Spell Bound

Arabella

Lucian stands over me as I sit on the bed and pretend to intently read the pages of the book.

There isn't anything on reversing the effects of blood magic, because the coven of witches who used it strictly used it for good. They got the revenge that they needed for their brothers and sisters, and moved on gracefully.

"What did the witches use as a source?" I ask as I read over the page that convinced me to act foolish. It was two weeks ago I read this page in the book that told me the stronger the being the stronger the magic. I feel myself begin to loathe this book.

"In the beginning they only used the blood of rogue wolves. Now I am sure that they have used the blood of wolves that they have abducted during the attacks."

My only response to his statement is a hum. I honestly don't care about any of this, but I am aware that to keep up my ruse of acting interested. I have to ask questions, and engage in conversation with him. "That is a pathetic source of magic, there are so many other magical beings that possess more magic than that."

Lucian chuckled. "There are not many people that are bold enough to attempt to abduct an Alpha like yourself."

I roll my eyes at his emphasis on the word attempt. Still mocking me on my failure. "Still, there are plenty of other magic beings on these lands besides wolves. These witches are obviously cowards."

I flip through a few more pages. "Has there been anyone else that has been affected by the blood magic like your important female?" I ask.

He sighs once again. "Yes, but she was able to heal them. It would cause her a great deal of pain to do so, but she still did it."

"How is someone so stupid important to you?" I ask as I glare at him. "If it caused her pain the first time why in the world would she go and do it again?" I ask.

"She is a selfless leader." He responds.

I turn my glare onto my book.

A selfless leader? Is this woman his Luna?

I don't respond as I pretend to read the book in my hands.

Just looking over information that I already know. The best plants and beings to siphon magic from. The siphon coven that my ancestors were apart of preferred to source their magic from plants. That way they were able to practice magic without hurting anyone.

Maybe I would be able to siphon magic from a healing plant and that magic could heal her?

I smirk at myself, knowing actually how to save her, and pretending that I don't? Watching Lucian grieve over his important Luna will give me the satisfaction that I need to get over the embarrassment that was me abducting him. Then after I witness him grieve, I will kill him. Slowly. Then I will be able to go on with my life.

Lucian taps my shoulder. "You are not even a little bit curious about how she was able to save them?"

I don't acknowledge his question. Having to sit and listen to him brag about how selfless his Luna his? I'd rather just gouge my own eyes out.

I feel the bed dip beside me.

I roll my eyes when I feel the pads of his ringers running through my scalp.

I finally give in and answer his question. "I would rather." I pause between my words. I close my eyes and savor the warm sparks that erupt from his touch. I usually hated when people touched my hair, it reminded me that it wasn't straight like my siblings. Yet, whenever he touched my hair the jealousy that I have from not having their hair type seems to slip away.

This bond is really fucking with me.

"I would rather not listen to you brag about this female as I try to save her. At the end of the day I am tied to you all because of her stupid decisions." I finally spit out.

I can't help but be a little irritated at how weak I am becoming all because he tricked me into a mating ritual. I could potentially die if I try to escape, and a simple touch from him is enough to make me throw my morals in the garbage.

If anything, I am the pathetic one.

"We are tied together because we are meant for one another, Bella." He states before I feel his lips above my ear.

I cringe as he presses his lips on my hair, giving me small chaste kisses. It has been around three days since I last washed my hair. My curls were stiff, dry and probably a little dirty from when I collapsed on the forest ground.

"I love your hair." He whispers before twisting some of my hair around his finger. "It is so long and beautiful." He comments.

I glare at him. "Stop touching me. I need to focus on saving your important female."

"You are a very intelligent and powerful witch. I am sure my presence won't stop you from finding the answer that you need." He states before going back to pressing quick kisses against my hair. "I am in awe of the intelligence and power that you possess."

I roll my eyes and ignore his affection. "You do know that it is disrespectful to go through someone's things without their permission."

His statement only confirms that he has in fact gone through my personal belongings.

"It was never my intention to be rude my little spitfire. I only wanted to learn more about you." He replied.

"You said that this girl can heal others? Are there others like her that can heal her as well?" I ask.

"There are others, but healing those that were suffering from blood magic is what put her in this predicament in the first place."

I let out a hum as I close the book. "I guess that there is nothing that I can do to help." I state before shrugging my shoulders.

Sitting and playing this game with Lucian has become tiring.

"My resourceful little spitfire giving up so soon?" He asked with a chuckle. "I don't believe that for one second. If there is something that you want to know you will go to the ends of the earth to get the answer."

I scoff. "How am I suppose to go to the ends of the earth when you have me locked in a room like I am some kind of animal." Even though his assessment may be true, I gain nothing from confirming that to him.

"You are locked away for your safety. I allowed you freedom and you only hurt yourself."

Hearing him speak on my pathetic escape attempt only pushes down the crushing, inescapable weight that I feel on my chest. The humiliation that I felt from the escape only pales in comparison to hearing someone else speak on it.

"You cannot blame me for attempting to escape. Any sane person would choose death over being tied to a mutt." I glare at the floor as I talk.

"Bella." I hear him stand from the bed. "All I am saying is that I know that if you want to find the answer to something you won't give up after a few minutes of searching."

I take in a deep breath, before looking up at him. "Don't you think that me being chained here." I wiggle my foot, the chain making an obnoxious noise as it hits the frame of the bed. "Stops me from figuring out other options."

"The chain." Lucian pauses as I hear his footsteps round the bed until his feet come into my view. "Protects you from yourself." He cups the left side of my face, guiding me to face him. "All I want is for you to be safe."

I glare at him. I know that statement is far from the truth. He wants me to do one thing and one thing only. Save the life of this very important female. "If that is the truth then release me from the ritual that you started."

