underneath the mountain for a century now, hoping to be free someday.

" Still thinking about it?" Asked her mother as she noticed her countenance.

" No. " She lied.

That night while they all sit together, Mr Van Amstel had a lot of gist to tell. " There is something yet to happen next week." He started.

" Something like what? " Asked his wife.

" By next week, alpha Kaleb will be taking the throne to himself. So help us God, for we are all doomed. " He took the tenth spoon of his soup.

" I have always wished for this so-called alpha to change but it seems like he gets worst every blessed day. I am tired already, maybe we all have to get ready for our death. " Mrs Van Amstel complained bitterly.

" If it were to be possible for the curse to be reversed, I would have love it to be Kaleb. He doesn't deserve to be the king. " Theodora cursed.

~ THEODORA'S ROOM ~

She was sitting on her small sized bed which stood beside the window, staring out of the window in deep thought.

Alpha Kaleb, king?

She scoffed.

She went to get the book where the story of the cursed beast was written. She flipped through the pages of the book, reading the story over and over and over again.

Then at the end part of the story, where the beast was tied against the wall, she kept staring at the figure. " I wish you can hear me. You have to save us all or he kills us.

I believe you. I believe you didn't break the incense cup. And... I know you don't deserve the curse either. " She sighed. " But please, save us. "

She held the book to her chest, her gaze haven't left the moon.

She laid on the bed, squeezing herself from the cold. She shut her eyes close, folded the book tight to her chest like she was scared she would loose it while she sleeps.

*

*

~ 12 MIDNIGHT ~

" Theodora..." Called a voice in a faint tone, sounding much like a whisper in her ears. " Theodora..." The same voice called.

She had thought it was in her dream but when the voice called in a louder but deeper tone, enough to wake her up, " THEODORA!!" she jerked awake.

She gasped on looking out of the window.

THE VOICE.

Theodora walked out of her room to the living room where her parents sat still discussing. They were surprised to see her.

" Is there a problem?" Asked her mother.

" I think I heard someone call my name. Did you called me?" She asked her father who shook his head. " I think I heard someone call me, like three times. "

" No one called you, sweetheart." Said her mother.

She sighed. " Then I should just get back to bed. " She turns, heading back to her room.

She picked the book from the corner of the bed, laying back on her bed. As soon as she closes her eyes to sleep, she dozed off.

" Theodora." She opened her eyes, staring around the room. The voice sounded like it was just with her.

" Who is that?" She asked but all she could get was a total silence. " What are you?"

She sighed again. " Crazy dreams, huh?" She laid back again.

The voice didn't call her again until the following morning, she woke up by the loud laughter of her parents.

Rubbing her eyes, she stared out of the window, yawning tiredly. " Crazy dreams." She said, stepping out of the bed.

She walked out, heading to the kitchen. " Good morning, mom." She greeted her mother who was making breakfast.

" Hey, sweetheart, you're awake. "

" Yeah. " She said dully.

" Bad night? "

" Just the voices that's all. " She sat on the stool which was by the door.

" When did it started? " Asked her mother.

" Last night. I can't even recognize the voice."

" That's weird."

" I know. But what does that mean? " She asked. " Does it mean I have powers or I am a witch? "

" No, don't you ever say that, Dora. You are not a witch and you were never born in such manner. Whatever that voice is, it's playing with your head. Next time it calls, don't listen to it. " She warned.

" I tried not to but it kept calling. And each time I don't listen to it, it gets louder. "

" Don't worry, I will talk to Mr Mayor about this. I'm certain he must know a lot about stuffs like this. "

" When will you be leaving to see him? " She asked anxiously.

" Guess after breakfast. "

Theodora wanted a solution now and then. The fear of night approaching bothered her. Since she had woken up from sleep, she hasn't heard the voice.

Or was it her imagination playing games with her? Or was it indeed a real voice?

" Are you scared?"

She sighed for the tenth time. " Honestly, I think I am."

*

She had to tell her mother to leave the rest of the house work for her while she do the house work herself.

Theodora's heart was beating fast like there wasn't a tommorow. All she could imagine was her mother coming back to tell her that Mr Mayor had told her that it was just her mind.

