The Alpha's Curse The Enemy Within

It was almost evening. Zena, Kaiser, and | have been waiting in the woods that led to the Dark cave for hours now. Fuck, I was restless. | didn’t know why my heart was pounding so fast. Ever Since | woke up last night, | just couldn't seem to think clearly. Everything was so fucking messed up.

I shut my eyes as | pulled my back against the trunk of a tree. Kaiser and Zena, who was his mate, were together, a few distances behind me.

I massaged my temples with my fingers. | felt exhausted and weak, but | just couldn't find any peace, not until | saw Sheila. | had to see her. Nothing made sense at the moment without Sheila, without my mate. | still couldn't believe | died, and worse, Sheila was taken. These eight weeks I've been unconscious only felt like a night's sleep. I lost eight weeks of my life, and Sheila as well.

Oh, goddess. That was exactly what made me restless. | refused to think deeper about it. It was absurd for Sheila to be mated to that bastard. Something else was going on. I knew there must be a reason she was by that bastard's side, and | had to hear it to get rid of this rotten pain deep in my chest.

Sheila had to know | was alive. She had to know she brought me back. | could only imagine what she must have gone through thinking | was dead. | just couldn't wait to see her.

We had a plan. Kaiser and Zena were going to distract the witches, using her magic, buying me some time to see Sheila.

“Killian,” I snapped my eyes open as Kaiser and Zena moved closer to me.

We hid behind one of the towering trees as the sounds of horses drew closer and I saw her. I saw Sheila. I could feel Ryker's presence on the surface.

| froze and my heart slowed its fast beating. | couldn't tear my eyes away from her. | didn't know when tears formed in my eyes as she moved by, racing on her horse. | couldn't let her go without seeing her. | was about to step out of the shade when Kai held me back, pinning me against the tree.

“What the fuck, Killian? The plan is to get to my sister, not get us exposed,” he yelled in a whisper. "She's with company,” He pointed out, and right behind her, a group of women dressed in cloaks rode behind her. Witches. | hadn't seen them.

“She's leaving, Kai. What now?" Zena sounded in a low whisper.

“We wait until she returns from the cave, hopefully, we will get our chance," he said as | pulled out from his grip, sauntering deeper into the woods to get some air.

We waited in the woods until the sun had retired for the day and

darkness took over. Sheila still hadn't returned from the cave. | was curious about what exactly she was doing there. Whatever it was, | knew it wasn't good.

We waited for a few more minutes in silence. It was from a far distance we heard the horses approaching. It was more than one. | could make out the sound of three horses. She was with two other witches.

I moved silently to where Kaiser and Zena were.

“This has to be quick, Killian. I don't think my magic can hold out two witches at the same time,” Zena whispered, and | nodded.

“We must leave now,” Kaiser added, covering his face with a small cloth. | did the same.

“Thank you," | nodded at Kaiser, before navigating my way out of the woods, moving closer to the route where Sheila's horse would pass

by.

1 hid behind the trees, waiting in the darkness as the horses moved fast, and immediately, there was a mild rumbling on the ground that carried a small breeze. Just like we planned, Zena made use of the opportunity, and using her magic, she pulled them into the woods where she and Kai would hold them for a few minutes.

As soon as Zena got rid of those witches, my eyes fell back on Sheila's horse, but she wasn't there. | stepped out from the tree's shade, and before | could take a step further, | felt the presence behind me.

“Take a step further, and | swear it'll be your last,” Her soft voice filtered into the darkness and | just couldn't fight the waters that gathered in my eyes. | felt Ryker rise to the surface as Sheila's scent invaded my nostrils.

1 pulled my hands up in the air, still backing her.

“Where's Sybil and Kali? What did you do to them?” she spoke hurriedly. “If you value your life, you would—" Her words were cut short the instant | swerved around, and my eyes connected with those blue crystals of hers. There was something in them that made my heart ache.

It was like time paused along with her. | could see the shock imprinted on her face, as she was unable to force her eyes away from mine. A tear slipped down my eyes, knowing she still recognized my gaze.

Slowly, | reached for the cloth covering my face, pulling it down. Her lips parted, as she took a small step backward. Her round beautiful eyes held mine intensely.

“Sheila,” | called breathlessly, taking a step forward, but she took another step back. "Sheila, it's me," I sounded again and her eyes still didn't move away from mine.

I swallowed the distance between us, reaching for her, but before | could touch her. She moved back, her eyes tearing away from mine.

“Stay back!” She shouted, as her blue eyes fell on me again. They were completely cold. “What nonsense is this?" “I know this doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense to me either.

But it's me, Sheila, and | am alive. You brought me back, Sheila. Kaiser is here as well, we came through the—" “Enough!” She yelled, and | could see the glow in her blue eyes, but she hid it quickly. "Whatever you think you are doing, | will advise you to end it and leave now. That's if you value your life,” she sounded again. There was nothing in those gazes of hers, and all could see behind those gazes of hers was a deep, endless void.

She retracted her gaze from me and turned around to leave but before she could, | reached out and gripped her wrist. Those tingling sparks erupted, and | heard the soft, almost unnoticeable gasp that left her lips. Instantly, she sent me flying using her magic and |

crashed against a tree.

Fuck. | groaned, pushing myself up on my boots as Sheila moved out of the woods. | went after her but halted the instant the witches from earlier caught up with her. | had no choice but to back against the trees.

Sheila didn't stop, she kept moving until she reached her horse with those witches following her. She got on her horse and rode off.

leaned against the tree, watching her fade out of sight.

“What happened?” Kaiser voiced behind me. “Tell me, Killian. What happened to Sheila? What did she say?" “Nothing,” I replied, getting a ridiculous look from Kai.

“Seriously, Killian. I blew my chance to see my sister for you, and she said nothing?"

“Didn't she recognize you? | mean it's possible. Vladimir has his way of doing that," Zena said and | shook my head.

“It's not that. Something's wrong with Sheila, Kai. She recognized me, but pretended not to or didn't want to believe it was me. | don't know," I huffed out, gliding down to the ground. “She's wearing his mark” “I told you she was mated to him,” he counted his words, spelling them out for me. I shut my eyes as Ryker curled up in a corner of my mind in pain as the ugly truth settled in.

My mate was mated to another. She was beside that bastard, spending every awakening hour beside him, and no doubt against her will “This was our last chance to get to her. With what happened tonight, itll be much harder getting to her,” Kai was muttering more to himself.

“I know. That's why we need to get into the Fortress. We need to know everything that's going on there,” I was up.

“We can't just waltz in there. Remember, that imbecile would recognize us the instant he sets his eyes on us." “I do know that," | tuned to Zena. “That's where we would need your help, please.” Her eyes moved from mine to Kaiser's. "Alright, but whatever we are doing, we need to be careful. From what happened tonight, the coven will be more alert.” “We should hold back to the shack," Kaiser suggested, and we all nodded. More than ever, | need to get into the Fortress and know exactly what's going on.