"It does not work like that, Bella." He begins to rub his thumb against my cheek. "Plus even if it did, why would I tell you how to undo I? I don't know a single reason why I wouldn't want to be tied to you?" He asked gently.

My lips parted at his words and his gentle caress. Even though I know it is foolish, I can't help but find myself believing his words. The two of us haven't spent much time together, but I can still feel that there is somewhat of a connection between the two of us. Also, even if I was tricked into it, the ritual that the two of us are in the middle of is rather intimate. Usually it is reserved for lovers, wanting to show everyone around them that they are the only ones for one another.

Lucian and I continue to stare into one another's eyes. It is hard to deny the attraction that I have for him. I have never really thought of the opposite gender in a romantic way, but that has changed after meeting Lucian. Unfortunately for me I doubt that I will ever meet a male that will compare to him.

He tilts my head back slowly. "You are intelligent, resourceful, passionate, and independent. Any man who wouldn't want these traits in a woman is a fool." He begins to slowly run his thumb back and forth across my bottom lip. "You are all of those things and so much more. You are the perfect Luna for me and my pack."

I stay silent as I absorb the words that he has just spoken. Once again I feel myself believing his words. Yet, it doesn't make any sense. This female that he is desperate for me to save is the one that he is in love with? Even though I have always been disgusted by wolves one thing that I have admired is the loyalty that they have to one another. Especially to those that they are in romantic partnerships with.

"Aren't wolves monogamous?"

"Yes, we only take one mate." He confirms with a nod.

Just like that, the short fantasy that I had of him and I is over. I reach up and rip his hand from my face. "Don't touch me!" I exclaim.

The small daydream that I was envisioning of him and I was far from wise anyways. My ancestors would be disgusted over my short error of judgement, thinking that I could be with a wolf. Also, I truly would have never been satisfied with coming in second to this female that he cares about.

His eyebrows raise as he watches me shuffle away from him. I am not aware of what part of my reaction perplexed him, but I don't care.

"Do you have a problem with monogamy Bella?" He asked, his voice going down a few octaves.

I roll my eyes, but don't answer his question. I am completely done with this conversation. I have embarrassed myself enough. All it took was a few sweet words and I was ready to abandon my morals.

"I don't even know how we got on this topic. You want me to save this person? First I need to know exactly how the blood magic is effecting her."

He sighs. "She is a runt-"

I cut off his words by raising my palm into the air. "I do not know much about wolves, but I am pretty sure that runts do not live past the age of two. They are abandonded by their parents because your kind is disgusting." I state before rolling my eyes.

He sighs. "While that may be true for some, most wolves do not abandon their pups if they are born runts. Yes, tbey stay in the hospital wing, because that is where they can be cared for best. The nurses make sure that the pup lives their life without pain, families usually visit often. Marisol was born a runt, but her parents were determined for her to live. The moon godess acknowleged how desperate they were to save their child and that is what she did. Now Marisol has some of the moon godesses magic running through her. I believe that the blood magic that she has come into contact with is tampering the magic that the moon goddess has blessed her with, causing her to slowly die."

I don't immediately respond, taking in Lucian's words. What would the moon goddess gain from saving a runt?

"Then why doesn't she just have the moon goddess help her again? If she has done it before she should be able to do it again." Even if I didn't want her to be healed, the solution is simple. I don't see how anyone hasn't come up with it sooner.

He places one knee on the bed. "I wish it was that simple. The moon goddess prefers for the ones that she has blessed to stay out of messy situations like these. She tries to stay out of problems like these. Her interfering would set a precedent for the future that she would not like."

I shrug. "Well if your prescious moon goddess won't help I don't see the point in me extending that grace to you as well."

He narrows his eyes at me. "I believe that you owe me. If it wasn't for me you wouldn't be the most powerful witch on this planet."

I feel myself slowly being consumed with rage. I am sick and tired of being reminded that he made a complete fool out of me. I look down at my clenched fists and once again see the gold bangle that I got from the library last week.

I rub my thumb over it slowly, the thought of redeemimg myself slowly calming me.

I turn my gaze back to the alpha, his eyes have yet to leave me this entire time. "The only thing that I owe you is another knife to your brachial artery. You deceived me and you know that, the last thing that you should expect from me is to be helpful." I state as calmly as possible.

There is a knock on the door just as he was about to reply.

He strides over to the door, looking at me over his shoulder before opening it.

I don't see who is standing at the door, because he was able to shield who is there with his body before the door closed behind him.

After a few minutes he walks back in the room with a plate with two pieces of pizza on them.

I wrinkle my nose at the plate as he places it on my bed.

"I am not aware of what you like, so I asked for the people in the kitchen to make you a pizza. It's my favorite food." He directs his stunning smile in my direction.

Of course pizza would be his favorite, because wolves don't have to worry much about their figure due to their metabolism.

Those who aren't gifted in that regard have to watch what we eat, the sodium alone from the sauce and cheese would be a complete disaster to my diet.

I keep my insults to myself as I reach for the plate. "How very kind of you to feed me even though you are holding me hostage."

"I have some things that I need to take care of. Hopefully after some rest you will be more willing to help. I will do anything to help you, Bella. I can only hope that you will do the same for me."

Before I can react he bends down, and drops a quick kiss on my forehead before exiting the room.

I feel my face flush after he exits the room. The other kisses that he has given me were nothing but a nuisance, but this one felt different.

This ritual that he has forced upon me is clouding my judgement. I need to speed this process along faster before it makes me do things that my ancestors will surely turn their backs on me for.

I glare at the pizza that he had someone make for me.

I understand why he has done what he has done. He is trying to save someone that is importang to him. The only unanswered question that I have is, why treat me with so much affection if he already has someone he loves?