Another voice would testify something weird that could in any way cause her a heart attack.

She paced to and fro the living room just to calm her rising heart down. " Please tell me this isn't a bad news." She said to herself.

After what took like two hours and some minutes, there came a knock on the door.

Without asking who it was, she went to open it. " Mother, what did he say?" She asked without taking a breath.

" You should learn how to ask who it is knocking before you open the door. Haven't we talked about this before? " She reminded.

" I'm sorry, I was just being inquisitive. " She shuts the door after her. " Did you tell him? "

" Yes. "

" And what did he say? " She asked not hesitating.

" He said it's your mind. And that you should stop the level at which you think, it causes a serious damage to the brain cells. "

That was true. Theodora was hell of a girl who loved surfing things with her brain. She would have one particular topic in mind and have it thought for a whole day if she was given the chance to.

She felt a bit relaxed as it wasn't what she least expect to hear.

" I'll just keep that in mind."

On one part, what Mr Mayor had said about Theodora was true. And on the other hand, it doesn't seem to be the main reason why she was hearing that voice.

But the question is... What Is?

Poor Theodora tried her possible best not to have anything thought about as Mr Mayor had instructed, hoping for her normal sound sleep tonight.

Just the normal night routine; cook dinner, eat, watch little movies then off to bed.

She again flipped through the pages of the history book of the cursed beast. She heaved, dropping it by the side of her pillow.

" Theodora..." The voice didn't even let her doze off entirely, it called.

She covered her ears tight with her pillow, not wanting to hear the voice. But it came instead, loud and clear. " Theodora..!!!" Sending weakness to her body.

" What do you want from me?" She said in clenched teeth as the deep sound of the voice echoed in her ears, causing her to feel pains. " Who are you?" She questioned.

" Theo... Dora..."

" Get away... from me!! Just f*cking leave me alone, okay?! " She yelled, shutting her both ears with her hands. " Just leave me alone. "

Mr and Mrs Van Amstel were alerted by the loud cry of Theodora, and without hesitating, they both rushed in to her room.

" Dora, what's going on?" They saw as she covered her ears, weeping.

" Just go away. Mother make it stop. Make it stop. Make it stop! Make it... "

Mrs Van Amstel held her into her arms, " Sh-shh." She shushed her, rubbing her fingers in her hair. " There's nothing in here, it's just your mind. It's okay, you're not alone. "

Theodora calmed down, sniffing hard. " It's not just my mind, it's real." She said in a shaky voice. " I can feel it. I hear feel it. It's real. There's someone out there who knows my name, and it's calling me. "

The both parents stared at themselves for a while.

" You need to rest." She drops a kiss on her head. " Get some rest, we will talk about this tomorrow, okay?" Theodora nodded, wiping her tears.

Her mother helped her lay down and covered her well before they left the room.

" We doubt it's just her mind. It's becoming like a torture to her." Mr Van Amstel complained as they walked out of Theodora's room.

" She was screaming and shouting with her hands on her ears. What do you suspect this could be? " She asked.

The next morning...

" This wasn't as you explained to me the previous day. Since you said the voice keeps tormenting her sleep, then it means there is some thing either you nor your husband still needs to settle. "

They exchanged glares before staring back at Mr Mayor

" Something like what?" He asked.

" Is there some thing you were supposed to do in the past but failed to do so?" He was asking the both of them.

" I don't think I can remember any of that." Said Mr Van Amstel.

" What about you?" Looks at her.

" I don't."

" Or is there anyone of you whose parents had a problem with their ancestors? It's kinda important here. "

After a thoughtful moment, Mr Van Amstel said. " My mother once had one with her great grand mother. But I remember vividly that they later reconciled two months before her great grand mother passed away. "

" Mr Mayor, are you sure this has something to do with our daughter's situation? " She asked

" In every case like this, we are supposed to know if there is in anyway we owe our past or ancestors. Some times this hinders us from being able to move further in this life.

But since none of you have a case with your past and ancestors, then I'm guessing something else. "

" What is it? " They asked in unison.

