| CHAPTER 14 : DESTROY YOU |

I couldn't think straight with the fever seeming to skyrocket off the thermometer. I couldn't breathe properly, I couldn't think properly, I couldn't even move. I couldn't do anything. All I did was lay on King Alpha's stupid comfy bed staring at the ceiling.

How did my life come to this?

I have never been this sick in my entire life.

I missed the warmth of my little apartment, my own comfy blue covers, the huge pile of pillows, the smell of Collin making me something to drink wafting through the air.

I missed it all.

For a moment, I thought I was going to break down and start crying.

Before I could think about it more, the door to King Alpha's room slid open and a huge burly body came sauntering in.

Drew.

"I never expected you to look this terrible, ma chérie." He said, a small grin on his lips as he perched himself on the bedpost beside me, leaning against it.

"If your face...is the last face...I see before I die, I'm gonna regret...my whole existence." I said, my eyes barely open.

He chuckled, "I can change my face for you."

I furrowed my eyebrows, "You what?" 

His grin widened and something shifted in his face. His eyes enlarged just a bit with the colour dimming down into that of ice. His lips filled with his jaw sharpening and cheekbones heightening. His golden-brown hair changed colours to one of caramel brown ones until I was no longer looking at Drew's face.

I stared in horror as Drew with King Alpha's face stood beside me.

A shift of feeling stirred within me as I stared at King Alpha's face. Something in me wanted to reach out and strangle him to death.

Instead, my jaw fell open.

"Shut. Up." I gaped at him.

His features changed back within a second and his face was back to 'Drew face'.

"How the hell did you do that?" I asked. 

"I'm a Royal with magic. Wasn't too hard." he winked.

"That was freaking awesome. Can you shift your face into mine?" 

He nodded, "Oui, I can."

"Does King Alpha have magic?"

"Oui, he's a Royal too. He just doesn't use it."

"What exactly did happen to his parents and whatever he has between the witches." I said waving a hand in the air at the word 'whatever'.

At that, a sigh came out his lips, he propped himself further on the bedpost making me believe it was gonna snap in two under his heavyweight, "It's a really long story but all you need to know or all you can know considering you don't...er...have enough time that witches and werewolves don't get along. Not anymore."

"Katia told me a story about how the previous King and Queen were obsessed with magic and how werewolves and witches lived together."

He gave a nod, "Oui, we used to."

"She said there was some kind of a disagreement between the witches and werewolves, making the witches mad. She mentioned two names, Derek and Robina."

"Rowena." He corrected.

"Yeah, her."

He nodded, "Those two are truly devious. Sournois. The most powerful witches too."

"What happened between all of you?" I asked with a furrow between my eyebrows.

"It happened long ago. I don't think I should pressure you with this story when you're already so ill."

"I'm completely fine," I argued.

"Your chest's heaving and you're sweating. You're out of breath and near wheezing. I think you should take rest, ma chérie." He smiled. 

"You think I'll be able to take rest when I know I'm gonna drop dead anytime?" I snapped.

He shook his head, "Right. Well, I can't tell you much without making your head spin. But know this, things were truly different six centuries ago. And the previous King and Queen, King Alpha's parents, weren't entirely what you'd call...fair."

I furrowed my eyebrows, "How so?"

"I don't entirely know what happened. I wasn't here when the disagreement, the word as you mentioned earlier, happened. But from what I've heard or from what people were allowed to talk about, the previous King and Queen weren't fair to the witches in some ways. They broke their trust and made them angry."

"Broke their trust, how?"

He waved a hand in the air, "There are many theories. I won't bother you with them. King Alpha loved his parents. But he was scared and frightened of what magic was doing to them. Slavery, enhancement, self-harming. He was born when the witches had already declared war on us. The King and Queen had magic too, but Derek and Rowena overpowered them. Whatever happened, King Alpha was ripped off his famille and was left alone to rule. He is a good King, alright? Not one of the best but eh, better than the last three. He picked all of us wolves from dust and destruction the witches had caused and made us better, stronger and more powerful. Magic isn't allowed under his rulership but that's okay." He shrugged, "This new generation has faster and better technology, so we don't need magic."

"But you still use it." I guessed.

He grinned, "I sometimes like to go by the old ways."

I gave a nod before a heavy tired sigh came out of my lips.

"How can I save myself?" I asked, my voice softer.

He gave a sorry look, "Only King Alpha can do that, ma chérie. He's the one who marked you."

"I don't want to die like this," I admitted.           

He scratched the back of his neck, looking reluctant for some reason before finally speaking, "I can talk to him if you want."

I managed a snort, "He hates you."

He hates me too.

He nodded, shrugging, "Vrai, vrai, but I'm ready to give it a shot."

"Why?"

A smile came on his lips, a genuine smile, "I think I'm starting to like keeping you around. Seeming you're the only one who's been able to rile King Alpha up more than anyone."

"I'm so special," I said sarcastically.

He chuckled.

"I'll see what I can do." He patted my weak hand before walking towards the door.

