The Rogue Luna's Curse

I ran in a circle to make sure they wouldn't follow my scent. Once I was certain they wouldn't be able to track me down, I shifted into my human form and quickly got dressed. Grabbing my backpack, I climbed up a tree.

Soon, I saw a group of wolves running after me, tracking my scent.

"How long are you going to keep running?"

I rolled my eyes. My wolf spirit and I had had this argument so many times that it was starting to get old. Ignoring her, I rested against the tree, watching as the wolves ran around, trying to follow my trail.

I was a rogue, and packs considered rogues a threat, so they hunted them down. I had been a rogue for years, ever since I ran away from home after my parents' deaths. All I ever knew was how to take care of myself-forced to rely on my own instincts and independence. Now, I was used to this life, constantly moving. The idea of pack life bored me, and I had no interest in it.

It had taken me a long time to convince my wolf of this. One thing we always disagreed on was a mate.

I hated the idea that one day I would find my mate, that I would no longer be independent. I despised the thought of needing someone else to survive. The moment a wolf finds their mate, their entire mindset shifts-they become so dependent on that person, it was almost sickening. My wolf, on the other hand, couldn't wait to find her mate.

"Once we find our mate, your carefree, independent days are over."

I huffed loudly at her words. Apparently, I made too much noise because the wolf below me snapped his head up, his sharp eyes locking onto me. Then, he howled, calling his pack.

I remained frozen in the tree, unsure of what to do as more wolves gathered beneath me. They growled, their eyes filled with predatory intent. Then, they started kicking the tree with their hind legs, trying to shake me down.

I did the only thing I could think of-I jumped.

As I leaped from the tree, I shifted midair into my white wolf, shredding my clothes in the process. I landed roughly on the ground, snatched my backpack in my mouth, and bolted as fast as I could.

I looked back-wolves were right on my tail.

I turned my head forward just in time to slam into something hard. My body jolted backward from the impact. Dazed, I lifted my gaze and locked eyes with a massive midnight-black wolf standing in my path, growling.

My wolf whispered in awe. Alpha.

She wanted to bow, but I refused.

More wolves circled around me, blocking every escape route. The black wolf moved behind a tree and shifted. When he stepped back into the clearing, my breath hitched.

He was gorgeous.

Dressed in black jeans and a tight white shirt that barely concealed his muscular chest, he had tanned olive skin that glowed under the sunlight. His dark brown hair was messy but effortlessly attractive, as if he hadn't even tried to style it. His features were sharp and defined, his nose slightly crooked at the bridge-evidence of a past break. His eyes, smaller yet piercing, studied me intently.

The only thing I refused to look at was his gaze.

"Shift, rogue, and explain why you're traveling so close to our pack." His Alpha voice was commanding, leaving no room for argument.

I saw no point in resisting-there was no escape. Wolves blocked every possible route. So, I moved behind a tree and shifted, pulling clothes from my bag and dressing quickly.

When I stepped back into view, I kept my eyes lowered, avoiding his gaze. I had learned long ago never to look a male wolf in the eyes. The eyes were windows to the soul. The moment you locked eyes with the right-or, in my case, the wrong-person, you just knew. You knew they were your other half.

And I refused to be bound by such a thing.

"What is your name, and why are you traveling so close to my territory?" His deep voice carried authority, his towering presence making him even more intimidating.

I chose not to answer.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" he snapped.

"Just look at him, Iris," my wolf begged, desperation lacing her voice. It was as if she knew something I didn't.

Before I could react, he grabbed my chin and yanked my head up, forcing me to meet his gaze.

The moment our eyes locked, I felt it.

A shockwave of electricity surged through me. My breath hitched, my entire body paralyzed by the overwhelming emotions crashing into me. My soul recognized his. He was mine, and I was his. Our destinies intertwined, bound by fate itself.

I wanted to fight it, to reject the connection. But I couldn't look away from those deep baby-blue eyes.

"Mine." He growled in satisfaction.

