The Alpha Can’t Sense His Mate

ITHRA

“Don’t be silly,” I stated, pushing my hair to the back of my ear.

I took in the dark waters before me and felt my heart shrink in fear.

“Yes, you are,” Zadok said, scrutinising me with his eyes. “Is there a reason why?”

“I said I am alright!” My words came out harsher than intended.

He raised his hands in mock surrender and said, “No need to bite. I was only making sure.”

Zadok walked ahead without sparing me a glance. I could tell he was offended. I couldn’t find it within me to care.

As a child, they warned against getting close to water. The only thing that could neutralise a Celts witch’s power was water – water in its large body.

Thankfully, I never experienced the horror of what water could do to a Celt’s witch, seeing I didn’t have powers. But I was no stranger to what it could do to a witch.

I once watched a witch get traumatised by a mere hallucination of an ocean conjured by a witch as an attempt at a joke. There, my mother placed a ban on casting such a spell and spent months rehabilitating the affected witch.

After that experience, I walked away with a lesson. Avoid water at all costs. If it could harm a witch in such a manner, only God knew the horrors it could inflict on me.

“It’s getting dark.” I heard Zadok from afar. I knew he was referring to me, but I didn’t care.

Counting my steps, I walked towards him, shaking with fear. The water seemed so dark. I felt the presence of something inside, something capable of killing me.

“There’s no other way to get around this?” I asked but got shushed by Zadok.

“Quiet!” He whispered, warily looking at the water. “We need to cross over. And fast.”

“What’s wrong?” I said from a reasonable distance, and Zadok’s face turned sour.

“Could you be any more loud?” He asked in a low but sarcastic tone.

“I don’t-” I heard the river stir, and my mouth snapped shut.

There was something in there.

“Come on, let’s go.” Zadok beckoned at me with an alarmed look.

I tried to run, but my feet remained rooted to the spot.

Zadok noticed my hesitation and ran to me. He held out his hand and said, “Let’s go.” But for some reason, I refused to take his hand.

“Tell me what it is. Give me the book. There is something inside that water. We can’t cross over until we know what it is.” I argued, stalling him.

Zadok raked his hands through his hair. “We don’t have time for this.” His eyes communicated his desperation. “Whatever lives inside there will be showing up soon, and it’s either we beat its arrival and go through the bridge now, or we get stranded with another unknown beast of the dark forest.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out when I saw a gigantic black octopus throw an arm around the bridge. I instinctively took two steps back, and the water rumbled.

Zadok seemed split between decisions. His eyes flickered between the bridge and me. Without a word, he picked me up bridal style with his strong arms tightened around me.Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

He took off towards the river, and my eyes snapped shut. If I was going to die today, I didn’t want to see it.

I felt the wind through my hair as he ran with me in his arms. I heard the sound of wood breaking, and my eyes flung open. I came to face with a black octopus, whose arms wrapped around the bridge edge, squeezing it to pieces.

The bridge broke, and a screech escaped my mouth as I saw the dark waters beneath us. The octopus’s mouth was widely opened beneath us, awaiting our fall.

“Close your eyes!” Zadok instructed, and naturally, I shut my eyes. “Just trust me.”

I didn’t know what happened, but in a moment, I heard the descent of his feet on the ground. My eyes flew open, and I realised we were safely on the other side.

He jumped to the other side!

The first thing I saw was the dark orbs of Zadok, looking deep into my eyes with a worried look etched on his face. I struggled out of his hold and got on my feet. Looking back, I saw the bridge had disappeared.

The octopus had broken it to pieces.

“You’re welcome,” Zadok said from behind me. “Find somewhere we can sleep while I’ll go get dinner.”

He didn’t wait for my response and took off to get dinner. I looked at the water a few feet below the ground, and it returned to its calm state – Like there wasn’t a killer beast living inside.

The sky was dark, as well as the waters. I wondered why I was scared in the first place. The water seemed serene and harmless.

I turned, and my eyes searched for Zadok. He needed an explanation.

Eventually, I found a shade that was a decent place to rest, as well as a spot for a campfire. I gathered sticks together and started a fire as I waited for what was supposed to be dinner.

Zadok came after some minutes with rabbits, and I fought the urge to laugh. “Was this all you could catch?” I asked after a failed attempt to hold in my laughter.

“You’ll be surprised how empty this forest can be. We better make do with what we have.” Zadok placed the dead meat on the floor, took out a knife and got to work.

I’d expected the task of cooking, but Zadok was doing just fine. I watched his arms flex as he roasted the meat and remembered his status as an alpha.

Looking at him, I felt like that was a long time ago. He wasn’t just an alpha to me. He had somehow found his way to becoming my friend. And that’s why I told him about my fear of water and heights.

Zadok listened carefully, making it easy to open up to him. After my little speech, he broke the ice with a signature smirk. “Good thing I was there to sweep you off your feet, princess.” He handed me a piece of perfectly roasted meat. “There you go.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I couldn’t explain the accelerated beating of my heart. At that moment, I knew I didn’t want to forget how I felt.