Chapter 02

"Do you want to dance?" Hansel asked as he extended his palm towards me with a gentle smile.

"W-what?" I stuttered while my heart pounded in fear. He curled his arm around my waist and I shuddered. Apart from the fact that I wasn't really comfortable with him, there were so many boring holes in us. Especially the ladies, who wouldn't be angry that I stole the golden boy?

"I-i can't dance!"

He scoffed and then pulled me closer so our breaths could faintly collide.

"What type of Witch doesn't know how to dance?"

"Just because I'm a Witch doesn't mean that I know how to do everything." I lamented.

"I wonder what else you're bad at." He scorned and I gulped down my saliva hoping my rising anxiety would be allayed but it only got worse. "Just follow my steps,." He placed my hands on his shoulder and then he curled his arms around my waist. I felt my skin crawl with tidal excitement unlike any before. I didn't know why but there was something about him I was attracted to. Something I couldn't exactly pinpoint. Maybe it was his beauty. After all, a tall man with such beautiful hair and dazzling hazel eyes to complement his hot look would be irresistible for many.

He led the way, taking careful steps to which I followed and soon enough, we found ourselves swaying to the music. And for a moment, I felt peace until he dropped the bombshell.

"So how do you intend to break my curse?" He asked, his eyes were holding my gaze so much that I could barely waver from them. My lips twitched and my breaths toured out in a shaky manner, trying as much as possible to not let my heart spiral put of control.

The ugly truth was, I lied. I didn't know how to break Alpha Hansel's curse. I only knew it was a curse because I was a Witch. The only logical option to save myself from death was to stall and create a smart plan while at it.

"It's a powerful curse and it's going to take a while," I forced every nerve in me to remain calm.

"I need you to be specific, Elle." He replied sternly.

I cleared my throat.

"We'll need to perform a ritual for your curse and we'll be needing some ingredients," I paused, unable to come up with anything creative.

"Ingredients like?"

"I don't know yet, I'll have to take my time to analyze the curse and the extent of it's damage."

He peered at me suspiciously.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"O-of course."

"You just stammered, your lips says yes but your eyes is saying otherwise, I can hear your heartbeat rising and your breaths is not calm likewise. You're lying Elle."

My breaths hung in my throat, my lips twitched repeatedly. He saw me through easily!

"No I'm not." I frowned, he growled while his grip around my waist tightened.

"I'm-- I'm just nervous."

"Nervous?"

"I'm dancing with one of the most powerful Alphas with so many eyes fixed on us. It's so much pressure," my voice trailed off but I deeply hoped he bought that.

"Fair point." He remarked with a light sigh following suit. "You don't need to bother about the eyes, focus on me and me alone."

I nodded slightly but that wasn't enough, I needed him to not doubt me in the slightest.

"So, what type of curse is it?" I asked and he frowned once again.

"You're the Witch here, how come you don't know what type of curse I have?"

"You don't expect me to know what type of curse it is from a glance, it doesn't work like that." I quickly defended myself.

He stared at me for a long while before exhaling deeply.

"It's a love curse, I've been cursed to never have a mate for the rest of my life." His tone expressed nothing but sheer pain and somehow, I felt compassion for him. The pain and ugly reality that comes with the fact that he was never going to find or have love in his life, was a burden no one should ever shoulder.

"How did you get it?" I asked in oblivion and his body stiffened.

"It's none of your business." He blurted but his eyes expressed so much and clearly, I knew he wasn't ready to talk about how traumatic it had been for him. "What matters now is curing it. I don't care how much it's going to cost, it better work!"

"Trust me, it will."

"I don't trust you." He replied and just as he was about to say something, His Beta came by. Apparently he had something to attend to. The party soon ended on a blissful note and the night had seeped in deeply. Most of the Alpha's guests were lodged at the luxurious hotel in the Pack including us. As much as I enjoyed the luxury it entertained, there was a problem. Alpha Hansel and I were staying in the same room together. He was in the bathroom having a shower while I sat on the couch at the corner of the room. To be fair, I've had a long day and would want nothing more than a nice warm sleep on that tempting bed but I couldn't do that. Alpha Hansel would rip me apart if I did. I was about to sleep on the couch when he came outside of the bathroom bare chested with a blue short. But it wasn't the short that my eyes were instantly glued to, It was those sturdy muscles abs of him. I knew he was fit from first glance but I didn't know he was this hot! I gulped down my saliva trying to calm the desire soaring in me. On the left side of his chest, he had a medium sized red rose tattoo while his forearms had circular artistic tattoo.

"I'm not a snack that you have to glare at so hungrily, you know." He commented while he packed his hair into a messy bun. Yet, my eyes wouldn't peel away from his body. The way his muscles flexed as he packed was a sight to behold. He cleared his throat and only then did I look away.

"Tomorrow, we'll be returning to my Pack and then you can tell me in full detail how this ritual is going to work." He said while he switched off the lights and then headed to his bed.

"Goodnight." I whispered, enough for him to hear before resting on the couch.

"Goodnight? There's no way you're sleeping in that dress right?" He asked as he sat. He was right, I found it uncomfortable but I didn't have a choice did I?

"I didn't bring any extra clothes."

"Well then make yourself one, after all you're a witch." He said and I sighed, if only I knew a spell that could. Speaking of spells I barely had any tricks up my sleeves.

"I can't." I toned sadly.

"Goodnight." He quoted icily and then rested fully on the king-size bed, pulling the blanket over his shoulder. I stared at his bed for a while before going to rest my back on the couch. As hard as I tried getting some sleep, I couldn't. The cold from the AC was already beginning to seep in and somehow I started trembling. I guess this was how I was going to spend the night. But I was at least grateful I was free from Jeff. One day, if I could have my way, I would surely take revenge for all the monstrous things he had done to me. Right now, my next agenda was escaping from Alpha Hansel's grip, it won't take long before he finds out I was only conning him. I didn't know how to break that curse, I'm not even sure it was something that could be cured in the first place.