Verveville's Curse

Chapter34

Kael’s pov

I stayed in the shadows at the edge of the training yard, pretending to watch the trees sway in the evening wind, but my attention was fixed entirely on her.

Willow moved like fire. Every strike, every flash of her blade was controlled, precise, deadly… and yet, for some reason, entirely hers. My chest tightened as I saw her laugh softly at something the soldier Eiran across from her said…a joke, perhaps, or some teasing remark and I had to grit my teeth to keep from stepping forward.

Eiran was skilled, no doubt about it. His strikes were fast, practiced, precise, and he matched her, dodged her, occasionally finding a rhythm with her movements. But it wasn’t just skill. It was the way he lingered near her, the way his eyes followed every flick of her wrist, every step, every shift in her stance. He admired her, and it was written all over him.

And I hated it.

I should have felt proud that she was capable, that she could hold her own in a fight. Instead, each small smile she flashed him, each tilt of her shoulder, felt like a dagger slicing into me. My hands itched to reach out, to shove him back, to make him remember his place and hers. But I stayed in the shadows, clenching my fists until my knuckles ached, letting the storm rage quietly inside me.

She caught his hand mid once, just brushing it as she twisted away, and the ghost of her touch lingered in my mind like a brand. I had to close my eyes for a fraction of a second to stop the rush of heat that shot straight through me.

“Keep your guard up!” Eiran said, voice teasing but respectful. “You’re going easy on me.”

I could see the flicker of amusement in her eyes, the playful tilt of her head, the way she smirked at him..small, effortless gestures that should have been innocent. But to me, they were explosive.

I wanted to storm in, to drag her aside, to tell her in no uncertain terms that she didn’t get to do this. That she didn’t get to laugh, to tease, to smile for anyone else. That her energy, her warmth, her fire belonged to me.

But I didn’t. Not yet.

I let my gaze follow her movements, the swing of her blade, the bounce of her hair, the curve of her neck as she leaned in slightly to correct his stance. My chest tightened with a possessive heat I couldn’t name, a jealousy I refused to acknowledge out loud. I was the Alpha. I was supposed to be in control. Yet here I was, invisible, letting my own desire and fury coil silently inside me.

Eiran tried a risky move, a quick distraction, and she countered, stepping close enough that their arms brushed. Just once, fleeting, accidental maybe but it was enough to make my stomach twist. My pulse thundered, and I had to bite back a sound I didn’t want anyone to hear.

Gods, I wanted her. I wanted her so badly it hurt. I wanted to close the distance, to press her against the nearest wall or pillar, to remind her with a touch, a kiss, a word, just how much of her belonged to me. But I didn’t. Not while others were watching.

I hated him for being near her. I hated myself for watching. And yet… I couldn’t stop.

I could imagine her stepping back, turning toward me, the fire in her eyes when she dared me, when she teased me without even knowing it. That fire..it always burned me. Always made me ache for her, made every nerve in my body scream with what I could not say.

Eiran tried to compliment her technique, voice low, respectful. “Your balance… your timing… it’s incredible.”

My teeth clenched so hard I thought they’d crack. That should have been mine to notice. Mine to praise. Mine to see in ways no one else could. And yet here he was, encroaching, intruding in the most subtle ways, and all I could do was simmer.

I wanted to intervene, to step forward and remind everyone that she was mine…my fire, my strength, my chaos. But I didn’t. I let the jealousy coil tighter, letting it curl around my chest, around my thoughts.

She stumbled slightly, misjudging a step in the heat of the sparring, and the soldier reached out to steady her. Just once. And that was all it took to send a sharp, possessive ache through me. My jaw tightened.

My vision, a blur. I saw that hand touch her wrist, saw the easy way Willow smiled in return, cheeks flushed from effort. My wolf snarled inside me, a deep growl that rattled my ribs.

“That’s enough,” my voice cut through the air, sharp as the edge of his blade. The yard went silent.

Eiran’s grin faltered. “Alpha, she..”

“I said enough.” my tone left no room for defiance. Soldiers shifted uneasily, pretending to busy themselves with their own weapons.

Willow blinked, startled, still catching her breath. “Kael, I was only…”

But she didn’t finish. I was already moving, my strides long and predatory. I seized her wrist in my hand, the same one Eiran had dared to touch, and hauled her to her feet. Her surprised gasp burned my ears.

“Dismissed,” I growled to the soldiers. None dared look at us as I dragged Willow across the yard.

“Kael…what are you..” she stumbled after me, her dress clinging to her damp skin. She looked up at me, eyes wide, but I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. My wolf was too close to the surface, demanding, furious.

I pushed her through the nearest corridor door to my room, the slam echoing off the stone. Alone now, shadows curling around us, I turned on her, my chest heaving.

“What,” my voice was low and raw, “do you think you’re doing?”

Willow blinked, flustered, lips parting, and for one heartbeat she looked as though she might laugh, feign innocence again. But my grip tightened on her wrist, my body crowding hers against the wall, and she could feel the wild tremor of barely-leashed control in him.