Chapter 24
“The whole situation,” I replied curtly.
They frowned, and I scrunched my nose in annoyance -not at them, but at the beings who had put me in this predicament.
Il in love?” I scoffed. “Pift.”
-Fall in
Knox sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Alaric-”
“No.” I turned to face them fully. “Do you understand how insane this is? I can win wars, crush kingdoms, strike fear into entire packs, bu: I have to–what? Make someone fall in love with me?”
Silence.
Mira’s cleared her throat. “Well yeah. That’s kind of how curses work.”
I shot her a glare.
She at least had the decency to look mildly uncomfortable. “Look,” she continued, folding her arms, “it’s not that hard-”
fall in love with every man who looks your way,” I snapped. “Your opinion doesn’t count.”
-You ta
Knox choked on his laughter while Mira’s scowled. “Excuse me?”
I ignored her, pacing the length of the chamber. My mind raced.
Two petals gone.
Four left
The witches had never given a timeframe. Never said how long it would take before the curse reached its end.
I had assumed I had more time.
Now I wasn’t so sure.
Knox finally spoke, his voice calm but firm. “It’s not impossible, Alaric. You just have to-
“What? Be charming?” I barked out a humorless laugh. “Oh yes, let me go woo an omega who was forced into my life and just hope she somehow falls madly in love with me.”
Knox exhaled. “She did volunteer.”
I scoffed. “Volunteer? She offered herself to survive. She didn’t choose me.”
Mira’s hummed. “That sounds like a you problem.
I turned sharply. “Do you want to die today?”
She grinned. “Not particularly. But, if I’m being honest, you’ve been cursed for years and this is the first time the petals have fallen. What changed”
1 clenched my jaw,
I knew the answer.
But I didn’t want to say it out loud.
Mira’s smirked, tilting her head. “It wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain omega who can’t seem to keep her mouth shut, would
Knox exhaled heavily. “Mira.”
“What?” She raised her hands. Tm just saying-
I cut her off “Don’t.”
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Chapter 21
Knox ran a hand down his face. “Look, we’re running out of options here.”
I turned to him, irritated. “And what do you suggest? That I court her? Take her for a stroll through the gardens? Write her poetry?”
Knox shrugged. “Wouldn’t kill you.”
I glared
He grinned. “Alright, alright. Maybe skip the poetry.”
Mira’s smirked. “Maybe try being nice to her.”
1 scoffed. “I was nice. I didn’t kill her when she insulted me.”
Knox groaned. “That is not the same thing.”
Mira’s clicked her tongue. “No wonder you’re single.”
I turned my glare to her. “One more word-
She held up her hands, still grinning “Fine No more words.”
I clenched my jaw, inhaling sharply.
This entire situation was fucking ridiculous.
Liana wasn’t supposed to matter.
She was supposed to be a temporary fixture. A solution to a different problem–one I could control.
But she had defied every expectation.
She was bold. Fearless, even when she should be afraid.
And now!
Now she was a problem I didn’t know how to fix.
I exhaled harshly, shaking my head.
No.
It didn’t matter.
I would figure it out
I always figured it out.
Without another word, I turned and left the chamber, my boots striking hard against the stone floors.
Knox and Mira didn’t follow
They knew better.
Because right now?
I was fucking furious.
I stormed out of the chamber, my thoughts a tangled mess of frustration and unwanted emotions.
Love.
That was the answer?
The witches had cursed me to suffer for eternity unless I managed to do the one thing I was never built for–fall in love and have it returned
I scoffed, the sound bitter.
Chapter 24
They should’ve just put a blade to my throat. It would’ve been easier.
I needed to burn off this anger.
I made my way to the training grounds, where the guards were already going through their morning drills. The moment they saw me approaching, they stiffened, saluting before stepping aside.
They knew better than to get in my way when I was like this.
I grabbed a training sword, rolling my shoulders before stepping onto the field. My eyes locked onto the closest guard. “You.”
The poor bastard paled.
