The Villain Alpha's Cursed Mate-Chapter 124: Counter-curse

In the Alpha’s quarters, Dahmer lounged comfortably against the headboard of the grand bed, surrounded by four stunning northern women draped in sheer transparent fabrics.

The room was his personal chamber, granted to him since he had followed the king, and he wasted no time indulging in its luxuries.

The women fawned over him, their laughter mingling with soft giggles as they clung to his every word. He had promised to come and get them once he rebuilt his pack, and to the women of the North, any man was better than their Alpha.

One of them straddled his legs, her lips locking with his in a heated, lustful kiss, while his hands roamed freely over her body, cupping her breast with an air of entitlement.

The intimate moment was interrupted by a sudden knock on the door. Dahmer paused, irritation flickering in his face, but it quickly vanished as the door opened to reveal none other than Lennox. Without a word, the king strode into his room, his presence commanding, and he took a seat at the table near the curtained window.

With practiced ease, he poured himself a glass of wine, his expression unreadable as he silently observed the scene.

The four ladies, sensing their moment to leave, rose gracefully and wore their robes before slipping out of the room. Dahmer, though irritated that his entertainment had been cut short, couldn’t show his displeasure in front of the king.

Instead, he joined Lennox at the table, masking his annoyance and trying to calm his raging boner at the same time.

"Enjoying yourself it seems," Lennox remarked, swirling his wine before taking a sip. "It’s no wonder the Moon Goddess has yet to bless you with a mate of your own."

Dahmer chuckled at his words, pouring himself a glass. "Who needs a mate when there’s such variety to choose from? I have no wish to be tied to one woman." Dahmer never cared about finding a mate – back in his pack, he could literally have a pick of any woman he wanted.

"Besides," he added with a smirk, "the Northern women are my favorite. Skin as white as snow, tiny waists, long hair – and let’s be honest – they’re blessed with generous curves. They’re practically a different breed. If I ever had to settle, it’d be with a Northern woman."

He winked knowingly, taking a sip of his own wine. After all, the King’s own mate hailed from the North, and she fitted his description perfectly. Lennox was bound to understand what he meant. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

"Dahmer," Lennox’s face took a more serious expression as he spoke, his voice lowering. "While it’s clear you’ve gotten your sexual interest sorted out, that isn’t the reason why I brought you here to begin with. Besides, I can’t shake off the feeling that I saw Esme today."

At the mention of her name, Dahmer nearly choked on his wine, coughing and hastily setting the glass down on the table. His eyes darted up to meet Lennox’s gaze, and a flicker of shock crossed his face when he realized he wasn’t bluffing.

"What do you mean, your Majesty? You saw Esme?"

"I’m not entirely sure," Lennox replied, his tone thoughtful. "Back in the main city, I could’ve sworn I saw her – on a horseback. But before I could get a closer look, she was gone.

"How is that possible?" Dahmer asked, trying to mask his disbelief, but he treaded carefully with his words. "If anything, she could be dead by now. We don’t know if she’s been turned into one of those creatures, or probably dead."

"She’s not dead," Lennox said firmly, his brow furrowing in frustration. "I know she isn’t. Donovan would never harm her... or at least, he wouldn’t if he remembers her. They were once close, back when he was locked away in the dungeon, though the memories of their time together were wiped."

He paused, exhaling softly, "Donovan did something to her back then, and now that she’s within his grasp, we can’t be certain what he’ll do next." The mere thought of Donovan getting his filthy hands on Esme made his blood boil for unknown reasons, and he tried to quell his thoughts.

"I beg your pardon?" Dahmer, who’s hearing this piece of information for the first time, felt his blood turn cold. Lennox nodded his head, confirming it as the truth.

"Even your step father, Alpha Damon, was aware. That Demon bonded with his daughter, and since no one knew the full details of whatever ritual they performed in the dungeon, the council thought it was best to wipe their memories. They thought if it stayed buried, everything would be fine, but now, I can’t help but worry."

"Bonded? Ritual?" Dahmer struggled to grasp what Lennox was telling him. "What do you mean, ’bonded’? What exactly did he do to Esme?"

Lennox sighed, meeting Dahmer’s wide-eyed stare. "I don’t know the details either. And why that expression? Are you suddenly worried about your sister?"

"She’s not my sister," Dahmer snapped, but then composed himself on time. He loathed that word more than the person it addressed. "We’re not blood-related, so no, she isn’t my sister."

"Then what is she to you?" Lennox asked, his voice gentle but probing.

"A nuisance," Dahmer replied coldly. Lennox didn’t respond immediately, his expression unreadable as he appeared to mull something over in silence. After a moment, he rose to his feet, his movement slow and deliberate.

"If she’s of no use to you," Lennox said, his tone firm as he locked gaze with Dahmer, "then when I get her back, I expect you’ll keep your hands to yourself, Dahmer."

With that, he walked out of his room. Dahmer tried not to scoff after the king had left, biting back the retort that almost escaped his lips. He had to be cautious with his words around the king. But the truth was, if Esme ever returned, Dahmer knew he wouldn’t be able to resist having his favorite toy back. Obsession was too mild a word for what he felt. Esme had always been his, and the king was delusional to think he’d let her go.

"Is she truly here?" Dahmer wondered aloud, his mind racing. But he quickly dismissed the thought, shaking his head. Not just anyone could slip into the main city unnoticed. The king must have been seeing things.

Meanwhile, Esme stood quietly in the shadowed alleyway of one of the towering buildings in the main city, her gaze fixed on the blood petal sword in her hand. One of the white petals had shifted in color, and she stared at in confusion.

"How... when did this happen?" she murmured to herself, bewildered. "Did I spill something on it? I don’t recall being near any dyes today."

"Miss, is everything alright?" one of the warriors asked, noticing her distraction. Esme turned to them with a gentle smile, hiding her unease.

"Have any of you heard of a blood petal sword?" She inquired, her eyes sweeping over their faces as she hoped to catch even a glimpse of recognition.

The warriors exchanged glances before shaking their heads. "No," they admitted, looking almost disappointed at their inability to help.

"But," one of them suddenly added thoughtfully, "if it’s important, we can assist you in researching it when we return to the Damned. There are countless books on cursed weapons there. I’m sure we could find something useful in one of the libraries."

"You think it’s a cursed weapon?" Esme asked, her tone filled with concern as she studied the male warriors around her. They exchanged uneasy glances, each hesitant to speak, before one of them gave a noncommittal shrug.

"Most of the weapons in the Land of the Damned are cursed. It’s been like that ever since we realized that some of those who were infected with the curse had given in to the curse’s manipulation. We were taught that the only way to deal with a curse is by using it as a counter-curse."

Another warrior nodded in agreement, "The weapons we use are not exactly ordinary. And honestly, the name itself is enough to raise suspicion, Blood Petal sword."

He made a vague gesture, and Esme paused, realizing she hadn’t really considered the name as much as she should. Suddenly, a memory resurfaced – Donovan had once told her that the weapon’s name came from the color of the petals. Back then, she’d been confused, because the petals had been white.

But now, one of the petals had darkened, taking on the deep crimson shade of blood. She still didn’t know how or why the changes occured, but it unnerved her.

Her thoughts came to a halt when Donovan appeared, his presence commanding immediate attention as the warriors scrambled to their feet from the stones they were sitting on.

"I’ve just spoken with everyone, including Finnian," he announced to the group. "He says the vault is in the Alpha’s chamber. They’ve managed to unlock most of the doors, and Lothar has set everything in motion. It’s already nightfall, so we need to move."