The Alpha's Omega Mate-Chapter 51: Literal death of me.

~Zarek’s POV~

I could hear the hushed whispers from the other side of the door. It’s all I ever heard for the past two days, besides the usual sound of maidservants coming to clean up my chamber or serve my food.

But today, it was different. The whispers were louder, more agitated; and now, even my frustration had seeped into my behavior, causing me to refuse every food brought into my chamber, every snack, and everything else in between that I had been offered.

For some reason, I was antsy and grumpy, and now, it was a wonder how I could still keep up with my act without blowing it all up.

My nostrils suddenly flared when a familiar scent hit my senses. It was mouthwatering and smelled more divine than any food or expensive perfume could ever smell, and it made me so anxious that I quickly whipped my head in the direction of the door just as a mop of ginger hair trudged into the room.

My heart fluttered and I smirked.

Finally, Dahlia!

"Your food." She called quietly, pushing a trolley containing several dishes into the room. And when she arrived in the middle of the room, she stopped, her eyes downcast. "Where should I put them? Should I serve you in bed or there?" She asked, motioning to a table and chair at a far corner of the room.

I smiled. "There."

But she didn’t look at me as she soon began to push the trolley to the direction of the table and chair, and soon she was setting the trays of food and fruits onto the table, her attention drawn to what she was doing.

I didn’t like that. I didn’t like that she wasn’t looking at me. I didn’t like that from here, I couldn’t see her sea blue eyes— the one I’ve missed so dearly— clear enough.

Desperate to have her looking at me, I rose from the bed and made my way to where she was, plopping into the chair as I watched her work diligently. I asked; "Are you new around here? I’ve never seen you before."

But she simply shook her head and took a step back with her hands behind her back when she was done setting the table.

"How am I so sure that this isn’t poisoned?" I tried again, sounding like some annoying teenager, but right now, I didn’t care. All I wanted was her. Her attention. Her eyes... "Can you take a bite from each plate?"

And finally, that gets her attention. The corner of my mouth twitched with the ghost of a smile when her beautiful blue eyes locked with mine. Her lashes were darkened with something that looked like makeup but I wasn’t sure, knowing that she does not enjoy such luxuries. It contrasted strikingly against the bright blue of her gaze as soft, luscious ginger manes tumbled over her shoulders and into her face.

Suddenly, I had this annoying urge to push the strands out of her eyes, if only so I can see them better. But I didn’t, instead deciding to get lost in the ocean that was her eyes.

She bowed. "I’ll never poison you, Alpha, but if I must eat from your plate to make you feel somewhat relieved, then I’ll gladly do that." She said, and with that, she took a cut out of my steak and popped the richly cooked meat into her mouth, chewing with relish, her eyes partly closed.

I almost wished it was me she was chewing so adorably.

HADES!

"Can I take a sip of your wine too? And perhaps have a taste of the ripe fruits?" She asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm and I nodded. Dahlia wasted no time in popping some grapes into her mouth, before mouthing down a spoonful of my mashed potatoes. And when she was done, she took a sip of wine and stepped back, a small smile playing across her face as she whispered;

"All done. You see... no poison!"

I chuckled. The sound escaped my lips so quickly and so effortlessly that it shocked me. Perhaps, I was not the only stunned one because then she froze and dropped her gaze to look at me, her eyes expectant.

She muttered; "Please eat. It’ll aid your recovery."

For the first time since a couple of days, I obeyed without complaining. I picked up my silverware and soon began to munch on my food, acutely aware of the way she watched me curiously.

I ate until my heart’s fill and until there was hardly any more space left to take in air, and by the time I finished, I pushed the tray away and leaned against my chair.

"Servant," I drawled, my voice sharp, and I immediately regretted my choice of words because then Dahlia flinched as if she’d been slapped. She raised her eyes to meet mine.

"Alpha."

"Please tell me what’s been happening around here. No one tells me anything besides wishing for my speedy recovery—which I do not need by the way— and it drives me mad."

She cleared her throat, her watery eyes intentionally cast away from me. "Nothing has been really happening around here besides the fact that everyone’s been waiting on your recovery..."

I rolled my eyes, groaning.

"... and that there are speculations that the Nyx’Zariel is awakening, but I doubt you even know what that is." She finished and as soon as the words tumbled out of her mouth, I froze.

The Nyx’Zariel?

A sheen of sweat gathered around my eyebrows at the thought of such a powerful being breezing through my pack, very aware of the danger she stood to poise... and sometimes, the extreme help she could also render to us.

I frowned. Why was she awakening now of all times? And why at my pack of all places.

Deciding that I needed to come off as clueless as I could, I pushed myself out of the chair and stalked towards Dahlia slowly, flirtatiously, even though deep down, all I could think of was why.

Why the Nyx’Zariel was back; and what was happening beyond these stupid shiny walls of my chamber.

Dahlia took retreating steps backward as I advanced towards her, and when her back hit the wall behind, she sighed, a frown creasing her eyebrows. She whispered; "Alpha, I need to leave now."

But I didn’t budge. I couldn’t. There was something about her, something that was acutely tantalizing and mouthwatering that kept me glued to her. Something about the way she smelled that drew me in, washed over me in waves and made my wolf howl in anticipation.

I dropped my head to her shoulder and took in a lungful of her sweet scent, whilst ignoring the sound she made as she drew in breath sharply and how her body stiffened at that action, focusing instead on my body’s response to her, and how...

Oh shit.

She was in heat!

I froze.

At first, I barely caught it—the smell of her heat— but the more I leaned into her warmth, whilst dragging in lungfuls of her scent like my life depended on it, I couldn’t help but notice it. She was in heat.

Damn.

The thought of taking her against my table briefly crossed my mind before I clamped it down and dropped my hands from her shoulders as a flashback of one of the nights I still regret till date flew across my mind’s eye and with a sigh, I took a step back, shaking my head.

I’ve made this mistake once in my life, one that Nyx now has hanging over my head in the form of a child— Leila, but never again.

—especially not with someone I adored as much as I did Dahlia.

I backed away from her. "You can go now. And make sure to get some heat suppressants. That or maybe a man, you reek of heat!"

I didn’t wait to see her expression because I knew she would be flabbergasted, or maybe hurt so I turned away and left the room for the first time in ages.

Shaking my thoughts off Dahlia required special efforts. One which involves me shifting. And that’s what I intend to do.