THE CURSED ONE

"How dare you!!"

Alpha Damian Said as he slammed the doors of the library.

  He stood at the doorway his towering presence sucked the warmth away. His cold silver orbs locked on Laura.

"You dare touch her?"His voice thundered as he grabbed Laura's arm in a tight grip. His grip was so strong his nails scratched her.

Laura's heart stopped.

  She slowly said:" I came to clean.She was alone so I thought to keep her company"

"I don't care what your reason is. You are not to touch her. She is not to be approached by anyone."

He grabbed Laura's arm and pulled her closer,she winced.

" I have been very lenient with you, but you will know your place now."

---

 With immediate effect Laura was escorted to the mining area. Her first punishment was to join the miner's to work till the next day without food or water and if caught slacking... she should be flogged.

   Laura drove the pickaxe into the hard earth.Lifting the axe was so much work for her but she managed she knew she was supposed to be doing her chores. But she neglected them and chose to comfort the mute girl.

  Close to evening she felt a sharp pain in her ribs. They tightened with every swing. Sweat soaked her clothes and seeped into her

re-opening wounds. She remembered the little girl hiding behind the shelf when the Alpha came in. She just prays the child is safe.

A thought came to Laura's mind: Why was the Alpha so angry that she was with the child? Who is the little girl?

By nightfall, she was dragged by the Beta's mate Lira,back to the estate.

"I told you to learn respect... but you didn't listen. Now you will face the Alpha's wrath."

I tried to ignore her words but I couldn't shake off the feelings that things were being blown out of proportion.

  They arrived at the estate and Laura was sent to Damian's study. Immediately she walked in she noticed the room smelt like him. Dark chocolate with a hint of fresh fruit. She was so lost in his addicting scent.

She snap out of her reverie when the Alpha said:

  "No rest" Damian said coldly tossing the papers on his desk to the floor. "Organize the entire study, clean the floors every corner of it."

She tried to protest"But I-"

"Silence"he growled"you earned this"

Hours past. Scrubbing, dusting and sorting. Midway sorting the documents Laura collapsed beside the Alpha's desk. He hands trembled, blood spilled from her nose, her knees buckled.

She didn't get up.

---

Damian was on the phone when he finished his conversation on the balcony. The sound of shuffling feet drew the Alpha's attention.

   Damian noticed the little girl in his study with tear stained cheeks as she stared at the other end of his desk. He couldn't see what she was looking at so he went round and saw that Laura was knocked out cold.

   The little girl knelt beside Laura's crumpled body and began signing furiously

You hurt her!

She was kind!

This was all your fault!

She didn't know!

   Damian stood frozen in shock.

That language.Those hands. He recognized those hand signs.

"...Hope," he whispered shocked

The little girl turned to him silver orbs brimmed with tears.

   Through the commotion Laura started regaining consciousness slowly. Everything seemed hazy.

She blinks through the haze. Barely registering the words.

Hope?

So her name is Hope? What a nice name Laura. thought fondly.

  Laura's looked between the Alpha and Hope. The resemblance was clear. How didn't she notice it before.

 It hit her hard.

"She... she's your daughter?"

Damian couldn't answer

 Because it was true.

Laura had now touched the one person The Alpha vowed not to loose again.

---

The soft morning sun rays, casted a golden warmth across flower field beyond the pack house compound.

  Laura knelt down with Hope beside her with a half made crown of daises in her lap. Hope stood up giggling while chasing a butterfly, her hands fluttering with excitement.

  A shadow watched from a distance with so much rage. It was only a matter of time before he made himself known.

It's been days since the scene in Alpha Damian's study. Laura was relieved of her punishment she went back to her routine cleaning, healing, chores and the new thing playing with Hope.

 Laura threaded another flower in the crown

"You'd be a better luna than me" she said pacing the crown on Hope's head.

Hope smiled then touched her chest and made a sign for "friend"

"Yes.Always" Laura said smiling back at Hope.

Like shattered glass their peace was destroyed.

"Get away from her."

Damian's voice destroyed the warmth they shared with his coldness. Standing at the edge of the field the only thing producing warmth was the fire in his eyes.

Laura stood up slowly, preparing herself for a scolding. Instinctively she placed Hope behind her.

"She is just a child"

"You seem to forget yourself, your place here. You don't speak to her. You don't touch her. You serve. That's why you were bought. Your a slave. Nothing more".

His words hurt Laura hard.

  Bitterness rising in Laura. She questioned the Alpha"I serve? Is that how you see me? A name on a ledger or a tool to break?"

Damian clenched his jaw. A vein pulsing at his temple.

"Playing nursemaid to Hope won't earn you status. You will never rise your blood, girl. You. Are.A.Property."

Laura's eyes welled with unsheathed tears.

She took a step closer to the Alpha.

