CHAPTER 230: CHAPTER 230 THE WITCHES’ REALM (6)

"I don’t care," she snapped. "If the universe wanted to punish both of us, then this is a pretty good start, but not if I can help it."

They stared at each other, without breaking contact. A glint flickered through the witch’s eyes, but it was so fast that Alaric almost missed it.

Then, slowly, the spell faded from the ground. The symbols vanished into the dirt, and the heat disappeared.

"Go," she muttered, turning away. "Before I change my mind."

Alaric didn’t move from his spot, even when his instincts yelled at him to grab her and pin her against the tree. "What’s your name?"

She turned around to walk away, but stopped and glanced over her shoulder. "You don’t get to know my name."

And with that, she disappeared into the trees.

Alaric stayed there, staring at the spot where she vanished. His hands curled into fists, and his chest felt tight. He didn’t know whether to chase her or run in the opposite direction.

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, falling to his knees.

A deep guttural growl reverberated from his chest. Midnight pounced on him. "Why didn’t you claim her? Why didn’t you follow her?"

"Didn’t hear what she said?... I hate to break it to you Midnight, we might as well just believe we are not blessed enough to know the feeling of having a mate." Alaric’s rasped voice and panting echoed through the woods.

His claws dug into the earth. "Are you going to reject her?" Midnight’s voice lowered dangerously.

Alaric closed his eyes. He still remembered what had happened a century ago, he lost his parents to that war, and everyone that mattered to him.

Coming from a line of Betas who served the Lycans, his family was not spared from the brutal battle.

"If she were a fae, it would have been better." He muttered under his breath.

His eyes welled, but he refused to let the tears fall. His heart was broken like a shattered glass.

"But that doesn’t mean she is the one who killed them. I know it was her kind, but we cannot judge everyone based on the mistakes of their kind."

Alaric chuckled. "When did you become an inspirational speaker... I thought you were carefree and to have all the fun possible?"

Midnight rolled his eyes in anger. "I’m speaking the truth and you know it."

"But our fiery mate isn’t interested in us, Midnight. We can’t go after her." Alaric slumped his shoulders in dejection.

Midnight growled one last time before retreating to the deepest corner of his mind.

Alaric remained in his spot, his heart burned but he refused to show it.

"Alaric!" A familiar voice rang from behind him.

He turned around, only to find Theo’s traumatized face.

"What are you doing here? You suddenly disappeared, I thought you were kidnapped or something." Theo angrily pushed back his glasses, before resting his back against a tree, sighing in relief.

Alaric chuckled, rising to his feet. His claws retracted back into his fingers. "Who would be strong enough to kidnap me?"

Theo glared at him. "Why didn’t you say that you were leaving?"

Theo began to sniff the air, his nose wriggling before scrunching in disgust. "It smells like a witch was here..."

He turned to face Alaric. "Don’t tell me you were making out with a witch!" He walked to Alaric, sniffing his body.

"You don’t smell like her." Theo sighed in relief.

Alaric rolled his eyes, masking the pain. "I just came here to get some fresh air."

Theo stared at him, refusing to believe him. He felt something was wrong but he couldn’t tell exactly what it was.

"You look terrible Alaric... you look like you have grown older by a century more." He scrutinized his expression for any slip-up. But when he couldn’t find any, he continued.

"You look like you have had your heart broken, and if I didn’t know you better I would have thought you had found your mate, but she ended up rejecting you." He joked, playfully hitting Alaric’s shoulder.

Theo laughed lightly, still trying to read Alaric’s expression. "But seriously... You do look like you just met your mate."

Alaric didn’t respond.

Theo’s smile slowly faded. "Wait... no way." He stepped closer. "Alaric, did you?"

Alaric turned away, his jaw tightening. He didn’t say yes, and he didn’t deny it either.

His action only reinforced Theo’s belief. Theo’s eyes widened. "You found her."

Alaric closed his eyes, willing himself not to break down. Even he had been abandoned by his lifelong companion. He had never felt so alone in his entire life.

"Oh, for the name of the moon goddess." Theo blinked, suddenly becoming anxious. "Then why do you look like that? Did she reject you?"

Alaric let out a slow breath. "Something like that."

Theo’s voice dropped. "Was she... not a werewolf?"

Alaric finally met his gaze, his eyes flickered with irritation. "We are in the Witches’ realm Theo, where the fuck would I find a werewolf... she is a fucking witch Theo, a fucking redhead witch."

Theo’s entire body tensed. "What?"

Alaric didn’t utter another word. His chest heaved heavily as he felt rage burning through his veins.

Theo’s mouth opened, but no words came out. He rubbed the back of his neck, then looked around the trees like someone might appear and jump them. "That’s not fair."

Alaric gave a bitter laugh. "Tell me about it."

Theo hesitated. "But... did she know?"

"She didn’t feel the bond." Alaric’s voice was low and detached. "She threatened to burn me alive. And honestly, she might’ve gone through with it."

"Sh*t," Theo muttered. "So, what now?"

"I let her go," Alaric replied, even though his heart still hurt just saying it. "She told me to leave, but I stayed until she disappeared."

Theo frowned. "And you’re okay with that?"

"No," Alaric said, his tone flat. "But what choice do I have?"

Theo’s face softened, and for once, he didn’t make a joke. "We’ll figure it out." He squeezed Alaric’s shoulder.