The Cursed Alpha's Fifth Luna

The courtyard was thrown into a sizzling quiet as Dominic stood in front of Seven. A slow smirk stretched the side of his mouth, then he arched his jaw and looked around the crowded space.

"And where is my brother?" Dominic asked. His eyes moved through the soldiers, scanning the crowd before stopping dead on his mother.

Charlotte held his gaze for a moment. A knowing look crossed her eyes.

Dominic caught it instantly. He snapped his head back, glaring directly at Seven. "—Or is he dead?"

He raised a mocking brow, and the courtyard instantly erupted into frantic murmurs.

Seven held his gaze in a dead face-off. He didn’t blink. Then, slowly, his eyes turned to the men standing at attention behind him.

"Guards!" Seven commanded.

In an instant, four of the soldiers appeared in front of him.

"Take the Alpha’s brother and his mother into their respective chambers," Seven said, his voice entirely flat. "They need to retire for the night."

"Yes, Beta!"

The men echoed the command. Without another word, they began marching straight toward Dominic and Charlotte.

All the color drained from Dominic’s face as he watched them close the distance. Beneath his knuckles, his claws elongated with a sickening tear. His gaze grew dark. Dangerous.

"How dare you?" he seethed. He stayed perfectly still, just waiting for them to dare to touch him.

The men hesitated. Their hands moved to the hilts of their swords, their eyes darting to Dominic’s lethal claws.

But before they could take another step, a sharp voice ripped through the air from behind them.

"What is going on here?"

The Matriarch’s voice cut through the courtyard from the entrance of the living quarters. Her brows creased into a heavy frown as she looked at the standoff.

The lycans stopped dead in their tracks. Everyone in the courtyard immediately bowed in greeting.

"Matriarch," they echoed in unison.

Eloise’s gaze moved slowly through the men surrounding the pack house. Then, her sharp eyes landed right on Seven.

"May I know what calls for this procession?"

Seven dipped his head in a respectful bow. "The Alpha gave strict orders that no one is to leave the Pack House. Sir Dominic and Lady Charlotte have refused to comply."

The courtyard fell dead silent.

Seven kept his eyes lowered until he heard the soft rustle of ceremonial robes. The Matriarch was stepping forward.

When he finally looked up, her gaze had settled on Dominic. His claws were gone now. His hands were relaxed at his sides, as though he hadn’t been seconds away from butchering the guards.

Her eyes shifted to Charlotte. Then, to the servant standing tightly behind her with travel bags in hand.

"Where are you leaving to so late, Charlotte?" she asked, a heavy hint of irritation laced in her voice.

Charlotte didn’t answer immediately. After a calculated moment, she smiled. "I am going to my father’s house. It is his birthday in a few days."

Thankfully, that part was true.

The Matriarch frowned. "And you must leave tonight?"

Charlotte remained silent.

The Matriarch let out a quiet, tense breath, the faintest trace of annoyance crossing her face before she turned back to Seven. "And where is the Alpha in all this?"

Her eyes swept across the courtyard, searching the high balconies and the grand entrance to the Pack House.

Seven’s jaw tightened. He didn’t answer.

She looked back at him. The moment her eyes found his face, her irritation completely vanished. In its place came something else. Concern.

"Where’s Rodrigo?"

Her voice was louder this time. Sharp enough that every remaining murmur in the courtyard died instantly.

Seven lowered his head. Avoiding her eyes suddenly felt much easier than meeting them. His teeth ground together until his jaw ached.

"He’s been injured."

The words came out quieter than he intended.

For a heartbeat, the entire courtyard stood frozen. Then, chaos erupted from every direction.

"The Alpha?"

"Injured?"

"How?"

"When?"

The questions spread through the crowd like wildfire. Seven barely heard them. His attention remained locked on the Matriarch.

The color had completely drained from her face. "What did you just say?"

Her voice cracked. She took a frantic step toward him. "Where is he? What happened?"

Her composure shattered entirely. "Speak!"

Seven’s fingers curled into tight fists. "He’s at the infirmary."

Eloise’s shoulders trembled violently. "No..."

The word escaped her lips in a broken whisper. She took an unsteady step back, her hand flying to her chest. Her maid rushed forward to steady her, but Eloise violently shook her off before the woman could even touch her.

"No!"

Her voice boomed, louder this time. "What happened to him?"

She closed the distance between them in hurried, desperate steps. Her trembling hands reached out, gripping Seven’s forearms with surprising strength. "Who harmed the Alpha? Tell me!"

The courtyard dissolved into absolute bedlam.

"Silence!" Seven’s voice roared across the grounds.

The pack instantly kept quiet, lowering their heads in fear. Only the Matriarch’s uneven, ragged breathing remained.

"What happened?" she whispered.

Seven’s jaw tightened, ’’He was shot with an arrow, your grace.’’

"What?’’ Dread coursed through her. ’’Who dared to commit treason inside the pack’s house?"

Eloise turned sharply, her eyes burning as she glared toward Charlotte. The woman stood completely motionless, her hands neatly by her sides as she watched the panic unfold. Her expression revealed absolutely nothing.

The crowd had resumed murmuring again, but this time muffled.

The Matriarch’s gaze lingered before shifting to Dominic. Her hands trembled at her sides.

Her heart squeezed with a toxic, murderous anger as she stared at the mother and son. Woe betide them if anything happened to Rodrigo. They would pay with their miserable lives.

Her eyes glanced toward the direction of the infirmary, and she cast one last commanding look at Seven.

"Seal every exit. No one leaves the Pack House." She swept her fierce gaze across every soldier in attendance. "Search everywhere. Every single inch of these grounds. Let no one leave until you find who did this," she paused glancing back at Charlotte, ’’And who they answer to.’’

The woman met her gaze, and a small imperceptible smile stretched her mouth, but she said nothing.

"Yes, Your Grace." Seven bowed deeply.

Without another word, Eloise gathered her heavy robes and hurried toward the infirmary, her staff trailing quickly behind her.

Charlotte watched the Matriarch disappear into the darkness. Her thumb slowly, calmly rubbed across the side of her index finger.

She sensed a sudden shift in the shadows behind her. Footsteps approached, completely silent, coming to stand just behind her shoulder without drawing a single eye from the crowd.

She didn’t turn around.

"Has the body been taken care of?" Charlotte asked, her voice barely a whisper against the wind.

"Yes," Joker replied. His voice was utterly devoid of emotion, like ice dripping onto stone. "Everything is clear."

Charlotte gave the faintest, darkest nod. "Good."

A small, wicked smile touched the corner of her lips.

"Now..." She turned slowly, her eyes tracking the exact path the Matriarch had taken. "...let’s go see what’s left of the Alpha."