"Then where is her mother? Where is the Luna? Or did you loose her too just like your loosing your soul?"

Those words hit Damian harder than Laura expected.

Damian visibly flinched.

Something dark passed his gaze. Pain. Grief. A wound. Reopened.

"Don't, don't speak of things you now nothing about."

Laura didn't heed to the warning. She continued to probe him further.

"Maybe your anger towards me is as a result of your failure. You failed to protect your luna. You failed to protect the mother of your child".

In a swift flash, Laura was off the floor. The Alpha gripped her tunic not hard enough to hurt.But enough to silence her.

   His voice trembling with barely caged fury. He spoke.

"You speak of her again and I will make sure you regret drawing breath on the day of your creation."

Laura wanted him to speak. To express the agony buried deep beneath that dominance. The ghost of a lost love.

Hope tugged Damian's coat with tear filled eyes. Signing for him to stop that's she didn't mean it.

With Restrained violence his chest rose and fell. He set Laura down and left without a word.

---

     Hope ran up to Laura and hugged her tightly, her face buried in her stomach. Laura knelt down holding her close.

Laura thought aloud" she was someone important. someone he couldn't forget"

  Hope nodded. Laura knew she had struck a nerve. One deep enough to bleed.

But in that pain...

Was the beginning of truth.

---

 After the heated confrontation with Alpha Damian, Laura took Hope inside. The conversation echoed in her mind like thunder.

She did mean to speak of his past, but the words came out before she could stop them. It was a result of the bitterness that rose in her.

I should have kept my mouth shut. She though sadly as she walked down the hallway with Hope. Brushing her fingers along the wall looking for some sort of grounding. Not now I'll do it in the morning. The fire is still too hot.

She'd apologize when the air wasn't too full of tension and regret.

Hopes small fingers tugged her hand. The mute daughter of Alpha Damian blinked at her smiling.

"Little star, come on let's go back to your room" Laura said to Hope.

Turning to climb the stairs leading to the second floor where Hope's room was. Laura spotted a familiar figure standing by the stairs. It was Mira the head cook. She stood there willing her hands on her flour dusted apron.

"We'll who do we have here." Mira said eyes sharp but tone warm." Come Laura, I have something to discuss with you. It won't take long."

Laura looked down at Hope and asked

"Will it be alright?"

Hope gave an exasperated sigh and nodded. Point towards the kitchen. Cupcake first.

"A bribe huh?" Laura chuckled at Hope who had a sly grin on her face.

"Smart girl." Mira said laughing out as well.

The kitchen was warm, the lightening was wonderful. She handed Hope the cupcake after generously swirling some frosting on it, before guiding Laura to a stool where she also sat. Hope say down at the old oak table, locking the frosting with a satisfied expression on her face.

"In the fields. I saw what happened." Mira said quietly but her tone was serious." Not many have stood up to Alpha Damian like that. Not ever."

Laura stiffened.

"It was brave believe me." Mira continued "but don't make it a habit. The first time might be forgiven as passion but the second time won't be seen as same."

"I didn't mean to say those words to him... I will apologize, I just... I'll wait till the tomorrow morning."

Laura said with her throat tightening.

Mira nodded approvingly, glad that she admitted her mistake and was ready to apologize for it.

  "Wise. But be careful. There are things-people-we don't talk about in this pack. Hopes mother...she's one of them and we do it out of respect. For our Alpha. For the wounds he never talked about."

Laura's eyes softened"I'm sorry. I understand now. I didn't know."

"You do now." Mira said" And it means something.

After cleaning up Hopes sticky hands.Laura led her back to her room. The child despite her silence was a bind of joy and mystery. When they reached the room, Hope ran to look for something. She rummaged through the box and pulled out glitter, plastic brushes and a pallet of face paint. Bright ones.

Laura raised her brows slightly.

Laura asked "you wanna play make over?"

Hope nodded eagerly.

Minutes passed in wild clothes and laughter. Laura's sitting on the rug legs crossed, her face painted with wild uneven stripes of pink, purple and blue, her cheeks dusted with glitter.

Hope beamed with delight as she pushed Laura to the mirror.

"Oh Moon Goddess. Hope. I look like a clown."

Laura laughed out loud.

Hope laughed soundlessly filled with joy as her small shoulders shook. Her smile was genuine and bright. Her eyes filled with nothing but pure happiness.

Neither of them noticed the figure in the hallway.Alpha Damian watched from a distance through the dim lights his expression was unreadable.

His eyes locked on Laura, then moved to his daughter. He was surprised she never laughed like that-not since the silence began. Something twisted in his chest. His jaw clenched.

He did not like it.

He didn't like it one bit. Not the closeness. Not the familiarity. And most especially not the easy Hope looked at Laura. Like she was something safe.