Luna of the Cursed Alpha King (Helga and Siegren)

"GOOD MORNI-huh? What happened to you?" Ivana asked as she noticed her friend's terrible appearance when they met at the University gate. Not only did she look like she had barely slept, but her ankle was also wrapped in a bandage, and she was limping. "Delton and his friends took my bag yesterday," Aeris replied, explaining every detail of what happened. From how they made her chase them inside the forest, how she came face-to-face with a wild rogue, and how a mysterious man saved her from it.

"Oh my god! Those three are the worst bullies ever! They took things way too far!" Ivana clenched her fist, just the thought of how horrible the experience must be for her human friend leaving her seething.

Even she, a warrior's daughter, was terrified whenever she faced some rogues, what more Aeris, who was an ordinary human?

"Honestly, why not just confide in your brother, Elias, about the bullying? After all, Her Majesty has known him since he was a child. If you tell him what's happening at school, he might be able to help you bring it to the Queen's attenti-"

"It may sound simple when you say it but putting it into action is a whole other story. Plus, my brother is hardly ever home because he's constantly working to support me and my two siblings." Aeris cut off, her voice soft and tired since she finished reviewing quite late. "Our

ents are gone now, and I don't want to burden my brother with any unnecessary stress."

"Still, if this bullying doesn't stop soon, you might end up seriously hurt one day." Ivana sighed, "I wish I was part of a bigger pack, then I could have been more helpful to you. But you know our pack is one of the smallest in the capital."

"That's fine, I don't want to involve you-" Aeris froze when the students walking in front moved to the side. Curious, she looked back and saw a car approaching.

"Hey, come here." Ivana quickly wrapped her arms around her friend and helped her get to the side. When the car passed by them, Aeris caught sight of Prince Seth inside with his childhood friend and future beta, Eric.

For a moment, Aeris was in awe, seeing them with her own eyes for the first time. Despite attending the same university for four years, she had never caught a glimpse of the prince due to their different academic buildings. Still, she could recognize him easily just based on his famous red hair, a trait he inherited from his mother Queen Helga.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

"Hey, let's go." Ivana's voice cut through her thoughts, bringing her back from staring at the distant car. She blinked and gave a nod, trailing behind her friend as they made their way to their department.

As they settled into their classroom, Aeris tried to focus on reviewing for the upcoming exam. But her thoughts kept wandering back to the events of last night.

Memories of those cold golden eyes and the inexplicable feeling that washed over her when their hands touched played on a loop in her mind. It was all so unfamiliar to her, and she struggled to make sense of it.

"Ivana," she called as she turned her head to her friend while tapping her pen

on

her lips,

"Have you ever felt a jolt of electricity when making physical contact with someone?"

"Uhm no?" Ivana answered, "But I think th contact like holding hands."

happens when humans and werewolves who are fated mates have physical

"Unlike us, humanis cannot sense or smell their mate. Instead, they rely on touch to feel the connection between them and their partner." she continued to explain, looking at Aeris who was now completely stunned while looking at her. Ivana frowned and waved her hand in front of Aeris' face. "What's wrong?"

"Isn't human and werewolf being fated mates rare?" she asked, her heart racing with the possibility that she could be the

an who had rescued her the night before. destined partner of the enigmatic

wed

She was not completely unaware of the werewolf's way of life, as she had studied materials about them. She knew how their pack functioned, the hierarchy within it, and the idea of fated mates.

And from what she knew, most werewolves were not fond of having human fated mates because they weren't equal in status and skills. Thinking back, the man from last night might have sensed a connection between them, which could explain why he had such a scornful look in his eyes when he looked at her.

"That's right," Ivana nodded, somehow getting curious as to why her friend was suddenly asking such questions, "Why? Don't tell me you-"

"Good morning, class!" The professor walked into the room, and the students quickly quieted down after saying their greeting. Aeris let out a sigh of relief, grateful for the distraction from her thoughts.

The exam then began shortly after, leaving no opportunity for Ivana and Aeris to continue their chat. But neither of them minded and just focused on answering the questions.

As the exam ended, Aeris couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over her. She wasn't sure if it was because she knew she didn't do well on the exam or because she couldn't stop thinking about the possibility of being fated mates with a werewolf.

After class, Ivana pulled her aside to ask about what was bothering her earlier. But before she could answer, they were interrupted by a loud voice.

"Hey, rat!" Delton wrapped his arm around Aeries who quickly shoved his arm away, scowling at the man. "Wow, you're getting braver! That's pretty hot."

"Leave me alone," Aeris gritted her teeth and took Ivana's hand as they continued walking out of the building. She was still limping because of her bruised ankle, but she wanted to get as far away as possible before Delton began harassing her again.

Meanwhile, Delton stood still, his eyes tracking Aeris's every move. He couldn't help but admire the way her honey-colored eyes glared at him, and how her hair swayed with each step she took. Her crisp white blouse and long skirt uniform only added to the graceful aura she exuded with every movement.

And the fact that she always reacted to him only fueled his desire to mess with her even more.

"Does he like you? He looked like a kid who always bullies her crush." Ivana commented, causing Aeris to look at her in disbelief. Ivana then laughed, "I'm just kidding."

"That's not funny," She had just finished speaking when they halted outside the building, and she froze upon seeing the crown prince approaching the entrance. Eric was by his side, walking alongside him.

"Why are they here?" she asked, her eyes couldn't leave their direction and when the crown prince's bright golden eyes met hers, she felt a sudden urge to turn away from his intense stare.

Memories of the man from last night flooded her mind, and without thinking, she looked away and reached for Ivana's hand.

She couldn't explain it, but she desperately wanted to leave that place. She started moving quickly, trying to put as much distance between them as possible. But suddenly, the crown prince appeared out of nowhere and stood directly in front of her, blocking their escape. Aeris stood motionless, her body quivering and her breath caught in her chest. It felt like something was squeezing her insides. Even Ivana had a similar response, as they both could sense the intense aura radiating from the crown prince. The whispers and murmurs of students filled Aeris' ears, making it difficult for her to comprehend what was happening.

"Good afternoon, Your Highness." She greeted with a strained voice, attempting to maintain composure. Ivana followed suit, equally confused by the situation.

"You... Are you the sister of Elias Montero?" Seth asked, looking at the woman he met last night-his supposed fated mate.

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However, he was not prepared to accept this fact. As a future Alpha king, he didn't want a mere human as his mate and Luna. He desired someone who possessed equal abilities and social standing, and who could rule the land of Verdentia alongside him.

"Uhm, y-yes. Your Highness. Why?" Aeris stammered, the feeling of standing before the future Alpha King made her

nervous.

"There will be a banquet this weekend at the royal palace, and my mother wants your brother, you, and two other siblings to attend," Seth explained, not enjoying the reason he had to personally hand-deliver the invitation. If his mother hadn't insisted on this task, he wouldn't have bothered coming all the way here.

"Are you not going to take it?" He frowned when Aeris just stared at the invitation he had just handed. Just then, Ivana nudged her friend who snapped out of her daze and took the invitation hesitantly.

The fact that they were invited to the banquet had shocked her enough that her brain couldn't process it. And the crown prince, giving her the invitation personally just added to her confusion.

"T-thank you, Your Highness." Aeris stuttered nervously as she watched the crown prince and Eric turn away from them. Her hand shook as she continued to hold onto the envelope with the royal seal.

After what had happened, every student around couldn't help but stare at Aeris with wonder and confusion, questioning why a human like her would be given the opportunity to visit the palace in the first place.

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