The Villain Alpha's Cursed Mate-Chapter 131: Stole His Wolf

Esme moved swiftly through the deserted hallway, her senses heightened as she kept an eye out, wary of any sign of Thadius or his beta. She knew they were likely aware of the situation by now, and every step forward required caution.

Hence, her mind raced as she ventured deeper, keeping herself on high alert.

Rounding a corner, she nearly collided with Donovan, who was descending the third staircase with the boys. Her heart fluttered at the sight of them, and the three boys were immediately flustered when she crouched to envelope them in her arms.

"I’m so glad you’re safe," she breathed, her voice thick with emotions, and she felt them relax in her embrace.

She gently pulled back to inspect them, noticing how they had shed their disguises – they had changed back to their regular wears, and their faces clean of makeup.

Esme’s gaze flickered briefly to Donovan before she rose to her full height. "We need to move. Come, let’s get you three somewhere safe." Without wasting time, she guided the boys down the hallway, and Donovan silently trailed behind them, his presence a looming but steady reassurance.

As Esme entered the room, a wave of relief washed over her upon seeing that Leonardo was unharmed. However, her eyes quickly took in the tense scene before her. Lord Thadius knelt at the center of the room, surrounded by Donovan’s warriors whose blades were drawn, their sharp edges gleaming as if poised to strike at the slightest provocation.

In the corner, Jason was bound tightly, his wrists and ankles secured with silver chains to suppress his wolf. A cloth gag was tied around his mouth, rendering him mute and helpless.

Two of the warriors stepped forward, gripping Lord Thadius by the arm as they dragged him to the front, forcing him to kneel before Donovan. "Alpha, we’ve brought Lord Thadius to you."

The weight of his words made it clear to Donovan, and he knew now, that the Alpha of the North was in his submission.

Luca’s eyes narrowed as he assessed Thadius, his lips parting as if to speak, but before any words could escape, Finnian swiftly intervened, clamping a hand over Luca’s mouth. The impulsive action silenced him before any rash comment could be uttered.

Donovan crouched low, and his hand extended slowly to touch Thadius’s face. His cold touch made Thadius recoil, and Donovan withdrew his hand, his expression unreadable.

"Alpha Thadius of the North," Donovan’s voice carried a chilling authority. The name alone was enough to make Thadius tremble. He knew exactly who Donovan was, and that knowledge drained the color from his face. Sweat beaded on his brow as he kept his gaze firmly on the floor, unable to look up and face the intimidating figure before him.

In an attempt to ease the tension, Althea turned to the boys, her tone light as she offered. "How about we check the towers and scout the area? What do you say?"

The boys, eager for a distraction and a need to see what the North looked like from the tower, agreed without hesitation.

Althea’s gaze then shifted to Esme, offering her the same escape, though there was a subtle undercurrent to the gesture – it was clear Althea was trying to sweep the room for what was about to unfold, but Esme didn’t want to leave.

She hesitated, sensing that whatever was about to happen between Donovan and Thadius wasn’t meant for the weak stomachs. But she chose to remain rooted, determined. She had to witness it with her own two eyes, she needed to know why Thadius made that vague remark about her hair, and there was no turning back now.

"I’m fine here," she replied, reassuring Althea, her voice steady, though her eyes revealed she had made up her mind already. Althea didn’t press further and quietly led the boys out of the room to scout the tower together.

A warrior leaned in close to Esme, his brow furrowed with concern as he asked. "Are you sure you want to stay here, Miss?" His voice carried genuine worry, but Esme’s demeanor remained resolute.

"Don’t concern yourself with me. I come from a pack of warriors too, remember?" she reminded him, her voice low but sharp. The warrior hesitated before nodding in understanding.

Meanwhile, Donovan had his attention on Thadius, who knelt before him. "Thadius, is it?" he began slowly, his voice low and menacing.

"I need you to answer something for me. Why are you so incredibly foolish, hm?" With a sudden motion, he yanked Thadius’s collar, revealing the cursed mark etch into his skin. "If your so-called society sees this, they’ll think we corrupted you and turned you against your own land."

Donovan let out a frustrated sigh, shaking his head slightly as he fought to maintain composure. "What have you done? Tell me everything. Because in a matter of hours, demon wolves will be clawing their way into this fortress, and thanks to you, all the best defenses are down — drugged and useless. So what exactly have you done, Thadius?"

