The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 208: Chapter 208

Rowan POV:
“This is your doing, Rowan Magnus.” King Korvash’s voice, a low rumble that echoed through the stone chamber, was heavy with judgment.
His icy blue eyes held a chilling certainty, a knowledge that sent shivers down my spine.
“Your mess to clean up.”
I stared at him, the weight of his words, the realization that I’d messed everything up, crushing me.
I’d tried to protect Catrina, to give her a normal life, free from the darkness of our world.
And I’d failed.
Miserably.
“We have to stop him, Korvash,” I pleaded, my voice hoarse with desperation.
“We have to stop Damien. He’ll destroy her. He’ll destroy everything.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Korvash snapped, his gaze sharp.
“You think I haven't seen the darkness he’s capable of? The lives he’s ruined? The pain he’s caused?”
His words were laced with a bitterness that made my wolf cower.
Korvash knew Damien. He’d fought him before, a battle that had left its scars on both of them, a reminder of the ancient feud that threatened to consume our world.
“But this is different, Korvash,” I argued, my voice rising with urgency.
“He’s not after power this time. He’s after… Catrina. He wants her magic. He wants… Lyra. And she’s not ready. She doesn’t even remember who she is, what she’s capable of.”
“Do you think I haven't considered that?” Korvash growled, his silver fur bristling.
“Do you think I’m not aware of the danger she’s in? Of the threat Damien poses to her, to all of us?”
“Then help me! You have to help me!” I pleaded, my wolf pacing restlessly, his claws digging into the stone floor.
“You have the power, the knowledge… you can stop him!”
Korvash shook his head, his gaze filled with a chilling certainty.
“This is a path you must walk alone, Alpha. You made the choice to tamper with time, to defy destiny. Now you must face the consequences. Even if they are… catastrophic.”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut.
I had been a fool, arrogant, thinking I could control fate, that I could protect Catrina from the darkness. But I’d only made things worse.
“But Catrina… she needs our help!” I argued, my voice cracking.
“She’s not strong enough to face Damien alone! He’ll destroy her.”
“She’s stronger than you think, Rowan Magnus,” Korvash said, his gaze piercing me.
“She carries a power you can’t even imagine. A power that even Damien fears. A power that… comes from love.”
He turned away, his silver fur shimmering in the dim light of the chamber, his voice a low, echoing rumble.
“This is your test, Alpha. Your trial by fire. Succeed, and you may yet save your mate, your pack, your world. Fail… and the consequences will be dire. For all of us.”
His words, a prophecy and a warning, hung in the air as he disappeared into the shadows.
I was alone, the weight of my choices, the echoes of my mistakes, crushing me.
“He’s right, Rowan. This is our mess. We have to fix it.” My wolf’s voice was a low growl, no longer whining with fear, but filled with a grim determination.
I’d made a choice. A selfish choice.
I’d tried to erase Catrina’s memories, to sever our bond, to give her a normal life, a life free from the dangers of our world, the darkness that seemed to cling to me.
And I’d failed.
Damien was back. Catrina was in danger. And it was my fault.
Memories of that night in the Drakhor Clan’s sacred chamber flooded my mind. I’d stood there, my heart breaking as I’d watched the sorcerers prepare the ritual, their faces grim, their voices chanting in an ancient language.
“Are you sure about this, Rowan?” King Korvash had asked, his icy blue eyes searching mine.
“The price is high. You will lose her. Completely.”
“I know,” I’d whispered, my voice hoarse with grief.
“But it’s the only way. I can’t… I can’t bear the thought of her being trapped in this world, in this… this darkness. She deserves a chance at a normal life, a life free from… from me. From the curse of being a Magnus.”
He’d nodded, his gaze full of understanding, of pity. “Very well, Alpha. Your sacrifice is… noble. But be warned, the magic is ancient, powerful. It will change you both… forever.”
The sorcerers had begun chanting then, their voices rising and falling, weaving a tapestry of magic that felt both alluring and terrifying.
The air crackled with energy, and the shadows in the chamber danced and twisted, as if alive.
I’d closed my eyes, focusing on Catrina, on the memory of her smile, her scent, her touch.
It was the only thing that gave me the strength to go through with it, to utter the words of the ritual, the words that would sever our bond, erase her memories, rewrite our destiny.
“Let her go. Let her be happy. Let her live a life… without me.”
And the world had exploded in a blinding flash of white light.
Now, standing in the ruins of the Bloodmoon den, the scent of blood and magic thick in the air, I knew the truth.
I hadn’t saved her. I’d condemned her.
I’d brought the darkness right to her doorstep.
I had to fix this. I had to save her.
I picked up her scent again, faint but unmistakable. It was a trail of lavender and vanilla, of fear and determination, leading away from the clearing, deeper into the Bloodmoon territory.
It was a trail that led me towards the heart of the storm, towards the darkness that awaited, towards the one thing that mattered more than anything else in the world.
"Catrina," I whispered, my voice a low growl, a promise etched in my soul. "I'm coming for you."
I raced through the forest, the wind and rain whipping at my face.
I didn't care about the pain in my side, the exhaustion that weighed me down.
“We’re coming, Catrina.” My wolf growled, his voice echoing my own desperate determination. Hold on.
We would find her. We had to.