Alpha's STOLEN Mate Chapter 115

Frost

"Yeah?" Her voice was small. Tentative.

I had so much I wanted to say. Explanations. Apologies. Reasons why I'd rejected the bond, why I'd hurt her, why I couldn't be what she needed.

But explanations would just drag this out. Would give her false hope. Would make everything worse.

I needed to be clear. Definitive. Cruel, if that's what it took to free her.

"Don't come back here." My voice came out harder than I intended. "Don't visit me again."

Scarlett's face went through several expressions at once—confusion, hurt, disbelief. "What? You mean don't come to the cave? Or—"

"I mean ever." I forced myself to meet her eyes, to let her see the finality in mine. "Scarlett. I don't love you."

I watched her face start to crumble. Watched her try desperately to hold it together, her expression twisting as she fought between crying and forcing a smile.

The smile won, barely. It was horrible to witness.

"God!" She laughed, but it sounded broken. "We already broke the bond, Frost! Why are you even talking about love? That's—we're past that. We moved on from that." Another terrible laugh. "I was just bored. Just curious. It doesn't mean anything."

"Good," I said, hating myself. "Then we're clear. This is where it ends."

Scarlett took a deep breath, visible even from where I sat. Steadying herself. Pulling herself together through sheer force of will.

"Yeah," she said quietly. "This is where it ends, Frost."

Then she was gone.

I sat there in the oppressive silence, staring at the empty cave entrance. The peace I'd felt just minutes ago had evaporated completely, replaced by a hollow ache that settled deep in my chest.

*I hurt her. Again. I keep hurting everyone I—*

"Well!" Lysandra's voice came from directly behind me, making me jump. She'd materialized out of nowhere, as she always did. "Your timing with emotional cruelty is impeccable, I must say."

I turned to glare at her. "You walked away at a very convenient moment."

"Oh, I didn't miss a thing." Her smile was knowing, almost amused. "I heard every word. Quite the performance."

Before I could respond, she produced something from the folds of her robe—a slender cigarette that gave off a faint, herbal scent.

"I think you need this," she said, holding it out.

I eyed it skeptically. "What is it?"

"A cigarette. Obviously." She rolled her eyes. "But not the kind humans smoke. This is specially formulated for werewolves—matches your metabolism, your enhanced physiology. The effects are... stronger. More satisfying." She paused. "And it will help with that crushing guilt you're drowning in."

I hesitated, then took it. *What the hell. Can't feel much worse than I already do.*

She conjured a small flame at her fingertip, and I leaned forward to light it. The first drag hit me immediately—smooth but powerful, filling my lungs with something that tasted like pine and winter night and freedom. Almost instantly, I felt the tension in my shoulders ease.

*God. That's... actually incredible.*

"You know, Frost," Lysandra said, settling onto the bench Scarlett had just vacated, "maybe you should allow yourself these little releases more often. Bottling everything up is exhausting. Unhealthy, even for someone with your constitution."

I took another drag, feeling my thoughts slow and soften. "What are you suggesting?"

"I'm suggesting," she said carefully, "that if you love Elowen so much, you should tell her. Confession is often better than concealment. For your sake, if not for hers."

The smoke curled around us as I shook my head. "Even if I've accepted how I feel about her—and that took long enough—I'm not going to ruin what she has with Kaius. They're mates. True mates. They've been through hell together." I exhaled slowly. "I won't be the one to come between them."

Lysandra's expression was unreadable. "And that's precisely why I've kept you here. You're constitutionally incapable of making selfish decisions. You'll sacrifice yourself over and over until there's nothing left."

She leaned forward, her pale eyes intense. "But if you can't bring yourself to stay away from them—if you keep getting drawn back into their orbit—then you're being unfair. To yourself, yes. But more importantly, to that girl who just left. Scarlett deserves better than to watch you pine for someone else."

I took another drag, the smoke helping me think more clearly even as it dulled the sharp edges of my emotions. "Maybe staying here permanently is the answer. Maybe—"

"But God!" I interrupted myself, my voice rising. "It's so fucking hard! My mind is already spinning. I can't stop thinking about—" I crushed the cigarette against the stone bench. "Fuck! I hate myself! I hate that I hurt Scarlett! I hate that I can't just—"

Lysandra's expression changed suddenly. Her eyes went distant, unfocused. "Speaking of that girl..."

I stood immediately. "What? What is it?"

"There's dark magic nearby. Down the mountain." Her voice had gone cold, clinical. "Black magic energy signatures—multiple sources. And Scarlett..." She paused. "She's under attack."

"Fuck!" The cigarette fell from my fingers as I moved toward the cave entrance. "I have to go. I have to find her—"

"Are you certain?" Lysandra's voice stopped me mid-stride. "You're planning to rush off and rescue the woman whose heart you just broke? The woman you told never to see you again?" Her tone was sharp. "Besides, she's strong. A skilled warrior. She may not even need your help."

"I don't care!" I spun to face her. "I can't let her get hurt because of me. If she came here and now she's in danger—if something happens to her because she was visiting me—"

"Frost." Lysandra rose slowly, and for the first time since I'd met her, I saw something like sadness in her expression. "Think carefully about what you're doing. Here, in this cave, you're safe. Protected. No one can disturb your peace. No one can pull you back into conflicts that will tear you apart."

The weight of her words hung between us.

"Once you leave," she continued softly, "there's no guarantee you can return to this tranquility."

I met her gaze. "I know."

"Do you?" She moved closer. "Because I've seen this pattern before. You'll save Scarlett, and then you'll get pulled back into Kaius and Elowen's war. You'll watch Elowen fall deeper in love with her mate, and it will destroy you slowly."

Every word was true. Every word was logical.

And I didn't care.

"Lysandra, I'm sorry, but I have to go. Now."

She studied me for a long moment, then sighed—a sound of resignation mixed with something almost like respect. "I expected as much." She turned and moved to a shelf lined with vials and bottles. "If you're determined to throw yourself into danger, at least take this."

She pressed a small glass bottle into my hand. The liquid inside swirled with an iridescent sheen.

"What is it?"

"Enhanced magical resistance potion. No side effects, I promise." Her voice was brisk, professional. "It will help you resist curses and magical attacks. Given what you're likely walking into, you'll need every advantage."

I uncorked the bottle immediately. The scent that wafted up was complex—layers upon layers of different herbs and something else I couldn't quite identify. It seemed more intricate than a simple resistance potion, but I didn't think much of it.

"Thank you. Truly, I don't know how to repay you for everything—"

"We won't see each other again," she said abruptly.

I paused, the bottle halfway to my lips. "What?"

A sad smile crossed her face. "This is the path you've chosen, Frost. Once you leave this cave, once you step back into that world... your fate will change. Your body may continue to heal, or it may deteriorate again. Your emotions—well." She gestured vaguely. "We both know they'll be in chaos."

"But—"

"And I'll be relocating my sanctuary," she continued. "Making it harder to find. I have my own reasons for needing to disappear for a while."

The finality in her voice made my chest tight. "Lysandra, I'll come back. When things settle down, I'll—"

"Frost." She placed a hand on my shoulder, and the gesture was surprisingly gentle. "Good luck. You're going to need it."