The Villain Alpha's Cursed Mate-Chapter 193: I Want to Know Everything You Know

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Leonardo had reluctantly stepped out to visit the library that once belonged to the former Alpha of the North. After the Alpha’s stronghold had been completely destroyed, Donovan and Esme had decided to preserve a collection of his belongings. They believed that uncovering what the late Alpha knew before his demise would help them in the future, since he was one daring enough to make a deal with him.

Unfortunately, some of the workers had mixed up a few collections, and he was sent by Donovan to retrieve them. Despite the importance of the task, Leonardo was clearly irritated. Donovan had practically forced him to come here, and the Northern women weren’t making it any easier.

Their stares lingered far too long, their coy smiles growing bolder by the minute. Leonardo was not the type to revel in such attention, hence, it made him uncomfortable. He had already made it abundantly clear to several bold suitors that he wasn’t interested, even going as far to claim he had a mate just to discourage them. The men were clearly not fond of him in their vicinity, and the reason behind it was obviously clear.

Still, he blamed no one but Donovan for putting him in such a spotlight.

"How does he expect me to get anything done here?" Leonardo muttered under his breath, his ash-gray eyes sweeping across the towering shelves that loomed over him. "There are thousands of books here. What does he think I am, a magician? Maybe he expects me to snap my fingers and the exact books will just float into my hands. Of course, he’d send me— he loves torturing me."

His grumbling accompanied him as he began browsing through the extensive collection, plucking out volumes that seemed promising and handing it to the archivist who was basically the one doing majority of the work for him. Leonardo flipped through pages here and there, all the while muttering sharp complaints about Donovan’s idea of "teamwork."

The archivist remained silent and obediently followed Leonardo around, assisting him with whatever he needed in the library. Just as Leonardo moved toward another shelf, his thoughts were abruptly interrupted when a young woman reached for a book at the same time he did. They collided gently, and Leonardo’s eyes landed on hers– a pair of wide, doe-like eyes that blinked at him, startled.

"Forgive me, I didn’t see—"

"It’s fine," Leonardo interrupted, his tone understanding yet detached, as he continued scanning the shelves. His lack of further acknowledgement was deliberate, making it clear he had no intention of engaging further. Yet, the woman wasn’t so easily deterred. She reached for the exact book he was about to take, and her delicate fingers brushed against his. The faint contact left her flustered, and her composure momentarily faltered. ƒrēenovelkiss.com

"You look familiar," she ventured, just as Leonardo drew his hand back and prepared to excuse himself from her presence. The archivist had already dismissed himself from the conversation that was about to take place, and Leonardo had stopped mid-step when the lady said she recognized him. "Have you perhaps worked for the king before? There was always a special advisor, someone reserved like you that usually lingered with the king. I don’t know if it’s you, but you remind me of him."

"You’re mistaken," Leonardo replied curtly, finally turning to assess the woman before him.

She was beautiful— undoubtedly so, and her features possessed a softness that was almost disarming: the lightest shade of brown eyes, dark-brown hair cascading in gentle waves, and a face that exudes innocence. She was the sort of woman who could sway men with a single, vulnerable glance, bending their will effortlessly.

Her body was no exception. Yet, Leonardo felt nothing. Her charm slid off him like water on stone. It didn’t even stir a flicker of interest, and the realization made him pause. Perhaps he truly wasn’t natural, as people so often suggested. But then again, betas were built differently.

Unlike some Alphas, who could be drawn to others even while bound to a mate— especially powerful Lycans— betas were hardwired differently. Their loyalty was absolute, with their attraction reserved solely for their mate, if they were fortunate enough to have one. For betas, the concept of a mate was rare, elusive, and yet, it was the furthest thing from his mind. He had no time to entertain such notions. Not now, not here.

"Oh," the woman pressed her lips into a tight line before offering a graceful curtsy, her tone polite. "I’m Anita Hewman. My father oversees the library in honor of the new Luna. I understand that there’s a lot of tension between our people right now, so it makes sense that you’d try to avoid us. And to be honest, I’d probably do the same... but if you think about it, that won’t get us anywhere in the future, right?"

Leonardo opened his mouth to respond, but Anita had already turned toward the shelf, her silky hair swaying with the movement. "What books are you searching for? Perhaps I can help you find—"

"There you are," a sharp, feminine voice suddenly interrupted, drawing both their attention. Cora was approaching, with her steps deliberate and her eyes fixed on Anita. Without hesitation, she hooked her arm through Leonardo’s, her action catching him off-guard.

"We’ll be leaving now," Cora simply declared to Anita, her voice cool and commanding. To Leonardo’s surprise, Anita’s expression suddenly shifted, her irritation evident as her eyes narrowed at the sight of Cora’s unexpected presence, her eyes shifting to where Cora had audaciously hooked her arm through the man she was currently busy trying to win his attention.

Before Leonardo could protest, Cora turned on her heels, tugging him along with her. He followed without resistance, his brow furrowed in silent confusion. The lady looked familiar, and it took a moment before it dawned on him that she was the same lady he met during the attack.

It wasn’t until they were a safe distance away that he gently untangled her arm from his. The only reason he didn’t react soon enough was because he didn’t want that conversation he was having with the lady to spiral into something else, but at the same time, he wondered what was Cora’s intention.

"What are you doing?" he finally asked, keeping his tone calm, but his curiosity did not go unnoticed.

"Helping you," Cora replied matter-of-factly, folding her arms and fixing him with a pointed look. "You should steer clear of her. She might look all harmless, but don’t be fooled. You have no idea how many men she has exploited here in the North. Plus, she’s never nice, never ever. I suspected she was up to something, so I had to get you away from her."

Leonardo exhaled slowly, shaking his head. "I don’t care who she is, or what she is. I just want to go home. But... thanks for the warning, I suppose." He glanced at her briefly before walking away.

Cora let out a soft huff as he brushed past her, resuming his task and heading toward the archivist, without so much as a glance in her direction. Though relief and a hint of gladness stirred within her at seeing him again, his complete indifference stung. Not a flicker of acknowledgement came his way. No "How are you?" or "Are you feeling better?"

It was as if she were invisible— nothing more than a phantom drifting in his peripheral vision.

His behavior spoke about the kind of wolf he was. Aloof, guarded, and uninterested in extending the smallest courtesy. Despite the strange ache in her heart, Cora couldn’t just walk away and leave him to fend him for himself. He had saved her life, and whether he wanted her help or not, she owed him. At the very least, she should guide him, show him who to trust and who to avoid here.

But then her pride reared its head, tightening her resolve. She was not about to chase after a man, no matter how much owed him. She had her dignity. Had her limits.

"Wait–" Cora immediately spun without hesitation when a voice broke through her brooding thoughts. She spotted Leonardo striding toward her with an expression that was both commanding and unnervingly calm.

"You mentioned theories about my kind the last time we met, didn’t you?" Leonardo began. "You’ve learned the curse language, which is also a feat most of my kind cannot achieve. I want to know everything you know. Whatever your Alpha has told you about us before his passing, whatever knowledge you possess, I want it."

Cora simply raised an eyebrow at his demands, her defiance flaring as she tilted her chin up to meet his sharp gaze. "And what if I refuse?"

"Then I’ll use my curse to get the answers I need," he said plainly, and that was enough to make Cora’s demeanor falter a bit. "But I’m asking politely now, so I suggest you cooperate. My brother and I will be here tomorrow in the morning, and I expect to see you here as well, Miss Cora."

With that, he walked away, leaving Cora blinking repeatedly at his retreating figure.

He remembered her name?