Offered to the Triplet Alphas

Chapter-103. Responsibilities

[Xanthea]

All the information about the generational curses in my mother's knowledge and memories flooded my mind.

My eyes leafed through the pages of the books and diaries.

"Generational curses feed on the existence of the affected immortal. The stronger the immortal it consumes, the more malignant and deadlier it gets." I thought out loud. "Spreading through the bloodline, it spares no direct legitimate lineage..."

I looked at Asher, no longer plagued by questions, but haunted by the answers and an unsettling realization.

'Your demon husbands are going down very soon, and I'll make sure it happens faster.' Nikolai's threat wasn't empty.

Did he know about the demon lord's curse?

"Your pack knows about your curse?" I asked hesitantly.

Asher shook his head.

"No. Only a few people know about it - our family and a handful of celestials," he said gravely. "But the celestials have planned to use mortals to catalyze the curse and end us sooner. And the mortal they've chosen to execute their plan is your brother, Nikolai."

I widened my eyes, shaking my head. "No... why him?"

"I don't know... yet..." he said.

"No. No. No!" I looked around the fog frantically. "There has to be more. I need more of her memories. After everything she did, she can't do this to you! To Ezra! No!"

I reached out, my fingers trembling as I tried to touch the clouds, desperately searching for fragments of memories that could guide me - anything to show me the path to cure the curse. But no matter how hard I clawed at the haze, there was nothing. Just an endless expanse of white, blank fog that swallowed every flicker of hope.

"There has to be more..."

Asher's hands held mine in a firm yet achingly gentle grip as he lowered them.

"Xanthea," he said, his voice low, almost pleading. "Stop."

"No!" I thrashed against his grip, but he didn't let go. His thumbs slowly caressed my knuckles to calm me.

"This is the end of her memories for you," he murmured, leaning closer until I could feel the heat of his breath against my skin.

"It can't be!" My voice broke as I shook my head, tears blurring my vision. "S-she can't do this! She can't-" I gritted my teeth, hatred and anger flowing in my veins like venom. "I need more - I have to fix this!"

"Xanthea..." His tone softened, and he stepped closer, closing the space between us. "We'll fix this... together."

I took back my hands from him. "How can you be so calm? Why are you so gentle with me when I don't even deserve it?"

"I will not allow you to hate yourself." Asher's tone turned grim as he glared at the self-loathing and guilt that disgusted me from within.

Asher contemplated me, his eyes gleaming with emotions I failed to fathom amidst my own.

I frowned, lowering my gaze, my heart pounding painfully as waves of shame and confusion crashed over me.

"Don't you?" I asked, holding his gaze.

Asher lowered his head, a strange mixture of a sigh and a smile playing on his lips.

He gave me enough time to settle myself down before he changed the subject.

so intensely, she chose an indirect method, which was sure to work," he said. Staying out of my mind was the best thing I could do for the sake of my sanity, and Asher knew it. So he

my father, becoming a lot more malignant when it passed down to us. A curse that remained hidden for years and even now, my brothers know

father," Asher said, and a million

Why was Asher there?

he until

those questions aside, I asked the one that had occupied my mind the most. "Is-is there a way to stop

knowledge and now her

if he genuinely wanted me to answer or

gulp, I blinked fast,

I didn't want to put it into words. Clenching my clammy

my throat closed up, but I

gaze locked onto mine with an intensity that made

choose the one that's convenient for

nails dug into my palm, biting into my skin as I tightened my

let you, my wife, choose what's less painful for you. Do

to

my voice trembling as I looked into his eyes

silence pressing down

ever since the Infernal Realm came into existence," Asher said, his gaze falling to his hand as if it carried the weight

flexed his fingers slightly, a shadow of tension crossing

in check. And I provide it with just enough of myself to maintain that balance.

met mine,

mean disorder. It means disorder on a scale

words hung between us, a truth too heavy to

him, my thoughts staggering on

eyes narrowing as if he could

I couldn't tell if it was exhaustion or something darker. But for the first time, I truly felt the weight of the burdens Asher had been

sit on it, the throne nearly tears him apart - even with me present." His words slowed as he drew in a deep breath. "I can't imagine what will happen once I'm

to hell,

"The only way left... is to block the curse. Offspring

words slipping out as a shaky

"O-our kids..."

searched his eyes desperately - for denial, for reassurance, for anything

and a horrifying chill

like an excruciating knot in

to lose them to the

up my throat, but I choked it down, my hands trembling

born to die..." I

"Yes..." he said.

my stomach churn violently, a wave of

destroy it?" I questioned him, tilting

be destroyed by us, for us. She created a fate for

averted my gaze, clenching my

in an atmosphere of hatred would humble you. Maybe that's why she conceived you from an affair with your father - to make sure you bore

quickly wiping off my tears,

her daughter. In trying to heal her victims, she created her biggest victim - you. She probably only realized this when she understood motherhood. I hope she resented herself, repented day and night for forgiveness

at him, tears

any different from what you want to do to our kids?" I

are the backups to stop the curse. Even if it doesn't end with us, it'll end

still doesn't

will be weak. While they wouldn't feed the curse,

his voice made me shudder. It was as though he spoke of a mere strategy, not the lives we might bring