The Curse of the Alpha

~Meara

"Here."

Groaning, I dump my pack against a nearby tree, stretching my stiff back.

"Here?" I look around the clearing. Seems a lot less impressive than what I envisaged in my head.

My friend glances over her shoulder from where she is rifling in her bag.

"What did you expect?"

"Something more than a random clearing...A marker, maybe?" I kick at the dirt, expecting fairy dust or something of similar affect to float up from the ground.

See, when your friend tells you about an ancient curse keeping an Alpha entombed alive underground from centuries ago, you expect more magic.

Hazel herself has partial witch genetics, which is why I agreed to accompany her on this tiresome hike.

The story is compelling. The Alpha beneath our feet is encompassed in a unique spell. He was placed there during a war between two Pack's, considered too dangerous to continue living, but impossible to kill.

Well, that's if the story is true, anyway.

"It took years for my father to find it. He wants to keep as few people in the know as possible," she explains.

I wander back and forth aimlessly.

"I thought he could only be risen by his mate?"

Hazel loosens a large leather bound book from her back, dumping it onto the grass.

"That's the story," she mumbles.

"Do you believe any of it?"

I jump up and down, testing the earth. It's firm, having not been touched in centuries.

This Alpha, Sire, may not even exist.

Hazel has been insistent that truth becomes muddled over so many years, and that the Alpha of our Pack may have boasted about entrapping his enemy as a way to suggest strength.

I shiver. Still, something about the story sounds so intriguing.

"I've always believed my father has a weird thing with his magic. He senses something is here, and the lore suggests it's him," Hazel tells me, flipping her book open.

"So if his mate touches the dirt he rises from the dead?" I ask.

"The sources differ. Some legends state merely standing on the dirt will rise him, others believe one must lie on the spot under the full moon and chant a spell. Who knows," she explains with a shrug.

"Cool."

Something dark plays in her eyes. "It's not a game, Meara."

"He's dead. And considering how ancient he is, he's not finding his mate anytime soon," I assure her.

"And be thankful for that," she mutters under her breath.

She resumes her reading, although I note the tension in her shoulders. She's taking this far more seriously than I would have expected.

"Why?" I ask warily.

"He's dangerous. Some sources say if he is risen, it will unleash an ancient curse."

I shudder, looking up at the sky. Midnight draws near, a thrill dancing through me. I'm anticipating the moon reaching the centre of the sky, even though I'm aware of what unleashes the curse.

"What's more dangerous, the curse, or him?"

She laughs softly to herself, although there's an edge to it. "Depends how spiteful he is toward the Alpha and the Pack who spelled him in the ground in the first place."

Thumbing through the pages, she doesn't look up at me.

"The Pack we are part of, by the way," she adds.

"I'd be pissed."

The merciful thing would have been to kill him, although Hazel suggests it's almost impossible. Plus, Alpha's are spiteful, arrogant creatures.

This spell was probably Sire's punishment for daring to be an enemy.

I clap my hands together, the sound ringing through the trees. "So, shall we dig him up or something?"

Hazel gapes at me. "No, absolutely not. That's disturbing, first of all, and second, it's a spell, it's cannot be broken by a shovel."

I giggle. "So what, the ground is impenetrable?"

"Let's not find out," she grumbles, shaking her head hopelessly.

"What do you need for your research?"

"I'm hoping to harness the magic from this site tonight, under the full moon. With whatever residual magic lingers here from Sire's spell, I can boost my magic and enchant this..." she points down to what she is reading.

"A book?"

"I want to start writing my own spells. Whatever scraps of magic I have in me is enough for me to create, but I need other magical sources. I want it all written down, but inaccessible for anyone else," she explains to me.

I nod. That makes sense.

"Can I touch the dirt?" It's going to get under my nails, but I can't leave here without trying once.

Mary considers it, then shrugs. "I suppose."

