The Alpha's Curse, The Mafia's Queen

Selena's POV

I moved along the forest path with a coil of rope slung lightly over my shoulder, the morning air cool and crisp against my skin. Distant voices and the rustle of bodies already warming up drifted through the trees. The pack had gathered for training, and by the time the clearing opened before me, a small, stubborn smile had settled on my lips.

The training ground buzzed with life. Young wolves my age clustered in loose groups, stretching, joking, and shaking out their limbs in anticipation of the morning run. For a fleeting second, I let myself pretend I was one of them. That I belonged here.

I adjusted the rope in my hands and started forward-until a voice cut through the air.

"Selena Aria."

I froze mid-step. No one used my full name. Not unless they were an elder... or about to deliver bad news.

Slowly, I turned.

A man leaned against a thick oak a short distance away, arms crossed, watching me. The early light filtered through the branches above him, framing his face in shifting patterns of gold and shadow. He was one of the pack's lead warriors, the one responsible for shaping the next generation of fighters. His posture looked casual, but there was nothing casual about the quiet authority radiating from him.

"Yes?" I asked.

"What are you trying to do, Selena?"

I opened my mouth, but he lifted a hand before I could answer.

"I know," he said calmly. "I'm just asking."

He pushed off the tree and walked toward me with slow, deliberate steps. When he reached me, he tapped my shoulder lightly, almost kindly, and offered a small smile.

"I can see how eager you are to run. So tell me-what's your aim for today's training?"

The smile came back before I could stop it. "I'm going to be the fastest one out there," I said honestly.

He let out a soft, amused chuckle. "I believe you. That look on your face says you've already planned your victory lap."

Warmth bloomed in my chest. It was rare-painfully rare-for anyone to speak to me without that careful distance or thinly veiled pity. For a moment, it felt good. Normal.

Then his tone shifted.

"But you can't join them."

My smile died.

I glanced around, half-expecting him to be addressing someone else, but there was no one behind me. "Me?" I asked, confused. "I'm not even late."

"I know."

My stomach twisted. "Then why-"

"Today's training isn't about running," he continued, voice steady and final. "It's about preparing the ones who will defend this pack when war comes. It's about training those with wolves."

The words landed like stones.

Without waiting for my response, he walked past me toward the group of young shifters. I turned slowly, watching as he joined them. The energy in the clearing changed instantly. Wolves stretched deeper, cracked their necks, rolled their shoulders-focused, serious, ready. The playful atmosphere I'd walked into had vanished.

I stood there, still clutching the useless rope, feeling like an outsider in the only home I'd ever known.

Then came the sound of small, rapid footsteps.

"Selena!"

I turned just as Nyra barreled toward me, three other children trailing behind her with bright, excited faces. The moment I saw her, the knot in my chest loosened.

Nyra grabbed my hand without hesitation, beaming up at me. "You promised you'd tell us a story today!"

Before I could even answer, she was tugging me away from the training ground, her little legs pumping with determination.

I hesitated, glancing back one last time.

The warrior was still speaking to the others, but as if he felt my gaze, he lifted his head. Our eyes met across the clearing. Something unreadable passed between us-something that made my pulse flicker-before Nyra yanked my hand again.

"Come on!" she insisted, laughing.

I let out a quiet breath and let the children pull me away.

Together we headed deeper into the forest, toward the warm crackle of the fire the pack had lit to keep the youngest ones comfortable while the rest trained. Away from the wolves. Away from the life I could never quite touch.

Just the girl without one.

Selena's POV

The fire crackled in the heart of the clearing, its flames twisting and leaping beneath the vast night sky of the Silver Pack. Sparks rose like tiny, restless stars before vanishing into the dark. The children sat in a tight circle around me, their small faces bathed in warm orange light, eyes wide with wonder.

I leaned in, dropping my voice to a hushed whisper.

"And then," I breathed, "the white wolf leaped across the river and saved the entire pack from the shadow hunters."

A collective gasp rippled through the group.

One little boy scooted closer on his knees, practically vibrating with curiosity. "Was she scared?"

A soft smile curved my lips. "Even the strongest wolves feel fear," I told him gently. "Courage isn't the absence of fear. It's protecting the ones you love even when you're terrified."

Another child frowned, thoughtful. "But don't packs have Alphas? Why didn't the Alpha save them? Where was he?"

The others nodded eagerly, waiting.

I rested my chin on my hand, pretending to ponder the question. "Of course there was an Alpha," I said. "But in this story, the white wolf was both Alpha and Luna."

Confusion painted their faces.

"How?" they asked in unison.

I chuckled. "Because she was special. A hybrid. Stronger than two Alphas combined."

The clearing erupted with excited chatter.

"I'm going to be the white wolf one day!" a girl declared.

"No, me!" another shot back.

The boys jumped in loudly. "We can be the white wolf too!"

Their laughter and playful arguments filled the night until I clapped my hands.

"Alright, alright-quiet down."

The noise slowly died away.

Nyra, who had been unusually quiet the whole time, raised her small hand. Her wide eyes shimmered with wonder. She had stolen a piece of my heart the day she was born.

