Chapter 51

051 – A Universal Thing ADAN STONE.

I tossed the envelope with cash on my desk without taking my eyes off Blade. He was just looking at it but didn’t pick it up yet.

“You’re free to go. I will just call on you if I need anything more.”

“How about Althea?”

“What about her?”

“Who will take her back to the red mountain?

He asked, as his jaw tightened.

“Part of the deal was to shelter her within this territory. I want to keep that if she helps Lucy.”

“She wants to go back to the mountains.

Once you’re done with her, call me. I will take her back there.”

“Do you like her?”

“It’s none of your business. I’m here just for the task you assigned me.” He sneered, swiping the envelope from the desk before slipping it into his back pocket.

“Then your job here is done. It’s not your responsibility anymore to take her back to the mountains if she wants to.”

“You’re not letting her out of this territory without me!” He growled.

“Who are you? Her mate?” I chuckled. I was sure now that there was something going on between them.

“Yes! She’s my mate and if something happened to her, I will fucking cut you to pieces.”

“What the fuck. Haven’t you found your mate already?”

“And lost her. But newsflash, Stone. I got a second one, and you still don’t have one.” A smug smirk crossed his face.

He fucking got me there.

“Fuck you!” I hissed at him.

His loud laughter filled my office, but it was gone in an instant before he pointed a finger at me. “I mean what I said. If anything happens to Althea...”

“Why don’t you stay then? Lucy wants you to protect her.”

“She doesn’t want me.

11 “What the fuck? She’s your mate.”

“She can’t smell me. Witches don’t have mates. And look at me, Stone. Without the mate bond pull, do you think someone would want me for a mate?”

Blade was bigger and bulkier. He stood six feet nine inches compared to Althea’s five feet five inches in height. While the witch’s skin was covered with light runes markings, Blade was covered with tattoos and scars.

Only his face was spared from cuts, but every part of his body had been tainted with blood.

“I don’t find you or any man attractive, so I’m no help here.”

He let out a sigh and brushed his hand over his hair.

“Do you want her?” I asked.

“The fuck. Of course, I want her.” He growled.

“Then stay.”

“She doesn’t want me here.”

“But Lucy does. She wants you to be around to protect Althea. Lucy is right — if hell breaks loose here. I will protect Lucy with all I have, but I cannot guarantee I will or can protect Althea. Now if you think I can assign that job to one of my men, then go ahead and leave.”

“I don’t want to get paid for protecting her.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“But I don’t want her to know I’m not getting paid. Take it or leave it.”

“Of course, I’ll take it. This is the next best deal I got.” Lucy would always be the best deal I ever had.

I extended my hand to Blade for a handshake.

“And I can back out anytime, just in case... she really doesn’t want me here.” He said this after taking my hand in his.

“But give at least a day or two notice so I can find a replacement.”

“Deal.”

We shook hands, and I went to grab two empty glasses, pouring whiskey into each before handing him one.

“So, which room do you prefer to stay in?

Inside the packhouse or at the warrior’s barracks?” I asked. Blade had been here before, and he always chose the barracks but I knew it would be different this time.

“Here, in a room beside hers.” (1)

♡♡♡ –

LUCY.

“So do you know exactly what you need help with?” Althea asked while Lena and I helped her take her things out of her bag.

She had so many little things with her, and most of them we were not allowed to touch, but she let us help with placing her clothes in the closet. Soon the bedroom was dimmed with just scented candles illuminating the room; it was cozy, and maybe for an ordinary human it might be eerie, but I actually loved it.

“I want you to build a shield for Alpha Stone’s territory so that no supernatural beings aside from wolves can come in without approval from him or going through you.”

I wanted to ask about channeling my wolf as well as being able to let out all my other powers except for fire, but the shield would be the most important thing for now. And then, the one for Adan, which I planned to keep just between her and me.

“That would take a lot of energy and probably hours. I need to round up all the borders of the territory before I can spread out that energy. And I will need Alpha Stone’s blood.”

“You’re not going to drain him of blood, right?”

Althea chuckled, which was followed by Lena as my eyes widened waiting for her response.

“Are you sure you’re a demon? You’re too soft-hearted to be one.”

“Well, if you’re going to drain blood from Blade’s body, then I won’t care. But not Adan.”

“You like the Alpha.”

“He just fulfills my deepest desire, and until I can find a replacement, I want to keep him by my side. Alive.”

I saw Lena’s face morph into such a shocked expression that I started giggling. “I was just kidding. I like Alpha Stone despite him being impossible sometimes, but please don’t tell him.”

“He likes you too, Lucy. So I’m not sure why you both still pretend to be just pretending when, in reality, everyone can see you’re both into each other.” Lena added, a relieved smile on her face.

“Pretending to be pretending? What the heck is that?” Althea asked as she slumped her body beside me on the couch in her room.

I knew I should stop the conversation here and get down to business, but then it felt good to talk about Adan. I had been keeping everything about him to myself, and for some reason, I felt that Althea could be trusted the same way I trusted both Lena and Laira.

“Well, since we will be a tag team, there’s no point hiding from you. We’re not a couple. He bought me at an auction. You know, Omega for sale. But he didn’t want anyone to know that he bought me, especially his family, so he introduced me as his girlfriend.

“Well, I’m sure he’s not pretending.” Althea shrugged her shoulders as she spoke.

“I second that,” Lena butted in. “And you’re the only one who refuses to see that the Alpha likes you.”

“Do you know what he told me before he allowed me to meet you?”

I shook my head and waited for Althea to continue.

She cleared her throat and looked me in the eyes. “He told me that if I decided not to help you, I needed to tell him first because he didn’t want me to crush whatever hope you had there in your heart. He cares for you.”

I smiled and dropped my gaze to my hands on my lap.

“He’s not going to this extent to protect you if he doesn’t like you. I have known the Alpha for over five years now, and he never did this for any female.” Lena added, and I wanted so badly to believe them.

“You’re both feeding my ego. But can I tell you one thing?” I let out a sigh and tilted my head up to look back and forth between them. “I’m a demon. I have an allure that comes naturally from being one. So I’m not sure if him, liking me is because he really likes me or if it’s the allure I have that’s working on him. I don’t even know if the reason both of you trusted me is because you both like me, or if it’s the demon...”

“Shush it, Lucy. You’re half-demon. And I’m a witch. We can use allure if we wanted to, but there is also such a thing as attraction and love. And I think that’s universal.”

“Maybe we wouldn’t be having this conversation if you go directly to the Alpha and ask him if he loves you.”

“No, we’re not going on the love track.” I giggled, but my heart ached.

Demons don’t do love. 1 “I think Lucy is in love with Alpha Stone. But she’s afraid to admit it.” Althea chuckled, squinting her eyes as if she were trying to read my emotions.

“Well, this goes for both of you... since I’m the oldest one here, let me act as your mom for a while,” Lena said, her eyes shifting between me and Althea. “There’s nothing wrong with falling in love. Like you said, it’s a universal thing. It transcends races, species, and boundaries. So don’t stop it. Let it flourish, and I assure you that if this love is returned with the same intensity as you’re giving it, it’ll be worth it.”

“But what if it’s not returned...” My voice came out so low as if I didn’t want the question to be heard.

“At least you tried. No what-ifs. Life is short. Maybe not for both of you, but the people you’re falling in love with cannot go over a century older, so love them while you still can.”