His beloved witch

Chapter 46: I am dying

- Blanche-

Andre was so enraged that he shifted into his Lycan before I could step into his office!

Shit!

This is bad… So… so bad!

The Lycan noticed my presence by how his nostrils widened, assessing if it was my scent in the air. Yet, he didn't trust it was me. Then he sniffed the face of the naked female and snarled at her with fury. Realizing it was an impostor, he tossed her to the opposite side of the room.

The sound of the female's bones breaking was a whisper compared to Andre's roars. The deception outraged him, and he looked with crazy red eyes at the naked, unconscious female on the floor.

Looking at the fake me, I must acknowledge Kassandra. Her magic was freaking amazing. That b***h looked just like me, which makes Andre even more impressive for not falling into this trap. Naked or not, Andre didn’t cheat on me with that female.

“Andre,” I called him. I approached him slowly, my hands reaching out to him to help him change back... to calm him down. “It’s me…” I told him. “I’m alright… We are alright.”

He was angry and confused. His red eyes staring at me warmed my heart.

Unlike werewolves, Lycans must shift while in control of their beasts. If they succumb to their rage, they risk losing their humanity and never shift back. Their animal side takes over permanently.

Everyone fears them because of that. It’s said one crazed Lycan can kill at least ten high-rank werewolves and only two of their fellow Lycans can put them down. But I know Andre and his Lycan. He is not lost. He is still my Andre.

Oh Goddess, please... I can't lose him, I just can't...

He whined while sniffing the air with his large snout, unsure of who was in front of him. The magic fooled his senses before, and he didn’t trust himself anymore. Or that is what I think was happening to him when he closed his eyes and took deep breaths.

“I know you can understand me,” I told him with a cheeky smile, despite the knot in my throat. “We have known each other for seconds in this life," and the Lycan stayed quiet to listen to me. He was controlling his breathing. “But I trusted you and you trusted me. I told you my secret, remember? By then, you didn’t leave… You can’t leave me now, Andre...”

My hopes raise and then dropped when Andre blinked rapidly. He tried to come back, but his eyes were still deep red when he looked at me. Yet, I can’t give up. I’m sure Andre can sense me.

"You know it's me!" I yelled at him.

Instead of approaching me, Andre, in Lycan form, shook as if understanding. He closed his eyes for a few seconds and opened them again, only to step back down and away from me... as if fearing me… Or did he fear himself to be close to me?

Oh, Goddess!

“We are a team, remember? I’m your ally…” I tried.

We locked gazes and I could swear Andre flickered in the beast's eyes. He took a hesitant step closer to me. And I smiled, relieved, although desperate to hold him…

If I could touch Andre, he would come back to me. He must!

“Blanche, stay away from that animal!” Kassandra shrieked, pulling me behind her before I could throw myself at Andre.

"No!" I yelled. And my Andre growled menacingly at Kassandra, assuming she was another threat to me.

I know what Kassandra sees when looking at Andre in this form... A monster because of his size and appearance.

The Lycan has humanoid features. He stands erect like humans, but he is larger and more muscular, with long sharp claws instead of nails, and enormous paws for feet.

A dark brown fur covered Andre's entire body -his hair color- and his face morphed into a wolf-like one, with a big snout filled with razor-sharp teeth. Besides, his red eyes were wary of his surroundings.

Kassandra is afraid of him. A Royal Lycan like him can tear us into shreds.

Clara once said that even in his beastly form, Josh, her mate, was appealing to her... I thought she was crazy. And I see now how right she was. My Andre is attractive to me in any shape.

He growled again and placed his knuckles on the floor in preparation to launch himself against Kassandra. Yet Andre restricted himself from doing it by looking at me. I was behind Kassandra; instead, Andre circled us while looking for a way to approach me.

It pleased me that he trusted it was me.

Kassandra blocked all my attempts to escape her, and she shielded us from him using her cane to create an invisible barrier.

“He needs me!” I yelled at her, and I was about to punch Kassandra in her ribs when she warned me.

"It's too late!" She lifted her cane with both hands and her magic pushed Andre away when he tried to come closer. "He transformed while in a rage! It's only the animal there... Nothing can help him now..." Her eyes focused on him.

