The Alpha Can’t Sense His Mate

ITHRAExclusive © material by Nô(/v)elDrama.Org.

I relaxed on the tree and finished off the remains of my roasted meat.

I couldn’t lie. Zadok was one hell of a cook. It made me wonder just how many things he excelled in.

My eyes raked over his sturdy back as he stood watch a few metres away from me. He felt my gaze and said without glancing back, “Done having dinner?” He stated.

“Yes, thank you.” I find myself replying. We shared a moment of silence before I spoke again. “Do you plan on staying there all night long?”

“Someone’s got to keep watch.” He answered with a shrug. “You can go to bed.”

I resist the urge to say something rude. “If you are staying awake, why can’t I?”

A brief and tired sigh left Zadok’s lips. For the first time, I saw his shoulders sag. How tired was he?

“I don’t have enough strength to bicker with you, Ithra.” He said, finally turning around. “Go to bed already. We have a long day ahead.”

I pouted my lips, maintaining silence. A thought breezed into my mind, and I spoke again. “You know, the last time we had dinner together, you were threatening my life.”

Zadok took a seat opposite the fire. Right in front of me. “And now I am trying to protect it.”

“Indeed.” I acknowledged. “You live long enough, and you’ll see strange things.”

Zadok shook his head, biting back a smile. I couldn’t believe it.

“Is that a ghost of a smile?” I teased, and he placed up a stoic face.

I was unphased by Zadok’s rigid face. These days, I found myself admiring his sulking face. I wouldn’t breathe a word of it to anyone.

“For someone with a decent smile, it’s a shame you go around sulking all day.” I teased again, partly hoping to get another smile. But no such luck.

Zadok threw a tree branch into the fire, connecting his eyes with mine. I could feel the intensity eat at my nerves.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you are hitting on me, Ithra.”

Air lodged into my throat, and I threw a coughing fit.

“What? Hitting on you? Don’t be silly.” I said with a wave of hand.

For some reason, my face heated at the directness of his words.

“You seem full of energy today. Perhaps you should stand guard while I sleep?” I could hear the humour in his tone.

Who knew Zadok had a humourous bone in him?

“Right.” I picked up a stone from the floor and began scribbling on the floor.

I continued in silence, feeling Zadok’s gaze on me.

“Can I ask you a question?” He said, watching me with careful eyes.

I looked up at him, “Since when do you take permission before asking a question?”

“Why are you so protective of your clan?”

His question hit me like a tonne of bricks.

“Correct me if I’m wrong. You haven’t received the best treatment.” His head tilted to the side, and confusion etched his face. “Why are you so determined to protect the clan when they have done nothing to deserve your loyalty?”

I couldn’t swallow. How on earth does one answer such a question?

“Why are you dedicated to protecting my clan if I help you break the curse?” I asked after a while.

Zadok’s gaze turned intense, his eyes narrowed at me as if to say, You are the reason. You should know that by now.

I couldn’t resist my eye-roll. “So you mean you would kill a whole clan of witches that did nothing just to satiate your insane instinct to exterminate witches?”

No answer.

My blood boiled as I understood the message behind his silence. If I decided to help him with breaking the curse, he would spare my clan from destruction and ‘protect’ us from other external factors.

And if I didn’t, he would wipe out my innocent clan, as well as any other clan he was fortunate to discover while he lived on earth.

Suddenly, I felt a strong sense of hatred for the monster that sat before me.

“What did the witches do to deserve such hatred and punishment from your hands, Zadok?” His name was bitter in my mouth. “At least, we deserve an explanation for your wickedness towards us.”

I could see his jaws flex from the glow of the fire. Zadok didn’t utter a word. He sat there like what I said didn’t mean anything to him. I couldn’t believe I thought he was a good person.

At this point, all I could see was his form – a selfish and wicked bastard who deserved to die most cruelly for his sins against innocent people.

“I’ll tell you why I am so protective of them,” I fired when the silence became unbearing. “Because they are my family. Regardless of what they did to me, it doesn’t change that we are family.” I seethed. “I don’t expect you to understand that Zadok. Someone like you can never understand the bond that binds us.”

“Enough.” The base in his tone caught me off guard. “I will pretend that this conversation didn’t happen. Get some rest. Tomorrow, we journey through the valley of thorns.”

Without waiting for a reply, Zadok got on his feet and returned to his spot, standing guard. Frustration at his nonchalance boiled within me, and I fought the urge to yell how terrible of a person he was to his face.

How did he manage to live with the blood of innocent witches he had killed for no cause? How did he sleep knowing he was the cause of many deaths that led to the drastic reduction and near extermination of the witch race?

If what I saw was anything to go by, he was living alright. Other than the quest to break his curse and find his mate. There was no sign of remorse for the evil he had done to the witch race.

At that moment, I wished he wouldn’t find his mate. I hoped he experienced the pain of losing someone dear to him, just like the thousands he exterminated had experienced before their unjust death.

That would be punishment enough for his crimes. And maybe he would come to regret all he has done.