Alpha Knight’s Cursed Mate

KNIGHT

“It’s our first day as engaged,” she whispered, kissing my lips. Good morning.”

“Morning.” We’d been awake for an hour, but we only got up to use the bathroom, and then we made love again inside the blanket.

I never knew it would feel like this. I was fucking overjoyed to wake up in the morning with the person I loved most.

Though I still wanted to spend a few hours wrapped her in my arms, unfortunately, things outside were getting crazier and dangerous for humans and us.

“There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you.” Her tone was serious, but someone knocked on the door and interrupted us.

“Hold that thought.”

“Guys, lovebirds, wakey wakey. We have to get back to the vineyards.” It was Kailin.

“Give us five minutes.” I looked at Nirvana. “You were about to tell me something seemed important. What is it?”

“That can wait.” She kissed me and got up, gorgeous and naked.

“Sweetheart.” I followed her with my gaze as she headed to the bathroom.

“Stop looking at me like that, fiancé.”

I couldn’t help but smile as I lay back in bed. She was my fiancee now, and it still seemed impossible and far-fetched.

Ten minutes later, we were both dressed and ready to go home.

“What took you both so long?” Zarah was glaring when she met us in the living room.

“Sorry.” Nirvana smiled.

“For a woman about to be sold yesterday, you’re cheerful today.”

“I have so many reasons to live my life and be grateful for than shed tears over their failed attempt.”

Zarah was flustered and looked at her hands. She knew I was going to propose, and she might have also seen our future. “I see.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“What is it, Knight?”

“Why did that witch come after us?” Good question. I’d been meaning to ask how we fit for any of this.

“Margaret punished her for what she did to the coven, disgracing us to the lycan royals. She came after your mate because she knew I knew Sophie and I’m close to Nirvana. Margaret ripped off her magic, but she thought the man she’d been falling in love with for decades just came back to life for her, but it was Cyrius using her.”

“What the- so he can use any of us?” I heard Nirvana’s heartbeat racing.

“Yes, but don’t worry, unless you’re dead or captured, he can’t glamour himself as you.”

“That’s a relief,” Kailin said.

“Why did she want me if she could just kill me?”

I expected an answer connected to Cyrius because that was the only thing that made sense on why they kept Nirvana alive, not that I wasn’t beyond grateful.

“I didn’t have the time to ask.” Despite all, Zarah managed to throw out sarcasm. “My guess is she would offer you to Cyrius. Just be careful out there.”

“Are you sure she’s dead?”

“Oh, I wasn’t aware you needed proof.”

Nirvana hid her smile. “What’s gotten your grandma’s panties in a twist?”

“There’s not much body to bring her as a present. And Nirvana, stop being stubborn, or you get us all killed. If it wasn’t for your necklace, we couldn’t have found you.”

“Thank you. I forgot to say thank you.”

“Just go home. Keep the dagger safe.” She created the portal. “See you soon.”

Kailin went first.

“Just a second, Nirvana. You go first, Knight.”

I hesitated at first until Zarah glared at me. “Fine, but I’m waiting on the other side.”

Kailin and I arrived at my office in the pack house. A few moments later, Nirvana stepped out, and the portal disappeared.

“What did she want from you?” I asked when she seemed bothered.

“We have to be careful in this area. According to the mystical ley lines, Zarah said this is one of the epicenters of the energy source for witches. Cyrius might take this place, and he will be more powerful.”

“Shit. Why she didn’t tell me about this?”

“Because you might disagree with her plan.”

“And why is that? What’s her plan?”

“She might use me as bait.”

“Hell fucking no.” My voice roared.

“See?” Unimpressed, she shrugged at Kailin. “He still treats me as a fragile human.”

“Whether you’re powerful or not, you’re still the same Nirvana I know. I will still protect you with my life, not the other way around.”

“How about we protect each other, Knight? You can’t be just the Knight in shining armor while I’m the damsel in distress. We’re equal. You might be my alpha, but I am your mate and fiancée.”

“Wait. Hold on.” Kailin stopped and came in the middle, her eyes widening. “You proposed? When?”

“I’m still talking to your stubborn best friend, but yes.”

