Page 22 of The Alpha Wolf Defying Fate

I thought back to the wisps. The way they drew out the other’s blood. The way Rory’s blood had pooled into floating ruby orbs before her, only to be devoured by the creature in front of her.

I had led her to that point. She never would have even known what a blood wisp was if not for me dragging her into all of this. And what other dangers would she be facing because of me?

My thoughts moved again to Ayden. He wasn’t out here for his own gain. He didn’t bring anyone with him on his mission, either.

He was out here searching for his uncle’s magic, and he was taking on the burden of the dangers all on his own. He was everything that a selfless hero was meant to be. The exact opposite of me.

‘Sasha! Stop it!’my wolf’s voice finally broke through my stream of thoughts. ‘If you are so evil, then why are you worried about them? Why do you feel so much guilt at the thought of being evil? Why would you even care at all?’

My heart began to slow as her words sank in.

‘If you were evil, then you wouldn’t care if you might be evil. Your heart wouldn’t be racing against your chest like it is now, and you wouldn’t be panicking at the thought of being the reason that Rory and Baer are out here in the line of danger.’

“But I am,” I whispered.

‘You aren’t. You forget that they both are alphas themselves. Baer is an Alpha King of Southern California. Rory is the next leader of the Crete Coven. They have autonomy outside of you and they chose to come with you. You never forced them into anything. They always had the right and the ability to walk away, but they chose to stick by your side. That doesn’t make you evil. That just means you have very loyal friends.’

I let out a sniffle as I pressed my face into my hands.

‘Don’t forget what Ayden had said. It isn’t just the dangers of this land that you have to be ready to rise up against and fight. You also need to keep your mind strong against those dark thoughts. Or else you will be the cause of your own fall into darkness.’

I nodded; my face still buried in my hands.

“I understand, thank you,” I said between sniffles as my body began to cool down with the night air. “I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have you.”

‘I feel the same way about you, Sasha,’my wolf sighed softly. ‘Get some rest. Dawn comes quickly.’

I gave a nod and laid back down, my eyes tracing every constellation I could find in the sky through the netting of the tent. I counted each shooting star that passed and felt myself easing into the warm embrace of sleep.

In my dreams, I watched as I danced around a ballroom, my arms around some invisible being as I was swept across the floor. I wore a gown of white, crystal beads lining the bodice that sparkled as they caught the light from above.

Many eyes watched me through masks that disguised their true thoughts. Painted faces of smiles and joy as their lips moved in false compliments as I passed.

I was confused about where I was, my brows drawn as I tried to see who it was that I was dancing with as those I passed gave deep bows in his direction.

I could feel his hand on my waist and his shoulder beneath my palm. He held my other hand lightly in his, my gown sweeping the floor as he spun me in circles.

The radio voice returned then, my head turning left and right to find the source. I tried to break away from the dance to cover my ears, the panic and fear of where the voice was coming from settling in my chest as it had before. Then a second voice joined the staticky sound.

“You are a god damned warrior princess, Rigel. Nothing in this world can stand toe to toe with you.”

I managed to force the dancer to stop as I turned to find Ayden in the crowd, his voice driving out the static in my head.

“You aren’t some pansy, little damsel in distress, Rigel.”

I gritted my teeth as I looked over my shoulder, the vision of the room beginning to fade away. The glitz and the gold of the ballroom began to melt, and all the masked faces faded into nothing, taking the staticky voice away with it.

“No one but me can ever stand toe to toe with you. So, don’t you forget it.”

I turned around again, face to face with Ayden now, his smile brightening the dark void around us.

“Don’t forget it,” he repeated.

My eyes flew open then, the sound of birds chirping as the early light of day shined through the mesh of my tent. As the sky brightened above, I frowned and watched the stars slowly disappear into the morning light, while the remnants of my dream slipped away from my thoughts.

Only Ayden and his words remained fresh. Everything else faded into nothingness. Not even the strange voice echoing in my mind remained.

“What a strange dream,” I thought aloud to myself.

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