“You don’t know that!” I told her while planning what to do. This witch is tough. I needed something to knock her down in one strike.

Fuck! I just needed a little opening to save him.

"Besides, she poisoned him," she added.

"What? No!” I could not believe it! But then I saw it… Andre’s hand had deep gashes made by the claws of the b***h. And they were not healing! He has shifted, his healing powers should have sped up.

She didn’t change her stubborn frown.

“You said you would help me!" I was desperate. This can’t be the end! A poisoned curse was worse than the one for stealing. “Kassandra... You must have the antidote!”

"It's dangerous to get closer, Blanche."

Andre’s Lycan sniffed the air; confused again, he growled at Kassandra.

Did Kassandra’s magic conceal my scent behind her barrier, too? This situation reminded me of Elias and what he did… Damn it, I have no time to think about that! Andre was growing anxious and losing his battle with himself.

“His subjects will have to kill him; I’ll take you away from here.”

"I will not leave him! Are you crazy?" I screamed.

Kassandra always had Plan B...

Her pockets!

I searched in Kassandra's pockets and clothes. Despite our struggle, Kassandra could not fight me and protect us from Andre at the same time. I threw her small, dark red satchel on the floor. Antidotes are liquid! That was not...

“Give me the antidote!” I insisted.

I wonder where… Where...? unless…

“No! Blanche!” Kassandra yelled when I slipped my hand in her brassier. I startled her. However, she chose to keep her cane up with both hands.

“I knew it!” I smiled, looking at a tiny white bottle in my hand. I would have hidden it there, too. Between the twins!

“You don’t know what you are doing! He is dangerous. His beast will kill you!” Kassandra was losing her power.

She needed to focus on keeping her shield up, but Andre was furious after hearing me scream. Kassandra got distracted by his aggressive growls and punched at her shield. He pushed her shield from the outside and I pushed her from the inside to be freed.

"He will never hurt me!" I shouted at her and elbowed her in the ribs with the same technique Kassandra used on me earlier. I took her freaking cane from her to break it against my knee.

She was astonished and didn’t fight me. Her “protecting spell” was broken.

“I’m tired of your sick way of caring for me, grandma!”

Andre needed me and I would not fail him!

I looked at Andre. His eyes focused on me when he sensed my scent in the air again. Yes, he was there!

The beast knew what I wanted, and he welcomed me with open arms. His ragged breathing slowed down. He sniffed my hair and licked my cheek with his long and raspy tongue, making me giggle.

I jumped at him and wrapped my legs around his waist with my arms around his neck. Then I spread kisses on his furred chest until his cheek. His powerful furry arms around me felt amazing with the tingles of our bond.

The Lycan purred and his heart sped up at my contact.

He knows it's me... Even his Lycan...

“I’m your mate, your Blanche…” I told him, and his red eyes flickered with Andre’s emeralds again. “I’ve seen your soul in my dreams, Lycan,”

Is that what a wolfish smile looks like? Because that is what it looks like to me.

Shit! There were tears in my eyes and I don’t know when I started crying and I couldn’t stop. Andre cleaned my teary face with his Lycan’s tongue again. It tickled.

The Lycan was still holding me, but then he whimpered from pain. He was half shifted back but couldn't finish his transformation.

I saw his wounded hand turning black; the venom was spreading quickly. The thick veins on his arm turned black as well.

"Everything will be alright," I murmured to him, pressing my forehead to his. “Please, give me Andre back. I need him now!”

Andre tried again, but he was losing his strength, and his beast couldn't help us anymore.

We slipped together on the floor, although he made sure I was on top of him and safe from harm.

I sat on the floor, placing his big Lycan head resting on my chest.

"Give him the antidote," Kassandra suggested, eyeing the tiny bottle in my hand.

I was hesitant.

"Can I trust you, Kassandra? What if this is another trap?"

"It's up to you, Blanche."

I looked at her with new tears in my eyes, angry and afraid her betrayal could cost me my Andre.

