Cursed To The Alpha

Chapter 37

‘So, looks like you can’t dob me into them after all, without having your precious Janie getting into trouble either,’ I smile.

‘No, I won’t tell them, but that doesn’t mean they won’t find out. If it were this easy for me to find Janie here through the tweets of a bluebird, then it would be just as easy for them to find out about both of you.’

‘Surely, they aren’t going to waste their time over us? I can’t even fully transform into a werewolf as it is. I’m not a threat to anyone,' I say, trying to reason with Xander.

I can see the anger and disgust across Xander's face as he glares at me. His eyes pierce through me, and I can feel his animosity towards me. He's tense, and his arms are crossed tightly over his chest, indicating he is on the defensive.

Xander's face twists with bitterness as he looks at me, his words cutting through me. 'Yet, you almost killed Martha today, and don’t tell me you haven’t had the urge to rip my throat out either,' Xander responds with a hint of bitterness. 'You can’t control your primal instincts to kill. That’s why your kind is not permitted here. Werewolves see blood when angry, and the urge to kill consumes them. Werewolves are ferocious beasts that can’t be domesticated. I would know as I’ve had my fair share of dealing with your kind, and I’d be glad to see them come to an end as they deserve.'

I feel a lump in my throat at his words, hurt and frustrated by how he's painting werewolves. 'My kind? What is your problem, Xander? Why do you hate werewolves so much?' I ask, my voice tinged with anger.

‘Because I’ve seen some of your kind lose their humanity in Felderia and are responsible for so many deaths, including my fathers,’ he glares.

The room falls into a sombre silence as I speak. 'I'm sorry about your father, Xander,' I say, my voice softening with empathy. 'But I'm not to blame for his death.'

Xander's face hardens, his jaw clenching as he struggles to contain his emotions. He wants to be angry with me, to lash out and blame me for his father’s death, but he knows deep down that I have a point. The tension in the air is thick, and I can feel his piercing gaze drilling into me as if he's trying to read my every thought.

I hold his gaze, not backing down but not wanting to escalate the situation further. I now know the conflict between werewolves and warlocks runs deep in Felderia, and it isn't easy to find common ground. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, Xander lets out a deep sigh, and his shoulders relax.

'Maybe you're right,' he concedes, his voice heavy with the weight of his words. 'But it doesn't change the fact that werewolves are dangerous creatures.’

Janie stares between us, anxious that we might never get along. ‘You know what might help this situation?’ she says with an awkward laugh. ‘Tea, a nice herbal tea,’ she says and flicks her hand towards her tea trolley in the corner of the room, ‘Lifto Levitatious,’ she says. The trolley wheels to Janie and stops before her while teaspoons fly around and scoop herbs from the jars into the mini strainer inside the teapot. ‘Oh, the teapot water is cold. One moment,’ she says and places her hands on either side of the pot, ‘Inferno Flamo,’ she says, keeping her hands hovering while the water heats up. Once the teapot whistles, she removes her hands. ‘Lifto Levitatious,’ she says again, and the teapot fills each teacup, and one floats over to Xander while another floats over to me. Janie takes her teacup, sips, and smiles. ‘It’s so pleasant to be in the best company, don’t you think, Rose?’ she beams.

‘Oh, so pleasant,’ I grumble as Xander and I sip our tea glaring at each other.

‘So, tell me, Xander. How many werewolves are there in Felderia?’ I ask him.

‘There’s probably around a hundred packs amongst the lands. Most packs would have at least three hundred members, some much more, some much smaller. Each pack is different,’ he says.

Curiosity getting the better of me, I press on with my questions. ‘How many werewolves have you seen kill others in Felderia?’

‘Personally, I’ve seen two, but it would have been three if I and others didn’t intervene and spellbind the rogue alpha in the witching woods. Other Felderians gather at the taverns and tell stories of the werewolves they’ve seen turn violent and kill after their fated mates were brutally killed.’

‘How were their fated mates killed?’ I ask.

‘By other werewolves, out of revenge, wraiths, banshees, quinserps, skull-hides. Many other creatures. Felderia isn’t all sunshine and lollipops. Felderia may appear beautiful at first glance but has many hidden dangers, even in the places you least expect. There are just as many dark and dangerous creatures and supernaturals as good ones.

‘So, the werewolves became deadly after their fated mates were killed?’ I ask.

‘Yes, because fated mates are the other half of a werewolf's soul, and the bond between them is unbreakable. When a fated mate dies, the surviving werewolf slowly loses their humanity and becomes completely feral, losing control of their wolf form. They are aggressive and violent, attacking anyone or anything that comes near them. The only way for them to regain their sanity is if they’re given a second chance, mate, which I’ve never seen happen before.’

‘Okay, so what are werewolves like before they have fated mates and when they’re with their fated mates?’

‘Usually civil, I guess. Thankfully, it’s rare to see a werewolf in Felderia as they keep to their packs and rarely leave their territories. They tend not to mingle with other creatures in Felderia.’

‘How did your father happen to be killed by a werewolf?’