The Mate's Curse

Chapter 4

(Cassie’s POV)

“What?” I gasped “No!” 

The Alpha’s eyes snapped to me, a glint of anger flashing through them briefly. 

Alpha Black walked around from the other side of the desk, never taking his eyes from me. He sat on the edge of the desk, still silently watching me. I returned his gaze with a glare. 

“Cassie!” my father hissed. “Bow your head, show some respect.” 

I looked over to him glaring at me while my mum pleaded with me with her eyes. They both looked concerned and tired and my mum was silently crying. I let out a defeated sigh and bowed my head, my eyes on the floor. I couldn’t stand to see them hurt and what was I going to do, go up against the Alpha Wolf King? I would be slaughtered in minutes. I felt a single tear roll down my cheek and watched as it dropped onto the floor at my feet. 

“What would you have me do, child?” I looked up at the Alpha again. “You have no Alpha and no heir.” I closed my eyes to try and stop the tears from flowing out as he carried on. “The four of you are the only ones left of the Silver Lake Pack.” 

“What the hell!” Beta Thomas shouted. “How dare you discount our Luna as a member of the pack while you stand in her home?” He spat, pulling against the two wolves who were still restraining him. “Not to mention my own wife and children, you good for nothing son of a bitch.” 

A sudden movement and Beta Thomas was slammed against the wall by the Alpha, who held him there with his hand around the Beta’s throat. Beta Thomas struggled, slowly turning red as the Alpha tightened his hand, cutting off his air supply. My father lunged at the Alpha only to be sent flying by one of the two warriors who had previously been holding the Beta. He crashed into the wall before slumping to the ground. 

“DARREN!” my mum screamed, running to him. 

I felt rage building up in me again, and instinct took over and I leapt at the warrior who hit my dad. But I didn’t reach him before something restrained me around the waist, holding me in the air from behind as I tried to kick and punch whoever had grabbed me. Panic set in as flashbacks from that night 18 years ago flashed through my mind, as I was once again helpless and unable to get free. One of my kicks must have hit somewhere though as I vaguely heard a grunt before I was released and dropped unceremoniously to the floor. 

“f**k, that hurt,” I heard as I pulled myself to the nearest wall and wrapped my arms around my knees. 

“ENOUGH!”

The power of the Alpha filled the room,and I involuntarily whimpered at the pain from the pressure to submit to it. The room went quiet. 

“You have no Alpha, no heir,” he repeated in short sharp tones. “All that is left of this pack is four wolves, one of which holds no respect for those above his head.” He spat, releasing his hold on the Beta who crashed to the floor, gasping for breath. “And one who is not much more than a pup, so traumatised by her past that she can’t even access her wolf.” I looked up in shock to see his eyes on me once more, this time what looked like pity in his eyes before turning back to the Beta. “And no, I do not consider your humans as part of the pack”. 

He crossed the room again and leaned against the edge of the desk, looking around at each of us, his eyes resting on me last. “You have all lived among humans, lived like humans for too long,” he sighed. “You have been unprotected for too long, it’s time I do what I should have done all those years ago.” He looked at me again with regret in his eyes before looking at my father. “Maybe then this child could have gotten help sooner.” 

My father glanced at me, his eyes shiny with tears that had yet to fall, before dropping his head. 

The Alpha stood once more and walked around in front of Beta Thomas who had pulled himself to his feet. He spoke the next words in a clear commanding tone. “I, Stephen Black, Alpha King of the Black Stone Pack, challenge you Thomas Porter, Beta and acting Alpha, for the dominion of the Silver Lake Pack. Do you accept or do you submit and relinquish control to me?” 

I watched as Beta Thomas stood straighter, and held himself to every inch of his 6 foot 4 inch height. I felt my stomach drop as he stared straight in the eyes of the Alpha King and snarled “I accept your Challenge.” I involuntarily gasped at the same time that blondie wolf growled menacingly and started forward towards the pair. 

The Alpha simply held his hand out to the advancing wolf without even taking his eyes from the Beta’s face. The wolf stopped immediately, but I could hear the low growl rumble in his throat and could see that he was furious. A similar feeling was coming from the Alpha and although I couldn’t see his face, I could tell that he was not happy with the answer Thomas gave him. 

“Do not do this,” he growled. “You will not win, and your wolves will suffer for your pride.” Fear flooded through my veins as my blood ran cold at his tone and threat. When he spoke again, it was through gritted teeth. “I ask one more time. I, Stephen Black, Alpha King of the Black Stone Pack, challenge you Thomas Porter, Beta and acting Alpha, for the dominion of the Silver Lake Pack. Do you accept or do you submit and relinquish control to me?”  

Thomas growled back before uttering, “I accept your challenge.” 

“As you wish,” the Alpha said before backhanding Thomas straight into the wall behind him. I screamed and charged towards the Alpha, but once again the blond wolf had me around my waist and off the ground before I could take two steps. I kicked at him and punched and screamed for him to let me go, and I vaguely recollected the two warriors had moved to restrain my mother and father.

The blond wolf tightened his hold on me as he leaned into my ear and whispered, “Stop.” But it wasn't the word that stopped me, it was the power that rolled off him, that paralysed me instantly. s**t. I realised that I was messing with the Beta of the Royal Pack, not just another pack warrior. When he saw that I had stopped struggling, he lowered me to my feet and let me go, stepping back. 

I watched in horror as The Alpha stood in front of Thomas once more, as he struggled back to his feet, panting in pain. “I really did not want it to come to this,” the Alpha said before he unleashed his Alpha power directly at Thomas.

