The Alpha's Cursed Mate

Chapter 3

Something was wrong with me that was the only explanation. I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, my fingers curled tightly into the sheets beneath me. Sleep wouldn’t come It couldn’t not when my chest still burned like it had been set on fire not when every time I closed my eyes. I saw him those piercing blue eyes. That cold expression that word “Mine” I squeezed my eyes shut, turning onto my side. “This is insane,” I muttered under my breathe, none of this made sense.

People don’t react to each other like that… whatever that was. It wasn’t normal, it wasn’t human a sharp pain suddenly shot through my chest. I gasped, my hand flying to my heart as my body tensed.

“What?” The pain spread quickly, like something alive, twisting deep inside me, Hot, burning, uncontrollable. I sat up abruptly, breathing hard my heart was racing, too fast, too strong like it was trying to break out of my chest and then a voice, faint, barely there.…come…my breath caught I froze.

“…Hello?” Silence but the feeling didn’t disappear if anything, it grew stronger a pull, deep, insistent like something or someone was calling to me.

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “I’m not doing this.”

I swung my legs off the bed, standing quickly maybe I just needed air Yeah that was it. Fresh air. I stepped out of my dorm room and into the quiet hallway. The academy felt different at night. Darker, Heavier, Like the walls were watching. The further I walked, the stronger the feeling became, that pull it was leading me somewhere and without realizing it, I followed down the stairs past empty corridors. Through a side door that led outside.

The cold night air hit my skin, but I barely felt it my focus was somewhere else on that feeling, that connection it led me toward the training grounds. I slowed as I approached, my heart pounding for an entirely different reason now. The place was supposed to be empty at this hour and yet I wasn’t alone. He was there.

Xander.

He stood in the center of the training field, his back to me, his shoulders tense. Even from a distance, I could feel it his presence Strong, dominant, overwhelming. My breath hitched, I should leave, I knew I should but my feet didn’t move as if sensing me, he suddenly stilled then slowly he turned, our eyes met and just like that the world tilted.

The pain came back, Stronger, Sharper, I gasped stumbling slightly as my hand pressed against my chest.

“What… is happening…?” I breathed.

His expression darkened not with anger, not with irritation, with realization.

“You feel it too,” he said. It wasn’t a question.

I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breathing. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I Lied a weak one His jaw clenched. “Stop lying.” The air between us shifted, Tense, Electric. He started walking toward me Slow, deliberate like a predator closing in on its prey.

Every instinct in me screamed to step back to run but I didn’t because something inside me Something I didn’t recognize refused, he stopped just a few steps away. Close enough for me to feel the heat radiating off his body. Close enough for my heart to completely lose control. “Do you know what you are?” he asked quietly.

I frowned, confusion flashing through me. “What kind of question is that?” His eyes searched mine, Sharp, intense like he was trying to see something beneath the surface.

“You are human,” he said slowly. “but this” He gestured between us. “This shouldn’t be happening.” My chest tightened “then maybe the problem isn’t me.” His gaze darkened, danger flickered in his expression. “Everything about this is a problem,” he said coldly. The words hit harder than I expected again. Why did everything he said feel like it mattered? I straightened slightly, forcing myself to hold his gaze. “Then stay away from me.” Silence, something in his expression shifted again something conflicted, something dangerous.

“I can’t,” he said.

My breath caught. “What?” His jaw tightened like he hated the words even as he said them. “I can’t stay away from you.” The air between us seemed to freeze. My heart skipped, once or twice. “Why?” I whispered. His eyes flickered and for the first time I saw something real, something unguarded “Because…” he started then stopped like he was fighting himself. The tension snapped his expression hardened instantly, walls slamming back into place. “This ends now,” he said sharply before I could react pain exploded in my chest I screamed. It felt like something was being ripped out of me. Torn apart, Burned.

My knees buckled, and I collapsed to the ground, clutching my chest as the pain consumed me. “Stop!” I gasped. Through blurred vision, I saw him Standing there, Rigid, Frozen and then his expression changed, Shock because he felt it too. A low, pained growl escaped him as his hand pressed against his own chest. “What did you do…?” I choked out his eyes snapped to mine, Wide, Uncertain.

“I didn’t”

He cut himself off the realization hit him Hard and when he spoke again his voice was different lower, Rougher. “Damn it…” My vision blurred as the pain slowly faded, leaving me weak and trembling on the ground. He took a step back then another like I was something dangerous and maybe I was because the way he was looking at me now wasn’t just confusion It was fear. “You shouldn’t be here,” he said quietly. Something in his tone sent a chill through me. “Why?” I whispered.

His gaze lingered on me for a long moment too long then he turned away. “Because if you are what I think you are…” He paused and for the first time his voice carried something close to warning. “You’re going to destroy everything.” My heart stopped before I could ask what he meant, he was gone leaving me alone on the cold ground with nothing but pain… and a truth I didn’t understand because whatever was happening to me It wasn’t normal and deep down… I was starting to realize, it never was.