The Cursed Alpha's Fifth Luna

Nina’s eyes remained fixed on the box, her pulse quickening with every passing second. Was that it? Was that the earthstone?

A deep frown settled on her face. There was nothing. No warmth. No strange pull. No surge of power. Not even the faintest trace of magic brushed against her senses. Something was wrong.

When Rodrigo stepped inside, the sound snapped her out of her thoughts immediately.

"You’re back," she said, sitting upright as she forced a smile to her lips, but it vanished almost as quickly when she saw the look on his face.

He wasn’t smiling.

His expression was unreadable as he entered the carriage and took a seat opposite her. The atmosphere shifted instantly, becoming heavier, tighter.

Nina remained perched on the bench for a moment before she lifted her eyes to him again. "I was worried about you," she said quietly. "I couldn’t leave without you, so I asked the lycans to wait." Her voice lowered to something soft, a tremble at the edges.

Rodrigo glanced at her. His gaze softened for a second, but it hardened almost immediately.

"How are you here?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

Nina stilled. Finally, he’d asked. She’d been waiting for him to say something, and for a moment she thought he’d never ask. Silence filled the carriage as she stared at him. Whatever she said next would determine what their relationship would be—if she would be his wife or... his worst enemy.

Nina bit the inside of her lip until she almost tasted blood, then she lowered her head.

"I..." she began, before forcing herself to continue. "I had been cooped up in the pack house for weeks. I just wanted some fresh air." Her fingers twisted together nervously. "So I left with Moreen. We thought we’d only be gone for a little while, but..." She swallowed. "We were kidnapped in the streets, and we ended up here."

She lied. The explanation sounded weak even to her own ears, but that was the only thing she could come up with. She watched his brow lift slightly as he studied her.

Nina swallowed hard, her gaze drifting to the window, staying on nothing in particular. Then she straightened. "Moreen... did Seven find her?" she asked, filling the silence.

Rodrigo’s gaze drifted downward and stopped at the chains still wrapped around her wrists. The bruised skin beneath them had turned an angry shade of purple and red. His expression darkened. Without a word, he leaned forward.

Nina froze, startled by his sudden movement toward her. Before she could react, he reached for her hands. His fingers were warm against her cold skin. Carefully, he unlocked the restraints and pulled the chains away. The metal clattered softly onto the floor.

Nina inhaled sharply as cold air kissed the skin of her wrists. She rubbed the bruised skin with her palms, trying to ease the lingering ache. Rodrigo stared at them. For several long moments, he said nothing. His jaw tightened. Something dangerous flickered behind his eyes before disappearing again.

Finally, he looked up at her. "Why didn’t you tell me this morning that you wanted to leave?" He was so close that she could feel his breath on her skin, his eyes boring into hers, as though searching for answers. His jaw tightened again. He glanced once at the window and then back to her. "I would have sent guards with you. Why did you have to act so recklessly?"

Nina lowered her eyes. Guilt twisted inside her chest as her gaze drifted to the box lying just beside him. Her eyes stayed on it for a second, then she looked back at him.

"I didn’t think anything would happen," she said softly. "I only planned to be out for a few hours and return before the sun set. I’m sorry for making you worry," she paused, "and for causing this chaos." Her eyes drifted to the window and back to him. She pouted her lips as she stared down at her hands.

Silence returned to the carriage, the rolling of the tires loud in the quiet.

"My maid... did they find her?"

She looked back at him, and he was still watching her, unmoving. Nina shifted in her seat, looking away. Did he know something? Oh no, Moreen... If he’d found her, he would probably question her, and she would tell the truth. No, no, no...

Nina’s eyes lifted to him, her heart skipping a beat.

"Yes," Rodrigo replied. "We found her."

Nina drew a sharp breath, her hands closing into fists. "Oh..." She nodded, glancing away from him.

She was in trouble. If Rodrigo had found Moreen, then there was no reason for him not to know the truth. Moreen knew she was coming to the Auction House. If she’d told him that...

