The Villain Alpha's Cursed Mate
Chapter 58: We Are Not Close

Chapter 58: We Are Not Close

"There." Esme said, taking a step back as she felt satisfied with her work. She had carefully wrapped Althea’s wound with a strip of cloth. The precision and care in her work caused Althea’s eyes to widen in astonishment the moment she was done, and her gaze sparkled with a mix of surprise and admiration

"You didn’t feel any pain?" Esme asked, meeting Althea’s eyes. "You hardly flinched when I bandaged it." She noted her observation, and Althea’s eyes widened at her pending question.

She quickly averted her gaze, her head bowing slightly. "The wound is already healing," she admitted. "But you were so focused on helping me, I didn’t want to interrupt."

Althea still couldn’t believe that her wound got treated by an Illyrian. It felt surreal, like she was in the midst of a dream.

Finnian’s voice was laced with curiosity as he asked, "You’re a demon shifter of the non-malevolent kind, right? I mean, you don’t seem to be driven by a desire for our blood." His eyes narrowed, hinting at his own theories. "So, why was the demon after you anyway?" Finnian’s thought took him back to the moonstone hall incident, where Van Dan had pulled that trick to fool everyone, but little did Finnian know that there was some reality behind it.

Althea’s gaze roamed over Finnian’s physique when he drew her attention to him, her expression tinged with mild interest. She had never seen a boy so... aesthetically pleasing, with a face that wore seriousness like a badge of honor.

He reminded her of her own sister, minus the siblings resemblance. If not for the fact he had just single handedly dispatched the demon shifter with practiced ease, she might have underestimated him.

The thought stung, and Althea’s eyes pricked with tears. A child – a mere boy – had accomplished what she, a seasoned warrior of the damned, could not. Her own incompetence felt like a weight crushing down on her.

Her fingers dug into Finnian’s shoulder as she shook him, her words tumbling out in a frenzied mix of awe and self-reproach. "How old are you, anyway?! You took down that demon like it was nothing! Didn’t you feel even a hint of fear facing something like that?? You barely hesitated and went for the head! I can’t believe a child is braver than me!!"

Althea’s emotions were in turmoil, and Esme could hardly believe she’s a demon shifter with the way she kept ranting and raving.

She eventually buried her face in her palm and sobbed lightly. Meanwhile, Finnian and Esme exchanged puzzled glances, wondering how Althea could move her injured arm. Healing was a natural process, but the pain typically lingers for a while before dissipating.

"I’m a failed warrior!" Althea wailed, and Esme had to resist not petting her head. She and Finnian remained rooted to the spot, unsure of if they should leave Althea with her misery. Esme wouldn’t have lifted a finger to help a demon, especially not one whose marks are below her collarbone. But her innate kindness and duty as a healer made her pick the toughest choice.

Even now, Esme hesitated to abandon Althea to her own devices.

Her concern finally got the better of her. "I think it’s time for us to leave." Her voice was laced with caution. "It’s not safe for any of us to linger here. We’ll go first, and you can follow." She gestured to Finnian, and he stepped beside her. His eyes never left Althea’s tear-stricken face, and to him, she was amusingly reminiscent of Vivienne on a typical day.

Finnian then offered a kind suggestion. "Would you like to come with us? We have a carriage with an extra seat."

Althea’s red-rimmed eyes locked onto Finnian as he offered her a ride in their carriage, and Esme’s neutral expression hinted that she didn’t object to the idea. Althea’s gaze sparkled with a mixture of gratitude and wonder. She was drawn to the gentle light that the siblings embodied. For the first time in a long time, humanity finally showed her kindness.

"Thank you for saving me!" Althea said, her voice sincere as she rose to her feet. "I really appreciate your help in rescuing me from that monster. You don’t have to worry about me though – I can take care of myself." Her hand patted her chest, and Finnian believed it.

"ALTHEA!" A feminine voice called out to her, and she spun around to see Revana and Neville sprinting in her direction.

Seeing her standing in the midst of an Illyrian, they both instinctively assumed she was in danger and was about to transform, but Althea swiftly stopped them, waving her hands frantically in the air in order to halt their approach.

"Wait! Stop! They’re not a threat, I promise." Her urgent cry stayed Neville’s advances, and Revana’s as well, though her hostile gaze remained fixed on Esme and Finnian. Then, in a stunning display of affection, Althea flung herself into Revana’s arms.

"I’m so relieved you’re here! You finally came."

"Of course I did, you mind-linked me that you were in trouble, after all. Are they the ones....?!" Revana’s eyes flashed with anger, but Althea hastily pulled back to clarify.

"No, no, no! It’s not them, listen! I accidentally blew my cover while tracking down the demon. He saw me and attacked, but they saved me!" Althea gestured towards Esme and Finnian, who were dumbstruck to witness this reunion.

For a moment, they both contemplated on running for their lives, as the other two didn’t seem so friendly, but chose not to.

"Saved you?" Revana’s incredulity was palpable. "Do you know who they are? Look at their hair and guess. They’re the Montagues, the family whose father killed the late Alpha Demon, and you expect me to believe they helped you? I think not!"

Revana positioned herself protectively in front of Althea, her glare fixed on Esme. "I don’t know what kind of game you and that brother of yours were playing when you offered my sister a ride, but I’m not fooled by your supposed good intentions. You’re lucky my sister vouched for you, or I’d have your heads severed with my own sword. Let’s go."

Althea immediately protested as her sister dragged her away. "They really didn’t do anything to me, quit being so harsh!" Her seriousness was clear, but Revana was unmoved, her suspicion and distrust evident in her body language.

Neville’s wary gaze lingered on Esme and Finnian as equally retreated, and he vanished along with the two sisters.

In their absence, Finnian turned to Esme, his eyebrows furrowing in concern. "Are you going to tell the king what you saw?" he asked, and Esme pressed her lips into a thin line, unsure of how to respond. Lying to the king about this was already out of the question, so she would have to opt for a delicate balance of truth and discretion.

"Let’s go," Esme said, and the two of them left. They returned to the carriage so they could quickly leave the environment.

As they settled into the carriage, Donovan’s words echoed in her mind, reminding her of their conversation about his kind and those under the full influence of the curse. She couldn’t help but wonder why the other lady, despite her evident hostility, had chosen not to attack them. Did their connection to the late Alpha Demon mean they were also acquainted with Donovan?

Esme’s gaze fell on Finnian who was checking out his daggers, and she asked, "Since when did you start carrying a dagger?"

"Today," he replied. "Van Dan advised me to always have an emergency weapon on me, in case of any unexpected trouble. I didn’t think much of it initially, but I’m glad I listened to him. He seems to know a lot about these situations. I just wish I could convince him to teach me more."

Finnian’s eyes turned to Esme, "Could you ask him for me?"

Esme’s cheeks flared with heat as she processed his question. "Me?" she repeated, her voice laden with skepticism.

Finnian simply nodded, his expression innocent. "Yes, he said you two were close."

He said what?!!!

Esme’s face grew hotter, her mind flashing back briefly to what would have happened at her work table in the tower. Close? Hardly. Unless, of course, one counted the fact that they were close to getting naked on her work table, but that doesn’t count, right????

"We are not close, and you are starting to get too attached to him." Esme stated to Finnian. "All he needs is an opportunity, and he’ll burn Illyria to the ground. A man as calm as he is must be harboring a deep-seated rage. Be more cautious, okay?"

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