The Cursed Alpha's Fifth Luna

Chapter 4: No One Touches The Alpha

"Alpha... the new bride is here."

Seven stuttered as he made the announcement. He had been informed over an hour ago, but he had spent the entire time contemplating how to break the news.

He was scared of what the Alpha would do. But he was more scared of what would happen if Rodrigo walked in and found the guests there without forewarning.

Rodrigo stopped by the doors. He turned slowly to glare at his Beta.

"Why are you just informing me of this now?"

Anger simmered beneath the words.

"They just arrived, Alpha. Not so long ago."

Rodrigo watched him, his gaze cold and unblinking. Then he drew in a breath.

"Is there anything else I need to know, Seven?"

Seven took a step back.

"Lady Charlotte and her son Dominic will also be attending the dinner."

He looked away, already feeling the weight of that pointed glare on his skin.

Without casting him another glance, Rodrigo turned and disappeared into the house. He made his way to the living room. The guard by the door immediately bowed, announcing his presence as he approached.

Rodrigo’s eyes scanned the faces of the guests, his expression blank.

Then they landed on her.

His stride slowed.

Black hair spilled over one shoulder. Wide eyes stared back at him, unguarded and clear. The chandelier light caught against her skin, softening the sharp edges of the room around her.

Strange. He could not remember the last time anything had managed to catch him off guard.

She was staring at him as though she had just seen a ghost. Unblinking. Unwavering. Not many people could hold his gaze for more than a second. Most looked away immediately, too frightened to meet his eyes. But this woman was staring straight at him like she had forgotten how to look anywhere else.

"Alpha?"

Marjorie’s voice broke the silence, her lips falling open.

The rumors said he was a beast who hid away in the dark. Who was this man standing before them?

Marjorie’s gaze darted from Rodrigo to Nina, animosity flaring in her eyes. Did she just hand over a crown to the bastard child?

No. She forced herself to calm down. Even if he was handsome, the other Lunas had all died. It did not matter how he looked. Nina was still going to die.

Jonathan cleared his throat and lowered his head briefly.

"Alpha, thank you for having us."

Rodrigo glanced at him with distaste, ignoring the remark entirely. His eyes turned back to Nina, studying her.

Nina’s gaze faltered. Her face grew warm, and she blinked rapidly, trying to collect herself. What was she expected to do now? Greet him? Bow? Curtsy?

She swallowed hard. Remembering the rushed lessons on noble etiquette, she slowly extended her hand, palm down, expecting the traditional courtly greeting.

"It is great to meet you, Alpha. I—"

She stopped mid-sentence.

Gasps rippled through the room. The servants turned to stare at her as though she had just walked off a cliff.

Nina looked around, confused. Then she looked at him.

When she met his gaze—cold, hard, deadly—her hand dropped immediately to her side.

Oh no.

She cursed under her breath. She’d made a mistake.

Rodrigo stared at her bare hand like it was a weapon pointed at his chest.

Did she just try to touch him?

Earlier, he had wondered if she was fearless or stupid. Now he had his answer. She was stupid. The only reason anyone would dare to reach for him was if they were courting death.

Nina’s hands trembled at her sides. The guards looked horrified, as if they had just witnessed someone sign their own death warrant.

Then she remembered the rumors. He did not allow anyone to touch him. No one. Ever.

She was done for. Was this how the other wives had died?

Nina turned to her parents, desperate for support. But Marjorie had already shifted several steps away, putting distance between them and leaving her to her fate.

The silence in the room grew heavy and suffocating. Rodrigo’s gaze remained fixed on her, unmoving.

Then a voice broke through the dark tension.

"Dinner is served."

The Matriarch stood by the doors, her hands resting on her walking stick, her expression calm.

Nina nearly collapsed with relief. Without wasting another second, she stepped away from the Alpha and walked briskly toward the doors. Now that she was away from him, she could finally breathe. ƒrēewebnovel.com

Marjorie and Jonathan followed immediately, neither willing to remain in that room a second longer.

The guard led the family down a long corridor and into a vast dining room. A massive chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting light over a table long enough to seat twenty.

Nina waited until her parents had taken their seats before lowering herself into a chair, her body still tense.

The moment the servants left them alone, Marjorie turned on her.

"Stupid girl!"

She spat the words out.

"Haven’t you heard that the Alpha doesn’t allow anyone to touch him? How dare you stretch out your hand? You? A servant’s child? Have you lost your mind?"

Nina’s eyes dropped to her lap. Her hands curled into fists on her thighs.

"I didn’t know."

"Don’t you dare sabotage this arrangement, Nina."

Marjorie’s eyes narrowed.

"Behave yourself until the wedding is over. After that, you can run into a river and drown for all I care."

Nina said nothing. She kept her gaze fixed on her hands and forced herself to breathe. freeweɓnovel.cѳm

A few seconds of tense silence passed before Marjorie turned to Jonathan, her voice dropping.

"Honey, didn’t you say the Alpha was a reclusive monster? What is going on?"

Jonathan looked just as confused. He tugged at his cravat, frowning.

"It seems the rumors were false."

Sweat broke out on Marjorie’s forehead. She turned to look at Nina, a cold feeling settling in her stomach.

There was no way the girl would survive. It could not be a coincidence that four previous lunas had all ended in coffins. This one would die too.

But as she stared at the bastard girl sitting silently across from her, a dark thought crossed her mind.

What if she didn’t?