Chapter 35: Painful Truth

**\[ALICE’s Point of View\]**

I was frantic for Bellamy’s life.

I didn’t know what Maverick was capable of, but I was sure he had already killed so many people before. Being a notorious criminal who had been leading a pack of bandits, I was certain he would kill Bellamy if I didn’t think of any way to stop him.

“Let him go,” I yelled at Maverick. I swallowed hard, desperate to get his attention as he and Bellamy prepared for a fight until death. “Let him go and I will go with you wherever you want!”

Maverick was surprised at what I said and that dark expression on his face turned as if he was amused at what he heard from me. From a crouching position, he stood with his back straight and his eyes all focused on me as he grinned. “Did I hear you right, Alice Drakon? You are finally willing to submit yourself to me?”

I panicked at what he said because he misunderstood me. “No! That’s not what I meant!” I yelled, a little hysterical. Bellamy shot me a warning look not to talk anymore but I ignored him. “Just let Alpha Bellamy go, and I will go back with you to that miserable mansion of yours.”

Maverick seemed disappointed at my answer, for he grimaced and then almost rolled his eyes, looking annoyed. “If you agree to become one of my concubines, then I will let him go.”

“You have to kill me first before I’ll let Alice do that!” Bellamy snarled. “I can’t believe five wives still isn’t enough to make a disgusting creature like you happy.”

Maverick’s guffaw startled even his men that surrounded me and Bellamy. His blue eyes were icy and menacing when he looked back at Bellmay, who was ready to shift to his wolf anytime he sensed Maverick attacking again. “A powerful wife means powerful litters, McKenzie. My bloodline should be the bloodline of legends who conquer and rule this region! That’s what I have been wanting, McKenzie! And I won’t let anyone ruin my plans, even you!”

“I told you already I am not a pureblood shifter!” I screamed at him, trying to put sense into his delusional mind. “I am a hybrid, Maverick! A part witch and part Lycan! I am no use for you!”

The redheaded Alpha just shrugged his shoulder as he answered in a bored tone, “So what? Perhaps I am just doing this to piss Zenon off. I just didn’t know that Bellamy would be the first guy here to rescue you, though.” He squinted his eyes at Bellamy and sneered. “But is my instinct right, though? Is there something between you and Alice?”

“She’s my destined mate.” Bellamy didn’t hesitate to answer Maverick’s question, which made the rest of Maverick’s men whistle tauntingly.

That answer made Maverick’s brows rise in surprise as he looked at Bellamy with mocking amusement. “Just look at how funny fate is!” he laughed as if he couldn’t believe what he just heard. “Your destined mate being engaged to your best friend! How does that feel, Bellamy? How does it feel to see your beloved mate being taken away from you slowly by the man you had sworn loyalty to?!”

It was heartbreaking seeing Bellamy rage at what Maverick said. My eyes suddenly brimmed with tears as I watched Bellamy’s jaw tighten, still holding his anger back. 

“Stop it, Maverick,” I begged, wanting to approach him and push him away so he could leave Bellamy alone. “Stop it!”

Maverick glared at me with a dark grin on his face. “What? Because it hurts you to see Bellamy suffer? I haven’t done anything yet, love. It is your indecisiveness that put both of you in such a situation. But now you have no other choice but to go with me. It seems Alpha Zenon isn’t that invested in you so he just sent his most loyal dog here.”

“I SAID ENOUGH!” 

I lost control when a surge of emotion overwhelmed everything that was in my head. I was too angry to think or feel anymore. I couldn’t let Maverick humiliate my feelings while I was in front of the man I wanted to be with. There was pain etched on Bellamy’s face, but he looked as if he was more worried about me than his own pain. And as the power pumped all over my veins like lava, ready to set everything on fire and turn everything to nothing but ashes, I screamed.

The mohawk-haired guy was sent flying away from me as my power started to swell around my body. I kept on screaming as the burning feeling in me raged and a fire started to swirl from the palm of my hands and curled into fireballs, which made Maverick’s and his men’s eyes widen with horror.

A witch was never common in the shifter’s region, and my kind was always a taboo to creatures like them. Despite the unnatural scene displayed in front of them, I saw in Maverick’s eyes how he admired the flames more than he feared them. It confused me for a second but I reminded myself I needed to focus and drive them away from me and Bellamy.

“Back off!” I yelled at them as I threatened them with my flames. “Back off or I will burn you until your bones are nothing but ashes!”

Maverick went silent as he gestured for his men to step back from me and Bellamy. Bellamy was still on high alert but he wasn’t scared of my flames. I walked towards him slowly, still threatening Maverick and his men to never go closer to me or my mate.

“Let them,” Maverick uttered to his pack while our eyes were locked on each other; both were measuring if we attack or concede. “There’s still plenty of chances to take her back. The next time we see each other, I will make sure she will beg for me to take her away from Zenon and his dog.”

Before Maverick had changed his mind, I had grabbed Bellamy’s shoulder and urged him to run.