Alpha Charming | Rheon

NINE

I had a restless night, tossing and turning until the early birds started their chirping outside the window. The one or two times I managed to doze off, I had these weird dreams about Rheon and a woman - he was trying to get away from her but for some reason, his feet couldn't move. And when I jolted awake, I was covered in sweat and breathing rapidly.

At dawn, I had enough. I slipped my feet into a pair of slippers, put on my coat, and threw my hair up in a bun before leaving my room.

It was freezing outside after the unexpected rain during the early morning hours. The sun hasn't risen yet, but somehow, I found my way through the garden and down to the lake, shivering as the wet grass brushed against my feet and legs. A thin layer of fog floated above the water as I took a seat on a nearby rock, wrapping the coat tighter around myself.

What am I doing here?

Rheon lied about the travel agency - I'm still mad about that, to be honest - and still, here I am. I could've booked a flight home the moment I found out about the scam. So why didn't I? Sure, I could blame it on the Balfours' hospitality and how welcome they made me feel, but there was something else keeping me here. It was just a matter of figuring out what by the end of the week.

The crunching of feet made me turn my head, spotting Victor standing behind me with a lazy smile. "I see you've found my thinking spot."

"And I can see why it works," I added and scooted over for him to join me on the rock.

It was quiet for a minute before he asked, "Got something on your mind?"

Many things, yes. "If werewolves exist, what else is real?"

Victor gazed across the water, squinting his eyes sagely. "The Loch Ness Monster's real." I gave him a blunt look to which he added, "No, really, I saw it once. It was the most terrifying three seconds of my life!"

My lips tugged upwards in a smile. "Alright, how about vampires, real or not?"

"They used to be real, but with global warming and so many blood diseases over the years, they've gone extinct."

"And witches?" I pulled my knees up to my chest, recalling how Rheon mentioned a witch the previous night while he was speaking with his father.

"Real, but most of them were burned at the stake centuries ago. Those who were lucky enough to survive went into hiding, we haven't heard of or seen one in more than fifty years."

"Does that mean curses are real too?"

His breath hitched ever so slightly but I heard it. Victor's face contorted into a look of concern as he nodded gravely. "Yes, they are very real and very dangerous. And we don't really like talking about it."

And that's the end of that conversation. There goes my opportunity to put some meaning behind the conversation I so shamelessly eavesdropped on.

We watched the sunrise over the lake in silence. Its rays reflected off the water, causing it to glimmer like diamonds. If I had to choose one sunrise to see for the rest of my life, this would be the one.

"You don't really understand how being my brother's mate works, do you?"

I tore my eyes off the glittering waters to look at him. "Not really, no."

"It's like an obsession that never ends. Once a werewolf finds its mate, it's all they can think about. They live and breathe with only one goal in mind: their safety and happiness. And nothing can break that bond, not even death." His mouth corners tugged upwards in a distant smile. "They say the bond is so strong, a male can be in a room full of naked women, and he wouldn't even notice them."