THE RETURN OF THE ALPHA

What have I done? What was I even doing here in the first place? That’s it… I think I just made the worst mistake of my life.

Mum always said I should listen to the Moon Necklace, but look where it led me. I was trembling uncontrollably—if I didn’t calm myself down, he was going to find me any moment.

He tricked me. He made me use the Moon Necklace to let him out. I thought he was just an ordinary werewolf trapped inside the cave. But I failed to notice the warning carved into the walls.

It wasn’t an ordinary cave. It was the Cave of the Cursed. But who cursed him? What kind of curse was it?

Was it one that lured people in just so he could kill them? I don’t even know how I ended up here. Tasha always told me the Moon Necklace would guide me to my path.

But is this really my path?

Most princesses have their lives all planned out and perfect. A charming prince, a castle, a peaceful kingdom.

Mine isn’t even close. It’s the complete opposite. I was born a werewolf, yet I’ve never had my first transformation. Sometimes, I feel like I’m cursed too.

“There you are!” I screamed, the moment I saw the face of the beast I had freed. Panic surged through me as I stumbled backward.

“Stay away from me!” I was shaking, my voice barely holding.

“Do you think you can hide from me? No one—I repeat, no one—can hide from me,” he growled.

“What do you want from me? I just want to go home!” I cried.

“It’s either you come with me, or I’ll make you,” he said coldly.

Where is Tasha? She always finds me when I get lost… just like now. Why isn’t she coming?

I tried to escape, but he beat me to it. Grabbing me by my clothes, he dragged me all the way to the exit.

“Make with the magic,” he growled, fury blazing in his mismatched eyes. I hadn’t gotten a good look at him until now.

His eyes… they were two different colors, just like mine. The Moon Necklace was meant to hide mine. Mum and Tasha always said no one must ever see them—or the person would die.

That’s why I never take the necklace off.

“I said, make with the magic,” he snapped, stepping closer. I backed away until my body slammed against the cave wall.

“I don’t know what you’re asking me to do,” I whispered, fear tightening my chest, “but I don’t think I can do it.”

“You broke the chains. You dragged me out of that hell. So finish what you started.”

“I can’t,” I said again, more firmly this time. “I won’t let you out. You were locked here for a reason.”

“Fine,” he said with a cruel grin. “I’ve been starved for a thousand years. You look… quite yummy to me.”

Was he serious? Was he going to eat me? My heart was pounding so fast it felt like it would burst. I had to resist—I couldn’t let him escape if he was going to devour people.

He pinned me with one hand, and I couldn’t believe how easily he held me down. I couldn’t move.

“Why don’t I start with your head?” he said, opening his mouth wide, revealing sharpened teeth.

“Fine! I’ll do it!” I cried out, terror pushing the words out of me. Tasha will find me soon. She has to.

I didn’t need to perform any spell. Just standing near the exit was enough. The Moon Necklace responded, lifting the curse that sealed the cave.

Bardulf’s POV

I felt the air brush against my face—it was a feeling I hadn’t known in a thousand years. Cool, clean, intoxicating. I smiled to myself, knowing the Moon Goddess must be in a panic by now.

Just like this little creature in front of me.

I couldn’t tell if she was a demon or a werewolf. I couldn’t even smell her. It was like she had no scent of her own. She stood frozen, still shaking.

I wasn’t surprised when she tried to run again. She should know better by now.

I let her get a head start into the woods before I followed. Even without her scent, she was easy to track. Her breathing was shallow and rapid. Her heartbeat—loud, erratic, impossible to miss.

“I told you, you can’t hide from me,” I said, finding her crouched behind a rock.

“What do you want from me?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“Something very valuable. Give me that necklace.”

“No, I can’t! I won’t survive a day without it.”

“It seems you like doing things the hard way,” I said, my tone darkening. “But believe me, you don’t want to see me angry.”

She swallowed hard. Still trembling. Pathetic. All I wanted was the necklace. I had no interest in harming a powerless demon like her.

“Take it off!” I barked.

“Fine… I’ll take it off,” she whispered.

“I’m waiting.”

She slowly removed the necklace and dropped it on the ground. But then… something happened. Something I didn’t expect.

She changed.

Her long brown hair turned white—almost silver. It grew longer, swirling around her like mist. Her skin paled to an otherworldly glow.

But her eyes… her eyes stunned me the most.

They were different colors. Just like mine.

Who is she?

Is she really a demon? Or something else?

How was she able to control the Moon Necklace? How did she find me? And why… why would the Moon Goddess send her to me?

Why isn’t he dying? He’s supposed to be nothing but ashes by now—at least, that’s what Tasha told me. Did she lie to me?

The way he stared at me sent a cold shiver down my spine, his eyes boring into me like he could see every thought in my head. I don’t think he expected me to change the moment I took the necklace off.

Maybe—just maybe—he’ll let me go after this. But I need to put that necklace back on before they come. The last time I saw them, I was six. I swore never to take the necklace off again… until now.

And yet… I think I’m more terrified of the beast standing in front of me than of the shadowy creatures that want to tear me apart because of my powers.

He bent down, picked up the necklace, and thrust it towards me.

“Put it back on,” he ordered, his voice heavy with authority.

“But I just took it off—”

“I said, put it back on.” This time, his tone was sharper, and he stepped forward.

My hair reacted before I co