Her Cursed Alpha

CHAPTER 6 - CORALINE'S POV

I ran towards the window, my heart racing as I looked down. Eric was lying on the ground, his body bent in ways that could only mean broken bones, while guards rushed over to him.

"YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT!'' I screamed at Derick, but he just grabbed me and flipped me over his shoulder.

I screamed and punched his body, not caring that he was injured.

"PUT ME DOWN!" I demanded, but he just walked past the King and entered the royal wing.

Derick walked up another staircase, most likely following my scent, because he went straight to my room.

"Derick, put her down, I can't allow you alone with her in her bedroom until she's marked." The King called out.

"Back off Damien, or there will be consequences!" Derick warned and entered my room.

Merin, who'd been cleaning, looked at us in shock.

"You. Fetch the Luna another dress, then get out."

Merin quickly rushed to my walk-in while Derick placed me on my feet.

"DON'T MANHANDLE ME!" I shouted and shoved him.

He winced in pain but still took my face in his hands again.

"Are you still hurting?"

"Are you crazy?" I asked and shoved him away. "You just threw my best friend from a three-story window, and you're acting like nothing happened!"

"Am I crazy?" He shot back, "The boy tried to r*pe you and you're defending him. I think it's clear who's crazy between the two of us!" Merin gasped at hearing his words, but Derick just grabbed the dress from her, "Get out!"

"She works for me, not you. Don't speak to her like that!"

Derick's hand gripped the dress as he exhaled and turned back to Merin, "I apologize. Please leave us."

"Yes, your majesty," She bowed and quickly exited my room.

"Here, change," He ordered, holding up the dress.

"Why? Because I smell like Eric?"

"Yes," He said simply, "That, and also, your dress is ripped."

I frowned as I looked down and blushed. The front of my dress was indeed ripped, showing part of my chest. Luckily, I was wearing a slip so nothing was exposed.

"I didn't realize," I said quickly and rushed behind my divider outside my walk-in and pulled off my torn dress. "You didn't have to hurt him."

I heard Derick exhale angrily again before he spoke, "He tried to r*pe you," He repeated, this time slowly, as if I was stupid, "He's lucky I left him breathing, and I only did so, because you said you'd be mine. But if you're going back on your word, then I can always go finish him off!"

I froze for a second. Had I really said that?

"Well?"

"I'm not going back on my word!" I answered angrily, and pulled on the dress, before rejoining him, and that is when I blushed, he had pulled up his shirt to look at his burn in the mirror, "What are you doing?"

I asked, as my eyes went from his perfect chest to the burn and I froze again. It was bandaged up, but I could see the extent of the injury in the areas his bandages couldn't cover, and I felt guilty for punching him.

"Nothing," He said quickly and pulled his shirt back down, before looking at me, "If you truly have chosen me, then it needs to be with your full heart. I won't have a mate who's standing in the doorway with one foot out the door. Is that clear?"

"Yes."

He looked at me for a long moment, "We were meant to spend the afternoon together, but I think, under the circumstances, we should both cool down. I will see you tomorrow for your birthday."

I nodded and he left the room. I tried to link Eric, but there was a block. He was either unconscious or the King had ordered him to never speak with me again.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Clara finally chimed in, her tone aggressive, "He attacked us, and you hurt mate after he helped us. You saw how severe his injury is and for an Alpha, something like that can ruin him. You should go apologize and heal him!"

"No, he.."

"I AM SERIOUS!" She shouted at me. We were rarely on opposite sides like this, and it shocked me, "Go help our mate, or I will never forgive you!"

"Okay, fine!" I snapped, and ducked under my bed where I kept my potions. I found what I was looking for, the last tub of healing location I made and snuck out through the hidden tunnels.

I managed to slip past the guards patrolling the tunnels and got into Dericks suite where I waited on his bed.

Only a few minutes past before, he walked in with his brother and they both froze in surprise.

"How... How did you get in here?" Derick asked me, "I literally just left your room. How did you get past us?"

