Page 77 of Alpha's Exiled Mate
The surrounding soldiers immediately rushed forward, and I caught the anxious look in the captain of the guard’s eyes. However, Perock waved them off, signaling for them not to come any closer.
He managed a weak smile, his hand brushing my cheek, his touch cold, unsteady, his amber eyes dimming but filled with a love that pierced my soul. “Are you okay? How about Anna?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper, each word a struggle.
“We’re fine,” I said, my voice cracking, my hands frantically searching his body for wounds, desperate to find something I could fix, something I could fight. Then I saw it—his arm, the gash from earlier now blackened, dark veins spreading like a spider’s web across his skin, pulsing with a malevolent energy.
My breath caught, a cold dread seizing me, and I tugged at his collar, my fingers trembling as I revealed his chest, where spiral patterns of black magic twisted, distinct from the arm’s markings, their intricate, sinister design a stark contrast to the web-like spread. Two curses, intertwined, ravaging his body.
“When...When did this happen?” I asked, my voice trembling, though the truth crashed over me like a tidal wave, a horrifying realization that stole my breath - the curse hadn’tbeen neutralized by the soul toxin, as he’d claimed. It was killing him, accelerating with every heartbeat, the dark magic he’d taken to save me now a poison consuming him from within.
Perock coughed, black blood staining his lips, his body sagging in my arms, his skin growing gaunt, his features hollowing as if his life were being drained before my eyes.
“No, no!” I screamed, tears blurring my vision, my hands clutching him, desperate to hold him here, to anchor him to this world through sheer will. “There’s a way—Healers, witches...someone must know how to stop this!”
“Lilia,” he said, his voice faint, his hand gripping mine with a dwindling strength that terrified me, his eyes locked on mine, filled with a love so profound it broke my heart. “It’s too late. The soul toxin… it’s sped up the curse. My time’s up.”
“No, I won’t let you go!” I sobbed, shaking my head, my voice raw with defiance, my tears falling onto his face, mingling with the blood at his lips. “Not now, Perock, not after we’ve just found each other again. We have years ahead—Anna needs you, I need you! We’re a family now!”
He smiled, a pained, tender smile that shattered me, his hand trembling as it cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing away my tears with a gentleness that felt like a goodbye. “I’m sorry, Lilia,” he whispered, his voice fading, each word a struggle against the darkness claiming him. “But I don’t regret it. I’d give my life a thousand times to keep you safe. Listen… everything’s arranged. My will names you as my successor. Our kingdoms will unite under you. You’ll be a great queen, and Anna… she’ll be your heir, strong and brave, just like her mother.”
“Stop!” I shouted, my voice a desperate, broken plea, my hands gripping his armor, the cold steel biting into my palms as I shook him, as if I could shake life back into him. “I don’t want a throne, I don’t want power—I want you, alive, with us! You can’t leave us now!”
His eyes softened, his gaze grew distant, searching for something beyond my reach. “Just… don’t let Anna forget me,” he said, his voice barely audible, a fragile thread connecting us to the man I loved. “Tell her… her father loves her, even if he can’t watch her grow up…”
“No, no, no!” I choked, my throat tight, my voice cracking as I pressed my forehead to his, my sobs shaking against his stilling chest. “You’ll stay, Perock. You’ll teach her wolf stories, train her, love her every day. We’ll have her birthdays, holidays, quiet nights together—just us, just our family…”
“Lilia,” he breathed, his voice a faint echo, the words slipping away, “…I… love… you…”
His hand fell limp, the light in his eyes slowly fading. I could feel his life slipping away, the bond that once connected our souls growing faint and indistinct.
“No!” I cried out in anguish, clutching his body tightly. “Perock, don’t go, don’t leave us! I love you, I’ve always loved you, please don’t go…”
But his gaze grew unfocused, and finally, his eyes closed.
Chapter 25
Lilia
“Mommy.” A familiar voice called from behind. I turned to see Anna standing not far away, her small face filled with worry and fear.
“Anna,” I forced a smile, my voice trembling, “Daddy is... feeling a bit unwell. We need to let him rest...”
But Anna stepped closer, looking at Perock’s face with anxiety. “Is Daddy going to leave us?”
I couldn’t answer, only nodding hard as tears streamed down my face again. Yet Anna’s little face became unusually resolute. She walked to Perock’s side and placed her small hand on his chest.
“Anna,” I called softly, “we should let the healer Elira come...”
“No, Mommy,” Anna shook her head, her eyes shining with a wisdom beyond her years. “I know what to do.”
I looked at her in astonishment, but I didn’t stop her. Instead, I gently held Perock’s hand, waiting for a miracle to happen.
Time seemed to freeze in that moment. I watched as Anna’s tiny palm rested on Perock’s chest, her expression unwavering, her gaze reflecting a calmness and determination far beyond her age.
“Anna…” I whispered, my voice filled with doubt and a faint glimmer of hope.
“Mommy, give me your hand,” Anna said in a mature tone I had never heard from her before. “A voice told me we need to do this together.”
I didn’t hesitate and extended my trembling hand. Anna’s small hand grasped mine, and together, she pressed our hands onto Perock’s chest, which was already growing cold. His breathing was barely perceptible, his skin an unnatural gray, with dark, sinister patterns spreading up to his neck and cheeks.
