The Cursed Alpha's Sold Mate: Love and Sacrifice

Prologue

"No!"

Ravenna's scream tore through the silence like shattered glass, as she watched the love of her life collapse, his throat slit and his blood staining the earth beneath him.

Her knees went numb.

The cold stone beneath her bare feet bit into her skin, grounding her in a reality too cruel to accept. Trembling, her fingers twitched as if trying to reach him one last time, though her arms were bound and her body drenched in blood. Her vision blurred, and tears cascaded freely down her cheeks.

Then came the voice.

Calm. Mocking. Cruel.

"It's alright," King Thrain drawled as he stepped forward, his lips curled into a cruel smirk. "You will join him soon."

His large, gloved hand seized her by the jaw, forcing her to meet his eyes those cold, merciless eyes that held not a flicker of remorse.

"You're a bastard," she spat, venom dripping from her voice, "a coward!"

His grip tightened, making her jaw ache, drawing a sharp hiss from her lips.

But even through the pain, she didn't look away. Her voice fell to a broken whisper, fragile, yet laced with fury, "I curse you.

Thrain only chuckled, unaffected. Blood clung to her like a second skin, trickling down her arms, soaking the ground.

"I CURSE YOU!" She roared. "YOU, ANYONE YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH WILL DIE! THIS CURSE WILL BE PASSED TO YOUR SON AND YOUR SON'S SON UNTIL THE LAST OF YOUR BLOODLINE. IT'S A CURSE OF A SCORNED LOVER".

Thrain burst out laughing before he released her face, shaking his head as if pitying her foolishness.

"Burn her," he ordered, turning away. "Burn them all."

The guards surged forward.

They dragged her like a ragdoll across the stone, her torn gown trailing behind her, smeared with blood and ash. She had lost everything: her family, her friends, and the only man and the only man she had ever fallen in love with.

She no longer fought. She no longer begged.

They tied her to a tree, once ancient and sacred, now twisted into a funeral pyre.

The torch was lit. The flames rose. The smoke danced like black serpents into the sky.

Ravenna's screams rang through the forest, wild, primal, agonizing. Her skin blistered, her body engulfed in the merciless flames.

But her eyes, oh, her eyes remained open.

As the fire consumed her, Ravenna's mind echoed with the memories of her lover's warm touch and the promise of a future that would never be.

The flames fueled her rage as her curse hung in the air, burning with vengeance. It etched itself into the fabric of fate.

King Thrain watched from a distance, his smile fading as her screams grew louder, but he didn't turn away. The forest itself seemed to tremble, as if it felt the weight of Ravenna's curse.

Ravenna's voice had finally silenced, the fire died down, leaving behind the lingering sense of darkness.

The curse had been spoken.

Chapter One: Sold Off

The icy air cut through Ayla's skin like a knife, and the haunting howls of wolves made her heart pound in her chest. "Let me go!" she screamed, feeling the piercing grip of her stepmother's warriors digging into her flesh.

Tears streamed down her face as she struggled to break free from the clutches of the Nightwalker pack. But they were too strong, dragging her deeper into the forest as she kicked and screamed. The trees seemed to close in around her, their branches like skeletal fingers reaching out to snatch her.

Ayla wished she could already shift into her wolf form, but she was only nineteen and most she-wolves shift at the age of twenty.

"Bring her here", From a distance, she heard her stepmother's voice.

"No! Please!", she begged. Ayla's plan to escape had failed. They dragged her back, her feet scraping against the damp ground.

Luna Sage Woolfsbane, her stepmother and the leader of the Nightwalker pack was standing in front of her. Her eyes glinting in the moonlight, Ayla's stepbrother stood beside her.

Ayla's body trembled as she broke down in tears, kneeling before her. "Please, Sage, do not give me away".

Wasn't it enough that she became a mere servant in her father's house? Her father's death during the rogue attack marked the beginning of her nightmare. For five years, Ayla had endured the cruelty of her stepmother and her stepbrother, forced to cook, clean, and suffer their beatings.

Now the worst thing is her stepmother offering her to the ruthless King of Aldergrove. A man ten times older than her. Ayla's dreams of finding her mate were crushed.

"I'm doing you a favor, Ayla," Sage replied her eyes cold. "You are going to become his queen".

"I don't want to become his queen,"

"What did I ever do to you? Why do you hate me so much" she asked, her voice quivering.

