Cursed To The Alpha

Chapter 99

Warrick, Xander, Janie and I step back from the dire stare he gives us. A shadowy mist emanates from every pore of his body, swirling ominously around him like a cloak of darkness.

I make a mental note never to wake his bloodflame up before the sun rises.

'Oh, Orelious, calm your farm,' Imogen retorts, dismissing his frustration.

'I don't have a farm... I have a coven,' he replies with a hint of confusion.

We erupt into laughter, the tension dissipating from the sudden amusement.

'Dare I ask what is so funny?' Orelious inquires, his gaze shifting between us and his aura calming.

'I'm sure you'll figure it out when you return to our world with us,' Imogen replies with a smile.

As my stomach emits rumbles and growls, I can't help but groan in frustration. Janie, perceptive as always, chuckles at my perpetual appetite.

'You’re always hungry,' she teases, her laughter ringing through the air.

Warrick chimes in, enlightening Janie about the voracious appetites of werewolves. 'Werewolves eat three times as much as other Felderians,' he explains. 'Each shift, we burn significant amounts of fat and energy as we run. Let me hunt for some food,' he says, casually removing his pants and tossing them in my direction.

Imogen and Janie swiftly avert their eyes, their attention shifting elsewhere to avoid an accidental glimpse of Warrick's exposed form. With an exasperated sigh, I catch the pants in mid-air, irritated by his tendency to use me as a makeshift clothesline.

‘Will you stop throwing your pants at me!’ I shout behind him.

Warrick lets loose a resounding howl, the haunting sound piercing the air as he vanishes into the shadows of the surrounding trees, his powerful strides carrying him swiftly through the night.

'Mangey mongrel,' I mutter under my breath, annoyance and fondness intermingling in my words.

Amidst the crackling of the low fire, an intense silence falls upon us, heavy with unspoken thoughts and curiosity. I glance up, meeting the intense gazes of my friends, each pair of eyes seeming to bore into my very being. I reach down to pet Mister Kal, who sits by my side.

The weight of their scrutiny becomes too much to bear, and I finally break the silence with a question, my voice laced with confusion. 'Why are you all looking at me like that?' I ask, my fingers finding comfort in the soft fur beneath my touch.

‘All right, fine. I’ll ask her,’ Imogen blurts out. 'Moments after Warrick was freed, he left, and you followed. Now you've returned. We can't help but wonder what happened in that time you spent with him. What did he say to you? What did you say to him?' she asks.

A myriad of emotions swirls within me, entangled like a delicate web, as I grapple with the complexities of my thoughts and feelings toward Warrick and the memories of Brad.

‘Warrick said he doesn’t know why the goddess granted him this chance to be with me, but regardless of how I feel towards him, he won’t be throwing this chance away,’ I tell them.

Imogen's eyes sparkle with a hint of romanticism, her heart easily swept away by the notion of Warrick fighting for my love. But Janie and Xander exchange a silent glance of concern.

Gathering my thoughts, I gaze away, seeking solace in the flickering flames that dance before me. Pain resonates within me as I speak of Brad, the wounds still fresh and tender, as if time has yet to heal the deep scars inflicted upon my heart.

'I can't deny that it still hurts, even now,' I confess, my voice tinged with sadness. 'The memories of everything that transpired between me and Brad remain raw, like an open wound that refuses to mend.' I take a deep breath, steadying myself before continuing.

'I don't want this. I never want to be in a relationship again or to have a mate,' I admit, the weight of my words lingering in the air. 'My life was perfect before Brad entered it, and when I finally let him in, it shattered me. He broke my heart in ways I couldn't fathom. I can't bear to go through that pain again.'

A flicker of pain crosses my eyes as memories threaten to overwhelm me, their tendrils reaching out from the depths of my heart. 'I haven't mentioned Brad to Warrick, and I don't plan on it,' I confess. 'I told him not to pursue me because I don't desire a mate or a romantic entanglement. That my time as a werewolf is nearing its end, and stepping through the portal to return home will only complicate matters further and make it harder on him.'

'We understand,' Xander says, 'But remember, should you change your mind and choose to stay with Warrick in Felderia, you will be constantly endangered. When the mystic council discovers you are Warrick's mate, your life will be in peril. And it’s too dangerous for him to go with you into your world. You need to also remember Warrick is a monster, after all.’

I flinch at his words and his dire reminder. ’Warrick is a villain here in Felderia, and changing realms or him now having a mate, makes him no less of a monster. The bond may deceive you into believing he is not entirely wicked, but remember, he was magically bound in the witching woods as punishment. Attempting to kill Gretchen and her coven sisters, not to mention the havoc he wreaked in the Starlight Citadel, his desperate bid to reach the mystic council for reasons best left unknown to me. In agreement with Gretchen and using myself, the council chose to bind him within these very woods, casting a curse upon him instead of banishing him to the treacherous crystal mines. They understood he would pose too great a danger, potentially massacring the Felderians necessary for mining and maintaining the Starlight Citadel's essence. Also, Brad has already caused you more than enough physical and emotional pain. Regardless of the mate bond you share, he’s just as dangerous,’ Xander warns me.

Tremors seize my body as the weight of Xander's words sinks in. I feel like a fool, completely blindsided by my own ignorance. Though I never harboured any intentions of forming a romantic relationship with Warrick, I allowed myself to become complacent, sitting beside him as if he were an ordinary companion. In truth, he is a ferocious beast who had once attempted to snuff out the lives of others.

Suddenly, I catch snippets of Orelious and Imogen's whispered conversation. 'Who's Brad?' Orelious queries, his voice hushed.

Imogen responds, her voice barely above a whisper, forgetting my heightened werewolf hearing. 'I'll explain later. Just refrain from mentioning him in Warrick's presence.'