Sold to the Cursed Alpha

KARA The sound of everyone moving around is making me dizzy. Everyone is busy preparing for Alpha Dominic’s succession to the position and his birthday as well. It has been a month since the old Alpha’s death. The month-long mourning is over, and it is time for his son to assume the position of the pack's alpha. The elders had never disclosed the cause of his death, but it wasn’t something new to this pack. There has always been an air of mystery surrounding the Alpha’s family… even the new Alpha, the only son of the bereaved Alpha Vincent, is very mysterious. Everyone in the pack was free to attend the celebration, which was the first time, as it was mostly an inner-circle kind of celebration. We are a huge pack, with more than two hundred members, which is thrice as big as other packs that come in second. Others might think that living in a huge, reputable pack like ours is easy because we are always safe. Unfortunately, being in this pack means that you always have to stay on your feet so as not to be a burden to others. Many have praised him for the gesture, saying that he is different from other alphas before him. But I know better. The people in the inner circle know that this is just all an act. The new Alpha, Dominic Sinclair, is said to be cursed, and no one among the line of betas is willing to wed their daughters to the Alpha. Everyone except one. My stepfather, Ruis, is one of the fifteen betas of our pack. He agreed to the wedding without my consent, exchanging his approval for riches beyond my wildest imagination. This newfound wealth would allow our ‘family’ of three to live in opulence for years. After my mother’s death, I was left in his custody, as my real father passed away before I was born. I might already be of the age of majority in human terms, but it doesn't work that way in our pack. I don’t have much of a say. Without Ruis, I would have gone down into being a servant because of being an omega, the weakest of the weakest among the pack. I accepted that fate ever since I was young that I wouldn't be able to live in more freedom than I hoped for, but that wasn't what I was afraid of. I can't trust Ruis to take care of my little sister. Being a servant doesn't mean that I'll be able to stay in my pack. They might send me to another pack, which I can't bear because of Lianne. "Kara, stop stalling and hurry up!” Ruis’ voice made me shudder. I tried my best to be strong for my sister, but I couldn’t help but fear what might happen to me. One wrong move, and I might end up dead. The old Alpha was known to be merciless, and I doubted that Alpha Dominic would be much different. After all, it was all they were. “Kara, do you really have to go?” Lianne asked. Despite being half-sisters, we were very close. I stood as her mother when mom died when she was merely a year old. Unlike his monster of a father, she was a compassionate child and had nothing to do with his father's actions. I smiled warmly and gently patted her head. “Don’t worry. I’ll be alright. Be good, okay? I’ll be back before you know it. I promise.” She was still too young to fully grasp what I was about to do, but she was the sole reason I hadn’t left this pack yet. Lianne was also the reason why I was still sane after our mom's death. She reciprocated the smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “You look very pretty, Kara.” “Thank you.” Ruis said that the Alpha wasn’t interested in having a wife, and the only reason why I was taken was that he needed an heir and nothing else. After that, we would be divorced, and I would be set free. I courageously marched out of my room looking the best I had in my life, yet I felt no satisfaction or even much will to go on. Ruis glared at me, “Let’s go. We’re going to be late.” I didn’t answer and quietly followed him to the car, feeling like I was on my way to my death sentence. “Remember what we talked about. This is for our family. Think about Lianne.” He spoke while we were on our way to the pack house where the celebration would be held. The irony of his words made me scoff, “For your family or for your own advantage? I know you did something to my mother, and I will find evidence and make you pay. I’ll make you regret that you pushed me into this position.” We were fools for trusting a two-faced monster like him. My mother cherished him deeply, and I, too, regarded him as my own father. It had been merely two years since they were together, and my mother suddenly fell ill with an unknown illness, which left her paralyzed until her body eventually surrendered. His treatment of us had already changed even before Mom died, but what I couldn’t accept was how he also neglected Lianne—his own flesh and blood. “Stop assuming that you’ll become a Luna simply because you’re to be hailed as one. The Alpha’s intentions were clear. He only wanted an heir. You’ll be used, over and over again, until you give him a son. After that, you’d be nothing to him. Do you truly believe a divorce would enhance his already damaged reputation? He wouldn’t let you go that easily. You’ll be treated worse than a slut.” Ruis’ last words made me realize that I’d been walking into a trap all along, and I didn’t even know it. The car stopped after half an hour, and I got out before he dragged me inside the pack house. The place was filled with people happily chatting, and there were more people inside the hall. My heart was beating erratically. I couldn’t even tell if it was because of fear of what was happening or if it was something else. Ruis suddenly grabbed me to one side, keeping his smile in a way that people wouldn’t see his mistreatment of me. Even if they did, I didn't think they would care anyway. He caressed my hair as he embraced me, sending shivers down my spine. “I’m telling you this again, just to remind you. You have nowhere to run, so just listen to everything the Alpha says and be a good little omega. Understand?” He emphasized every single word as if it wasn't enough to make me understand. I pushed him just enough to separate myself from him. “You’ll pay for this. I swear to the goddess, you’ll regret this.” I was close to tears but pushed myself to stay composed. I can’t cry at times like this, or he would only win even more. He grinned manically, finally distancing himself, and started mingling with others. He knew I wouldn’t dare go anywhere else, and I hated that I couldn’t do anything about it but watch it unfold before me. The vast hall continued to fill with people who were enjoying the gathering, dancing, mingling, and having the time of their lives—everyone except me, who felt more miserable than ever. “Why is a lady like you alone in a corner?” A man suddenly approached me and offered me a drink. I accepted the glass and drank everything down without even trying to figure out what it was. I barely drink and don’t like the taste of liquor, but I don’t think I could handle this while being entirely sober. I grimaced at the aftertaste, and it made my vision fuzzy for a moment. It shouldn't affect me so fast, so maybe it wasn't just the alcohol. “Woah. The night is still young. No need to rush.” I looked at him again, almost forgetting that he was around. I squinted my eyes, attempting to remember who he was. “I’m sorry, but you… You seem familiar.” He chuckled and extended his hand. “Arman Blackwood, the youngest beta of our pack.” My eyes widened. No wonder he was familiar. I awkwardly shook his hand. “I apologize for not recognizing you, beta. I’m Kara Everly.” It was his turn to be taken aback, and I could already guess the reason why. He attempted another smile, but it appeared even more awkward than mine. He subtly edged away from me, attempting to conceal his worry. Of course, he knew about what was going to happen to me. I saw a mixture of pity and worry in his eyes, but it wasn’t what I needed right now. I’ve barely been involved in pack affairs. After all, my mother didn't belong in the inner circle before Ruis somehow ended up in our lives. All I know about the Alpha are the rumors surrounding him, ranging from the most concerning to the most ridiculous ones I’ve heard. But everything boils down to one thing: that he is cursed by the goddess of the moon herself. I don’t even know what he looks like because he rarely appears in public, which is why people continuously refer to him as a monster and cursed. It’s just ironic how it was his own pack that condemned such judgment, the same people that he meant to lead. With the amount of people in the pack, it was hard to earn everyone’s respect and genuine loyalty. Regardless of its truth, withdrawing was no longer an option.