I didn’t wait for a response–I lunged.
Sweat dripped down my back as I struck again, forcing my opponent backward. The clash of steel against steel rang through the air, but it was clear I had already won
The guard stumbled, barely managing to parry my next attack before falling to his knees, panting.
I lowered my sword. “Enough.”
He exhaled in relief, nodding before stepping away.
I turned to the rest of them. “Next.”
No one moved.
Cowards.
I was about to call another when I felt it-
Eyes on me.
I didn’t need to tu
Liana
to turn to know who it was.
She was standing by the edge of the field, arms crossed, watching me with that unreadable expression.
My body tensed involuntarily.
I hated that I noticed her. Hated that I always did.
I met her gaze, raising an eyebrow. “Enjoying the show, little wolf?”
1
She scoffed. “I was bored and you happened to be in my line of sight.”
Liar.
I smirked, stepping closer. “If you’re so bored, why don’t you join me!”
Liana blinked. “Join you?”
I tossed her one of the training swords. She caught it–barely.
“You’re already training with Knox,” I said, tilting rpy head. “Might as well learn properly.”
Tjana hesitated, glancing at the sword in her hands. “You’re seriously going to teach me?“
I shrugged. “You need it more than most.”
She scowled. “Gee, thanks”
ry to hit me.”
I smirked. “Try
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Chapter 21
She narrowed her eyes. “What?”
I stepped back, motioning to her sword. “Try to hit me”
Liana scoffed. “That’s ridiculous.”
I didn’t move. “Scared?”
Her grip tightened around the hill “Of you! Never.”
I hid my grin.
She took a breath, adjusting her stance before swinging
Sloppy. Unbalanced Weak.
I dodged easily, stepping to the side as her blade cut through empty air.
Liana stumbled slightly, cursing
chuckled “Pathetic.”
She whirled eyes flashing. “I hate you”
I smirked “Good Use that
Liana adjusted her grip, frustration clear on her face. This time, she didn’t hesitate–she lunged.
Better.
Still not enough.
I parried easily, knocking her sword aside. She growled in frustration
“Stop thinking.” I told her, blocking another strike. “You’re hesitating”
She glared. “I don’t hesitate.”
I stepped forward, closing the distance between us in a blink. She barely had time to react before I hooked my foot behind her ankle and swept her legs out from under her.
Lian hit the ground hard, sword flying from her grip
She groaned, staring up at the sky. “I hate you.”
I smirked, crouching beside her. “You already said that.”
Her
reyes met mine, heat flickering in their emerald depths.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Her chest rose and fell quickly, her breaths uneven
I noticed the way her lips parted slightly, the way her fingers twitched against the grass–like she wanted to hit me but also something
Something dangerous,
I leaned in slightly, “Again?”
Liana exhaled, her glare sharp. “You wish
I chuckled, standing and holding out a hand.
Iit warily before finally a
accepting, letting me pull h
her to her feel
Her fingers w
were war against mine
Chapter 24
I dropped her hand quickly, looking away. “You’re sloppy.”
She rolled her eyes. “Thanks for the constructive criticism.”
I smirked. “You wanted me to be nice?”
She sighed dramatically. “Gods, I hate you.
“Three times now,” I mused. “You sure a
about that?”
She hesitated.
Just for a fraction of a second.
But I caught i
Liana clenched her jaw. “If you’re done making me question my life choices, I’m leaving.”
I tilted my head. “Done already?”
She shot me a glare before turning on her heel.
I watched her go, exhaling slowly.
This was a problem.
A very big problem
She wasn’t just defiant. She wasn’t just hold,
She was.. something else.
Something dangerous.
Something I could lose myself in.
I ran a hand through my hair, sighi
- ng.
Then, before I could stop myself, I called after her.
“What’s your end goal in all of this?”
Liana stopped.
She turned slowly, her expression unreadable.
“I don’t understand,” she said,
I studied her, my chest tightening with something I didn’t want to name.
But I needed to know.
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