Chapter 39

"Can she really?"

My jaw dropped at Marcus' big news, but I didn't want to get my hopes up for nothing. But Marcus was positive that this Lady Xinxia woman could indeed break mating bonds and they'd just finished talking about hiring her to cut my mating bond with Darren.

"She is willing to help you, Milena, but of course it's her job so we have to pay her. She already accepted half the payment I offered her for her services. She's currently residing in New Victoria which is in the west so Gil needs to fetch her and bring her to Gloverstone."

"That's good, Marcus! I'll join Gil! I want to meet her in person!"

But Marcus shook his head. "I'm sorry, Milena, but I can't let you go with Gil. It's too dangerous."

"Dangerous? How?"

"Unfortunately, Lady Xinxia is popular in the black market because of her abilities as a shaman. The Blackholes are even said to be interested in her, that's why Lady Xinxia has been in hiding for almost a year now. She’s very elusive. I had to convince her that she's going to be safe while she's in my territory before she agreed to help us."

"Really? How did you convince her then?"

Marcus smiled at me. "I told her that all the rumors about me burning hundreds of rogues alive were all true. It was lucky that she had heard of the Ruthless Alpha from the Midnight Walkers pack." It was clear from the way he said it that he was proud of gaining the trust of this Lady Xinxia and that also made me proud of him. And I knew his charismatic personality helped him seal the deal too, which ironically made me feel a little jealous. However, I also realized that Marcus really knows me well. He sent Gil to fetch the shaman woman instead of him personally meeting her because that would make me raise my eyebrows. I almost giggled when that thought hit me.

"I can't believe that there's actually a way to break the bond," I said as we cuddled on his hospital bed together since it was a little cold. "But will Gil be okay? What if something bad happens?"

"He'll be fine. I'll let Hugo join him too to ease your mind. By the way, the doctor said that I can go home tomorrow. He was so amazed that my wounds healed fast, but he wanted to make sure I'm a hundred percent fine. It was hilarious but also frustrating because I couldn't tell him that I didn't need to stay overnight here since I'm a werewolf and that we heal our wounds faster than humans."

I laughed, then remembered to ask him how he got new injuries when I already healed him back at the Blackholes' territory. He then went on to tell me what happened to him after we got separated. He said that he just woke up at the public park here in St. Pio. He was already unconscious when I asked Lilith's help so he was clueless about what had happened up to that point. He panicked when he couldn't find me so he decided to go back to the Blackholes' place. However, he ran into some of the rogues that were actually after us. Nightshade ordered her men to hunt us down as she felt insulted that we were able to escape from her. But Marcus managed to defeat them — though they also wounded him badly, as he was still weak.

The encounter with the rogues made him realize that I was no longer at the Blackholes’ HQ, so he called Gil to help him find me. But Gil nor Ava were responding to his calls, so he had no choice but to call Devon instead. But it turned out to be the best decision Marcus made because he did find out from Devon that I was back at my old place. That scared him, though, knowing that I was with Darren. He was relieved that I was safe, but he was scared that I might not come back to him because of Darren.

"Oh come on, Marcus. Did you really think that I'd abandon you and be with Darren? Did I make you feel that way?" I kidded, teasing him but his face was serious when he replied.

"I was confident that you'll choose me over him," he said. "But he's still your mate, Milena. Nothing is stronger than the mating bond between two werewolves. That's why I was prepared to hear you tell me over the phone that you're no longer coming back to me."

"That's ridiculous. But I can't blame you for thinking that way since I too have never heard of a werewolf successfully evading the pull of their mating bond forever. That's why I was scared the whole time I was there."

"You did well, Milena," he said, kissing my forehead that gave me goosebumps all over my body. "You did well avoiding him. But starting now, you have to avoid Darren at all cost. His wolf might have awakened by now, so we have to be careful."

"Awakened? What do you mean?"

Marcus took a deep breath before answering, as if he was hesitating to tell me what he knew. But I was waiting patiently for him to reply so he gave in. "You told me what Devon shared to you about what happened to Darren and that girl named Valerie, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Valerie fooled him. She drank an illegal potion that made him feel that they were mates. But Marcus found out and he broke up with her."

"That's right. But aren't you wondering why Darren's wolf isn't responding to you the way your wolf does when you see him? Haven't you wondered why he seems normal despite his wolf being starved for five years?"

That almost made me choke on my own saliva because I was so shocked that I hadn't realized yet what Marcus was saying. I hadn't even thought about it but right then it made me think hard too. "Yeah... Why? Darren hasn't shown any form of aggression or any signs that his wolf is dying to mate with mine... Why is it?"

"This is only my theory, Milena, but I think Darren's wolf is not in the right condition. I asked Devon at work about what had happened between Darren and Valerie because I was curious that Darren wasn't aggressive at all the times that you two met..."

"And? What did Devon say?"

"You know how Darren found out that Valerie drank an illegal potion to fool him? It's because she couldn't conceive a child with Darren. But Darren is the alpha of your old pack, so he needs to have children. The potion's side effect was that the drinker wouldn't be able to have children anymore. It's the main reason that potion is considered illegal by us werewolves."

"What?" Again, I was so shocked that I accidentally yelled, making Marcus jump. We laughed at that but then he continued telling me what he knew.

"But that wasn't the only side effect, Milena. It also had a negative effect on Darren's wolf since the potion was primarily designed to fool its senses. This is only a hunch but I think Darren's wolf couldn't recognize you when you first met again after five years, and I guess even up to now. Otherwise he would have already used his wolf to his advantage.”

“Yeah! You’re right!”

“Darren and his parents knew this according to Devon, and they had searched for a way to heal Darren's wolf."

"And once his wolf heals, what happens?" I asked worriedly because I thought I already know the answer. Maybe this was the main reason Darren wanted me to stay back at my old place. He wanted me to be there when his wolf gets better.

"Once his wolf recognizes yours, then the mating bond between the two of you becomes much, much stronger. And that's going to be bad news for us, Milena, that's why we need to break that bond before you meet Darren again."