"I love him..." I confessed, raising my chin and looking right into her eyes. But then, I begged her. "Please, please, Kassandra... No more games, no more hate…” And I saw some emotion in her witch’s eyes. "What else are you going to take from me? Have I not lost enough?" I screamed at her with my questions, crying.

"Some things are just not meant to be, darling... I just want you to live. All I ever wanted was for you to live! Blanche, please you must live!"

Kassandra passed her hands over her face, roughly and groaned angrily.

“He has my heart,” I lied. “I will die if he dies!”

Kassandra knows the meaning of my words. A witch’s most sacred gift is her heart. The one we only share with our lover to share our life’s span. Werewolves and Lycans live longer than humans, but nothing compares to what a Child of Nature can offer. Two hundred years of life, at a minimum, is not a trifle.

“How could you do that? You are a pure-blood witch! Your father is a powerful warlock!”

Pureblood! I hated that expression!

“Just shut up and help me, Kassandra!”

"You will owe me one, baby B."

I was only looking at Andre, disregarding whatever Kassandra said. He was losing consciousness in my arms.

Adela and Francisco arrived then. She gasped, and Francisco took her hand, stopping her in her tracks towards us. Circe and Morgana were behind them. And I am sure Andy and Blair must be a few steps away from them.

They were all astonished to find us like this and with Kassandra on top of that. None of them knew exactly what to do or say.

"Give him the antidote you have in your hand… that is the right one," Kassandra instructed me.

I caressed his Adam’s apple, soothing him, so he could swallow the bitter potion I poured into his mouth. Healing potions and antidotes are always bitter.

Wait, what am I doing? Kassandra cannot be trusted!

“Something else, I should know?” I asked, glaring at her with resentment.

Andre relaxed on my arms. He must have felt pain before.

Adela came closer and kneeled at Andre's feet, crying.

“Oh, my Goddess!” She was sobbing. “I should have come earlier; I am so sorry! You were right, I never make mistakes. We found the traitors' accomplices in the palace.”

The antidote was working on Andre, just not fast enough. Andre didn’t change back to his human form either. I kissed his forehead, feeling the sparks of my bond with him. No fever, thank Goddess!

My heart filled with tender love for Andre, and I promised myself and our Goddesses, I would give Andre my bloody heart if his life was spared.

“Someone should extract the poison,” Kassandra commented as if it was nothing.

I knew there was a trick somewhere. She did not have the intention of letting him live after this attack!

“His arm is already black. Do you think it is wise…?” Francisco said while standing at the door’s frame. I looked at him with hate and he shut up.

He was blocking that escape for Kassandra. Circe and the others looked at each other, thinking the same.

“I will do it,” I stated.

My friends had doubts written all over their faces regarding my decision. But they don’t know how strong Andre is. He is the King of Lycans!

Besides, there is an entire future ahead of us. Andre promised me he would never leave me. And I will make him comply with his word!

“We can’t risk you… If something happens to you, Andre will die anyway.” Adela offered between tears. “I will do it! Please, let me help.”

“I’m a witch, not a Lycan. I can do it and be fine.” I had better chances against that poison, unlike a Lycan like her.

“Blanche, it’s disgusting!” Kassandra wrinkled her nose, disgusted. Then she crossed her arms in front of her chest, waiting for me to do it.

I didn’t want to think about her. Only Andre was in my head.

I kissed Andre’s cold nose, then his eyes, more human to the second as his body slowly recovered from his human form… just not fast enough because the poison was spreading.

I sucked the poison out from the wound on Andre’s hand and spit out the black substance onto the carpet. And I did it at least three times until I felt the taste of his clean blood in my mouth.

Andre had his eyes closed, while I was stroking his hair softly. He was completely back to his human self.

I sighed, relieved! The wound was closing, and it looked more like a cat’s scratches there than the claws of a Lycan female. Now we both have a scar on our hands that tells a story.

Lydia was the impostor. She screamed and cried from the pain. Lydia’s shoulder was dislocated, and her arm was broken.

“What am I doing here?” She dared to ask, and noticing her nakedness, she crawled backward to a corner… Such a great actress!

