The Alpha's Mate

CHAPTER 44: LUCIAN

Sybil snuck into my room almost an hour ago. Like me, she couldn’t sleep either, but I didn’t want to move around the house for fear of being caught. Luckily for me, she came to me, and now we lay together on the bed with her in my arms and deep in sleep. Though I felt tired, I couldn’t still sleep even with her beside me. Her presence calmed me down, but it stopped there. Part of me kept thinking about what Lorraine had told me. This was the time. I could see and feel it. Soon or later, this pack would go to war, an event that would change so many things.

According to what my aunt said, I would die because of the woman lying next to me. My eyes took her in, my knuckles trailing over her cheek. She looked beautiful, though lines of worry ran across her face. To add to that, she was mine, my mate. And my number one instinct when it came to her was to protect her. I would die for her a thousand times over with zero regrets. That’s why I stayed away for so long. Seeing her alive had been my number one priority from the beginning.

What would’ve happened if she hadn’t found out about us? It felt like her finding out set everything into motion. It’s true. One can’t escape fate’s conniving hands, but you could try avoiding it as much as possible. I did just that. Even after all my efforts, destiny was closer to being fulfilled.

“Why are you not sleeping?” She shifted a little, wrapping her arms around my body.

“I tried,” I said. I really did, only for the thoughts of the impending doom kept me awake. Sybil remained quiet. Instead, she moved us so that she was straddling me.

“What are you doing?”

“You need to relax. You’re so stiff.”

“I’ve every reason to be stiff.”

“You were the one who told me to stop worrying hours ago. Sad that you can’t follow your own words.”

I meant it when I told her that, but when I hit the bed, feeling all the weight of the world sitting on top of me, I turned into a mess. I had to think of ways I could protect her. Knowing Sybil, she wouldn’t let me. She, too, would prioritize my safety above all else.

“Those words were for you, not me.”

“You’re a hypocrite then.”

“I believe so.” With a smile on her face, she ran her fingers across my bare chest. She bent down, placing a kiss on my chest.

“We will be fine,” she whispered. No. She would be fine because we knew one of us had to survive this, and it wasn’t me.

All thoughts about impending doom and death left my head as she continued planting kisses on my skin until her mouth hovered over mine. I didn’t stop her. It’s clear to see she needed physical contact as much as I did.

“Kiss me.” I shook my head. If I so much as touched her, I would want to go all the way in. I would want to devour her the way I’ve always dreamed of. She shifted again, placing her lips dangerously close to mine that they brushed.

“Are you trying to seduce me?” Sybil kept running her hands over my skin, leaving behind trails of fire.

“Is it going to work?” Truthfully, it was already working.

“We shouldn’t do this, not when I know you hate me.”

“I don’t hate you.”

“You don’t love me.”

“Sex and love are two different things.” They were, but I wasn’t going to have sex with her because we both wanted to let some steam out because of everything that was happening.

“We’re not having sex.” And it was final. Sybil didn’t love me, but I did. I might’ve done my fair share of ridiculous things over the years, but one thing remained true: my love for her. I loved her from the moment I laid my eyes on her.