The Cruel Alpha's Cursed Mate

BLAIR'S POV

I was going to die.

I was going to die and I was going to be cold while doing it.

I was shuddering deeply, the thin blue gown that had been given to me for this ritual thing didn't seem to be worth the material.

Clothes were supposed to be protective, but this one was just decorative and nothing else.

All this monologue was because I was trying to distract myself from the fact that I was being sacrificed to the moon goddess, just for the sake of redemption. I gulped slowly, a little nauseous at the thought of lying down on the stone slab, but I had to do this for my pack. We had never been chosen to carry out the Moon ritual, which was always for the bigger packs, and apart from the fact that we had to keep my father's reputation clean, we also couldn't afford the plagues that were prophesied to follow if we didn't keep up with the ritual.

So I let a calm sigh as the almost rude beta led me out into the clearing, the moon was almost full, just a tiny sliver of it missing, the pack was gathered around to watch except the children and a few of their mothers, some had teary eyes and others were totally immune to what was happening. The priestess was ready, she seemed to do what was necessary and she wasn't going to break even the smallest smile. My father looked delirious and red-eyed. I knew he didn't want me to do this but there was nothing we could do now, the priestess laid me down on the slab and I shivered from the slight cold– I guess sacrifices were not made comfortable.

I closed my eyes as she began her incantation and thought back to just how all this had started.

It was the first night of the waxing moon. I was filled with excitement and looked forward to it. The entire town shared in my anticipation mostly because it was also my father's birthday. The Crescent Moon pack celebrated this night, with double the fanfare because it was always a dual celebration when my mother was alive she had put in her all to it. After she had died the planning had gone to the others. I was a very shitty co-ordinator and my father didn't want me near an open flame. Ironically as an omega the only thing I was good at was hunting which was why I was in the forest at the time. I could smell the animals from afar.

The season was giving way for the new. I could smell pumpkins, apples, and cinnamon, then the slight stink of rabbits.

There was a soft sound in the dark, my wolf halted, stalking forward

Ooh, rabbits. She cried gleefully

Don't Skylar! I hissed at her.

My wolf Skylar tended to overreact to every little thing, but she especially liked the little rabbits and I could scent from just about five paces in front of me.

My nose twitched slightly and I struggled not to wrinkle it too much. I couldn't give Skylar the idea that I wanted it even though I did.

She smacked her lips

Not now Skylar we need herbs!

But he'll be so tender! She cried sullenly and I scoffed

"We are not having this conversation" I muttered under my breath, she sighed very loudly while lying on her paws

You are a skinny sticky killjoy.

I laughed at the contempt in her voice. She hated my human form; she called it the "pale stick man," claiming it was inferior. I could concede her point – maybe I was lazy, but she was too hyper for me, and she knew it.

The rabbit sensed that there would be no dying today and skipped off into the night. If it did not find a place to hide immediately, it would then become a meal for another less concerned predator.

It could have been our meal.

Skylar huffed and I smiled ignoring her, I pulled a couple of mushrooms into my basket then I went to the next tree where I pulled some rosemary herbs for the Skylarchen. I would kill a rabbit because I needed it, but first I needed herbs to make a stew. My father liked rabbit stew and I knew this would help make a great stew.

So only you get to hunt rabbits?

Skylar muttered again and I groaned

"Enough of the deluge about the rabbits already" I gritted, she huffed but settled down for the rest of the evening.

I walked through the woods picking herbs and mushrooms, I knelt by the mushroom and dug it up humming under my breath, it was the song my mother had taught me when she was alive, I sang it whenever I could because it reminded me of her.

Once I was done picking I hid along the side of the bushes and pulled off my dress, once I was naked I called on my wolf, Skylar yelped excitedly, the change was suddenly taking over my bone cracking and reforming, Furr ran over my skin, until I was fully a wolf, and my snout sniffing the air for preys. My sense of smell was stronger with Skylar at the forefront and she was ready for this, she jutted off into the wood, and the chase began, it took time and effort to get her to hunt the first rabbit and keep it, then she went in for the next that one she caught swiftly and tore into it. Bone cracked under the pressure of the canine as she ate it once and was satisfied, she sniffed at the air to trace the stream.

Lapping up water, her gaze caught sight of another rabbit, I groaned deeply as she jumped after teasing it, and playing with it until she got bored, and then she let it go into the forest.

She led me back to where our quarry was, took the meat, and led me back home.

" You went hunting again?" Ella huffed, she was the Skylarchen staff but had been my nanny for most of my life, she didn't like that I wasn't omega enough.

"How's the cooking coming" I asked, as she took the meat from me, inspecting it with a satisfied hum

"I needed the rosemary, thank you love" she replied kissing my cheeks and shuffling back into the Skylarchen,

"I brought some rabbit, it will be good for some rabbit stew too" I hummed and she laughed

" Go get dressed and join the celebration" she muttered, I nodded, waving to her and some of the other girls as I left the kitchen...

I smiled at the memory of how simple my life had been, and how simple it would never be again.

……………

"Stop" my father yelled in frantic desperation, my eyes popped open as he reached for my arm, he grabbed my hand and pulled me off the slab.

" This can't happen" he choked, his eyes filled with tears

" Father" I whispered and he shook his head

" No Blair. I reject this" he grimaced,

"Your mother told me to protect you. I can't let this happen, not for something I don't even believe in and will never do."

The priestess looked him in the eye

" If you stop this you have to be ready"

" You have to be ready for the consequences that are to come " she muttered and I dropped my arm, separating it from my father's. My father was silent for a minute, then he said…

" I will deal with it by myself," he said softly

" I am not killing my daughter!”