The Villain Alpha's Cursed Mate

An hour earlier...

Two male demon shifters loitered outside the gate, one of them silently signaling to the others hiding in the bushes to remain hidden. Their bare torsos bore the unmistakable signs of cursed marks, and their dark-brown hair was trimmed into a low cut. One of them spotted a jagged scar that sliced from under his eyelid to his cheekbone, while the other’s face was unblemished.

Their crimson eyes radiated pure malice. The sound of chaos that came from within the pack’s territory was like music to their ears, and the scarred one turned to his companion, who was stretching his lean body with deliberate slowness.

"We have to eliminate them all tonight, there’s no going back," the scarred demon voice was laced with gravity. "Remember how Ultima looked today? He was furious. If we return without proof of their deaths, our heads will be the ones on the chopping block." A shiver ran down his spine at the mere thoughts of their ruthless leader, Ultima."

His companion cast a glance over his shoulder, where their comrades had already transformed into beast wolves, eager to unleash their brutality upon the regular shifters. It was a twisted pleasure, not driven by hunger, but by a sadistic desire to inflict pain and suffering on them.

Their only problems were the lycans, because they were the hardest to beat.

"I’ll feast on their flesh the moment they step out of this gate!" He chuckled, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I’ve got my sights set on the Therondia pack’s alpha’s daughter. She’s mine, and no one touches my prize. Her screams will sound the sweetest! My mouth won’t stop watering, Eugene!"

The scarred demon shifter, whose name was Eugene, watched as his partner’s eyes flashed with feral intensity, his control hanging by a thread. With a sudden burst of energy, he sprinted towards the gate, intent on joining their companions inside. But as he neared the gate, he skidded to a halt, his attention snagged by a shadowy figure perched atop one of the towering walls flanking the gate.

Eugene’s pupils expanded as the man’s aura enveloped him, sending a shiver down his spine. The figure sat serenely in a lotus-position, his silver-white hair and dark cloak dancing in the gentle breeze. His elbow rested on his thigh, supporting his chin with his knuckles, and a blindfold covered his eyes.

Eugene’s eyes widened as he grasped who the figure was, his mind recoiling in disbelief. He took a step back, shaking his head in mental denial. The demon wolves hiding in the bushes seemed to sense the ominous presence, their instincts on high alert.

"It can’t be," Eugene whispered, his voice laced with fear as a cold sweat broke on his skin. Ultima’s previous warning about a blindfolded man suddenly made sense, and Eugene’s heart sank with a growing sense of unease. He knew for a fact that the demon wasn’t here to help them at all, and he recalled a faint memory of meeting someone like this, the features were triggering, but where has he met him?

"Kangee," Donovan whispered, "hide." And his pet raven vanished into the night, obeying without hesitation.

The air was heavy with the metallic stench of death, and it made Donovan’s senses recoil in distaste. He longed to escape the nightmare and return to the peacefulness of his shadowspire, where he doesn’t have to sense such brutality and the disgusting intentions these fools had in mind. But he couldn’t ignore the situation when he found out they planned on attacking the Montague family, where the woman who had effortlessly captured his attention resided.

Moreso, he wanted to know who was further tarnishing the reputation of the demon shifters. His people had nothing to do with this crap, but it seemed these folks had a leader they took orders from, a leader bearing the title of an Ultima.

How sneaky.

Donovan’s head cocked to one side, his blind gaze fixed on the demon who had skidded to a halt below. "Why hesitate? I assumed you knew me from the way your heart keeps racing, but don’t let me deter you from accomplishing your mission. Go ahead." He urged with that same quiet voice that made the demons confused on whether he meant it or not.

Eugene’s companion sneered as he turned to the beast wolves, sensing how they all retreated slowly, trembling, and he couldn’t believe Eugene was equally backing away.