"Just for the record," He turned around, "I don't think you should spend too much time with Katia." Saying that, he turned around once again and walked out the door.

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The following moments were too slow. Every minute, every second too weak and painful to pass. The sickness caught onto me like a virus, a disease that spread from the slow beating of my heart to every part of my body. Each minute sucked the energy out of me, a dull aching pain growing in my head like a hammer hitting a bell near my ear.

I watched, slowly, as the sun went down, and the darkness rose.

Whenever I got sick during the winters, Collin would stay up the whole night and every night after until I was okay. The sickness ached my heart for him to be here right now with me more than ever despite him being a completely different person in my mind now.

It pained to breathe. Despite me fighting against this, I knew I had only until tonight or maybe half of the day.

I haven't seen King Alpha, but I had a feeling he knew too. I hadn't seen him since I dropped unconscious in that gym room where he threw knives at me. The anger I had for him was still evident. He didn't even come once into his room or maybe he did when I was sleeping.

I want to see Collin. I want to see Jade, Ava, even Mrs. Stick Up Her Ass so she can remind me of my horrible normal life.

Was I really going to let myself die like this?

No.

The ceiling blurred at times causing me to partially shut my eyes. I had stopped eating too, my body too weak to chew or move.

Some human with magic I am. I mentally scoffed at myself which also strained under lack of energy.

Hours passed, and night fell. The pain in my head increased clouding every thought I had, my mind focusing on the ringing sound in my ears. I didn't know if it was because of the night or my poor eyesight but the ceiling which I had been staring at appeared to be darker.

The door slid open. I didn't need to see that it was King Alpha. I didn't bother turning my head or moving. I had no strength.

He appeared before my eyes, standing beside the bed.

"You're dying." He merely stated.

A humourless smile came on my lips, "Happy?"

My voice came out weak, strained, almost as if I whispered. 

"Not quite."

A small pain intensified in my chest, almost as if my heart were stopping. I stopped myself from wincing or crying out.

No. I can't die like this. I don't want to. I don't want to die in this place.

I want to get out there. I need to get out there.

Slowly, I slid the covers off me, my hands trembling. The cool air hit my skin, making a shiver run down my body. I didn't care, I slid my legs off the bed, preparing myself to sit up.

"What are you doing?" King Alpha asked furrowing his eyebrows.

"Getting the...hell out...of here." I shivered.

"You'll die before you even take five steps out the hallway."

"At least," I forced myself up, my head immediately slammed with a wave of dizziness. I tried clearing my head, proceeding to stand up, "I tried."

King Alpha stared at my slow pitiful attempt at standing up. My legs wobbled like noodles and my head ached to lie down.

"Ezlynn, sit back down." He finally said.

I ignored him, finally standing on my feet.

"Woah!" My body fell forward from the lack of energy my legs had.

Hands immediately grabbed my waist, holding me to a chest, saving my fall. I sucked in a deep breath.

"I said sit down." King Alpha made me sit back on the bed, bending down to my eye level.

"I want to get out of here." I whimpered, looking at his face close to mine.

"You can't."

"Please, let me go." My voice sounded so small.

A conflicted look crossed his face, he was somewhere between frowning and sighing, "You-I—you can't leave, okay?" He stated angrily.

"Why not?" I cried out, "I'm going to die so just let me die wherever I want."

He looked conflicted again as if he couldn't decide something.

"Why do you hate me so much?" I snapped finally.

"I don't hate you. I hate the magic you have."

"Speak for yourself, you have magic too."

"I don't use it."

"Well, I don't use it too! I didn't even know I had magic!"    

He pursed his lips, clearly not getting anywhere with this conversation or argument.

"What makes you different from the witches if you snatch people from their lives too?"

His eyes darkened and he leaned in a bit closer, eyes narrowing, "What do you know about the witches?"

"I know they took your parents," I admitted, struggling to keep up straight with the weakness gnawing at my body to collapse and also by his cold intense glare.

"Who told you?"

"It...doesn't...matter." I wheezed between words and no longer could sit up. My head fell sideways onto the pillow, and I tried taking in deep breaths.

My chest tightened and I was panting.

"You don't...deserve...what happened...to you," I murmured.

His face went dark, stoic almost like a rock.

"I know...you loved...them."

A cry erupted from my mouth when my chest cramped. Despite the pain, I continued with a wince on my face, "You're afraid...of what...magic can...take...from you."

A grimace appeared on my face when the pain in my chest intensified. I tried bringing my hands closer to curl into myself but it seemed too much of an effort, "You're afraid...that something...as cherished as a...mate can destroy...you."

"I never heard people talk such crap before dying." He finally stated with the same stoic look.

"Shut...up."

Another cry of pain erupted from my mouth as my ribs squeezed together. The beat of my heart slowed down, along with the flow of blood throughout my body. I bit onto my lip from preventing more cries to erupt. The mark on my neck throbbed painfully wanting me to reach and tear it out.

I couldn't keep it in anymore. I cried out, panting, difficult to breathe.

