The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 226: Chapter 226

Emma POV:
"Close your eyes, children. And hold on tight.”
Agnes’s voice, a raspy whisper, sent a shiver down my spine. It was a mix of power and magic that I didn’t understand.
The air was thick with the smell of incense and herbs. It made my head spin and my stomach churn.
I squeezed Brock’s hand. His touch was warm and reassuring, a reminder of the human world, the normal life we were leaving behind.
It felt like stepping into a dream, a destiny I couldn’t escape.
I’d told Henri and Maggie everything— about the dreams, the shadowy sorcerer, the wolf pendant, about how Catrina was in danger and how Rowan was the only one who could save her.
They’d listened, their faces grim, their scents filled with a primal fear that mirrored my own.
It was the fear of a parent who would do anything to protect their child.
We stood in a circle of flickering candles, Agnes’s voice chanting words I didn’t understand.
The air crackled with energy. Shadows danced on the walls. It felt like reality itself was… shifting.
What are we doing, Emma?
A voice, a whisper of doubt, spoke in my mind. This is… magic.
We’re messing with powers we don’t understand.
But another voice, stronger and more insistent, drowned out the doubt.
It was a feeling deep inside me, a need to protect Rowan and Catrina, a love that defied logic.
We have to do this. We have to help them. We have to trust Agnes. We have to believe.
The air grew colder, and the smell of incense intensified. I could hear a low hum, a vibration coming from the ground, a pulse of energy that made my bones vibrate.
And then the world exploded in a flash of blinding white light.
I gasped, stumbling back, my hand reaching for Brock’s. My eyes struggled to adjust to the dim light.
Were those… trees? But they weren’t like any trees I’d ever seen.
They were twisted and gnarled, their branches like skeletal claws, their leaves withered and black.
It was a forest of shadows, a graveyard.
The air was heavy, thick with the smell of decay and a strange, ancient power.
It felt evil, a presence that made my skin crawl.
“Where… where are we?” Brock’s voice was a shaky whisper, reflecting my own fear.
We were in a strange, unsettling place.
“We’re in the spirit realm, children,” Agnes said, her voice a low rumble.
Her blue eyes glowed with an unnatural light, and her scent was a mix of lavender and a powerful magic that frightened me.
“This is a place of shadows and whispers, of ancient magic and forgotten memories. The rules of our world don’t apply here.”
She paused, her gaze meeting mine, her eyes filled with sadness.
They reminded me of Catrina’s eyes, but older, wiser.
“Be careful, children,” she warned, her voice a soft whisper.
“This place is dangerous. It’s a place where dreams and nightmares collide. Where the past, the present, and the future are all tangled together.”
I shivered. The air was cold, and I felt a presence watching us, a shadow I couldn’t shake.
“What… what do we do now, Agnes?” I asked, my voice trembling. I felt lost, confused.
“We need to find Catrina. And Rowan.”
“Follow me,” Agnes said, her silver hair a beacon in the dim light, her scent a mix of lavender and power.
“I know the way. But be careful. This realm is full of danger. And we’re not alone.”
We followed her, the air thick with the smell of magic and decay.
The twisted trees seemed to watch us, their shadows whispering secrets.
“Where are we going?” Brock asked, his voice nervous.
He gripped my hand tighter, his touch a reminder of the human world we’d left behind, the love we were fighting to protect.
“To a place of power, Brock,” Agnes replied, her voice a low rumble.
She walked with confidence, her steps sure.
It was clear she knew this realm, that she was a master of its magic. But it scared me.
“A place where Damien’s magic is strongest.”
“But why?” I asked, a tremor of fear in my voice. “Why would we go to Damien?”
“He’s holding Catrina there, child,” Agnes said sadly.
Her eyes, so much like Catrina’s, were filled with a mother’s love, a grandmother’s worry.
“And Rowan… he’s gone to find her. To save her.”
“But… Rowan… he…” I stammered, remembering his rejection, his coldness.
“It was a mistake.” His words echoed in my mind.
“He… he doesn’t want her anymore, Agnes,” I said, my voice breaking.
“He chose another path. He’s with Isabelle now.”
“Love doesn’t work that way, child,” Agnes said gently.
She spoke with a wisdom that went beyond anything I understood.
“The mate bond… it’s powerful. It’s destiny. Rowan might have tried to erase his memories, to break the bond, but it’s still there, Emma. Deep within his soul. And within Catrina’s.”
Her words sparked a tiny flicker of hope in the darkness, a hope that Rowan’s love for Catrina was real, that their bond couldn’t be broken. But I was still scared.
“We have to help them, Agnes,” I said, a new determination in my voice. “We have to try.”
“We will, child,” Agnes said, her voice firm, her gaze meeting mine. We were united in this, bound by a shared purpose, a need to save the people we loved.