The Villain Alpha's Cursed Mate-Chapter 159: No Choice

After locating the kitchen, Esme was slightly taken aback to find both Simon and Finnian already there. Simon initially stiffened at the unexpected entrance, but the tension melted from his frame when he realized it was just Esme.

A half-empty glass of water rested in his hand, while Finnian stood further down the corridor, his lean form propped against the wall with his hands casually tucked in his pockets.

"What are you two doing here?" Esme’s curiosity compelled her to ask as she quietly approached the counter to set down the herbs she had gathered.

Finnian’s eyes were heavy with drowsiness, and it was evident that Simon had coaxed him out of his room just for the sake of a late-night drink.

Esme reached for a nearby jug and filled it to the brim. She then extended it to Simon. "Here," she said with a gentle smile. "Keep this in your room so you won’t have to step out every time you’re thirsty at night, alright?"

Simon’s eyes lit with gratitude as he nodded and accepted the jug. From his spot against the wall, Finnian let out a wide yawn before turning on his heels to head back to his chamber. "Goodnight sis. Simon, are you coming or not?"

"Right behind you!" Came Simon’s reply. He offered Esme a respectful bow before hurrying after Finnian, who was already disappearing down the hall, and the soft echoes of their footsteps lingered.

Esme took a deep breath and shook her head lightly. She felt glad that she was the one who ran into Althea and Acheron instead of the boys.

After familiarizing herself with the layouts of the kitchen, Esme began preparing the tea. The medicinal blend she was making for Donovan was notoriously bitter, so she took care to make him some sweets that would be enough to soothe him after the unpleasant taste. As she stirred, a thought crept into her mind — a musing she hadn’t dared indulge in before.

If Donovan eventually gets his sight, would that change anything between them? Would he find her appearance worthy of his attention? The question was as unwelcome as it was persistent.

She had never needed to consider such insecurities before since Donovan’s lack of sight rendered physical vanity irrelevant. But the idea of him seeing the world— and the other beautiful women in it — made her stomach twist. Would being fated be enough to keep him by her side, or would the appeal of his vision tempt him toward others who aren’t her?"

She’s had a mate before. Though it lasted only a few seconds, it also means she was capable of being rejected again. Perhaps that’s why she’s still hesitant to get his mark on her.

Shaking that thought aside, Esme knew attending to Donovan was more important than her sudden insecurities. After making the tea and placing both cups on a rubber tray, Esme returned to her chamber.

The familiar sight of Donovan waiting for her brought a warmth that pushed her insecurities away. She placed the rubber tray on the nightstand before handing him a cup.

"I need you to drink it all at once," she instructed firmly. "It’s bitter, like very bitter. Drinking it one go will spare you from prolonged sufferings."

"So, basically this is just torture," Donovan remarked dryly. "But I get to decide the duration of it?"

"Exactly," Esme said with a hint of amusement. "But the upside is that you’ll feel better afterward and maybe even get proper sleep. Trust me on this. I’ve got sweets ready to chase it away."

"How bitter are we talking?"

"Save yourself the trauma of finding out and just drink." Esme settled beside him on the couch. Donovan hesitated at first, the hesitation stretching for a heartbeat, before he steeled himself and swallowed the concoction in one go.

The sharp bitterness hit his taste buds immediately, drawing a grimace, while Esme fought back a laugh. She handed them the sweets she made, which he ate gratefully.

"Well, how was it?" She asked.

"I think I saw my childhood."

"That is just you exaggerating," Esme received the cup from him with a smirk. She dropped it back on the tray before moving to her vanity table to pick the book she was reading earlier.

"How did it go?" Donovan asked, "I mean the supplies you handed out. I probably should have asked earlier but my senses are only starting to think the right things after I drank that reality down my throat."

"Somehow, it went smoothly," Esme replied, a hint of disbelief coloring her words. "But I did meet a woman named Cora. She mentioned something peculiar – a story she claimed Thadius once told. She said it was about my father summoning his wolf with fire. I’ve never heard anything like that before. I find it strange because if my father had such an ability, surely I would know about it."

"Fire?" Donovan’s brows knit together as he considered her words. "I can’t say I’ve heard of such a gift, but your family has been touched by the moon goddess so I also can’t doubt its possibility."

"But I’ve seen my father’s wolf countless times," Esme pointed out. "There was no fire. His wolf is almost similar to Finn’s."

"Hold on," Donovan rubbed his temples, "Why are we even talking about fire to begin with? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well..." Esme’s eyes shifted away as she spoke. "I’ve been feeling an unusual heat lately, and It’s nothing like the typical heat from a monthly cycle. It started when I was bathing in the shadowspire. The tub’s water’s temperature spiked until it was almost boiling. Steam enveloped everything, and then, just like that, it vanished. Since then, whenever I touch something extremely hot, I don’t feel the burn."

Donovan leaned back in the chair he was sitting on. "And you were planning to tell me this when?"

"I wanted to be sure I wasn’t hallucinating," Esme explained. "But I wasn’t planning to keep it away from you. I just needed the right evidence. I asked Leo to do some research about it, but there was nothing he could find on the topic. I really gave up hope until I met Cora. She was always around Thadius so she knows quite a bit."

Esme held out the two books, handing them to Donovan so he could touch them. "These are the books she gave me. She said there’s a chance I might find a clue in one of these books. I don’t want to place my hope on a theory I don’t even believe in yet, but it’s worth a try, right?"

"So... what if you don’t find the answers you’re looking for in here? What would you do?"

Esme glanced at the book in his hands, and she knew he was asking the right questions now. "The remaining option would be my father’s relatives. But I don’t contact any of them anymore. Going to them would be futile, and I don’t want to see them either."

"But you have to," Donovan added, "Listen, I don’t really understand the full details of what we’re talking about, but I’m guessing it all ends up in you discovering your wolf. If going to them means you can get the right answers, then you have to go."

"What if they don’t respond to me?"

"Just ask the questions, I’ll make them respond." Donovan promised. He let out his hand for Esme. "Come here."

Taking his hand, Esme let him draw her into his lap. The warmth of his embrace was something she had grown to crave, and she found herself yielding willingly to his touch, savoring the way it anchored her.

"You know," she whispered, her voice tinged with sincerity. "I could make you the Alpha of the North. You have more experience in these matters, right?"

Donovan’s hands traced a slow path up to her waist, his touch igniting a trail of heat. "Perhaps," he murmured, a playful edge in his tone. "But even I am still learning. Besides, you’re doing so well already as their Luna. Kangee kept me updated on how things went. I know it’s not easy, but I’m always here to assist you when you need it. As for taking up the mantle of Alpha – I’ll have to refuse."

He leaned forward, resting his head on her chest while her hand stroked his hair. "I never wanted to be Alpha," he admitted, the confession heavy with past wounds. "But I can’t deny my fate, can I? Even your younger brother is far more determined than me. I, on the other hand, do it because I have no choice. My new desire is to break this curse so I can be with you, truly with you. That’s my only wish. Everything else – that can come later."

As he closed his eyes, a shadow flickered across his feature, and an insidious whisper coiled through his mind like smoke. "Kill them all. Kill them all before they kill us!"