The Mafia King's Deadly Returned

Xander's POV

I am Xander Thorne, the Alpha of the Lunar Howlers pack.

Today, I come to the Moon Goddess, searching for a solution to the curse that has haunted me for far too long.

My heart feels heavy as I walks toward the oracle.

The oracle sees me, she speaks calmly, "Come. I have been waiting for you."

Confused, I stop walking and stare at her, "You were waiting for me?" I ask.

She nods slowly.

"I know why you are here. You have come searching for a way to break your curse."

I swallow hard before answering.

"Yes, I don't understand what is happening to me. These strange dreams keep following me everywhere. No matter how much I try, they refuse to leave me alone."

The oracle remains silent for a moment before pointing toward the center, "Step into the shadow of the Moon Goddess."

I walk forward and stand exactly where she tells me. Moonlight touches my body, glowing silver mist begins rising around me.

The moon and star symbols carved into the floor beneath my feet begin glowing faintly.

I notice the oracle staring at them with widened eyes.

Shock spreads across her face.

"One of you must die."

My entire body freezes.

"This curse will not disappear without taking someone with it."

Her words hit me like a punch to the chest.

"What?" I whisper.

"There has to be another way. Is there no cure?"

The oracle looks at me seriously.

"There is only one path."

She pauses.

"You must choose your Luna as soon as possible."

I stare at her. "My Luna?"

She nods. "Yes. But she will not be an ordinary Luna."

"She will be the one destined to die... a sacrifice meant only for the Alpha."

My eyes widen in disbelief.

"What? But that's impossible."

She interrupts me before I can finish.

"Time is running out, Alpha Xander."

"Every moment you waste brings the curse closer."

"Find your Luna before it is too late."

I stand there frozen. Questions fill my mind, but no answers come. Finally, I nod before turning away.

Heavy rain continues pouring from the dark sky as I drive toward the city area, gripping the steering wheel tightly while the oracle's words keep repeating inside my head, Find your Luna before it is too late.

I step out of the car holding a black umbrella while rainwater floods the streets around me. The moment people notice me walking through the crowded road, whispers spread instantly. My entire pack, standing nearby with some of my men, stares at me in confusion because they know I never come here personally.

Then suddenly, my eyes stop on her. A beautiful girl stands alone under the tiny shade of a building corner, trying desperately to protect herself from the heavy rain. Her clothes are slightly wet, strands of hair sticking to her face while she hugs herself from the cold.

Something inside me freezes. My wolf becomes restless. My heartbeat suddenly feels strange. Without thinking further, I walk straight toward her. She notices me approaching and looks confused.

Before she can move away, I grab her hand. Gasps spread around us as everyone watches. Ignoring the shocked faces around me, I pull her toward my car and open the door. "Get inside," I say.

She immediately resists. "What are you doing?! Leave me!" she shouts, struggling against my grip. I look directly into her eyes and asks, "Will you become my Luna?"

Then a SLAP! Her palm lands hard across my face. My head slightly turns from the force while my entire pack freezes in horror because nobody has ever dared to touch Alpha Xander Thorne like this before.

She glares at me angrily and says, "Are you insane?!"

She looks directly into my eyes with anger burning across her face.

"I will never become the Luna of someone as cruel as you, understand, Mr. Alpha? Let me go."

I move closer while sitting beside her inside the car. Rain continues hitting the windows as silence fills the space between us.

"You should understand something," I say quietly. "When I want something, I get it."

She immediately shakes her head, "I am not scared of you."

Her voice becomes louder.

"You can kill me if you want, but I will never become your Luna."

A small smile appears on my face. Slowly, I extend my hand toward her. She pushes my hand away instantly.

I look at her carefully.

"Your name is Seraphina Carter."

Her expression changes.

"You are preparing for NEET exams."

She freezes.

"You live with only your old grandmother."

The color disappears from her face.

I smile, "Grandma..."

Fear suddenly appears in her eyes.

"No... no, please.." she says quickly. "Don't do anything to my grandmother."

She immediately tries opening the car door, but it doesn't move.

Locked.

Panic spreads across her face as she pulls the handle again.

Seraphina keeps arguing with me the entire time, calling me cruel, selfish, heartless, and completely insane for forcing her into this situation. Rain continues hitting the windows while her voice fills the car.

"I hate you! I don't even know you! Why are you doing this to me?" she says angrily before suddenly stopping when thoughts of her grandmother return. Fear slowly replaces anger in her eyes. "Please... don't involve my grandma," she whispers.

I stay quiet for a moment before taking out a contract and placing it in front of her. She looks at it with confusion before reading through the pages. Her face immediately changes.

"What is this?" she asks nervously.

"A contract," I answer, "You become my Luna temporarily until this curse is solved, and afterward, you're free."

She continues reading before freezing at one line. "An heir?" she whispers while looking up at me. I nod slowly. "You will have to give me an heir. After that, your freedom is yours.

She immediately shakes her head. "No... no, I can't..." Her eyes become watery while she thinks about her grandmother sitting alone at home. Minutes pass in silence before she closes her eyes tightly. Finally, with trembling hands, she picks up the pen.

