The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 267: Chapter 267

Catrina PÒV:
I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, trying to center myself, to focus on the present, on the task at hand, on the love that was real, the love that had endured.
Rowan’s gone, Catrina. But his love… it’s still within you. Let it guide you.
I opened my eyes, my gaze hardening, my wolf’s silver fur bristling with a newfound strength.
The image of Rowan by the fireplace flickered, its edges blurring, the warmth fading, replaced by a coldness that echoed the emptiness in my own heart.
“You can’t trick me, Damien,” I said, my voice a low growl, a challenge to the darkness that lurked, the shadows that whispered, the memories that haunted.
“I know… this isn’t real. And I… I won’t let you… control me.”
The illusion shattered, dissolving into the swirling mist, the green light pulsing ahead, urging me forward, deeper into the labyrinth.
As I walked on, new illusions emerged – twisted, distorted versions of my worst fears, my deepest insecurities.
I saw myself as a weak, helpless omega, cowering before Marcus’s anger, his words like daggers piercing my heart.
I saw myself as a failure, unable to save Rowan, his lifeless body cold in my arms.
I saw myself as a monster, consumed by Lyra’s power, a darkness that threatened to destroy everything I loved.
But with each illusion, each fear I faced, I grew stronger. Lyra’s power, her ancient magic, her warrior spirit, flowed through me, a shield against the darkness.
I remembered her battles, her triumphs, her unwavering determination, her fierce love for Kael – a love that had defied everything.
And I knew, with a growing certainty, that I was more than just an omega, more than just Catrina Blanc.
I was Lyra, too. And together, we were… unstoppable.
A monstrous figure, a creature of shadows and smoke, its eyes burning with a malevolent red light, emerged from the mist, blocking my path. It snarled, its claws dripping with a viscous black ooze, its scent a mix of decay and magic and primal fear.
It’s a guardian, Catrina. A protector of this realm. A test of your… courage.
My wolf growled, her silver fur bristling, ready to fight. She was no longer afraid. She’d faced Damien, she’d defeated him, she’d endured the spirit realm’s darkest depths. She was a warrior.
“Get out of my way,” I snarled, my voice a mix of my own and Lyra's, echoing with an ancient power that made the creature pause, its red eyes flickering with a hint of uncertainty.
“I’m not afraid of you.”
“You are… trespassing, omega,” the creature growled, its voice a distorted rumble.
“This realm… is not… for you. Turn back… or… face the consequences.”
“I’m not an omega,” I said coldly, my voice dripping with a power that surprised even me. “And I’m not afraid of… anything. Not anymore.”
I stepped forward, my gaze meeting the creature’s, challenging it, daring it to attack.
“I’m here for my mate. And I won’t be denied.”
The creature lunged, its claws slashing, its fangs bared, its shadow stretching like a dark cloak.
But I was ready.
I dodged its attack, my movements fluid, graceful, a blend of Lyra’s warrior training and my wolf’s primal instincts.
I countered with a swift kick, my silver claws raking across its chest, drawing a hiss of pain that echoed through the twisted trees.
The creature staggered back, its red eyes wide with surprise, as if it hadn’t expected such strength, such defiance, from a… an omega?
“You… you’re… different,” it growled, its voice a mix of confusion and a grudging respect.
“You… fight… like a… warrior.”
“I am a warrior,” I said, my voice a low growl, a declaration of my own power, my own identity.
I lunged again, my claws flashing, my wolf a blur of silver and shadow, a force that even the spirit realm’s guardians couldn’t contain.
And as the creature, its body dissolving into the swirling mist, its red eyes fading into the darkness, a wave of exhaustion washed over me, a reminder of the trials I’d faced, the battles I’d fought, the love I was fighting for.
I kept going, the path winding ever onward, deeper into the heart of the labyrinth. The shadows whispered secrets, the trees reached out like grasping claws, but I didn’t falter.
I was Catrina. I was Lyra. And I wouldn't be denied.
I would find King Korvash.
I would bring Rowan back.
I would reclaim our destiny.
The path opened into a clearing, bathed in an ethereal moonlight. In the center stood a figure, tall and imposing, his silver fur gleaming, his icy blue eyes piercing. King Korvash.
My heart leaped with a mix of hope and fear. I’d made it. I’d passed the first trial. But as I looked at him, at the ancient power he radiated, a doubt whispered in my mind.
Was I truly ready for what awaited me? Was I strong enough to face the Alpha King? To make him change his mind? To bring Rowan back?
He’s watching you, Catrina. Judging you.
“You have come far, young she-wolf,” his voice, a deep rumble, echoed through the clearing, making my wolf tremble.
“But the journey has just begun.”
He took a step towards me, his gaze intense, as if searching my soul, weighing my worth.
I could feel the power emanating from him and had to suppress the urge to cower, to submit.
“You seek a power beyond your understanding, Catrina Blanc,” he continued, his voice a chilling reminder of the magic I’d wielded, the darkness I’d faced.
“A power that can reshape destinies. A power that… defies the very laws of nature.”
He stopped in front of me, his icy blue eyes piercing mine, and I felt a coldness that went beyond the spirit realm’s chill.
It was a coldness that seeped into my bones, making me tremble. It was the weight of his judgment, the knowledge that the fate of my mate, my love, my future rested on his decision, his whim.
“But are you… worthy of such power?”