"You all are a bunch of grown babies!" He berated the group, including Eugene. "He is just a demon shifter! Like us! He can’t do anything to stop us, and if he tries, we’ll overpower him!" He shot a defiant glare at Donovan’s way. "See that? He’s merely a blind fool who thinks he can intimidate us! How do we even know he can aim straight! Grow some pants on and let’s move!" he urged the hesitating group, but they didn’t listen.

When he tried to take matters into his own hands by breaching the gate with his unwavering audacity, a red, cable-like string shot out of nowhere, wrapping around his throat and lifting him off the ground. He gasped desperately for air, his face turning blue, and that made Eugene’s eyes widen in shock. The blindfolded man controlled the web-like strings with eerie speed, firing them from his palm without warning.

"How utterly disappointing." Donovan’s voice was icy, "I see why they’d want to eliminate us. And I’m tempted to do the same to you."

The strings constricted, and the demon thrashed about, struggling desperately to break free. He wasn’t going to die, but the torture was just so agonizing it made him wish for death at the spot.

"All bark yet nothing to show for it." Donovan clicked his tongue, evidently displeased. "What do you have to say to justify your incompetence?" With a sudden release, the demon crashed to the ground, gasping for air like a drowning man.

Eugene continuously backed away after witnessing that, and the remaining beast wolves and shifters attempted to retreat out of fear until they heard him say.

"Have you ever played freeze?" His voice was unnervingly gentle. "I’m in the mood for games. Now I need you to listen to the rules; the realm will freeze in five seconds, and you have three seconds to run before that happens."

A sneer twisted his lips as he sensed their confusion, and panic rose as he started to count, "One..."

"RUN!!" The demons erupted into a terrified scream, turning to flee right back into the woods.

"...three." Donovan clapped his hand once, and the entire realm froze. He descended from the wall with effortless grace, sauntering past their motionless bodies. The terror in their eyes was palpable as they couldn’t move at all, not even a limb.

"Hmm... I sense fear," Donovan paused. "When I say ’bow’, I want you all on your knees, bowing to me. The world will snap back into motion in five seconds, and you must bow. Am I clear?" the veins on the back of his hand throbbed, and Donovan clenched his fist, forcing them to obey. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

He began the count, his voice low and menacing, "one...two...three...four...and bow," with a single clap, the world sprang to life, and that was when the unexpected happened. The demon’s began to explode into nothingness before they even could even bow, their screams silenced as blood splattered everywhere, even on Donovan.

Only one demon shifter had survived his wrath, and it was Eugene. The demon had managed to drop on one knee and bow his head in time. Sweat gathered on his forehead, and he couldn’t believe he was sweating as he watched the droplets meet the ground.

Eugene held his breath with fear as Donovan loomed over him, his shadow swallowing the trembling demon. "Leave," Donovan ordered, his voice devoid of any semblance of emotion.

"H-huh?" Eugene’s pupils expanded in disbelief. "You... want to—

Donovan cocked his head, "don’t feel relieved just yet, I’m not sure why I’m sparing you either. Your heart is complex, and I think you will be of great use to me. Run back to your Ultima before I change my mind. I will send for your presence when I need you."

Eugene sprang to his feet and bowed before disappearing into the woods, leaving Donovan alone among the lifeless bodies. Donovan’s hand clenched, and he struggled to contain his powers.

"It will take a while to get used to them again." He noted, but then a sharp thought crossed his mind. "Someone resisted my control."

He recalled the faint tremor he’d detected in the earth during the brief time freeze. It seemed someone was able to defy the command of his power.

"Interesting..." he walked off.

—----～⁠♡～--------

Esme’s consciousness slowly returned, and she felt a gentle hand brush against her cheek. The soothing touch drew her in, and she instinctively leaned into it, seeking comfort. The same finger tentatively traced her bottom lip, parting them with a tender touch, and in a matter of seconds, what was left was the phantom feeling of those hands.

As her eyes fluttered open, the tantalizing touch vanished, leaving her disoriented. Her gaze fell upon an unfamiliar, opulent room adorned in gold, with no sign of the mysterious figure who had caressed her.