Kissed By The Curse

I shouldn't have gone.

Every rational part of me knew it. But rational didn't matter when the bond was burning a hole through my chest, dragging me toward him like I was tethered by an invisible chain.

I waited until the estate went quiet. Until the lights in the main house dimmed and the wolves settled into their rooms for the night. Then I slipped out of the servants' quarters, keeping to the shadows, heart pounding so hard I thought it might break through my ribs.

He had told me which room. Third floor, east wing, last door on the left.

I climbed the back stairs, the ones the servants used, and prayed no one would see me. If anyone caught me sneaking into the Alpha King's room, I was dead. Or worse.

But I kept walking.

The hallway was empty when I reached the third floor. Moonlight spilled through the tall windows, casting long shadows across the floor. I moved quickly, quietly, until I stood in front of his door.

I raised my hand to knock.

The door opened before I could.

Jasper stood there, still dressed but barefoot, his shirt half unbuttoned. His eyes locked onto mine, dark and intense, and the bond flared so violently I had to grab the doorframe to steady myself.

"I wasn't sure you would come," he said quietly.

"I wasn't either," I admitted.

He stepped aside, and I walked in.

The room was huge. Bigger than my entire living space in the servants' quarters. A massive bed dominated one side, dark wood and heavy blankets. A fireplace crackled softly on the other side, casting warm light across the walls. It smelled like him-pine and smoke and something wild I couldn't name.

The door clicked shut behind me.

I turned, suddenly nervous, suddenly aware of how small I felt in this space. How out of place.

"Quinn," he said, and the way he said my name made my wolf stir.

"This is insane," I whispered.

"I know."

"If anyone finds out-"

"They won't."

I looked at him, at the tension in his shoulders, the way his hands were clenched at his sides like he was holding himself back.

"Why did you ask me here?" I asked.

He crossed the room in two strides, stopping just in front of me. Close enough that I had to tilt my head back to meet his eyes.

"Because I can't stay away from you," he said roughly. "I have tried. All day, I have tried. And I can't."

My breath hitched.

"This bond," he continued, his voice low and strained. "It is not supposed to feel like this. Not this fast. Not this strong."

"I know," I whispered.

His hand came up, cupping my face, thumb brushing across my cheek. The touch sent heat rushing through me, and my wolf purred in satisfaction.

"Tell me to stop," he murmured. "Tell me this is a mistake, and I will let you walk out of here."

I should have. I should have said the words and left before this went any further.

But I didn't.

Instead, I reached up and pulled him down to me.

The kiss was different this time. Slower. Deeper. Like he was trying to memorize the taste of me. His hands slid down to my waist, pulling me against him, and I melted into the heat of his body.

My wolf howled in approval.

He lifted me easily, carrying me toward the bed, and I didn't protest. Didn't think. Just felt.

The mattress was soft beneath me as he laid me down, his body covering mine, his weight grounding me in a way I didn't know I needed. His mouth moved from my lips to my jaw, down my neck, and I gasped when his teeth grazed the spot where a mating mark would go.

"Jasper," I breathed.

He pulled back, breathing hard, eyes searching mine.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

No. I wasn't sure of anything.

But I nodded anyway.

"Yes."

Something in him snapped.

His hands were everywhere, pulling at my clothes, his own, until there was nothing between us but skin and heat and the bond thrumming so loudly I couldn't hear anything else. He was careful, more careful than I expected, his hands gentle even as his wolf pushed at the surface, demanding more.

When he finally claimed me, the bond exploded.

It was overwhelming. All-consuming. Like every nerve in my body was on fire and freezing at the same time. My wolf howled, triumphant and wild, and I felt him-really felt him-for the first time. His emotions, his pain, his need. It crashed into me like a tidal wave, and I didn't know where I ended and he began.

"Quinn," he groaned against my neck, his voice wrecked.

I clung to him, gasping, lost in the sensation of being completely and utterly connected to another person.

It should have been terrifying.

