The Villain Alpha's Cursed Mate
Chapter 69: She’s Mine Now

Chapter 69: She’s Mine Now

Emily’s laugh was a low, annoying sound, and her eyes glinted with malice as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Spare me the unnecessary sermon, Esme," she said. "You’re one to talk about love, aren’t you? After all, you’re about to marry the king, not out of love, but out of obligation. And once you do, that pristine dress of yours won’t be the only thing that gets sullied."

Moving closer, she helped Esme adjust her sleeves, her touch cold and detached. "Just as Alpha Dahmer so astutely pointed out earlier, you were born to be a pawn, a tool to be used and discarded at whim. And.... it seems that fate is already unfolding as predicted." Emily’s smile was a cruel, triumphant thing after that, and she turned to exit the chamber, leaving Esme more broken than she previously was.

Leaving the room, she casted a withering glare at the maid who had interrupted her conversation earlier. Meanwhile, Esme’s fist clenched at her side, and her eyes flashed with a hint of silent fury.

The maid who was waiting for her to take her downstairs, immediately stepped back when Dahmer walked in. Esme didn’t turn around when she sensed his presence, and her anxiety spiked when he started to draw near.

"Awww, aren’t you excited for your big day?" Dahmer’s voice dripped with pure sarcasm as he spun her around to face him. Esme’s gasp was involuntary as he grasped her jaw without warning, his grip like vice. She could see he was restraining himself from unleashing whatever wrath he desired on her.

"You dared to lock me up even when I told you not to," he sneered, his fingers tightening almost to the point of pain. "Since when did you develop a backbone? I’m tempted to strike you for all the pains and humiliation you’ve caused me, but alas, it’s your wedding day, so I must make sure not to leave a mark on you." With a rough jerk, he released her jaw, sending her stumbling backwards.

His smirk was a calculated thing, which he malevolently designed to unsettle Esme as he deliberately shoved his hands into the pocket of his pants.

"You’re probably dying to know what happened to your dear friend, aren’t you?" he asked, barely hiding the malice in his ill tone. "That insufferable advisor to the king is.. what’s-his-name again... Ah yes, Leo, is it? Well, he’s currently enjoying the cozy hospitality of the cold palace, courtesy of his supposed betrayal to the king and his role in aiding your silly escape attempt."

Esme finally reacted, and her eyes widened in shock as she processed the news about Leonardo’s predicament. Her frail frozen form was a canvas of distress, and Dahmer reveled in the pleasure it brought him. He inched closer, his Alpha eyes flashing with something dangerous, whilst his voice dripped with condensation.

"You want to know who got him into trouble? Well, let me enlighten you. It was me," his smile broadened. "I’ve never been a fan of that stoic mask of his, and I took great pleasure in orchestrating his downfall."

He then lifted her veil so he could see the reaction on her face more clearly. "You’re in this precarious position because of me, and the king’s favor has shifted decidedly in my direction. So, here’s the deal, if you are willing to get on that bed and treat me like the obedient little whore I’ve groomed you into becoming, I might just convince the king to reconsider the wedding date."

Listening to his words, Esme’s fury erupted like a tempest, and her balled fist pummeled Dahmer’s chest with reckless abandon. "I HATE YOU!" She screamed, her emotions careening out of control as she continued to strike him. "I’LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR RUINING MY LIFE! YOU’LL PAY FOR THIS, I SWEAR IT!"

"HEY!" Dahmer bellowed back with equal ferocity as he seized her flailing arms, his grip tightening as Esme’s sobs shook her entire frame. "What’s with this tantrum? If you fuckin’ cry right now your makeup will be ruined. No one wants you walking out there with crocodile tears on your face. For the love of god, who’s even out there?"

As Dahmer turned to face the door, Esme’s tears betrayed her. It streamed down her face to drop like a diamond onto the crescent moon pendant suspended around her neck.

In the midst of the chaotic scene, the two servants waiting outside hastened into the room.

"Clean her face up." He commanded the servants, his voice laced with evident disdain. "We can’t have her descending into the wedding ceremony looking like a bedraggled mess. Stop gaping like the simpletons that you are and get to work!"

The maids hastily obeyed, moving quickly to envelope Esme in their firm but gentle hold.

