Cursed

Acknowledgment

Scarlett

It had been over a week since Cole gave me the mark. I had spent a lot of my time either at school or with Chelsea. Cole had been busy trying to sort 'pack things'. He had been keeping whatever was happening secret. My wolf huffed every time he refused to say what it was. She wanted to help, to relieve the stress Cole was under. I went to bed alone every night, waking occasionally when Cole entered the bedroom. Only to wake in the morning with Cole's side of the bed cold.

My wolf snarled quietly as I got ready for the day. She paced around, her teeth snapping occasionally.

"What's the matter?" I asked, my voice soft. She stilled, not expecting me to ask her. Last time I did, a few days ago, she snapped. I had apologised many times since then. This time, she was calmer.

I want to speak with our mate. It's time he acknowledged us. Her melodic voice drifted through my mind. I didn't argue with her, Cole had barely spoken to me since the marking. I allowed her to take control, my eye colour shifting from blue to black instantly.

We stormed down the stairs, towards the door of Cole's office. There were murmuring voices inside. My wolf didn't care, she opened the door. Not bothering to knock. All eyes turned to us. Cole sat behind his desk with Justin sitting in one seat opposite and his Beta Dax in the other. I would usually say hello to Dax and Justin. They had been over a lot recently and always engaged in polite conversation with me. My wolf wasn't in the mood for polite conversations, though.

"Leave." Her voice was commanding as she looked between the beta and the third. They didn't argue. Both swiftly left the room, closing the door behind them. Cole looked at me.

"You can't just interrupt like that little wolf." His voice was strained. Lack of proper sleep would be the cause of that.  I ignored his subtle telling off, striding to stand before his desk.

"Tell me exactly what is happening. Let me help you, my love. We want to help." Cole sighed. His green eyes glanced at the paperwork on the table. I reached forward, snatching the paper from the desk and sitting in a chair opposite. 

We flicked the papers, my wolf settling back slightly. By now, our eyes were more of a dark blue than completely back. It was rare for wolves to share control. Either they had all the control or none. My wolf seemed to enjoy sharing it with me. We had done so a lot recently. Both of us are interacting together.

I read the papers, each detailing rogue sights and attacks. Some contained images of the rogue bodies, others injuries inflicted on pack wolves. My stomach knotted as I took in the bloodied sheets of paper stashed at the back of the pile. They all contained threats. Most warning of a war to come. But some threats were targeted at the Alpha or me. I hadn't realised that being Luna would attract attention from wolves wishing to harm the pack. My wolf wasn't concerned by the threats towards us. Instead, she smiled slightly, anticipating the fight to come.

"This is not good." My voice was mostly mine, just a hint smoother. Cole watched me from his seat. My wolf pushed forward again, the blue of my eyes dissipating. 

"It has been steadily growing. I fear that an attack may come soon." I stared at Cole as he ran his hand through his hair. I placed the papers back on the desk. 

"Are we ready for an attack?" My question startled Cole. 

"Only a small attack." I stood from my seat as Cole spoke, coming to stand before him. Cole pushed his desk chair back slightly to look up at me. I lowered myself onto his lap, my hands threading through his hair. 

My fingers rubbed his scalp, allowing him to relax into my touch. I leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on his mark. He shivered beneath me, a gasp leaving his lips. I pulled back slightly, allowing my eyes to meet his darkening ones. 

"You underestimate the power of your pack members. With the right guidance, they could kill an army." It was my wolf who spoke. She trusted every member of the pack to fight, to stand against the force wishing to do them harm. My wolf knew the strength of the pack. It was why rogues always lost; they spent too much time fighting amongst each other. 

Cole tugged my hips closer, grinding against him. He sent me a dark smile as pleasure bolted through me. My hand splayed across his chest as I bent to kiss him. It was full of need. A kiss of desperation. Cole's mouth moved against my own, claiming me. He took control, his free hand slipping beneath my shirt, grazing the underside of my breast. I moaned, leaning into his touch. Cole growled into my mouth, fisting my hair and pulling my head back as he trailed kisses down my neck. Pleasure grew within me, pooling at my core. Based on the rigidity of Cole's lap, his pleasure had also grown. 

I kissed him again, grinding my hips as I straddled him. Cole grasped my ass, increasing my grinding. My hands dragged across his shoulder, feeling the muscles bunched beneath them. Cole reached for the hem of my shirt, about to tug it over my head. He then removed his shirt, hungry eyes watching as he unhooked my bra, and it fell away. Cole's mouth claimed my breast, sucking on the nipple before rolling it between his teeth. I gasped at the sensation, holding the back of his head. 

Cole then stood, lifting me against him. The kiss never broke as he swiped papers from his desk. He gently placed me down, my back pressing against the cold wood. Cole stood above me, looking down at his prey. Then he attacked, his kiss aggressive. I reached down to the waistband of his trousers, tugging them until they slipped lightly. Cole groaned, pulling away before stripping off my trousers, then removing what was left of his own. The strong smell of cinnamon engulfed me. It was a blanket to my nakedness.

"Fucking perfect, little wolf." His eyes were pitch black, as I'm sure mine were. He leaned back down to kiss me. He tasted like freshly ground coffee mixed with the sweetest honey. I devoured his taste, wishing the flavours never left my mouth. 

Everything that happened after was dizzyingly blissful. I had never felt a pleasure like it. Nor had I felt the passion that still covered my body. Cole held me against his warm body, huddled in the office chair. 

"You are truly exquisite, Scarlett." He placed a soft kiss atop my head, taking in my smell. The office no longer smelled solely of cinnamon. It now had a sweeter smell that mixed with something more raw. 

I allowed my eyes to close as I lay there, his heartbeat lulling me to sleep. Cole jolted beneath me, his body stiffening. I felt his arms tighten their hold, keeping me close. Then, a knock sounded at the door. Cole rushed me to my feet. I tugged my clothes back on, trying to flatten my bird's nest of hair. Cole checked that I was fully dressed before calling the person in. 

Dax stood in the doorway, his gaze flitting between the two of us. He could smell what had happened in the air. Our looks simply confirmed it. But Dax didn't smile or blush or wink. No, he looked serious. The crease between his brow deepened, and his lips pulled back tight. 

"They are here, Alpha. It's an attack."