Stooping down, I grab some in my hand, letting it sift through my fingers. There is nothing to indicate a body is buried below.

"Nothing," I sigh.

Hazel laughs a little. "You expected you're his mate?"

I give a half shrug. "No. Should I lie on it though?"

It would ruin my hair that I only just washed this morning, but to be able to say I did it makes it worth it.

It's not everyday someone can confirm whether they are mated to an ancient, cursed Alpha.

"It needs to be under the full moon, which isn't for another hour," Hazel tells me, looking up toward the sky.

I note the dark, looming clouds that are approaching. "It's going to start raining soon."

"Then help me get all this ready."

An hour passes and the rain manages to hold off. I'm not looking forward to the trek to our camping spot for the night, although I am excited to see my friend using her magic.

It is incredible, after all...

"It's kind of sad, you know," I mumble, scuffing my feet through the dirt as I pace back and forth.

"What is?"

"Sire. Being locked away just because he's was too powerful of an Alpha." The story is so tragic it seems just that. A story. Pure fiction bred from the mind of some poor, bored soul.

Hazel frowns a little. "He had magic."

"You have magic..."

Something dark shifts in Hazel. "He's not like me, Meara. His blood is as pure as it comes. More so than that anyone that walks this earth. He's one of the original Alpha's, and his power could crush this entire Pack and then some."

A chill crawls over my skin, but I shrug it off.

"That doesn't mean he deserved to be cursed like this. You told me he is likely still conscious, at times, right? That's horrifying." The thought makes my stomach turn.

"Maybe, but it cannot be undone. There is no point mourning a man who has the power to be a monster," she warns me coldly.

I stare at the ground. I'm not mourning him. Not when there is a chance this is all just folklore and myth.

"The whole mate thing is torturous and romantic," I sigh wistfully.

Hazel looks up, book in hand. "The full moon has crested. Everything is in place-"

"Come on, we both have to do it, at least once," I encourage. It's the main reason I came up here, to sate my curiosity.

Hazel looks up warily. "We don't have much time."

"I know you're curious," I nudge her side with my elbow. She anxious about this spell, but I'm sure confirming that she isn't mated to an ancient Alpha would make her enjoy this experience some more.

She rolls her eyes. "Fine."

I watch with a gleeful smile on my face as she gets down, laying across the ground.

Nothing happens.

"Now I just have dirt in my hair," she grumbles, scrambling back up again, ruffling her hair about.

"Weren't you meant to chant a spell?" I question. I'm not sure what a couple words will do to change a spell that has been in place for centuries, but it fits the ridiculousness of this entire thing.

"Who knows. Lie down then, we don't have time for this," Mary insists hurriedly, motioning to the ground.

I oblige her, quickly lying amongst the dirt.

"I don't know what words I'm meant to-"

All of a sudden, a strange rumbling sound lurches up from the earth, the ground starting to shake beneath me.

My panicked shriek echoes through the air as I try to sit up, but the dirt quickly smothers my limbs as I sink lower. I'm pinned down by some invisible force that drags me mercifully into the ground.

"Ah!" I scream, looking toward my friend, who has discarded her book, rifling through the dirt to try dig my arms out.

"Meara!" she exclaims with equal franticness before muttering what must be a spell under her breath.

Dirt ripples up around my body as I'm dragged downward, snagging at my clothing, splaying out across my skin. "Get me out of here, quick."

"It's too strong." She pulls at my hand, but sure enough, it's no use.

"I'm going to suffocate!" I yelp as dirt starts to cover my eyes, falling into my mouth and down my throat.

Soon, Hazel's screams are muffled as the entirety of my body is smothered.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I clamp my mouth closed and hold my breath as I'm dragged lower and lower.

I'm a sacrifice. The earth is offering me to this cursed Alpha.

The burning sensation in my lungs hardly compares to the pressure on my entire body as I'm mercilessly pulled toward the centre of the earth. There is nothing I can do but accept my imminent death.

