The Alpha's Omega Mate-Chapter 79: Aversion to nuts.

~Zarek’s POV~

I sat cross-legged on my Italian X- chair draped in tapestries as I stared into the distance. There was a tray of untouched freshly picked fruits in the small bronze table in front of me and a bottle of exquisite wine, one I had no business drinking from.

Overall, my external appearance was that of total indifference— cold. Expensive. Comported, a stark contrast to how I really felt. A total opposite to the war brewing like a storm in my heart.

My hands trembled slightly as I heard the sounds of approaching footsteps, and knowing that she was close, I sat up straighter, my back stiffening as her scent hit my nostrils.

My wolf growled, its rage slamming into me as my jaw ticked.

"Alpha, you sent for me." A sultry feminine voice said, and just like that, I nearly lost control. My wolf thrashed within me with a force that I’ve never felt from it before, struggling to be let out, desperate to be allowed to wreck its kind of havoc.

My jaws worked one more time as I lifted my eyes slowly to meet hers, and when I saw the smile plastered across her features, something like bile settled at the base of my stomach. I drawled; "Yes, I did Jennifer."

She smiled again, her eyes flashing with barely contained excitement. "Oh, Zarek. I knew that once you had a taste of what you’ve been missing you’d come back for more. You see—"

"I only want to ask you a few questions." I snapped, interrupting her, and she gawked at me, surprised that I had raised my voice at her, and even more surprised at the fact that I wasn’t indulging in her shenanigans.

"But Zarek—"

"What happened yesterday?" I asked, ignoring the pleading in her voice.

For a minute, I saw the fear fleet past her eyes, saw the way her body trembled slightly in fear. But she was quick to react. She quickly composed herself, drawing her robe around her body. "We made love." She answered.

Something about her words irked me. Something in that sentence angered something deep inside of me. A frown made its way to my face as I regarded her. I rose slowly, my imposing height dwarfing hers and I almost smiled when she stumbled backward— almost— until her smell hit my nostrils again.

Just like yesterday, she still smelled like Dahlia.

And maybe something may be wrong with me but I could swear that her silver hair now shone with a strange light, with a different color. It now appeared a strange shade of ginger— just like Dahlia’s.

I blinked.

"What is happening?" I whispered to myself, but she had heard me. She stepped forward slowly, with unsure steps. Her eyes wide as she draped her arm carefully over my chest.

"Zarek, are you okay?"

But I couldn’t respond. I wobbled slightly on my feet, my vision darkening as a sudden chill enveloped me. Tiny stars danced in my line of sight and my wolf, usually alert and raging only a few minutes prior, now seemed controlled. Docile.

And that was strange.

Too strange.

"Jennifer, fetch the healer... I feel unwell." I murmured, staggering slightly. Carefully, I lowered myself back into my chair, and in a desperate attempt to feel better, I poured myself a glass of wine, downing the entire content in one single gulp. But I still didn’t feel better.

I felt drowsy, my vision waned.

I vaguely felt fingers brushing over my chin, vaguely felt the weight of someone— or something being lowered onto my lap. More of Dahlia’s scent filled my nostrils and I took in a lungful, my mouth watering as I greedily drank more of it.

Deft fingers found their way into my hair, massaging my scalp. My eyes snapped shut as a mom slipped past my lips, as I succumbed into the touch... the hold of the woman I wanted the most in my life.

But isn’t Dahlia still mad at me?

And if she is, then what the hell is she doing here?

"Zarek, please let me please you one more time. I want you to use me. To satisfy your desires with me. I can be whatever you want... whenever you want me to." A sweet feminine voice purred into my ears and instantly, my eyes snapped open.

That was nothing like Dahlia.

It wasn’t Dahlia.

Maybe that was the eye opener I needed. Maybe her voice was what was needed to tether me back to reality. I snapped my head to the side just in time to witness Jennifer trailing sloppy kisses down my face and neck.

My eyes widened just as I froze.

I growled, my wolf stirring awake within me. "Jennifer?!" My voice was cold as ice. It reverberated through the silent space, echoing... and I could swear that I saw Jennifer shudder.

"My love."

I frowned. "What the hell are you doing, grinding against me? Why the hell does your smell keep changing?"

Jennifer’s mouth snapped open as if she wanted to say something, but almost immediately, she snapped it shut. She looked frightened and her body shook with barely contained fear.

