The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 129: Chapter 129

Catrina POV:
“Are you sure about this, Catrina? There’s no going back once we cross over.”
Vivian’s voice, a gentle whisper in my mind, was a stark contrast to the storm raging inside me.
Fear, cold and sharp, clawed at my heart, but it was overshadowed by a mother’s fierce determination, a she-wolf’s instinct to get her pup back.
“I have to do this, Vivian,” I said, my voice trembling.
I stood at the edge of the forest, the air thick with the scent of pine and earth.
It was familiar, comforting, but it couldn’t hide the unnatural chill that hung over the clearing. It made my wolf whimper, her hackles rising.
This place is powerful, Catrina, my wolf growled, her voice uneasy. A place of… darkness.
“I know,” I whispered. I stared at the shimmering veil hanging between the trees.
It swirled with colors and energy, a portal to the spirit realm, a gateway to the unseen world where Damien held Lucas captive.
Rowan stood beside me, his face full of worry, his amber eyes burning with fear and love.
He reached for me, his fingers brushing my arm, a silent plea for me to stay, to let him fight this battle for us.
“Let me go with you, Catrina,” he pleaded, his voice rough.
“I can’t… I won’t let you face this alone.”
“He loves you. He wants to protect you.” My wolf whimpered, her own instincts torn. She wanted to keep Rowan safe, but she also needed to rescue our pup.
“You can’t come, Rowan,” I said firmly, though it hurt to see the pain in his eyes.
“This is… my fight. My destiny. Vivian explained everything.”
I turned to face him, my gaze meeting him. My eyes, usually soft, were hard with resolve.
A strength I hadn’t known I possessed was building inside me, fueled by desperation and love.
“Damien… he wants me, Rowan,” I said, my voice a low hum.
I could feel a primal energy thrumming through me.
“He needs my power. The magic in my blood. He’s using Lucas to draw me to him.”
Rowan’s jaw clenched, and his wolf snarled, his eyes blazing with anger.
“I’ll kill him, Catrina,” he growled. “I’ll rip him apart for what he’s done.”
“No, Rowan,” I said, my voice soft but firm.
“Fighting won’t help. This is about something… different. Something deeper. Something only I can understand.”
I cupped his face in my hand, my thumb stroking his jaw, wanting to comfort him, to reassure him.
“Trust me, Rowan,” I whispered, my gaze holding his. “I’ll bring Lucas home. I promise.”
He nodded, the anger fading from his eyes, replaced by a grudging respect.
He could sense the power within me, a power he didn’t fully understand, but one he knew he had to trust.
“Be careful, Catrina,” he whispered. “Come back to me.”
I turned back to the shimmering veil.
Vivian waited for me, her green eyes glowing with concern. Her presence was a comfort in the chilling air of the spirit realm.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself. My wolf was scared, but I was determined to save my son, to face the darkness.
“I’m ready, Vivian,” I said, my voice stronger now.
I stepped through the veil. The world dissolved around me.
The forest was gone, replaced by swirling colors and pulsing energy, a jumble of emotions and whispers that made my wolf whine.
This was the spirit realm, a place of shadows and whispers, of ancient magic and lost memories.
The line between life and death felt thin here.
It was a place of infinite power, but also unimaginable danger.
Vivian, her form shimmering like a ghost, guided me through the maze of the spirit realm.
“Stay close, Catrina,” she warned.
“This place is… unpredictable. The shadows hold secrets, and not all of them are good.”
I nodded, my eyes scanning the swirling mists, my wolf’s senses on high alert. The air smelled of magic, but also of decay, of fear.
Something ancient and evil lurked here.
“Be careful, Catrina,” my wolf growled. “This place feels… wrong.”
We walked for what felt like hours, the landscape constantly shifting.
Paths twisted and turned, and the scenery was a blur of impossible colors, fleeting memories, and fading dreams.
“Where are we going?” I asked, my heart pounding.
“To the heart of the storm, Catrina,” Vivian said, her voice echoing strangely.
“To Damien’s stronghold. The place where he keeps the power he has stolen from our kind.”
Fear stabbed at me, but I pushed it down. I focused on Lucas, on his scent, on the memory of his laughter, his tiny hand in mine.
“We’re coming, little one.” My wolf growled. “We’ll get you back.”
Finally, we reached a clearing bathed in a strange, twilight glow.
The air felt thick and heavy, charged with magic. My wolf whimpered.
She wanted to run, to hide from the power that radiated from this place.
But there was no escaping. Lucas was close. I could smell him, a faint but unmistakable scent, a little hope in the darkness.
“Be strong, Catrina,” Vivian said. “The magic is in your blood. Don’t be afraid.”
I looked across the clearing. Standing in the center of the swirling mists was a figure radiating power, darkness, and ancient magic.
It was Damien.
He looked tall and powerful, his face hidden in the shadows. But his eyes, burning red like embers, pierced the gloom.
And in his arms, wrapped in a dark blanket, pale and still, was Lucas.
“Welcome, Catrina,” Damien’s voice boomed.
It was deep and powerful, laced with amusement. “I’ve been expecting you.”
My wolf snarled, a sound of rage and protectiveness. I stepped forward, my fear fading in the face of a mother’s fury.
“Let him go, Damien,” I said, my voice trembling, but firm. “He’s not yours. He doesn’t belong to you.”
Damien chuckled, a low, menacing sound.
“Oh, but he does, Catrina,” he purred.
“He’s special, your pup. Just like you. You both… belong to me now.”
He lifted Lucas, his face pale. Terror, primal and overwhelming, flooded me.
“Don’t touch him!” I growled, my wolf straining to attack, to rip Damien apart, to get our pup back.
“He’s mine,” Damien said, his voice cold.
“And you… you have something that belongs to me, too. Something I’ve waited a very long time for.”
His red eyes bored into mine.
“Your soul, Catrina,” he whispered. “ It’s mine. And I will have it.”