Chapter 69 Chapter 69
Chapter 69 Chapter 69
~MIKAEL~
"Thi…but—" Zera stuttered, unable to string a sentence. She bit the inside of her cheeks, eyes darting from side to side. Her eyes shut and the rising of her chest caused some unease within me. I knew what she wanted to say — I had an inkling that she was about to refuse — and so I waited for her to speak.
"It's dangerous, Alpha!" her voice, a whisper that lingered at the back of my mind. My wolf didn't agree with it, neither did my inner demon. However, it was the only option I could come up with. I clasped my hands behind my back.
"I have already made up my mind, Zera," I stated matter-of-factly.
"The aftereffect is severe. When a person loses contact with their wolf, it could drive them insane," she pressed, hoping I would change my mind. Yet she didn't know that if I didn't hide Nyra's wolf, she might be gone for good.
I am selfish!
An attribute I cannot hide. I cannot bear the idea of losing Nyra. I thought she was just a pawn in my game of getting back at those filthy fools I shared blood with, but realizing how strong a hold Nyra had on me, I doubted I could ever let her out of my sight.
She was a piece of me — a part that had etched itself deep into my heart. I tried to convince myself I could hand her over to Sorim.
"Alpha!" Zera called, dragging me out of my thoughts.
"Do it, Zera! Block her wolf!" I said flatly, my face devoid of emotion. Realizing there was no turning back, the half-witch gave a slight nod and vanished. The spell that had blocked anyone from listening to our conversation disappeared with her.
Once I had confirmed she was truly gone, I stumbled. My fingers trembled as a wave of guilt washed over me like a gust of wind.
'You shouldn't have done it!' My wolf berated me. I gnashed my teeth together; my Adam's apple bobbed as I swallowed nothing. 'The deed is done!' I reminded him.
'You can tell her not to do it! Come clean with Nyra and she might help!' His tone was so sharp I was forced to look away.
My claws elongated, and the black lines accentuating my veins — the ones I had grown so accustomed to after taking charge of my nightly beast — protruded forward. I couldn't tell Nyra. I knew she might want to help, but Godfather… he was desperate. He could harm her.
'And how do you know that? Godfather loves you! You know that!' a voice echoed in my head.
Somehow, I knew he did love me, and I loved him too. But the dastardly emotion within me refused to believe it. I didn't want to put Nyra in danger. I did not want to lose her.
'Yet you are willing to let her go insane! How deranged are you!' I winced inwardly at the thought that forced its way into my head.
Nobody was going to understand — not even my wolf.
Theron interrupted, "And how could I? When you are such a coward! If I see any sign of her going insane, I swear to the heavens, Mikael, I will forcefully take control and let her reconnect with her wolf!"
I clenched my fist, claws digging into my palms. The scent of my blood wafted through the air, mingling with the smell of old books, coal, and wood in my study.
Before Theron's threat could come to pass, I would have already found another cure for Godfather — hopefully. That was why I needed O'Lean back; we would figure something out together.
My heart turned heavy at the sight of my mate curled up on the chair beside the bed, her gaze fixed on the book she was holding. Her dark brown hair was tied neatly with a band, styled in a bun. She slid her fingers delicately, turning to the next page. Nyra was so invested that she didn't notice my presence in the room.
The nightwear she wore had a low v-neck cut that outlined her collarbone perfectly.
She was… peaceful.
I should have been glad that she wasn't worrying about what had happened in the woods, not worried about what would happen when she found out her wolf was gone.
Yet staring at her made the voices in my head lash out at me. It felt as though I was being crushed under the weight of guilt — part of me despised myself, another part wanted me out of her life. It was strange how the universe had decided to make things so complicated, just when I thought things might be perfect. It mocked me and threw me completely off balance.
"Mikael?" I blinked.
Nyra's surprised expression instantly shifted to a joyful one. It made my heart crack, pain seeping in slowly — taking effect like a venom. I strode toward where she sat, my lips curving upward slightly, my smile not reaching my eyes.
"Since when have you been here? And why were you just standing there?" she uttered, now sitting upright, her back against the brown chair, legs crossed slightly. I took my place beside her, reaching out to take the book she was reading.
Nyra's eyes were still on me. She had been reading a cultivation romance novel, and I shook my head inwardly. My mate leaned her head on my shoulder, her nose buried in my neck. I could feel her breath on me, a spark shooting through my system.
I closed the book and set it on the small table beside the golden lamp, alongside the other books. I placed my hands over hers. "I just wanted to watch you. You looked so invested in the novel that I had no choice but to stare — you left me stunned," I murmured.
My eyes studied Nyra. Her cheeks flushed. "Liar! I'm not wearing any makeup and I'm not properly dressed, so how could I leave you stunned?" her voice was barely audible.
I traced her fingers. "You don't need to be properly dressed to leave me speechless, Thistle. With or without makeup, you enchant me, Nyra!" I raised my hands up. "Like this…" I demonstrated with my fingers.
"You wrap my whole being around your fingers like it's nothing!"
Her gaze met mine, eyes waiting to see whether what I had said was nothing but empty words.
I leaned in, gently placing my lips to the top of her head and kissing it lightly. "You are an enchantress. Trust me when I say you need nothing extra to be remarkable — not even your wolf."
"You alone are enough!"