"Can you leave us, please?" I asked Noah, who nodded and shut the door, "I came through the hidden tunnels," I answered, feeling awkward all of a sudden, and I laughed uncomfortably, "You know it's really stupid. The King put you in rooms with tunnels, but then had the tunnels guards in case you used them to sneak around. He should have just given you rooms without tunnels if he was so worried. I mean it's basic logic."

Derick smirked at me, "Why are you here?"

I bit my lip nervously, "I felt guilty for punching you and making your injury worse, so I'm here to heal you."

"Heal me?" Derick sat down beside me and I realized that I was on the bed with a man for the first time in my life.

"Yes, now take off your shirt."

Derick laughed, "Honey, while I would love to f*ck you, I don't think doing so will heal me, plus, I'd rather be at full strength before I please you."

I blushed bright red, "I never said anything about s*x! How much do you know about my family line?" I asked to distract myself.

Derick leaned back slightly and answered, "You have witch and white Lycan DNA, if that's what you're talking about," He answered, "Are you saying you can heal others like white Lycans can?"

"No, nothing like that," I shook my head, "Every woman in my family line, thanks to our witch ancestors, gains an ability, mine is potion knowledge. I don't know how I know things, but I do. I think of something I need and the knowledge of how to create a potion for it just comes to me, and this," I held up the tub, "Is one potion. I mixed it with some of my blood that still contains traces of white Lycan DNA, and along with the other ingredients, I created a healing balm."

"Really?" Derick asked with interest.

"Yes, and with your injury, it should take maybe 3–5 minutes to heal."

"It really works that quickly?" He asked me, "Not even a white Lycan heals that quick."

"I've tested it, now please take off your shirt.

"I can do it, or I'll have Noah."

"No, I'm doing it,'' I cut him off, ''Take off your shirt. What's the problem?"

Derick looked away, "I don't want you to see me so weak."

His vulnerability surprised me. I'd never heard an Alpha admit something like this.

"It's only for a few minutes, and you'll be at full strength again. Besides, I'd never judge you for this kind of thing. You got it by fighting in the war. You got it protecting all of us."

Derick looked at me for a long moment before he began to pull off his shirt, but seeing him cringe slightly, I put the tub down and leaned over. I pushed his hands back and gripped the material as I pulled his shift over his head, then proceeded to unbind all the bandages.

His injury was far worse than I could even imagine. Muscle was visible in some areas, pus and a strange smelling cream covered the burns.

"I've never seen injuries from Dragon fire before, you must be in a lot of pain."

"You get used to it."

Guilt filled me all over again, "I should not have hit you. I'm sorry."

"Accepted," He smiled at me, and placed his hand under my chin, lifting my face, "But that is the last time you will hit me. We will not hit one another in this relationship, is that clear?"

I nodded, and lifted the tub, "This will sting, but please try not to move."

He nodded this time, and I carefully scooped up some cream onto my fingers before I began applying it to his ruined flesh.

He inhaled in pain through clenched teeth but didn't stop me.

''I'm sorry, do you want to bite down on something?''

"No, just distract me," He demanded.

"How?"

"Tell me why you really didn't want to be mine? He asked, "Is it because of your father?"

"He's not my father, and if we're going to be together, you can't call him that."

"As you wish, now answer me." He said firmly, as I continued to place the cream over his body, ''Is it because he betrayed your mother.''

''Alphas love power and pleasure. You'll stray too eventually,'' I admitted my fears, ''I just wanted a peaceful life away from court and lies and betrayals, but I guess the Goddess had other plans for me.''

''I guess she did,'' He answered thoughtfully, ''Cora. I am sure you know this, but I had a chosen mate once. It was hard for us to have children thanks to my families curse, and I guess, I wasn't worth her waiting, and she betrayed me with my head Beta. She fell pregnant and I was thrilled, but then... the baby was a girl, and she admitted everything, so I rejected and banished them both.''

''I'm sorry.''