Instead, it felt like coming home.

Afterward, we lay tangled together, his arm heavy across my waist, my head resting on his chest. The fire had burned low, and the room was warm and quiet.

I should have left. Should have slipped out before anyone woke up.

But I didn't want to move.

"What happens now?" I asked softly.

His hand tightened on my hip. "I don't know."

I turned my head to look at him. His eyes were closed, his jaw tight, and I realized he was just as lost as I was.

"Your council won't accept this," I said.

"No," he agreed. "They won't."

"Vanessa-"

"I know."

Silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating.

"Maybe we can keep it quiet," I said, even though I didn't believe it. "Just for a while. Until we figure out-"

"Quinn." He opened his eyes, and the look in them made my stomach drop. "This bond. It is not something we can hide. Not for long."

"Then what do we do?"

He didn't answer.

And in that silence, I felt the first crack of dread settle into my chest.

I woke alone.

The bed beside me was cold, the fire reduced to embers. Pale morning light filtered through the window, and for a moment, I didn't remember where I was.

Then it all came rushing back.

I sat up, heart pounding, and looked around the empty room.

He was gone.

I dressed quickly, hands shaking, and slipped out into the hallway. It was still early. Most of the pack wouldn't be awake yet. I could make it back to my room without anyone seeing me.

I hoped.

I made it down two flights of stairs before I heard voices.

"-convene in the main hall at noon. The Alpha King has requested a formal gathering."

My blood went cold.

I pressed myself against the wall, hidden in the shadows, as two council members passed by.

"Do you think he has made a decision about the alliance?" one of them asked.

"Perhaps. Though I heard Vanessa has been quite persuasive."

They laughed, and the sound made my stomach turn.

I waited until they were gone, then hurried the rest of the way to my room.

A formal gathering. At noon.

I didn't know what it meant, but the dread in my chest had turned into a full-blown knot.

Something was wrong.

I spent the morning trying to stay busy, but my hands wouldn't stop shaking. The bond hummed under my skin, restless and anxious, like my wolf could sense something I couldn't.

At noon, I heard the bells ring.

The gathering had begun.

I wasn't supposed to attend. I was never supposed to attend pack meetings. But I couldn't stay away. Not today.

I made my way to the main hall, slipping in through the back entrance, and pressed myself into the corner behind a stone pillar where no one would see me.

The hall was packed. Wolves lined the walls, council members sat at the front, and Vanessa stood near the center, looking radiant and smug.

And then Jasper walked in.

He looked every inch the Alpha King. Powerful. Untouchable. His expression was cold, unreadable, and my wolf whined at the sight of him.

He didn't look at me. Didn't even glance in my direction.

Elder Rowan stepped forward. "Alpha King, we are honored by your presence. Have you come to a decision regarding the alliance?"

Jasper's jaw tightened.

"I have," he said, his voice carrying across the hall.

The room went silent.

"But first," he continued, "there is another matter that must be addressed."

My heart stopped.

No.

He wouldn't.

"Last night," Jasper said slowly, his eyes scanning the crowd, "I discovered my fated mate."

Gasps rippled through the hall. Vanessa's smile faltered.

And then his eyes found mine.

"Quinn Blackwood."

The room erupted.

I couldn't breathe. Couldn't move.

He had just announced it. In front of everyone.

And from the look on his face, I knew what was coming next.

"However," Jasper said, his voice cutting through the chaos like a blade, "I cannot accept this bond."

The words hit me like a physical blow.

"Quinn Blackwood is cursed," he continued, his tone flat and merciless. "Born under a blood moon, weak, and unworthy of standing beside an Alpha King. For the good of this pack and my own, I reject her as my mate."

The bond didn't break.

It shattered.

I felt a sharp pain in my chest, I collapsed holding my chest tight.

Around me, wolves whispered and stared.

And Jasper stood at the front of the hall, his face a mask of ice, as I fell apart in the shadows.he shadows.