The Villain Alpha's Cursed Mate-Chapter 200: The Mysterious Girl

The kiss started soft, almost tentative— like a dream taking shape between them. But it wasn’t long before it turned deeper, more urgent. Donovan’s fingers tangled in her hair as he pulled her closer, his lips claiming hers with a hunger he could no longer restrain.

The taste of her, intoxicating as ever, dulled the sharp edges of reason, and Esme was equally lost in him, making her forget the weight of her own confession, at least for now.

Her heart pounded against his chest, its rhythm a perfect echo of his own. He knew he should stop– this wasn’t the place, nor the time— but how was he supposed to pull away when she always left him craving more? Still, he forced himself to break the kiss, if only to let her breath.

As he withdrew, his gaze lingered on the way her lips remained slightly parted, her cheeks flushed, her eyes glazed with the haze of it all. The sight of her like this, utterly undone, made him want to dive right back in.

But before he could, Esme lifted a delicate finger to his lips, her touch a quiet command. Their eyes met, and something unspoken passed between them.

"...We should head back," she murmured, her gaze shifting downward, as if reluctant to fully part from the moment.

Donovan caught the hesitation in her voice, the subtle meaning behind her words. His lips curved into a slow, knowing smile, and without a word, he took her hand and helped her to her feet, but the promise in his eyes said he wasn’t done with her yet.

He proceeded to carry Esme on his back, and with inhumane speed, he cut through the snowy woodland. The wind whipped past him, but his focus remained sharp and ever calculated. However, as they neared their destination, an unsettling presence disrupted his thoughts, forcing him to a sudden stop.

His body tensed, his instincts sharpening like a blade as his eyes scanned his surroundings. Something— no, someone— was nearby, probably hiding behind one of the many evergreen trees. He couldn’t see them, but he could feel them.

The sensation wasn’t demonic, yet it carried a weight he couldn’t ignore. It was familiar, eerily so, like a presence he had encountered before, though the memory of where eluded him. A faint snap echoed through the silence, and his ears twitched, catching the brittle crack of a twig breaking behind him.

In an instant, he whirled around, eyes narrowing as he scrutinized the darkened woods. His eyes were glowing at this point, but there was nothing in sight. Just the whisper of branches shifting in the breeze.

Esme’s steady breathing against his shoulder betrayed her slumber, and he clenched his jaw. This woman really tricked him into buying her more time so she could sleep? As much as he wanted to, there was no time to dwell on that, because his attention snapped forward, just in time to spot something moving in the distance.

And then, he saw it.

"Hey!"

The figure vanished almost the instant Donovan’s voice rang out, as if the mere act of being seen had triggered its escape. Whoever it was moved with such inhumane speed that even Donovan, despite his heightened senses, failed to catch a glimpse of their features. His eyes darkened, suspicion tightening in his chest at the figure’s sudden attempt at escape. A spy, perhaps? Could it be a mole from a neighboring pack?

Unwilling to let it get away, Donovan lunged forward without hesitation, swift and focused on his pursuit. The figure he was after weaved through the trees with a calculated ease, but something about their movement unsettled him. The figure wasn’t trying to evade him— not truly. There was no attempt to conceal their path, no urgency in their escape.

It felt deliberate. A lure.

Donovan abruptly skidded to a stop, his instinct warning him against going any farther, and as if responding to his hesitation, and confirming his suspicion, the figure halted as well.

A river separated them now, its current glistening under the moonlight. Donovan’s brow furrowed, and he wondered how the figure even crossed to the other side so quickly. The stranger stood with their back to him, cloaked from head to toe, their presence eerily composed. Then, slowly, the stranger turned.

The moment the stranger’s face came into view, Donovan’s pupils constricted in shock.

"It’s you," he breathed.

The mysterious girl from the capital.

With a quiet grace, she pulled back her hood, unveiling a cascade of silvery-white hair that blended seamlessly with the snowy backdrop. Her silver eyes locked onto his, unwavering and unnerving. Cold. Knowing.

"Who—" Donovan started, but before he could demand answers, the girl turned away and vanished into the darkness behind the trees.

Donovan exhaled sharply, tension thrumming through his frame. "The hell..."

His mind raced, and he was conscious of Esme who was still heavily asleep on his back. If he wasn’t holding Esme, he would have followed that girl till she told him the exact reason why she was following him about. But for now, he knew it was best to retreat and address the matter tomorrow.

When he made it back to the building, he tucked Esme in bed, pulling the blanket over her with quiet precision. His mind was preoccupied with what just happened, and he couldn’t bring himself to sleep afterwards. He didn’t leave Esme’s side either, just to reassure himself that no harm was heading her way so she could sleep peacefully.

Meanwhile, Althea was equally up and awake. She too, had been admiring the beauty of the Aurora from her window and thinking about her next course of action. However, her breath caught when she noticed a figure step into view from the edge of the woods.

A strange sensation crawled down her spine, and as if aware of being watched, the figure slowly lifted her chin, silver eyes locking onto Althea through the window.

Althea’s heart pounded as her eyes widened in disbelief, hence, she took a step back. She shook her head, as if finding it hard to believe that she was staring right at the girl she had seen in her dreams.

"No... she... she can’t be real," Althea murmured to herself, unable to accept what she was seeing. The girl on the other hand, shook her head ever so slightly at Althea, an unspoken warning in the motion. Then, without a word, she turned and slipped back into the trees, vanishing from plain sight.

"What..." Althea stumbled back from the window, her pulse quickening. A cold wave of fear settled over her. "What was that?"

Summoning her courage, she crept forward again, peering out once more, but there was no one there. The girl was gone.

Swallowing hard, Althea spun toward her nightstand, yanking open the small cupboard beneath her nightstand.

Carefully tucked away, were several sketches– fragments of a dream that had haunted her for nights on end. She spread them out on her table with trembling fingers, her breath hitching as she recognized one in particular.

In the middle of the chaos was a rough depiction of the girl. And standing beside her...

Donovan.

But not as they knew him. The features were the same, yet something about him felt... terrifyingly wrong. Just as it had been in the dream. Althea’s fingers curled over the edges of the paper. A sudden chill swept over her, with doubt and fear twisting in her chest.

"What does this mean?" she whispered, trying to steady her breathing. "Is... is this a sign? Are my worst nightmares about to come true?"

Her hands clenched. "I need to tell Donovan about this. He needs to avoid that girl no matter what."

-_-_-⁠♡-_-_-

The following morning, Irwin sat at the threshold of his home, methodically taking his daily medicine. The bitter taste lingered on his tongue, but he paid no mind to it. At this point, he could already estimate how much time had left to live in this world, but he was not shaken by it. He did not fear death, but he feared leaving the people he cared about behind, and most of all, the true bearer’s reign.

Without warning, the air around him turned frigid, a chill creeping over the space like an unseen specter. Irwin did not flinch, for he already knew the source of the disturbance before even looking up.

A familiar presence settled before him, effortless and uninvited.

"Long time no see, my dearest cousin," The voice carried an edge of amusement, laced with something far more calculating. A smirk played on the intruder’s lips as he tilted his head. "Mind if I join you?"