Crimsoncursed [Children Of The Blood Moon #2]

We were finally home.

That was what I kept thinking as our hunting party funneled into Arkala’s courtyard and my men scattered to haul the game into the holding pens. The familiar stone structures and even more familiar faces should have eased some of the tightness in my chest, but relief didn’t come. Not today.

We had combed through every square foot around the capital to make sure no vampires had escaped Rikinghove and only found several hungry goblins and a nest of half-starved ghouls. That should have been enough to settle the nerves, yet I couldn’t shake off the tension that was coiling between my shoulder blades.

My gaze instinctively drifted up to the window of my room, where I’d left Freya lying in my bed, weak and unconscious. It had taken everything in me to walk out of that room while she was so vulnerable, but the thought of another of those abominations laying a finger on her gave me the push I needed.

The drawn curtains fluttered as if someone had brushed past them, and I held my breath, waiting for them to part. When that didn’t happen, my shoulders sank even lower.

‘She is alright,’ Jax said soothingly. ‘The healer said her life was out of danger. She’ll just need some time to recover.’

‘She wouldn’t have been hurt at all if she’d listened to me for once!’ I snarled, but just as quickly as my anger flared, it died down. I had been so angry at her for defying my order, for putting me in a position where I’d had to punish my own people, but mainly for getting herself hurt.

Even when I listened to Leilan’s explanation about what happened and connected the dots, I couldn’t stop the anger raging inside me at the thought of how close I’d come to losing her.

She’d saved those children.

She’d saved Leilan.

She’d saved me. That arrow that had pierced the vampire’s head had been hers.

She had almost died for all of us. I couldn’t let that happen.

A horse neighed nearby, pulling me back from my dark thoughts. I watched as Eren jumped off his mare, tossing the reins to a stable boy who rushed to greet him and ruffling his hair.

“Get your hands off my Luna, Eren.”

The words echoed in my head like a curse, giving life to fear, anger, and jealousy the likes of which I’d never felt before. I still wasn’t sure why I’d said it, why the sight of him touching her had made my blood boil. I still didn’t.

Eren was the man I trusted most in this world, the person who became my friend and brother even before the rest of the pack accepted me. He was the one who stayed beside me and suffered through every trial and every punishment, although he could have easily walked away. Even after all this time, I could still remember his words the day I’d asked him why.

“Because you’re my friend, and friends help each other,” he’d said. “And because I want to be strong—not to lead, but to protect the ones I love. To protect my mate when I find her again.”

Eren’s conviction had never wavered. He wasn’t swayed by beauty, lust, or loneliness. Even when we were youths with raging emotions and women threw themselves at us, he was never tempted.

“I’ll have her and no one else,” he would say with a mysterious smile, not caring about the laughter or puzzled looks he’d receive in response. His faith in the bond, although he hadn’t found his mate this life yet, was stronger than most men’s belief in the Moon Goddess herself. I’d always admired him for that.

So deep down, I knew that when he’d embraced Freya, he hadn’t meant anything by it. He was helping her, guiding her through the pain and the poison, grounding her while she fought to stay alive. In a way, he had probably saved her that day.

I knew that and still… I’d been ready to tear his throat out if he hadn’t moved fast enough.

‘She let him mindlink her, yet blocked us every time,’ Jax whined, each word dripping with hurt. It was a relief to hear him snarl every time Eren drew closer to us during our hunt, to not feel crazy that I was feeling this way, but it wasn’t fair to my friend. Especially since he let me into his mind without hesitation, showing me everything he felt and letting me see that day through his own eyes.

“Hale, are you coming?” Eren called.

Throwing my leg over the torso of the horse, I jumped down and nodded to the girl who rushed to grab the reins. Eren waited for me at the entrance, with Alma smiling brightly beside him.

“Welcome home, Alpha!” she grinned, opening her arms as she took a step toward me.

I prepared to dodge her, but Eren shifted smoothly, sliding an arm between us just before she could reach me. I was used to her overly touchy nature and had tried more than once to talk her out of it, but Alma was affectionate with everyone she cared about. Usually, I didn’t care. Except now, there was another reason I didn’t want her touching me.

“Mind yourself, Alma,” Eren said in an admonishing tone. “Hale is married now, and his wife is your Luna. You shouldn’t be touching him so casually.”

Alma glared at him, but dropped her arms.

