Page 58 of The Cursed Wolf King

I paused at the front steps and drew in a long breath. As I raised my fist to knock, the door swung open, and there she was.

Eve looked relaxed, as if she’d been expecting me. Her lips curved in a knowing smile, but there was something in her eyes—a glint—that made my stomach flip.

She wasn’t wearing her usual flowing dresses or delicate fabrics. Instead, she was draped in Orion clothes: a simple tunic and leggings that fit her like they were made for her. Her hair fell loose around her shoulders, curling softly at the ends, and I couldn’t look away.

“You’re staring.” Her voice was light, and it snapped me out of my thoughts.

“Oracle Eve,” I said, and cleared my throat, feeling heatrise to my neck. “You look…” I trailed off, searching for the right words.

She raised an eyebrow. “Like an Orion?”

I shifted my weight, trying to focus. “It suits you,” I admitted, hoping she couldn’t see how off-balance I felt.

Her laughter was soft, and I hated how much I liked it.

I straightened, pulling myself back to the reason I’d come. “While you’re on Orion territory, you’ll be safe.” I remembered what I’d planned to say. “That’s a promise. But that doesn’t mean you can relax while everyone else is working.”

The teasing glint in her eyes dimmed, replaced by a flash of irritation. She crossed her arms, the fabric of the tunic shifting with the movement. “I never asked for royal treatment,” she retorted.

Her comment landed harder than I expected, but I held my composure.

“Good,” I said, nodding with finality. “Follow me.”

I turned and started walking, trusting that she’d come. And she did, falling into step behind me.

We walked through the village from the bungalow, which stood at the far edge, all the way to the common kitchen. I knew the pack would see her with me, and I wanted them to. It was important that they knew she was with me, that her presence was expected and that they shouldn’t do anything rash. We walked in front of the office block, the provisions store, the school. Many heads raised and I felt their curiosity, but so far, there was nothing outright offending. For that, I was relieved, though I knew it wouldn’t last.

The pack’s common kitchen buzzed with its usual mix ofclattering pots, bursts of laughter, and the occasional heated debate over seasoning. It smelled of home—roasting meats, fresh herbs, and the faint earthy undertone of a wood-burning stove. It was alive with a hum of activity, since this was how our pack ate all its meals. Together.

I stood in the doorway, scanning the room. The staff, mostly older wolves who devoted themselves to tending to the pack’s hearth, paused when they noticed me. Their chatter quieted, their eyes casting toward Eve as she stepped in behind me. She looked out of place, standing stiffly by the counter.

“Alpha,” one of the older women greeted me, with a polite bow of her head. She looked at Eve, curious but cautious.

I didn’t explain anything. Instead, I strode to the counter, grabbed a freshly hunted rabbit, and dropped it in front of Eve with a satisfyingthud. She jumped slightly, staring at the lifeless form in front of her.

“Skin it,” I said simply, crossing my arms and leaning against the counter.

Her eyes were wide with disbelief. “You’re serious?”

“You’re in a pack of hunters now,” I replied evenly. “Everyone pulls their weight.” I said it more for the benefit of the pack than for her, though her sharp inhale told me Eve didn’t know that.

She glanced at the kitchen staff, who were trying—and failing—not to watch. Slowly, she reached for the rabbit. Her fingers hovered above it, curling back as if the fur itself might bite her. I took the appropriate knife off the counter and passed it to her.

“I’ll figure it out,” she muttered, moreto herself than to me. Her tone was stubborn, but her hands shook as she took the knife from me.

She made an awkward attempt at cutting into the skin in mid-air, and I bit back a smirk. She then set it down on the counter, but her grip was all wrong, her movements hesitant and jerky. It was painful to watch. I let her struggle for a moment, but it was clear she had no clue what she was doing.

“You’re holding the knife too tight,” I said, leaning closer.

“I said I’ll figure it out,” she replied, glaring at me.

“If you could do that by the next full moon, that would be great,” I shot back. I needed her, and everyone else, to know I took her presence here seriously, and they should do the same.

“Alpha,” a deep voice interrupted. One of the older kitchen workers, Saul, stepped forward. His lined brow furrowed. “You’re not being fair. She’s an oracle who’s landed amongst hunters. Let me show her the ropes.”

I stepped back, gesturing for him to go ahead.

Saul turned to Eve, addressing her quietly. “Here, miss. Let me show you.”

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