The Cursed Wolf's Beta Mate

CHAPTER 2

LURO’S POV

My heart pounded in my ears when I met the golden eyes of the large brown wolf in front of me. Its teeth were barred and its eyes ablaze with anger. I took a step back but didn’t run. Even if my sister was angry, she wouldn’t attack me, right?

The thought had just crossed my mind when she jumped at me. I managed to dodge the blow and jump to one side; letting out a soft growl. Without giving me a chance to revive, she attacked me again. This time, I barely managed to escape her sharp canines.

She turned around swiftly and jutted me in the abdomen with her head. I wasn’t prepared for this and went flying a few feet before crashing against the trunk of a large tree. I whimpered in pain and raised my head to look up.

My sister’s expression was fierce, almost as if she was attacking an enemy. How was this possible? My sister loved me more than herself. She wouldn’t attack me unless… unless she didn’t see me shift.

Letting out a soft growl, I bounded behind a large rock. I closed my eyes and focused on my human form but nothing happened. Shifting back was way more difficult than I had thought.

The soft crunching of the leaves and grass sounded near the rock. My sister was nearing. I would either get killed or my sister would get injured if I didn’t do something. Mrs. Denevers had said that shifting triggered anxiety and self-defense mechanism making it painful. Maybe it was the same for shifting back. I drew in long, deep breaths; forcing myself to relax. My heart calmed and I found myself relaxing.

The bushes rustled and a nose poked through the branches. I scrambled backward but was obstructed by the rock. My life flashed before my eyes and I gasped. My entire body went numb and I gaped at the creature in front of me.

The wolf frowned and c****d its head to one side. Its eyes changed from dark amber to a softer shade. Moments later, my sister was crouching next to me in her human form, “Luro? What are you doing here?”

It was then I realized that I had shifted back. I threw my arms around her and started sobbing. She pulled me closer and rubbed my back, “What are you doing here, Luro? Don’t you know it is dangerous to wander alone at night?

Between sniffles, I managed to stutter, “I was so scared… I thought you were going to kill me.”

She stilled and her hands dropped to her sides. She pulled away and she held me at an arm’s distance. Her eyes were wide with shock and fear. She squeezed my shoulders and ranted, “Don’t tell me you were that…. It couldn’t be right… You are my sister… If I am not, you can’t be either… I should have been able to recognise your scent…”

I didn’t know how to reply to her. I was so confused myself. I looked into her eyes; hoping that she would still see me as her sister and not the monster she considered marked wolves to be.

A loud howl sounded at a distance stratling us. Her eyes darted around warily, “Stay here. I will return with the car….” She was about to shift but the paused and looked at me. Her expression was unreadable, “Don’t let anyone know that you turned.”

I drew myself into a fetal position and wrapped my arms around myself. My mind had gone completely numb. My ears were still ringing with the growls of my sister’s wolf. If my sister reacted this way on seeing a marked wolf, what would the others do?

I would probably be slaughtered the moment they found out. Tears rolled down my cheeks as the congestion in my chest magnified. Was my life supposed to be so short? I hadn’t even seen anything till now. I wanted to roam around the world; find my mate….

A sense of foreboding engulfed me as I thought about my mate. Who in the right sense of mind would accept a Marked wolf as his mate? It was too much for me to bear and I burst into sobs again.

A few minutes later, the screeching of the tires sounded pulling me out of my thoughts. My heartbeat accelerated as I peeked out from behind the rock. What if my sister couldn’t bear to kill me on her own and had brought reinforcements.

I sneaked behind another rock; keeping my eyes fixed on the car all the while. The door of the car opened with a light thud and my sister alighted with a set of clothes in her hand.

I cursed myself mentally for suspecting her. I came out of the bushes and stood in front of her with my eyes lowered. She handed me the clothes and said in an urgent voice, “Get dressed quickly. If anyone finds out that you have shifted, they will tell father. Then, you will have to turn in front of him.”

My hands shook as I threw on the shorts and shirt. My fingers trembled so badly that pushing the buttons through the eyehole seemed like an unachievable task. Wanda drew closer to me, straightened the fabric and started buttoning the shirt. “I know this is too overwhelming for you. Believe me, my head is a mess too…”

She looked into my eyes and placed her palm against my cheek, “You have to control your emotions. If father or mother see you so flustered, they will find out that you are hiding something.” Her lips pressed into a thin line and her expression turned extremely serious, “You know what will happen next. He will command you to tell the truth.”

I licked my chapped lips. It felt so wrong to hide anything from father. I gulped the lump that had formed in my throat, “Can’t we just tell him everything?”

Her eyes widened in horror and she shook me up, “Don’t even think about it. The moment he finds out that you are a….” Her voice dropped several notches lower, “If he finds out that you are a Marked wolf, he will kill you himself. We have to keep this truth hidden from everyone including father and mother.”

I nodded and got into the car. The ride back home was a very quiet one. I leaned against the windowpane and gazed into the night sky. Wanda was right. The moon Goddess did like to play games. With a small flick of fate, she had turned my world upside down…

***

Three days later….

I was sitting on my bed; cuddling my favorite pillow when Wanda walked in. She looked to the left and right before securing the door. Her eyes twinkled as she handed me a single stem with a couple of yellow blossoms. It was the legendary wolfsbane. Unlike the regular one, this was very rare. Still, my sister had managed to procure it for me.

I was deeply touched yet I couldn’t shake of the deep sense of dread that held my heart in its clutches. Running the tip of my finger over the soft petals, I asked, “Will this work?”

Her eyes flashed with something but she recovered quickly and handed me a glass of water, “It will… It has to…” Her voice sounded confident but I could see the clouds of doubt shadowing her face.

I drew in a deep breath and crushed the yellow wolfsbane before adding it to the water. My sister had gone to great lengths to procure it. I had to believe that it would work.

Holding my nose, I guzzled the contents of the glass in a single draught. It burnt the insides of my throat but it was more like a sting. The effects of the wolfsbane would show later when it has infused completely into my bloodstream.

Handing over the empty glass, I couldn’t help but voice out my concern, “What if this doesn’t work? What if I shift in front of everyone?”

She set the glass on the table beside the bed and cupped my face. Her voice rang with sincerity as she spoke, “I will protect you, Luro…” her voice grew hoarse with emotions, “I will protect you even at the cost of my life.”

“Oh…. Wanda…” A whimper escaped my lips and I pulled her into a tight hug, “You are the best sister in the world. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

My sister rushed me to an old, dilapidated building. I argued with her that it was unnecessary. I felt completely fine but she ignored me and almost dragged me there.

Once the wolfsbane started taking effect, I was plunged into a sea of pain and despair. It affected me, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Physically, it was like every pore in my body was being burned in hot, smoldering lava. At the same time, a sense of deep melancholy and despair engulfed me like frost mixed with ice.

The sense of your wolf spirit being suppressed caused surges of psychological fits. I tried to take my own life countless times. My screams and whimpers were so loud that they could cause anybody’s heart to tremble.

Wanda stayed by my side; encouraging, consoling, and even physically restraining me when necessary. If it wasn’t for her, I would never have made it out alive….