Kamrynn’s POV
Draven sighed heavily, his voice carrying the weight of centuries of desperation. “We’ve tried everything, you know,” he said, his tone uncharacteristically somber. “But nothing-not even the most powerful magic-can seem to break the curse.”
His words hung in the air, thick and heavy, making it hard for me to breathe. I stared at him, my thoughts racing. For the first time since I met the man, he didn’t look like the untouchable Alpha with all the answers. There was something raw and vulnerable in his eyes, a glimpse of the torment he must have endured.
He continued, his gaze distant as if he were staring into a memory. “I lost my wife to that curse,” he continued quietly. “She thought she could break it. She believed she could save me-save us all-but in the end, it cost her her life.”
There was a flicker of something in his expression-grief, perhaps-but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. He turned his piercing gaze back to me, his lips curling into a humorless smile. “And now, my time is fast approaching.”
I blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in his tone. “What do you mean?” I asked cautiously.
Draven tilted his head slightly, studying me like a predator sizing up its prey. “Are you curious, little bird? Curious why I rushed the mating ceremony? Why it has to happen in just three days?”
His words made my heart race. Of course, I had wondered. His insistence on the urgency of the ceremony had been one of the biggest red flags from the start. “Why?” I asked, though my voice wavered.
He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Because in three days, I will turn forty.”
The words struck me like a physical blow. Forty? His cursed age? My mind reeled with the implications.
“So… you rushed the mating ceremony because…” I trailed off, my voice trembling as my mind scrambled to piece everything together. “You wanted to see Thalia married before you… before you…”
“Before I die?” Draven finished for me, his voice laced with mirth. “Is that what you think, little bird?”
I nodded slowly, my throat dry. “If all you wanted was to witness your daughter’s mating ceremony before you died,” I said, gathering my courage, “there was no need to act so suspiciously. And certainly no need to try to kill me.”
To my shock, Draven chuckled. A genuine, amused laugh that sent shivers down my spine. He reached out and ran his fingers through my hair, his touch far too familiar for comfort. “Oh, Kamrynn,” he said softly, with such tenderness that it disgusted me. “You’re so adorable when you try to make sense of things.”
I stiffened under his touch, my mind screaming at me to pull away, but my body remained frozen. “What do you mean?” I demanded, my voice firmer now despite the terror clawing at my insides.
Draven’s hand moved to my chin, tilting it up, forcing me to look into his captivating grey orbs. His eyes gleamed with something dangerous, something triumphant. “You see, little bird, I have no intention of dying anytime soon,” he said.
His words froze me in place. “What?”
“That’s where your beloved Alpha and Luna of the Blue Bell Pack come in,” he said smoothly, his voice dripping with malice.
“I don’t understand. What do they have to do with this?” I murmured, fear creeping into my tone.
Draven’s smile widened, and he leaned in closer, his voice a low, sinister whisper. “It’s simple really. Though the curse can’t be broken, I recently discovered that it can be transferred to another person and their lineage. But that person has to be related to me.”
My breath caught in my throat, the meaning of his words sinking in like a blade to my heart.
Draven continued, his tone calm and almost conversational. “Thus, when Kyven and Thalia are joined in marriage, Alpha Orion and Luna Rmonica will become family. And I will use dark magic to transfer the curse to them and their lineage. Thereby saving my life and the rest of my lineage.”
My stomach churned as his plan unfolded before me, each piece falling into place with terrifying clarity. “And… because Alpha Orion is over forty…” I whispered, the words catching in my throat.
Draven’s smile turned cruel. “He would die a gruesome death almost instantly,” he said without an ounce of remorse. “Luna Rmonica would not be far behind.”
I stared at him, my heart pounding so loudly it was all I could hear. “You’re insane,” I breathed, my voice barely above a whisper.
Draven tilted his head, his expression almost amused. “Insane? No, my dear. I’m simply a man doing whatever it takes to protect what’s mine.”
The sheer audacity, the calculated cruelty of his plan, left me reeling. My mind screamed at me to think, to act, but I was completely paralyzed by the horror of it all. This was beyond anything I had imagined. So much so that I couldn’t even revel in the fact that I had been right about him all along.
His plan was wild, sinister, and far more twisted than anything I could have conceived in a million years.
“You’ll never succeed,” I spat, though my voice trembled. “I’ll escape from you, and I’ll expose the truth to everyone.”
Draven only chuckled, a deep, bone-chilling sound that sent shivers racing down my spine. “Escape?” he said mockingly, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “Expose me? Oh, little bird, how will you manage that when you’re so thoroughly under my control?”
Before I could respond, he leaned down and scooped me up as if I weighed nothing. I thrashed weakly in his hold, but the collar sapped every ounce of strength I had, leaving my movements sluggish and futile.
“Let me go!” I shouted, my voice raw and desperate.
Alpha Draven didn’t answer. Instead, he carried me across the room, stopping in front of a tall, ornate mirror. He shifted me in his arms, holding me upright with one strong arm wrapped firmly around my chest.
“Look,” he commanded, his tone low and commanding.
I didn’t want to, but my gaze was drawn to the reflection in the mirror. My disheveled hair framed my face, which was pale and streaked with sweat. My wide, fearful eyes met Draven’s in the glass, and what I saw there made my stomach churn.
He was staring at me, not with anger or disdain, but with something far more unsettling-desire. His lips curled into a smug smile, and his sharp, predatory gaze raked over me in a way that made my skin crawl.
“You see, Kamrynn,” he murmured, his breath warm against my ear, “my plan will go smoothly. I’ll make sure of it. And as for you…”
He shifted slightly, his arm tightening around me, pulling me closer against his chest. “You’ll come with me when this is all over. Far away from this place. And once my plans are successful, you’ll take your rightful place by my side as my new Luna.”
His words sent a jolt of revulsion through me, but I couldn’t move, couldn’t even summon the strength to fight back.
Draven continued, his voice almost admiring. “I must admit, your boldness in challenging me head-on is… exhilarating. And your determination, your fearlessness-it’s quite the turn-on.”
I clenched my fists, anger bubbling beneath the helplessness, but there was nothing I could do to stop him.
“You’re beautiful,” he went on, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. “And the fact that you’re not an ordinary wolf? That’s just the icing on the cake.”
My breath hitched as his free hand moved to my belly, his fingers brushing against it in a way that made my whole body tense.
“You’ll produce worthy heirs for me,” he said, his tone dripping with certainty. “Strong, exceptional children who will carry my bloodline forward.”
I felt bile rise in my throat as he rubbed slow circles over my belly. “Your bastard children,” he said almost casually, “will not be killed after birth if you cooperate. I’ll have them sent off somewhere far away so you can focus solely on me… and on giving me the heirs I deserve.”
Tears pricked my eyes as I tried to twist away from his touch, but I was trapped, completely at his mercy.
“And you’ll thank me for it, Kamrynn,” he added, his lips grazing the side of my neck.
“Stop,” I choked out, barely able to form the word.
But Draven didn’t stop. He pressed a kiss to my neck, his lips lingering in a way that made my stomach churn with disgust. His hand moved lower, brushing against my waist, and I felt his fingers tighten possessively.
I squeezed my eyes shut, my breathing ragged. I could feel the tears sliding down my cheeks, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of breaking me completely.
“Don’t fight it,” he whispered against my skin, his tone one of dark amusement. “You’ll see soon enough, little bird. This is where you belong.”