The Villain Alpha's Cursed Mate
Chapter 78: To See The Alpha

Chapter 78: To See The Alpha

Outside the imposing gates leading to the shadowspire, Naya stood hesitantly, clutching a delicate box of cake. She’d taken extra care of her hair today, ensuring every strand was in place, the picture of elegance. Yet, just as she was about to step forward, a sudden realization stopped her.

"Wait, he can’t see," she muttered, her fingers freezing mid-adjustment. A flicker of disappointment shadowed her face at the weight of Donovan’s blindness, and her shoulders sagged as she thought of what to do.

"How am I supposed to catch his attention if he can’t even look at me?" She bit her lip, feeling a rising frustration. "This is proving to be far more difficult than I imagined."

Her gaze scanned the building, uncertainty creeping into her thoughts the more she stood and observed— a rare feeling for her. Naya Carrington, the renowned beauty of the land, never experienced this kind of apprehension.

She reassured herself. "I don’t get nervous," her voice sounding anything but convincing. "I make others nervous when they approach me."

Her mind wandered back to their childhood days. Donovan had always wanted to speak to her, no matter how indifferent she’d been. "If only I’d been kinder back then... but we were children. He can’t still hold that against me, right? He must still feel something for me."

Naya muttered her thoughts out loud before exhaling a deep breath, steadying herself. With a firm push, she opened the massive gate and cast a glance at her waiting servants.

"Stay with the carriage," she instructed, her voice cool and commanding. Without waiting for a reply, she strode confidently toward the main entrance.

Upon reaching the door, she knocked, her knuckles echoing against the wood. Her heart raced as she waited for him to open the door for her, wondering what his reaction would be, but there was no response.

She knocked again, this time with more force. The door finally creaked open, to her relief, and it revealed Neville on the other side. His eyes swept over her from head to toe, his suspicion clear in his gaze, as if questioning her sudden presence.

"Naya?"

"It’s Lady Naya to you," she corrected sharply, her eyes narrowing as she studied the dim interior of the shadowspire. "I’m here to see the Alpha. Now if you’ll kindly step aside—"

"The Alpha doesn’t want to see you," Neville cut her off abruptly, stepping out and pulling the door shut behind him. His expression was firm and unyielding as he continued, "As you can tell, I’m about to head home myself. The Alpha isn’t taking visitors today, so you’d best be on your way."

"You haven’t even told him I’m here," Naya snapped, her patience wearing thin. Her scowl only deepened, as she was heavily displeased by the insolence of the underling before her.

"I won’t leave until you do," she added. "I brought him a little present, and I need to deliver it personally before I go."

Neville sighed heavily, removing his monocle and tucking it into his breast pocket with deliberate care. He met her fiery gaze without the slightest bit of fear, responding with as much restraint as he could muster. "If you have something for the Alpha, you can give it to me. I’ll make sure he gets it. But you’re not allowed inside this building."

Naya’s eyes narrowed at his unwavering audacity. "And who are you to stop me? This isn’t even your home. Quit acting like you’re in charge and let me through." she ordered, and Neville raised a brow.

His voice was calm but firm as he said, "Actually, I am in charge here. The Alpha entrusted me with that authority. So yes, I have every right to control who enters, and who leaves. And I’m telling you right now– you’re not seeing the Alpha. Leave while I’m asking politely, Lady Naya."

"How dare you disrespect me?" Naya’s eyes blazed with indignation. "I’ll make sure my father hears about this – how a lowly healer dared to refuse me entry into the Alpha’s quarters without direct orders from him. You’ll regret this."

Neville let out an exasperated sigh, crossing his arms. "First of all, those are the Alpha’s orders. He specifically said no visitors, and that includes you. Besides, weren’t you the one who couldn’t stand him? What’s with this sudden show of generosity? If memory serves, you once claimed that being in his presence made your skin crawl."

"That’s not—" Naya’s hand shot up, finger pointed, but she withdrew them back as she fought to keep her composure. "Can’t you just let me see the Alpha, please?"

Neville smirked, "Now, was that so difficult? Still, the Alpha is... otherwise occupied with his mate right now. I didn’t mean to spill the details, but since you’re so insistent, there it is. The Alpha is having a private moment, hence, the no-visitors policy."

"His mate?!"

The word struck Naya like a vicious slap, leaving her frozen in place as the cake box slipped from her grasp. Neville swiftly caught it before it hit the ground, but made no effort to return it to her.