''I wasn't looking for your pity, I was just pointing out, that it's not just Alpha's who betray and cheat,'' He told me, as I shifted position and sat behind him to do his back, ''Trash is trash regardless of rank, gender or status. I am not your fa... the King. You are my bottom line. I will never hurt you. I will never betray you. Not sexually, not for gold, not for anything. I swear to you, that I will be a good mate and honor the bond. And as for your desire for a simple life. I'm sorry, but that is something I can't give you, but I will try my best to give you as many little moments away from the pack as I can give you.''

I was overwhelmed by his confession. No one had ever treated me like this. I didn't know if I should believe him. I'm sure the King said kind things like this to my mother too before he betrayed her.

''You don't believe me,'' He added, when I remained silent, ''It's fine. You don't have to believe me right now. I'll just prove it to you with my actions.''

''How did your family get cursed?'' I asked to change the subject, ''No one ever talks about it.''

''Oh,'' He laughed, but then he cringed again, ''My great-grandfather killed a witch supreme's mate, and she cursed him to never have children and took away our accelerated healing. I think she was hoping to kill off our entire line. Luckily, my grandfather was already born, so the curse lost some of its potency. So it takes a long time for our mates to fall pregnant. And only with specific potions and things for assistance. My mother will give you the specifics of what you'll need to do.''

''Okay.'' I blushed. In order to get a child. We had to sleep together.

''I'm sorry this will be another challenge you have to deal with.''

''It's alright.'' I answered, ''All done, just rest for another minute or 2.''

''Thank you,'' He smiled warmly at me, as I moved back to his side, ''I can't believe you made this,'' He said, as he took the tub and looked into it, ''Damien never mentioned this during the war.''

''He doesn't know,'' I told him, and he looked up at me, ''I've never told anyone.''

''But you told me?''

''I guess I'm closing the door,'' I answered, bringing up his comment from earlier about not having one foot out the door, ''Mates share everything, don't they?''

He smiled again and touched my cheek, ''You won't regret it?''

''I don't know yet. I guess that depends on you.''

''I'll make you happier than that boy could.''

''You don't even know Eric.'' I argued, ''He just... Today was a mistake, he didn't mean it. He's a good man too. He just..''

"You're still defending him?" He cut me off, and shook his head, "Cora, in times of rejection, disgrace, fear or attack, that is when you see the real man, and not just the mask they put out into the world. You saw the real Eric for the first time. It wasn't an accident. It wasn't a mistake. He didn't just lose control or lose his mind. He showed you who he really is, and you should believe him. He is dangerous."

"And what about you? Are you dangerous?"

"Yes, but for a while different reasons," He answered.

I looked down for a long time, ''I thought I'd fight.''

''What?''

''Other than the King and his heir,'' I mentioned my father and brother, ''I'm the best fighter in the pack, and I always thought if I was ever attacked, I'd fight, but I just froze like a coward. If Roman hadn't been there today. I...''

Derick leaned into me, pressing his forehead against mine, ''You are not a coward. You were just shocked, and if, one day you're attacked again, I'm sure you'll fight back, though I pray that day will never come.''

''I should still thank Roman.''

''I'm sure he'd appriciate that.''

I leaned away from him. Shocked for the hundreth time today. I'd never opened up to anyone like this.

''I think you should be healed. I'll start wiping off the cream. Do you feel better?''

''There's no more pain,'' He answered, as I went to the bathroom and wet a cloth.

''Thats good. I was a little worried it wouldn't work on Dragon fire injuries,'' I said, as I sat back down and started wiping away the cream.

There beneath it was Dericks perfect muscular chest, and my heart started racing again.

''Oh, wow,'' I Derick said as he looked down, ''It really worked, and that quickly. Amazing. If you're okay with it. Can I lend this to my brother. He has a few severe injuries too.''

''Of course. Keep it,'' I said as I continued to clean off the cream, ''Think of this as my mating gift. I'll make you some more when I get more ingredients. There's a hard flower to get though. It's the Alsor Flower, and it only blooms once every year.''

''Well, that's easily done. My mother grows them.''

''Really? I guess it was meant to be,'' I smiled and put the cloth down.

''I guess so,'' He smiled at me, before standing up and looking in the mirror.