The Villain Alpha's Cursed Mate-Chapter 140: Luna Of The North

Karnath tilted his head slightly, catching sight of the bitter scowl shadowing Donovan’s handsome face, and with a soft hum, he began to back away cautiously, his eyes flickering with a hint of amusement and challenge. "Just so you know, I’ll be waiting for you on the other side when you finally yield to the curse. You and I will make an even greater couple, I can assure you, better than what you have with that woman over there."

He pointed a finger at Esme before sighing, as if he was disappointed with what he was about to say next. "Sadly, I’m afraid I’ll have to make a run for it since I wasn’t even meant to be here. Don’t forget me, Esmeray of the Montague family, cause I’ll definitely be back."

Casting Esme one last, lingering glance, he leapt gracefully, bounding from pillar to pillar as he made his way to the exit.

Esme wasn’t ready to let him slip out of her grasp like this, not after everything he’s said and done, so she surged forward, her eyes blazing with unrelenting fury as she tried to go after him. But just as she moved, Donovan’s hand shot out, his arm wrapping firmly around her waist as he halted her pursuit.

"Get back here!" she shouted, straining against Donovan’s unyielding grip, her frustration boiling over from Karnath ’s taunts. Yet, despite her desire to go after Karnath, Donovan held her fast with no intention of letting her go, his expression resolute as he kept her from tearing after their elusive foe.

"There’s no use going after him," Donovan murmured, tightening his hold. "If you follow him, you’ll be walking straight into their trap. And I won’t be able to pull you back from it."

"But... you don’t understand what he–"

"Esme." Her name left his lips with a warning sharper than his restraint. "He’s trying to get into your head, and reacting like this only gives him exactly what he wants." His voice softened as her resistance faded.

"It’s okay."

Esme’s breath came in ragged gasps as she finally settled down, and when her senses returned, she recognized the truth in Donovan’s words.

Though she had never encountered that demon before, he knew unsettlingly intimate details about her life — especially her history in being treated as a complete nobody by Dahmer. The demon’s taunt struck such a nerve that she hadn’t even paused to wonder how he could know so much. And his blatant disrespect for Vivienne stung nearly as deeply, fueling her anger all the more.

His cruel words echoed in her mind, each syllable a barbed reminder of her own insecurities. Maybe her reaction was so intense because, deep down, he was right. She was no Montague, not like her father, not like Finnian. She wasn’t remarkable in any way; she was basically... nothing.

It was that hollow truth that drove and gave her enough reason to train when Donovan suggested it. She wanted to become the type of warrior her father would be proud of. She wanted to prove Dahmer wrong, to defy the judgment of everyone who saw her as less.

But...

"Esme?" Donovan’s voice softened as he noticed her silence, sensing the shift in her. His hold on her waist slackened, after being certain she wouldn’t bolt after that manipulative demon. The ground beneath him shifted when she sank to the floor, her shoulders heavy with unspoken burden.

Dropping to a crouch beside her, his earlier words suddenly tasted bitter in his mouth, and he wondered if they came out a lot harsher than he planned. "Did I go too far? I only wanted you to–"

"No," Esme shook her head, hastily brushing away her tears with trembling hands. She didn’t want to burden him with her own problems. "It’s not you. Actually, you were right about what you said. I just..." she paused, voice dropping to a whisper. "I wonder when I’ll finally stop being so foolish, always letting my messed up emotions make my choices for me."

He heard her sniffle but said nothing when she rose to her unsteady feet, attempting to sound composed. "It’s been suspiciously quiet for a while... did something happen outside? Should we go and look—"

Before she could finish, Donovan unexpectedly pulled her into his arms, holding her firm yet gently. He stroked her hair in a soothing rhythm as he replied. "It’s suspiciously quiet because they’ve all been wiped out."

Since Esme wasn’t expecting such a positive response, her eyes widened as she struggled to process what he just said. She instinctively tried to pull back, but he kept her close. "How is that possible? Shouldn’t we be expecting the worst since they breached the gate?"

"We should, except there’s no need for that," he said, his voice calm. "Most of the demon wolves were taken down before they could get to the gate, but the few who were able to enter have been dealt with. To be honest, they weren’t individually strong, but their sheer numbers made them difficult to eliminate entirely."

He paused, then continued, "As for the one that attacked you – he wasn’t part of the group. He came separately, and I could tell from his distinct aura that he wasn’t one to be easily toyed with, that’s why I had to stop you from going after him."

"I... I see," Esme’s grip tightened on his sleeve, the weight of his words settling into her mind.

