Gabriella’s POV
“Dedusa, what have you done to them?”
“I absorbed their powers because I desire their strength. Now I am more powerful, and I will drain the powers of any witch foolish enough to oppose me. I regret the chaos I’ve caused. Just give me a moment, and I’ll incinerate their remains.” Dedusa flicked her fingers, and the bodies were engulfed in flames. They both entered the house, and she proceeded to prepare a delicious meal for him. However, throughout the time he spent with her, he couldn’t help but envision her turning against him with various strategies he concocted to defend himself.
The secret remained concealed for a few days. Dedusa discovered the truth while absorbing the powers of other powerful witches who were willing to confront her. “I don’t care if you eliminate us all. Your power is substantial, but your actions are foolish. The man you believe you’re doing this for doesn’t love you. He never has.”
Fueled by anger, Dedusa lifted the witch off the ground and retorted, “Stop uttering nonsense. Prince loves me, and we are destined to be married.”
“You are as misguided as your mother. You’re following in her footsteps. She spent her life loving the wrong man, and you’re doing the same. Do you truly believe Prince loves you? A wolf will never forsake their mate for someone else, no matter the circumstances. Their bond is unbreakable unless he chooses to reject the mate, severing the connection. However, in your case, he didn’t reject her. They’re already married. Accept reality and move on. You’ve failed.”
In a fit of rage, Dedusa employed her powers to strike the witch who had spoken these words. “You will die today, and nothing you say will make me resent Prince.”
“Go ahead and end my life, foolish Dedusa. Now I see why no man will genuinely love you. You emit an evil aura. Perhaps I should have killed you when you were an infant. I should have recognized that your mother’s dark spell was meant to save you. You’re an evil child who brings a cloud of darkness.” Before the witch could finish, Dedusa drained the life from her.
The echoed words haunted Dedusa’s thoughts. She was compelled to seek out Prince. As she approached, a young girl emerged, addressing Prince as her father. A young lady called him “my love.” Her heart shattered, and the darkness within her consumed her entirely. “Prince, I thought you loved me. I might still forgive you if you eliminate them.”
“Dedusa, I am sorry for the pain I caused you. However, I will never harm my daughter. She will grow, become the alpha, and forge her path in life. She deserves happiness, marriage, and the chance to bear children.”
“Are you implying that I don’t deserve a joyful life? Are you suggesting that everything I did for you held no significance? Fine, if you won’t ensure my happiness, then I’ll eliminate them all myself.”
“No, I will stop you.”
Feeling betrayed by the man she loved, the man she envisioned a future with, Dedusa’s heart shattered. Unable to be with him forever, she decided to extinguish the source of his happiness. She killed his mate. Consequently, she transformed into a malevolent spirit. Her first possession was his daughter. Amid laughter mixed with tears, Dedusa had turned into a peril to humanity. The agony of heartbreak had corrupted her, leading her to ultimately end Prince’s life with her own hands.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I reached the last page of the book. It became clear that Dedusa wasn’t always evil, but her love had led her astray. Despite the understanding, I felt a deep sense of unease. The book had provided insight into her past, but it had not offered any solutions or ways to stop her. What if she targeted Nicklaus, my daughter, or even me? I couldn’t let that happen. I needed to find more information, another book, anything that might help us protect our family from Dedusa’s malevolent intentions.
I carefully set the book apart from the others and cast my gaze over the shelves once again. Stepping out of the room, I encountered the other witches. “Hello. The first book didn’t provide a solution, only the details of how Dedusa turned evil.”
“There must be another book that contains information on how to seal her away permanently.”
“Yes, I thought the same. That’s why I want you all to keep searching alongside me. Let me know if you find anything helpful,” I urged them with a hopeful smile.
“Of course, we’ll continue searching.”
“And the meeting? Is it over now?”
“Not yet.”
“What’s causing the delay?”
“Well, other nobles, elders, and high-ranking witches are on their way here. A solution must be reached before the meeting concludes. Dedusa’s weakened state poses a danger to all witches, even from other tribes.”
“I understand. I just hope their proposed solution doesn’t involve harming my daughter. I’ll go check on my child and Nicklaus now. As I mentioned before, please inform me if you come across anything relevant.”
“I will.”
I walked down the path leading to my apartment, about to open the door, when I overheard Nicklaus on a phone call. His voice sounded fraught with worry, “What do you mean they’ll kill Mateo? Find him no matter what. I have a lot to handle right now.”
I couldn’t catch the response from the other end of the call. Confirmation that something was indeed amiss with Mateo. He had been absent for an extended period, and Nicklaus had kept it from me. It was time for him to explain. I swung the door open with determination, demanding answers, “Where is Mateo? What’s happened to him?”