Her body language should make me pity her but unfortunately that didn’t happen. All I felt was suspicion... and rage. It bloomed in my chest, gnawing at my insides. My eyes thinned into fierce slits as I regarded her, and in response, she shrunk into herself, her eyes finding everything around us but my face.

She muttered; "There’s no change in my scent. I only used scenting oils and lavender powder while showering earlier today."

And usually, I might’ve believed her if I didn’t hear the slight tremor in her voice, and if I didn’t notice the way she avoided my eyes like the plague.

I nodded. "That’s right."

But she didn’t respond. She still couldn’t look at me. And that was suspicious as hell.

Taking a deep breath, I realized that she still smelled a lot like Dahlia which meant that whatever she had on was still potent. I shook my head to clear off the lingering scent assaulting my senses and then I growled; "Now leave!"

But she didn’t.

Instead, she stood on wobbly legs, whilst glaring up at me like I had just stolen her favorite toy.

"I won’t." She responded, her voice soft but strong. "I don’t want to. I am your woman."

Oh Hades, not this uncomfortable discussion again.

In anger and maybe a tinge of frustration, I rubbed at my face and sighed. "Do you not know when to stop? Can’t you see that this is the wrong time for this?"

"There’s never a right time for this, Zarek!" She shouted, causing the guard standing protectively a few feet away to turn to us curiously. I ignored him. I ignored Jennifer too. "Ever since you lost your memories, you’ve begun to act like I don’t exist. You no longer care about me or pretend to care!"

"Oh, come on! Like you didn’t disappear after it happened!" I snarled incredulously, turning away from her.

My nostrils flared when she ran over to stand in front of me with her arms spread out as if that could stop me if I wanted to leave. Her blue eyes were wild, her chest heaving like she’d just run a marathon. Like this, she was the perfect depiction of desperation and that triggered something in me. It made me want to strangle her. But I refrained. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Leave my sight." I growled, "...and don’t pretend like you don’t know that you do not smell like you right now!"

"And who do I smell—"

"Don’t pretend that you do not know you also didn’t smell like you the last time you came into my chambers." I snapped, interrupting her, "...and don’t push me right now to hurt you for it. Because if you do, when asked, I’d say I’d struck you in self defense."

As soon as the words slipped past my lips, Jennifer froze. From here, I could hear the steady thumping of her heart, could feel her fear in the way she staggered slightly before she caught herself.

"You just threatened me, Zarek." She muttered in disbelief but I didn’t give a damn. I bared my teeth at her.

"Try me and see if it’s only just a threat." I spat.

She balked. "You’re doing all of these because I pretended to be Dahlia for a moment? You’re threatening to hit me because I stole her scent only because I planned to tease you with it...?"

"I don’t care about your pathetic excuses."

"And I don’t care what you have to say. I am your woman. Your Luna! So explain to me why you’re drawn to the scent of a slave? Explain to me why you won’t touch me until I smell like her?!"

As she screamed, tears slipped down her face, and if I didn’t know better, I would’ve found that pitiable. I would’ve even tried to console her. But I knew better. And I knew that this was a ploy.

I glanced away from her blotchy face and barked at the guard; "Get this woman out of here!"

And as soon as I said that, Jennifer became hysterical. She sobbed loudly, wailing like she’d been struck. Her frail hands slapped against my chest continually as she cried out in anguish, her loud voice resonating around the room.

"You’d do this to me because of a slave! A whore! A stupid leech who has a child out of wedlock! And you’d mistreat me like this for her!"

The guard was fast to do as told. He wrapped his arms around Jennifer’s in a grip that was both firm but gentle at the same time, and soon, he began to lead her out of the room, dragging her away as she cried loudly.

But right now, I didn’t care about her tears. I was unaffected by the words she’d used in describing Dahlia and her daughter...

Her daughter...

For some reason, my mind drifted off to Amara who was currently sick and in the hospital. The same child who had an aversion to nuts like I did.

Same child who... "Oh, no that’s impossible!" I shook my head violently.

However, something about Jennifer calling Dahlia a whore made me mad. It made me see red and I do not know why.

I know that Nyx was here with her daughter Leila who she claims is mine— even though I’ve hardly ever met her— but something about Dahlia and Amara stood out to me more.

My soul resonated with Amara more than it did with Leila.

And her aversion to nuts?

That seemed to seal the deal with me.

And weirdly, that made me feel uncomfortable. Like I had been lied to. Like there was something I didn’t know yet... something I ought to find out.

And I would.