The Cursed Alpha's Assassin

"The Assassin's Arrival"

The scent of blood clung to the cold night air.

Astrid Valen crouched low among the trees, her breath steady despite the dull ache in her ribs. The storm had rolled in hours ago, turning the forest into a maze of shifting shadows. Wind howled through the branches, carrying the distant echoes of wolves howling-wolves that weren't her own.

The Shadowfang Pack's territory.

Her target was close.

She adjusted the leather straps of her dagger holster, fingers brushing over the cold steel of the blade hidden beneath her sleeve. The mission was simple-track, infiltrate, eliminate. Kieran Blackthorne was a threat, a time bomb waiting to explode, and she had been sent to put him down before the curse that plagued his bloodline consumed them all.

The stories about him had traveled far beyond the borders of his pack. Some whispered he was a monster, others that he had already succumbed to the madness and roamed the night in the form of a beast that couldn't be tamed.

Astrid didn't believe in fairy tales.

She believed in orders.

And her orders were clear-kill the Alpha before the curse awakened.

A low growl rumbled from the darkness ahead.

Astrid's instincts screamed as a blur of black fur lunged from the shadows. She twisted just in time, barely avoiding the claws that slashed through the air where she had stood moments before. Her back hit the damp earth as a massive wolf landed atop her, pinning her beneath its crushing weight.

Snarling, she drove her knee into its ribs, twisting her body as she shoved her dagger against its throat. The beast hesitated-just long enough for her to recognize the gold gleam in its eyes.

Not a beast.

A man.

A cursed Alpha.

Kieran Blackthorne's wolf loomed over her, its fangs bared, breath hot against her skin. His eyes, burning gold with power, locked onto hers. The weight of his presence was suffocating, primal energy coiling around them like a living force.

Astrid's wolf stirred inside her, a whisper of something ancient curling in her veins. Heat spread through her chest, her pulse hammering with a recognition she didn't want to acknowledge.

No.

Not him.

Not this.

But the truth was undeniable.

The mate bond snapped into place, sharp and unrelenting.

Kieran's wolf stiffened, his snarl faltering as the same realization crashed over him. His gaze darkened, something dangerous flickering beneath the surface. A moment passed-a single, breathless second-before he shifted.

In an instant, the monstrous wolf was gone, and in its place stood a man.

Tall. Broad. A predator carved from shadows and cold fire. His black hair clung to his skin, rain tracing down the hard lines of his face. Scars marred the sharp angle of his jaw, his muscles coiled with restrained power.

He was more than just a man.

He was a curse given form.

And he was staring at her as if he already knew how this would end.

Astrid swallowed back the rising dread. She had trained her whole life to kill monsters.

So why did she feel like she was the one being hunted?

Kieran took a slow step forward, his voice low, lethal. "Who the hell are you?"

She could lie. She could run.

Or she could do what she did best-play the game.

Forcing her body to go slack, she let her head tilt in feigned exhaustion. "A rogue," she whispered, voice rasping from the cold. "I was attacked. I have nowhere else to go."

A flicker of suspicion flashed through his eyes. He didn't trust easily. Good. It meant he wasn't a fool.

But then his gaze dropped to the wound on her shoulder, the crimson staining her torn cloak. Something shifted in his expression-something unreadable.

"You should be dead," he murmured, more to himself than to her.

Astrid forced a weak smile. "Guess I got lucky."

Kieran held her gaze for a long moment, the storm raging between them unspoken. Then, without warning, he turned.

"Follow me."

Not a request. A command.

Astrid hesitated for only a second before pushing herself to her feet and stepping into the darkness after him.

-----

The path leading to the Shadowfang Pack's stronghold was carved through dense woodland, the trees arching above like skeletal fingers grasping at the sky. The storm had passed, leaving the world damp and heavy with the scent of earth and rain.

Kieran moved like a predator, each step calculated, muscles taut beneath his dark clothing. Astrid kept pace beside him, forcing her breath to remain even, her senses on high alert.

She could feel the weight of his gaze on her, even when he wasn't looking directly.

"You don't smell like a rogue," he finally said, voice cutting through the silence.

Astrid smirked. "And you don't smell like a cursed Alpha."

His steps faltered, just for a fraction of a second, before he let out a low, humorless chuckle. "Is that what they're calling me now?"

She shrugged. "Among other things."

"And what do you believe?"

She turned to him then, meeting his gaze with an honesty that wasn't entirely feigned. "I believe a man is more than the stories told about him."

A dangerous answer. One that could either earn his trust-or seal her fate.

Kieran studied her, the gold in his eyes flickering like embers in the dark. "Hmph."

He didn't believe her.

Good.

Because she wasn't here to make him believe in anything.

She was here to kill him.

---

The Shadowfang Pack's stronghold was a fortress of stone and steel, nestled deep within the valley. Guards flanked the entrance, their eyes flickering between Astrid and Kieran with barely concealed curiosity.

Inside, the air was thick with tension. The scent of wolves, damp wood, and something else-something darker-lingered.

A man stepped forward, his sharp blue eyes narrowing. Tall, lean, with an air of command that rivaled Kieran's.

Elias Blackthorne. Kieran's Beta.

"She's injured," Kieran said before Elias could speak. "See that she's tended to."

Elias crossed his arms, gaze never leaving Astrid. "And who exactly is she?"

"A rogue," Kieran answered.

Elias arched a brow. "A rogue you found bleeding in the middle of our territory?"

Astrid forced a weak smile. "I make a bad habit of getting into trouble."

Elias didn't smile back.

Kieran sighed. "Just do as I say, Elias."

There was a beat of silence before Elias finally nodded. "Fine." He turned to Astrid. "But if you try anything-"

"I won't," she interrupted smoothly. "I'm not here to cause trouble."

Another lie.

But they didn't need to know that.

---

Later that night, Astrid sat in the healer's chambers, watching the flames flicker in the fireplace. The wound on her shoulder had been cleaned and wrapped, but the ache remained, a dull reminder of how close she had come to failure.

She should be planning her next move.

She should be thinking about the best way to kill Kieran.

But all she could think about was the way he had looked at her-like he already knew she was a threat.

Like he was waiting for her to make her move.

A soft knock at the door broke her thoughts.

She turned just as Kieran stepped inside, his presence filling the space with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.

"You should rest," he said.

Astrid arched a brow. "And why do you care?"

His lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile. "Because if you die before I get my answers, that would be a waste."

She met his gaze, the challenge clear between them.

Then, suddenly-

A scream echoed through the stronghold.

Sharp. Piercing. Filled with terror.

Kieran's head snapped toward the door, his expression darkening.

Astrid's fingers curled around the dagger hidden beneath her sleeve.

Whatever had just happened-

It had only just begun.