BLOOD BOUND: THE CURSE OF DRAGONCLAW

“Don’t do this,” I whispered, my fists trembling at my sides. “Please, Riven. Not like this.”

The clearing was silent. No rustling leaves. No wind. Just the heavy air of wolves waiting for a show.

Alpha Riven stood a few steps ahead of me, broad shoulders squared, jaw tight. He didn’t look at me, not even once. His voice, when it came, was steady and enough to waltz through the quiet gathering.

“I warned you,” he said. “You knew what would happen.”

My throat ached. “You didn’t warn me. You gave me hope.”

He wasn't swayed. “You begged.”

The words struck harder than any blow that had been sent my way. Because yes, I had begged. I had parotted the words I had been told by Kira– that the curse would break once I bonded with my mate. I had believed that being mated to my mate who was an Alpha meant I’d finally matter.

But nothing changed. I didn’t shift. I didn’t feel stronger. Just the same hollow feeling.

I swallowed hard. “I thought the bond just needed time.”

“The curse is an excuse,” he snapped. “You thought if you tried hard enough, you’d fool fate itself.”

“I’m your mate,” I said, voice cracking. “You can’t just—”

“I don’t think you were ever meant to be mine,” he cut in. “And I can’t protect this pack if I pretend otherwise.”

My chest tightened. “Then don’t pretend. Fight for me.”

He stared at me now, no anger, no regret, just a quiet finality. “You can’t even fight for yourself.”

The crowd stirred, low laughter rippling through the pack and it burned worse than the rejection itself.

I shouldn’t have let him do this here. I’d begged him to speak privately, but he’d chosen the public square instead. For him, this was justice. For me, nothing short of humiliation.

He stepped closer, “I should’ve rejected you the moment I felt the bond.”

“No,” I breathed. “Alpha Riven, please–”

“I, Riven Thorne, Alpha of the Stormclaw Pack, reject you, Zeena Everard, as my mate.”

Pain hit me like lightning. My knees buckled. My breath tore from my throat as the bond shredded between us–hot, brutal, final. I felt it rip through bone and marrow until the only thing left was emptiness.

Somewhere in the blur of noise, someone laughed.

“Guess the curse is real after all.”

“She thought mating him would fix her.”

“Pathetic.”

I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even cry. I just knelt in the dirt while the rest of them turned away.

And Alpha Riven didn’t look back once.

I stayed there long after they left. The pain dulled eventually, but the shame didn’t.

†††

The whispers didn’t stop.

“She should leave.”

“She’s unstable.”

“Dangerous.”

I kept my head down as I walked through the packhouse halls. Every pair of eyes followed me. Every breath of laughter was for me.

When I couldn’t take it anymore, I ran–past the training yard, past the woods until the world went quiet again.

The grave was where I always ended up.

The dirt had sunk around the edges, half-swallowed by weeds. I knelt beside it and brushed away the mud with my sleeve.

“Kira,” I whispered. “I’m so tired.”

The name hung in the air like a ghost. My foster mother. My best friend. Gone–by thesame hands of this pack– but still the only person I talked to.

“I thought the bond would make it better. I thought–” My voice broke. I cleared my throat, shaking my head. “I don’t know what I was thinking, daring to hope and wish for even a second. See where it has got me, it’s worse now. Way worse.”

A wind stirred through the trees. I hugged my knees and tried not to cry. The ache had gone beyond tears.

“Maybe I should’ve just stayed how I was. Maybe it was better before the bond ever happened. At least they just ignored me. Now I feel like a walking curse. No strength, no wolf and now no mate, Alpha Riven rejected me in front of–”

When the crunch of footsteps came behind me, I turned fast, heart pounding, ready for another round of sneers.

But it wasn’t Marra. Or one of her stupid minions. A pack messenger stood there instead, eyes wide like he’d been sent to face a monster.

“The Alpha wants to see you,” he said.

Alpha Riven stood near the window of his office, his back to me, hands clasped behind him like this was a business meeting–not a conversation between two people whose souls had been tied days ago.

“You wanted to see me,” I said, keeping my voice even.

He turned sharply. “You forget I’m your Alpha. You will speak to me with respect.”

I bit back a laugh. Respect. Indeed.

“There’s been talk,” he went on. “Concerns. Some believe you might turn against the pack. That you’re unstable after the rejection.”

I forced a breath. “And what do you believe?”

“I believe my pack’s peace comes first.”

The words stung worse than I expected. “You’re saying I should leave.”

“I’m saying it’s not safe for you to stay.”

Safe for me–or from me?

He didn’t clarify.

“I’ll contact allied packs,” he continued. “You’ll choose where to go by tonight. I’ll inform their Alpha of your arrival.”

I almost laughed. “You think they’ll take me in? A rejected, wolf-less girl her own pack kicked out?”

He said nothing.

The silence made something in me snap. “Not only did you reject me,” I started, “you let them run me out of my own home, okay yes it hasn't been much of a home anyway, but atleast it's the only demon I know. What am I, Riven? A curse you can’t stand to look at?”

His eyes hardened. “Watch your tone.”

“Why? Because you’re Alpha?” I stepped closer, voice shaking. I was having an emotional whiplash but right now I didn't care. “Or because you know I’m right?”

His hand shot out before I could blink, fingers wrapping around my throat. He didn’t squeeze, but the threat in his eyes told me he was seconds away from doing just that.

Was I this hated?

“Don’t test me,” he said quietly. “You’ve already been given mercy. Don’t push me to take it back.”

For a moment, all I saw was the same man who was supposed to protect me. And now, I could barely recognize him.

Slowly, I pushed his hand away. My voice came out hoarse, but steady.

“I’ll be gone by morning,” I said. “You won’t have to see me again.”

He didn’t reply. He just watched as I turned for the door.

I paused in the doorway, taking in deep breaths before he could see me break– again

I wasn't going to need his help, it was time I took matters into my own god-damned hand.

With or without a wolf.