The Cursed Alpha's Fifth Luna

Ethan was coming back from the barracks in the early hours of the morning after his duties, when he noticed the crowd situated in front of the west wing of the pack’s house.

At first, he paid them no attention. The courtyard was rarely quiet, especially because of the preparations for the hunt. But there was something strange about the way everyone had gathered.

They were staring at something.

Ethan slowed, his instincts going sharp and cold. His gaze moved past the men and women clustered near the edge of the courtyard until something familiar caught his eye.

A flash of vibrant red.

His steps stopped dead.

There was a woman kneeling on the frozen stone several yards away, a coarse, thin blanket wrapped around her trembling shoulders. Her head was bowed, her red hair spilling over the wool.

Ruri.

Ethan stared, his chest tightening so hard it hurt. No. It couldn’t be.

Then he heard a whisper from the crowd.

“Lady Ruri has been out there since last night.”

Ethan’s blood ran dead cold.

“Lady Ruri?”

The woman didn’t move. Ethan took a heavy step forward, his voice cracking through the quiet courtyard. “Lady Ruri!”

Her shoulders shuddered violently. Slowly, agonizingly, she lifted one hand from beneath the blanket. Ethan froze. Her fingers were raw, swollen, and bruised purple from the bitter frost.

When she finally forced her face up, the sheer sight of her hit Ethan like a blow to the chest. Her cheeks were pale as ash, her lips a faint, sickly blue. Her teeth were clattering so hard he could hear them, and dried, icy tear tracks stretched down her skin. She was shivering so intensely her whole body was vibrating against the flagstones.

Something inside Ethan snapped.

Rage surged through his veins so violently it blurred his vision. Every protective instinct he had screamed at him to tear the world apart. He crossed the distance between them in three long, furious strides and dropped into a crouch in front of her.

“What the hell are you doing?” he demanded, his voice thick with terrifying authority and desperate panic.

Ruri looked at him, her whole frame quivering as she looked at him with hollow, pain-filled eyes. Ethan’s jaw clenched, his pulse hammering in his ears as he took in the state of her.

“Why are you kneeling here?”

She shook her head, a pathetic, feeble attempt to hold herself together.

“Answer me.”

She swallowed hard, her throat working dryly. “My father… he approved of the marriage.”

Ethan stared at her. For a second, the words didn’t make sense. Then they did—and the icy shock in his chest ignited into a roaring, destructive heat.

“He what?”

“My father approved it,” she whispered, her voice cracking from the cold and the pain. “The wedding is going to happen.”

Ethan’s hands curled into tight, bone-white fists at his sides. “No.”

“I tried to stop him, Ethan,” she whimpered, her dark eyes filling with fresh tears that immediately froze on her eyelashes. “I begged him. He wouldn’t listen.”

The sight of her agony was tearing Ethan to pieces. “Then stop kneeling on this frozen hell and go inside!”

Ruri shook her head, pulling the useless blanket tighter around her shivering frame.

“Stand up!” Ethan ordered, his tone dark and desperate.

“I can’t.”

“Get up now or I’m going to carry you myself.”

“I won’t,” Ruri snapped as she pulled her shoulders from him.

Ethan stared at her in disbelief, his chest heaving. “You’ve been kneeling on frozen stone for hours just to prove a point?”

“I’m not getting up until the engagement is dissolved,” she gasped, a tremor wracking her spine so hard she nearly collapsed forward.

“You’re going to freeze to death,” Ethan spat, fear clawing at his throat.

“Then I’ll freeze.”

Ethan’s chest squeezed tight at the sight of her, his knuckles cracking hard. His eyes lifted to the west wing, his gaze darkening. Without a second thought, he stood and stormed into the front doors.

“Cancel the wedding, Hades.”

Ethan’s voice cut through the heavy silence as he stormed into Hades’ chambers in the West Wing of the pack house.

Hades was sprawled lazily across a velvet couch, a cigar resting between his fingers. Two women from the Hades Pack were pressed against his sides, their eyes going wide as Ethan entered. Even with a wedding already set, the bastard didn’t have the decency to keep his women out of sight.

Hades slowly lifted his eyes. For a long, tense moment, neither brother spoke. Then Hades rolled his eyes and took a slow drag from his cigar. “You don’t get to make demands without the Vothraki in my hands, Ethan.” He flicked his wrist dismissively toward the women. “Leave.”

Without a word, the women scrambled off the couch and slipped out of the room, shutting the heavy doors behind them.

