Dear Enemy, You're My Mate

Chapter 17 **

Alice

My skin is crawling, still upset from the nightmares I suffered tonight. Those red eyes of the monster werewolf wouldn't leave me alone. I tried to run from them, hide behind trees, but the creature was relentless, finding me wherever I went.

A sliver of fear makes me shudder as I reach for my coffee cup. Hopefully, the lovely potion I brewed will help clear my head. The liquid is a venomous-looking purple.

I twirl my hand around the cup with tired eyes, smiling at the scenery turning from early winter to summer. Flowers bloom, and ice flakes disappear in a flash. I've always been good at temporarily changing the seasons.

I slurp some coffee. I'm sitting in the hotel's beautiful garden, relaxing until a shadow gets me jumping out of my skin. With my heart racing, I slowly turn around and find myself staring at the older version of Dior, watching me from across the garden.

The man got thick shoulders and an even thicker beard. His body seems built for battle, and there is no question about Dior quickly being able to overpower me physically. Luckily, I have something the intimidating werewolf doesn't—magic.

Funny enough, that fact still doesn't help me calm down. My nerves are all over the place. What the hell is Dior doing here?

"Hello, Alice."

The atmosphere immediately turns colder. Dior is gorgeous, although his eyes are too curious and confident for my heart to trust. He is like the eye of the storm—beautiful to witness but a disaster to approach.

I swallow thickly, puffing up my chest in an attempt to appear fearless in the alpha's presence. If there is something I hate, it's weakness. I've never been a very courageous person, but I'm sure as hell trying to stand tall right now.

"Good morning," my tongue touches my lips. "I don't believe we have gotten a proper introduction."

Dior chuckles as he nears me with his muscular arms crossed over his mighty chest. I can tell he is familiar with me, and I guess he must have encountered the version of me living in his dimension.

I can't say that I'm as comfortable around him, though. When I look at him, I'm met with walls of ice and a storm waging in his eyes. Dior is truly disastrously beautiful, yet every bell inside my head screams "danger" as I size him up.

"I'm well aware of who you are, Alice." Dior's roguish eyes are never leaving mine as he talks. "And you don't have to be afraid of me. I wish you no harm. I'm here to enjoy the sun while the scenery lasts. Your magic is truly stunning."

I eye him warily. "Something tells me you didn't come here to watch my magic change snow into green, amazing grass. What are you doing in this world, Dior?"

I still don't understand how a werewolf can travel from one dimension to the other. Then again, Patricia mentioned Dior was a purely white werewolf, and I've heard they are unique.

Dior's lips twitch into a tentative smile. I can sense confusion coming off him as if he doesn't know the answer to my question himself. He shoves his hands into his pockets, then breathes a laugh.

"I like Patricia, even though I'm not supposed to," Dior is staring at the grass with thoughtful eyes. "I didn't expect the mate-bond to come crashing down the moment I saw her. Neither did I think I would enjoy her company so much. In the past, I laughed at the mate-bond, convinced myself I didn't need it, but Patricia has stolen my heart."

I inhale, clenching my hands as the wheels spin inside my mind. This Dior likes this world too much, and the passion in his eyes scares me. He can't fall in love with Patricia—she isn't his to claim!

"You don't belong in this world, Dior," I warn him with a fire raging on within me. Witches are supposed to keep things in order, and this Dior reeks of chaos. "Go back to wherever you came from and forget about Patricia."

"I know this world technically isn't mine," Dior replies, scratching the back of his head. There are various scars on his bulging arms. "I can never live in this world as long as the other me exists here, and since I'm not planning on killing him, I will have to come up with another solution since I wish to make Patricia mine."

I swallow thickly, about to lose it as I glare at the werewolf bask in the sunlight as if he is innocent. His easy-going expression makes anger rush through my veins, causing the winds to blow around me. My powers are running loose, and I speak in a voice thick and furious.

I don't sound remotely human as I speak. My voice is way too dark and influential. "You can't stay in this world! Please don't make me repeat myself, alpha! You wouldn't like me when I'm angry!"

"Is that so?" Dior dares to chuckle. "Because there aren't many things in this world which scares me. As far as I'm aware, there is only one thing that can awaken fear within me."

I snort. "So you're not afraid of me?"

"No."

The winds blow stronger, knocking over my cup of coffee from the table inside the garden, yet Dior shows no concern. He watches the trees sway in perfect serenity, which makes me approach him.

"Listen to my warning, alpha! This world isn't yours!" I yell at Dior, probably with blackened eyes and veins covering my face. I'm burning up, close to going down in flames. "Go back to where you came from before I make you regret visiting here in the first place!"

Dior lifts an eyebrow. "Are you threatening me, witch?" He smirks at me even though I'm inches away from his body, a second away from destroying him.

"You need to return to your world!"

Boredom makes itself noticed on Dior's delicate features. A gasp leaves those lips, and then he sighs, clapping his hands and making the winds disappear from around us. Shock wrecks me—how did he cancel my magic?

What is going on?!

He is a normal werewolf!

Dior speaks calmly. "As you may have noticed, I'm not your ordinary alpha werewolf, Alice." Those eyes meet mine, and then the bastard smiles as if to taunt me. "But fear not, I don't possess a danger to you as long as you don't challenge me."

I stare at him. "What are you?"

Dior flashes me a smile. "Isn't that the one billion question? Let's say that I'm a friend if you treat me right, Alice," he winks at me. "I came to tell you that if Patricia is ever in trouble, don't hesitate to contact me."

"Contact you? But you're from another dimension!"

Dior laughs. "You're stronger than you think, Alice," he says before knitting his eyebrows together. "This dimension has made a path I'm not familiar with—I don't know what will happen in this world. Your timeline differs from mine, and that gives me concern."

I narrow my eyes, fuelled by suspicion. "Why do you care about our world so much?"

Dior laughs. "Isn't it obvious? Patricia lives here, and my only fear is her dying or hurting herself." His eyes flash with mayhem, and his lips turn cruel. "My world is lost, little witch. No one can save it from destruction, but perhaps everything isn't lost when it comes to your dimension."

Cautiously, I take a step closer, aware of Dior towering over me. I'm wary of his presence, but my curiosity outweighs my fear. I need to know what happened to his world to prevent it from becoming a reality in mine.

"What happened to your world?" I ask.

A wolfish smile takes control of his lips. "That's a story for another time, Alice. I'm in quite a hurry to return to my dimension—every minute spent in this world exhausts me."

I stare at Dior, who waves at me before going up in smoke. He leaves me with a hundred questions, but one thing is for sure—the older Dior scares me, and he isn't a regular werewolf. There is something darker lurking within him, waiting to come and play.