" Your daughter has been linked to someone else. Someone who has every knowledge of her. Her name, her age, every single thing about her. "

" You think there is someone spying on her? "

" Not just spying. Let's just say, watching her every moves. "

" What does this person wants from my daughter? What has she done to deserve such a wicked act? She is too innocent to suffer any if this."

" Ma'am, I don't think that's the question here. The real question is... Who is this person? "

~THEODORA ~

Home... That's the last thing you ever wanna lose.

I don't even know who my real enemy is. I don't know who or what to blame.

The hunters? Or the neighboring wolf packs who has been a pain in the ass to my people??

So to talk of peace, we never felt that. Not even for once.

Everything I cherished the most were taken away from me. My dad, and my mom. As if that wasn't enough, they took my best friend who had just followed me back to the village as soon as we heard the scream.

And every single day, every single moment of my life, I keep asking myself why it all has to be me? Have I in anyway offended life?

I won't go further, you just have to hear the whole story yourself.

TWO DAYS AGO...

Theodora was with her best friend, Camila in the farm when a very loud scream was heard. It was coming from the village, and that scream wasn't just the kind you may think as jokes.

The two girls dropped what they were doing, with unpredictable speed, they rushed back to the village.

Theodora's heart was racing, she has never ran a marathon race like this before. But that wasn't the main reason why her chest was beating so fast.

" No. No, I hope it's not what I am thinking." She muttered to herself, shaking her head as she kept running.

From afar, they could see black smokes flying up to the sky. " Mom!!!" She cried. " Dad!!"

They reached to the village, but all they could see were few dead bodies and scattered homes.

Theodora's eyes searched for her mother and father. She froze as soon as she saw her mother laying helpless on the ground with her hand stretched out like she was reaching out for something... Or someone.

And she followed the direction of her mother's gaze, it was her father's body laying dead, lifeless and hopeless.

" Mother!!" She screamed. " No. No, no. Please wake up. Please, don't die. You have to wake up. " She wept bitterly, shaking her body for any response.

But then she realized that her parents were indeed dead and there was no way to bring them back to life, not even with her scream.

" There they are!" Cried a loud voice.

Theodora didn't want to move, she was ready to die with them. What was life for her without them? Nothing!!

As Camila rushed to pull her up to her feet and get themselves out, a bullet landed on her shoulder bone.

She yelped painfully, falling to the ground. " Dora!" She called.

Theodora turned, her eyes flew open in terror to see as Camila dragged herself on the ground. She left her mother and father, running towards her bestfriend.

" What happened?"

" This is not the time to ask questions, Dora, this is the time to run. Leave this place. "

" Without you? Not happening. We came here together, and we are leaving together. " She holds her hand, placing it around her neck. " I'm gonna save you. I'm not going anywhere without you."

" Get them!!" Camila looked back, pushing Theodora from her and they both fell to the ground. " Forget about me, save yourself."

Theodora forced her way to Camila, trying to jerk her up but she refuses. " If I let you die alone, I will never forgive myself. "

" Don't you dare blame yourself for my death. This is not your fault. "

" No, it's not. But if I let you die, it becomes my fault. "

" Maybe this was fate's decision, we can't change it. Maybe it's time I see my ancestors, I have always wanted to know what they look like. " She smiled.

Theodora wasn't interested in any of those, all she wanted was to save her friend's life and get themselves out of there.

" This is nonsense, Camila. We have to leave or they get us."

" You are the one who deserves to live. You still have a lot to work on yourself. You don't have to die without having your wolf dominant, and we don't even know what kind of wolf you are.

If not for anyone, live for my sake. Now go, run away and never come back. " She groaned. " Don't even look back. Never look back. I will always be with you, Dora, even in the after life."

Holds her hand. " Always remember this, Dora, I love you. Now go!! Run!!, She whispered in a faint voice, coughing out blood.

Theodora stood to her feet, endlessly running. She ran and ran without turning back. Even when she heard the gunshot, knowing they had finally killed her best friend, she didn't stop.

When she tried to, Camila's voice would echo in her head. " Don't even look back. Never look back."