My wolf was absolutely exhilarated to have finally met our soul mate. A part of me was relieved and even excited, but another part wasn't ready to give up my life of freedom and independence for a mate-especially not an Alpha.

Alphas were notorious for being extremely territorial and controlling of their mates. Some people dreamed of having an Alpha mate, but I was not one of them.

"NOOO!!" I screamed, shifting instantly.

I didn't care that I had just shredded my clothes-all that mattered was escaping this nightmare.

Before my mother died, she always told me I was different, special compared to other wolves. One reason was that I had Alpha blood, which made my wolf twice the size of the average wolf. The other reason... She never really told me.

I aggressively shoved a wolf that happened to be in my way and darted away from the group.

As I ran, all I could hear was the whimpering and whining of my wolf, begging me to go back-to not run away from our mate, to accept him. But I couldn't do that. It was asking too much of me.

Accepting my mate didn't just mean giving up my lone freedom-it meant becoming the leader of a pack. It meant putting my trust in someone I barely knew. And I couldn't do that. I couldn't trust anyone.

Before I could process my thoughts, something slammed hard into my side, sending me crashing headfirst into a nearby tree. The last thing I heard was the sound of stampeding footsteps rushing toward me before I slipped into unconsciousness.

I woke up gasping for air, immediately sitting up as I scanned my surroundings.

Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the enormous room I was in. I was in someone's bedroom.

A lingering, familiar scent filled the space, calming my senses and bringing a strange tranquility to my mind.

I surveyed the room. It didn't feel very personal-just a plain white space with dark oak furniture, including a wardrobe and end tables on either side of a queen-sized bed, which also had a dark oak frame.

As I shifted under the blanket, I suddenly realized-I was completely naked.

My eyes darted to the side, landing on a neatly folded set of clothes beside me. They looked a bit small, but as I picked them up, the calming scent surrounding me became clearer. It was my mate's scent.

This must be his room.

Panic surged through me, and I hurriedly put on the clothes before rushing to the door-only to find it locked.

My chest tightened as fear clawed its way through me. Memories from my past resurfaced, flashing like haunting specters in my mind. The suffocating sense of being trapped, the pain, the helplessness.

No.

A sudden rush of energy swelled in my bones, primal and uncontrollable. Without hesitation, I channeled it, lifting my leg and slamming my foot against the door.

It flew off the hinges.

Without looking back, I bolted down the hallway, my heart pounding. The corridor stretched endlessly until I finally burst into a large living room-where a group of people stood gathered, staring at me with a mixture of confusion and amazement.

So this must be the pack house of that Alpha... which meant I was currently a rogue inside an unknown Alpha's territory.

Ignoring their stares, I bolted out of the pack house, my eyes locking onto the forest entrance beyond the buildings and civilization. Without hesitation, I shifted and sprinted toward freedom once more, my mind already plotting my escape.

But before I could get far, something-or someone-slammed into me, knocking me violently off course and sending me flying in the opposite direction.

Dazed, I scrambled to my feet, immediately falling into an attack stance.

My attacker stood tall with jet-black hair, slightly long but not as long as mine. His skin was darker than the Alpha's, naturally tanned. And, annoyingly, I couldn't deny that he was gorgeous.

Just... not as gorgeous as my mate.

I couldn't believe I had just thought that.

"Do not deny destiny. You know, deep in your heart, you want to give our mate a "Chance and see the type of man he is; do not deny your attraction to him," my wolf spirit said.

It was in moments like these that she felt useless to me-we were separate spirits with separate opinions, even though we usually agreed on everything except one thing: mate.

"Someone call for the Alpha and tell him the rogue is attempting to escape!" my attacker shouted.

I didn't want to see him. I didn't want to melt at his feet just because we were destined to be together. I wanted to run away, far away, so that our mate connection would sever and we would be separated for good. I knew that the moment I saw him, I would hesitate and wonder what my life might be like if I stayed with him. I didn't want to give in.

So I snapped.

I charged at the man trying to hold me hostage, tackling him to the ground. My enormous body weight pinned him down, restricting his movements and keeping him from attacking me. He raised his arms to shield his face, but I could see the fear clouding his hazel eyes.

