Alpha’s Cursed Mate

The wind died down.

“It’s broken,” Damien said and they looked around the place. The place that was filled with white snow-like droplets became a place with evergreen leaves.

“Where is this place?” Leo asked as he looked around.

“That is not what we should be thinking of right now, let’s find our mates,” Damien said, sort of impatient. He could not afford to lose her, not when he just found her.

“Where should we go?” Austin asked.

“Mate bond.” Leticia said and stood up. They turned towards her.

“Use the mate bond to find them,” She stated and dusted her cloth.

“Okay,” Damien nodded his head and closed his eyes. He slowly connected to his mate’s mark while closing his eyes. Then suddenly, he felt her presence and he slowly took steps with them trailing behind him. He still had his eyes closed when they walked half of the way till they got to where she was.

“Ciara?!” Leo shouted and ran towards her. Damien cut off the connection quickly and went to meet them. Leo shook her and she coughed out.

“Leo,” Her voice came out croaked.

“Ciara,” Damien said and she looked at him.

“Where are we?” She asked and tried standing up. Leo and Damien assisted her up.

“The same place we were but it was under some sort of formation so I broke it.” Leticia explained. Ciara noticed that they were not complete.

Her eyebrows creased in confusion. “Where is Rose?” She questioned.

“I am. about to find her,” Leo said and did not waste time in closing his eyes to connect to his mate’s mark. He started walking with them behind him. When they got to a stream, the connection got disrupted. His eyebrows furrowed, he could smell her blood. He cut the connection and sniff in the place, he smiled and walked towards where she was after crossing the stream.

Just as they got to the place, they saw her lying against the tree. Leo ran towards her and pulled her closer to him.

“Rose,” He called out but she did not bulge. His heart skipped a beat.

Then suddenly, she coughed out and sat up. Leo rubbed her back slowly and gently. She looked at them and wiped her lips.

“What happened?” She asked.

“This is the forest of Illusion,” Leticia said.

“Wow, I saw my foster parents and Levi,” Rose stated and Leo looked at her.

“Who is Levi?” Leo asked and she turned.

“Gosh,” Rose thought.

“Hmmm…”

“Instead of you inquiring who Levi is, let’s find our way out first,” Damien interrupted them. Leo growled lowly and calm his breath before walking with them. Rose was silently thanked Damien for interrupting them. She breathed out and walked beside Leticia.

“Just tell him, he won’t get angry,” Halona said.

“Are you okay?” Rose asked, evading what Halona said.

“Yes, I am.” She answered. After that there was no conversation between them again.

“So where exactly are we heading to?” Austin asked. Ciara breathed out as they got to the end of the forest.

“I will be muttering some spells and will summon a bridge. We have gotten there already,” she said and they all moved back to give her some space. She slowly closed her eyes and started saying some incoherent words before a bridge slowly appeared.

“It has appeared,” Leticia said and Ciara muttered the last word and opened her eyes. She looked at the bridge. It’s been a long time she came here. What is it like after she left?

Maybe when she gets there, she will find out.

“Can we go?” Rose asked.

“Yes,” Ciara replied and they all started their ways towards the bridge. They looked ahead of them and saw a big tower.

“This place…” Austin trailed off. Rose looked at him.

“One thing you should know about your mother is that she likes drawing. Do you know what they call her Witch of Artistry, she uses arts in her spell.” He explained with pride and she smiled. At least, she knew her father loved her mother. That alone is a relief. She looked at Leo who was busy looking at them -her father and her. She forced a smile at him. She missed him and his touch. It’s felt like decades but there was nothing she could do. She really needs to know more about her past.

Just as they got half of the bridge, the bridge shook so violently that Leticia had to use her powers to hold them still so that they won’t fall.

“What do you want, wolves?” Layla’s voice said so loud that made their eyebrows creased in confusion as to where she was. And how did she know they were wolves?

“Laura, it’s me.” Ciara yelled.

“Who?” Laura asked. Her voice seems so calm as if she was close to them.

“Ciara.” And that was all it took for them to reach the end of the bridge. Laura stood outside with other witches with smiles plastered on their faces. Their one and only destructive, no scratch that, she ruined everywhere when she was practicing and made the place even more lively.

“Long time no see,” Layla said with a smile as they approached her. She looked behind Ciara and saw a familiar face. Her lips hangs open. No wonder… She saw the sign.

Finally, the day has come. She thought.

She still had that smile on her even though the inner her was in huge turmoil. Everything was going to change and does she want it?

“Layla,” Ciara said and pulled her into a hug.

“Thank you so much for sending Melissa back to me.” She said immediately. She has been looking for a way to tell her and now the opportunity showed like something else. But she is still grateful.

“Well, as you can see we here for a business. And I am sure you already know, unless you want us to explain over again.” Ciara said and Laura shook her head. Ciara turned to look at the other witches and greeted them with a bow before heading in.

Damien and the rest looked at how royally the place was.

“This place was as exactly as she drew it.” Austin let out before realizing. Laura stopped on her heels and looked at Austin.

“I guess we don’t need to walk further and get to the point. I know you are here for Eleanora but you can’t see her.” She said.

“Why?” Rose asked, bringing Laura’s gaze to her.

“Because she was cursed.” She answered and Rose and Ciara gasped.

“Why?” Ciara asked.

“The curse was until she meets her abominable daughter, she won’t see the light of the day. So unless you bring her daughter,…”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“I am her daughter.” Rose said before she could complete it and Layla looked at her in shock and surprise.

“Finally Nora is going to be released.” A voice let out as a squeal. Their attention was now diverted to a familiar looking lady.

“Melissa, how many times will I tell you behave mature?” Layla scolded her daughter but Melissa had her eyes on Ciara.

“Y-You?” She stammered, ignoring her mother and Ciara shrugged.

“What are you doing here?” She asked.

“To release Aunt Nora.” Ciara answered.

“You were the one responsible for me coming back to the bondage you call a coven,” She said with a scoff before walking towards them.

“Melissa?!” Laura reprimanded again. She knows how rebellious and stubborn her daughter is. She does not blame her though.

“So where is she?” Austin asked, already getting impatient.

“Follow me,” Melissa said before Laura could come up with an excuse. They all followed her as she led them towards an exit. They walked towards the south wing and entered a room. Rose’s palm had become sweaty as she sauntered along with them. Leo on noticing this crossed towards her and held her hands. Melissa stood in front of the wall and casted a quick glance at her mother who only stared at her blankly. They both knew the reason Melissa was doing this. She was doing it for her freedom. She thinks that once Nora is out, She becomes the new Elder witch and keeper of the coven since she was Athena’s biological daughter.

She muttered some spells and there was an handwriting on the wall.

“Where’s her daughter?” She asked and Rose stepped forward.

“Give me your hand.” She instructed and Rose raised it up. She placed her hand on her index thumb and it was hot that made Rose wince. Then a blood came out.

“Place it there,” She said and Rose slowly put it on the handwriting that were shining in golden letters. As soon as her blood touched it, the letters shone brightly that they had to shade their faces away. Then slowly, the engine roared back to life and the walls ground against each other before it slowly opened. The place was so dark that they had to narrow thier eyes into the place. Melissa clicked her hands together and the light got turned on. They were actually hoping to see Nora’s body or even her skeleton laying on the floor but instead they found a staircase that leads down the place. They looked amongst each other. Austin took the first step into the place and they all followed.