Thadius’s gaze shifted to Esme, and his fist clenched as he pointed his other finger at her. "You...!! You’re ruining everything!"

Esme’s heart jolted at the raw fury behind his words, but before she could react, a few of Donovan’s warriors stepped in front of her, forming an unyielding barrier between her and Thadius’s wrathful gaze.

"You storm into my fortress, steal my serum!" Thadius’s voice shook with anger. "You blame me for my actions when you’ve already taken the people’s last course of defense, which is the serum! How dare you condemn me! This is my land! I’ll rule it as I see fit! And that woman... I’ll—"

His tirade was abruptly silenced as Donovan seized him by his collar, yanking him forward before delivering a brutal punch to his face. The crack of the blow echoed through the room, cutting off Thadius’s threats in an instant.

His worst mistake, as everyone knew, was trying to threaten their Alpha’s mate in front of him.

Esme flinched instinctively when he punched Thadius in the face, her body tensing at the sound of the punch. She knew all too well how much Donovan’s blows could hurt — she had seen it before. A single punch already left Thadius with a swollen, blackened eye, and it reminded her of the time back in the old fortress when Donovan had shattered Dahmer’s ribs with just one savage kick.

Thadius spat out a mouthful of blood, his body trembling as he cowered under Donovan’s relentless fury.

"Hold him up," Donovan ordered, and Acheron, including another warrior, came forward to hold Thadius upright, though it seemed more a punishment than mercy as Donovan unleashed a flurry of brutal punches and kicks, each unforgiving impact echoing within the silent room.

Thadius cried out in agony, but Donovan didn’t relent, as his assault continued with cold, methodical precision.

Jason froze in his spot, horror written across his face as he watched his Alpha being mercilessly beaten, reduced to nothing under the enemy’s fist.

Donovan’s expression remained cold, devoid of any emotion, as if the violence was nothing more than a mere routine. The viciousness of his strike seemed endless, and for a moment, everyone in the room feared he would kill Thadius right there and then. But just as his bloodied fist hovered in the air, he paused.

"I’ll ask you one more time," Donovan’s voice was dangerously calm, a stark contrast to the tension thickening the air. "Why are there demon wolves heading North? What did you do?"

Before Donovan’s fist could strike again, Thadius panicked. "Wait! I’ll talk! I swear!" His words tumbled out in a frantic rush, desperation clinging to every syllable. The room seemed to hold its breath as Acheron and the guards released their grip, letting Thadius slump to the ground.

He crumpled in a heap, coughing violently, his body wracked with pain.

"Well?" Not giving him time to recover, Donovan pressured him to speak, his patience razor-thin. "We don’t have all day. Start talking."

"It... it all started after I became Alpha," Thadius revealed. "I feared the North would be taken from me, as I didn’t have the brute strength like other Alphas, and because I wasn’t gifted with an Alpha wolf like my father. I knew it was only a matter of time before someone stronger would seize my land and pack. So I took the risk – and I made a deal with what I was supposed to condemn."

He swallowed hard, his gaze dropping to the ground. "He promised me wisdom, but in exchange, he wanted Lennox’s throne. He said he would help me rule, and in return, I’d assist him in taking the throne from Lennox. Believe me, I wanted to refuse, but then... he said that anyone who sees him, either gets controlled by him or they die."

Thadius shook his head as he recalled the nightmarish encounter. "I wasn’t ready to die so I agreed. The wolves approaching, he wants to use this opportunity to eliminate Lennox."

"And then what happens?" Acheron’s voice cut in, pressing for more.

"He wants to rule Illyria. I thought he was just a demon shifter, vulnerable to Lycobane serum, so I tried to kill him. But the serum did nothing. Instead, he stole my wolf...and cursed me."

"Stole your wolf?" Acheron’s eyebrow furrowed in confusion and disbelief. Before Donovan could say anything in regards to that statement, the door swung open, and Revana walked in, the look on her face tense and urgent.

"Alpha, we’ve got a situation," she reported quickly, her voice firm. "The Northerners, they’ve gathered outside the fortress gates, and they’re demanding answers." her attention was solely fixed on Donovan, waiting for his command, while everyone else expressed their shock.