And then, I'm falling.

The earth gives away and I'm suspended in the air for a few seconds before my back slams against something solid. Any air left in my lungs is knocked out of me, leaving me gasping for precious air.

Rolling onto my side, I spit a dirt and salvia onto a grimy tile floor as soil from above rains down upon me.

That hurt.

Once I've scraped together enough air to feel comfortable, I raise my head, only to see a sight that is more horrifying than death.

I'm in a tomb, with a mossy stone casket set right in the centre.

And I know exactly who's in it.

~Meara

Scrambling backward, I don't stop until my back is pressed against a wall.

The tomb is decently sized with tile walls and a natural ceiling of dirt, which seems unaffected even though I just sank through it.

The air is stale and mossy smelling. Every crevice of the walls and floors are caked with dirt and fresh growth. Water drips down most of the walls, wetting my back while it feeds the flora.

And from what I can see, there is no escape.

My head falls into my hands. This can't be real.

There is a terrible reality that echoes through my head, but I refuse to acknowledge it. This was meant to be a fun, stupid trip. The story is amusing, sounding more like fiction than reality.

And yet here I am, in a tomb that can only belong to one person.

Finally, I drag a reluctant gaze to the stone casket.

It's perfectly untouched. The stone is still bright and polished, as if it were just put here yesterday, while the rest of the tomb decays.

Magic.

It sits a top a dais that is half submerged with crystal clear water. It looks like a disturbing sacrificial pool or something....

I'm not sure how long I sit, letting my clothes get wetter as I remain pressed against the wall, the dirt on my skin turning to mud.

There's no escape. It means there is only one option.

Eventually, I get to my feet, smoothing my damp locks of hair back. My curiosity has gotten me into trouble before, and now is no exception.

My feet are bare as I pad across the tile toward the pool. I must have lost my shoes in the fall.

The room is well lit considering I can't see a single artificial light source anywhere. Instead, the light seems to be coming from the pool, casting a pretty reflection onto the walls and the casket.

I stare down at it's lid, trying to read the encryptions. They look similar to what Hazel has in her spell books, which she told me was once an old language from around the Alpha's time.

Shuddering, I dip a single toe into the shallow pool. The water is bitterly cold, but doesn't knock me dead straight away.

Sliding both feet under the surface, I shuffle close enough to touch the casket.

There is a good chance I'm going to push this lid off and there is going to be a skeleton in there.

Swallowing thickly, I reach out and run my fingers along the surface. It's remarkably beautiful, but in a sad, tragic way. A person was cursed into this against their will...

With as much strength as I can muster, I brace my dirty hands against the lid and push.

At first, it doesn't budge. But after a moment it seems to unstick from whatever ancient seal was on it, and it slides off fairly easily, toppling into the water with a hideous bang.

Water sloshes around my ankles as my attention is drawn to the far wall, where a mechanism clicks, and part of the wall slides back.

Stairs. A way out.

Ignoring that for now, I look down into the casket, my breath catching into my throat.

There's nothing there that I can see. Just pitch black water that laps gently against the casket walls, finally disturbed after centuries. Within it, I can see my reflection staring back.

My nose scrunches up. "Creepy."

All of a sudden, a figure lurches out of the water, sending the water splashing out all over me and into the clear water, staining it with it's darkness.

I shriek, stumbling back a few steps until I trip on the pool's ledge and fall straight back onto my ass.

There, sitting up in the casket is a man.

I just gape at him, horrified.

His hair, as black as that cursed water, is plastered against his forehead, nearly covering his eyes. He breathes in deeply, frantically as he blinks a few times, waking from an ancient slumber.

Strong hands grip the side of the casket, and from here, I can see tattoo's staining his skin from his fingers to his arms, to his shoulders and chest. They work around his muscles like demonic tree limbs, branching out to the centre of his chest...His heart.

Slowly, hauntingly, he turns his head to look at me.

