CHAPTER 98: CHAPTER 98

The witch’s voice wouldn’t stop echoing inside my skull.

"The only way back to your world is if the Alpha falls in love with you..."

That single sentence clung to me like a curse, repeating itself with every breath I took. Even now, as I sat by the window of the omegas’ quarters, the dawn light spilling weakly through the cracked panes, those words pulsed behind my eyelids. They haunted me. They ruled me.

And maybe... they were destroying me.

I had promised myself that I wouldn’t go near him again that I’d stay far away from his madness, from the way his presence twisted my mind and left me trembling. But every time I tried to rest, every time I closed my eyes, I saw the witch’s sunken face, those hollow eyes glowing like dying embers.

"Make him love you, or die here forever."

That was the deal. That was my prison.

And so the next morning, I woke up before the others. I didn’t eat, didn’t speak, didn’t breathe properly until I reached the Alpha’s quarter again. My body moved on instinct one that wasn’t entirely my own anymore. Fear guided me. Hope chained me. When I reached his door, I hesitated. My reflection trembled faintly on the polished wood. My lips were pale. My eyes looked hollow. I barely recognized the person staring back.

What am I doing? A whisper in the back of my mind laughed a soft, cruel sound that didn’t belong to me. The witch.

"Inner Voice: "You’re learning, little flower. Fear makes love bloom faster."

I wanted to scream. Instead, I knocked.

There was no answer at first. Just silence the kind of silence that made your heart skip and stumble. I reached for the doorknob, meaning to set the breakfast tray down and leave before he noticed me. But the moment my fingers brushed the metal, a voice slid into my head like a shadow.

"Inner Voice: "She’s early again... persistent little thing."

I froze. His inner voice. The crazy psycho won’t live me alone.

My throat tightened as I slowly pushed the door open. He was there sitting on the sofa, shirt half-unbuttoned, hair damp as if he’d just washed it. The sight of him made the air feel heavier, sharper. His eyes lifted lazily, cutting through the morning haze, pinning me in place.

I bowed slightly. "Good morning, Alpha," I whispered, keeping my eyes on the floor.

He didn’t respond aloud. But his thoughts did.

"Inner Voice: "She still flinches when I look at her. Good. Fear keeps her alive."

I clenched my fists. My pulse roared in my ears.

I wanted to run, but the witch’s voice pressed through my fear.

"Stay close. Make him notice you."

So I took a step closer.

"I... made you breakfast," I managed to say. "It’s still warm."

He didn’t move. Didn’t even blink. The silence between us stretched so thin I could hear the crackle of the fireplace across the room. Then, finally, his chair scraped the floor. He stood.

I stiffened, heart hammering.

He walked toward me slowly each step deliberate, measured, predatory. I felt the air shift with him. When he stopped right in front of me, I could feel the heat of his body, smell the faint scent of iron and pine that always lingered around him.

"Inner Voice: "She’s trembling again... But she came anyway."

I nearly gasped out loud. I had to bite my tongue to keep from reacting.

His gaze dropped to the tray in my hands. "You made this yourself?" His tone was quiet, unreadable.

I nodded quickly. "Y–Yes, Alpha."

He hummed a sound low enough to rattle my bones and turned away, taking his seat again. He began to eat, movements slow, controlled, while I stood there uselessly, afraid to breathe too loudly.

"Inner voice: "Still watching. Always watching. She doesn’t know how fragile she looks."

He didn’t know I heard that, but it made my heart twist painfully.

Because somewhere, beneath all the terror, something strange stirred in me. Something that felt too much like curiosity... or worse, longing.

Why did his voice sound so different when it wasn’t real? Why did his inner words carry warmth his spoken ones never had? When he finished eating, he looked up, his expression unreadable. "You may go."

I turned quickly, bowing, trying to hide the tremor in my hands.

"Inner Voice: "She’ll come back again tomorrow. She can’t help it."

I wanted to deny it to scream that I wasn’t some puppet of his twisted thoughts but deep down, I already knew he was right.

That night, I lay awake on my mattress, staring into the darkness. The other omegas had long fallen asleep, their soft snores filling the air. But I couldn’t rest. My mind kept replaying everything the witch’s voice, Zach’s words, his eyes.

Make him love you.

The more I thought about it, the more it tore at me. Love? With him? The man who could strangle someone just for breathing too loudly? The same Alpha who watched me like a hunter waiting for prey?