Andre was getting back to his senses, and I could not hold back a nervous giggle when his beautiful emerald eyes focused on me. His palm caressed my cheek.

“You are here,” he whispered, marveling with a soft smile on his pale lips.

“Yes,” damn it! I swallowed back the sobs that were building in my throat. “Where else would I be?” I tried to joke but I was feeling so emotional.

Andre’s thumb cleaned a tear that slid down my cheek. Since he was naked, I took off my silk robe to cover him. His beauty was for my eyes only. I love my friends but I will not share that view.

Morgana, Circe, and Blair walked into the office ready to face Kassandra, Francisco blocking the entrance. They know what to do at this stage.

Andre tried to incorporate and growled towards the door. When I looked over my shoulder, I saw his Lycan guards… What? Why? Oh! My shoulders were naked, and my nightgown was translucent.

I hugged Andre and kissed his cheek, thanking our goddess in my heart for the promise of another day with him and his possessiveness.

Lydia screamed when she pressed her shoulder against the wall to put it back in its place. She is a hard cookie, I must admit. Then she hugged her knees and pretended to be scared and disoriented, even embarrassed about being naked.

Fucking fake!

“Why are you here like this, Lady Lydia?” Adela questioned her. She had been silent during my interaction with Andre, but after Lydia’s scream, Adela was ready to unleash her own Lycan at that b***h.

“I don’t know what happened. I went to bed early… And…” Lydia touched her neck. She winced, feeling it sore. Andre choked her and it would not look pretty if her Lycan didn’t want to heal her. Lydia smelled her hand and asked us, “why do I smell like the King? And why am I naked here?”

“You used magic to deceive me and look and smell like Blanche,” Andre explained, tense, standing up.

“No!” Lydia faked tears with a deep blush on her cheeks. “Your highness, I was having a dream! A good dream and then… I don’t know what happened.”

“It’s stupid to fake now, child. Confess and ask for mercy,” Kassandra advised her with boredom.

Everyone seemed on high alert inside of the office when Kassandra walked to Andre’s desk and took seat in his chair. Tom was with the Lycan guards!

“I can swear my innocence with my blood, Your Highness!” Lydia kneeled, pleadingly. “And who are you?” Lydia asked Kassandra getting back to her usual bitchy self. Well, a broken arm is nothing for a Lycan.

Kassandra placed a hand on her chest, faking to be offended, but then she giggled.

Adela and Tom were uncomfortable with Kassandra. We all know how dangerous she is. However, Andre didn’t mind my grandmother; he was looking at Lydia with contempt. So, I stood in front of him, and he hugged me from behind. Again, Andre’s d**k is for my eyes, only. My robe didn’t cover him properly. He is massive for it!

“Derrick is a witness of Lydia’s attempt against me. He saw her, too. Guards, take her to custody!”

“What? I don’t understand! Your Highness, someone set me up! I did not do anything! Please, Your Highness!” She begged while the guards dragged her away.

“Adela, link the lawyer to seize Lydia’s family assets, froze their accounts, and place guards in their mansion and companies. They can’t leave the territory.”

Adela smiled, cleaning her face.

“Yes, Majesty!” The Royal Secretary in her was happy to comply with Andre’s orders immediately.

“Your Highness, I was on my way back to the palace when I received reports of… whatever the hell happened here,” Tom lowered his gaze.

“Derrick is injured,” Morgana explained.

Everyone in the room blushed, even Morgana, and she never blushes! Considering the awkwardness in this room… They must have surrendered in Kassandra’s incantation. There is nothing to be ashamed of; my grandmother is a freaking powerful witch.

“And what the hell happened?” Andre asked Tom, infuriated again by the news. I intertwined his fingers with mine to keep him from shifting again. He kissed the top of my head.

“I failed, Andre. That is what happened.” If there is someone to blame, here is me.

“No, Blanche,” Andre tightened his hold on me. “You are my savior,” that sweet mouth of his.

“I have told her time after time to stop that destructive behavior, always taking the blame for everything!” Kassandra is so shameless to say that. “And always so impulsive, too! She gets in trouble because of that. Oh, don’t glare at your elders, child.”