I nearly faint as shock strikes me right between the ribs. It's a more brutal blow than falling from the ceiling.

The water drips down the sharp planes of his face like ink. His eyes are shockingly blue as they stare me down. They are the shade of the ocean on a stormy day, and just as tumultuous.

"Mate...You're my mate," he says in a voice that clearly hasn't been used in a long time, laced with a deep accent.

This is the reality I've been too terrified to acknowledge.

I awakened the curse by being mated to this Alpha...A man who was locked down here because he was too dangerous to roam the earth freely.

I scramble to my feet. "No...you've got me confused with someone else. See, it's a long story, but-"

"You're my mate." He says it so strongly, so confidently that my body stops as if he commanded it to.

"No. Nope that's not true," I stutter. There has to be an excuse, a way out of this. Maybe Hazel's magic triggered the curse and this is all a dumb mistake.

He turns his head, surveying the area.

"You're in my tomb," he murmurs as that gaze sweeps back to me.

I was hoping he didn't know much about the circumstances of the curse that has kept him locked in here. Maybe I could play it off as being an explorer who stumbled onto the tomb, but it's clear he knows how this all works.

"Yes, but-"

"So you're my mate." He isn't relenting, and neither is that stare.

I step back into the pool, as if my proximity might convince him. "You're not listening-"

In a movement too quick to anticipate, he grabs my wrist and yanks me toward him. I'm convinced I'm about to join him in that horrid water but I sink down to my knees right next to the casket as my lips are guided to meet his.

It's not the romantic first kiss anyone would desire when meeting their mate. It's urgent, almost harsh as he holds me against him.

But there it is...sparks. He really is my mate.

Bracing my hands against his shoulders, I yank myself away from his strong grip.

"You are my mate," he exclaims surely. I can't tell if he's pleased about it or not. That strikingly handsome face hasn't expressed much emotion since it emerged from the water.

I wipe my mouth frantically. "Yuck...That water is thousands of years old."

The slightest crease finds itself between his brows. "It's been thousands of years?"

"I don't know, rough estimate?" I shrug.

He just stares at me, like I'm a bizarre creature that needs a weeks worth of examination.

"Sorry. I'm scared," I say meekly. I am faced with a powerful Alpha, if the stories are true. One with more magic than exists today.

"I wouldn't hurt you," he assures me, although it doesn't sound convincing.

"Listen, I need to go...My friend is waiting for me," I tell him, glancing toward the stairwell that has just revealed itself. Hopefully it leads me up to the surface because this air is lacking oxygen.

As I go to edge past him, he grabs my arm again. His grip is painfully tight.

"I need your help. I'm not capable of walking yet. I need magic to feed on," he tells me gruffly.

I look at down at his strong arm, at those tattooed fingers wrapped around my wrist. "I don't have magic."

"I know. But I sense magic near." He looks around before his gaze drift upwards.

My body tenses. Hazel...

Knowing her, she's using magic to try get me out of this predicament, which has caught the attention of this powerful Alpha. If he finds her, there is a chance him using her magic for his own strength may kill her.

"Not sure why that is...ah, I have to go." I try to yank my arm from his grip but he doesn't relent.

"You can't leave. You're my mate."

"I know. But you're an ancient Alpha with magic..." my words drift off into nothingness. I may have just committed a crime by rising him and may have put my entire Pack at risk.

He gazes up with me. His eyes are so blue, rimmed with dark lashes. "So?"

I gape at him. "So? What do you mean...Okay, Im going to go, and find a way to fix this."

Hazel will know what to do.

"Fix what?"

"I don't know. This." I motion between us. This is wrong. I can't be the one to break the curse, to release this man into this world where he could wreak all sorts of havoc.

"You have awoken me. I owe you my life," he insists.

His hair is starting to dry, shifting into soft curls already. It would be a beautiful sight if it was accompanied with everything else that's going on.

