The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 132: Chapter 132

Rowan POV:
“Ready, Rowan?” Isabelle asked, her voice low and steady.
She stood beside me, her hand resting lightly on my arm. It was a surprisingly warm touch, a comfort in this uncertain place.
We were at the edge of a clearing, the trees pressing close, their branches like claws against the night sky.
The air felt heavy, charged with magic, power… and something darker that made my wolf growl.
“As I’ll ever be,” I said, my voice tight. My eyes were fixed on the crumbling temple in front of us. Damien’s stronghold. The place where Catrina had gone to face him, to get our son back.
It had been two days since she’d vanished into the spirit realm. Two days of endless searching, of dead ends, of hope fading away.
She’s not coming back. He’s trapped her, just like he did with Lucas.
The thought was poison, eating away at me, fueling the rage that burned inside me.
We’ll find them, Rowan. We’ll tear this place apart until we do. My wolf growled, his voice full of fury.
King Korvash and his warriors were with us, their faces grim, their scents a mix of pine and snow and raw power. Carson stood beside Isabelle, tense and alert.
He’s worried about her too, my wolf noted. Even though he’d betrayed our pack, even though he’d offered himself to Isabelle, he cared about Catrina. We were all united now, driven by the need to save Lucas and Catrina.
“Remember what the sorcerers said, Rowan,” King Korvash said, his voice a deep rumble. His icy gaze held a warning. “This place is… tainted. The spirit world bleeds through here. It’s powerful, but dangerous. Be careful.”
I nodded, my jaw clenched tight. Fear gnawed at me, but I pushed it down. I had to focus on the mission, on rescuing Lucas, on protecting Catrina, on facing whatever waited for us inside that creepy temple.
“We’ll stick together,” Isabelle said, her voice firm. Her hand tightened on my arm. “Watch each other’s backs. Damien will try to divide us, to use our weaknesses against us. Don’t let him.”
She met my gaze, and her eyes, usually so cold, held a flicker of something else. Concern? Sympathy? It was a glimpse of the vulnerable woman beneath the Alpha, the woman forced into a loveless marriage.
She’s not so different from Catrina, my wolf growled, a grudging respect softening his voice.
“We’re ready, Alpha,” Carson said, his gaze meeting mine with respect. We’d clashed in the past, but now we were united.
“Let’s bring Lucas home.”
We stepped into the temple. The air was heavy, thick with the smell of incense and decay, of magic that both drew me in and made me want to run.
This place is wrong. My wolf snarled, his senses overwhelmed. Be careful, Rowan.
A wave of dizziness hit me, and images flashed through my mind. A moonlit forest, a silver-haired woman with eyes like Catrina’s, laughing, her joy piercing the darkness.
And then… the vision shifted. I saw her.
A woman who looked just like Catrina, but her eyes blazed with power. She stood before Damien, her face pale but strong.
And beside her, looking at her with a love that made my chest ache, stood… me.
Or rather, a younger me, his eyes filled with a fire that mirrored my own. It felt like a love that went beyond time, a bond that defied death itself.
Who is she? Who are we? My wolf whimpered, confused and longing for something he couldn’t understand.
“What’s happening?” I gasped, my head spinning. The visions felt so real, so familiar, yet… not mine.
“Damien’s magic,” King Korvash growled, his voice cutting through my confusion. “He’s trying to mess with your mind, Rowan. Don’t let him win.”
But the visions were hard to ignore. The emotions they stirred up, the yearning for that connection… it felt so powerful.
She looks like Catrina, but… different. My wolf murmured, his voice full of wonder. And her wolf… she’s amazing. Stronger than any I’ve seen.
“We have to find Catrina,” I said, the need to protect her pushing away the confusion. “And Lucas. We can’t let Damien hurt them.”
“He won’t hurt them, Rowan,” Isabelle said sharply. “Not yet. He needs them. He needs her power.”
She looked at me, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of vulnerability in her eyes, a hint of the woman beneath the Alpha’s mask.
“He’s obsessed with her, Rowan,” she said, her voice softer. She glanced at the shadows, her expression wary.
“He thinks… that she’s his lost mate reborn. An omega named Lyra. A powerful seer who… betrayed him.”
She paused, her eyes meeting mine. We both understood the power of love and loss, how it could drive a wolf to do crazy things.
“He wants to use her power, Rowan,” she said grimly. “To… bring Lyra back from the dead.”
“But… that’s impossible,” I stammered. The thought was insane.
“Nothing is impossible with ancient magic, Rowan,” King Korvash said, his voice a low rumble. He knew about these things, about the dark corners of our world.
“Damien is a master of magic. He knows things most wolves don’t. He’s twisted the laws of nature.”
“But we can stop him,” I said, a surge of determination rising inside me. “We have to. For Lucas. For Catrina. For everyone.”
We went deeper into the temple. The air grew colder, thicker, the smell of magic stronger. It was both alluring and repulsive.
“Stay alert,” Isabelle warned, her hand on her dagger. Like me, her senses were on high alert. “Damien is dangerous, Rowan. Don’t let him control you. Don’t let him use your emotions against you.”
Her words hit home. She understood the power of emotions, how they could cloud judgment, weaken resolve.
She’s right. I have to be strong. Not for myself, but for Catrina, for Lucas, for my pack.
We walked on, the silence broken only by our footsteps, the whispers of magic, and the beating of our hearts.
Then we entered a huge chamber. Strange symbols covered the walls, and the air was thick with magic and fear. And there, in the center of the room, stood Catrina.
She had her back to me, but I could feel the power radiating from her, the ancient magic pulsing through her veins.
My mate. My wolf growled, a deep rumble of possessiveness.
But something was different. The air around her crackled with energy, her scent changed, stronger, wilder.
She’s changing. Growing more powerful.
I took a step towards her, my heart pounding. My wolf wanted to reach her, to protect her.
But a voice, cold and sharp, stopped me.
“Welcome, Rowan Magnus,” Damien said, his voice echoing through the chamber. It was full of amusement and malice. “So glad you could join us.”