The Cursed Alpha’s Demon Mate.

Chapter 8

Declan’s strong arms wrapped around Elise, pulling her gently to her feet. As she stood up, a wave of dizziness washed over her, and she swayed.

Declan’s grip on her tightened, holding her upright as she struggled to find her balance.

“Are you sure you can walk?” he asked, his voice low and steady, his warm breath fanning against her ear.

Elise hesitated, her eyes fluttering open to meet his gaze. “I... I’m not sure,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

His eyes narrowed as he studied her face, his gaze lingering on the faint bruise on her neck. Her hand instinctively rose to cover it, her fingers tracing her tender skin.

“Make sure you get that treated,” he instructed.

Elise nodded in response. Without a word, Declan took her hand in his, his warm fingers wrapping around hers. They walked slowly back to the ward, where Luna Rebecca and Eleanor were waiting.

As they walked into the ward, Luna Rebecca’s face lit up with relief, and she rushed to Elise’s side, gently taking her from Declan.

“What happened to you?” she asked, her voice filled with worry, her eyes scanning Elise’s body until she spotted the bruise on her neck.

Declan explained the situation, his words painting a vivid picture of the events that had unfolded. Eleanor’s expression changed; a subtle frown appeared on her face, her eyes flashing with displeasure as she watched Declan’s hand still tangled with Elise’s.

When Declan finished speaking, he excused himself, making to leave. But Elise called out to him, her words tumbling out in a rush. “How did you find me?” she asked, her eyes locked on his, her gaze searching for answers.

Declan turned back to her, his expression plain. “Does it matter?” he asked, his voice low and husky.

Elise’s eyes held his, her gaze unyielding. “It does,” she said, her voice firm, her persistence obvious.

Declan’s gaze flickered, and when he looked at her again, it was with an intensity that made her heart skip a beat.

“Your scent,” he said, his voice dropping to a whisper, his words sending a shiver down her spine. “I trailed you through your scent,” he repeated.

Elise's eyes widened; she couldn’t believe what she heard. She felt a shiver run down her spine as she processed his words, her heart racing with a mix of disbelief and fascination. Someone had been able to track her through her scent? She had a scent?

“What do you mean?” Elise asked anxiously.

Declan’s gaze held hers for a moment. “I mean that I can smell your scent, and I followed it to find you.”

He excused himself and left before she could ask any more questions. He had better things awaiting his attention. Declan bowed to Luna Rebecca and turned to leave, his broad shoulders disappearing through the doorway. Elise watched him go, her eyes fixed on the empty space where he had stood. She felt like she was in a daze, finding it hard to believe that she actually had a scent.

Luna Rebecca’s gentle touch on her arm brought her back to reality. “Are you okay?” she asked, her voice soft with concern.

Elise turned to her, her eyes wide with wonder. “Did you hear that, Luna?” she asked. “Someone tell me I didn't hear him right.”

“I heard him. You have a scent, just like every werewolf.”

“You heard him too!” Elise burst out laughing hysterically. “I have a scent!”

“You do.” Luna Rebecca nodded with a small smile. “All that’s left is to activate your wolf and meet your mate.”

As Elise stood there, unsure of what to say in reply to the Luna’s last remark, Eleanor’s voice cut through the silence, her tone icy and disapproving. “I think we should get Elise to the room for some rest.”

“Right,” Luna Rebecca admitted. “Both of you should retire for the night. I’ll get some rest myself. We’ll continue tomorrow.”

Luna Rebecca offered to clean and treat Elise’s bruise before she went to bed.

“Thank you, Luna,” Elise mumbled with a weary smile before getting off one of the empty beds.

“You are welcome,” Luna Rebecca answered, wrapping up the tools she had used. She gasped when she realized it was 2:00 am, ushering Elise and Eleanor out of the ward to go and get some sleep before the next day.

As they entered the room assigned to them, Elise had a quick wash. When she stepped back into the bedroom, she found Eleanor checking something on her face. Elise made for the bed, her exhaustion evident in every step. But Eleanor’s sharp voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Wait, Elise. You can’t sleep on the bed.”

Elise turned to face Eleanor, a questioning look on her face. “Why? I mean, what’s wrong?” she asked in a polite tone laced with fatigue.

Eleanor’s eyes were dead serious. “You can use a duvet and sleep on the floor. Or I can sleep on the floor instead.”

Elise’s eyebrows furrowed in surprise. “There’s no need for any of us to do that, Eleanor. The bed is big enough for both of us.”

But Eleanor shook her head firmly. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Elise. I... I just can’t sleep on the same mattress with another person.”

“I don’t bite, Eleanor. We can both sleep on the bed,” Elise explained politely.

But Eleanor’s resolve didn’t waver. She started to pull the duvet off the bed, her movements swift and efficient. “I’ll just sleep on the floor then,” she said, her voice firm.

Elise’s expression softened, and her shoulders slumped. “Okay, Eleanor. You can have the bed. I’ll sleep on the floor.”

Eleanor’s hands stilled on the duvet, and she looked up at Elise with a mix of surprise and gratitude. “You know you don’t have to do that, Elise,” Eleanor said, her voice softer now.

But Elise was already pulling the duvet from the bed. “It's okay, Eleanor. I'll be fine. You take the bed.”

As Elise spread the duvet on the floor, Eleanor watched her with a sly smile. She knew Elise was being considerate, but a part of her felt guilty for taking advantage of her kindness. She knew she was being unreasonable, but the thought of sharing a bed with someone else made her skin crawl.

In the end, Elise settled onto the duvet, her eyes closing as she let out a soft sigh. Eleanor watched her for a moment before turning off the light and climbing into bed. The darkness seemed to amplify the silence between them.

“You shouldn’t fall for Lord Declan,” Eleanor’s voice pierced through the darkness. “You’ll only get hurt in the end.”

Elise remained quiet, unsure of how to respond. “What are you talking about?” she finally scoffed, dismissing the topic with a short, awkward laugh.

“Yeah. It might sound funny or ridiculous now, but it won't be when you wake up in the morning and realize you are completely head over heels for him,” Eleanor said, pausing to let the words sink in. “I’m saying this so you don’t get hurt. Lord Declan doesn’t have it in him to love anyone.”