Page 52 of Lycan King's Claim
Then, finally, Tasha speaks up again: “I have a place you can stay; my father owns an apartment block in the kingdom a few cities over. I'm certain that Isador will take you home on her trip back.” She glances at me and smiles encouragingly before returning her focus to the road ahead of us and pressing down on the gas pedal as if determined to get me away from here as soon as possible. And that's when I know we might make it out alive despite everything coming against us—together, we will be safe forevermore beyond Xandros' grip.
We arrive at the apothecary, where the witch awaits us. The cottage smells of herbs and magic, the air thick with possibilities. I turn to Tasha, my heart aching with the knowledge of what I have to do. As we discuss my future, the storm outside rages on, mirroring the pain I feel inside.
“Are you ready?” Tasha asks softly, her eyes filled with concern.
I hesitate before answering, knowing that once I make this choice, there will be no turning back. “Yes,” I whisper, feeling the shattered pieces of my heart twisting inside me. “It's the only way.”
The air inside the apothecary is heavy with anticipation as I watch the witch prepare her potions. The scent of crushed herbs and smoldering incense fills my lungs, creating a sense of otherworldliness that sends shivers down my spine. My heart pounds in my chest, each beat echoing the uncertainty that suddenly clouds my thoughts.
“Are you certain this is what you want?” The witch's voice is gentle, her eyes piercing into my soul as if searching for any lingering doubt. I hesitate, feeling the weight of her gaze and the gravity of my decision.
“Can it truly be done?” I whisper, my voice barely audible above the brewing storm outside.
“Breaking a mate bond is not an easy task,” she explains, her tone solemn. “It requires a sacrifice – something to tie the bond to and end it.” I furrow my brow, trying to comprehend the implications of her words. Tasha interjects, her voice laced with frustration. “Can't you just use magic or make a potion? Why does it have to be so…final?”
The witch shakes her head, her expression grave. “No, mate bonds are sacred and hard to break. The only way to sever them is for the mate to die or to tie the bond to another living source and end the source.”
I sigh, feeling the burden of my choice weighing heavily upon me. “I'm not killing anyone,” I sigh, getting to my feet. But before I can say anything more, Tasha speaks up again. “What about a pregnancy? Can you use that as a sacrifice?” she asks abruptly, and I stare at Tasha.
“I'm not forcing you, just curious. If not, I can go find a random to slaughter for you,” she offers, and I don't know which is more frightening.
The witch looks at me, her eyes narrowing as she steps closer and presses a hand to my stomach. “Are you with child?” she asks softly, her voice tinged with curiosity and concern. I say nothing, but she seems to understand my silence. “A girl,” she murmurs, and I gasp. “She'll be sacrificed enough if you choose this route.” I chew my lip before looking at Tasha. I nod my head, but the witch steps closer and grips my shoulders.
“Are you sure you can do this?” the witch asks me repeatedly, her voice patient but insistent. “You must be certain, for it cannot be undone, and I don't want you to have any regrets.” I hesitate, my heart breaking further with each passing moment.
“I need to think about it,” I whisper, my voice trembling. The witch nods, giving me a small, sad smile. “Good choice.”
Tasha busies herself making tea as we sip in silence, her questions probing deeper into my thoughts and desires. She tells me about the place in the kingdom where her father lives, assuring me that I will be safe there and can start anew. But even as I consider her words, the horrors of my past haunt me – Xandros' cruelty, his manipulation, and all the pain he had inflicted upon me.
With a heavy heart, I make my decision: I will break the bond and free myself from my torment. Staying here is no life for a baby, and running, I have no way to support one.
The witch explains the process, creating two potions – one to weaken the bond and another to end my pregnancy. As she hands me the first glass, I ask what it contains. She lists the ingredients – a complex bouquet of herbs and minerals – and explains that it would weaken my body so that it wouldn't resist the breaking of the bond. The witch takes out a small vial filled with green liquid.
The witch takes a deep breath and explains, “This spell requires sacrifice, and it will not be easy. The first potion is a mixture of herbs and minerals that weaken the bond between you and Xandros. It will also numb the bond so that you won't feel its pain. The ingredients are valerian root, jasmine petals, lavender, and moonstone crushed into dust. But be warned, this potion is poisonous, and if you drink it, there is no turning back. The second potion is more powerful. It will end your pregnancy, but it also contains an antidote to the first potion so that it won't poison you. The ingredients are yarrow, raspberry leaf, and cedar wood. Once you drink this potion, the bond between you and Xandros will be broken, and the pregnancy will end.” The witch pauses to let it all sink in, her gaze steady and serious.
The witch's musty cottage is dimly lit by the flickering light of candles, incense fills the room with clouds of smoke that twist and weave their way to the roof. I stand trembling before her, my hands slick with sweat as she utters her warning. The gravity of the situation hit me like a ton of bricks—there would be no turning back once this process began. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest, the rhythm also beating loudly in my ears.
As Tasha sits beside me and holds my arm, a sense of calm washes over me like a cold wave. I close my eyes and try to prepare myself for what is to come. With shaking hands, I take the potion that has been offered to me. It tastes vile, like rancid meat left outside under the sun, its effects are undeniable.
I feel it course through my veins, cutting off the bond that had tethered me to Xandros for so long. At first, there was only a numbing dullness that spread through my body like frost on glass. But as the seconds ticked by, the detachment grew deeper and more profound until I was alone with my thoughts.
Meanwhile, Tasha busied herself nearby with a jug of water and cloth, keeping me cool and comfortable while the witch chanted her incantations. I lay down on the table as instructed, feeling strangely weightless and unmoored from reality.
And then it happens - a sudden jolt runs through my body as something inside of me shifts. Tasha hands the second potion to me. All I can do is stare at it. As the storm outside continues to rage with all its might, I know that an even greater storm is brewing within me.
As she chants, suddenly, I can hear it, the steady rhythm of my baby's heartbeat fills my ears, drowning out the sound of the storm outside. It pulses within me, echoing the witch's words like a haunting lullaby: It's a girl, it's a girl, it's a girl. I can suddenly feel the life inside me, with haunting clarity, innocent and fragile, so full of potential. The beats grow louder, more insistent, consuming every other thought in my mind.
Panic surges through me as I realize what I am about to do. With a strength, I didn't know I possessed, I leap off the table, my voice shaking with emotion. “No, I can't, I can't do it.”
Tasha rushes to my side, her eyes wide with concern. She tries to soothe me, but my heart races too fast for comforting words. The witch, sensing my turmoil, speaks. “Tasha leave her be, I won't force her, but there can be consequences,” she tells me.
My breaths come in shallow gasps as I struggle to regain control. The witch speaks and explains that the potion she has given me will weaken my bond to Xandros for the next 24 hours and that I will need to be careful with the spell that has been cast. If I kill someone, I could become the sacrifice myself, killing both me and my baby. A fleeting sense of relief washes over me, but before she can say anything else, the door to the apothecary bursts open.
“I thought I locked that door,” the witch mutters, approaching the intruder. “May I help you?” Her voice wavers slightly, betraying her unease. A second later, I hear another.
King Vin's cold, menacing voice answers her, sending chills down my spine. “No.” A deafening bang echoes through the room, and I jump, my heart pounding even harder than before.
Tasha snarls, instincts taking over, and she lunges toward the source of the noise. But she is no match for King Vin's ruthless power. He sends her flying through the air, her body colliding with a table and knocking her unconscious.
