WITCHE'S BEAST *(needs editing )

Chapter 12

Aaron

I opened my eyes and came face to face with sleeping Eve. She was truly beautiful, even in her sleep. Her thigh was draped over me, her body pressed against mine. I felt aroused—my manhood hard against her. I hadn’t gotten enough sleep, my beast restless, desperate for her. The need to mark her was driving me insane.

Her body was begging for my mark. I rubbed the spot between her neck and shoulder, and she let out a soft moan. My beast growled in response, furious at how she teased and taunted us. The need was unbearable. Still, I respected her wishes. I would allow her to have her ceremony, since it meant so much to her. But I could see how hard it was getting, even for her. She could barely control herself.

She opened her eyes, meeting mine, and smiled as she brushed my cheek.
“Morning, Aaro—”

I kissed her before she could finish. She pressed a hand against my chest.
“I need to brush my teeth.”

I pulled her back into my arms, holding her for a few minutes before finally letting her go. She rushed to the bathroom.

I got up, showered, and prepared to meet the oracle. I hoped she would finally speak. If she didn’t, my father would resort to torture. We needed answers—who she was working with, and what they were plotting. She had betrayed her kind when she chose to stay in our pack, sealing magic from our lands. But now she was working against us, with the enemy. My father trusted her once, and she broke that trust. She knew too much about us. Too much about our weaknesses.

And a dark thought struck me—I feared Evelina would betray me one day, just as Eric had warned. I didn’t fully understand witches, but I was learning, piece by piece, from my mate.

When I came out of the bathroom, my beautiful Eve was busy doing her hair.
“I have to meet with Larissa,” she said, clearly unhappy. “She wants me to learn the ways of pack life.” She turned to me, her eyes soft.

“You don’t have to go today, you know you can—”

“I’ll go with you,” she cut me off.

I smiled. She liked being by my side, and I liked that more than I cared to admit.

We headed to the kitchen where my family was already seated for breakfast. I greeted them and sat down, with my mate beside me. My mother placed bacon on my plate, but Evelina quickly pulled it away. The entire room froze.

“I got it,” she said calmly.

My mother only smiled and released the plate. Eve confused me, but my beast was thrilled. She placed pancakes and sausages on my plate, her expression triumphant, as if she had just won a private battle.

Then Lyra walked in looking pale. She sat down, close to Daniel. My mother never approved of how much time Daniel spent with her, especially with the full moon approaching. Unmated wolves suffered terribly during the heat, and I suspected Daniel was easing his suffering with Lyra.

The suspicion became truth when Daniel quietly slid food from his plate onto hers—a gesture no wolf would make unless he was claiming to provide for his mate.

Larissa stood abruptly, fury written across her face.
“Daniel!”

The room went silent.

“What do you think you’re doing? You cannot just—” she cut herself off, disgust clear in her voice.

I didn’t understand why my mother was so furious. Daniel didn’t make mistakes—if he did this, it meant something. Evelina seemed to understand too. Her words shattered the silence.

“She’s your mate.”

It wasn’t a question. It was a truth.

Lyra’s face paled further, shame shadowing her features. But this wasn’t something to be ashamed of—she should have been proud.

“Nonsense, Evelina!” Larissa snapped, more irritated now.

“What is she saying, Daniel?” Eric asked, confusion thick in his voice.

“Everyone needs to calm down and let him answer,” I said firmly, my eyes on Daniel.

He didn’t flinch. Didn’t even waver. He stayed calm as the room drowned in chaos.

“It’s true.” He ran a hand through his hair. Lyra kept her head down, too ashamed to look up.

Eric’s voice cut through the room like a blade.
“Is this the new norm now? Mating with witches? I would rather kill myself than take a witch as my mate. This curse is spreading, and it all started with her.”

He pointed directly at Evelina. She choked on her saliva, startled.

“That’s not true! I cannot control fate—it is the Goddess who—”

But Eric wasn’t listening. He was trembling, his wolf taking over. His fury was directed at my mate. He wanted her blood.

My beast snapped before I even realized it, lunging at him. Daniel’s wolf joined mine as we tore into his flesh. My intent was to teach him respect, but my beast wanted him dead. I lost control. Humanity slipped away as rage consumed me.

“Aaron, you’re going to kill him! Someone get the Alpha, now!” my mother screamed.

“Evelina, stop him!” she begged.

I had Eric pinned, ready for the kill. But Evelina threw herself in front of him.
“Mercy… have mercy.”

Her voice was soft, submissive.

My beast stilled. My eyes cleared. Instead of tearing flesh, I pressed my muzzle against her cheek. She stroked my fur gently, and I shifted back into human form.

I saw Daniel lying bloodied beside Eric, who was terribly injured. Guilt swallowed me whole. Blood—my brother’s blood—covered my skin. I reached for him, but he flinched away in fear. The rejection felt like a thousand daggers stabbing my chest.

Evelina took my hand, grounding me.

“What happened here?” my father’s voice roared as he entered, too late. “Someone get Maria—now!”

I walked out, everyone shrinking back from me in fear.

I wasn’t their Alpha. I wasn’t their brother.
I was a monster.

Whispers followed me as I left the room.

“He lost control…”
“He almost killed them both.”
“If his mate hadn’t stopped him—”

Each word sliced deeper into me, confirming what I already knew. My beast was too strong, too wild. One day, no one—not even Evelina—would be able to stop me.

And when that day came…
would I destroy my enemies?
Or the very people I loved?