Bride of the Cursed Alpha (Auren and Lucien)

Auren POV

As Reya dragged me out of the dungeons, my heart drummed against my ribcage out of pure fear. I couldn't even think of marrying Alpha Lucien, not just because he was cursed, but also because Alpha Bram was my mate. The idea was abhorrent. It was better to die than to marry Alpha Lucien.

Summoning up whatever little energy I had left in me, I pulled my hand out of Reya's and thought of running towards the forest that surrounded our pack. Once I got away from here, I was sure I would find help.

But the truth was cruel. I stood up, and the next second, my legs felt weak and my body collapsed. With a loud "bump", I fell to the ground, so did my hope. The dust stung my lungs, my tears welling up in an instant. "No-" I struggled.noveldrama

"Ha, you think you can escape?" Reya caught my neck with great force, turning my face to her. I couldn't see her face clearly, but I assumed an evil smile there. "Get her." She ordered before throwing me to the ground.

Two warriors jumped right in front of me. My eyes widened in horror. "Please leave me alone!" I begged them. "Let me live."

As if my words irritated her, Reya came into my line of vision again. She directly charged at me and tackled me to the ground. She punched my side and I heard a crack. It meant that one of my ribs had fractured. A scream ripped out of my throat as my body turned numb in pain. “Live? You are so pathetic. Pick her up!" she ordered the warriors. One of them hauled me over his shoulder with no mercy to my fractured rib. As I screamed and cried and begged them to leave me, they carried me all the way to a little room in the omegas' quarters and slammed the door shut behind them.

I pounded on the door, shouting, coughing blood. "Please leave me. Please." But no one listened. Eventually, I slipped down on the floor with blood-stained clothes.

I don't know how many hours went by when I heard the door creak open. I lifted my head only to see the pack's healer. "Luna Maris has sent me to you. Drink this draft,” he ordered. "It will reduce your pain."

"C-can I talk to her?" I asked.

He clenched his jaw and without replying to me, forced me to have the draft and left, locking the door behind him.

I felt so weak and helpless that I sat against the wall as fresh tears sprang from my eyes. "This is not justified, goddess," I said aloud. "It is not my fault that you bestowed Alpha Bram as my mate." Alpha Lucien was the most ruthless Alpha in the north. "What have you written for me in this life?"

The door opened again and this time Alpha Bram walked in. He narrowed his eyes at me and scrunched his face. Shaking his head, he said, "How could the moon goddess bestow you as my mate? There must have been some mistake. You are so pathetic!"

With my eyes wide open, I stared at him with rage simmering in my chest. Feeling horrible under his gaze, I retorted, "I am not pathetic. You are pathetic! You are rejecting your moon-mate."

He let out a growl and in a flash of a second, he grabbed my throat with his large hands. "Auren!" he shouted. "How dare you say that to your Alpha? You had the guts to run away and defy my orders."

I started sputtering and coughing as he squeezed my airway.

"Bram!" Maris entered the room and shouted at him. "Don't do that. Tomorrow she

is going forever!"

Alpha Bram shoved me away and got up, still growling. And then came out the poisoned words,

"I, Alpha Bram Reed of the Crimson Howl Pack, reject you, Auren Cressida as my mate."

"Noooo!" I shrieked as sharp pain stabbed my stomach and heart. My vision blurred and I doubled over, unable to move. Through my blurry vision, I saw Alpha Bram and Maris glaring at me coldly. Maris smirked and holding his hand, she walked out of the room, locking the door behind me.

"I will send Reya to dress her up tomorrow," I heard her voice before I fainted.

When I woke up next, I felt numbness in my body. Seina had howled and whimpered all night and eventually rolled up in a ball and tucked away somewhere, where I couldn't reach her. She was more hurt than I was.

Morning light was filtering in my room. It was a morning of doom. I didn't have the strength to get up and do anything. I had lost my appetite. When the door opened again, I saw Reya entering with a box in her hand, followed by a maid.

She chuckled. "What a wretched bitch!" She pulled me up roughly. "Luna Maris has sent me to dress you up. But first you need a bath. You stink like a rotten critter."

She dragged me to the bathroom where she opened a cold water shower. I shivered under it uncontrollably, but she was least bothered. When I came out, she threw a dress at me. "Wear this. Alpha Lucien will be here in an hour."

I gaped at her with horror. Alpha Lucien was coming so fast?

The dress loosely hung over my shoulders. From the smell of it, I knew it was Maris's old one.

Reya's face lit up with a shrewd grin. "Congratulations, Auren. You are getting married to the most unwanted Alpha in the north. Consider yourself lucky that you will live another year while serving as his breeder."

Chills ran down my body at the way she said it to me, and my knees felt wobbly. I walked shakily behind her until I reached the main hall.

The place was buzzing with activity. All the omegas were preparing for Alpha Lucien's arrival. Maris was giving orders to them and as soon as she saw me, she sniggered. She jerked her chin to Reya who nodded and took me to a corner of the room. My eyes went to Alpha Bram who was talking to some people. Why was it that the rejection affected me and not him? Did his wolf not feel the pain? Tears came into my eyes again, but this time I refused to let them out because I didn't want to give them the satisfaction of seeing me broken and shattered.

A few minutes later, he went out and when he returned, he was with Alpha Lucien. The most terrifyingly beautiful wolf I'd ever seen.

Towering at over six feet, his broad shoulders and chiseled physique radiated raw power. Midnight-black hair framed a cold, sharp, angular face, with dark eyes that seemed to pierce your soul. There were tattoos of vines and thorns on his muscular arms. His presence was magnetic yet menacing, like that of a silent, dangerous predator cloaked in charm.

When our gazes locked, I gasped and my cheeks heated.