I threw a nasty glare at Kassandra, but she only shrugged her shoulders after that long rant about my character!

"How dare you?"

The presence of Andre and his arms around me were comforting and kept me balanced, or I would have cursed Kassandra.

“I didn’t come here to harm, I swear! And I had nothing to do with Derrick’s injury. Blanche, you can tell them. I transported you from one place to another to save your man.”

Kassandra didn’t call him dog this time. One could consider it progress... Damn! Kassandra is messing with my head again. I don’t need her approval at all!

“A witch didn’t attack him, Your Highness,” Tom blushed. “A doctor is taking care of Derrick, now.”

Tom must have sensed my concern about his family at home because he added, looking at me, “ My mate and my pup are fine. I held him before I came here, Your Majesties.”

“Can we talk about that later, Your Highness?” Adela asked Andre and eyed where my grandmother was.

My friends were in position.

Blair and Andy were looking at Kassandra, holding hands, with their backs towards the big windows, facing her.

Morgana and Circe are one at either side of the desk, hands ready, also on Kassandra's route of escape.

Francisco was still standing at the door’s frame with arms crossed in front of his chest. His thick skin and inhuman strength made him very resistant to magic attacks from any witch. Kassandra would not pass through that door with him there.

It was not going to be easy for Kassandra to escape. Despite her power, she couldn’t defeat all of us.

“Why are you all so stressed out?” She asked us all with a smirk on her face, interlocking her fingers. “By the way… nice to meet you, King Andre. I’m Kassandra Lebrun, Blanche’s grandmother, and her only relative.”

Kassandra raised her feet and rested her back on the chair after her introduction.

“Madam, I’m not sure how to answer you. I guess I should thank you for your collaboration with us, although you were also involved in tonight’s incidents, as I can understand from this whole situation.”

Andre forced a gentle smile and straightened his back when facing my relative. He was still recovering from the poison. My proud and powerful Lycan King. If I were a Lycan or a werewolf at least, he could gain his strength back from our bond.

“Oh, my Goddess! You are such a sweetheart!” Kassandra giggled loudly. “No wonder, Blanche not only gave in to the mate bond but also fell in love with you. And not to mention the three crazy females after you, my boy.”

Adela and Tom growled at her disrespect. Everyone addresses Andre by his title.

“Come on, we are related now!” Kassandra sniggered.

I rolled my eyes. Same damn witch!

“Beg your pardon? Three?” Andre questioned.

“Yes, I sold three packs of my sweet vengeance. Blanche can fill you in the details, later.”

“Who was behind this attack on my palace, Madam Lebrun?” Andre was asking for confirmation.

“Cara,” I answered, since Kassandra, loyal to her clients, stood silent.

“I’m sorry, but it wasn’t exactly an attack. It was just a distractor. The goal was to take Blanche from here, and place someone else next to you, Andre. Since we are family now, I will just call you Andre.” The Lycans in the office growled again. Kassandra disregarded them. “Everyone enjoyed the mix of lust a little bit, and the dust of life without inhibitions! It wasn’t so bad!”

“Kassandra, stop!” I screamed at her. And she pouted like a child.

“Since my visit is not wanted and I am no longer needed, I must take my leave.”

“You know we can’t just let you go,” I told her. “You have committed serious crimes; you must pay for it… in jail.”

“Oh, but Baby B., I helped you save your King male. You owe me.”

“I will visit you in prison, grandmother; I promise.”

I know Kassandra will not let us capture her easily.

“Oh, Baby B. that is very nice of you, but I don’t want to spend what is left of my days in prison.”

“What are you talking about, Kassandra? Are you lying again? Why is everything a damn joke to you? You almost allowed Andre to die if I did not ask you.” I still feel Andre’s blood in my mouth.

“He was not going to die, I just needed him paralyzed for a while,” Kassandra looked under the desk, and picked up Mina!

“What is my kitty doing here?” I asked no one in particular.

“Oh, darling! She is so powerful, I never thought I could meet someone like her! And now close to the end, I meet one of her kind.”

“Again, with that expression? What do you even mean, Kassandra?”

“Just what I said, darling. I’m dying.”