“He is like a brother to me!” she huffed with indignation. “What, next thing I know, I won’t be allowed to stand in the same room as him just because I’m a woman? Is our new Luna that insecure?”

“It’s called respect. You wouldn’t like anyone else touching your mate, would you?” Eren raised an eyebrow.

“She’s not his mate,” Alma spat. “She’s just his wife. I’ve known Hale my entire life. He’s family! Why do I have to…”

“Enough,” I raised my voice only slightly, but she immediately shut up. “Freya is your Luna, and that’s all the reason you need to show her the respect she deserves. That’s the end of this discussion, Alma.” She nodded her head in submission, and I felt a tinge of guilt as I noticed her lips turn down. “Is she awake?” I asked a bit more gently.

“She is.” Alma nodded stiffly, her expression smoothing over again like frost hiding a crack in the ice. “Do you want me to bring her to you?”

I hesitated, torn between the urge to see Freya and the duty waiting in the council hall.

“No,” I said finally. “I need to meet with the Elders first. I’ll go to her after.”

She inclined her head and stepped aside, and Eren fell into stride with me as we moved past her.

“Alma might be a problem,” he sighed while loosening the ties of his heavy winter coat. The air had turned sharper since we’d left. The first snow had fallen three days ago, the kind that clung to everything it touched, and soon the cold itself would become an enemy as dangerous as any monster stalking us in the dark.

“Freya can handle her,” I said confidently, remembering Leilan’s report of how she handled Dahlia. I wished I’d been in my right mind to see it, because I’d never thought she’d fight that hard for me. Especially before I told her the truth about the prophecy and my reason for marrying her.

“I’m sure she can, considering how she handled those vampires,” Eren chuckled. “Listen, Hale…”

He reached out, tugging lightly at my elbow until I stopped. His face was serious when I turned to face him, and the frown that formed on it created deep lines around his mouth. He was almost as tall as me, built to withstand both the harsh conditions and the fight we’d inherited, but he had always had this softness about him that women wooed over. Something in his eyes, they said, although I couldn’t quite see it.

I thought I saw it now, in the way his concern bled into his features.

“I’m sorry if I overstepped with your Luna,” he said quietly. “I didn’t realize who she was. I only wanted to help her. I would’ve done the same for anyone.” Some of the tension I’d been carrying finally eased. When he smiled and patted my arm, warmth settled between us again. “I really am happy for you, brother. It looks like you’ve already found your mate.”

“We don’t know that yet,” I muttered out of habit.

Eren just shrugged, then the ghost of a grin touched his lips. “You wouldn’t feel a pull that strong if there was nothing there. Fated or not, she’s yours now. I hope she makes you happy.”

A slow smile spread across my face before I could stop it. I clapped his arm, letting the warmth of home finally seep into my bones.

“She does,” I admitted for the first time out loud.

Eren grinned and nudged me forward again. We were already hours later than expected, and the Elders wouldn’t be too happy about being kept waiting. They were probably halfway through ‌the liquor I’d stashed in the Council room.

“I’m just curious about one thing since you’ve been so tight-lipped about the whole journey,” he said as we turned down the narrow corridor toward the council wing. A few warriors passed us, wrapped in layers of leather and fur, their breath fogging in the chill air. They nodded at us before hurrying off to the night watch.

“We’ve been dealing with a devastating attack on one of our biggest towns,” I muttered. “I’m not being tight-lipped, I just don’t have the time or energy to repeat my report.”

The real reason, of course, had nothing to do with exhaustion and everything to do with anger—at me, at him, at Freya, but mostly at the damn vampires who had slaughtered more of my people in a single day than they had in a year.

“Humor me then.” Eren quickened his pace, turning so he could walk backward while a grin teased the corner of his mouth. “I might be wrong, but wasn’t your plan to marry Alpha Rainer’s eldest daughter? What made you change your mind and go for the younger one? Was it love at first sight?”

A quiet snort escaped me. More like she swept me off my feet—or rather, off my horse—and made me chase after her like a starving wolf.

“No,” I replied. “Her sister was already mated and with a child on the way when we arrived. I had to improvise.” Eren nodded thoughtfully, the grin fading into something more measured. “And… my wolf kept feeling something different about her, so it was an easy decision. She’s not that young.”

We had almost reached the door to the Council room when he spoke again.

