Page 79 of The Alpha Wolf Defying Fate

The more I thought about it all, the more I realized how wrong keeping information from one another truly was. It hadn’t just been me.

Maybe if our covens hadn’t been so hesitant about sharing information with one another, we wouldn’t have even been here. At least not without an army of shifters and witches at our side.

Our families were just as much to blame for where we were today. The four of us have to face this darkness that has been affecting all of us for generations now.

Even though Alkmene had been scared, someone prevented her from sharing her information with us. She had wanted to warn my uncle about something. He told me about the interaction when he had last seen our dark ancestor.

All of our problems now centered around the failure to trust one another with shared history. History that then was forgotten and sent to this realm.

‘Shit,’I said to my wolf.‘We’re all to blame for this mess. Sasha is suffering because of everyone who is meant to love her.’

My wolf growled, his tongue hanging out of our jaw as he panted with each quickened stride.

‘It’s going to be love that saves her,’he said back.‘And with that love will be trust. You are going to have to trust her the same way you trust me.’

I nodded.‘I know.’

Smaller buildings began to appear as we came closer to the castle. I could hear another set of paws gaining behind me and turned to see a large brown wolf and a smaller red wolf catching up to me.

I didn’t slow down, but I made room for them to reach my side as we ran together. The brown wolf met my eye and gave a sniff as his mate kept her eyes forward, locked on the castle gates just up ahead.

We were nearly there when the scent of decay hit our noses, followed by the unmistakable scent of dark magic.

“Well, well, well,” the familiar voice of the witch said. “I can’t say I’m entirely surprised. After all, you wolves do have a strong sense of familiar ties and all. Still, it was bold of you to come all this way just to lose even faster than you already will.”

We skidded to a stop as the dark magic plumed around her and she and her vampire mate stepped fully into view.

“Wolves really are just the most basic creatures,” the vampire chuckled. “It’s a miracle they’ve lived this long.”

The witch chuckled and stroked his cheek with her finger. “Careful, Dearest. If not for their tenacious survival skills, I would never have met my goal to begin with.” She looked around us as we growled, her blackened eyes landing on me. “Ayden, I have something else that you want. If you can make it inside that castle, I will offer you a choice. But, you’ll have to get past them first.”

With another laugh, the smokey magic engulfed them both again, their scent disappearing. And in their place, an army of shadowy creatures stood.

‘Are you ready?’My wolf asked me.

I smirked.‘Of course, I’m god damned warrior.’

Chapter Thirty-Six

Sasha

Wesatonadais before a large ballroom. The lights in the room are still so bright. The only face I could see clearly was Morus’s. Everyone else continued as nothing more than silhouetted blurs.

I watched them all glide across the dance floor, the string quartet playing an eerie waltz.

“They are so happy to have you finally with us,” Morus said, my eyes drawn back to him.

“Are they?”

“Of course,” he said. He brought my hand to his lips and pressed a chaste kiss along my fingers. I felt a shudder through my body, not tingles like I’d expected, but a feeling as if this wasn’t right.

My head began to throb. I pulled my hand from his grasp to press it against my temple. I could feel Morus as he moved closer, his fingers pinching my chin to look up at him. The ache dulled as I looked up at him, his dark gaze soaking up all the light in the room.

“Let us join our people in a dance, Darling,” he said. “It will help you feel better.”

I wasn’t sure how spinning around such a bright room would help my head, but I nodded anyway and took his hand. He led me through a sea of parted dancers, each bowing and curtsying as we passed by to the center of the ballroom.

The music switched to another eerie waltz, and Morus began to lead me around the room. I felt my gown sweeping across the floor as all the other dancers backed away as their king and his queen approached. All eyes were focused on us, even though I couldn’t distinguish any faces. I could feel them watching us.

---