The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 231: Chapter 231

Rowan POV:
“Am I… dead?”
The words came out as a whisper, a confused breath escaping my lips.
I looked around at the beautiful garden, so different from the darkness and fear of my recent memories.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating a mix of colors that seemed unreal, like a dream.
The air was sweet with the scent of flowers.
A gentle breeze carried the sound of a waterfall.
It was a soothing melody that calmed the ache in my chest, the longing I felt for… for what?
I couldn’t remember. It was like waking up from a fever dream, my mind foggy, my memories jumbled.
I had no idea how I’d gotten here, why I was in this… paradise.
And then I saw her.
She stood by a marble fountain, her long, silver hair cascading down her back like moonlight.
Her dress, a shimmering silver and blue, flowed around her like water.
She was beautiful, breathtaking, and something about her felt… familiar.
I stared at her, my heart pounding, warmth spreading through my limbs.
Who is she? My wolf whimpered, his voice a low rumble, full of awe and a longing he didn’t understand.
Heat crept up my neck as I realized I’d been staring. I quickly looked away, embarrassed, my cheeks burning.
Why am I reacting like this?
And then it hit me. This wasn’t the present. This wasn’t my life.
It was a memory. A memory from another life.
A life I was never supposed to remember.
I wasn’t Rowan Magnus, the Alpha heir, struggling with a destiny I didn’t want.
I was… someone else. Someone… lesser.
I’m… an omega. The realization made me shiver, a mix of fear and a strange sense of rightness. Like this was… me. My true self.
And the beautiful she-wolf by the fountain… she was Lyra. The princess.
My princess.
But how… how can I remember this? I thought, panic rising inside me.
I made a deal with King Korvash. I gave up these memories. I sacrificed everything to give her another chance, to set her free.
The thought of losing her, of erasing her from my life, brought a wave of sadness that almost overwhelmed me.
“Kael? Is that you, lurking in the bushes?”
Lyra’s voice, cool and amused, snapped me back to the present. I straightened up, my cheeks burning even hotter.
She’d caught me staring.
I stepped out from behind the rose bushes, my heart pounding.
“I’m… I’m sorry, Your Highness,” I stammered, my gaze on the ground.
I couldn’t look at her. Not with this strange mix of emotions – awe, longing, a love that felt forbidden.
“I didn’t mean to… intrude. I was just… admiring the roses.” It was a lame excuse, but I couldn't tell her the truth.
I couldn't tell her I was drawn to her, that her scent intoxicated me, that her beauty made my heart ache.
“Roses?” She raised an eyebrow, a skeptical smirk on her lips.
She saw the single white rose I was holding, the one I’d just plucked.
“Seems a bit… convenient, Kael. Especially since you’re holding one.”
"I... I just…" I stammered, flustered, my cheeks burning.
I quickly hid the rose behind my back, like a guilty kid.
She laughed, a melodic sound that filled me with longing. But there was a nervous edge to her laughter, a tension that hadn't been there before.
“Relax, Kael,” she said, her voice softer now.
She glanced around the garden, her amber eyes scanning the hedges, the statues, the rose bushes.
She was worried.
“Just… be careful. You know how Damien is… always watching, always suspicious.”
He wouldn't understand, she whispered, her eyes meeting mine for a fleeting moment, a shared secret, a forbidden longing, passing between us.
He wouldn’t understand… us.
“I know,” I murmured, my gaze dropping, my wolf whimpering softly.
We both knew the risks. She was a Lycan princess, promised to a powerful nobleman.
I was just a lowly omega, a servant.
Our love was forbidden, a betrayal of the laws, a threat to the balance of power.
“I’m sorry, Lyra,” I whispered, my voice thick with regret.
“I shouldn’t have… I shouldn’t put you at risk.”
She reached out and gently touched my cheek. It was a spark of warmth that sent shivers down my spine.
“Don’t apologize, Kael,” she murmured, her eyes filled with a tenderness that made my wolf howl in protest.
He longed for a connection that was impossible.
“You know I don’t mind your… attentions.”
She glanced back at the palace, her expression hardening. Duty called.
The mask was back in place.
“Just… be careful, my love,” she whispered, her voice full of sadness. “Please.”
And then, as if summoned by our thoughts, a shadow fell over us.