“I could feel it too,” he said quietly, and my hand froze on the door handle. When I looked at him, he was staring thoughtfully at the thick oak doors, his eyebrows drawn together in concentration. “When I saw her fight those vampires, there was this… power coming from her. I didn’t sense it when she was unconscious, but in that moment...” His gaze found mine, and the suspicion I saw there matched mine from the time I first met her. “She is powerful. Really powerful.”

I nodded, not wanting to discuss this now or with him, when he suddenly chuckled.

“Leilan claimed he saw her hold a Lycan form. Now, if that is true, everyone here would love her. I don’t think we’ve had a female who could hold that form since the vampires got Vatya five years ago.”

I winced and pulled the door open. I knew what he was saying was true, but after what happened, I had no intention of letting Freya anywhere near danger. Or giving her a reason to use Lycan form, even if she could hold it.

I needed her alive to prevent the prophecy from happening.

I needed her alive because if she died… I wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep going.

“Alpha, finally!” a voice called from inside as the doors swung open, and I pushed all thoughts of Freya out of my mind.

While I technically ruled Arkala and the northern territories, it was the men in this room who kept our pack running while I was busy protecting them from monsters. Some had held their seats since before I took over the previous Alpha, while others had earned their place through blood and loyalty. Lots of it.

Either way, they were the only ones I owed any kind of explanation for anything I did.

‘Except the prophecy,’ Jax muttered, and I gave a small nod of agreement. That secret was too dangerous to share, no matter how loyal they were. Even the previous Alpha had thought so. Eren was the only one whom I’d entrusted it to, and I planned to keep it that way. I couldn’t risk anyone interfering with my plans or somehow leading the oracle’s words to fruition.

“Hello, everyone,” I smiled as I looked around the table. Each man inclined his head as our eyes met. “Sorry to keep you waiting. Shall we begin?”

The room was quiet for a while after I finished recounting all the events that had happened since I left Arkala. Everyone looked at me with a mix of disbelief, concern, and outright amusement.

“We thought when you left for your visits to the other packs, it was to build stronger ties with their Alphas,” Thenar said as he braced his chin on a pair of scarred, thick fingers. His broad shoulders hunched awkwardly over the chair that was far too small for him, and the leather patch over his left eye only made him look more menacing. Even without a Lycan form, he was a force to be reckoned with, still holding the record for the most vampire kills in the pack’s history. “Instead, you blackmailed one, executed one, and almost got another killed. I thought your bloodthirstiness was reserved for the vampires, Alpha.”

“Jon’s fine,” I winced as I remembered the condition I’d last seen him in. He’d been too injured to ride, so they had to use a cart to take him home. He had refused to stay with us until he healed, choosing to rush home in case any trouble found its way into his territory.

Still, he was perfectly alive when I gave up on arguing with him.

“A-ha,” Thenar scoffed, but from the look on his face, he seemed more amused than angry.

My gaze swept across the other nine men seated around the table.

“Well, we gave you our trust, so we hope you know what you’re doing,” Irwin sighed, leaning back in his chair. A few years older than me, he’d saved more lives with his nose than he did with his claws. Unfortunately, discipline was never one of his virtues. He drank too much, flirted even more, and if there was an unmated woman in the territory, odds were Irwin had already made a fool of himself trying to charm her. “But the most important question here is…” he went on with a smirk, “why haven’t we seen your Luna yet? Are you hiding her from us? Is she as hideous as rumors claim? Or is she so beautiful you don’t trust us to behave while you’re gone?”

He grinned, and I gave him a tight-lipped smile. Irwin always knew how to break the tension in the room, even if his humor was the blunt-edged kind.

‘You call that humor?’ Jax snorted.

“When people go on long journeys, they usually return with trophies or war stories,” Kendall, one of our most promising warriors and the biggest pain in my ass, smirked. Before my arrival, everyone had thought he’d be the previous Alpha’s successor, and he never let me forget that. “Not wives.”

Silence fell over the room as all eyes turned to me again. Their curiosity was almost palpable. I trusted these men more than anyone in my life, but the more people knew about the prophecy, the less control I had over it. Fear spread fast, and superstition even faster. If they knew Freya or her pack might be tied to our downfall, they’d never look at her without suspicion again. The least I could do was give her a chance to win them over before the truth came out.

Because sooner or later, it would. The truth always comes out.

“What can I say?” I shrugged, trying to emulate the air of ease Eren always carried with him. He was definitely much better at charming people, ever since we were children. It had been his unwavering smile and likability that had swayed the others to give me a chance when I was nothing but an outsider, an orphan brought by the powerful Alpha and singled out even before I could hold a sword properly. “Love doesn’t care about convenient timing.”