"Yes, his mate," he replied with a smug satisfaction, clearly relishing in her awed silence. "Now that you know, I suggest you leave. I’ll be sure to inform the Alpha of your visit, and rest assured, I’ll make sure he receives your thoughtful gift."

With that, he gave her a faint, dismissive smile before going back inside the building and shutting the door with a soft but final click. The sound jolted Naya back to reality, and her mind raced to process what she just heard.

"So... he wasn’t lying," she whispered to herself, disbelief clouding her voice. "He actually found his mate. But if that’s true... then we can’t be together. How is that even possible? How could he be mated to someone else... and not to me?"

The thought felt like a betrayal she could hardly comprehend, and the realization struck her deeper than she could bear – Donovan had chosen someone else.

Who was this woman? Was she someone from the damned? If a strange woman had been visiting the shadowspire, whispers would have filled the walls by now. But there was no rumor, no hint of gossip.

Could Neville be lying to her? Did he say that to fool her into leaving, to drive her away?

Her mind raced with questions as anger boiled inside her. Eager to get the bottom of this, she stormed out of the grand shadowspire, her every step brimming with barely contained fury.

Unbeknownst to her, Donovan wasn’t even within its walls. He had left the warm confines of the shadowspire to the other side of Illyria to meet Eugene — the demon he had once spared from the group that attacked the Therondia pack.

The sun was starting to set, and they stood deep in the heart of the woods, surrounded by tall trees.

Eugene’s heart pounded relentlessly, and he could hardly believe his misfortune at encountering the terrifying man once more. He was critically battered and wounded in several vital spots, but this man made sure it wouldn’t be enough to kill him, but weaken him completely instead.

"I told you I’d summon you when I required your presence," Donovan’s voice was a low, commanding thing as he walked up to the spot where Eugene knelt on one knee, head bowed. "Yet, you keep slipping away — vanishing without a trace. It’s been nearly impossible to catch you. But here you are again, helpless at my feet."

"Forgive me! I was... afraid." Eugene stammered, his breath hitching as the cursed marks on his skin pulsed and recoiled, as though Donovan’s presence triggered a reaction within them.

"Afraid of who?" Donovan’s tone was mocking. He took a step closer, looming over Eugene. "But before we deal with that, I want something from you. Tell me in full, where your hideout is."

"I... I can’t," Eugene’s voice faltered, his trembling betraying the fear that gripped him.

Donovan crouched down. "I didn’t give you any options for you to deny me the answers I seek. Are you aware that I can absorb your curse, bend it to my will, and turn it against you?" he asked, his voice unnervingly calm.

As he spoke, thin, crimson threads began to slither along his hand, crawling like living tendrils across his skin. Eugene’s eyes widened in terror as he watched the grotesque display.

"I will end you where you kneel if you don’t give me what I want," Donovan growled, the air growing tense. "Who is your leader? And why is he too much of a coward to face me?"

"I... I can’t tell you! I swear, I can’t!" Eugene stammered, his eyes wide with panic. "He knows everything – every move, every whisper. If I say a word, he’ll show no mercy. He’ll make sure I live the rest of my days in torment and–"

"And I think you deserve that, and more," Donovan interrupted coldly, his hand darting out to seize Eugene by the throat.

His speed was unnerving, leaving Eugene no time to react. "I want you to suffer more than I did. You’ve already proven yourself weak by succumbing to the curse, and you should pay for it. People like you– cowards – make me regret the sacrifices I made long ago."

With a growl of contempt, he hurled Eugene away with brutal force. The crack of splintering trees echoed through the forest as Eugene’s body collided with each of one, finally crumpling to the ground in pain – broken.

"If you can’t give me what I need," Donovan loomed over him, his voice a low, menacing growl that reverberated with dark energy, thickening the air with a sinister pulse.

He removed his blindfold, and his power crackled ominously, swirling like a black storm about to consume everything in its path. "...Then your miserable existence serves me no purpose!"

"Wait!" Eugene’s voice cracked with desperation. "You... your aura! It’s almost identical to his! I’ve never seen anyone come close to matching Ultima’s strength before. Your eyes... even your eyes are identical!" He could hardly believe it. "I can’t tell you his name, but he wants you to know that he’s watching. If you want answers, you’ll need to find the three witches."

Donovan halted, the ominous twisted red tendrils retreating into his skin like serpents vanishing into the shadows. His eyes then narrowed, their otherworldly shade cutting through Eugene with chilling intensity.

"What three witches?" he demanded.

In his moment of distraction, a silver blade hurtled through the air with deadly precision, severing his left arm entirely in a swift, clean arc.