The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 282: Chapter 282

Catrina POV:
“He’s gone, Catrina. He’s not coming back.”
The voice of reason, a cold, hard whisper, was a constant torment, a reminder of the truth I couldn’t escape, the loss I couldn’t bear.
But another voice, a softer voice, a whisper of hope, a flicker of Lyra’s magic, echoed in my mind, refusing to be silenced.
He’s not gone, Catrina. Not completely. His love it’s still here. Within you. In the spirit realm. In… our destiny.
I stopped pacing, my gaze drawn to the silver wolf pendant that lay on the nightstand.
It was a gift from Elias, a reminder of the power I now carried, the connection to the spirit realm, the magic that flowed through my veins. It pulsed with a faint warmth, a comforting presence.
I picked it up, the smooth silver cool against my skin, the wolf’s head, its amber eyes gleaming, a symbol of the strength I had found, the darkness I had faced, the love I was fighting for.
He believed in you, Catrina. He knew you could do this.
I closed my eyes, focusing on the pendant, on the warmth it radiated, on the memories it held – the trials I’d faced, the sacrifices I’d made, the promise I’d made to Rowan, to myself, to the world.
I would find a way. I would bring him back.
The air in the room crackled with energy, a tingling sensation that made my fur stand on end, my wolf stirring, sensing the shift, the connection to the spirit realm, the magic that was calling to me.
Show me, Rowan. Show me the way.
A vision, hazy and fragmented, filled my mind. I saw Rowan, his silver fur gleaming in the moonlight, his amber eyes filled with a love that made my heart ache, his voice a whisper, a plea, a promise.
“I’m… I’m here, Catrina,” he whispered, his voice a distant echo, as if coming from another world, another time.
“I’m… waiting for you.”
The vision faded, leaving behind a lingering warmth, a flicker of hope, a certainty that he was still out there, somewhere, trapped in the spirit realm’s embrace, his soul tethered to mine by a bond that even death couldn’t break.
I have to find him.
My wolf’s voice was a fierce growl, a primal urge that resonated deep within my soul, a love that defied everything, a destiny I was determined to reclaim.
I opened my eyes, my gaze firm, my resolve hardened. I would find a way to reach him, to bring him back, to rewrite our destiny.
I wouldn’t let him go.
Not again.
As the first rays of dawn painted the sky with hues of pink and gold, a promise of a new day, a new beginning, I left the luxurious prison of the Magnus Hotel suite, my wolf pacing restlessly beside me, her silver fur gleaming, her amber eyes blazing with a newfound determination, a love that burned brighter than ever, a destiny that called to me.
I was Catrina Blanc.
I was Lyra.
And I was… the Silver Wolf.
And I would not be denied.
I found Derek in the hotel gym, his golden fur gleaming with sweat, his movements a blur of controlled power as he pounded the heavy bag, each strike a release of pent-up frustration, grief, a silent fury that echoed my own.
The air in the gym was thick with the scent of pine and leather, a reminder of the Magnus pack, the family he now led, the burden he carried, the darkness he was fighting.
He’d changed, Derek, in the two years since Rowan’s death. He’d grown into the role of Alpha, his golden eyes holding a quiet strength, a wisdom that had been forged in the fires of loss and grief.
But there was also a sadness in his gaze, a shadow that lingered, a reminder of the brother he’d lost, the mate he’d found, the destiny he was now forging.
He stopped his workout, his chest heaving, his golden eyes meeting mine, a warmth, a welcome, a flicker of the friendship we’d shared, a bond that had been tested, but not broken.
“Catrina,” he said, his voice a low rumble, a mix of surprise and a pleasure that made my heart ache, a reminder of the love I’d lost, the future we’d been denied.
“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be… resting? Isabelle said you were… exhausted.”
His words, though laced with concern, held a hint of formality, a distance that hadn’t been there before, a reminder of the roles we now played, Alpha and… omega.
It was a barrier, a wall, I wasn’t sure how to break down.
“I’m fine, Derek,” I said, forcing a smile, trying to project an image of strength, of confidence, I didn’t fully feel. “Just… couldn’t sleep. Needed to… clear my head.”
I gestured towards the heavy bag, its leather surface worn and scarred, a testament to the countless hours he’d spent here, honing his skills, channeling his anger, his grief, his love, into a controlled fury, a disciplined power.
“Mind if I… join you?”
He hesitated, his golden eyes searching mine, his wolf’s instincts sensing my unease, the darkness that still clung to me, the shadows that whispered in my mind.
“You sure, Catrina? You’ve been through a lot. You’re still recovering from… from everything. You need to rest. You need to…”
“I’m fine, Derek,” I repeated, my voice firm, cutting him off.
I couldn’t explain the restless energy that buzzed beneath my skin, the need to move, to fight, to channel the magic that surged through my veins, Lyra’s power, a force that was both a gift and a curse, a destiny I couldn’t escape.
“I need to… work some things out. And… and maybe… you do, too.”
He nodded, his gaze softening, a hint of understanding, a shared grief, a mutual need for release.
“Yeah,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “Maybe… maybe you’re right.”
He tossed me a pair of boxing gloves, their leather worn and soft, the scent familiar, comforting, a reminder of Rowan, of the countless hours we’d spent sparring, our bodies a blur of motion, our scents mingling, our laughter echoing through the old Magnus Hotel gym, a memory that made my heart ache, a love that was gone, but not forgotten.
We worked out in silence, the rhythmic thud of our fists against the heavy bag, a primal beat that echoed through the cavernous space, a shared language of anger, of grief, of a love that had been lost, a future we were fighting to reclaim.