And yet, every time I remembered his inner thoughts — that strange, unguarded softness my chest tightened in confusion.

What if... what if the witch was right? What if the only way out of this nightmare was through the very monster who terrified me?

The thought made me nauseous. But the fear of staying here forever trapped in this strange world, hearing his thoughts until I went mad was worse. I had to try.

The next day, I woke early again. My hands shook as I brushed my hair, as I tied my apron. My reflection in the small cracked mirror looked haunted — but determined. My lips moved without sound, whispering the words that had become a prayer and a curse all at once. He must fall in love with me. I carried the tray of breakfast through the silent corridor, my footsteps echoing softly against the cold stone. Every creak of the floorboards made me flinch. When I reached his door, I paused, took a deep breath, and knocked.

This time, he answered. "Come in."

His voice was calm almost too calm. I entered slowly, setting the tray on the table. His eyes followed me the entire time, sharp and unreadable. The silence felt alive, crawling over my skin like cold fingers.

"Inner Voice: "She looks different today. Tense. Afraid. Hiding something."

I swallowed hard, forcing my voice to stay steady. "Your breakfast, Alpha."

He didn’t look away. "You’ve been coming early," he said after a pause.

"I... I want to serve properly."

"Inner Voice: "Lie. She’s lying."

I froze. My knees almost gave out.

Could he feel that I heard him? No impossible. He didn’t know. He couldn’t.

Zach’s gaze darkened slightly. "Is that so?"

"Yes, Alpha," I whispered, eyes fixed on the table. "That’s all."

He didn’t reply right away. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, studying me with that quiet intensity that made it hard to breathe. I could hear his thoughts again, low and slow like a drumbeat.

"Inner Voice: "She’s afraid, but she keeps coming closer. What does she want from me?"

If only he knew. The witch’s voice slithered across my mind again.

"Closer, little flower. He must see you bloom before he can love you."

My vision blurred slightly. For a moment, I felt dizzy, like the ground was shifting beneath me. I grabbed the edge of the table for balance, trying to steady myself.

He noticed. Of course, he did.

"Sit down," he ordered. "You look pale."

I shook my head quickly. "I’m fine—"

"Sit." His tone brooked no argument.

I obeyed, lowering myself onto the edge of a chair across from him. The tension between us crackled like electricity. He poured himself a glass of water, then hesitated. I could feel the weight of his stare, heavy and unreadable.

"Inner Coice: "Why does she look so breakable? Why does it bother me?"

My breath caught. I bit my lip so hard it stung. The witch’s laughter echoed faintly in my ears.

"There. You see? It’s working."

I didn’t want it to be. I didn’t want him to feel anything not for me. But if it was the only way to escape, I would endure it. Even if it meant losing my sanity in the process.

He didn’t say another word after that. Just watched me silently, intently until I excused myself and left. But even as I walked away, I could feel his gaze on my back, heavy and lingering.

And I could still hear his final thought before I reached the door.

"Inner Voice: "If she keeps this up... she’ll ruin me."

That night, I dreamt of him again.

The dream was strange, thick with fog and moonlight. I was standing in the middle of the Alpha’s quarters, barefoot, wearing something white and soft that clung to my skin. The air shimmered around me. Then I saw him standing by the window, shadows swallowing half his face.

When he turned, his eyes glowed faintly silver, cold, and yet burning.

He walked toward me without a word. My pulse roared. I tried to step back, but my body wouldn’t move. I was frozen, breathless, trembling.

"Ellie," he said softly too softly. "Why do you keep running?"

"I... I don’t—"

Before I could finish, he reached out, his hand cupping my cheek. His touch was warm, almost gentle, but my skin burned under it. His gaze dropped to my lips.

"You really are a wildflower," he murmured, voice barely above a whisper.

And then he kissed me.

It was fleeting, ghostly, more of a breath than a touch but it sent a violent shiver through me. The world blurred around us. I could feel his heartbeat pounding against mine. It was wrong. All of it was wrong. But I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t stop.

When I woke up, my hands were shaking, my heart racing so hard it hurt. The morning sun streamed weakly through the window, and for a second, I thought I could still taste the dream still feel the warmth of his hand on my skin.

I pressed my palms to my face, trembling.

What’s happening to me?

The witch’s voice whispered one last time soft and cruel.

"You see now, little flower? He’s already inside your dreams."