The Alpha's Curse.

t in a soft, golden light. The air was heavy with the scent of pine and damp earth, and the wind whispered through the branches, send

t importance on these events, believing they were vital for maintaining the pack's power. But for Alina, the festivities felt more like a cage than a celebration. The pressure to follow in her f

g, with piercing blue eyes that gleamed in the dim light. His dark hair was tousled, and his muscles rippled beneath

She had crossed paths with him before, but this time, something felt different. Ther

grin that sent a shiver down her spine. "

e fluttering in her chest. "I'm not in the

n't help but feel the undeniable pull, the electric current that arced between them every time they we

he teased, his voice low and teasing. "I thought the hei

a child, Cole. I've been tra

leaving hers. "Then why do you lo

ed in her chest, but she pushed it down. She wasn't going to

lie tasted bitter on her tongue.

the heat of his body, the strength that emanated from him with every breath. His scent-e

ving. "You need a distraction. You need something

lpha was hers by birthright, and it was a role she had never wanted. Her father had always been distant, focused solely on maintaining the pack's power. She had spent

ther, Alpha Derek, striding toward her with a determined look in his eyes. His presence filled the c

e, Alina," he said,

frustration. "I'll b

palpable, thick enough to cut with a knife. Cole was an enigma, a rogue wolf who had appeared in the Blackwood territory only recently. No one knew much about him, except that he had been a former member

m?" her father ask

mething in his eyes-something dangerous, somethin

he left the clearing. Alina watched him go, a knot forming in her stomach. She had always

aid to Cole, her voice quieter now

ment. "You really think your father will protect

way of making her feel alive, something she hadn't felt in years. She had been trained to lead, to be the perf

said, her voice steady, though she k

fading into something more tho

g with thoughts she couldn't quite process. She should have gone inside with her father. She should have followed

d the air as she entered, but the joy felt distant, as if it belonged to someone else. She had a responsibility, a dut