Thomas staggered back like he had been backhanded again, but he stayed on his feet. I was choking on the power being emitted from the Alpha and it wasn’t even directed at me. My father tried to rush forward but Thomas held his arm out. “Stay back.” The pain on his face was awful and tears flowed down my face as I stood there, unable to do anything. 

Slowly he crumpled to his knees. “Do you submit?” the Alpha snarled. 

“No,” Thomas hissed. 

My dad stepped forward again with a look of anguish on his face. “Thomas please, we’ve lost,” he pleaded. 

Thomas glanced at my dad and the look of defeat crossed his face again. Then he screamed before uttering the words, “I submit!” 

Immediately the Alpha stopped and Thomas collapsed to the ground breathing heavily. My mum sobbed into my dad's chest as he held her and I just stood there numb.

The Alpha looked behind me, looking tired. “Beta Declan,” he commanded, and the blond wolf, or Beta, stepped forward and handed him a knife that looked like it had a black blade and a silver handle, which I knew was unlikely as silver is painful to werewolves. The blade though, I knew that was obsidian, it was the stone of the Black Stone pack. 

Without a word, the Alpha sliced the blade across his hand, and then he held the knife out to Thomas who was still on his knees. Thomas looked at the blade for a few heart beats before taking it and slicing his own hand. The Beta took the knife back as the Alpha grasped Thomas’ hand. 

“In the presence of blood, I, Stephen Black, Alpha of the Black Stone pack accept dominion over the remaining members of the Silver Lake Pack.” I felt something snap inside me. “I vow to protect and lead each member as my own and request that you each pledge your loyalty to me and the Black Stone Pack.” He looked round at us all again. “Let it be known that as a challenge was called and lost, each member will be stripped of any higher rank and will join as Omega.” 

“What!” I cried. Omega rank was the lowest rank, they served as nothing more than pack servants. By pack law an omega couldn’t even leave the pack territory. As an omega I wouldn’t be allowed to run my business, we would be, in effect, prisoners. 

“Cassie,” my dad hissed at me as my mum continued to sob quietly. “Alpha Black,” my father said, turning to speak to the Alpha. “Could I ask, what of the humans in our pack?” 

The Alpha looked at him. “I said,” the Alpha stated, “they are not recognised as pack members, and therefore my vow does not extend to them.” 

Thomas looked up in despair. “But…” he stuttered. “My wife, my children, and the Luna.” 

The Alpha shook his head. “Pack law prohibits humans from living within the pack territory,” he said, with sadness in his eyes. “I’m truly sorry, but it is simply too dangerous.” 

Thomas closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Then I, Thomas Porter, do not swear loyalty to the Black Stone pack.”

“No, Thomas!” my father exclaimed. 

“I am sorry but I cannot leave my family.” Tears slipped from my eyes as Thomas looked over at me before looking at my father again. “But I also know what you must do for your family too.” 

My father hung his head and I could swear that he was crying.He then stood and faced the Alpha. “I, Darren Waters, Gamma of the former Silver Lake pack swear loyalty to Alpha Black and the Black Stone pack, and accept the rank of Omega.” 

Alpha Black nodded and looked at my mum. My mum looked at me with her tear stained face before looking back at the Alpha. “I, Jessica Waters, Gamma mate of the former Silver Lake pack, swear loyalty to Alpha Black and the Black Stone pack, and accept the rank of Omega.” Then she started to weep again, and the Alpha c****d his head, a fleeting puzzled look crossing his face before he turned to look at me. 

I was still numb, I couldn’t believe that this was happening. Then I thought to earlier today, back to the kitchen. f**k the packs, f**k the mate bond, and f**k my wolf who abandoned me. Was I even a real werewolf? Maybe this was my sign, maybe it was time to live as a human. 

I glared at the Alpha in front of me and stated, “I, Cassandra Waters, of Gamma line of the former Silver Lake Pack do not-” 

“NOOOOOOOO,” my father roared, cutting me off. “Cassandra, I command you to swear loyalty right now.” 

My mum pleaded, “Cassie, please.” 

The weight of my fathers command caused a searing pain in my head, I had never felt this level of power from him ever before, the pain was too much and I collapsed to the floor, screaming in pain. I couldn’t think straight. I could hear my parents screaming when suddenly everything went quiet and I felt a hand on my head, the pain disappeared and I looked up to see the Alpha kneeling in front of me.

“I know it seems wrong now, but I swear to you, child, that it is vitally important that you join with us,” he whispered. 

“I’m not a child,” I muttered under my breath, glaring at him and I looked up to see the Beta chuckling. I shot him a dirty look and he held up his hands in defence, clearly still amused. 

The Alpha glanced up at his beta before looking back at me. “I swear to you now, if you swear loyalty, I will ensure we will find an answer for your absent wolf, and I will do everything I can to help you reunite with her.” 

I blinked at him, he could see the pain that my lack of wolf caused me, more than anyone else had before. 

A cough from the other side of the room drew my attention. I looked over at Thomas and he smiled at me. “Please Cassie, go with your parents, be safe and I promise I will look after our other people, you have my word on that.” 

I looked over at my mum and dad who both had concern in their eyes and sighed, although my sigh turned into a sob. I suddenly felt so very tired and like I couldn’t fight any longer, I looked at the Alpha, I guess now my new Alpha and whispered, “I, Cassandra Waters of Gamma line of the former Silver Lake pack, swear loyalty to Alpha Black and the Black Stone pack, and accept the rank of Omega.” 

I felt a snap in my body like a tension had broken before I started sobbing. My mum and father were suddenly next to me and my mum pulled me into her arms as I collapsed sobbing. Today we had woken up to burying our Alpha and in turn had lost everything that we held dear.