The Forbidden Heiress At The All Male Alpha Academy-Chapter 111: The Mate Bond
"We have to go," Zeke said and grabbed her hand as they sprinted again, "The only way to escape is to go into a city. They can’t change into wolves when humans are everywhere,"
Zeke was right.
They delved through the bushes, wolves right on their trail. They kept going till they appeared at the other side of the forest where another deserted road stood. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
But luckily, they sighted the lights of a city from afar. Shots came up from behind them again, and they ducked and kept running. Soon, they stood in what seemed like a carnival and humans were everywhere, dressed in weird costumes and having the time of their lives.
Zeke and Theo ran in, quickly sucking in their auras and scents again while trying to blend in.
Theo looked up at the Moon again. It was staring right back at her, and she turned to Zeke. She couldn’t risk this. She would have to separate from him, but that would only make him worried and he would follow her wherever she went.
*Are you sure he’s going to feel the bond?* Theo questioned her wolf again, *You told me he might not feel it if I’m in male form!*
*MIGHT NOT, Theo! He MIGHT NOT, I never said he WILL NOT!*
*This is bad. What do I do?*
*Tell him...you gotta go to the bathroom*
Theo frowned, *Bathroom? Really?*
They kept going deeper into the celebration. Another howl split the night, and both of them picked up the pace.
They shoved their way through the crowd, overwhelmed by the flashing lights, loud music, human laughter, and the heavy scent of fried food. The carnival swallowed them whole.
Cotton-candy pink lights strobed across Zeke’s face as he scanned behind them, "They’re close," he muttered.
Theo swallowed tightly, "Zeke, I think we should split up. Just for a bit. I need the..."
He grabbed her wrist a little too tightly, "No," His voice came out low, almost... unfamiliar, "You don’t leave my sight tonight,"
*Uh-oh,* Seraphina groaned in Theo’s mind, *He felt something. He FELT something!*
"Zeke, seriously, I need..."
But suddenly Zeke wasn’t listening to her.
His pupils grew wide and she heard his breath hitch. His tightened grip on her wrist worsened and she felt him tremble.
Then he froze.
Completely.
Like something inside him had just slammed into place.
SHIT.
She took a step back, but Zeke followed as if pulled by a magnet.
He grabbed her shoulders and slipped into a darker path between two game booths. It was a narrow alley filled with shadows and the smell of popcorn. The carnival music was muffled here and human voices sounded distant.
He braced his hand against the wall beside her head, caging her in without touching her, and when he finally gazed at her, his eyes were burning.
Not the regular molten yellow, but a deep, molten silver.
The colour of desire on full moon nights.
The colour of bonds.
Theo swallowed hard. There was no chance to escape anymore. He was going to drag her back if she even attempted it.
Zeke blinked hard like he was fighting something inside, like he was responding to something only he could hear. His breathing grew harsher, like every single breath was burning his lungs.
"You..." he rasped with a shaky voice, "Why... the hell do you smell like that...?"
"L-like what?"
Zeke’s jaw clenched so hard she heard his teeth creak, "Like mine,"
Theo’s entire body iced over.
He leaned in closer, his nose almost brushing her throat, but he stopped himself at the very last second. Instead, his claws dug into the wall behind her.
"I shouldn’t..." he whispered, "This isn’t right. You’re a—" He choked, "You’re a boy. My mate is supposed to be...," He suddenly looked up at her, his gaze intense, "But regardless of your gender, you’re still the one wearing the pendant,"
Theo’s heart plummeted.
He was trembling. Actually trembling.
He didn’t understand. Confusion gnawed at his mind, pulling him on both sides like he was about to run mad.
He had no doubt that his mate was supposed to be a girl. A female! Hellcat was a boy, Hellcat has always been a boy, so why on earth was this happening? Was there something he was missing?
"Hellcat..." His voice broke on her name, "What are you?"
Theo opened her mouth to say something, to make up any excuse, but nothing came out. Maybe she wanted him to figure it out now, maybe she wanted to change back to a girl and finally free him from this torment.
He sucked in another ragged breath, and his expression turned a bit soft. His forehead inched closer and pressed against hers, "I don’t understand this," he whispered, "But every instinct I have is telling me to protect you... with everything I am,"
Her knees were about to give out, but she held on.
His eyes kept flickering wildly between confusion, anger, and a longing look, "Hellcat..." he said again, quieter this time, "Don’t run from me."
Theo shook her head quickly, "I—I’m not going anywhere,"
*Zeke, you need to get some sleep* Moon urged inside of him, still clawing at his chest.
*What the hell is going on? Our mate...*
*It’s confusing, I know!* Moon replied, *But it’s almost midnight and you’re yet to fall asleep. Find a safe space and sleep, now!*
*But...!*
Moon groaned, still overwhelmed by the pulling effects of the mate bond, *Now...Zeke!* He growled.
Theo heard Zeke growl, and then he closed both eyes and pulled in deep, calming breaths.
"Are you alright?" Theo asked as she noticed he was turning a little pale.
"I am," He replied shakily, feeling his insides twisting.
"No, you’re not," She took his arm and wrapped it around her neck, "Come with me,"
They stepped back into the carnival, and another howl split the air. They were humans everywhere, but the wolves seemed to be getting reckless. Hunting full moon recklessness.
She looked around, somewhere they could hide around here, where they won’t easily sniff them out. She heard Zeke release another harsh breath, and his weight began falling back on her.
Was he sick? Wolves don’t get sick.
She sighted a giant haunted house attraction with flickering lights, fog machines and human screams echoing from inside.
It was perfect.
The scent inside would be chaos, and the maze would shatter their trail. And luckily, the wolves won’t dare shift with so many people around.
"This way," She said and they both walked toward the house.
Inside was pitch dark, and was layered with fake blood and haunting, mechanical machines. The scent of fear, paint and latest made it even more perfect.
They walked deep into the house, and Theo stopped when she came across a maintenance door with the sign marked, ’STAFF ONLY’
At that moment, Zeke groaned in staggering pain and his whole body convulsed.
"Zeke--,"
He had already bent over, and she watched in horror as he vomited blood.
Blood! Lots of it.
Her blood froze.
Werewolves don’t ever get sick. This only meant one thing. And she was sure Zeke wasn’t poisoned during the run, or even before that. She thought of every other logical reason why he could be like this, and only one conclusion made sense. But she didn’t want to believe it.
Was Zeke...dying?
