Page 39 of Her Destined Alpha (Alpha #3)

Rayhan

F or most of the morning, I found nothing of importance, but I could feel the magic was strong around the Coven’s castle.

Delsanra had warned me that I might not be able to venture inside, and she had been correct.

So, I had stayed outside; I couldn’t risk someone finding me, and there didn’t seem to be any way in without walking through a spell that might detect me.

Just when I thought I’d go see if I could find anything elsewhere, I walked around the side of the castle and the sound of hushed whispering coming from the other side of the huge wall reached my ears. I guessed witches were careful, but they didn’t have the same hearing we did.

“Reginald… we need to be careful.”

“I know what I’m doing. You just do your part. Besides, Samson might be furious when he learns this. You will need to appease Elinai and Amoria. We will need them, too,” he muttered. “Will it work?”

“Oh absolutely, every item is embedded with the spell. She won’t be able to resist him.” The woman sounded irritated at her own words. “I just wish it wasn’t my son who was going to be put through this.”

“He is my son, too, and he needs to be of some use,” Reginald spat. What were they going on about?

“Dawson is there as well. It might have an adverse effect on the spell, but it has to be Cheyne. I need a reason for her to be brought into our home,” Reginald continued.

“Oh, the spell will work. It probably will affect you too, but it will be Cheyne who will get to her, I will make sure of that. I have put some measures in place. I have a plan, Reginald- just trust in me,” the woman said coldly. “I hope this is worth it.”

“It will be. Once she is under the spell completely, she will be ours, body and mind. I have worked far too hard to have things ruined,” Reginald chuckled.

“Don’t try to take credit for my work. Remember that without me, you are nothing,” the woman remarked before I heard retreating footsteps as they began moving further away.

“Don’t get too ahead of yourself, dear,” Reginald’s voice came, but the amount of poison that dripped from it was far more chilling than anything I had heard before. The woman just scoffed faintly, un-phased by his words.

“Her true form is far more dangerous to men than any spell I could place. If we are to use her, we need to keep her hidden. She will draw men to her like moths to a flame.”

“She should never have been born, but since she has, let’s make use of her.”

I needed to get back to Delsanra as soon as possible.

They didn’t need to say a name for me to know who they meant.

I had to make sure she was safe. I made my way through the trees, heading back towards the mansion Delsanra was residing in.

The smell of a witch approaching and two pairs of footsteps hit me.

I quickly stilled, pressing myself against a tree despite being hidden by Raihana’s spell.

“Search the area!” someone snapped.

Fuck, were they on to something?

“It could have been an animal, Astella.”

“Oh, just do your job! If the Council thinks there’s a trespasser, there could be. Don’t forget what the ladies said. There was an alpha wolf with her who looked to be more than just a passer-by to the runaway.”

“That was an assumption. You heard Amoria, there’s no chance anyone would want her, especially one of the mutts,” the man’s voice came.

“Still, we can’t take chances. With the plans that are in the works, we need to be extra careful,” Astella, the woman, murmured. “Wait…”

I turned around, about to slip away, when I stopped. Both the man and woman stood there, looking directly at me. Oh fuck... did the spell wear off? Didn’t Raihana say it would last for at least twenty-four hours? She was a new witch, after all, maybe she had been wrong.

“What do we have here? Did you really think that you could get by unnoticed?” the man asked as the woman began chanting, her hair floating around her. With witches, the best thing was to go straight in for the kill.

In a flash, I was in front of the woman.

“You won’t escape,” she managed to whisper confidently. Her spell was completed, and I felt the magic around me.

Before the man even had a chance to raise his sword, my claws were out as I ripped her heart from her chest. The confident smile on her face was frozen in place as I destroyed her heart with one hand.

She didn’t even have a moment to comprehend that she was dead.

Her body hit the ground just as the man swung his sword at me.

I ducked, knocking his legs out from under him, kicked the sword from his hand, and plunged my hand into his chest, tearing his heart out.

Everything happened in a matter of seconds.

I stepped back from the bodies. I had just killed two people who may have been innocent…

I dragged the bodies under the nearest bushes, a sliver of guilt flitting through me.

I took the sword and anything else that looked useful from them.

Either way, this wouldn’t have happened if Delsanra hadn’t been brought here against her will.

I didn’t have time to question my actions.

I had to get to Delsanra and get her out of there.

