The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 237: Chapter 237

Rowan POV:
My head pounded, and my side felt like it was on fire.
The cold, damp stone floor of the cell chilled me to the bone. I opened my eyes to a dim, flickering torch that cast creepy shadows on the rough walls.
Where was I? My mind was a mess of broken memories and a weird feeling of weakness.
When I tried to sit up, I got dizzy and a sharp pain stabbed my side.
It brought back flashes of the fight, the Bloodmoon wolves, and… Damien? Fear ran down my spine as I saw his cruel smile and felt his ancient, evil power.
My wolf’s voice, a low growl in my head, said, He found a way back, Rowan.
Even though my wolf sounded tough, I didn’t feel it. I felt the heavy weight of being the Alpha, the leader, a role I wasn't sure I could handle.
I shook my head, trying to clear the confusion. Memories of a past I’d tried to bury kept popping up – a life I wanted to forget, a love I had sacrificed.
Catrina. Her name brought a sweet smell and a warm feeling to my chest. I missed her so much. She was my mate, the she-wolf I loved, and I had lost her.
She’s in danger, Rowan. We have to save her, my wolf urged.
But how? Where was she? Where was I?
The cell door creaked open, and two huge figures stepped in. Their eyes glowed red, and they smelled like pine trees mixed with something dark that made my wolf uneasy. They were Shadow warriors, Damien’s puppets.
My wolf wanted to attack, but my body was too weak from Damien’s magic and the pain in my side. I wasn’t the strong Alpha I should be.
“The Alpha wants to see you,” one of the shadows growled. Their eyes were empty, like they had no thoughts or feelings of their own.
They’re just puppets, Rowan. Controlled by Damien, my wolf warned.
I nodded and forced myself to stand. My legs were shaky, but I had to be strong. I had to find Catrina.
“Lead the way,” I growled, trying to sound tougher than I felt.
They took me through dark hallways that smelled like rot and magic. The walls were cold and wet, and the only sound was our footsteps echoing in the silence.
Where are they taking us? my wolf whimpered. He wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go.
Then I saw it. A giant iron door covered in glowing green symbols. It was a sign of Damien’s power, a warning of the darkness behind it.
One of the warriors pushed the door open, and a wave of heat and strong energy hit me. My wolf felt both scared and strangely excited.
It was the throne room. It was huge and dark, with torches casting long, dancing shadows. The air was thick with the smell of incense and magic, a sickening smell that reminded me of Damien.
At the end of the room, sitting on a throne of black obsidian that pulsed with dark energy, was Damien.
He was different. He wasn’t pretending to be Kael, the nice barista anymore. He was a creature of pure dark magic, his red eyes burning into my soul.
Beside him, her silver hair shining in the torchlight, stood Catrina. But her blue eyes were now a creepy amber color, empty and lifeless. She was Damien’s puppet.
“Ah, Rowan Magnus,” Damien’s voice purred, mocking me. “So glad you could join us. We’ve been expecting you.”
“Let her go, Damien,” I growled. My wolf wanted to fight, but he was weak.
“She doesn’t belong to you.”
“You dare speak to me like that, Alpha?” Damien’s voice was cold now. He was angry.
“You dare defy me… in my own… home?”
He stood up, towering over me. His red eyes blazed with power, and I felt like he could erase me with a thought.
He’s going to kill us, Rowan, my wolf whimpered.
“Bring him closer,” Damien commanded.
“I want to… enjoy… this moment. The moment… the Alpha… becomes the… omega.”
Two Shadow warriors grabbed me, their sharp claws digging into my arms. They dragged me to the center of the room, towards a torture rack. It was a twisted, blackened metal frame stained with blood.
He’s going to torture us, Rowan, my wolf cried.
“Do you know… what this is, Rowan Magnus?” Damien purred, his eyes gleaming.
“It’s… a reminder, Alpha. A… symbol of… your weakness. Your… humanity.”
His words were like poison, mocking the kindness and empathy that had made me question my father’s ways, that had drawn me to Catrina.
He’s going to break you, Rowan. He’s going to… destroy you, my wolf howled sadly.
But even though I felt despair, a tiny spark of hope remained. I remembered Catrina’s scent, her touch, her love. It was a light in the darkness.
“You think… you can break me, Damien?” I growled, looking him in the eye. I was still an Alpha, and I wouldn’t give up.
“You think… a few… chains and… whips… can… destroy me? You think… you can… take away… my… soul?”
“We’ll see about that, Alpha,” Damien sneered, a cruel smile spreading across his face.
“We’ll see… just how much… pain… a Magnus Alpha… can endure.”
He gestured to the Shadow warriors, and they moved closer, their claws ready. I knew I was about to be tortured, but a flicker of hope, a memory of a past life, a love that defied everything, ignited within me.
I remembered… everything. The secrets, the lies, the betrayals. I remembered a past love I tried to forget, a destiny I tried to change.
And as I looked at Damien, so sure of his victory, I knew he was wrong. He had underestimated me. He had underestimated Catrina. He had underestimated the power of our love, a love that could not be broken.
“You think… you know me, Damien?” I growled, challenging him.
“You think… you’ve seen… everything I’m capable of?”
“What… what are you… talking about, Rowan?” Catrina’s voice was a hesitant whisper. Her amber eyes showed a hint of confusion, a crack in Damien’s control.
“What… what are you trying to… do?”
“I’m… playing his game, Lyra,” I whispered, meeting her eyes. I needed her to understand, to trust me.
“I’m… going to… beat him… at his own… game.”
“You think… you can outsmart me, Rowan Magnus?” Damien laughed. “You are a fool… blinded by your love.”
“Maybe I’m a fool,” I growled, “But… not… blind. I know things, Damien. Things… that you… don’t. Secrets… that you… haven’t found. Memories… that you… can’t erase.”
My words hung in the air, heavy with meaning.
“What… what do you mean?” Catrina whispered, a hint of hope in her voice. “What… secrets? What… memories?”
“Secrets about… your past, Lyra,” I said, looking into her eyes. Our connection was stronger than Damien’s magic. “Memories… that he’s… trying to… hide from you. Memories… of a love… that was… real. A love… that… he couldn’t… destroy.”
“What… what are you talking about, Rowan?” She stepped closer, her amber eyes filled with confusion and longing. “Tell me… tell me… what you know.”
“I know… about… the nightingale, Lyra,” I whispered, sharing a secret, a memory, a love song that only the true Lyra would remember.
“The nightingale… that sang… outside your window… every night… a melody of… love… a song of… hope… a reminder… of a bond… that… could never… be broken.”
As Catrina’s eyes widened with recognition, I knew I hadn’t lost her. Our bond was still there, our destiny was still possible.
She’s coming back to us, Rowan, my wolf howled with joy.
But just then, Damien’s shadow fell over us.
“Enough of these… games, Rowan Magnus,” he snarled, his red eyes burning with fury.
“You will not… interfere… with my plans. You will not… touch… what is… mine.”
He lunged towards us, his magic swirling around him like a dark storm. I knew the battle had begun, a battle for Catrina’s heart, for my soul, for the future of our world.
We’re running out of time, Rowan, my wolf warned.