And she didn't. She never did look back. But the memories, the whole dead body, her mother, her father and Camila, they were all in her head, and she knew it was a memory that will always live with her forever.

*

*

She woke up in an environment filled with white background. It was so white that Theodora had almost thought she was in the after life.

She stared at herself, she was also putting on a white garment, and had woken up on a white bed

" Where am I?" She asked no one in particular.

She made her way to the the door. She opened it, there were two ends in the hallway, each at different direction.

She didn't know which to follow as the environment was new and totally different from her own home. " Hello" she muttered but all she could get in return was her echo reflecting back to her.

So, she decided to take a direction that was after so many contemplation.

She successfully got out of the building to an open field. Then across it was another big building. The exterior view wasn't as good looking as the other one.

Out of every human in the area, it was only Theodora who was putting on a different attire.

" She is awake." A small boy informed.

As if they were remoted, they darted their gaze to her. " She is awake." Said another.

Theodora stood fixed, unmoved, glaring back at them with questioning glare. " What the heck is this place? How did I get here? Who are these people? How do they know me??

A young lady on a white suit and scarf tied around her neck approached her. She had the cutest smile on her face.

" Hello, it gladdens me to see you up to your feet, safe and healthy. How do you feel now? " She asked, still with the unfaded smile.

" How did I get here?" She asked rather. " And who are you? What am I doing here??" She looks around.

" My name is Victoria Greene, I own this community. I created this group because of people like you who has no home or has left home for one reason or the other. We saw you in the woods, so we decided to bring you here."

Theodora looked away from her gaze. " I don't have any home. They took them away from me, and my best friend too."

" I do understand how you feel, I also lost my father when my home was attacked. I figured out that moving from packs to packs wasn't the best for me, I knew there were people just like me and I can render to the them a helping hand. "

" I am a wolf. I don't know if you can accommodate me. "

" We all are wolves. But since we aren't in our various packs, we call ourselves The Rogues... " Holds her hands. " You don't have to worry about anything or anyone, you are safe here with us now."

She knew she was safe with them, but nevertheless, the memory was never gonna leave her.

" Follow me." Victoria ordered.

Theodora followed behind until they got into the building. The inside was much more comfortable at sight than the outside.

They went further into a room. It was wide and spacious and it had few leather chairs in it. It looked much of a modern office.

Theodora stared at the four men and the single woman who were in the room. They were discussing something earlier but stopped as soon as they walked in.

" Guys, she is awake. " Looks at Theodora, " Introduce yourself."

She hesitated.

" Go on.

" My name is Theodora Van Amstel. I am the only survival in my village. " She buried her gaze to the ground. " I think that's all I can say."

" What happened to your village?" The other lady asked.

" It was hunted, and burned." She replied, her face still staring at the floor.

" Did you see who did it?" Another asked.

She shook her head. " I was in the farm when we heard someone scream."

" We?" The third asked.

She rose her gaze to them. " I and Camila,

" Who is Camila?" The lady asked.

" She was my best friend".

" What happened to her? " She asked again.

" She got shot. " once again, she buried her gaze to the ground. "Everyone is dead, they are all gone." She wept, silently.

" You don't have to worry, we will take good care of you." She assured her. " But can I ask you a question? "

Theodora slowly nodded her head

" What type of wolf are you?" She asked.

" I don't know. I haven't discovered it yet. "

" Does your parents know you are a wolf?" She asked again.

" Yes, but since I haven't discovered it yet, we don't know what kind of wolf I am."

The lady nods her head and was quiet for the rest of the conversation.

After what took like thirty minutes or so, Theodora was escorted out of the room to a different one.

" I was wondering why you had asked her that question." Victoria said as she made herself comfortable on her seat

The young lady shrugged her shoulders. " Just felt like asking, though."

" That doesn't sound convincing to me." She said, giving her a long glare.

" I sensed something in her, something weird and strange. Her scent, it doesn't smell like that of a wolf. "

" So?"

" I think she should be investigated properly because that girl, she isn't what we think she is. "

" What then do you think she is? " Asked one of the men sitting beside her.

" That's an answer we'll find out soon."