The Alpha Can’t Sense His Mate

ZADOK

Ithra has been oddly quiet since the caped man showed up.

I didn’t think anything of the man’s words, but with her body language, I felt something was off, making me wonder if something was wrong with her.

“Are you alright?” I finally asked when I couldn’t bear the silence anymore. “Is there something you need to say?”

Ithra’s face turned sour. “What? You don’t trust me anymore, is that it?” She snapped.

“I never said that.” I palmed my face, thinking of the best way to approach the conversation. “You’ve not been yourself since he showed up and spewed something concerning getting powers. Should I not be concerned?”

“Please Zadok.” She began, “I don’t want to talk right now, okay?”

I felt a bolt in my guts. “I need you to say something, Ithra. I don’t like the way I am feeling right now and I suggest you put me out of my misery and explain what the fuck is going on!” My voice raised towards the end of my words and I saw her wince.

My first instinct was to apologise but I withheld myself from doing anything as I waited for her answer. Ithra eventually spoke, breaking my heart with every word.

“You know what? Yes! The man was right! I am on a journey to recover my powers. Yes, I hid it from you because I didn’t trust you enough to tell you. What now? Huh? What are you going to do? Kill me?” She said, standing in my face. “You see why you should have left me when you had the chance? I had my plans. I could have survived alright, but you just had to play hero.”

For the first time in a long time, I felt like a knife was struck to my heart. “What are you saying?” I muttered, still trying to comprehend the meaning behind her words.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

“Listen. I don’t want to make this any more harder than it needs to be. This is the last place before we get to the forest’s heart. Let’s just stop this foolery and be the enemies we ought to be.”

Now I was mad. “Enemies!” I growled, “You think we are enemies?! After everything we’ve been through, you still think I care about some damn fight between our kinds?! Are you seriously kidding me?!”

“Yes, enemies! That’s all we are. We can’t be anything else! You want to find your mate and I want to save my clan. We both need the Ghost Orchid and there’s only one of it.”

“Who cares about the fucking Ghost Orchid?! You can have it for all I care. You deceived me, lied to my face and planned to get your powers behind my back.” He listed. “I told you everything there is to know. I was vulnerable to you and protected you as I would my mate! But what did you do? You lied to my face and pinned it down to some stupid rivalry?!”

“Why do you care about the fact that I want to get back my powers?” Ithra said, “It’s not like it affects you in any way. If you were truly willing to give up the ghost Orchid, then what exactly are we fighting for?”

My fingers combed through my hair, and frustration grew within me. “You don’t get it, do you? This isn’t about the darned Ghost Orchid. This is about you betraying my trust!” I yelled, feeling the pain in my chest increase. “I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you! I went against everything I believed and singled you out as someone I could trust, and this is what you do?”

Ithra opened her mouth, but no words came out. At least she had the decency to be ashamed of herself.

“You know what? Let’s end this.” I gestured between us. “Whatever this is, it ends now. I can’t believe I have been deceived by a witch again.” I muttered, unable to believe that this was happening.

“Zadok… please-”

“It’s alpha Zadok to you.” I growled, “And try not to utter my name from that cursed mouth of yours. I might not be as forgiving. We are enemies after all.”

I didn’t wait to see her reaction or hear her try to call for me again. I walked forward. Leaving her rooted to her spot. With every step I took away from her, I felt a part of me dragging me back to her.

“Don’t be stupid, human. Go back. She might be in danger!” Kir growled in my head and my anger increased.

“I know you are a wolf, but I presumed you were wiser than that,” I growled, increasing my pace.

“Don’t insult me, human. I have no problem teaching you some manners.” Kir said, and I could tell he was provoked. “I know you feel betrayed and hurt, but you should understand why she couldn’t tell us. We spent the better part of our lives killing witches and exterminating clans ever since the incident. It’s only normal she would think you accepted her because she had no powers.”

I felt a headache. “What are you, Kir? Ithra’s advocate or my Wolf? Don’t tell me you’ve been bewitched by her too, you only spent a few hours with her on your back and suddenly you are an expert in knowing the thought process of a witch?”

“Why do I have to choose when I can be both your wolf and Ithra’s advocate? I love the fact that you think I’ve been bewitched by her too. Makes me wonder how long it has been since you discovered you were bewitched and what you have done about it.”

“You know what? I don’t have time for this. You should be ashamed of yourself for trying to pit us together. Our mate is out there, and I feel ashamed of myself for even thinking of giving up the Ghost Orchid for someone as despicable as Ithra.”

“We both know that’s a lie.” Kir said, “Stop being stubborn and go back to her. If she gets hurt, it would be on you.”

I couldn’t help but notice the protectiveness of my wolf over Ithra. I wondered how, when and why it started. I didn’t have the opportunity to ponder more on it before I heard a loud and familiar scream of my name.

Ithra. She was in trouble.