"Don’t touch me!" Esme broke free from their relentless grasp, but they eventually held her back. Her words tumbled out in a furious torrent as she glared at Dahmer. "I see you’ve dedicated your existence to ruin me. What have I ever done to deserve this treatment from you, Dahmer? I loathe you, I abhor you with every fiber of my being! You’ll never find happiness, Dahmer. You will wither away alone, and no one will shed a tear for your miserable fate!"

Her curses were vehement, but Dahmer merely laughed them off with a mocking glint in his eye.

"Your venomous words don’t intimidate me, Esme. It’s patently obvious that I’m holding the upper hand here." His gaze then shifted to the pathetic maids who were valiantly struggling to restrain Esme. "Repair her makeup and present her down in ten minutes. I expect perfection."

With that, Dahmer turned on his heels and sauntered away.

As the allotted ten minutes ticked by, Esme was escorted to the grand courtyard, where a sea of guests awaited her arrival. Holding the bouquet of flowers with a rigid grip, she began to walk towards the elevated platform where Lennox stood, handsomely dressed in an outfit of white and gold.

The priestess was standing in his midst, offering her a warm, if not altogether a genuine smile.

Despite the veil that shrouded her face, Esme could feel the weight of guest’s gazes upon her, threatening to consume her very being. Her terror was expertly concealed behind the intricately lace-edged veil, and her gaze remained trained on the floor. The rose petals that led to the platform were dark red, like the color of blood, and they reminded her of nothing beautiful.

Her gloved hands involuntarily tightened around the bouquet, and she was forced to mentally correct herself, to remind herself to loosen her grip and stay calm.

She failed horribly.

As she approached the platform where Lennox awaited her, the weight of what would happen once she gets there made her recoil. The priestess would soon bind them in matrimony, and the cold metal of the ring would seal their fate.

Esme stopped walking, and her sudden stillness sent a ripple through the crowd, whispers and murmurs erupting like a gentle breeze.

Move! Move your legs, Esme! You have to do this! Don’t freeze. Move your legs so no one can suspect!

The voice in her mind urged her forward, but her body remained stubbornly still.

Through her veil, Esme’s gaze met Lennox, and for an instant, she saw a flicker of concern etched on his brow. To her surprise, his expression didn’t betray any offense or annoyance by her sudden halt.

Her eyes flicked to the guests watching, and she caught Emily standing demurely beside a noble. And in that moment, as if sensing Esme’s gaze, her lips curled into a cruel, calculated smile.

"Esme?" Lennox gently called, stretching out a hand for her to come to him. Esme’s gaze lingered on his inviting hand, and her heart screamed "no" in silent desperation. The word trembled on her lips, yet remained stubbornly unspoken.

She was falling apart.

This was really happening. There is no undoing this, is there?

Esme forced her feet to move forward, her legs carrying her towards Lennox as if propelled by a will not entirely her own. She was no longer acting on her free will, but rather was driven by a sense of duty, of responsibility towards those she cared about. Because of her, both Finnian and Leonardo were in danger.

She had to do this!

She had to save them, no matter the cost!

If this was the sacrifice she was forced to make, then she would make it with her head held high, her dignity intact, as long as Leo and Finn were going to be safe.

Esme stood a meter away from Lennox’s outstretched hand, the encouragement in his gaze. She lifted her hand gently, and before they could come in contact with Lennox’s outstretched hand, the once clear sky above suddenly darkened, a shade of dark clouds taking over.

The air was charged with electricity as thunder boomed in the distance, and the guests started to evacuate when a heavy wind blew, confusion and panic taking over as none of them was able to fathom the meaning behind what was happening.

Esme’s gown fluttered wildly with the wind, and she wondered what sort of terrible storm had visited Illyria. Her gaze instinctively shifted to the entrance of the courtyard, and there...

She saw him.

Everyone present seemed to recognize the dark figure that strolled in with a quiet confidence, and they began to scramble to get out of his way, out of the premises even, as he approached. The wind suddenly stilled, but the dark clouds remained, casting a foreboding shadow over the proceedings.

"A wedding built on deception," Donovan’s smooth, velvety voice began as he reached for Esme in the twinkle of an eye, pulling her towards him. "In the end, the truth is inscribed on her very soul, and it calls for me."

Donovan tilted his head slightly at Lennox’s way, a smirk twisting his lips as he said, "She’s mine now."