“Love?” Kendall snorted. “Not the mate bond? What if you find your real…”

Jax snarled in annoyance that might have come from me.

“Enough pestering!” Eren clapped his hands, pulling their attention to himself. I gave him a thankful nod as he leaned his arm on the back of my chair, studying the others. “We’ve been out in the cold for five days. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’d rather have a hot bath, a meal, and some decent company.” His mouth curved into a grin. “Hale can tell us every detail of his love story at the feast tonight. For now, let the poor man see his wife!”

A ripple of laughter went around the table, knowing smiles replacing the suspicion. I gave them a nod of dismissal and, one by one, they rose to their feet, filing out of the room. Jakar clapped Eren’s shoulder on his way out, muttering something about seeing his own wife.

“You’d better bring your wife to the feast!” Irwin called from the corridor, and the sound of struggle muffled his next words as he was dragged away by the others. I shook my head, waiting until their voices were no longer booming everywhere before turning to my Beta.

“A feast?” I sighed, dragging a hand over my face.

“What did you expect? You’d been gone for four months,” he shrugged. “Alma’s been planning it since the day you left. Everyone kept talking about how it’s high time you made her a Luna since the only thing she isn’t doing for you is warming your bed.”

A low groan escaped me. The thought alone made my stomach twist.

There was no chance of that happening even if I weren’t married. We’d grown up as siblings, quarreled and fought like ones too. I could never see her as anything other than my annoying younger sister. Even before she became an adult, I was certain she wouldn’t be my mate.

“So tonight’s your chance to put that nonsense to rest for good.”

He turned to leave, but then stopped again.

“There is something else you should know,” he said with his back still to me. “When I was in your wife’s mind, I noticed something… strange.” Every muscle in my body went taut. “There were walls in her head so strong that when I tried pushing through, she nearly threw me out entirely. She’s really adamant about keeping her thoughts and memories hidden.” He looked at me over his shoulder, and his brows drew together. “I… saw darkness in there too, Hale. And power, so much untamed power. What exactly is she?”

For a heartbeat, I contemplated whether I should tell him the truth. He didn’t press, but the open, trusting look in his eyes had my mouth moving before I could stop it.

“She was born under a Blood Moon.”

Eren stared at me with a mixture of awe and disbelief. Without a word, he turned his back on me, stepping outside and looking both ways before returning to the room.

‘He won’t turn on her, will he?’ Jax asked quietly. ‘I know he’s your Beta and you trust him, but…’

‘Eren is not that type of person,’ I answered firmly. ‘He won’t hurt her or me.’

“I’ve heard the legends, but… are the tales really true?” Eren asked quietly.

“They are,” I nodded. “Jon and Ehya seem to think so, and after what I’ve seen… I believe it too. But she’s not the monster people make those children out to be.”

“Of course not.” He frowned, as if insulted by the suggestion. “So, when she told you…”

“She didn’t,” I cut in. “Not directly, at least.” Eren gave me a confused look, but I shook my head. “It’s complicated. Most of our people wouldn’t care if she was different, but for now… better to keep this between us.”

He nodded, accepting it without question.

“So,” he said after a moment, “have you figured out who would betray us from the South?”

I sighed as I shook my head. “Not yet.”

“I see,” he said somberly. “Are you still sticking to the original plan?”

“Which one?” I raised an eyebrow, my mind trying to recall what I had last told him. So much had changed since then.

“The one where you need a youngling of Alpha’s blood,” he said carefully. “Do you still plan to get her pregnant to keep her tied to you?”

Freya’s calm, knowing face flashed before me, eyes full of quiet acceptance when the topic first surfaced. It hadn’t occurred to me until now to wonder why she hadn’t been angry back then. Was she truly fine with having my child, or was there something else?

Eren must have misinterpreted my silence because he sighed loudly.

“That’s not the way,” he said, his tone heavy with disapproval. “Prophecy or no prophecy, you’ll lose her if you treat her like a means to an end.”

I said nothing, just gave him another faint nod. I knew that already, but I also knew I couldn’t just do nothing until I figured out who would betray me. As if sensing my mood plunging even lower, Eren stepped closer and grabbed my arm.

“Come on, enough brooding! Go! Don’t make your wife wait any longer.”