The Alpha's Cursed Mate

Chapter 29

"Brea—"

I face him and admit, "I drank blood last night. I left the room, went to the kitchens, and drank pig blood."

Alexei stops and stares with a towel in his hand, entirely taken back.

"It's coming true — everything Tabitha said in her book. He's making me into one of those things."

Alexei brings the towel around me and keeps me reined in it. "What book?"

"Her book of shadows. Senet has it now. I-It's the changing — why she says I'm going to kill you and who knows h-how many other people. Everything He gave me never mattered."

Alexei backs me up, sits me on the side of the bed, and crouches before me.

"At Davra's he did something different as I expected. Senet believes he filled me with the poison to change me; my illness wasn't his direct punishment. Clearly it's... It's because I can only consume blood now and I was suffering without it." I take in a deep breath to settle my heart. "His Luna was right; I went into Davra's head and ruined him."

A knock strikes the main doors, and we both look through the open bedchamber door into the living room. Alexei rises and peers down at me, grabbing my shoulders. "Wait here."

He leaves to see whoever it may be.

While I can't quite hear what he says to the person, his frustrated tone tells me it's work. Carden and Larris can only do so much in their otherworldly silence. Alexei undertook my business without a single complaint so I could focus on my bond with the God and cooperation with Senet, and now he's keeping both our packs running smoothly but surely suffering because of it. Something has to give.

"Brea, I'll be right back," he calls.

I wait until the apartment doors close to stand from the bed. I can't save myself — that ship has sailed — but I also can't sit here and do nothing while Alexei endures the consequences of my choices. I need him to be impenetrable to me. I don't want to look at him in the eyes and muddle his mind like I did to Davra, and I would rather die than feel his bones break under my grasp. The image of myself covered in his blood haunts me from my dream; all of it is deplorable.

I slip into the washroom, lock the doors behind me, and tug the linen curtains closed over each door's window. The bath is full and the scent of hyacinth lingers. My robe still lies draped over the washstand, so I drop the towel and wear it instead. I haven't cast the incantation since He created the Goddess' steps, but it flees my lips effortlessly.

Alexei would be furious if he knew I was breaking my promise to him, but he hasn't had someone sacrifice for his own protection; he thinks he's capable of protecting himself, but he won't be able to hurt me if I succumb to vampirism and come after him. If his life depends on it, I can't trust he'll be able to cut off my head as the Alphas did to the first vampires, so I must do this.

The washroom windows to the outside dim as though the sun is rapidly setting. The tiles under my feet buckle and crack. I latch onto the door handles, highly strung after our encounter in the forest last night. My hands ache from the pressure, but I suddenly fall backward as the doors recede behind me. I hit the ground and look back; the wall of the washroom is gone — the bedchamber as well — replaced by infinite blackness. I anchor myself on the bathtub to get to my feet, and I face the void with my hands fisted at my sides.

"You scared me last night, but I'm not afraid anymore."

His clawed hand reaches beside my head and gathers my hair to one side. Instinctively, I jolt forward, my heart hurtling into my chest. I turn and see the God waiting next to the tub; He dips his long, boney finger into the water.

"Stop preying on me with these mind games. I know your history and what's happening to me," I claim. "All I ask is to leave my mate out of it; I won't hurt him."

The God turns His back.

"You won't be able to poison me anymore if you don't protect him."

He looks to the side. "What's done is done."

"You're finished?"

The corner of the washroom starts to vanish into shadow. He approaches it, so I blurt, "No — wait!"

"The changing comes with time." He melts into the dark. "Your time is up."

The shadow shrinks from the edges inward; I race toward it but collide with the joining walls, not quick enough to try and stop Him. I hit them with the sides of my fists then shout in vexation. I lean into the corner and turn to my back, sinking to the washroom floor and holding my legs folded.

My time is up — that's all.

Without sway over the God, I'm as powerless as I once was, that is, until His venom consumes me whole. I stare into the washroom doors and consider running far away — far from Alexei and Senet and our cities, anyone and anything I care for. If the venom deteriorates my mind, then there's no use in staying and destroying everything I once loved.

I could go to the west or to the East Islands or even farther than that if a place so exists. All I ask is for one last night in my mate's arms.

A knock taps the washroom doors. "Brea? Are you alright?"

I comb my fingers through my hair and pick myself up as Alexei tries the door handles. I unlock the doors and open one to ease his anxiety. He looks me over, but I end his analysis short when I chose to hug him tightly as though I may never do so again.

"It's alright," he coos and rubs my back. "Don't worry."

I press my cheek into his shoulder and shut my eyes.

"Okay," I murmur.

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Shorter update again but expect the next few to be normal or longer in length. Thanks for liking and leaving comments, and I hope to see you in the next one!❤️