***LANCELOT***
"Who's the young woman you brought home with you?"
Alpha Toreno's voice came out smooth, but laced with curiosity, his brown eyes narrowing as they followed Alice across the camp. He always looked at me like that, as though he could see through my skin if he stared hard enough—an act that once weirded me out.
"She's an omega wolf," I said simply, keeping my gaze low.
It wasn't a lie—not entirely. But if Toreno finds out the truth—that she was more than an omega, that she was the key to breaking the curse that bound me—everything would unravel before I was ready.
"And this omega wolf…" He muttered, his grin getting wider. "Do you love her?"
Those words hit me like a heavy blow against the ribs. My jaw tightened. Love? Was that what this was—or, is it just destiny trying to pull us together?
"I don't know," I said—voice under my breath, before bowing my head and stepping back. I needed to leave before he read me any further. Alice was waiting. She shouldn't be alone, not when she isn't yet familiar with the terrain.
I turned from him and quickened my steps, the cold air brushing against my face. Every step brought me closer to her, and with that—came an unfamiliar pounding.
Alice.
The one who could break me free.
When I reached her tent, I found her sitting quietly, shoulders rigid, gaze unfocused—staring into nothing. She looked like the whole experience was eating so much into her.
I eased into the seat beside her, my arm brushing gently against hers. "You good?"
"Yes, I am." Her reply was sharp, but her tone came out delicate—like glass that could shatter any moment.
I could tell at first glance that she wasn't okay. Her father was still in captivity, and her entire world had changed in the span of two days. The sight of her carrying so much weight, somehow made my chest heavy.
I leaned closer, searching her eyes. They were laced with sorrow, but still—a fierce little light glimmered inside them.
"Come," I said softly. "Let's go to the stream. There's something I want to tell you."
She raised a brow, tilting her lips partly—but still allowed me to pull her to her feet. She grunted in protest, but I didn't let go of her hand. If she was truly to stand by my side one day, she had to know the truth—even if it changes everything.
The path to the stream stretched quiet—broken only by the crunches of dry leaves beneath our boots. When we arrived, the water was exactly the way it's always been—clear, brushing over smooth rocks, the sound steady and soothing.
"This is where I come when I miss my parents," I confessed, lowering myself to the ground. The grass was cool beneath my palms, and the sunlight pressed warmly against my face. I squinted a bit, but before I could raise a hand—a shadow fell over me.
Alice had raised her palm to shield my eyes.
The gesture was simple. But for a moment, the world went quiet. The stream's steady rhythm faded, and all I could feel was the warmth of her hand above me, the tenderness she probably didn't even realize she showed,made me unable to process reality for a moment.
My chest tightened—Heart slamming against my chest. She was just reacting. Just being kind. Still, it made me want to believe there was more to it.
I quickly shaded my own face with my hand, forcing myself to breathe again. "Thank you," I said, my voice came out rough.
She smiles faintly, though it didn't reach her eyes.
I hesitated at first. The truth burning against the back of my throat.
"Do you know why I brought you here?" I asked.
Her gaze sharpened. "You said you had something to tell me."
Her eyes stared into me like she could scan the truth if she looked hard enough.
I dropped my gaze to the grass, my voice barely a whisper.
"I'm not like the other wolves. I was born with a limiter — all this power locked away. I can't reach it without a mate. And from the moment I met you, I knew. You're the one. If I'm ever going to become what I'm meant to be, I'll need you to do whatever I ask. When the time comes."
The whole world went quiet after those words, my chest feeling lighter.
Then she laughed softly, biting her lips. "Sure you don't want to try it now?" Her tone was teasing, but the jest faded when she saw my face.
"You're serious?" she breathed hard, her voice fading into silence.
I nodded once, forcing myself to meet her eyes. "Yes. I can't tell you everything yet, but this curse… it's been my prison since childhood."
Her lips parted open, her breath uneven. Her eyes scanned through me—searching for cracks in my confession,perhaps thinking I was trying to score with her.
After that, she reached out and placed her hand on my back. Her touch was firm, steady and assuring.
"Then I'll do it," she whispered.
Those words pierced sharp into my ears. She looked directly into my eyes as she spoke, and in that moment I couldn't tell if it was love pulling us together—or something deeper, a direct urge she's feeling for me, due to that fact that I marked her already.
"Lancelot, father wants to see you."
A familiar voice sounded behind us. It was Selena's—Alpha Toreno's daughter.
I tilted my head slowly, and that was when I saw her—she wore a rather dissatisfied look on her face which made me wonder what was wrong.
"Alright… I'll go see him." I responded grudgingly as I supported my hand against the floor to stand. I wish she hadn't interrupted us, but I was still glad that I at least made a big step towards getting a cure for my curse.
"I'll come see you tomorrow." I said to Alice, as I left for Alpha Toreno's chambers.
The distance from the stream was just a few yards, but it felt way longer as the conversation between me and Alice kept ringing in my head, blocking every other event happening around me.
Finally, I was at Alpha Toreno's dorm, the ambience there was incomparably superior to whatever you have everywhere else in the pack. The chairs were lined with furs,fire lit all over. And the aroma of delicious food overshadowed everything else.
"Lancelot, you're here!" He said, as he gestured his hands towards the chair for me to sit. "There's something I have to ask you." His voice darkened as he said those words.
"What would you like to know sir." I mumbled—dropping my gaze. I've always been shy around him and now that he has something to tell me, I just feel more uncomfortable.
"What do you think of Selena?" He asked, his tone quiet and calm. "I'd like for the both of you to be together. Her brother—xander has been exploring the world, he has no time for the pack. I want you to be the next leader of this pack. His words hit my chest hard like a rock, my breath becoming uneasy.
Taking his offer would give me the power I needed to face Roosevelt when the time came—but the weight of my curse still clung to me. I had to choose my words carefully.
My hands tightened into fists.
"Selena is a remarkable woman," I said, "but for now, I need time to consider if being with her and accepting your offer—is truly what's best for me and the pack."
The crashing sound of glass just outside the door interrupted the conversation, and as we rushed outside to see who it was. There was nothing, just a broken glass cup on the floor.
My pulse quickened as I stepped into the hall. Pieces of glass glittered under the torchlight, scattered across the hallway. I crouched, brushing my fingertips over the floor. Cold. No footprints. No scent strong enough to follow. Whoever had been here was fast—too fast.
Behind me, Toreno said nothing. His silence pressed heavier than his words ever could, and I hated how it made my chest tighten—Unable to breathe. Someone had been listening in on our conversation. I felt it in my bones.
Whoever it was, heard the conversation I had with Alpha Toreno about marrying his daughter and becoming the next alpha. I could already feel the storm brewing.
I must try my best to find whoever it is out, and make sure this doesn't grow into something I wouldn't be able to contain.