CHAPTER SEVEN: Cursed

ALLISON.

My eyes flickered in crimson red as my sharp claws protrude from my fingers, ready to attack the unfamiliar man. But Daniel quickly grabbed my hand, stopping me. I turned to him in surprise and he gave me a calm smile.

“It’s okay, Allison. I know him,” he said.

“You know him?”

“That’s Sam, my Beta,” Daniel explained before releasing my hand.

Oh. I turned to the man again. He looked around the same age as Daniel and his aura exuded of authority and strength. Yup. That’s definitely a Beta. I let out a sigh of relief and revert back to my human form, my claws retracting and my eyes fading back to its hazel shade.

“Sam!” Daniel enthusiastically called his Beta.

Sam approached Daniel; his steps urgent. “Alpha, we have to get back to the pack. We need to discuss the result of the investigation,” he announced. Sam’s eyes briefly brushed over me before swiftly turning back to his Alpha.

“Right. I’ll be there in a minute,” Daniel said.

“No, we need you to return to the pack. Right now,” Sam insisted, his voice firm.

I took a step back, letting the two men communicate. It seemed like they were talking about something serious. I guess it has something to do with Daniel’s supposed investigation here.

“Besides, you look injured. We need to get back to the pack to get you treated. We don’t have any time to waste, Alpha,” Sam urged some more.

Daniel sighed. “Fine.” He turned to me and took my hand, pulling to his lips and planting a kiss at the back of my palm. I blushed. What the hell?

“As much as I wanted to stay here and chat with you, I have some important business to attend to. But I’m sure we’ll meet each other again. I’ll see you soon, Allison,” Daniel said and winked.

Stunned, I watched as I watched as they headed toward the door. Daniel briefly turned to me and smiled. “Don’t go getting into any trouble while I’m gone, alright?”

That was the last thing he said before he and Sam headed out. In an instant, Daniel transformed into his wolf form, his powerful muscles rippling beneath his fur. They took off into the woods, moving with a speed and grace that left me speechless. I was surprised that Daniel could channel his inner wolf so quickly after being shot with a silver arrow. The rumors about him weren’t just talk; the man truly was a beast!

Once they were gone, the silence of the cottage enveloped me. I sat down, heart racing as I processed everything that had just happened. I almost died today… I’m not as strong as Daniel. I probably would’ve died if I was hit with the arrow instead.

But then, that also begged the question—who on earth shot that arrow? And was that arrow really meant for me? Was that person trying to kill me? I looked around the cottage, checking if there was another odd presence nearby. Damn. I’m getting paranoid. I should probably head back.

With a heavy sigh, I finally stepped out of the cottage and made my way back to the pack. The walk felt different now. I had come to the woods to clear my mind after Liam’s unreasonable demands and some comments from my packmates, and it had worked… in a way. I felt calmer, but a whirlwind of questions clawed in my mind after everything that had happened. I sensed something was off. A dangerous storm was brewing out there, and I wasn’t sure our pack was prepared to face it.

I decided to head to Quinn’s house to talk to her. I wanted to apologize for disrespecting her earlier. I was so mad and conflicted so I overstepped my position. She may be my cousin and best friend, but she’s still my Alpha. I ought to respect her more.

The walls of Quinn’s house were adorned with portraits of previous Alphas, reminders of the strength and legacy of the Evans family. My father, Tieren Young, was part of this family too. We were a distant relative of the Evans which made our bond even stronger.

There was a total of four portraits hanging on the wall; each face seemed to tell a story, a reminder of our history. There was Remston Evans, our great-grandfather and the founder of the pack. He had two children: Nelson whose portrait was also displayed here became the next Alpha after him. Meanwhile, his second child was a daughter, Renly, who married Nelson’s Beta; Sebastian Young. They were my father’s parents, my grandparents.

The third portrait next to Nelson was Stanley Evans, Quinn’s father and the third Alpha. The last portrait was a picture of Kennedy Evans, Quinn’s older brother. I couldn’t help but wonder how things would turn out if Kennedy was still alive. He was a great man and my older brother’s best friend. He has all the quality of an Alpha. It was a tragedy how we lost such an amazing leader.

As I walked down the hallway, I spotted Anna, one of the maids. “Excuse me, do you know where Quinn is?”

“Oh, she’s probably resting in her room,” the maid replied, glancing back down the hall.

“Thanks,” I said, making my way to Quinn’s room. I knocked gently but got no response. Is she sleeping?

The door creaked open under my touch, and I stepped inside, surprised that it wasn’t locked. That’s strange.

“Quinn?” I called softly. The room was dimly lit, and as I approached, I could hear noises coming from the bathroom… as if someone was throwing up.

“Quinn? Are you there?”

I pushed the bathroom door open, and my heart dropped at the scene that welcomed me.

“Quinn!” I rushed in, my heart pounding with horror.

Quinn lay sprawled on the bathroom floor, blood pooling around her as she retched violently. Her face was ghostly pale, and her lips were as parched as autumn leaves. Her hands trembled as she struggled to whisper a few words, but I couldn’t make sense of them. Something was terribly wrong. This wasn’t the Quinn I knew.

She looked… lifeless.

I couldn’t believe how frail her fingers appeared or how light and thin her body had become. Just this noon, we’d been chatting, and she was perfectly fine! How did her body deteriorate this fast?!

“Quinn, what happened? W-Why are you… shit. It’s useless to ask. Let’s get you to the doctor. You’re in bad shape!”

Quinn held my hand and shook her head, as if stopping me from bringing her to the doctor.

“I-It’s useless, Allison. The doctors can’t help me,” she said in a hoarse voice.

“What are you talking about?!”

Quinn swallowed hard. “I’m cursed, Allison,” she managed to choke out, her voice weak and trembling. “And I can’t do anything about it.”