The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 244: Chapter 244

Rowan POV:
Derek pushed open the heavy oak door, and a blast of cold, smelly air hit us like a wall.
The room beyond was huge, with high ceilings lost in shadows.
The air shimmered with an unnatural green glow. The strong smell of ancient magic made my wolf snarl a warning.
“Damien,” I growled, my voice echoing through the huge room. “Show yourself!”
A cold, sharp laugh echoed back. “Rowan Magnus...”
Damien stepped out from the shadows, his red eyes glowing with an evil light. He wore a black robe with symbols, and his presence radiated a dark energy that made the air crackle.
He stood beside Catrina, who was frozen like a statue, her hair like a waterfall against her pale skin.
Her blue eyes were open but empty, glazed over with a blank expression that sent shivers down my spine.
He’s done something to her, Rowan, my wolf whimpered, scared and angry. He’s taken her.
“Let her go, Damien,” I growled, my voice low. “She doesn’t belong to you.”
“She belongs to me now, Alpha,” Damien purred, his voice mocking.
“She's chosen her true destiny. Haven’t you, my love?”
He ran a hand through Catrina's hair, a possessive gesture that made my blood boil. She didn’t react, her eyes staring blankly ahead.
He’s controlling her, Rowan. We have to break his hold.
My wolf paced restlessly, wanting to attack. But I knew that wouldn't work. Damien was too powerful. We had to find another way.
“Let her go, Damien,” I repeated, forcing my voice to stay calm. “This isn’t a game. She doesn’t want to be with you. She’s my mate.”
“Mate? A quaint, outdated concept,” Damien scoffed, his red eyes flickering with disdain.
“Love is an illusion, Rowan. A weakness. Power is the only truth. And soon, her power… will be mine.”
He turned to Catrina, his gaze possessive, hungry.
“Isn’t that right, my Lyra?”
My wolf growled, a low, guttural sound. He couldn't stand to hear Damien call her Lyra, to see him touch her.
“Don’t call her that!” I snarled. “She’s not yours! Her name is Catrina!”
"Catrina? A pathetic, meaningless name," Damien sneered. “She’s Lyra, the Lycan princes, the heir to an ancient power. And soon, that power will be mine."
He turned to face me, his eyes glowing with a dark energy that made the air crackle. “And you, Rowan Magnus, you will be the key to unlocking it.”
“I’ll never help you, Damien,” I growled. “I’ll never let you hurt her. You’ll have to kill me first.”
“Kill you? How… boring.” Damien waved a hand dismissively. “I have much more… creative plans for you, Alpha. But first…”
He looked at Isabelle, his eyes lingering on her with a predatory gleam.
“The lovely Alpha Isabelle. Always a pleasure to see you again, my dear. Such… untapped potential. Such… wasted loyalty.”
“Shut up, Damien!” Isabelle snarled, her amber eyes blazing with fury. She stepped forward, her wolf bristling, her claws extended.
“Leave her alone!” Derek growled, his golden eyes narrowed, his wolf ready to defend Isabelle.
"Such… predictable responses.” Damien chuckled, amused by our anger, our protectiveness.
“But pointless. You are all pawns in my game, dancing to my tune. Your love, your loyalty, your rage… it’s all… fuel for my power.”
He raised his hand, his magic swirling around him, forming a vortex of dark energy.
“Now, let the real games begin.”
The shadows around him twisted and changed, becoming monstrous shapes with glowing red eyes and claws dripping with black ooze.
“Kill them all,” Damien commanded coldly. “Except the omega. She’s… mine.”
The shadow warriors surged forward, their growls menacing, ready to tear us apart.
“Get Catrina out of here!” I roared, my wolf lunging at one of the shadow creatures, my claws ripping, my fangs tearing. “Get her to safety!”
“No way, Rowan. We’re not leaving you!” Derek shouted, battling another shadow warrior.
The battle was a whirlwind of chaos – fur, fangs, claws, snarls, roars, and the clash of magic against primal fury.
The air crackled with energy, and the smell of blood was thick and heavy.
I fought fiercely, my wolf’s strength fueled by desperation, the need to protect Catrina, to avenge our fallen packmates, to break Damien's hold on our world.
But the shadow warriors were relentless, their numbers seemingly endless.
I saw Isabelle and Derek fighting side-by-side, their wolves a blur of and gold. Their movements were synchronized, their scents a mix of pine and lavender and shared determination.
Their bond, a force that even Damien couldn’t break, went beyond their forbidden love, their loyalty to the pack, to each other.
And then I saw Henri and Maggie.
They fought with a ferocity that belied their omega nature, their love for their daughter a primal force that gave even the shadow warriors pause.
They’re here for her, Rowan. Just like you, my wolf growled, with a hint of respect.
But even with their help, we were losing ground. Damien’s magic was too powerful.
He stood at the back of the room, his red eyes gleaming, a cruel smile on his lips, watching the carnage with cold detachment. He was enjoying our pain, our fear, our desperation.
We can’t beat him, Rowan. Not like this, my wolf howled mournfully.
“We need to find a way to break his concentration,” I growled, dodging a shadow warrior's claws. “Distract him. Give Catrina a chance to break free.”
“But how?” Derek gasped, searching for a solution.
“I… I don’t know yet.” I scanned the room, my eyes searching for a weapon, a strategy, anything that could give us an advantage.
And then I saw it. The heart of Damien’s power.
A crystal, pulsing with dark energy, sat on a pedestal in the center of the room. It was the source of his magic, the anchor that connected him to this world, the key to his control over the shadow warriors.
Destroy it, Rowan. Destroy the crystal! my wolf roared.
But it was heavily guarded. A circle of shadow warriors stood around it, their red eyes burning, their claws extended, a wall of darkness protecting Damien’s most valuable possession.
We have to try, Rowan. It’s our only chance!
I nodded, a desperate plan forming in my mind. A gamble that could either save us or doom us all.
“Derek, Isabelle,” I called out, my voice cutting through the chaos. “Create a diversion! Draw the shadows away from the crystal! I’ll take care of the rest.”
They didn’t hesitate. They understood. They were wolves, warriors, and they trusted their Alpha.
“On your command, Rowan,” Isabelle said fiercely, her amber eyes blazing with determination.
“Let’s do this, Derek.”
She charged into the fray, her wolf a blur, her claws deadly, drawing the attention of the shadow warriors.
Their red eyes fixated on her, their primal instincts to hunt and kill overriding their obedience to Damien.
Derek, his golden wolf a powerful force beside her, followed. His every move was a testament to his love for her, his devotion to his Alpha and his pack.
“Now, Rowan!” Carson shouted, his golden eyes meeting mine. We shared an understanding, a bond of trust, a brotherhood forged in battle.
I didn’t hesitate.
I lunged towards the crystal, my claws extended, my fangs bared, my heart filled with determination and love.