Selene
Morwen's sigil, a crescent moon pierced by a dagger, flashed on the banners, confirming Renn's report. My chest tightened, the curse's whispers weaving through my thoughts: Traitor. You'll lose them all. Mixing with the dread of facing Morwen, Draven's former betrothed, and now Kaelen's ally. The Red Cliffs loomed closer, but this patrol stood between us and Dorian... and possibly the artefact Morwen carried, if Torren's intel held true.
Draven crouched beside me behind a jagged outcrop, his golden eyes scanning the approaching patrol.
"Twelve, maybe fifteen," he whispered, his voice steady despite the odds. "We hit fast, use the curse's illusions to our advantage. Selene, cover the left flank with your bow. Veyra, right. Thorne, Renn, with me. Elara, stay back but be ready."
I nodded, nocking an arrow, but my hands shook. The hallucinations hadn't relented – shadows twisted into bloodied faces from the raid, Draven's parents staring at me accusingly. I blinked them away, trying to focus on the patrol's torchlight.
Morwen's silhouette led them, her lithe frame unmistakable, her jet black hair catching the glow. She moved with purpose, with a knife at her hip, and the sight of her stirred a bitter mix of jealousy and fear. She'd abandoned Draven for power, and now she was Kaelen's weapon.
"Move!" Draven hissed, and we sprang into action.
The ambush erupted into pure chaos. I loosed an arrow, catching a guard's shoulder; he staggered, dropping his torch. Veyra's sword flashed, felling another as she roared a challenge. Draven and Thorne charged the center, their blades clashing against steel, while Renn darted through the fray, daggers slicing at exposed flanks. The curse played havoc on our side, as guards swung at empty air, illusions of rogues lunging from the fog. But it turned on us too. Renn hesitated, his eyes glazing as he dodged a phantom claw, leaving Thorne open.
A guard's axe swung for Thorne's back. I shouted a warning, but it came too late. The blade bit into his shoulder, blood spraying as he roared and stumbled.
"Thorne!" Elara cried, sprinting from cover, her pouches rattling as she ran. She knelt beside him, her hands glowing as she pressed a cloth to the wound, but her face paled. "Dammit! It's deep and tainted by the curse. I'm not sure my herbs can work this time. I have a ritual that might work but it's been banned and forbidden for centuries."
"Do it," Draven barked, parrying a blow and gutting his attacker. "Selene, cover her!"
I fired again, my arrow finding a guard's thigh, but my eyes locked on Morwen. She stood at the rear, directing her wolves with cold precision, her gaze cutting through the battlefield to meet mine. The curse twisted her face for a moment and I saw Kaelen's smirk overlaying hers, making me falter, the bowstring slipping from my hands.
Your fault, the whispers hissed. You brought this.
Morwen made her way to me through the battlefield, as her voice rang out. "Selene, is it? Kaelen warned me about you. Still chasing ghosts, I see."
I gritted my teeth, nocking another arrow. "Where's my son, Morwen? What's Kaelen planning with the artefact?"
She stopped in front of me and laughed. "I see you found out about our little secret. You're a little too late, though, because the artefact's his now. I found it in a forgotten shrine a while back and thought to use it to cure your alpha's curse. But Kaelen had a much better offer. So sure, you can keep your broken little alpha toy, sweetheart, I have a throne waiting for me."
Her words stung, so I lifted my bow to fire, but she saw the movement and ducked to the left, the arrow grazing her arm. And just like that, the battle surged again.
Thorne groaned as Elara's hands glowed brighter, her voice chanting low, invoking forbidden magic. The air crackled, the curse's whispers screaming in protest, but finally, Thorne's bleeding began to slow, his eyes clearing.
"Keep going!" Draven shouted, his blade a blur as he cut through another guard. He glanced at me, concern flashing despite the chaos all around. "Selene, stay with me!"
I nodded, loosing arrows to cover Elara, but Morwen's words still gnawed at me. The artefact was a cure for Draven's curse. If I could somehow get a hold of it, it would be the answer to his biggest problem. I mean, it wouldn't erase what I'd done and bring his parents back to life, but it was a start.
The battle raged on for what felt like hours until they began to retreat, vanishing into the trees. We regrouped, panting, blood and sweat mingling with the fog. Thorne leaned on Renn, his shoulder bandaged but his face pale.
"Thanks, Elara," he grunted. "Thought I was done."
Elara swayed, and stumbled, Veyra catching her just before she fell. "Please don't make me ever have to do it again."
It was pretty obvious the ritual took a huge chuck of her strength. Maybe even too much, judging from the pallor of her face.
Draven clapped her shoulder, then turned to me, his expression softening. "You good, huntress?"
I nodded, and walked away before he could say anything else.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
That night, we camped in a shallow cave, keeping the fire small to avoid detection. Torren sat close to Elara, tossing her a teasing grin as he passed her a skewer of roasted meat. "You saved Thorne's hide today. Goddess must love you."
Elara snorted, but her cheeks flushed. "The Goddess only loves those who've earned it. You'd do well to remember that."
Torren laughed, and Thorne joined in, recounting a skirmish where Torren had tripped into a river to dodge a rogue. "Nearly drowned, but still came up swinging," Thorne said, his usually gruff voice warm.
Draven slid beside me, his arm brushing mine, his flirty grin back in full force. "You're quiet again, my queen. If I remember correctly, the last time I gave you the silent treatment, you snuck into my tent and found... creative ways to make me talk. Thinking about returning the favor."
I forced a smile, but it didn't reach my eyes. "Maybe I'm just tired of watching your mouth move endlessly."
He leaned closer, voice low. "Liar. You love my mouth." His fingers grazed my wrist, sparking heat in their wake. "What's eating at you? Please talk to me."
I pulled back, the secret burning my throat. "It's nothing. Just... the curse. Morwen. All of it."
"That's what you told me the last time, and I'm sorry, but I'm finding it really hard to believe. You're hiding something from me, Selene." He said shaking his head.
I winced slightly, getting defensive. "You're the one with all the secrets, Draven. Not me."
His eyes searched mine, softening. "I know finding out I can't ever have a mate was really heavy to take in. Trust me, it took a while for me to come to terms with too, so I understand your need to withdraw right now."
I realization clawed at me with a growing dread that he thought I was pulling away because of his curse. He thought I was doing to him the same thing Morwen did.
He hesitated, then added, "You know, I've never felt anything like I do with you. This curse took mates, love, all of it from me. I had already accepted the fact that I was doomed to be alone forever, and fucked my way through numerous women, trying to fill the void. Then you showed up, all fire and fight, and... hell, Selene, I'd challenge the Goddess herself to keep you."
His words cracked something in me, the spark between us flaring brighter than the bond's echo and I wanted to confess right there. I wanted to let him know that no stupid curse was ever going to keep me away from him.
"Draven, I–" I stopped, shaking my head. It's better he thinks I'm just like Morwen, than to realize I'm much... much worse. "Thank you. That means more than you know."
He squeezed my hand, his touch anchoring. "We'll figure a way out of this, Selene. Together."
The group's laughter faded as Renn returned from scouting, his face grim. "Alpha. I found a prisoner hiding behind some bushes nearby. He says he overheard something before slipping free." He dragged a wiry man forward, his hands bound.
"Kaelen's planning some sort of ritual to make him High Alpha. 'The ritual of Vermous' I think he called it. He needs a scorned Luna's blood to power the artefact. He knows you're coming and he's deliberately trying to get you there. He's waiting for you, Selene."
The fire's warmth vanished, as dread crawled up my veins. Kaelen wanted me. And he was using my son as bait.