"I didn't come here with the intentions to resurrect you," I tell him softly.

"Sire. My name is Sire."

His grip loosens enough for me to pull away. Looking down, I note the red imprint of where his fingers held me.

I know his name. I know the legend, or at least some of it.

"I actually didn't even know you truly existed," I add.

He frowns. "How could I not exist?"

"Because a powerful Alpha with magical abilities isn't exactly normal." I realise I'm explaining this to a man who has been intombed for many years and has no clue what exists in today's time.

"It is not normal," he says slowly, trying to make sense of what I am insinuating.

I rub my arm. "Right. And they don't exactly advertise you existence around here."

"Why not?"

"It's been many centuries. People move on, I guess." It's sad but it is true.

Sire's gaze darkens, and suddenly I know why Hazel said his power is something to fear, and should never be released. "They did not want to risk me coming back for revenge."

"Why put you in this tomb if you're so dangerous then? Why risk your mate releasing you?" I ask.

His jaw tightens. "I am not easy to kill."

"So a curse was their only option."

He nods.

I rub my hand down my face. How am I going to handle this?

"This world isn't made for you..." I tell him gently, trying not to be harsh as it needs to be said. "There is a new Alpha now. A new Pack and a new world. I don't know where you fit."

He shifts, looking ready to leave this water as soon as possible. "I am going to murder them all, and take you as my mate."

"No-"

"I will have my strength returned to me soon."

Panic rises up within me. I need to get out of here and as far away from this man as possible before his power is regained...

"Don't come try to find me...I am not your mate," I tell him, rounding the casket before making a dash for the stairs.

He doesn't call out for me to return as I stride frantically upwards.

Probably because he knows that wherever I run, he will find me.

~Meara

The stairs spiral up to surface level.

I emerge through a hatch door entirely exposed to the outside world, which means magic recently revealed it. Immediately I slam the door behind me and take off running.

Darkness smothers the area, cut only by streams of moonlight that dapple the forest floor through the forest canopy.

I could go back and look for Hazel, but I have no idea where I am.

Thankfully going down the hill is far quicker than going up it. Usually I would take my time picking down the uneven path, but I practically fly down, desperate to put as much distance between myself and my mate.

At some point I slip, stumbling down onto my knees.

I knock my left knee and scrape my hands, but as quick as I can manage, I'm back up and running.

Eventually I make it to the foot of the hill and to a marker I recognise. From there, I weave through the forest and to a road I've travelled on many times.

Bending over, I brace my hands on my knees, raking in breath after breath.

I'm so damp with sweat my clothes cling to my skin, similar to how my hair is slicked against my forehead. Everything hurts now. I just want to be home, safe.

The rain seems to have chased me down the hill. It starts to drizzle at first, but soon enough, it's beating down on me viciously, just as Hazel said it would earlier.

Headlights distantly appear as I stare down the road, so bright I have to shield my eyes as they draw near.

Once they are close enough, I wave my arms around. Thankfully, they decelerate before pulling off to the side, wheels crunching against the loose gravel.

The window rolls down a crack. "Everything alright miss?"

"Where are we?" I question loudly, speaking over the sound of the rain smattering against the road. Lightening races through the clouds above me, briefly illuminating my soaked person.

"Rosewood street," he replies.

I nearly collapse with relief. "Perfect..."

"Do you need a ride somewhere?"

Glancing over my shoulder, I scan the forest line, half expecting Sire to emerge from the shadows to drag me back to his scary term to have his way with me.

There's nothing. Just vacant, cold darkness.

Throwing the door open, I clamber in. The driver winces as I dampen everything touch. He's an older man who looks stunned at the sight of me. He's probably wondering what I'm doing out here in the middle of the night.

"Would you be able to take me home? I live about ten minutes that way," I tell him, pointing down the road.

"It's opposite to where I was heading but..." he draws off, looking over my shivering form. "Alright then."