The scent of pine and power, a presence that made my wolf cower, filled the air.
“My love,” a deep voice boomed, and my heart sank. “What are you doing out here?”
Damien.
He stood before us, tall and imposing, his crimson eyes cold and calculating.
He was dressed in fine silks, his every movement radiating Alpha authority, his presence a threat to our forbidden love.
Damien’s gaze flicked over me with disdain, then settled on Lyra.
“I was just… enjoying the fresh air,” she said, her voice controlled, calm.
But I could sense the tension in her, the fear she was trying to hide.
“Admiring the… roses.” Her voice dripped with sarcasm, but there was a tremor in it.
Damien chuckled, but there was no warmth in it.
“Roses? Seems a strange pastime for a princess. Isn’t that right, Kael?”
“My lord,” I mumbled, bowing my head, wanting to disappear.
My wolf was cowering, desperate to escape Damien’s scrutiny.
“Indeed, a strange pastime,” Damien continued, his voice a low rumble. “One might even say… suspicious.”
His words, a veiled threat, made my blood run cold. He suspected something.
He could sense the connection between us, the love we were trying to hide.
“Come, Lyra,” he said, taking her hand, his touch possessive, his grip firm.
“We have much to discuss.”
He led her away, his arm around her waist, her body stiff, her gaze fixed ahead. I watched them go, my wolf whimpering, my heart sinking.
“We’re doomed, Kael.” My wolf’s voice was a mournful howl, a reflection of my own despair. “Our love will destroy us all.”
That night, when the moon hung high in the sky, I found myself drawn back to the garden.
The air was heavy with the scent of jasmine, and a gentle breeze carried the faintest trace of her lavender and vanilla scent, a reminder of a love that was forbidden.
And then, I saw her.
She sat by the fountain, her silver gown shining in the moonlight.
Her face was pale, and her eyes held the same sadness that filled my own heart.
“Lyra?” I whispered, my heart pounding as I stepped out of the shadows.
“What are you doing here? It’s dangerous.”
She looked up, startled.
“Kael,” she breathed, her voice a mix of relief and fear. “What are you doing here? If Damien finds you…”
“I don’t care,” I said, my voice fierce, my wolf rising up inside me, defying the rules, the danger, everything.
I couldn’t stay away from her. Not anymore.
“I had to see you.”
She stood up, her gaze searching mine, her lavender and vanilla scent intoxicating.
“Oh, Kael,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “What are we doing? This is madness. We’ll be caught.”
“I don’t care, Lyra,” I said, cupping her face in my hands, my thumbs stroking her soft cheeks, memorizing the feel of her skin.
“I love you. And I can’t… I won’t keep hiding, pretending… always yearning for you. We’ll find a way to be together, Lyra. We have to.”
Tears shimmered in her eyes, reflecting the moonlight.
“I love you too, Kael,” she whispered, her voice full of a heartbreaking longing.
“But… Damien… my father… the pack… They’ll never understand. They’ll never accept us.”
“Then we’ll run away,” I said, my voice firm, determined.
“We’ll find a new pack, a new home, a place where our love won’t be… forbidden. We’ll create our own destiny, Lyra. Together.”
“Kael, it’s not that simple,” she said, her voice filled with despair.
“Damien is too powerful. He’ll find us. He’ll punish us.”
“Then we’ll fight him,” I said, my voice a low growl. “We’ll fight him with everything we have. Because our love, Lyra… it’s stronger than any magic, any law, even death itself.”
She looked at me, her amber eyes searching mine, hope flickering in their depths.
And then, she nodded, her voice a whisper, a promise.
"I know, my love,” she said, her fingers gently tracing the outline of my jaw, sending shivers down my spine.
“I know our love is strong. But… we have to be careful. We can’t let Damien suspect anything. Not yet. We need… time to plan.”
She leaned closer, her lips brushing against mine, her scent intoxicating, overwhelming.
"Promise me, Kael," she whispered, her voice urgent.
"Promise me you'll be careful. Promise me… you won't do anything foolish."
“I promise, Lyra,” I whispered back, my voice a vow, my heart filled with a love that would endure, a bond that defied time, a destiny that couldn't be denied.
“I’ll wait… as long as it takes.” And as we kissed, the moonlight bathed us in its silvery glow…