The Cursed Alpha's Fifth Luna

Chapter 1: Bride Switch

"The Pack has selected Sabrina as the next bride for the Alpha."

Nina’s father sat in the living room, holding an envelope sealed with golden wax. The Vermont Pack’s crest gleamed in the afternoon light. The moment he’d called the entire family for an urgent meeting, Nina knew something was wrong. Her father rarely spoke to her unless he was giving her an order, but she hadn’t expected this.

The blood drained from Nina’s face.

For a heartbeat, nobody moved. Then, a scream rang through the living room.

"No!" Her stepsister stumbled backward before collapsing onto the floor, clutching fistfuls of her hair. "It’s a lie." Her voice cracked. "Father, tell me it’s a lie. Please." Tears streamed down her face as she looked between her parents. "I don’t want to die!"

Nina sat frozen in her chair. Everyone in the Pack knew the rumors. Four brides, all of them turned up dead. The Alpha had buried every wife he’d ever taken. No one knew exactly what happened inside the pack house. Some claimed the Alpha was cursed; others whispered that he hadn’t shown his face in years because there was something wrong with him—something monstrous.

Whatever the truth was, one fact remained: every woman who married him died.

Dread settled in Nina’s stomach as she watched her stepsister cry on the floor.

"His previous wives all died!" Sabrina sobbed. "All four of them! None survived longer than twelve days!"

Lady Marjorie turned sharply toward her husband, panic breaking through her usual composure. "No, my daughter cannot marry that cursed Alpha. His wives died under mysterious circumstances. No one has even seen his face. For all we know, he could be some hideous beast." She leaned toward her husband. "Reject the offer. I don’t care what they’re promising us—"

"A hundred thousand gold bars as dowry," Jonathan’s calm voice cut through the room. "And a guaranteed seat on the council."

Lady Marjorie stopped speaking. Nina watched the change happen. The horror remained in her stepmother’s eyes, but greed crept in alongside it.

Silence filled the room. Lady Marjorie leaned back into her chair, the protest dying on her tongue. Nina stared at her in disbelief. She was actually considering it. Her own daughter.

Sabrina’s sobs grew louder. She crawled toward her mother and grabbed her hands. "Mother, please." Her shoulders shook. "I don’t want to die."

When her mother didn’t answer, Sabrina looked at her father. Then, her eyes slowly flicked over to Nina. The desperation vanished from Sabrina’s face, replaced by a strange, calculating stillness.

Nina’s stomach tightened. No.

Sabrina rose to her feet, walking across the room until she stopped right beside Nina’s chair.

"What are you doing?" Nina asked, forcing herself not to flinch.

A smirk tugged at Sabrina’s lips. "Mother," she said, her voice suddenly light, almost cheerful. "Look. If I dyed my hair blonde, and Nina dyed hers black... would anyone at the pack house even notice the difference?"

The words slammed into Nina.

She turned her head to look at her father, expecting rage. But Jonathan wasn’t shocked; he wasn’t even surprised. He simply sat there, calm and quiet.

Behind her, Lady Marjorie’s eyes widened, and the tension that had gripped her moments ago disappeared completely. In its place was a horrific excitement.

They were really going to send her to die.

"Are you suggesting..." Nina’s voice came out hoarse as she looked up at her stepsister. "Are you suggesting that I die in your place?"

Sabrina burst out laughing. "Oh, don’t sound so shocked. Every woman who marries the Alpha dies. So why should it be me? Let Father and Mother decide. Who deserves to live?"

The room became unbearably quiet. Nina’s pulse hammered against her ribs.

Before she could even stand, the sharp click of heels echoed against the floor. A hot, brutal slap tore across her cheek.

The force of the blow sent Nina crashing onto the marble floor. A sharp ringing filled her ears. Blood dripped from her split lip, bright red against the white stone.

"I took you into my home," Lady Marjorie hissed, her voice trembling with manufactured outrage. "I fed you, clothed you, raised you. And this is how you repay me? By wanting my daughter dead? Is this what I get for showing kindness to the child of a whore?"

Nina pressed a trembling hand against the floor and pushed herself upright. Sabrina stood over her, smiling triumphantly, while Jonathan kept his eyes fixed strictly on the letter in his hand, completely avoiding his daughter’s gaze.

Something inside Nina broke. Her father was choosing to look the other way.

"But I’m your daughter too," she whispered, her voice cracking as she sank back to her knees. "Do I not deserve to live? Does my life mean so little to you?"

Jonathan’s shoulders stiffened. A brief flicker of guilt crossed his face before it hardened into stone.

"It is settled," he said coldly. "Nina will take Sabrina’s place. Marjorie, prepare her for the meeting with the Alpha. We leave for House Vermont in three days."

Jonathan stopped at the doorway, finally glancing back. "You should be grateful, Nina. At least your life will finally serve a purpose."

He walked away, leaving Nina on the floor.

Lady Marjorie following right after him while muttering curses under her breath. The front door clicked shut, and a heavy silence filled the room. Nina remained on the floor, staring at the spot where her father had disappeared.

Then, a laugh broke the silence—soft at first, then louder.

"Well. That worked out rather nicely. In less than two weeks, you’ll probably be dead. But hey, look on the bright side—you’ll die as a Luna. That’s quite the promotion, isn’t it? Don’t worry, I’ll visit your grave."

Something hot and violent stirred inside Nina’s chest. She slowly rose to her feet, brushing the dust from her dress. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

"Watch your mouth," Nina said softly.

The room suddenly felt freezing cold. Nina met her stepsister’s gaze, and for the first time in her life, the fear was entirely gone. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

Sabrina frowned, taking a step backward. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Nina tilted her head, a small, dark smile touching her lips. "What do you think will happen when the Alpha discovers you’ve deceived him? When he learns that the bride he selected never arrived, and an illegitimate, wolfless girl was sent in her place?"

Sabrina’s face turned pale. "You wouldn’t... You wouldn’t tell him. Why would you risk ruining this family?"

Nina laughed softly, the sound sharp enough to make Sabrina flinch. "Family? He just sent me to die. Why would I protect any of you?"

"You’re joking," Sabrina whispered.

Nina closed the distance between them, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Let’s wait and see just how much of a joke I can be."