The Villain Alpha's Cursed Mate-Chapter 144: MY Woman

Esme didn’t dwell on how he got here, instead, she reached for the serum Orion had given her. Dahmer’s face paled when he saw Esme take the serum, and he shook his head in desperate refusal as she took a measured step toward him.

"You stay the hell away from me!" His voice trembled slightly as she approached. "I said STAY AWAY! GET AWAY FROM ME! ESMERAY, WAIT!" His eyes widened, and fear overtook him as Esme held up serum just out of reach, her gaze locking onto his.

"Yes, Dahmer?" her voice was calm, almost cold, as she observed his growing terror.

His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, casting a frantic glance at the serum in her hand, its tip gleaming dangerously close to his skin. "You can’t... you won’t actually do this. You’re not as heartless as I am," he stammered, his bravado slipping with every word.

In a voice barely above a whisper, he pleaded, "My wolf... it’s all I have left in this world, Esme. I’ve already lost every single thing I own; my pack, my mother... and don’t you forget, you lost your maid to those same demons! I won’t make it through another day without my wolf. Please... I’m begging you."

"You’re begging me?" Esme glanced at Leonardo and the two warriors who were also watching, unsure of what was happening before them.

Her gaze shifted back to Dahmer, who was bound and tense, his skin pale under the dim light. Esme sighed quietly, holding the sharp tip of the needle just inches from his shoulder, as if reconsidering. "Alright then," she murmured, drawing the needle away and causing a brief flicker of hope to cross Dahmer’s face.

But before he could fully exhale, Esme’s hand shot out, and she plunged the needle into his neck, with precise, unyielding force. Dahmer’s pupils dilated, fear flaring as the cold serum flooded his veins.

She leaned in to whisper, "When I said ’okay’, I meant, it’s okay for you to die. You don’t deserve to live, and that is something I’ve come to accept."

Dahmer’s heart pounded wildly, panic clawing at him as he strained against the ropes binding him. His face grew ashen as Esme calmly withdrew the needle from his neck, her expression unmoved as she watched the last serum disappear into his bloodstream. She handed the empty syringe to Atticus with a steady hand, her composed demeanor almost chilling.

Within seconds, Dahmer’s vision began to blur, darkness creeping into his senses as he slumped forward, unconscious.

Althea and Leonardo were both taken aback, as they never assumed Esme would have the guts to do it. There was a time when she might have faltered, a trace of pure regret flickering in her eyes. But now, her face remained impassive, and Althea realized that the man before her must have shattered something deep within Esme to provoke such ruthless certainty.

"Secure him somewhere he can’t escape," Esme instructed Orion and Atticus. "When it’s time to dispose of him, I want him to wake up in a place he’d despise." Her words left a heavy silence behind, and the two warriors moved to follow orders.

As the four of them stepped out, Esme turned to Leonardo and asked. "Where are the others?"

Leonardo shook his head slightly, "They’re at the Fang Fortress. None of them were willing to come here, and I figured it was best to keep them away to avoid any clashes. Lennox is quite furious. Once he learned you were here, he insisted on speaking with you directly and ordered you to meet him at the fortress."

His gaze flickered slightly with regret, "I wish I could join you, but I’m afraid if I’m spotted, allegations could fall upon my father. The last thing I want is to put him or my family in danger."

"It’s fine," Esme patted his shoulder, "you’ve done enough already. Mr Irwin is your father, so I understand. But you can count on me to handle things at the Fang Fortress, right?"

"Do you want me to be honest?"

"Not today, Leo," Esme replied with a weary smile, and she caught a glimpse of the faint curve of his own smile before he walked away.

In the end, It was Esme, Donovan, Althea and the two warriors who ended up going to the Fang Fortress. As grateful as she felt for their willingness to follow her here, she also didn’t want to put them in any crises since they’ll be facing a crowd of hateful nobles.

While Althea kept up a lively conversation with the warriors, Esme moved closer to Donovan. When she noticed Kangee’s absence, she couldn’t resist asking.

"What about Kangee?"

"Resting," Donovan replied simply. "One of its wings was injured during last night’s battle. Best to let it heal properly so it’s ready when we need it."

"Kangee’s hurt?" Esme exclaimed, eyes wide open in surprise and concern. She remembered it swooping down on Karnath in the corridor, seeming unscathed. Had it been wounded when it attacked Karnath? It made sense why Kangee suddenly vanished out of sight.

"Kangee is tougher than you think," Donovan reassured Esme when he sensed the shift in her emotions. "When Kangee wakes up he will be the same annoying chatty bird, so don’t let it trouble you."

Esme glanced at Donovan, and those words Karnath said echoed in her mind. She couldn’t help but glance at his outfit, recalling the marks hidden beneath, and she refused to believe that Donovan would ever turn into one of those cursed by the mark. Even then, she couldn’t help but ask.

"What about you? Are you feeling okay?"

Donovan shook his head, and Esme’s worry sharpened. She instinctively reached for his arm. "Why? What do you mean? Are you hurt? Is it... because of the mark?"

"Guess," he said, stopping in his tracks, and Esme studied him closely. His expression was serene and gave no hints of pain or any sign of discomfort. "Is it your mark? Are your eyes hurting again? Maybe I should have a look before we head to the Fang Fortress, or if you’re not feeling well, perhaps you should return and get some rest"

"I won’t let you face those scavengers by yourself," he replied, threading his fingers through her hair and capturing a lock between his fingers, as if savoring its softness. "We’ll face it together."

"I can handle it."

"I know you can."

"Then why do you insist? Because I’m a woman?" she challenged, her eyes narrowing slightly.

He shook his head, a roguish smile playing at his lips as he clasped her hand, lifting it to his lips. "No, Esme. It’s because you’re MY woman. There’s a stark difference between the two."

He pressed a tender kiss on her knuckles, a lingering warmth in his actions that sent a flutter through her chest. For a moment, she was at a loss for words, a soft warmth radiating within her.

Her gaze drifted to Orion and Atticus who, amused by their exchange, began imitating them. The moment Orion brushed a playful kiss over Atticus’s hand, Atticus promptly kicked him for taking it too far, hence, resulting in Esme and Althea smothering their laugh.

Esme turned back to Donovan, her hand still in his, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she entwined her finger with his, a subtle gesture that caught him off-guard, a glimmer of surprise softening his expression.

"Are you sure you’re okay?" She asked again, and Donovan squeezed her hand in his in a reassuring manner.

"Come on."