Then, I felt a warm hand comb through my fur, sending shivers of delight through my body.

I had always imagined that a mate's touch would be electrifying, almost magical. This wasn't quite that, but it still felt... nice.

A soft whimper escaped me as his hand traveled up to my ear. He gently tugged on it, leaning closer, his breath stirring the fur around it.

"Could you please shift for me, love?" he whispered.

Something inside me snapped.

I didn't want him calling me love. I didn't want to be his. I wanted to be my own person, free and untethered.

Yet deep down, beneath all the resistance, I knew the truth-I did want to be loved.

And that terrified me.

I wanted the love and affection that had been stolen from me when my parents were murdered. But I didn't want to belong to anyone. I just wanted to be alone.

I turned, snapping and growling in his face, before attempting to run again. Suddenly, I felt something grip my tail tightly and yank hard. A sharp pain shot up my spine, forcing me to collapse onto the ground with a whimper. I turned my head, locking eyes with him.

Pain, hurt, and anger were clear on his face, and for some reason, it saddened me.

"Shift. Now!" he commanded in his Alpha tone.

The Alpha tone was an authoritative voice that only those born into Alpha bloodlines could use to control and direct their pack members.

Depending on how strong the Alpha was, they could even use it on wolves who weren't part of their pack.

I saw no way out. My wolf made it even harder to focus, constantly whining and begging me to stay. The bond between us was already affecting her, making her desperate to be near our mate.

Slowly, I shifted back, my body shrinking and reshaping until I was left lying in the grass-naked.

I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to shield what little I could. But before I could react, my mate stepped forward and draped a blanket over me.

I didn't thank him.

"What is your name?" he asked as I snatched the blanket from him.

I ignored him.

"Why did you run away from me?"

Again, I remained silent.

"Answer my questions!" he snapped, his voice laced with frustration.

I looked up at him with disgust, my expression filled with defiance. How dare he think he could yell at me like I was some nobody?

"My name is Iris," I spat. "And I ran away from you because I don't need someone like you forcing me into a life I don't want. And I won't stop until I escape."

A flicker of hurt crossed his face, and my wolf whimpered, urging me to take my words back. But I refused to back down.

"I don't give a damn what you think you're going to do," he growled. "I will do whatever it takes to keep you here with me."

The sun had started to set, and the cold was creeping in. He must have noticed me shivering because, without hesitation, he scooped me into his arms. I flinched at his touch, but I couldn't help the way my body instinctively melted into his warmth.

He carried me back inside the pack house, but this time, he took me to a different room. He gently placed me on the bed before closing the door behind him.

Before either of us could speak, there was a sharp knock. Damien-my mate-turned to answer it.

The man from earlier, the one who had tried to stop me, stood in the doorway, looking furious.

"Alpha Damien, is there a reason you're keeping a filthy rogue in our pack house?" he demanded. "Many of us were curious to know."

So, my mate's name was Damien.

"There is no need to insult her, Blake," Damien growled. "She was scared and confused. Now, why don't you go mind your damn business? And make sure to tell the others to stay out of the Alpha's business."

Blake stiffened but bowed his head before turning and walking away.

Damien slammed the door shut and turned back to me, his expression dark with rage.

"You won't even give me a chance to show you the kind of person I am," he snapped. "You've already decided you don't want me as your mate?!" His voice rose with frustration. "Do you think that out of all the beautiful she-wolves in my pack, I chose you? A rogue I know nothing about?!"

Before I could say a word, he turned on his heel and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

I let out a shaky breath. He was angry. And he was right. I hadn't even given him a chance, but the truth was-I didn't want to give him one. I just wanted to be alone.

Something deep inside me whispered that I deserved to be alone. That it was better that way.

I had spent so many years alone... why should I change now?

Exhausted and defeated, I climbed off the bed and curled up in the corner of the room. Resting my head against the wall, I let my thoughts consume me until, finally, sleep took over.