The Cursed Alpha's Fifth Luna

Seven took a step forward, his chest heaving as he tried to bridge the distance between them. But almost immediately, the heavy front doors groaned open again, and Hades stepped out into the courtyard.

Almost instantly, the entire courtyard fell into a suffocating, graveyard silence. The ambient chatter of the guards died mid-breath, and even the bitter winter wind seemed to hold its tongue against the high stone archways.

Ruri slowly lifted her head, her teardrop-blurred eyes locking onto him. Every hair on her arms stood on end, a wave of primal dread washing over her skin. Hades stood at the top of the wide stone steps, imposing and immovably broad. His dark cloak hung heavy over his shoulders, framing a posture that radiated absolute authority.

He paused for a beat, his gaze sweeping across the courtyard before settling directly on her. His brows creased slightly, his sharp eyes tracing the contours of her tear-streaked face as though fitting her image into his memory. He took in her trembling shoulders, the dust on her knees, and the dark tear tracks muddying her cheeks.

Then, a slow, dangerous smile stretched across his lips.

It was a cruel, mocking expression that reached nowhere near his eyes. He strode across the courtyard, his heavy leather boots clicking against the stone with a measured, predatory rhythm until he stopped directly in front of where Ruri knelt.

He leaned down, his thick, calloused fingers locking around her jaw with unyielding force, tilting her face up so she was forced to look directly into his eyes. His grip was tight enough to bruise, digging ruthlessly into her skin to prevent her from turning away. Up close, his eyes were cold and dark, devoid of a single drop of human warmth.

“Oh well…” he purred, his voice a low, gravelly vibration that sent a chill straight down her spine. “…who do we have here?”

Ruri’s stomach violently revolted, a burst of raw hatred cutting through the haze of her grief. She didn’t think; without hesitating, she jerked her head back, violently breaking his grip. The sharp motion rattled her teeth, but she held his gaze unmoving.

“Let go of me, you murderer!” She gritted her teeth, her knuckles digging into the cold stone beneath her palms as she glared up at him with unadulterated venom. The tears stinging her eyes burned, but she refused to look away. “I will marry you over my dead body!” she spat, her voice echoing off the high stone walls of the courtyard.

There was a moment of absolute quiet as Hades stared down at her. The silence stretched, long and uncomfortable, as if the entire world were holding its breath to see how the Alpha would react to her defiance. Seven’s hands clamped into fists at his sides, his joints cracking in the quiet as his posture locked, ready to move if Hades did anything to her. Nina pressed her hands against her chest, her eyes wide with terror.

Then Hades chuckled.

It was a low, rasping sound that rattled in his chest, completely unbothered by her fury. He slowly straightened to his full height, looming over her like a shadow that blocked out the sky. He looked down at her with pure disdain, lifting a single, dark brow.

“Then over your body it is!”

All the color drained from Ruri’s face. The air rushed out of her lungs as if she had been hit in the chest with a stone.

A soft, mocking laugh escaped his lips. “Get ready to live in hell, little Princess.”

Ruri’s body froze. Then she blinked.

Hades’s footsteps slowly disappeared into the distance, but Ruri couldn’t hear anything else. The courtyard around her seemed to fade away into a dim, soundless blur. All she knew was that one moment she had been collapsed on the hard floor, and the next, Seven was holding her up.

She couldn’t breathe. Her chest seized painfully as she struggled to draw air into her lungs. Her fingers tightened around Seven’s neck, tears streaming down her face as he held her firmly, keeping her upright against his chest as her body trembled violently.

Nina’s stomach twisted at the painful sight, a heavy ache settling behind her ribs. Without saying a word, she turned and walked toward the east wing, where Rodrigo had gone.

As she entered the east hallway, the guards bowed in unison, their armors clinking in the quiet corridor.

“Where is the Alpha?” she asked, her voice tight.

“In his private study,” one of the guards replied quickly.

Nina nodded and continued down the hallway. She didn’t bother knocking before pushing the heavy oak door open.

