Page 33 of The Cursed Wolf King

Confusion pulsed through me as I marched forward, my mind jumping from threat to threat, imagining the worst—the Heraclids striking already, an ambush, something that had slipped past our defenses. Rhys was standing with Alden, Elder Raina, our lead scout Isabelle, and my enforcers Blair and Killian. I couldn’t read their expressions, and every inch of me braced as I approached.

“Rhys,” I called, pushing through the crowd. I clasped his hand in our customary way, fingers gripping tightly. I searched his face, seeing no alarm there, but I couldn’t shake the dread.

“What happened?” I demanded, barely able to keep the panic from taking me over.

Rhys gave me a warm smile, holding our joined hands before placing both of his on my shoulders. “Everything’s fine, Logan. Better than fine.” His eyes held a spark I hadn’t seen in a long time. “The pack heard about the challenge. They heard you took down Damian.”

“It was a rash move.” I glanced over at Alden and the others. A tight circle was gathering around us with an intensity I hadn’t expected. “When he posed the challenge… I wasn’t thinking straight. I couldn’t let him?—”

Elder Raina stepped forward, lifting a hand to stop me. “It was exactly whatneededto happen, Logan.” She spoke with her typical calm authority that reminded me of the old stories, of alphas who’d faced down rivals and won back their pack’s pride with nothing more than a single, decisive blow.

The others nodded. Alden clapped a hand on my shoulder. “You showed the Orion strength. We needed that boost. The pack went crazy when they heard and everyone had to come to greet you.”

Pack members murmured in agreement, their eyes filled with a pride I hadn’t seen in years. The way they stood there, united, resolute—my heart was full.

“Elves are excellent at spreading news.” Isabelle stepped forward with her tablet. “One of my contacts called in assoon as the fight ended. We weren’t sure what to believe, but after a few other channels confirmed it…”

I rubbed a hand over my jaw, still trying to process.

“You’ve done something for Orion that needed to be done for a long time.” Elder Raina patted my shoulder.

Alden nodded. “The pack already feels it, Logan. The energy’s different.”

I took a deep breath, letting the moment settle, feeling the warmth of the pack’s support around me.

But as I glanced at my inner circle, the weight of the old woman’s words returned, that unsettling declaration about Orion.

They need to know all of this might be because of a curse.

“There’s something else I need to tell you,” I murmured.

Raina shook her head, her expression soft, almost maternal. “There will be time for other matters, Logan,” she said gently, her hand resting on my arm. “Right now, what this pack needs more than anything is a moment of joy. To breathe, to feel the strength we thought was gone.”

Her smile grew, and she looked at the others gathered, each of them nodding in silent agreement.

“Let them feel the pride of Orion again, in the way we once did.”

She was right. I glanced over at Rhys, who gave me a small nod, and then at Alden. They knew as well as I did—our pack been on edge for so long, tied in knots of worry, struggling with the losses we’d endured. And now… maybe she was right. They deserved a night like the ones we used to have, nights filled with the thrill of being part of something larger than themselves.

I lifted my head, my chest swelling as I straightened up, feeling the weight lift enough to let the words come freely.

“A celebration,” I said, loud enough for the pack members close by to hear. The buzz of conversations stilled. I raised my voice, each word a promise, ringing out in the early twilight. “Tonight, we honor what it means to be Orion!”

A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd, faces lighting up, a few hands clapping in early enthusiasm.

“We arehunters,” I continued, finding my stride, each phrase pulled from memories of my father’s words, tales told under the stars. “We’re bound to our ancestors, the warriors who’ve come before, who lived by their strength, by their pride, by their pack. And today, like our hunters of old, we’ve challenged an enemy, fought with dignity, and won.” I looked out over the crowd. “Tonight, we celebrate that victory!”

A triumphant cheer exploded, rippling through the gathered wolves like wildfire. Packmates clapped each other on the back, hugged, some throwing their heads back to let loose long, jubilant howls. Rhys grinned, pulling me into a rough embrace, clapping me on the back.

Raina’s smile grew, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Tonight, Alpha,” she said, almost like an invocation, “we remind them not only what it means to be part of Orion, but what it means to followyou.”

I took a moment, letting the noise wash over me, feeling their loyalty, their relief. For the first time in longer than I could remember, Orion would taste victory in all its forms, and for one night, we’d live like the pack we used to be.

Tonight, we’d be Orion again.

The Moonstone Plateau was alive,pulsing with a joy we hadn’t felt in ages. A fire roared at the center, casting a warm orange glow across the gathered pack. Long tables were laden with more food than I’d seen in months, our hunters and gatherers bringing out our finest provisions—roasted venison, rich stews, fresh berries piled high, baskets of warm bread that filled the air with a scent so comforting it was almost like home itself. The fire crackled, embers rising toward the starlit sky.

But I couldn’t fully live in the moment.

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