The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 233: Chapter 233

Henri POV:
“Stay behind me! Both of you! These things… they’re dangerous!”
I snarled, my wolf bristling, my claws extending as a shadowy figure lunged at Emma and Brock. Its eyes glowed, and its teeth were bared in a silent snarl.
The creature radiated a cold, unnatural energy that made my fur stand on end.
“Damien’s guard dogs.” My wolf growled, his voice a low rumble in my chest, a mix of anger and fear.
We were in the spirit realm, a world of swirling mists and twisted trees, the air thick with the scent of decay and magic.
It was a place I’d only glimpsed in dreams, in nightmares.
But here I was, flesh and blood, walking alongside my mate, Maggie, and two humans who had no business being in this dangerous place.
But they were here for my daughter, for Catrina, and that made them family.
“Henri, be careful!” Maggie shouted, her voice laced with worry.
She stood beside the humans, her scent sharp with fear, her eyes scanning the shadows, searching for any sign of danger.
I lunged, intercepting the shadow warrior before it could reach Emma and Brock.
We clashed, claws and fangs meeting in a flurry of motion.
The air crackled with magic as our wolves and a shadow battled for dominance.
“Get back!” I roared, pushing the creature away, my wolf’s strength surprising even me.
It stumbled, its red eyes flickering with confusion, a momentary lapse in Damien’s control.
I took advantage of its hesitation, slashing at its chest with my claws, drawing a howl of pain that echoed through the strange, silent landscape of the spirit realm.
“Henri, look out!” Maggie’s warning cry made me duck just in time.
Another shadow warrior, this one larger, with glowing claws that dripped a viscous black ooze, lunged at me.
I snarled, ready to fight, but before I could react, a blinding flash of light exploded between us.
The air crackled with an ancient power that made my wolf tremble in awe.
The larger shadow warrior staggered back, its red eyes widening with fear, a guttural howl of pain ripping from its throat.
And then, from the heart of the light, she emerged.
Vivian.
Her wolf form, a magnificent creature of and shadow, stood between me and the shadow warriors, her eyes blazing with a fury that sent shivers down my spine.
“Vivian?” My wolf whimpered, a mix of disbelief and joy in his voice. “But… but how…?”
“Get the humans to safety, Henri.” Her voice, a low growl, full of power and command, was a reminder of the Alpha she could have been, the leader she was always meant to be.
“I’ll hold them off.”
She didn’t wait for a reply.
She charged at the shadow warriors, her a blur of motion, her claws a whirlwind of death.
They tried to fight back, but they were no match for her fury.
“Vivian!” I shouted, my voice rough with emotion. I couldn't believe it. She was alive!
I rushed towards her, ignoring the danger, the battle raging around us.
I needed to see her, to touch her, to make sure this wasn't just another cruel trick of the spirit realm.
"Henri, what are you doing? It's not safe!" Maggie yelled, grabbing my arm, her scent sharp with worry.
But I shook her off, my gaze fixed on Vivian, my heart pounding with a mix of joy and fear.
“Vivian!” I shouted again, pushing past a tangle of battling wolves, the scent of blood and magic thick in the air.
She glanced at me, a flash of recognition in her eyes.
“Henri?” She sounded surprised, a hint of warmth softening her fierce growl.
And then she was beside me, her fur brushing against mine, her scent a familiar comfort, a reminder of a lifetime ago, of a bond that had been forged in blood, in a pack, that transcended even the boundaries of death.
I pulled her close, burying my face in her fur, the warmth of her body, the reality of her presence, chasing away the doubts, the fears, the years of wondering, of grieving, of a sister that had been lost and… found.
“I can’t believe… you’re… you’re alive.” My voice was rough with emotion, tears stinging my eyes.
She pulled back, her eyes, so full of life, so full of… regret?
"Vivian… is it really you?" I reached out, my hand trembling, touching her fur. It was soft, warm, real. Relief washed over me, so powerful it almost made me stagger.
"My… my dear brother." Her voice, a low growl, was full of a sadness that tore at my heart. She was alive.
But there was so much pain in her eyes, a weight of sorrow that I couldn't comprehend.
“It’s been so long…" My voice broke.
Memories flooded back – Vivian, a young, vibrant she-wolf with eyes as blue as the summer sky, running through the forest with me, our laughter echoing through the trees.
My family had taken her in, an orphaned pup, and she'd become like a sister to me.
I had loved her, protected her, just like a brother should. And then, she was gone.
"I… I thought you were dead." I whispered, my voice thick with emotion, the years of grief, of loss, of unanswered questions, a heavy weight on my soul.
"I thought you were gone forever.”
“There’s no time for this, Henri,” she said, her voice sharp, urgent.
Her gaze flickered towards the remaining shadow warriors, who were regrouping, their red eyes burning with a renewed ferocity.
“We have to get out of here. Rowan is in danger. Catrina is in danger. Damien… he’s back. He’s planning something terrible.”
“We know! We know Damien is back!” I said, my voice frantic, my wolf pacing restlessly beside me, his claws digging into the ground.
“Those human kids, Emma and Brock, they told us. They had… visions, memories, of another time. A time when… when you were both involved… when Damien tried to… to…”
I couldn’t finish the sentence. The memories were too painful, too confusing.
A jumble of images, of a she-wolf, of a baby’s cry, of a darkness that had almost consumed us all.
“We thought Damien was gone. We thought… you were gone.” My voice cracked, the years of grief resurfacing.
“It’s a long story, Henri,” Vivian interrupted, her voice sharp, her gaze still fixed on the shadowy figures.
“But we don’t have time. We have to find Rowan. He needs to know the truth. He needs to know what Damien is planning.”
“But how? Where is he?”
I asked, looking around the chaotic spirit realm, the twisted trees, the swirling mists, a growing sense of dread settling in my gut.
“I can feel him, Henri,” Vivian said, her voice a low growl.
“He’s close. And Catrina… she’s with him. But they’re in danger, Henri. Grave danger. We have to hurry.”
She turned to the humans, who were huddled together, their faces pale, their eyes wide with fear.
Their scents a mix of terror and a determination that surprised me, a reminder of the love that had brought them here, the bond that connected them to my daughter, to my… grandson?
The thought, a sudden realization, a joy that pierced through the darkness.
A hope for a future that was still uncertain, made my heart ache, a mix of emotions that I couldn’t process, a father’s love, a grandfather’s pride, an omega’s fierce protectiveness.
“We need to go, now!” Vivian’s voice, a command, a plea, brought me back to the present, the urgency of the situation, the danger that loomed.
“Follow me, and stay close. This realm is treacherous, and Damien’s magic… it’s everywhere.”
She led the way through the labyrinthine paths of the spirit realm, a world that was both beautiful and terrifying, a place where the boundaries of life and death blurred, where the shadows whispered secrets, where destiny unfolded.