Rodrigo was standing at the table, searching frantically through one of the wooden drawers. His eyes lifted when she walked in, dark and unreadable.

“Why? What happened?” Nina asked, her eyes wide with mounting frustration. “Is Ruri really going to marry Alpha Hades?”

Rodrigo continued searching through the drawer without saying a word, shuffling through heavy parchments and sealed scrolls. Nina stood quietly by the door, watching him avoid her gaze, the tension thick in the space between them.

“Ruri is really hurt,” she said softly, stepping closer into the room. “She trusted you to save her from this marriage, and…”

“There’s only so much I can do without reason, Nina.”

Nina frowned, stepping toward the table, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Rodrigo finally stopped searching and sat down in his chair, rubbing a hand down his tired face. “Lord Vance knelt before me.”

Nina stared at him in disbelief, the air leaving her throat.

“And asked to approve of the wedding,” Rodrigo explained, his voice tight and strained. “I cannot cancel an official engagement between houses without a legitimate reason.”

Nina’s expression tightened, her eyes narrowing as she processed his words. “Then what are you going to do?”

“The only way forward is for me to find out why he wants this marriage so badly in the first place.” Rodrigo’s gaze lowered to the papers on his desk, his jaw set in a hard line. “Something must have happened between my uncle and Hades. And it doesn’t seem like it’s just about the immortality spell.”

Nina remained silent, listening closely as the pieces began to shift in the dark.

“It’s something else,” Rodrigo continued, his voice dropping an octave. “And only Ruri can make him speak the truth.”

Nina looked at him, her shoulders sagging.

“Now the ball is in her court,” Rodrigo said, looking back up at her with sharp, unwavering focus. “She has to show just how much she doesn’t want to get married to Hades.”

…

“Get up now, Ruri. You’ll catch a cold on the floor.”

Seven stood in front of her, staring down at the girl who had been kneeling there for hours.

The night sky had gone completely dark. The courtyard had emptied, leaving only the cold wind and the hard stones beneath Ruri’s knees.

Her lips had turned purple, and her whole body trembled as she struggled to breathe.

“You don’t need to wait out here for me,” she said weakly. “I’m not standing up until the Alpha cancels the wedding.”

“Rurina!” Seven’s voice cracked across the courtyard. “If you don’t get up this minute, I’m going to carry you up myself.”

Ruri looked up at him. “What? You’re going to touch a married woman indiscriminately?”

She laughed lightly, her voice coarse at the edges.

Seven’s words caught in his throat. “You’re not married, Ruri.”

“Well, if I don’t remain here, I’m going to be married soon.” She looked back toward the palace. “So don’t try to dissuade me.”

Her fingers pressed against the cold stone as she steadied herself.

“I’m not getting up.” She lifted her eyes to Seven again. “Not until this marriage is canceled.”

“Seven!” Rodrigo’s voice sounded from behind them.

Ruri didn’t move. Her fingers tightened at her sides as fresh tears welled in her eyes.

Seven turned around. Rodrigo stood there with Nina, a deep frown between his brows. His eyes briefly moved to Ruri before returning to Seven.

“Come here.” He didn’t comment on her.

“Yes, Alpha.” Seven walked toward him.

Rodrigo said nothing else. He simply turned and began walking away.

Seven stood there for a few seconds, his gaze drifting back to Ruri, still kneeling on the cold ground. Then he followed Rodrigo.

“I’ll go inside now,” Nina said as they approached the north wing.

Rodrigo nodded. She gave Seven one final glance before disappearing inside.

Rodrigo and Seven stood in silence for a long moment. Then Seven stepped in front of him.

“You called for me.”

Rodrigo watched him. “Why are you not asking me?”

Seven blinked, a moment of quiet passing between them, “Because I know you have your reasons.” He paused. “You wouldn’t have agreed to this marriage without a reason, and I trust you wouldn’t let Ruri get married to Hades.”

Something shifted in Rodrigo’s gaze. Then he smiled faintly.

“You’re right.” He crossed his hands in front of him. Turning to him seriously now,

“There’s something you need to know.”