"Why?"Sage replied in a mocking tone. "Your sight irritates me. You are nothing but a burden to me".

Ayla's head dropped to the ground, her chest aching.

"Take her, lock her up in the room". Sage summoned the two warriors.

She was thrown into an attic, which had become her room for the past five years. She bawled out her eyes for some minutes before falling asleep.

..................

Ayla's eyes fluttered open, and the sunlight seeped through the window. As she sat up, she saw her step-brother, Thane, staring at her lustfully.

"What..... what are you doing here?" she asked stuttering.

"I just wanted to wish my step-sister farewell," He replied his hand in between her thighs.

This wasn't the first time Thane had tried to touch her. The last time, she told Sage, but Sage slapped her and accused her of lying.

"Get your hands off me". She said pushing his hand away.

His expression darkened, He punched her face causing her ears to ring. He dragged Ayla and then grabbed her throat, choking her.

"I'll get whatever I want, even if it means taking it by force,". He replied.

Tears welled in her eyes, her lips trembling. She gave up, knowing there was nothing she could do.

Just then, Sage entered the attic. As soon as his gaze met hers, he quickly shifted away from Ayla.

"What are you doing?", Sage asked Thane.

Ayla let out a deep breath, thinking that she was finally going to stand up for her.

"You can't afford to get a burden pregnant", She said.

As soon as she said that Ayla felt a crushing weight on her chest, making it hard for her to breathe.

"Today, You will be taken to Aldergrove, in five days you will marry the King ", Sage concluded.

She slammed the door shut behind her, the sound echoing through the room.

Ayla pressed her fists against her chest. Her vision blurred from crying. She felt soreness in my throat "Moon goddess, why have you forsaken me? Why are you delivering me to a man who I do not love? Is this my fate?".

..................

"Ayla, Are you ready?", Sage asked standing at the door. "Well, my dress looks good on you".

Ayla looked down at the dress, she could not deny its elegance. For the first time in five years, she wore an elegant gown. On the very day, she was to be sold off.

"The carriage is waiting for you, hurry up!". Sage declared. Ayla's body felt cold, her eyes red and puffy, The world seemed to slow down. She took a deep breath before stepping outside.

She looked at her stepmother, Sage, one last time. Sage had a poker face, her eyes showed no remorse. Next to her was Thane, her stepbrother. He clenched his Jaws in frustration because she hadn't surrendered to his desires. She felt relief knowing that at least she was safe.

"Goodbye Ayla. We will try to attend your wedding, but as you may know, I might be busy", Sage said with a mocking grin on her face, She meant to say she wouldn't be attending.

"Goodbye". Ayla replied before entering the carriage.

Why was she sold off to the King of Aldergrove? She had no clue.

...............

After two days of traveling, she finally reached Aldergrove, a place of wonder, where mysteries are woven into the fabric of everyday life. Compared to her previous home, Aldergrove appeared to be ten times bigger.

She had heard many stories about Aldergrove. How the king had killed the mad vampire and seized the throne of Aldergrove ruling the four clans. About how he ruled the throne with an iron fist. How he had taken many lives of his enemies. All the warriors were strong, emotionless, and fearless.

Moments later, Ayla was escorted into a dimly lit chamber, the flickering torches cast eerie shadows on the wall of the two guards.

As she stood there trying to process her surroundings, the two guards approached her their gazes fixed intently on her "You are gorgeous, perhaps we could get a taste before the king does".

Chapter Two: An Angel

"What are you talking about". She asked her brows furrowed.

They started coming close to her. Their eyes filled with lust.

"Kael, hold her hands". One of the guards said.

He held her two hands causing a sharp piercing in her wrist.

"Stop, let me go". Ayla screamed.

She struggled to get out of Kael's grip, but he held her firm.

"No, please" she screamed.

The other guard began to remove his pants his leering gaze made her stomach churn.

A figure emerged from the shadows, and with swift precision, the figure stabbed him from behind. The blade sinks into his back with a sickening thud. He stumbled backward, his eyes wide with shock as he gasped for breath. His blood spilled all over the floor, pooling around his lifeless body.

Kael quickly released her, letting go of her hands.

Ayla collapsed onto the cold, stone floor, my body trembling as the sound of my ragged breathing filled my ears.