"Please take me home." I pleaded between cries.

"I can't," he stated more firmly.

A sob lodged through my mouth before I could stop it. The mark throbbed more with sirens loud and shrill in my ears. I groaned, withered, cried out, all the while in pain and embarrassment. I hate crying in front of people.

"Ezlynn?" He spoke finally.

I gasped as the pain impossibly intensified further.

"Ask me to save you." A hint of urgency laced his voice.

"What?" 

"You don't have time. Ask me to save your life."

"Will...you...let-" I stifled a groan of pain, biting hard on my lip, "-me...go home?"

"No."

I deflated.

"I can't allow you to go home."

I closed my eyes, letting the pain consume me. I didn't want to stay as a prisoner.

"You will stay with me," King Alpha demanded suddenly making my eyes crack open, "As my mate."

I cried out when my ribs painfully squeezed together, knocking the breath out of me. My heartbeat went up to three beats per minute. My body was cold as ice and no longer with my consciousness.

King Alpha held my face, making me look at him. My vision was too blurry to see anything as his face hazed in front of mine, "Ezlynn promise me. Give me your true word," he was speaking but my mind could barely comprehend his words, "you will not leave me."

His voice was far away as my surroundings darkened, fading away.

"Ezlynn give me your word." He demanded, his hold tightening on my face as I slowly slipped away to oblivion, closing my eyes.

"Fuck." he cursed.

Hands grabbed my shoulders and my body shifted, someone slid under me, cradling me to a rock-hard chest. Something soft, warm and plush pressed against my lips. I didn't react to it at first but then it pried my mouth open. It took a while to realize King Alpha's lips were on mine.

I froze altogether. His lips pressed further onto my open ones. Something warm, rusty and thick pooled in my mouth, trying to go down my throat making my eyes fly open.

I refused it, not permitting myself to swallow whatever the hell was in my mouth. But then King Alpha pressed his lips further, his tongue darting everywhere, painting the inside of my mouth with the thick liquid.

His eyes remained closed, a concentrated frown on his eyebrows.

I let my focus shift for a second. The thick liquid in my mouth cascaded down my throat. At that moment I could feel nothing - but everything - as more of that liquid went down my throat.

My hands slid around his neck, pulling him closer as I found myself craving more of whatever he was giving me. I've never kissed a guy before. His hands, which I now knew were around me, tightened.

I could feel it; the slow rhythmic beat of my heart, blood rushing through every part of my body, organ, reviving it. New energy flourished through me, making me want to run ten miles and further, jittering all over my body. My hands tightened around King Alpha's neck, pulling him possibly closer. My senses came back to me. My heartbeat rose to its normal rate.

Everything seemed rushed, calm, fast and slow all at once. A warmth settled within me, my body no longer ice cold. His dangerous, soft and warm lips molded with mine, moving against mine in sync.

A million new different feelings soared within me and right when I thought I could get used to this, he tore his mouth from mine, leaving me completely dazed.

My mind whirled as my vision hazed from the exhilarating moment. It took some while to comprehend what just happened.

My eyes slid to King Alpha's face. He was slightly panting, catching his breath, licking his lips with his tongue. I mirrored his actions, almost instantly licking my own lips, feeling him on them.

The whole sickness felt as if a dream that I had woken up from. There was no pain, no aching, no throbbing.

My eyes caught a flash of his teeth. Canines, fangs and all that extracted. A dark colour painted them. His tongue wiped over it and I realized it was his blood.

It all came to me. I was drinking his blood. From his mouth.

I traced my lips with my finger. I couldn't gag or feel disgusted.

"I'm alive?" I breathed out.

His eyes fell on me, still cradled in his lap. I resisted a blush trying to creep up through my cheeks which already seemed beyond flushed.

He didn't answer me. Just stared at me with something going on in his mind. He could either be thinking that saving me would mean that he had shown a part of his weakness, a vulnerability that he really couldn't handle losing people, a softer part of him which he kept hidden deep within himself...or he could be thinking how ugly I looked right now in his lap.

I staggered out of his lap, finding myself breathless and hot which seemed to bring him out of whatever thought he was in. His clouded, perfectly composed eyes gave nothing away as he followed my moves at trying to compose myself.

"I...erm...I can't say thank you for saving my life because you were the one who tried to kill me at first, but you know - wait!" My eyes widened. "Did I seriously drink your blood? Am I a vampire now?" I looked down at my hands missing the tiniest bit of anger flashing in his eyes.

When I looked up at him, his face was pulled into a glare. At me. His icy blue eyes were dark, frustrated.

My mind reeled back thinking if I had done something wrong.

"I allowed you to live as my mate." He spoke with a stony glare. "You will stay here until I say so and don't ever forget, you are still mine."

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Do any of you get sick easily?
'Cause I do every single day now. It just happens while I'm normally doing stuff and then I have to deal with stomach aches and a stuffy nose. It's not even like I have COVID, I just tend to fall sick since this year started.

Anyways, VOTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Date: 18 July 2021