She looked at Nirvana’s fingers. “Where’s the ring we bought? Why is she not wearing it?”

“You knew?” Nirvana asked her, astonished.Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

“Yeah. We went together to the jewelry shop, and the ring is-”

“Don’t tell me,” she stopped Kailin. Her smile was about to break. “I don’t wanna know. I wanna be surprised.”

“Since when do you like surprises?” Kailin was amused, hugged Nirvana, and lifted her up. “I’m so happy for you. You’re finally becoming my sister.”

“Put her down, for fuck’s sake. You’re crushing her.”

“Overprotective jerk.” Kailin glared at me before hugging me. “Congratulations, cousin.”

“Thanks.” I blew a breath. “Now, let’s go back to where we left off.”

“Knight, don’t stop me if that’s how we win this battle. Please?”

“What’s exactly the plan?”

“We don’t have it yet, but she said that since Cyrius is after me, maybe a bait will work.”

“I don’t like this plan.” My jaw locked hard.

“She said we might use Kain to shapeshift as me.”

“But it won’t work if you’re not with Kain.”

“He doesn’t have to hold me captured, but that’s only if we didn’t have a choice. Can we not talk about this right now?”

“Right.”

“So when is the engagement party?”

“No engagement party,” Nirvana and I said in unison.

“Why the hell not?” Kailin’s gaze ping-ponged between us.

“We still have important things to do. What matters is she said yes. She’s my fiancée, and I’m going to marry her. We’ll discuss the wedding after this plague is over. I’ll link the guys and call Dylan.”

“Where are you two going?”

“We’re going home,” I told her as I looked at Califf’s clothes I’d been wearing. “I need to change.”

“Okay. We’re coming.” Kailin left.

“Let’s go home, sweetheart.” I held her hand as we headed to my bike.

“Yeah. I can’t wait, and I’m starving. We didn’t get to eat breakfast in Southampton.”

Our ride back home was smooth. I couldn’t wait to make love to her in our bed and make breakfast for her in our kitchen as we spent our first day as an engaged couple in our house.

“Where do you want to get married?”

“I don’t care where, in the backyard, at the tasting room, in the vineyards, at the beach, on top of the Himalayan mountain, as long as I’m marrying you.”

I smiled. My stomach fluttered. “Me too. We can get married anytime, anywhere.”

“I don’t want a big wedding, but considering you’re the alpha, I suppose your alpha friends should be invited.”

“Yes, but we can get married in an intimate ceremony and then get married again with two hundred or three hundred guests.”

“I’d love that.”

We arrived home. It felt surreal that I was going to be a husband soon. I was appeased and blissful being with my mate, but knowing she and I would be married, the feeling was different. My chest could explode with so much happiness.

“Come here.” I lay in bed, gesturing for her to join me.

“Aren’t we making breakfast?” She came to me and laid in my arms.

“I just wanna feel you for a moment. Then I will feed you. I promise.”

She came on top of me, cupped my face, and kissed me softly. “I wanna get married sooner.”

“Why?”

“Don’t worry, I will sign a prenup.”

I snorted. “I don’t give a shit about prenup. What’s mine is yours. Tell me why?”

“I wanna be your wife before we go to war with Cyrius.”

“What are you not telling, Nirvana? We don’t keep secrets with each other. When you came from the portal, you looked upset, and I could feel the heaviness in your chest. What did she tell you?”

“I just wanna marry the man I loved. We wouldn’t know what would happen to me, to us, while fighting that son of a bitch. If I wouldn’t-”

I pressed my finger against her lips. “Fuck. Don’t ever say something like that. If you die, I die. We die together.”

“You, don’t ever say something like that.” She poked my nose. There is, maybe, an ultimate power inside me, but he’s an ancient warlock who draws out his power from darkness. He’s evil, and we don’t know his strength and capabilities. If he’s not that strong, he could have been dead a long, long time ago.”

“You’re not fighting him alone. We have the lycans, the witches, our werewolf allies. We also have vampires with us, and we’re concocting something that can kill him.”

“Right.” She kissed me again. “I love you, Alpha Knight.”

Something in the way she said those words hurt me instead of assurance and relief.