Brian’s POV
I leaned against the cabin wall, the weight of everything crashing down on me. My body still burned from the kiss, from Cara’s touch, but my mind was spinning. I shouldn’t have let it go this far. She’s the one person I was supposed to stay away from, yet she’s the one person I craved more than anything in this world.
I had thought I could control it, that I could keep her at a distance, but the pull between us was undeniable. It consumed me, haunted me day and night. But it wasn’t just about wanting her. No. It was about needing her. She wasn’t just my mate. She was also my curse, and my salvation, two of them entertwined.
The Cupbearers. Just the thought of them sent a shiver down my spine. They were the source of so much power and chaos. But they have been killed and eliminated. My family had been cursed by them centuries ago, and that curse twisted our minds, driving us insane to the point of death. Only the prophecy that the pureblood can cure us is the last flicker of hope that we have.
That’s why I had rejected her, why I pushed her away. I didn’t want her to be dragged into this nightmare. I didn’t want her to suffer because of the darkness that clung to me. But no matter how hard I tried to stay away, the bond only grew stronger. Every time I thought about her, the need burned deeper inside me, pulling me to her like gravity.
Tonight, I nearly lost control.
I wanted her, not just because she was my mate, but because I believed she was the key to ending my torment. If the prophecy was true, she could save me. But how could I explain that to her? How could I tell her that my obsession wasn’t just about love, that it was about survival? She wouldn’t understand. She would think I was using her like a farm tool.
And then there were the elders. The ignorant selfish old hags. They had made it clear from the start that all they wanted to control her, to use her powers for their own selfish interest and to gain more powers for themselves. They didn’t see her as a person, in their eyes she is just a weapon. But I couldn’t treat her like that. Not my mate.
I groaned in frustration, my fist clenching as I thought about the phone call earlier. The bastards had called, demanding to know where she was, reminding me of my duty. It had taken every ounce of self-control not to smash the phone against the wall. How could they expect me to treat her like some pawn in their game?.
When I looked at Cara, lying there on the bed, her hair wild, her lips swollen from our kiss, my heart twisted in knots. She was so beautiful, so perfect. I wanted nothing more than to stay with her, to hold her, to make her mine completely. But I knew I couldn’t. Not while the curse loomed over us, and not while the elders had their eyes on her, and I don’t want her already worse case to worsen with me entering the fray.
I moved away from the cabin, needing space to think. The cool night air hit me, but it did nothing to calm the storm raging inside me. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t hear Garreth approach until he was standing right next to me.
“alpha are You okay?” Garreth’s voice was calm, but there was something serious in his tone.
I didn’t respond immediately. My throat felt tight with unspoken words, I wanted to tell him that I was not okay, that me being away from my mate was killing me.”yes, I’m n okay,” I finally muttered.
Garreth crossed his arms, his face hardening. “You keep doing this to yourself, Brian. It’s killing you. Why don’t you just be with her? Reunite with her. You both need it.”
“I can’t.” My voice was sharp, harsher than I intended. “It’s better for Cara to hate me than to love me. It’s safer for her that way.”
Garreth sighed deeply, frustration evident in his expression. “You keep saying that, but it’s not true. Cara was meant for you. Sll your wishes has been answered alpha, You can’t keep running from it. You’ve been suffering for years, but she’s the one who can help you.”
I shook my head. “You think I can trust some ancient prophecy? Written by people who had no idea what they were doing? Made-up stories to scare others?”
“Debby confirmed it,” Garreth said firmly. “Cara is a pureblood, and probably the last one. Why do you think her powers have been stirring up lately? Why do you think she’s showing abilities that can’t be explained?, that’s not how normal cupbearers showcase their powers, she is special”.
I ran a hand through my hair, my jaw clenched tight. Deep down, I knew Garreth had a point. I had seen the signs myself. Cara wasn’t just any werewolf, she was different. And it wasn’t just because she was my mate. The power in her blood was undeniable, even if I didn’t want to admit it.
Garreth shifted slightly, his eyes narrowing as he continued. “There’s something else, Brian. I’ve been noticing some suspicious activity within the elders circle.”
I waved him off, not wanting to hear it. “I’ll deal with the elders. They’re not our biggest problem right now.”
“They might be, sooner than you think,” Garreth pressed. “But there’s another thing… The Silverware pack.”
I turned to him, my eyes darkening. ” that ungrateful brat, What about them? What did you do to them for kidnapping Cara?”
Garreth hesitated. “I…I spared them.”
“You what?” My voice was low, dangerous. “You let them live after what they did?, my instructions was to kill all and not touch only Cara.”
Garreth nodded. “Cara agreed to come back on the condition that I spare them. She com… made me swear it.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Cara had convinced him to let them go? After everything they had done? I clenched my fists, struggling to keep my anger in check. “And you listened to her?”
“You said to do anything possible for her to come back, but to not touch a hair from her hair, but I thought the young alpha a lesson, I cutted off his hand…”.
He looked like he had something more to add, “and what happened Garreth?”
Garreth gave me a long look. “She healed the Alpha’s hand, alpha. With her powers. It wasn’t just a normal healing. It was something… different, she fixed it back.”
I stared at him with widening eyes, the weight of his words sinking in. Cara’s powers were stronger than I realized. She had healed an Alpha. That wasn’t something any ordinary cupbearer could do. It was more proof that she was special, even could be the so called pureblood, that she was the key to breaking the curse.
But it also meant she was in more danger than ever.
“Tomorrow,” I said, my voice steady. “i command you to be her personal trainer, She needs to be prepared.”
Garreth nodded but didn’t look entirely convinced. “are you sure alpha?, i am not a cupbearer, I don’t know how to start.”
“You are the only person I can trust in this pack, Garreth, my loyal beta, that’s why I am entrusting this important assignment to you”. I told him
I exhaled slowly, my mind racing with everything I had learned. “I don’t know if it’s the right move. But we don’t have much of a choice.”
Garreth stayed silent for a moment before stepping forward and placing a hand on my shoulder. “You’re not alone in this, Alpha. Cara was meant for you. I wont let anything come between that.” he pledged solemnly
I looked away, not able to meet his eyes. “It’s not that simple, we will be on a lookout for any activities of the council, they are the most dangerous enemies we face.
Garreth squeezed my shoulder in a brotherly manner. then turned and walked away, leaving me alone to my thoughts.
As the night stretched on, I stood there, the cool breeze doing little to ease the burning inside me. My wolf howled in the back of my mind, angry and restless, demanding I go back to Cara. To claim her. To keep her safe from everything, including myself.
But I couldn’t do it. it was to risky, and I couldn’t risk her getting hurt because of me. Not again.
I took a deep breath and walked away from the cabin, my heart heavy with the weight of everything I couldn’t say to her. Cara deserved better than a cursed and brokened Alpha like me, no matter how much I wanted her to be mine.