Nina cursed under her breath. She didn’t want to think about it. But he wasn’t saying anything else. It meant one of two things: either Moreen hadn’t said anything yet, or he wasn’t sure what to believe.

She glanced at him, and his unreadable eyes were still fixed on her. Nina shifted her gaze to the window. The silence continued for a moment, then his hand moved. Her gaze immediately followed it, stopping on the box by his side.

Her pulse stumbled.

Rodrigo rested his hand on top of it, his fingers drumming once against the dark wood before becoming still. He lifted his eyes briefly and met hers. The look lasted only a second before he lowered his gaze to the box again.

Was he going to open it? She sat perfectly still.

A moment passed. Then another.

The carriage rocked gently beneath them as her heart seemed determined to pound its way out of her chest. She knew he could hear it, but at that moment, her racing heart was the last thing she was worried about.

Finally, Rodrigo reached for the metal hook. The latch clicked open.

Nina unconsciously held her breath. The lid lifted.

She waited. For a pull. A warmth. A strange sensation. Anything that showed that whatever was inside that box contained the magic of the most powerful witch to walk the earth.

Nothing came.

Her brows drew together. The raised lid blocked her view, preventing her from seeing what was inside. All she could see was Rodrigo looking down into the box.

Nina cleared her throat softly. "What is that?" she asked, carefully keeping her voice level.

Rodrigo’s eyes flickered toward her before returning to the box. For a moment, he didn’t answer. "The Earthstone."

The words sent a chill racing down her spine. Nina drew a slow breath.

"The Earthstone?" she repeated, forcing her eyes to widen slightly. "I thought... I thought the witch Annalise hid it." She hesitated, as though trying to make sense of it. "How... how is it here?"

Rodrigo didn’t reply immediately. His gaze remained fixed on whatever rested inside the box.

The silence stretched. Nina swallowed.

The carriage continued moving. Not much longer now. They had been traveling for some time already. Soon they would arrive at the pack house, and once they did, he would keep it where she might never see it again. Whatever chance she had was slipping away with every passing second.

Think. Her mind raced frantically. She needed to touch it. Just once. That’s all. If she got her powers back. She wouldn’t have to hand over the Vothraki to Emory.

She wouldn’t have to betray him...

Nina drew a breath. Rodrigo still hadn’t answered her, his gaze remaining fixed on the contents of the box.

The carriage continued forward, the wheels crunching over gravel. Then came the familiar groan of iron. Her head turned sharply toward the window.

The gates.

Her stomach dropped. They had reached the pack house.

Nina’s eyes flickered back to the box. No. Once Rodrigo steps out of this carriage, he will seal away the Earthstone. I might never get another chance.

Her fingers curled against her skirt. She’d come too far to give up now. Just once. She only needed to touch it once.

Nina shifted slightly in her seat and looked at the box again. "I can’t imagine what it is like," she said softly.

Rodrigo’s eyes lifted to hers. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Nina glanced back at the box. "Can I see it?"

The question slipped out before she could stop it. Rodrigo’s expression didn’t change.

The carriage rolled forward. Closer. Closer. Any second now, it would stop completely. Nina’s pulse hammered.

When Rodrigo didn’t answer immediately, she leaned forward slightly and peered into the open box. She stopped breathing for a second.

There was a round black stone inside. Nina blinked. It looked ordinary, like any other stone found by the seashore. This... was the Earthstone? Her brows furrowed. "I imagined it would look different."

Still no response.

The carriage jolted lightly as it crossed the threshold of the gates.

Nina reached out. Slowly. Carefully. As though she merely intended to get a better look. Her fingers hovered over the edge of the box.

Rodrigo watched her. She could feel his eyes on her, but she forced herself not to look at him.

The stone sat in the center of the velvet lining. Small. Round. Ordinary. Nothing about it suggested it was one of the most powerful magical artifacts in existence.

Nina frowned, then she leaned closer, trying not to seem suspicious. Her fingertips brushed the edges of the box, her heart thudding against her chest so loudly she couldn’t hear anything else. Shutting down every rational thought inside of her, she reached for the stone.