Page 7 of The Alpha King's Curse: Part Two

“We haven’t used those rooms in years. I don’t know if they’re clean—”

“I’m sure Layla will do well in all the filth,” he growled as he walked away from them.

Guilt started trickling into his head before he walked out of the door but he shoved it away. Layla had brought this on herself. She would be his prisoner until the time came for her to leave. Until the baby in her stomach was placed in his arms.

The guilt trickled through again. She was carrying his child. The basement was no place for a pregnant woman. But he didn’t want her too close to him when he was still feeling vulnerable. The bond was still as strong as ever despite what she had done to him, and if he heard her cry or beg... If he spent too long with her scent wrapped around him, he would give in.

Or he would be the one to go crawling back to her because Layla seemed to have taken his pride along with his heart.

He stopped at the top step and looked around at his people. The grounds had enough space to hold everyone in emergencies, but he could see how many were missing. He could feel it.

“Alpha.”

He looked at Micah as he approached. His Head Warrior had his arm and shoulder strapped and had some bruises on his tired face. Micah was one of the strongest in the pack. No one from the Red Moon Pack should have been able to even touch him.

“Is your wife alright?” he asked.

“She had been visiting Cassie when the attack happened,” Micah nodded. “She’s safe.”

Micah winced as he started to come up the stairs.

“Don’t strain yourself,” he said as he walked down to meet him instead. “You should be resting and healing.”

“There will be enough time for that when things are settled. The Red Moon pack is still in the forest,” Micah said. “We lost many of our men. I have to stay alert. Gamma Jon didn’t make it, despite Diedre’s best efforts.”

He hadn’t liked the guy but he’d never wished him dead. Everything was his fault. He’d known something wasn’t right when the Red Moon pack numbers kept increasing, and instead of meeting with Chase to find out what the issue with his wards was, he had run after Layla.

“The Circle’s wards failed completely. I have no idea why. We were attacked from all directions, and most residents were not ready. Their guards were down as they prepared for the run.”

The first day of the full moon was always set aside for the pack runs. The call of the moon was always stronger, and it helped them bond as a pack. Diedre had once told him that spells cast on the first moon were always more potent, too. Maybe the attack hadn’t been a coincidence.

“I’m going to fix it,” he stated. “Go and rest, Micah.”

“There are too many of them to fight, Alpha. Let me—”

“I can sense all the pain you’re trying to hide. Go and heal, Micah. I can’t lose you, too.”

He walked down the driveway and tried to ignore the pain and despair around him. He tried to ignore the blame they threw at him even though they had every right to feel that way. He couldn’t even look at them. Even if he had two lifetimes, he would never be able to make up for letting them down.

Maybe it was a good thing he was dying, after all. He’d fucked up.

There was only one thing he could do now.

He pulled his t-shirt off as he approached the gate. As he was about to push his sweats down, he saw a little boy holding a sleeping baby as he sat with his back against the guardhouse. The boy had dried tear tracks on his face, and so much sadness was coming from him that he had to stop.

When he approached the boy, he tensed and lowered his head. The boy wouldn’t have his wolf until he was around eighteen, and he never forced children to submit to him. The boy looked too serious for his age. Was this his fault, too? How many children had to grow up in the blink of an eye because they’d lost their parents last night?

“What’s your name?” he asked gently as he lowered to his haunches.

“Max,” the boy whispered.

“And who’s this little bundle?”

“Jade. My sister,” Max whispered again.

Was this all he had left of his family?

“Have you eaten yet?” He didn’t want to ask if he’d been left all alone with his sister. His heart was in enough pieces as it was.

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