Cursed To The Alpha

Chapter 84

Orelious looks over his shoulder at the door to our chamber. ‘I would like to know why you’re here in Felderia,’ and then momentarily pauses in thought with disdain, ‘I don’t think I could wait till sunrise to know,’ he says and shudders, ‘Oh, how I despise the sunlight, but I would walk the sun-kissed ground forever in a day if it meant being by your side,’ he proclaims in his acentric accent as if reciting her a love poem.

I want to gag.

Imogen leads Orelious, Frederick, and Reed into our room while Mister Kal materialises in a burst of magic at the foot of Imogen's bed, observing the unfolding scene. I close the door behind us and remove my cloak, revealing my true form as a werewolf. The vampires' eyes widen with surprise and confusion, clearly taken aback by the unexpected presence of a werewolf in a tavern, far from their territorial boundaries and without other pack members.

Orelious turns to Reed and Frederick, his voice laced with incredulity. 'A werewolf! Here, in a tavern, without their pack? This is truly peculiar.' His mention of my pack triggers a surge of protectiveness, not just for myself but for Imogen, Janie, Mister Kal, and even begrudgingly, Xander. They have become my pack, despite our differences.

Standing tall with my arms crossed, I meet their gazes head-on as my tail sways gently from side to side. 'I am here with my pack: Imogen, Janie, Xander, and Mister Kal,' I assert with unwavering confidence.

Frederick, Reed, and Orelious exchange bewildered glances. 'A lone Luna leading such an unconventional pack consisting of a human, a werewolf, a witch, and a familiar?' Orelious questions, his voice tinged with disbelief.

At the vampires' initial burst of laughter, Imogen and I maintain stoic expressions. The laughter ends abruptly, replaced by a mixture of astonishment and respect. 'You're serious?' Orelious asks, searching our faces for any signs of jest.

I nod curtly, my gaze unwavering, watching their jaws drop.

The vampires engage in a silent telepathic conversation that feels like an eternity, though in reality, it lasts only a few minutes. Orelious refocuses his attention on me, his curiosity piqued by my shifted form.

'Why are you in this state of partial transformation?' he asks.

'That, Orelious,' I say, struggling to pronounce his name, 'is why we are here. I was human, just like Imogen, back in our world. Janie discovered she was a witch and decided to dabble in the arts of her witchcraft. I wanted to convince her magic wasn’t real, so I ignorantly drank one of her potions she happened to stuff up. Instead of it allowing me to fully shift into a werewolf, it made me have wolf ears, tail and tendencies like a werewolf that I’ve had to hide from everyone in my world. There is a reversal potion that Imogen can make to return me into a human, but the ingredient we need for it only exists here in this world, and that’s a flower plucked from a blossom fox. We are here to track and find one and have had no luck in Moonshade Forest. Xander doesn’t want us near the Sylvan woods as it's too close for his comfort to the Starlight citadel where the Mystic Council reside. So, tomorrow we are going to the witching woods to try our luck there, and then when I have the flower, we can return to my world,' I explain.

Orelious contemplates the situation, acknowledging the complexity of our predicament. 'That is quite the conundrum,' he remarks.

'Imogen and Janie are the only ones who know about this. Imogen begged to come, and Xander reluctantly agreed as long as we followed a very long strict list of boring rules that I must confess I have likely broken more than I care to admit,' I add.

'So, the woman in the adjacent room is Janie, a witch and Xander's mate?' he asks, seeking clarification.

'Yes, that is correct,' I confirm.

Orelious muses aloud, ‘So, Xander is risking his life and all of yours by bringing you here to Felderia to help reverse the potion's effect, all to make his mate happy?’ he says.

‘I guess you could put it that away. Xander and I don’t get along well, so he certainly isn’t doing this as a favour for me,’ I reply.

Orelious raises an eyebrow. 'Well, it's widely known that he despises werewolves, given their role in his father's demise. Can you imagine the reactions when word spreads that he is travelling alongside a werewolf?' he says, glancing at Reed and Frederick.

'It would certainly create quite the gossip,' Frederick adds with a smirk, and Reed joins in with a smile, relishing at the thought.

'Do you all know Xander?' I inquire, curious about their familiarity with him.

'Most would know Xander,' Orelious replies. 'He is the warlock that the Mystic Council relies on for certain tasks. He is widely regarded as one of the most powerful warlocks in Felderia, unmatched in any dual to this day.'

'Duals?' I ask, intrigued by this aspect of their society.

Orelious nods, explaining further, 'Each year, Felderians have the opportunity to participate in the magic tournaments where they engage in duels against their own kind. The winners progress to the next round until one eventually emerges victorious and earns the title of the most powerful representative of their kind. These winners become the individuals the Mystic Council calls upon when they require assistance. Additionally, they are generously rewarded with a substantial amount of gold each year, which is a significant motivation for many contestants. Gretchen dominates the witch category year after year, Raxer has won the wizard trials for the past two years, and Marigold, a fae, emerged as the victor last year. There are champions from various species. The next trials are a few months away.'

'I see,' I nod, absorbing this information, before walking to the window and gazing at the night sky.

Imogen yawns, prompting Orelious to draw her close, running his fingers through her red hair as he tenderly kisses her. 'You should rest, my sweet,' he whispers. 'I will need my sustenance from you each day, which will tire your body. Since you are human, I will ensure you eat and sleep to maintain your energy. I will watch over you as you sleep, guarding you from the terrors of the night,' his voice flowing with a poetic rhythm.

Imogen swoons again, and I find myself resisting the urge to throw a pillow at her.

'Wait!' I interject, turning my attention to Orelious. 'You plan on staying in this room all night while we sleep?' I question, feeling a sense of unease.

'Yes, of course,' he confirms.

'That's a little too creepy for my liking,' I retort, my discomfort evident.

'Vampires rarely sleep, and when we do, it's usually when we are severely injured or unwell due to poison or other factors,' he dismisses my concern with a wave of his hand. 'Knowing that my bloodflame is human, she requires constant protection, which I can provide,' he adds.

'Fine, whatever. Just promise me you won't stare at me while I sleep,' I insist.

'Why would I waste my sight gazing at a wolf when I could spend every waking moment of the moonlight admiring my beloved?' he replies, tenderly kissing Imogen's hand.

'Okay, enough with the lovey-dovey stuff. I want to sleep before I end up outside, howling at the moon and attracting unwanted attention. So, please tell me that Frederick and Reed will at least be leaving?' I request, eager for some privacy.

'Yes, they will depart and return to our coven, informing them that I have found my bloodflame and will not be returning. They will, of course, refrain from mentioning that Imogen is human to prevent the news from reaching the Starlight Citadel,' he assures me.