The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 145: Chapter 145

Rowan POV:
Dust and debris rained down around us.
The smell of magic and decay filled the air, but above it all, I could hear a triumphant howl ringing through the ruins of the temple. It was the sound of victory.
And then, from the heart of the wreckage, she emerged. Catrina.
But… she was different.
Her amber eyes, now flecked with gold, blazed with power. Even my Alpha wolf lowered his head in respect.
Her jaws were stained with blood, and she held Damien's heart, still weakly pulsing, in her teeth.
She dropped the heart at my feet. The thud echoed in the silence. Then, with a grace that both captivated and scared me, she shifted back to human form.
She stood before me, her body bearing the scars of the battle. Scratches and bruises marked her pale skin.
But it was her hair that shocked me most. It was silver now, a shimmering waterfall cascading down her back.
She looked at me, and her amber eyes, flecked with gold, held a depth, an intensity, I’d never seen before.
It was like looking into the eyes of someone who had seen a thousand lifetimes.
“Kael,” she whispered, her voice husky. “It’s been a long time.”
“I’m… not Kael,” I stammered, confused. Her silver hair, the power radiating from her, was both alluring and frightening. “I’m Rowan.”
A look of sadness crossed her face, and her eyes softened, losing their intensity. For a moment, she looked like the Catrina I knew, the omega I loved, the mate I’d hurt, the mother of my son.
“Yes, of course,” she said gently. “Rowan.”
She took a step toward me, a question in her eyes, a plea for forgiveness. But I couldn’t speak. I was lost in the wonder of her transformation, the awe of her power.
I was afraid that this… this merging of souls had changed her, broken the bond between us.
“I… I don’t understand,” I whispered, my voice hoarse. “What happened to you? Where’s… Catrina?”
“She’s here, Rowan,” she said softly, reaching out to touch my cheek. Her fingers were cool against my skin.
It was a familiar touch, one that brought a wave of relief, a longing for the connection we’d shared. “We’re… together now. Lyra and me.”
“But… how?” I asked, my mind spinning.
The idea of two souls merging, of two lifetimes becoming one… it was impossible to understand.
“It’s a long story, Rowan,” she said, glancing at Lucas, who was still lying motionless on the altar. He was a tiny reminder of the danger we’d faced, the love that had driven us.
“It’s a story about our destiny. A story that’s centuries old.”
She paused, her eyes meeting mine, sharing the sadness we both felt.
“But we have time now, Rowan,” she said, her voice gaining strength, a small smile touching her lips. “Time to heal. To rebuild. To grow. Together.”
She bent down and picked up Damien’s heart. It was shriveled and dark, but it still pulsed faintly.
She held it over Lucas, and a single drop of blood fell from it, landing on my son’s pale cheek.
“What are you doing?” I shouted, panic gripping me. My wolf snarled, his claws extending instinctively.
I had to protect Lucas, but I didn’t understand what she was doing.
“Damien…” she began, her voice low, her gaze distant, as if she were looking into the past.
“Before the darkness took over, he was a powerful Lycan. His blood… it holds a trace of that ancient power. It can grant immortality. It can protect Lucas from the dangers that are still out there.”
Her words filled me with awe and fear.
“But… his blood is tainted, Catrina,” I protested, my voice shaking.
The drop of Damien’s blood on Lucas’s cheek looked like a dark mark, a symbol of evil. “It’s poisoned. It could hurt Lucas.”
“No, Rowan,” she said firmly.
Her eyes met mine, and I saw both Lyra’s ancient wisdom and Catrina’s gentle love in them.
“Damien’s magic is gone. His power is broken. What’s left in his blood… it’s just a spark, Rowan. A spark of potential, of protection. It won’t hurt Lucas. It will shield him. Make him strong.”
She looked down at Lucas, her eyes softening, her touch gentle as she brushed his cheek.
“It’s a gift, Rowan,” she whispered. “A gift from… another mother. A mother who lost her own child… and wants to protect yours.”
I watched, my heart pounding, as Lucas stirred. His tiny chest rose and fell, and color returned to his cheeks. His eyes fluttered open, a brilliant blue.
“He’s alive,” I breathed, a sob escaping my lips.
Relief washed over me, pushing away the fear and grief. “He’s alive, Catrina. He’s okay.”
Tears streamed down my face. I reached out, my hand trembling, and touched Lucas’s cheek.
His skin was warm, and his scent filled me with a love so powerful that my wolf howled with joy.
“Thank you,” I whispered, looking at Catrina, my voice thick with emotion.
“Thank you, Catrina. Thank you… Lyra.”
But as I spoke, Catrina swayed. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she collapsed against me.
“Catrina!” I cried, my arms wrapping around her.
Her scent, lavender, vanilla, and magic, filled my senses.
“No… Catrina, wake up!”
“She’s just exhausted, Rowan,” Vivian said, her voice calm and soothing.
“The merging… it took a lot out of her. The battle, the magic… she’s not used to it. She needs to rest.”
“But… will she be okay?” I asked, my voice trembling.
Her silver hair, a waterfall of moonlight against my arm, reminded me of the power she’d used, the sacrifices she’d made. “Will she… come back to us?”
“She will, Rowan,” Isabelle said gently.
She knelt beside me, her eyes were warm with concern.
“She’s strong, Rowan. Stronger than you think. And she loves you. She loves Lucas. That love will bring her back.”
“Time?” King Korvash’s voice was a harsh bark. He looked at Catrina, his face grim, a flicker of fear in his icy eyes.
“There’s no time, Alpha. The merging… it’s taking its toll. Her soul… it’s fading. We have to act quickly, or we’ll lose her. Forever.”
“Lost?” I gasped, fear exploding inside me.
I couldn’t lose her. Not now. Not after everything we’d been through.
“What do you mean, ‘lost’?”
“The power… Lyra’s power… it was too much for her,” King Korvash explained, his voice heavy with sorrow.
“She sacrificed herself to save your son, to protect your pack, to defeat Damien. And now… her soul is paying the price.”
I stared at Catrina, at the silver she-wolf who had fought so bravely, who had given everything to save us. My heart ached with despair.
“You sacrificed your life, Catrina… to save us?”