The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 279: Chapter 279

Catrina POV:
“It is done, Catrina Blanc.”
King Korvash’s voice, a low rumble, was filled with a grudging respect, a recognition of the power I now wielded, the sacrifice I had made.
“The ritual is complete. The bond is… broken. The beacon… extinguished.”
He paused, his gaze meeting mine, his icy blue eyes mirroring the ancient magic that now flowed through me, the power that was both a gift and a curse.
“But be warned, the darkness is not… defeated. Damien… he will return. And he will seek… to reclaim… what he has lost.”
“I’ll be ready for him, Alpha King,” I said, my voice a low growl, echoing Lyra’s strength, my own determination, a love that defied even death, a destiny I was now embracing.
“I’m not afraid of him. Not anymore.”
“You have… become something… more, Catrina Blanc,” he said, his voice a low rumble, a prophecy of the power I now carried, the destiny I was forging.
“You are… the Silver Wolf. The… guardian of the balance. The… protector of… this realm.”
He paused, his gaze intense, his words a warning, a challenge, a hope.
“Use your power… wisely, Catrina. For the fate of your world… rests on your… shoulders.”
And as he vanished into the swirling mists of the spirit realm, leaving me alone with the echoes of his words, the weight of my sacrifice, the power that surged within me.
The spirit realm shimmered and shifted, the desolate landscape of the third trial dissolving, replaced by the familiar warmth of Elias’s workshop.
I opened my eyes, blinking against the sudden shift in light, the scent of incense and herbs a comforting presence, a reminder of the human world, the life I’d almost lost.
“Catrina! You’re back!” Emma’s voice, filled with relief, was a welcome sound, a reminder of the friendship we shared, the love that had anchored me to this world.
She rushed towards me, her blue eyes shining, her human scent a stark contrast to the magic and musk of the spirit realm.
“I was so worried! Elias said… he said the ritual was… dangerous. That you… you might not…”
Her words trailed off, her gaze searching mine, her expression a mix of joy and a lingering fear, a recognition of the change she saw in me, the power I now radiated.
“I’m… I’m okay, Emma,” I said softly, my voice a little hoarse, a reminder of the pain I’d endured, the sacrifice I’d made.
But my gaze was steady, my amber eyes filled with a newfound strength, a quiet confidence that came from deep within my soul.
“I’m… different. But I'm… okay.”
I looked around the workshop, the familiar objects – the animal skulls, the bundles of dried herbs, the crystals that pulsed with a faint light – now resonated with a deeper meaning, a connection to the spirit realm, to the ancient magic that flowed through my veins.
“Where’s Elias?” I asked, my gaze meeting Emma’s, a question that held a weight of unspoken grief, a shared loss. We both knew the answer, but we needed to hear it, to acknowledge the sacrifice he’d made, the price he’d paid.
“He’s… he’s gone, Catrina,” Emma whispered, her voice breaking, her eyes filling with tears, a human grief that mirrored my own, a reminder of the darkness we’d faced, the battle we’d won, the price we’d all paid. “Damien… he… he took him.”
I nodded, my own tears falling, a silent tribute to the shaman who had guided me, who had helped me unlock Lyra’s power, who had shown me the way.
He’d sacrificed himself to protect us, to give us a chance. And I wouldn't forget him.
“He’s… he’s at peace now, Emma,” I said softly, my voice filled with a quiet sadness, a hope that his spirit had found its way to the light, to a place where there was no pain, no darkness, no loss.
“He’s… where he’s… supposed to be.”
And as I looked at Emma, at the love in her eyes, the strength she’d found, the human spirit that had defied the odds.
We would fight for the future he’d believed in.
We would never… forget.
“It’s time, Catrina.”
Mom’s voice, a gentle murmur, pulled me from my thoughts, my grief, my memories.
She stood in the doorway, her lavender scent a comforting presence, her eyes, though filled with a mother’s worry, also held a strength, a hope, a love that had endured everything.
“It’s… time to go… home.”
Home.
The word resonated deep within me, a longing for a place I hadn’t realized I’d been missing, a connection to a world I’d almost lost.
I looked at Emma, a silent goodbye passing between us, a promise to see each other again, soon.
We’d both been changed by our journey into the spirit realm, marked by the darkness we’d faced, the love we’d found, the sacrifices we’d witnessed.
But we were survivors. And we would carry those scars, those memories, with us, a reminder of the strength we possessed, the hope we still clung to.
I followed Mom out of the workshop, into the cool night air, the scent of pine and earth a welcome change from the heavy incense and herbs, a reminder of the human world, the life I was fighting for.
As we walked towards the car, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched, that something, a dark presence, lurked in the shadows, its gaze cold and menacing.
He’s still out there, Catrina.
My wolf growled, her voice a low rumble in my chest, her silver fur bristling, her senses on high alert. Damien. He’s waiting for us.
“I know,” I whispered back, my gaze scanning the darkness, my hand instinctively going to the silver amulet Elias had given me, a gift, a guide, a weapon, a reminder of the power I now carried within, the magic I had to control, the destiny I had to embrace.
“But I’m ready for him. This time… I’m ready.”
We drove back to the Magnus Packhouse, the familiar scent of pine and woodsmoke a welcome comfort, a reminder of the family that waited, the love that had endured.
But even as I stepped out of the car, as I looked at the familiar building, its amber windows glowing warmly in the night, a sense of unease, a chilling premonition, a whisper of a fear I couldn’t ignore, settled over me.
“It’s… Derek isn't it?” Mom asked, her voice a gentle murmur.
She’d always been perceptive, her omega senses attuned to the subtle shifts in emotions, the unspoken fears.
“Something’s… wrong with him, isn’t it?”
I nodded, my heart pounding, my wolf pacing restlessly, her claws digging into the earth, her amber eyes scanning the shadows.
I could feel it, a darkness lurking, a presence that wasn’t Damien, but something… familiar. Something… twisted. Something… that made my blood run cold.
“He’s… he’s changed, Mom” I whispered, my voice a tremor of fear. “He’s… he’s not… himself.”
“Derek?”
Isabelle’s voice, a mix of love and desperation, echoed through the Magnus packhouse, a desperate plea, a cry for help, a reminder of the bond they shared, the love they were fighting for.
I followed the sound, my heart pounding, my wolf’s instincts screaming a warning, the scent of blood and a primal rage filling my senses.
I found them in Derek’s study, the room a shambles, furniture overturned, papers scattered, the air thick with the musk of werewolves and the metallic tang of… blood.
Isabelle stood in the center of the room, her silver fur gleaming under the dim light, her amber eyes blazing with a mix of fury and heartbreak.
Her hands were stained crimson, her claws extended, her wolf barely contained, a fierce protector.
And at her feet, his body convulsing, lay… Derek.
“What… what happened?” I whispered, my voice a tremor of horror, my gaze fixed on Derek’s broken form, the darkness that clung to him, a chilling echo of Damien’s magic, a reminder of the battle we’d just fought, the enemy we thought we’d defeated.
“He’s… he’s…”
My words trailed off, unable to voice the terrifying truth, the chilling realization that the darkness… hadn’t been vanquished. It had… transformed. It had… found a new… vessel.
“The larva,” Isabelle said, her voice a broken whisper, her gaze meeting mine, a shared grief, a mutual understanding.
“It’s… it’s back.”