The Alpha’s Curse: The Enemy Within
Chapter 44

Sheila's point of view

"Ouch!" I cried as Brielle pulled hard at my corset's ribbons, tucking in my waist and plumping up my bosom.

"Breathe it in, girl," Brielle instructed me once more. I sighed, swallowing in some air before tucking in my stomach. Brielle used the opportunity to place more of her strength on my back and pull the ribbons harder together. I groaned mildly.

"I think this is a little tight," I complained honestly, feeling like my ribs might give out any second from now. As if I wasn't breathless enough already without the corset. I felt as nervous as I did last night. I didn't expect I would still feel as anxious as I was today. But my angst and nervousness were very much understandable. For the first time, I would be attending a meeting with several allies outside the capital. I first met her as the Luna of our pack at our first meeting. So, yes, it was a big deal to me. Brielle groaned, loosening off a bit before finally tying it off into a big bow.

I turned to Brielle, the beta female's eyes scrutinizing me carefully. A small smile was let loose on her lips. "You look beautiful," Brielle said with a thoughtful smile.

I turned to look at myself in the tall ginormous mirror and I couldn't help but agree with her.

I looked so beautiful, yet so alien.

My curly brown hair was beautifully styled, allowed to fall neatly onto both sides of my shoulders.

My blue eyes were bright and vibrant, complementing my flawless skin.

My eyes trailed from the corset on top that flared out like a Cinderella dress at the waist. The dress was stunning, brilliant yellow with pastel white flowers that lined the corset and flowed down. I smiled sweetly to myself, complimenting her also.

"Thank you, Brielle," I told her with a soft smile. My message was delivered directly to Brielle. She was also dressed for the short trip outside the capital, wearing a deep velvet blue dress.

There was a rhythmic knock at the door, drawing both Brielle's and mine attention.

"Come in," Brielle shouted.

Ria popped her head around the door, her breath catching in her throat when she saw that I was looking so beautiful.

"Sheila, you look amazing!" Ria whispered with a smile.

My smile deepened. I really wanted to look my best. Aside from the fact that this was my first meeting as the Pack's Luna, this was also my first time appearing in such a formal gathering with my mate, Killian. I had to look insanely beautiful today. "Oh, right, Killian completely forgot!" Ria moved closer to me and Brielle. She genuinely seemed to be in a cheerful mood this morning. "The horses are ready, and so is everyone," she beamed happily.

"Alright then, let's head out." Brielle led the way while I followed suit, and soon we were outside the castle. Many warriors were also prepared to be accompanying us, including Brielle, Mason, and Killian.

On that thought, my eyes scanned around for my mate, but he wasn't in sight yet. Where was he?

I moved closer to my horse when Morgan's sharp call sent me gazing at him and his pair of green eyes.

"Oh goddess, please bless me with a mate like her," he faked, gasping, admiring me with hooded eyes and a smirkish grin.

"Just shut up, okay?" I chuckled,

"No, Sheila, you look absolutely gorgeous, so don't tell me to stop talking now. When my brother sees you, he would fall head over heels for you, that's for sure." Morgan went on complimenting me, causing me to blush just a little bit.

"I know you're only exaggerating to put me in a good mood, and I appreciate that Morgan," I said to him with an earnest smile perched on my lips. He always did know how to make me genuinely smile.

"I wasn't exaggerating, but, okay. Whatever you say," he chuckled, staring me down. I shifted my gaze past him to the doors, looking for you know who. Killian should be out by now.

"Are you perhaps eye-searching for my brother?" Morgan asked, taking the question straight from my mind. Was he some sort of psychic? That would be a perfectly good explanation for why he always seemed to know what was running through my mind. I nodded, as a reply.

"He should be out soon any minute from now," Morgan assured me, with his arms crossed.

Just on time, Mason strolled over to us with his horse. He lowered his head to me as a form of acknowledgment.

"We should begin our journey now, to reach the diamond pack soon," Mason said, getting on his horse.

"And what about Killian?" I asked Mason with crippled brows. I began having a bad feeling about this already.

"He changed his mind, requesting you attend the meeting alone today," Mason said coldly.

I felt my insides churn with rage and a little hurt. I didn't need anyone to tell me that Killian would rather stay back with his lover than go with me.

I couldn't pry the hurt away from my eyes. Getting on my horse, I sent a final glance to Morgan. And with an apologetic nod from him and a glint of anger in his eyes, I rode behind Mason and the warriors, with Brielle's horse protruding beside me. This was surely going to be a long and agonizing trip. I could just feel it inside.

I and the escorts left the pack, riding into the first human village that was closest to the pack's territory.

As we continued riding, I gripped the reins of my horse tightly. We've been riding for hours now, without even taking a single rest. I had to put on my furry blue cloak over my dress as the winter's cold air kept lashing against my skin. We had just successfully left the capital's borders. We were riding past the mountains now. The diamond pack was deep beyond North Central. In just a few more hours, we will be arriving at their territory. Thankfully, I just wanted this darn meeting to be over.

I felt angry and exhausted, not from the long, tiring ride, but in Killian's absence. I couldn't even hide my disappointment. What happened? Why did he suddenly just change his mind?

I decided to divert my attention elsewhere, such as to the recurring dreams I'd been having. My dreams were always the same, where I constantly found myself in an unknown surrounding, in the middle of what seemed like a bloody war, with chaos all around me, people dying and the sounds of people screaming all around. And there in my arms laid a woman, dead.

They were more like nightmares, if I were more honest because each time these dreams never failed to scare the hell out of me. Every time it felt more surreal, I could feel the pain in each of my dreams. It always made me wake up breathless, drenched in my own sweat. Even though it was a dream, I knew it wasn't just an ordinary dream. It didn't feel like just a dream to me, it felt like a time from before that I couldn't remember. That made me have more and more questions.

I sighed in my frustration.

The hairs on my skin stood on high alert, jolting me from my deep thoughts. We were in the mountains already.

On cue, Mason pulled a hand in the air, and on cue, all the warriors halted on their horses. I pulled my horse to a stop beside Brielle, whom I shot a questioning gaze.

Some of the warriors on their horses pulled back to where I was, circling me, while Mason and a few of the warriors jumped down from their horses, shifting into their wolf forms, their noses stuck in the air, sniffling around. Something was wrong. I could feel something off happening here.

Brielle moved closer to me on her horse. My brown eyes were now very cautious and guarded.

My ears picked up a weird sound. The more I listened, the closer it seemed to be drawing to where we were. It happened so fast, before I could register anything, I heard Adie's sharp warning in the back of my mind. "Duck!" My wolf commanded.

My body instantly obeyed before asking any further questions. I leaned into my horse and, just on cue, stray arrows kept flying blindly in the air in every direction.

"Take cover!" I heard Brielle's voice beside me scream. Loud growls rang in the air as warriors began to shift into their wolves.

I jumped down from my horse, grabbing onto the short length of the sword that was on my horse as I managed to abscond the arrows heading my way. The arrows kept flying around, hitting a few of the warriors, who let out a growl in pain.

"The arrows are poisonous, laced with wolfsbane!" A warrior shouted, warning us all, and an arrow grazed through my right arm. It wasn't too deep, but my skin burned with pain from the effect of the poison.

The chaos that accompanied the flying arrows caused all the horses to flee for safety. Suddenly, many vicious-looking wolves emerged from the mountains to attack us.

They were in massive numbers, we were all surrounded.