I shuck off my soaked jacket, trying not to look through the side window. What if Sire emerges and kills the kind driver? The thought makes my stomach churn.

"Thank you," I breathe out as he pulls back onto the road, leaving behind the omninous forest and cursed tomb.

The man glances down at my legs. "Are you injured?"

I look down. Blood has soaked through my pant leg, and the palms of my hands are littered with grazes. The more I stare, the more adrenaline that wears off, leaving behind a painful sting.

"I just tripped on something out there. It's dark," I explain sheepishly, shifting uncomfortably.

"Why were you out there alone?" He asks warily.

"My friend and I were camping. We got split when it started to rain," I mumble.

I'm officially the worst friend ever, having left Hazel out there with Sire around. She is smart though, so hopefully she's out of there quickly, knowing no amount of magic could get us out of there.

"I hope she is okay," he mutters.

I rest my head against the glass. "Yeah, me too."

After I give him some directions, the man takes me down my long driveway, not asking anymore questions. Sire shouldn't be able to track me since I got into a car. Tomorrow, I'll put some more distance between us.

"This it?" The man asks, his headlights drenching my small home with light.

"Thank you so much," I tell him, grabbing my jacket before scrambling from the car.

He drives off quickly as I cross the section and toward my house. Around here, we leave our doors unlocked, which is lucky, because I would probably have lost my keys out there.

Stepping inside, I flick the light switch.

Nothing.

"Fuck," I mutter, slapping a hand over my forehead. A tree must have fallen with the storm rolling in, killing my power.

Thankfully my home is small, so I make quick work of locking everything, ensuring all my windows are closed.

Feeling my way through my house, I find a flashlight before making it to my bathroom. Holding it between my teeth, I fumble beneath my bathroom sink, looking for medical supplies.

I manage to scrounge together some alcohol, some kind of cream and a small bandage. It will have to.

The thought of Sire accompanies me as I balance the flashlight on the the of the sink and sit on the toilet, peeling my pants off.

The wound isn't too bad.

Still, my nose curls up in disgust as fresh blood dribbles down my skin. I've never been good with this kind of stuff. If only Hazel were hear.

Patting it dry, I quickly clean and dress the wound.

As I'm stuffing everything back under the sink, thunder cracks above my head.

I flinch as the sound rumbles through the house. This is a bad storm. Hopefully Sire will be disorientated from all the rain and terrible weather, and won't know how to navigate through these changed lands...

A knock sounds from my front door.

I pause, staring at my dishevelled state in the mirror. That must be Hazel, coming to see if I made it out.

As quickly as possible, I shove some clean, dry pants on before venturing slowly toward the door. The sound of my footsteps are concealed by the rain, so feasibly, I could pretend as though I'm not home.

But what if it is Hazel, what if she's hurt,

"Who is there?" I ask shakily through the door.

"Sire."

Fuck.

My eyes flutter closed as I consider my next move. This is bad. He knows where I live, and if he managed to track me back here, his abilities are far beyond my understanding.

"You need to leave," I growl. I don't sound very threatening, although I suppose it doesn't matter. He can sense that I'm magicless.

"We need to talk." He sounds so firm, so unmoving.

"Why don't we talk in the morning?" I ask hopefully. I doubt he understands the custom of not knocking on a young woman's door in the middle of the night.

All he knows is I'm his mate, and he's just been woken from his curse. That's it.

"I wish to speak to you now?" He responds.

"Just give me one second, alright?" I order tensely, looking around.

Without waiting for his response, I rush into my bedroom, throwing the window open. There is no chance I'm opening that door for him. I need to put some more distance between him and I until I can get a car.

Then, I'll drive to the opposite coast to lay low for a bit.

As quietly and as quickly as possible, I slide through the window and out into the rain. My knee protests, but I start off into a run, weaving through the woods that border my house.

Thankfully Hazel lives close by. I'll run to her house and she will be able to keep me safe.

And I won't look back.