Bride of the Cursed Alpha (Auren and Lucien)

Chapter 132

Chapter 131

Third POV

The morning sun filtered through the window of his bedroom, but the lights did nothing to warm the frost between Bram and Maris. It had been two months of their marriage, and yet Bram couldn't think of anyone other than Auren.

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On their wedding night, Maris had insisted that he marked her in front of every pack member to show that this marriage was solid. He marked her, but ever since, he just couldn't bring himself to claim her.

Maris was happy in her own bubble. At least she was marked and now she was the Luna of the Crimson Howl pack. Her father was off her back, and her reputation was better in her pack. It took her several days to settle into the role of being a Luna. She loved ordering omegas, punishing them when needed and also asserting her superior position on everyone. Bram was least bothered about it because he was busy with pack business. With Auren's wedding to Lucien, their treaty was in place. So the pack was protected. Life couldn't be better. All she needed was an heir. And to keep her

secret, a secret.

She sat on the edge of the bed, brushing her glossy red hair that she had dyed recently. She hummed softly to herself as she brushed them, while Bram stood by the window with his arms crossed across his chest, and his jaw clenched.

She lifted her gaze to him and said, “You should smile more. Your Alpha position is secure, and you have everything you wanted."

He didn't respond. His gaze remained fixed on the treetops that swayed beyond his house. He wanted to tell her that everything he wanted had slipped through his fingers the day Auren accepted his rejection and then marked Lucien. He wanted to tell her that she smelled like a dead rat and that every time he was near her, he wanted to vomit. But how could he say all that? Considering his situation, he was in a fix.

He was still the Alpha of his pack, because he was married to her. Because she was the daughter of the Alpha of the Iron Pine pack. And because she could give him powerful heirs. The problem was that he was not ready to claim her. Every time he thought of sex, all he could think of was Auren. Her beautiful gray eyes and those lustrous golden hair.

Maris rose from the bed and walked to him, the silky hem of her robe brushing the floor. She went and stood behind him. She trailed her red painted nail along his bare arm. "You haven't claimed me since you've marked me, Bram. People talk. They wonder if our bond is real."

His muscles tensed beneath her touch. "I don't care what people wonder," he replied, anger lacing his voice. Though inside he knew that his pack members were looking for his heir.

"But I do," she snapped, dropping her sweet voice. "I didn't fight to become Luna just to be ignored by you."

"You didn't fight," he snapped. "You schemed. Because of you 1 rejected my true mate."

Maris's eyes darkened. "So what? Sable schemed too. And look where she is now-killed."

That earned her a hard glare from him. "Don't compare yourself with Sable. She was better than you in many ways."

Jealousy stabbed in her heart but she ignored it. She smiled slyly, stepping in front of him. "I'm smarter than Sable. I know when to push, and how much to push. I know how to use that opportunity for the best. And what about you?"

"What about me?" he asked, his brows furrowed.

She kissed him, siowly on his jaw, then on his cheek. Bram didn't kiss her back because of her horrible smell. "You used to love me. We used to have sex every day when Auren was here. And then some after she left. But now-after the wedding, you aren't interested. What has gone wrong, baby?"

risk of being killed if Lucien or Tarian saw him, he still went there. All he wanted to do was see Auren. And she looked beautiful. The way her hair shone, the way her skin gleamed -she looked so beautiful that his breath hitched. But then Lucien placed his hand on her baby bump. Jealousy like nothing reared its head inside

proud." She kissed his shaft and then started sucking it. Bram imagined that to be Auren.

"I knew you would

got up. She held his hand and made him lie on the bed. Then she opened her robe and removed his pants. Once he was naked, she slid on top of him. "Fuck

felt like slapping him, but she knew that if she did that, he would never come back to her. He missed Auren, but that wasn't her concern at all. All she wanted was his heir. Things would become normal

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Chapter 131

they lay together in silence after that, Bram stared at the ceiling with Maris curled into him.

as Maris handled his house. Later that day when they were having dinner, a warrior came in. He bowed

heartbeat increased. Was Auren coming to

before speaking as he glanced at Maris. "Luna Auren has gone into

table, his vision turning red. She was having his pup. Before he could control himself, he got and

Bram strode to the

started

THEIR

that he hurled him away from him.

birth to Lucien's pup. The ache

He started pacing the room

away from there to her bedroom.

AD

Chapter 132

Lucien POV

Each second was like another drop of dread in the pit of my stomach. Auren's scent surrounded me. It was calming and maddening all at once. I looked at her, sitting at the edge of the bed. She was glowing. She was so radiant, round, and

trust, not when she didn't once think of the curse looming over us as she hummed while folding baby clothes that we had bought together or when she pressed my hand to her belly to feel our pup kick. How could I dim the glow in her eyes? Sometimes, I would just spoon her from behind as she slept and watched her for the whole night, praying to the goddess that please don't let these be my last days with her. I wanted to spend my entire life with her, get old with her, and tell stories to our children and grandchildren. Please goddess, please. I've never begged you, but I'm begging now. Tears would swell in my eyes and I cried many nights.

me."

broken so many pieces of me, and it didn't seem enough. The curse had stolen every she-wolf who carried the heir of

that of a wolf was what we were born with. But the thorny vine tattoos appeared slowly on our body as we grew older. By the time we were eighteen, they fully covered our body. When my father died, he still had those tattoos, and I knew that when I would die, I would have them on my body. But after they disappeared partially, hope built in my chest. Sometimes, I would try to scratch away or wash away the remaining ones, hoping against hope that they were just useless ink.

all meaning. I didn't feel like eating at all. Tarian had commented that I looked like a ghost. I didn't care.

staring at the floor like it held answers I couldn't find in the stars,

gasped. Her body stiffened. I snapped my

said.

I tried my best to stay calm, but my voice

"Get the car ready! Auren is in labor!" My hands trembled as I wrapped my arms around her and lifted her. "I've got you," I said, holding

her out of the manor, down to the porch where the car was. Tarian met us halfway, wide-eyed and pale. Vivi was rushing beside us with a