Esme couldn’t shake the weight of Karnath’s words, each one lingering painfully in her mind, and despite her best effort, the urge to cry pressed at her. Then Donovan’s voice broke through her pensive thoughts, "It was unbearable knowing you were in danger. I would have lost my mind if anything had happened to you. But..you were recklessly brave to come up here alone. Why did you?"

"I just..." Esme pulled back, struggling to steady her voice as she fought back tears, and she tried her best to explain. "There was a woman in the shelter. She lost her child in the middle of everything, and I needed information from Thadius."

She paused before admitting, "I know my actions weren’t sensible, and I didn’t mean to cause you any worry or interfere with—"

"I know you didn’t," Donovan hushed her softly, pulling her close, and Esme buried her face in her palm, hating herself for shedding tears so easily.

After a moment, he asked, "Did you find Thadius, like you intended?" Esme nodded to his inquiry, but then the memory of what had transpired made her pause.

She lifted her gaze to Donovan, hesitating before she revealed what had truly happened.

"He... he turned into a demon, and I– I had no choice but to kill him." As she said those words, the weight of it settled like a stone in her chest, chilling her with the realization that she had taken a life.

She had killed someone.

"You... did what?" Donovan asked again, sounding serious in a way that made Esme hesitate.

"You know I wouldn’t kill anyone, think about the situation I was in," she stammered, trying to make him see things from her point of view. "But he was about to— wait! What are you doing?!"

Esme barely had time to react when Donovan lifted her effortlessly, spinning her around with a slight grin. Esme’s face flushed at his reaction, caught off guard by the rare delight lighting up his expression.

He carefully set her back on her feet, a light chuckle escaping him. "This was your first kill, and for someone without a wolf or any form of formal combat training, that’s incredible." He gave her shoulders a firm but gentle squeeze, and she was almost enthralled by how hypnotic he looked with a smile on his face.

Though she felt a mix of strange embarrassment and unease, his unwavering pride in her was unmistakable. Donovan seemed genuinely impressed, despite her inner turmoil.

"You’re not upset?"

"Why would I be?" he murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "You did the right thing, and he was as good as dead after he dared to harm you. But tell me, how did you pull it off?"

Esme’s eyes drifted to her whip lying in the corner, now returned to its sword-like form with fragile, white petals — the crimson color all gone.

She picked it up, feeling the petal’s texture. She wanted to tell Donovan everything, to recount every detail to him, but the moment she rose, a sudden wave of exhaustion washed over her, making the corridor blur and tilt.

"I... I feel–"

Donovan grabbed her firmly by her arms to steady her. "Don’t worry, I’ve got you," he reassured her, before letting his hands slide beneath her, lifting her against him.

Her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist for balance, leaning into him, her arms looping around his neck. She didn’t have the strength to decline his help, so she allowed herself the luxury of being carried.

The warmth of his skin against her own felt grounding amidst the northern cold, and their shared sweat from the battle they’ve faced clung to them both, the bite of the chilly air only heightening her awareness of his closeness.

As he carried her down the dim corridor, the familiar scent of earth and sandalwood lingered on him, mingling with the heady remnants of adrenaline. Strangely, it felt comforting to be in his arms again, as though she truly belonged there.

She allowed herself to relax, her eyelids fluttering shut as the fatigue came in waves again. Donovan guided them both out of the fortress and into the crisp beginning of dawn.

When Esme opened her eyes, she found herself in a completely unfamiliar, elegantly furnished room. Surprised, she sat up on the bed in haste and slipped out from under the covers. The free white gown she wore felt impossibly light against her skin, shimmering as the sunlight poured through the window and cast a warm glow across the fabric.

It was fully daytime. The sun was out for the first time since their journey in the North, and she felt surprisingly refreshed, as if someone had tended to her while she slept, renewing her strength. The thought of some stranger tending to her didn’t sit well with her at all... they should have woken her up to do it herself.

But one thing was clear; she was still in the North.

"The battle is truly over," she whispered, the reality sinking in as she made her way to the door and stepped into the corridor. The corridor was quiet, richly adorned with decor that felt worlds apart from the Fang fortress she remembered.

Curious as to where everyone was, she descended the grand staircase, barely noticing the opulence around her until she was standing at the top of the staircase where the railings were fixed. Tilting her head down to look below, her eyes fell on the number of crowds that awaited.

At her arrival, every eye turned her way, and to her shock, the people bowed.

Before she could process what was happening, a familiar presence appeared behind her, and the scent of sandalwood surrounded her senses when Donovan leaned close to murmur into her ear, his voice both proud and playful.

"Now that you’ve conquered the North by taking down their Alpha, what will you do next as the new Luna of the North?"

Esme’s pupils dilated, and she blinked rapidly.

Wait... Luna what?!!