The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 197: Chapter 197

Catrina POV:
"Stay back, Catrina!"
Rowan's voice, a strained growl, cut through the tense silence that followed Damien's arrival.
I wanted to run to him, to help him, but my feet were rooted to the spot. Fear, cold and sharp, held me captive.
"This is between me and the Alpha."
Damien’s voice was smooth, but his crimson eyes burned with a malicious fire that made my wolf whimper.
He was toying with us, enjoying our fear.
“Oh, I think the little omega might have a different opinion on that,”
Damien purred, his gaze shifting to me, a predatory gleam in his eyes.
He seemed to see right through me, into the depths of my soul, where a power I didn’t understand, a power he craved, was starting to awaken.
"Stay out of this, Catrina," Rowan growled, his amber eyes blazing with defiance.
He was trying to protect me, but I knew it was useless. Damien was too strong.
“Don’t worry, darling. We’ll have plenty of time to… get acquainted… later.” Damien’s smile was a cruel mockery of warmth.
He turned back to Rowan, his voice dripping with disdain.
“Now, where were we, Alpha? Ah, yes. Unfinished business.”
He raised his hand, and a bolt of dark energy shot towards Rowan. It hit him with a force that sent him flying backward, crashing into a tree.
I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth, a scream trapped in my throat.
“No! Rowan!” My wolf howled, her voice full of pain and fear.
I wanted to run to him, to help him, but I couldn’t move. My legs felt like lead.
I watched helplessly as Rowan struggled to get up, his silver fur matted with blood, his amber eyes blazing with a fury that was no match for Damien’s power.
Damien laughed, a cold, cruel sound that echoed through the clearing
“You’re pathetically weak, Rowan Magnus,” he sneered. “You think you can stand against me? Against the power I wield?”
He raised his hand again, another bolt of dark energy forming at his fingertips.
“He’s going to kill him, Catrina. He’s going to kill us all.” My wolf whimpered, her terror mirroring my own.
I couldn’t let that happen. I had to do something. But what?
“Fight him, Catrina! Use the power! The magic!”
Lyra’s voice, a fierce whisper in my mind, was a call to arms, a reminder of the strength I hadn't tapped into, the legacy that flowed through my veins.
I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. I could smell the pine and woodsmoke of the forest, the metallic tang of blood, the cloying scent of Damien’s dark magic.
And beneath it all, I could feel a new kind of power, an ancient energy, surging within me, a warmth spreading through my limbs, a strength I’d never known before.
“You’re stronger than you think, Catrina.” Lyra’s voice was a fierce whisper, urging me on.
“Embrace the power. Don’t be afraid.”
I opened my eyes.
The fear was still there, but it was overshadowed by a fierce determination, an instinct to protect her mate, her pack.
Damien was advancing on Rowan, his smile cruel, his crimson eyes burning with a dark triumph.
“He thinks he’s already won. He thinks we’re weak.” My wolf snarled. “Let’s show him what a real omega can do.”
I stepped forward, my gaze locking with Damien’s.
“I don’t think our fight is over yet, Damien,” I said, my voice stronger than I expected.
It was a challenge, a declaration of war.
A flicker of surprise crossed his face, his red eyes narrowing.
“You? You think you can challenge me, little omega?” His voice was laced with amusement and disdain.
“You’re nothing but a pawn in my game, Catrina. A means to an end. A tool to unlock the power I need.”
He laughed, a cold, cruel sound that echoed through the clearing.
“You think you have a choice in this, little omega? You think love can conquer my magic? You’re a fool, just like your Alpha.”
But as he spoke, as he mocked my defiance, I could feel the power within me growing, swirling, a force that even Damien, with his centuries of experience, his mastery of the dark arts, seemed to sense.
His amusement faded, replaced by a flicker of… fear?
“You underestimate me, Damien,”
I said, my voice ringing with a newfound confidence, a power that flowed from the depths of my soul, a legacy of strength and magic that he couldn’t break.
“I’m not the omega you think I am. I’m not weak. And I won’t let you hurt my mate. Not again.”
He stared at me, his crimson eyes narrowing, a storm of dark magic swirling around him.
I could feel the heat of it, the power, the danger. But I wouldn't back down. I wouldn't let him win.
"Not again?" Damien’s voice echoed with a cold amusement that chilled me to the bone.
"What do you mean, not again, Catrina? Are you remembering something, little omega? Something you shouldn't?"
He took a step toward me, his shadow falling over me like a shroud, the air thickening with the scent of magic and decay.
“He’s afraid.” My wolf growled, sensing his fear.
“He knows what you’re capable of. He knows who you really are.”
“I guess you’ll find out soon enough, Damien,” I said, my voice a low growl, my gaze unwavering.
I could feel the power surging within me, the ancient magic of my bloodline, a legacy of strength and defiance that even he couldn’t extinguish.
The clearing was silent. The Bloodmoon wolves watched, their red eyes wide with anticipation.
Rowan, struggling to his feet, stared at me, his expression a mix of awe and fear.
“Let it go, Catrina. Unleash the power.” My wolf’s voice was a fierce whisper, urging me forward.
The air crackled with tension. The battle lines were drawn.
And as I faced Damien, the sorcerer who had haunted my dreams, who had stolen my memories, who had tried to control my destiny.
I knew that this fight, this battle between light and darkness, between love and power, was far from over.