Suddenly, the view before me changed and I paused. The path that led back towards the mansion was gone. Everywhere I looked, everything looked the same.

Fuck … what spell did the witch cast before I killed her? I closed my eyes, trying to focus on all the scents around me.

Earth, soil, the leaves, blood, sweat, the air, the promise of upcoming rain… and then the very faint sliver of Delsanra’s scent. It was going to take me time… but I’d get there. All I needed to do was follow her faint scent… I just had to be careful that no one found me before then.

Delsanra

It was extremely hot, and I was beginning to feel lightheaded. I didn’t know what was wrong with me, everything felt a bit… free. Like I had just drunk ten bottles of beer. I was on a high as I sat there, not even wanting to be a part of this so-called dinner.

Cheyne was seated opposite me at the dining table. Although it was a meal that I had prepared and I was hungry, I hated everyone there, save Ames. Not to mention, Dawson’s eyes were fixed on me without even a care that we weren’t alone.

I was sitting next to Ames, but I truly didn’t fit at the table.

Even though I didn’t hate him, he was a stranger to me.

He wouldn’t meet my gaze and treated me like I had committed a major crime.

I supposed I could try to talk to him, but there wasn’t much that I could do when he had been brainwashed for years.

“So, Cheyne, do you want to share the reason for tonight’s visit?” Amoria asked, pressing her breasts together as she looked at the man next to her.

“Uhh…” He frowned, looking a little confused.

“There wasn’t really any specific reason.

Mother and father simply thought it would be nice to visit, especially since Delsanra’s back home.

” He looked at me, giving me a small smile.

I frowned as our eyes met. Why was he even looking at me?

And why wasn’t Rayhan back? He had said he’d be back before dark. Was he okay?

The thought of him sent a burning sensation through me, and I pressed my thighs together. Just the thought of him was making me feel all giddy. What was wrong with me?

“Oh, I’m sure Delsanra isn’t the reason, Cheyne,” Amoria snipped. Her anger was only growing, but right then, the fabric of the dress was getting to me more than her irritating voice.

I tugged at the collar. Urgh, what is the matter with me? Everyone else seemed fine. I hadn’t even drunk anything alcoholic, despite the table containing three different bottles. If the food was spelled, I would have sensed it.

“Excuse me, I need to step outside,” I murmured, standing up.

“Delsanra. Sit,” Samson commanded coldly. I looked at him, feeling irritated.

“I will return,” I replied through gritted teeth.

“I’ll join you,” Dawson added quickly.

“Dawson…” Elinai said suspiciously.

“Oh, Cheyne, step outside with Delsanra,” Eldridge stated.

“Sure, Mother.”

“Cheyne?” Amoria stood up quickly alongside Cheyne.

“I’ll be fine alone,” I interjected firmly.

Why was I so fucking hot? I ran my hands through my hair as I walked to the door, not caring who followed and who didn’t; right then I needed the cold.

“Sit down, Amoria, we have much to discuss with your acceptance ceremony,” I heard Eldridge say.

Acceptance… which meant one day Amoria would become a high witch. I wished they did a check on a person’s personality and background before placing them in such high power. Someone as evil as Amoria… a high witch?

I walked to the kitchen, heading for the back door. What was wrong with me? I wasn’t in pain, so it couldn’t be poison…

I pushed open the door, relief flooding me when I felt the blistering cold hit me like a wave of relief the moment I stepped outside, but it did little for the fire that was burning through me.

Rayhan … The image of him shirtless skimmed through my head, and the urge to find him consumed me.

Remembering our kiss, my burning core throbbed with a need. Wait… was I-

“Delsanra!” Cheyne’s voice came. He grabbed my waist as I almost stumbled when he called me. “Careful there…”

“I’m fine…” I said, pushing his hands off of me.

I belonged to Rayhan… yes, he was the only one who could touch me. Where was he? The daze that was settling over me was filling my head with alarm bells. Something was wrong with me.

“Go away, please,” I murmured.

“Let’s go for a walk... you’ll feel better,” he replied. I turned to look at him. His face was slightly hazy, his black hair, his dark eyes. If you partially closed your eyes, you’d think it was Rayhan…

“No… go inside,” I said, trying to tug free, only for him to pull me against him.

“You’ve grown to become rather beautiful... you’re anything but darkness tonight…” he whispered. I frowned, pushing at his chest.