"I hate this... and I hate you," she says quietly before signing the papers. I take the contract back while she turns her face toward the window.

The journey back to my kingdom feels strangely silent. Seraphina sits beside me without saying much, occasionally looking outside the window with empty eyes while rain slowly disappears behind us.

Hours later, the massive gates of my kingdom open, revealing enormous walls, glowing torches, ancient stone pathways, and warriors standing in lines as their Alpha returns.

We enter, whispers spread everywhere because nobody expects me to return with a girl beside me. Without wasting time, I take Seraphina directly toward where the oracle waits.

We walk inside, the oracle turns toward us and a small smile appears on her face. "Good," she says calmly. "You found your Luna."

I nod once. "Yes." Seraphina immediately looks confused and angry.

Before she can continue, the oracle raises her hand. "There is little time." She points toward the center, where moonlight pours from an opening above. "Stand beneath the Moon Goddess's light."

I walk forward first before looking back at Seraphina. After hesitating for a few seconds, she slowly walks beside me. We stand together, silver light falls around us and glowing mist begins rising from the floor again.

Strange symbols carved into the ground begin glowing beneath our feet. Seraphina looks around nervously while I notice the oracle watching carefully.

Then the oracle steps forward holding two ancient silver rings. "Place these rings upon each other," she says quietly. Seraphina immediately looks at the ring before looking at me.

The oracle nods slowly. "Under the Moon Goddess's light, these rings will bind your destinies together."

I pick up one ring while Seraphina hesitates for several seconds before slowly taking the other one.

I slowly take the silver ring and hold Seraphina's trembling hand. She immediately tries pulling back. Slowly, I slide the ring onto her finger.

The symbols beneath our feet glow brighter for a second before fading again. Seraphina stares at the ring silently before taking the second ring with shaking hands. "I still don't like you," she says quietly. "Noted," I answer.

She rolls her eyes before placing the ring onto my finger. The moment she does, cold wind suddenly moves through as silver light surrounds us briefly. The oracle watches carefully before finally speaking. "The bond is complete."

Seraphina immediately looks confused. "Now what?" I look toward the guards standing outside the temple doors. "Take her to the palace. Make sure she gets everything she needs."

Seraphina immediately looks at me for several seconds before finally walking away with the bodyguards. Before disappearing from sight, she turns once more. "I still think you're crazy, Mr. Alpha."

I simply watch her leave. The moment the temple doors close behind her, silence returns. I finally turn toward the oracle. "Now tell me everything."

The oracle's expression immediately changes. "You do not have much time, Alpha Xander." I frown. "What does that mean?" She slowly walks toward the glowing moon symbols beneath our feet. "The Luna bond alone is not enough. The curse inside you continues growing stronger."

My jaw tightens. "Then how do I stop it?" The oracle looks directly into my eyes before speaking words that make my entire body freeze. "Your Luna must carry your future."

I stare at her. "What?" She continues calmly, "The curse cannot simply disappear. It must leave you and move forward before it destroys you completely."

My hands slowly form fists. "You mean..." The oracle nods slowly. "You must act quickly. If time runs out before the curse leaves your bloodline..." She pauses. "Then both you may lose everything."

I continue staring at the oracle, trying to understand her words. "Then tell me clearly," I say impatiently. "What exactly do I have to do?

The oracle remains silent for a moment before speaking calmly. "Your Luna must carry your future." My expression hardens. "You mean she must become pregnant?" The oracle slowly nods. "Yes... but not through force."

I remain silent while she continues. "Listen carefully, Alpha Xander. The Moon Goddess does not bless bonds created through fear. Your heir will not come into existence until both hearts accept each other willingly."

The oracle looks directly into my eyes. "Your Luna must choose you herself. There must be trust, consent, and love between both of you. Without that, the curse will remain exactly where it is."

The oracle continues, "You wanted a solution. This is your solution. You cannot command fate like you command your pack."

I stay quiet. She slowly walks around the glowing symbols before continuing, "You must make her accept you willingly. You must create a bond strong enough that both of your souls recognize each other completely."

My jaw tightens. "And if she never does?" The oracle looks toward the moonlight above us. "Then the curse remains."

The oracle speaks calmly, "Your heir will only come into existence when your Luna accepts you completely." I frown. "Completely?"

She nods slowly. "Not only with words. Not only through duty. She must accept you with her heart, mind, and soul. Only then will the Moon Goddess allow your future to exist."

I remain quiet while processing her words. The oracle continues, "A forced bond creates nothing. Fear creates nothing. Only a willing bond carries enough power to defeat this curse."

My jaw tightens again. "And if that never happens?" The oracle looks toward the moonlight above us. "Then the curse remains exactly where it is."

"Remember this carefully. Your Luna is part of the price fate demands." I stare at her. "Price?" The oracle nods slowly. "She is not simply your Luna. She is the sacrifice tied to your destiny."

The oracle continues softly, "Do not forget why fate brought her into your life, Alpha. Because the closer you grow to what is meant to be sacrificed... the harder destiny becomes."

TO BE COUNTINUE...!!!