“A trade is done by barter, brother,” Hades said. “Where is the book?”

Ethan stared back, his jaw tightening with rage. Ethan’s knuckles whitened into fists. The only reason he hadn’t crossed the room and broken Hades’ jaw was because he couldn’t blow his cover. And worse… he couldn’t bear the thought of her finding out who he really was like this. But if he did nothing, she was going to marry this monster.

The thought sent a cold crawl down his spine. He would rather die.

Ethan scoffed. “The chances of me getting my hands on the Vothraki while Alpha Rodrigo is still breathing are less than zero,” he said, his tone icy. “Even Lady Charlotte, your right hand, was thrown into the dungeons just for moving against him. So tell me… how exactly do you expect me to steal it?”

Hades raised a brow, suddenly looking intrigued. He leaned back against the cushions. “What are you saying? You can’t bring me the book?”

A heavy, suffocating silence filled the room.

“No,” Ethan answered flatly.

Hades’ relaxed expression shattered. “What did you just say to me?”

“You heard me.” Ethan took a step forward, locking eyes with his brother. “I cannot bring you the book. But since you’re already here, go to the Vault and steal it yourself if it’s so easy.”

Hades stared at him, his gaze darkening before a low chuckle vibrated in his throat. He brushed his dark locks back with a slow hand. “Very well,” Hades said smoothly, taking another drag from his cigar. “I’ll get the book myself, and you forget about the girl.” His eyes gleamed with malice. “I think she’ll make a fine pup-maker. I can’t wait to see the look on your face when she’s heavy with my child.”

Ethan’s body went rigid. A dark, dangerous smile tore across his lips.

“I’m not done talking,” Ethan growled. He crossed the room in three quick strides, looming directly over his brother. “This engagement? You’re going to cancel it. You don’t go anywhere near her, ever again.”

For a second, Hades just stared at him. Then he burst into a low, disbelieving laugh. “Are you mad?”

Ethan didn’t flinch. He reached down, snatched the burning cigar straight from Hades’ fingers, and brought it to his own lips. He inhaled deeply, letting the smoke fill his lungs, before exhaling it straight into Hades’ face.

“I think you didn’t hear me clearly,” Ethan repeated darkly. “You’re going to cancel this engagement.”

Hades’ laughter faded.

“Unless,” Ethan tilted his head, leaning down until they were eye-to-eye, “I go to Rodrigo and tell him the real reason you want this marriage.”

The smirk on Hades’ lips vanished instantly.

All the color drained from his face. For the first time since Ethan had walked in, the older Lycan looked genuinely shaken. He forced a dry sneer, but his voice lacked its former confidence. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me,” Ethan whispered, lowering the cigar. “Who has more to lose? Me—a man who has already accepted losing the woman he loves? Or you—a man who would rather die than fail?”

Silence stretched between them. Hades’ fingers dug into the velvet armrest, his breathing shallow.

Ethan allowed a cold smile to touch his lips. “Tick tock.” He dropped the burning cigar into the ashtray. “I’m going to Rodrigo. And the second I walk out that door, you’re finished.”

Ethan turned on his heel, his boots echoing sharply against the floorboards. Behind him, Hades stared at his back, jaw clamped in fury.

Ethan reached the door. His fingers wrapped around the heavy brass handle. He slowly turned it.

“Wait!” Hades’ voice was barely more than a growl.

Ethan stopped, looking back over his shoulder. “What?”

Hades glared at him for several agonizing seconds, his chest heaving. Finally, his shoulders slumped. “Fine,” Hades spat, his voice tight with rage. “I’ll cancel it.”

Ethan’s expression remained unreadable. “Now.”

Hades’ eyes narrowed into slits. “I said I will—”

“I need you to do it this second.”

Hades let out a bitter laugh, pushing himself up from the couch and stepping right into Ethan’s space. “I cannot risk this entire mission over a mere woman. I’m not that stupid.” He leaned in closer, a sickening smile returning to his lips. “But tell me… how do you honestly think you can still be with her? You lied to her, Ethan. She will never be with you.”

Ethan’s eyes flared with sudden fury. He grabbed the lapels of Hades’ jacket, slamming him back a step until their chests collided.

“Watch your words, Hades,” Ethan drawled, his voice dangerously low. “You don’t want to know what I am capable of doing.”

The two brothers locked eyes, neither willing to yield.

Finally, Hades reached past Ethan, yanked the door open, and ripped his jacket out of his brother’s grip. He stormed out into the hallway without another word.