"Yes, Nyra?" I asked softly.

"I have a question," she said shyly.

"Only one," I teased.

She nodded quickly. "You said the white wolf is stronger than two Alphas... so how can I become one?"

My expression softened. I reached out and brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. "Oh, Nyra... white wolves are incredibly rare. Only the Moon herself can bless someone with that kind of power."

Her little shoulders drooped.

"But," I added quickly, "you can still become the strongest wolf in the Silver Pack. All it takes is hard work and a brave heart."

Determination sparked in her eyes again. "Okay."

"Good." I stood, brushing dirt from my clothes. "Now it's late. Go home before your parents start worrying."

The children groaned in protest but eventually scrambled to their feet.

"Thank you, Selena!" they called, waving as they dashed off toward the pack house.

Nyra lingered a moment longer. Then she ran back and threw her arms around my leg in a fierce hug.

I bent down and gently ruffled her hair. "I want to be the white wolf of the Silver Pack," she whispered against my thigh.

"You will be something even better," I murmured. "If the Moon chooses you. But I already know you'll be strong."

She flashed me a bright smile and raced after the others.

Soon the clearing grew quiet again. Only the fire remained, popping and sighing beside me.

"Great story."

I jumped at the voice. Isadora stepped out from the shadows near the trees, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"Oh my God, Isadora-you scared me half to death."

"Sorry," she said, though she didn't sound sorry at all. "I didn't mean to."

Moonlight spilled over her, turning her pale skin luminous. Her long black hair cascaded like silk down her back, and those icy blue eyes gleamed with that strange, otherworldly shine she sometimes carried.

"Have you been standing there the whole time?" I asked.

"Of course. I wanted to hear how it ended."

I groaned. "You're unbelievable."

She laughed softly. "It's late. Come on, let's head back before the patrols get nosy."

We walked together through the cool, quiet night toward my small house at the edge of the pack lands. The moment we stepped inside, Isadora pushed the door open like she owned the place.

"Now," she announced dramatically, "what did you cook?"

I blinked. "I-I didn't-"

She was already disappearing into the kitchen. A minute later she returned with toasted bread and fried eggs on a plate.

"Oh look," she said cheerfully. "Breakfast for dinner."

"I lost my appetite earlier," I muttered.

She dropped onto a chair and started eating without shame. "You skipped breakfast again?"

"I promised the children a story and I was running late," I said defensively.

Isadora shook her head. "You care about them more than you care about yourself."

Her words hung in the air, heavier than they should have been.

Before I could reply, a loud knock echoed through the house.

We both froze.

"Are you expecting someone?" she asked quietly.

I shook my head.

The knock came again-slower, more deliberate this time.

My heart picked up speed as I walked to the door. I leaned in, trying to peer through the small opening, but the night outside revealed nothing. The moment my fingers brushed the handle, a strange awareness washed over me. The air felt thicker. Charged.

I swallowed hard and opened the door.

Alpha Kael stood there, leaning casually against the wall beside the frame like he had all the time in the world. A small, knowing smile curved his lips.

The sight of him stole the air from my lungs.

"Hi," he said, voice low and warm.

"Hi," I managed, throat suddenly dry.

His gaze held mine, steady and searching. "Are you busy?"

The question felt too ordinary for the way my pulse was racing.

"No," I whispered.

"Good." His smile deepened. "Would you take a walk with me?"

"A walk?" I glanced past him into the dark woods. "Right now?"

"There's nothing to fear," he said gently.

Something in his voice made my chest tighten-not with fear, but with something far more dangerous. Hope.

I hesitated, then glanced back at Isadora. She was still eating, pretending not to listen, though the corner of her mouth twitched.

I stepped outside and pulled the door shut behind me.

When I turned around, he was watching me. He straightened and extended his hand.

"Come."

My breath caught.

*Alphas don't choose girls without wolves.* The thought screamed through my mind. In every story I'd ever heard, they rejected them. Cast them aside. Yet here he was-reaching for me.

It felt impossible.

Too good to be real.

My fingers trembled as I stared at his offered hand.

*Maybe just for tonight,* I thought. *Let it be simple. Let it not hurt.*

Slowly, I placed my hand in his.

His fingers closed around mine-warm, steady, sure.

And deep in my heart, one quiet prayer echoed:

Please... let this night go well.

Selena's POV

The night was quieter than I expected.

Only the wind moved through the trees, brushing against my skin like a secret it wasn't ready to share. The pack grounds felt different after dark-less judgment, fewer eyes. Just silence.

And him.

Alpha Kael walked beside me, close enough that I could feel the heat of his body, but not touching. Not yet. His steps were calm and unhurried, like he was exactly where he belonged.

I wasn't.

My thoughts twisted tighter with every step until I couldn't hold them in any longer.

"Why?" I asked suddenly, my voice softer than I meant it to be.

He glanced over. "Why what?"

I stopped walking.

He slowed, then turned to face me fully.

"Why me?" I asked again. "Why would you choose to walk with me when everyone in this pack sees me as..." The words tasted bitter. "As nothing? A human. A mistake. The girl born from a one-night encounter between a werewolf and someone who never should've been here."

