Cursed To The Alpha

Chapter 96

My body instinctively kicks and flails, desperate to break free from the watery embrace. I claw at the grassy edge, my heart pounding with surprise and annoyance. Finally, I pull myself out of the river, water cascading down my face as I glare at Warrick, who stands there with an unmistakable smirk of satisfaction.

'You beast! Why did you do that?' I growl, my frustration bubbling to the surface.

Warrick shrugs, his eyes gleaming mischievously. ‘You were covered in mud. I thought I’d help you clean up since it was me who got you dirty in the first place,’ he says.

I squeeze the excess water from my clothes, feeling irritated. Looking up, I see Warrick standing there, thankfully clothed in his pants, his grin failing miserably at hiding something. Curiosity tugs at me, and I can't help but ask, 'What is it?'

'Nothing,' he says, avoiding my gaze, his unease evident.

My ears flatten against my head, and my tail ceases its swaying as I look down, noticing my now see-through shirt clinging to my damp skin. Making the situation worse, I am not wearing a bra, either. Heat floods my cheeks, and I quickly cross my arms over my chest, feeling the weight of embarrassment settle upon me. I turn away, heading towards a grove of trees, seeking privacy away from Warrick.

Warrick notices my discomfort and tries to alleviate it with his words. ‘You know it’s normal for werewolves to walk around naked all the time and not batt an eyelid. You shouldn’t be embarrassed about it, nor do you have anything to be embarrassed about. You’re incredibly beautiful,’ Warrick shrugs. His voice tinged with sincerity.

I stop and turn to face him, still hugging myself. I should be flattered he thinks I’m beautiful, but I don’t want him thinking of me this way. It will only make it harder on himself when I leave Felderia and reverse the potion’s effects.

‘Warrick, you forget I’m not normal, and humans don’t prance around naked. We only allow our lovers or lifelong partners to see what’s underneath our clothes. Also, Warrick, it was obvious you were batting more than your eyelids at me,’ I tell him and gesture between his legs at his bulge.

‘Okay, well, you got me there. I just didn’t want you to feel awkward or embarrassed, and I am your fated mate, after all. So -’ he says, running his hands through his hair.

‘Warrick, I already told you,’ I say, cutting in, ‘I’m not going to be your mate. You can’t refer to me as your fated mate, mate, girlfriend or whatever other contexts that puts me in the category as your lover,’ I tell him.

Warrick scowls, looking away with frustration and disappointment, as I continue towards the trees and lay on the other side of the grove on the grass under the sunshine to dry myself in privacy.

As the front of my clothes dries, I roll onto my stomach to bask in the warmth of the sun, allowing its gentle rays to dry my back. Through the small cluster of trees, I catch a glimpse of Warrick pacing back and forth, his demeanour brooding and filled with distress. He leans against a large boulder, sliding down until he sits on the ground, his eyes fixated on the grass as if lost in a sea of thoughts. Empathy tugs at my heart, recognising the turmoil he must be experiencing. But I remind myself that I have my own pressing concerns to attend to. I need to stay focused on the task at hand and maintain distance from Warrick, no matter how difficult it may be.

Once my clothes are completely dry, I return through the trees. Warrick swiftly rises to his feet, and any trace of the earlier distress is carefully concealed. I approach him, my voice barely above a whisper as I stand before him.

'Warrick,' I say, meeting his gaze.

'Yes?' he responds, his head tilting slightly, a glimmer of hope dancing in his eyes.

I give him a serious look. 'You need to remain focused on fulfilling your end of the bargain. We freed you so that you could find me a blossom fox. Please return to the task at hand and refrain from any further distractions along the way,' I assert, determined to maintain a clear boundary.

The hope in his eyes fades, his shoulders subtly slumping as a weight settles upon him. His gaze bores into mine, and I notice the movement of his jaw as he gathers his thoughts and finally speaks.

'The curse led me to believe I would never meet my fated mate, that I would never experience love. Yet the goddess granted me this chance with you. I may not understand why she has given me this opportunity when you resist the connection between us, but I refuse to throw it away, Rose,' he declares, his eyes locked on mine.

'Warrick, the more you try to pursue me, the more it will hurt when I step through the portal and return home without you. The bond between us may sever the moment I leave Felderia or perhaps when I consume the reversal potion. It's better to end it now before trying to pursue anything with me. I don't want you to suffer from a broken heart,' I explain with sadness.

Warrick stares at me with disbelief. He shakes his head and chuckles, stepping closer to me. Instinctively, I retreat, my back pressing against a tree, feeling its sturdy presence behind me. Warrick places his hands on either side of me, effectively trapping me in his proximity. He leans in, his warm breath teasing my ear, setting my heart ablaze with desire.

‘You don’t want me suffering from a broken heart, yet here you are crushing it, with every word you speak, with every movement of your lips that should be on mine. You stomp on it every time you move, adding space between us. You’re crushing it with each breath you take, to not give into the bond, to be with me, to want me. As for ending it, before it starts, you’ll find that ship has long-sailed,’ he says and whispers, ‘You see, it started the moment I smelt your sweet vanilla and rose scent, the moment your blue eyes locked onto mine, the first touch of our skin. It had begun the moment you became first aroused,’ his words send my stomach soaring with butterflies and my core aflame with a need for him to touch me.

My head instinctively turns, our eyes meeting with a magnetic force. My hand yearns to stroke his cheek, to give in to the magnetic pull between us. My body is screaming at me to break my own rules, but my heart is telling me to stop, to be weary, and to run as far away as possible.