"Leave". The shadow said.

Kael quickly ran out of the chamber.

As the shadow emerged, Ayla beheld a figure. Looking up her eyes met a pair of Emerald eyes. He had dark raven hair and a broad shoulder. One could have mistaken him for an angel.

"Are you alright, you're shaking?". He asked, his voice low and soothing.

"Yes thank you, I owe you one". She replied.

"You don't owe me anything, my lady. It's not safe for a woman to walk around alone at this time of the night". He said.

"Let me assign a maid for you". He offered.

"No, I'm fine really".

"I insist". He said.

She nodded her head in agreement.

He turned to leave.

Disappearing into the darkness, his footsteps echoing softly before fading the dark.

"Who are you". She asked out of curiosity.

"A guardian of the pack". He replied, his voice low.

Leaving her alone with her thoughts. Who was this man?

..................

Ryker entered his chambers where he saw Lylah, his childhood friend waiting for him. Truth be said, he had no intention of marrying her or making her his mate but Lylah lets him fuck her in whatever way he wants to, and he never really wanted a mate.

"Lylah, what can I help you with?". He asked.

"Ryker, I have missed you". She said, her voice husky staring lustfully into his emerald eyes. "I have almost forgotten how you feel".

"Come here, sweet Lylah, let me remind you".

"Not again, stop using her mate". Wolf Lykain growls in his head.

"She doesn't know so shut up" he pushes him to the back of his mind.

Lylah walks slowly to him while undressing. He sat down on his bed, his eyes roaming on her naked body. She had round boobs and her pussy had no hair, it was a smooth flawless surface. She falls to her knees and her hand over the hard bulge in his pants. Opening his pants, she let his hard cock free.

"Does my sweet Lylah want a taste of my cock?".

"Mmmm, yes please, can I".

"Of course, you can, beautiful".

She smirks at him and wraps her hand around his cock, making him growl in pleasure. She teases his cock with her tongue . Ryker put his hand into her silver hair and stand up and begin to fuck her mouth.

He goes fast and hard, he can feel his release building up. Pushing his cock deep into her throat, he cum hard groaning. He pulled out when she had swallowed it all.

"My sweetheart, You are doing so well, today".

"Anything for you, Ryker". She said, smiling.

He smiled at her before pulling her in for a hard kiss. Her hands stroked his cock making it hard again.

"Turn around, bend over the bed"

She fast to do as told, her pussy in full view for him.

"So wet and ready to take my big cock".

"Ryker, please I want all of it".

Without any warning, he slammed into her tight pussy making her scream out from the pleasure as her fingers gripped the sheets tight.

Ryker's thrust were hard and fast, everytime he went deep inside her hitting her sensitive spots as his free hand messaged her left breasts.

The scent of mint hit his senses.

"I'm coming". Lylah moans out. She cum around his cock.

Ryker heard the door open. It was his twin sister, Kaida. She quickly looked away. He slammed into her one more time and released inside Lylah.

Lylah quickly looked up. "Your grace," She said covering herself with the covers of the bed.

"Get out" Kaida replied.

Lylah quickly carried her clothes onto the floor, leaving Ryker alone with Kaida.

"Get a brothel, you dumb fuck". She said.

Ryker stared at Kaida, raising his brows "Next time, try the whole knocking thing. It's a game changer".

"What do you want?".

"Father wants to speak with you" She replied.

Ryker clutched his fist, his vein popping out. He only speaks to him when he wants him to do a favor"Why, what does he need me for".

"How should I know". She replied.

He stared down at his hands, his heartbeat pounding. "I will be down in a minute".

Kaida left the room.

"What does he want from me, why can't he just leave me alone?" He whispered to himself.

...................

Ryker walked into his father's office, where he saw Kaida, his sister, and his father, King Thrain, the king of Aldergrove waiting for him.

He sat down on one of the chairs. "Father, you asked to see me". I said.

"Yes, I'm aware". He replied his voice cold as always.

"Father has a gift for you". Kaida said.

"A gift? What are you talking about". He asked, glancing around and looking for answers.

"You are getting married to Ayla Nightwalker, the daughter of Kieran Nightwalker". His father said.

Ryker eyes widened in disbelief. "I will not".

"The girl is the key to the Nightwalker pack, you will secure the north, and I will secure the reach". His father replied

"No, I won't do it".