Page 25 of The Alpha's Fated Destiny

I only know this because Elsa told me, as she forcibly fed me food and shared some of her life force with me, to prevent me from dying. Something I had gotten perilously close to doing, apparently.

“Not everything has to be a suicide mission," she scolds me as she stuffs the herbal concoction down my throat. “Running away is always an option. You don’t always have to fight. Only idiots stay and fight in a dangerous situation. Are you an idiot, Sophia?"

I swallow the bitter liquid before replying in a hoarse voice, "If the witches didn't kill me, you yelling at me might just do the trick. And did you really expect me toleave you and my mother here? Besides, things happened so fast…“

“Did I tell you to talk?” Elsa glares at me. “Did I give you permission to speak? Shut up and drink this."

I make a face as she holds out another liquid that she has spent all morning preparing for me.

As I swallow it, I hear her muttering angrily. "Won't listen to me but has an answer for everything."

The taste of this herbal tonic is even worse than the previous one, but I'm scared of complaining. She’s already smacked me on my head twice. I’m afraid that a third time might cause permanent damage to my brain.

My traitorous mate is nowhere to be seen. Only his soldiers are watching us, alert.

“You saved us.” I give Elsa a weak smile, hoping to pacify her. “I didn’t think I would make it out of there alive.”

Elsa gives me a narrow-eyed look and I add. “I put everything into that healing magic. Completely drained me. And then there was maintaining the barrier.”

“But it shouldn’t have.”

Elsa’s voice is grim. "Your capacity for magic is unlike that of any other, Sophia. A little healing magic shouldn’t have brought you to the edge of death. I’ve been noticing something else. Day by day, you are growing weaker.”

I frown. "I feel fine.”

I do feel a little better than I was during the fight.

“You don’t see it, but I do." The older witch shakes her head at me. "Ever since…"

She trails off as if something has struck her. My head is in her lap and I look at her. “What is it?”

She has a somber expression on her face. “Have you noticed a change Alex’s abilities?”

Alex chooses that very moment to make his appearance. He is striding across the clearing with Brian and the Alphas, and he seems to be in a deep discussion.

I tear my gaze from him and look back at Elsa. “No. What are you talking about?”

“Have you shared your power with Alex?” Elsa asks, seriously.

“Maybe during the banquet.”

“And after that?”

I'm slow to reply, considering her words. "Not deliberately, no. But I would feel it if I was sharing my power with him.”

“He’s grown faster,” Elsa tells me, heavily. “It’s obvious to everyone. He’s stronger, he’s faster, and even the strongest Alpha within the South Alliance will not be able to face him."

I try to sit up, but she pushes me back down. “Not yet. You can't sit up after taking this tonic."

“Maybe he is." I feel a little defensive. "Or maybe he always was that way. You don’t know.”

Elsa is watching my mate and I feel tense.

“No, he wasn’t. I don’t think he was. For some reason, he’s growing stronger and you are growing weaker. And I’m starting to wonder if it’s because of the mating mark that you gave him.”

Elsa's cool words have me swallowing.

That's ridiculous.

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