Cursed Lycan's Scarred Mate
Chapter 85: An unexpected encounter

Chapter 85: An unexpected encounter

Vivian decided not to idle or linger much longer in the temple of the goddess Lunaria. There was much for her mind to comprehend and digest now that she was within the space of the Old World.

While she trusted Lyra wholeheartedly, it was rather uncanny that her inner wolf was rather vague with the answers to Vivian’s questions.

What was the wolf hiding? And why from her counterpart of all people?

"Lyra, how do we leave from here? I need to return. Ronan must be extremely worried."

"Oh dear Vivian, you never do learn, do you?" The voice that sounded from behind her sent chills down her spine.

She knew that voice all too well.

She refused to turn around, her body immobilised and her eyes frozen in horror as she stared fearfully at Lunaria’s statue. Her body began to tremble, and she prayed fervently that it was the effects of the temple playing cruel tricks on her mind.

Vivian glanced down to look for Lyra for comfort, but her inner wolf seemed to have vanished from sight. Panic rose in her chest, and her breathing grew uneven.

It wasn’t long before the man she feared and despised so much drew closer to her from behind. The Wickan symbols on her body began to ignite and flare upon his proximity, as if to remind her that her temporary relief was not a permanent escape from the Umbrafyre curse he cast upon her.

Vivian shut her eyes tight, desperately hoping that her prayers would be answered in a world where the gods were dead and no spirituality existed.

Her body froze when she felt his hand snake up her throat from behind and tilt her head back against his chest. Just as she’d remembered, his hands were icy and unforgiving, yet burning into her skin like fire.

The Umbrafyre curse knew his touch all too well.

"Did you miss me, pretty little Omega?" Alaric’s cunningly charming voice made her shiver in an unpleasant way. His touch was dastardly, something she detested and wanted to escape from. "Do you think I would have forgotten about our little arrangement? I am always watching, my dear."

Vivian swallowed thickly, grinding her teeth together to distract herself from his hands perching on her waist, squeezing it. His touch was nothing like Ronan’s. She didn’t feel the sweet possessiveness and safety as she did whenever Ronan squeezed her waist appreciatively.

When Alaric did it, it made her skin crawl, and she wanted to run the furthest as she could away from him. His cold breath along her nape was unpleasant against her skin, almost as if he were some sort of living anomaly that belonged amongst undead creatures.

A dark being hiding in the flesh of a man.

"If you don’t answer me, I’m afraid I’ll have to force that mouth open." Alaric’s voice grew insistent, and he shoved two fingers into Vivian’s mouth to pry her lips open.

Vivian’s eyes watered at the corners, and she closed them painfully. She felt his fingers invade, stretching her mouth open until she released a muffled cry for mercy. And when Alaric decided that her sweet cry for relief was enticing enough, he removed his wet fingers, and Vivian went into a coughing fit.

How could he be here? How did Alaric Alessandro Crowley know that she was in the Old World?

"I didn’t forget." Vivian answered obediently after regaining her composure, wiping away the saliva from the corners of her mouth. She was uncomfortable with Alaric’s arms enveloping her from behind, but there was little choice in the matter.

"Tell me, what progress have you made thus far, my dear?" Alaric questioned, his rough, gelid lips tracing across the back of her neck, and Vivian’s body stiffened again.

When Alaric noticed the marks left on her skin by Ronan, his expression contorted into a displeased scowl. His jaw shifted with exasperation, unable to tear his gaze away from the red bites on her skin.

"Well, aren’t you quite the omega whore everyone made you out to be, my dear? That Lycan bastard’s marks are all over you on display," Alaric commented cruelly, and Vivian flinched at his words. "I gave you a task, but you were very quick to spread your legs for that bastard Lycan, weren’t you? Tell me, did you enjoy getting bedded by him?"

Vivian wished desperately for it to be over. Why did she have to be separated from Ronan yet again? Why was fate so wicked to always lure her back into Alaric’s clutches?

"That’s not what happened." Vivian denied, afraid that if she admitted the truth to Alaric, there was no doubt that her captured niece would suffer the consequences. "I didn’t do anything of the sort with Ronan. The marks were the only thing he left." Her voice quivered and she fought hard to ensure that her tone was somewhat convincing, although she’d pretty much failed in that attempt.

"Let me remind you, my dear," Alaric whispered warningly into her ear. "I’m the one who marked you with my magic first. I left my marks on you long before him. I

Vivian couldn’t do much to rescue herself, and even if she wanted to refute his claims, there was no chance of doing so. Obediently, she nodded.

"Say it," Alaric demanded, pulling her body flush against him from behind. His arms tightened around her waist forcefully while he bit the shell of her ear. "Say that you are mine."

I will never be yours. Vivian echoed in her mind. She didn’t wish to respond to his demands.

She belonged only to one man and him alone.

Forgive me, Ronan. I do not mean what I say next. She mentally apologised, mustering up the courage to adhere to Alaric’s demand.

There was no kindness in the Coven master’s tone, nor any hint of affection. Not that she desired affection from him, but at the least it would be more tolerable than his cruelty.

"I’m yours..." Vivian mumbled, a tear escaping her eye and rolling down her cheek. She was disgusted with herself for uttering those words, even though they were only said in the interests of her safety and Avery’s.

"Good girl," he complimented darkly and licked the shell of her ear. "Now tell me what you’ve learnt about that Lycan bastard."

After discovering Ronan’s dark past, Vivian was highly conflicted between her initial task to betray the Lycan Alpha and her desire to heal the torments of his heart.

How could she betray him? But what about Avery?

After much internal debate, Vivian arrived at a decision.

She knew what she had to do.

A risk had to be taken.

A great one that she might regret.

"We are not as close yet for me to learn anything about him," Vivian lied confidently. "I know nothing about him, and I won’t know anything until I’m taken to his territory further in the North."

That wasn’t entirely true. She’d learnt much about Ronan’s curse and his susceptibilities, but that was information she pledged she wouldn’t expose to Alaric. At the least, she could delay relaying any information until she could figure out her next moves carefully.

I won’t betray you, Ronan. I can’t do it. Vivian contemplated, inhaling a deep breath. Forgive me, Avery. I can only pray you will be safe until I can figure out a way to rescue you. Please be safe.

Alaric’s gaze narrowed suspiciously, but he knew all too well that he couldn’t exert too much force with Vivian. If she cracked under pressure, she would be utterly useless to him.

His mouth curled upwards darkly.

"I will pardon you this time, my dear," Alaric said, slowly taking a few steps back to retreat into the shadows. "The next time, you better have something useful to report to me or that niece of yours will make for a fine rug in my chambers." His dark laughter echoed before fading completely.

Vivian breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that she was able to subdue him temporarily. Her heartbeat slowed down to a calmer rhythm, and all she could think about was how much she desired to be in Ronan’s arms.

She needed to get back to him somehow.

"Now...how do I get out of here?" With the worst out of her way temporarily, Vivian glanced from side to side.

"Your exit out of here would be me," a familiar voice announced, creeping up behind them.

Vivian immediately pivoted on her heels, flabbergasted to see Soran casually standing before her. As usual, his smile was unsettling, and she’d wondered if her mind was playing illusionary tricks on her.

"It is I in the flesh, Miss Moonborn," Soran clarified, bowing dramatically as he placed a hand over his chest in greeting. "I understand you have many questions at the moment, but rest assured I am here to answer them all."