Page 44 of The Alpha's Fallen Spell
I could have done this earlier, but I waited. I waited long enough for Erik to be out of the palace. Lately, he’s been tracking me down, trying to check up on me, as if he owes me that much.
Avoiding him has been getting harder and harder. He’s shows up at mealtimes, making sure I’m eating enough. He’s there when I try to do some sketching—just lurking about, waiting for me to keel over. At this point, I don’t know which one of us is more stressed out.
The palace corridors seem to stretch endlessly, the elaborate tapestries and ancient artifacts blurring together as I focus on simply putting one foot in front of the other.
By the time I reach the massive oak doors of the king’s private study, I’m breathing harder than I should be. I pause, gather my strength, and knock.
“Enter,” comes Griffin’s deep voice.
I step inside to find him standing by the window, hands clasped behind his back. He turns to face me, and I’m struck by the family resemblance—the same strong jawline as Erik, the same intensity in his eyes, although Griffin’s are a different shade. My wolf stirs restlessly at the similarity, and I push her down.
“Fiona,” he says, gesturing to a chair near the fireplace. “Please, sit.”
I do, grateful for the chance to rest. “Maya said I should speak with you.”
Griffin takes the seat across from me, his expression grave. “Yes. I’m glad. She told me about your decision.”
So, Maya has already informed him. I’m not surprised, though I feel a flicker of irritation at the thought of my life being discussed behind my back.
“You’re not happy about it,” I observe, keeping my voice neutral.
Griffin leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I’m concerned,” he corrects me. “This experimental treatment, suppressing your wolf…It could kill you.”
“I’m already dying,” I say simply.
He flinches slightly, but he must have known this already, too, because he says, “Jerry believes that with time and proper care—”
“I don’t have time,” I interrupt him. A cough is building in my chest, but I suppress it. “And I’ve made my decision. I didn’t come here for permission, Your Majesty.”
“Griffin,” he says automatically. “Please.”
I nod, accepting the gesture of informality. “Griffin.”
He studies me for a while. “Erik is away on a mission,” he says eventually. “He won’t return for several weeks. I’d ask that you wait until then. Speak with him before you make your final decision.”
The mention of Erik’s name sends a painful jolt through me. “I don’t know if I can wait that long,” I say, my voice softer now. “And what would be the point? Your brother has made his position quite clear, and I’m not fighting him on it. I wish him the best.”
Griffin’s brow furrows. “This isn’t just about suppressing your wolf, is it? You’re planning to leave.”
I meet his gaze directly. “Yes. I want to spend whatever life I have left away from here, living like a normal human. I want to experience the world I was denied for twenty years.”
“And what happens if someone recognizes you?” Griffin asks, concern evident in his tone. “What if the Silver Ring Organization finds you? Without your wolf, you’ll be defenseless.”
I smile faintly. “I’ll disguise myself. I’ll change my hair color.” I reach into my pocket and withdraw a small vial—not the blue-silver one Maya showed me, but a different one she had given me earlier. I hold it up for Griffin to see. “And this will help me pass as human when I encounter shifters. It will mask my scent. Maya developed this recently. I’ll need to take one dose every two months.” I continue, feeling a surge of determination. “I want to go to college, learn things I never had the chance to. I want to experience everything I can in whatever time I have left.”
Griffin sighs heavily. “What about my brother?”
The question ignites a spark of anger in me that I didn’t realize was burning so close to the surface. “What about him?” I snap, straightening in my chair despite the weakness in my limbs. “Everyone is so concerned about Erik. He’s the one who rejected me, not the other way around. Do you expect me to waste away in some corner of the palace until your brother decides he wants me? Or worse, until he chooses someone else entirely?” My voice rises slightly. “Why am I being punished? I didn’t ask for any of this—not to be experimented on, not to become a shifter, not to discover a mate bond that isn’t wanted.”
Griffin looks stricken, silent in the face of my outburst. He stares at me as if seeing something he hasn’t noticed before.
“I’m sorry,” he says finally, the words surprisingly gentle. “I didn’t realize how this must feel for you.” He leans back in his chair, his expression softening. “There was a time when I rejected my fated mate, too, for reasons I considered noble. I was wrong.” His eyes take on a distant quality, remembering. “By the time I figured that out, it was almost too late. It took everything I had to win Maya back.” He focuses on me again. “Idon’t want my brother to lose you. He has carried the burden of this kingdom for far too long.”
The compassion in Griffin’s voice makes it impossible for me to maintain my anger. “I understand,” I say, and I do. “But if Erik has carried such a burden for so long, I would be another one. I can’t support him politically; I know nothing about your world, your customs. I can’t support him emotionally; I’m too damaged, too broken by what was done to me.” I shake my head sadly. “We have nothing in common except a fated bond, and once we part ways, even that may fade.”
Griffin is about to speak, but I press on.
“My leaving will make it easier for both of us. Besides,” I add, the words tasting bitter on my tongue, “your brother is already in love with someone else.”
