The Alpha's Little Witch | Completed ✔️

Chapter 28

JASLYNN

I started praying to every God known to mankind.

Please don't tell me he went to the cave himself. Please don't tell me he abandoned me. Please don't tell me he's trying to be the hero when he can't.

I ran out of the room and down the stairs toward the Minister's office.

"Minister!" I panted, slamming his door open without knocking and startling him in his seat, "Alrik's gone!"

His eyes widened, "Gone? I talked to him this morning!"

"He's not there. His stuff is missing too," I said, dropping to my knees on the verge of hysteria, "Minister, I made him promise that he wouldn't go to the cave last night."

The Minister stood up from his seat and walked over to me quickly before kneeling beside me, "Pull yourself together, Jaslynn. This isn't like you."

"I've been a wreck. I'm usually not this emotional," I muttered, taking the handkerchief from his hands to blow my nose.

"Well, I can tell you part of the reason. Your heat is coming. I didn't realize this yesterday, but it's been a few days since Alpha Alrik marked you, right?"

My heat. No wonder I had been sobbing at every corner. My attachment to Alrik had increased, and all this added stress was making my hormonal levels fluctuate all over the place.

"You're in no position to travel like this," the Minister said, straightening and walking back to his chair.

I stood up as well and followed him to his desk, "Then what can we do?"

"You are going to find Alpha Alrik and stay with him. I'm going to the cave."

The handkerchief fell from my hands.

"Y-you're what?" I asked in disbelief, "Minister, are you serious?"

He nodded gravely, "I am, and I have no regrets about my decision either so do not try to argue. I have contacted Mr. Daxton, and he has agreed to send me five of his best dragon warriors to accompany me. Since Ester and Bartholomew don't know anything about the cave, I'm hoping having dragons with me will make it easier to negotiate with the rogue dragons."

"You have got to be kidding me."

"No joking here, Jaslynn. Mr. Daxton has assured me that the rogue dragons won't harm me if I don't provoke them. But in case they do attack, his warriors will be able to hold them off."

I gave him a deadpan look, "Why didn't we just ask Daxton the first time?"

He chuckled, "It would have made things easier, wouldn't it? But I was hesitant to approach him after he refused to help at the annual meeting. He was still reluctant to send his warriors, but I convinced him after filling him in on the situation."

"Do Helene and Dario know you're leaving?"

"They do. We were up late last night discussing it, and they're both in support of it. Dario was adamant on traveling with me, but I demanded that he stay back to take over my tasks temporarily."

"Minister," I sighed, "I don't what to say."

He didn't seem like someone who would fight, but I knew there was a raging beast in there that he would release when he wanted to. He was an ex-army general, after all. But once World War II was over, the Minister had made a solemn vow to never pick up another weapon.

Now here he was, packing up his guns and old swords, to take my place in a battle he never signed up for.

I was humbled by his selflessness.