I forced myself to meet his eyes. "A girl without a wolf."

For a moment, he simply looked at me. Then, as if it were the most obvious truth in the world, he said:

"Because you're my mate."

The air went still. My heart dropped.

"No, I'm not." I shook my head sharply. "That's not possible."

"Why?" His voice stayed calm, but his eyes sharpened, studying me.

A bitter laugh slipped out before I could stop it. "Because I'm not worthy."

The moment the words left me, something shifted in his expression-something pained.

"Why would you say that?" he asked quietly.

I held his gaze even though it hurt. "Because I don't have a wolf."

Silence stretched between us. Then, unexpectedly, he laughed.

I blinked, startled. A small, broken sound escaped me too. It wasn't humor. It was exhaustion. It was everything I'd carried for years finally cracking open.

We stood there laughing at something that wasn't funny at all.

Then he stepped closer-slowly, carefully, like I might shatter. My heart stuttered as he reached for my hand.

The instant his fingers brushed mine, everything changed.

A sharp, electric spark shot through my skin and raced up my arm. Warmth followed, flooding my chest and curling deep inside me like it had always belonged there. My breath caught. My pulse thundered.

It wasn't fear.

It wasn't confusion.

It was recognition. Like my body already knew him. Like it had been waiting.

My fingers trembled in his grasp, but I didn't pull away. I couldn't.

*So it's real.* The thought echoed, soft and terrifying. *He really is my mate.*

A storm of emotions crashed over me-shock, disbelief, fear, and something dangerously close to hope. That hope scared me most of all.

Panic rose fast. I gently pulled my hand free.

"I-I should go," I said quickly, avoiding his eyes. "My friend will be looking for me."

"I'll walk you back."

I shook my head. "No, it's fine. My place isn't far."

I didn't wait for him to argue. I turned and started walking, heart still racing, skin still tingling where he'd touched me. Each step felt heavier than the last.

But I didn't stop.

"Selena."

His voice halted me.

I turned slowly. Our eyes met across the quiet path. He was watching me like I was already his. A small smile rested on his lips.

"See you at tomorrow's mating ceremony."

My breath caught. I could only nod.

The night air clung to my skin as I made my way home, but my mind was anywhere but calm. I could still feel his touch. That warmth. That undeniable pull.

*You're my mate.*

The words echoed, softer now, but heavier.

I reached the steps of my small house, a faint smile still playing on my lips.

"Selena!"

I blinked.

Isadora stood by the door, torch in hand, her face tight with worry and relief. The second she saw me, she rushed forward.

"Where have you been?!" She grabbed my arm. "I came out to check on you and you were gone. I almost lost my mind-I thought the night patrol took you or something happened. You've never been out this late!"

Her words spilled out in a frantic rush. Concern. Fear. Love.

And all I could do was smile.

"You're always worried about me," I said softly.

"Of course I'm worried!" she snapped, but there was no real bite in it. Only relief.

I laughed quietly.

We stepped inside, and I closed the door behind us. The quiet wrapped around me like a blanket. My body relaxed, but my mind kept drifting back to him. To the way he looked at me. To the way my entire being had responded, like it had finally found the missing piece.

A soft sigh escaped me.

"Okay," Isadora said, cutting through my thoughts.

I looked up. She stood in front of me with her arms crossed, eyes narrowed.

"Where did you go? And why have you been smiling like an idiot since you walked in?"

I bit my lip, failing to hide the grin.

"Selena," she warned, stepping closer. "You're starting to scare me."

I laughed softly. "Okay, okay. Guess what happened."

"I'm terrible at guessing."

I smiled wider. "The person who knocked earlier... was the Alpha."

Silence.

"Wait," she said slowly. "Which Alpha?"

I raised a brow. "The one you know."

Her eyes widened. "Alpha Kael?"

"Yes."

"You're joking."

"I'm not."

She stared at me, stunned. "What happened next?"

I hesitated, warmth flooding my cheeks again. "He asked me to walk with him."

Isadora froze. "You went?"

I shrugged, but the smile gave me away. "He said I had nothing to be afraid of."

She stared. Then narrowed her eyes. "So because Alpha Kael showed up, you left me alone in this house?"

"I didn't-"

"Wow." She placed a dramatic hand over her heart. "Betrayed. Abandoned. Forgotten."

I burst out laughing. "You're so dramatic!"

"I almost died of worry and you're laughing?" She tried to look serious but failed, a smile breaking through.

I nudged her lightly. "You know you're my favorite person."

She lifted her chin. "I'll forgive you. But only because I'm kind."

"Of course," I teased.

For a moment, everything felt warm. Simple. Safe.

Then a knock sounded at the door.

We both froze.

Another knock followed-firmer this time.

Isadora and I exchanged a look. The smile slowly faded from my face.

"Is your Alpha back to make sure you got home safely?" she whispered.

I shook my head. "No... it can't be him."

A third knock came. Slower. Heavier.

A strange unease settled deep in my chest.

"Then who is it," Isadora whispered, "at this hour?"