CHAPTER 211: _YOU TAMED THE ALPHA KING

"What is it, aunty?" I asked, staring at her as we finally got to the gardens.

Caroline seemed distant, parting aside some strands of her hair and looking away as my aunt and I sat on one of the benches in the garden.

The place was surrounded by flower shrubs, including roses which were in full bloom. It smelled like spring. It smelled... Like home.

My mind wandered back to the Luminari coven when I had sat on a bench similar to this, watching my aunt pluck flowers and plants that she’d use for potions.

She would point at some particular flowers, telling me their names and sometimes even calling me to help her stir some into a cauldron.

I owed my knowledge of potion making to her. I owed her for being the only parental figure I’ve had since my parents were killed before my eyes when I was five.

"Odessa, child..." Aunt Althea held my hands in between hers, her eyes brimming with pride. "Saying I’m proud of you would be an understatement. You’ve managed to exceed all my expectations throughout your marriage to the Alpha King."

I couldn’t help but scoff lightly, placing my right hand in front of my mouth and shaking my head.

"Sorry, aunty. But I’ve barely done anything throughout my marriage to Kaelos. It’s been barely a month... A lot has happened but I—"

"You’re his mate." Althea interrupted, squeezing my hands even tighter. "You’ve been at his side for such a short time, yet you’ve managed to bring a soft side of him that many believed was non-existent. You tamed the Alpha King, Odessa."

Oh...

My face heated up with a blush as I lowered my head, not having anything to say. I could feel Caroline staring at me from where she stood beside us and eventually turned my gaze to her.

"Don’t you want to sit?"

She scratched the back of her head awkwardly, a small blush appearing on her face. "Uh, I could leave if that’s okay. I feel like you and your aunt have some important things to talk about that I have no business hearing."

Althea and I glanced at each other and I saw the small smile on her face. I sighed lightly, turning my head back to Caroline.

"Nonsense, Caroline," I muttered, patting at the free space beside me. "Just sit. I mean, you know all my secrets at this point."

She hesitated, her hands placed in front of her body.

Eventually, she drew in a deep breath and sat beside me as I turned my gaze back to my aunt who looked at us curiously.

"So, you were saying something..." I muttered, clearing my throat.

Althea nodded slowly before speaking. "Yes. Anyway, I wanted to give you this."

She suddenly brought out a colorful hand bracelet and placed it around my wrist, helping me to lock it in before I could even speak or make sense of what was happening.

When she was done, she pulled her hands away and nodded with satisfaction. "There. That should help you in the coming six months."

Wait... What?

"That bracelet is going to track when your hybrid side gets too... Erratic. Especially if you use magic in public." Althea explained calmly, her face plain. "It would send a magic signal to the elders at the Luminari coven if that happens."

I blinked at her speechlessly before bringing my gaze to the bracelet on my wrist. It gave off a distinct glow which made me stare at it longer than necessary.

"It looks so pretty," Caroline commented beside me, causing me to snap my head to her.

Her face reddened as she coughed. "Oh, right. It’s not a good thing."

I rolled my eyes and breathed out as I brought my gaze back to my aunt. "Six months, aunt. They’re telling me to hide who I am for six months."

She nodded with a wry smile, placing her right hand on my shoulder. "I know how you feel, dear. But it’s for your safety and the safety of others on the continent."

I sighed, clicking my tongue as I stared at the bracelet again.

’It’s not like they banned you completely from being a hybrid.’ Sirena spoke up in my head just then. ’That would be impossible, anyway. All they’re saying is that you keep that part of yourself away from the public.’

Meaning I would be back to "Odessa the powerless witch".

As I mentally spaced out because of my predicament, Caroline suddenly spoke up.

"Ma’am Odessa, you never really explained how you awakened your hybrid side and your magic. Was it... A burst of flames like during the Charity Ball? Or something more magical?"

A cold shiver ran down my spine when I heard that question, my fingers shaking slightly. That night that I awakened my hybrid nature was also a night that I hated remembering because of what happened.

The rogue wolves, their leader sexually assaulting me... I had pushed it all into the back of my mind so much that I was almost forgetting all the details.

Until...

"I can feel your pain, child." Althea blurted, placing her right hand on mine. "Tell me what happened that night. The night that you awakened your hybrid nature."

I hesitated, glancing at Caroline who nodded at me as well.

Just when I parted my lips, my eyes widened as I thought of something.

"What if... I showed you?" I muttered, tightening my grip on my aunt’s hand and staring into her purple eyes.

She blinked back with confusion at first, tilting her head until her eyes also widened.

"You want me to look through your memories?" She asked with surprise.

But I shook my head. "Not just looking through them. The trauma from that night has slowly made me push almost everything that happened to the back of my mind. No matter how hard I try, most of it is blurry... Especially most of what happened right before Kaelos came to my rescue."

I smiled wryly, nodding at her. "Please, bring those memories back with clarity. I feel like there are some things I’m missing."

My aunt hesitated for only a few seconds before her eyes became serious and she nodded. She grabbed both my hands, whispering a spell as I closed my eyes.

My mind played through so many memories as the spell began reaching into it. I didn’t resist or fight back, connecting with the spell and letting go.

However, when the spell finally brought out the memories from that night, I let out a gasp as it flowed in all at once, forcing me to open my eyes.