Chapter 218: Finding His Mate
{Third Person}
"Of course," Barron replied, already brushing his palms together.
Alexander found his statement ridiculous. But before he could respond, a servant approached and placed a clean plate, cutlery, and a glass in front of Barron.
Barron immediately began helping himself to breakfast. He made himself at home.
"I have been staying away for too long. I thought I should come and remind you both that you still have a cousin and friend who deserves to be remembered," he stated.
Alexander calmly continued eating. "My house has been peaceful since you left."
Barron grinned. "Don’t worry. You will put up with me for a few days," he replied, already hinting he wasn’t leaving today or tomorrow.
Amara lowered her head to hide her laughter.
She had grown accustomed to the strange relationship between the two cousins. Alexander always looked as though Barron’s presence was an inconvenience, while Barron seemed to enjoy bothering him even more because of it.
Breakfast continued with Barron doing most of the talking. Once they finished eating, he and Alexander left the house for a walk around the estate.
They walked in silence for several minutes before Barron’s cheerful expression disappeared.
He glanced at Alexander and asked, "How have you really been?"
Alexander met his gaze and responded, "Fine."
"I am not asking about your mood." Barron gave him a knowing look. "I am asking about your health."
Alexander fell quiet. Barron continued, "How have you been feeling this past month?"
Alexander looked ahead as they continued walking. Then he revealed, "There have been changes."
Barron cocked his head to the side. "What kind?"
"My breathing has become easier. I don’t feel as exhausted as I used to. My wolf has also been different."
Barron listened carefully. "He is less aggressive?"
"Much less." Alexander nodded. "Even when I get excited, I don’t feel the same urge to lose control."
Barron remained silent for a moment before saying, "I noticed something myself. You are different."
"In what way?" Alexander looked very curious.
"You no longer look dull." Barron studied his face for a second before adding, "You have more life in you now."
Alexander’s expression became thoughtful. For years, he had become accustomed to seeing his own deterioration. He knew exactly what the curse had done to him, and he knew what the mages had told him about his future.
For the first time, a question formed in his mind that he had been afraid to ask.
"Am I recovering from the curse?"
Barron did not answer immediately. "It looks like you are."
Alexander stopped walking. Barron stopped as well and said, "There is something you should think about. When did you first notice these changes?"
Alexander frowned slightly. "I told you. A few weeks ago."
"No. I mean, when did they actually begin?"
Alexander stared at him, not quite understanding his point.
Barron let out a gentle sigh. "Think about when Amara came into your life," he said. "That’s when these changes began, although not from the very start."
Alexander’s expression shifted as he reflected. Initially, nothing stood out—Amara was just another duty he had to manage because she was his political bride. However, over time, the situation evolved gradually.
Then another memory came to mind: his birthday banquet, the poison, and the days that followed.
Mage Seraphina had examined him carefully while he recovered and told him that the progression of the curse had stopped.
At the time, he had understood what that meant.
The curse was no longer worsening his condition. The grey in his hair had stopped spreading. His health would no longer continue declining at the same rate. But that did not mean he was healing.
The curse was still there. He was still living with it, or at least, that was what he had believed.
Alexander looked down at his hands. "If the curse stopped progressing..." he said slowly, almost to himself, "then why do I feel as though it is becoming weaker?"
Barron didn’t need to respond immediately, as Alexander already anticipated his answer.
"Because it is," Barron affirmed, nodding. "I can’t explain exactly how, but the curse is fading. Gradually, it is diminishing. And Amara is the reason."
The statement hit Alexander differently this time. Although he didn’t respond right away, his gaze shifted toward the house.
For years, one fact about his curse remained unquestioned: the mages had told him repeatedly that only his mate could undo it. Not medicine, magic, time, or the kingdom’s strongest mage—only his mate.
His eyes slowly returned to Barron. "Then what does that mean?" he asked.
Barron watched him intently. "I don’t know all the implications," he admitted. "But I have a theory: your recovery isn’t a coincidence. You’ve searched your whole life for your mate, believing she was the only one who could save you. Now, as your condition improves, the only person whose presence aligns with these changes is Amara."
Alexander’s breathing slowed as he looked away. He had searched for a woman he’d never seen because he thought he needed to find her—his life depended on it.
Disappointment followed disappointment since no woman triggered the bond he had awaited.
Now, Amara was here—a human woman who entered his life through a political marriage—someone he had never considered because she was human. Yet, her presence seemed linked to his curse weakening.
His thoughts grew harder to ignore. Could it really be her? Could his mate be under his roof?
He immediately dismissed the idea—too soon; there had to be another explanation.
Still, the more he pushed the thought away, the more persistent the questions became.
Who was Amara to him? Why was his wolf so calm around her? Why had his health started changing since she arrived?
Why was the curse, which had tormented him for years, beginning to weaken?
Alexander lowered his eyes, recalling his fear of dying before finding his mate. Now, he feared something else.
What if he had already found her? And what if he had been too blind to see her, to recognise her?