Page 10 of Alpha's Fate

“We’re alone,” Cora said softly.

“Yeah. Whatever it is is gone.” I murmured back.

“It’s up to us,” she replied, looking up at me. “But we can do it. Whatever it is we can do it.”

“We can,” I agreed. “Together. Just keep holding my hand.” I felt incredibly protective over her and the more tentacles andincorporeal spirits of smoke seemed to shift and move around us the more I was sure something bad was going to happen. The wind was whispering now, almost like voices all around us. I did my best to ignore it, but it seemed like the more I resisted the louder it got until it sounded like static in my ears. Just beyond the static it was like I could hear the sounds of a 1930s radio playing old songs, a creepy addition to the general feel of the area.

I stumbled slightly on something, looking down to see a tiny row of stones sat next to each other, running in a curved pattern. It seemed to create a circle, the stones getting larger and larger as they moved to the back of the circle. They soared above us at the back, and as we moved deeper we finally saw them. Sat in seats at a table of stone were three figures- strange and otherworldly, slightly shifting in place as though they were drifting on the wind.

“Welcome,” the figure in the center said. “Come.”

Chapter eleven

Cora

Ifroze for a moment when I saw them. The three figures wavering into existence before us.

“Welcome,” she said. “Come.”

I did, approaching and repeating the mantra ‘have no fear’ in my head silently as I did. I moved to stand before them, gritting my teeth against the fear.

To the left side was a man- I thought it was a man. It was a crow and a man, hands folded on the stone altar in front of them and head turned to the side so I could see directly into his pale eye. There was an image deep inside, a sliver of moonlight as though plucked from the sky that let off a pale light in the shadow of the forest around us.

In the center was the rabbit. She had led us here, I thought, seeing her sat in front of me. She sat tall, he soft looking paws set on the top of the altar as well. All three of them were touching it. It was eerie to see her here like this, pale shimmer still there on her snow white fur. I could see the glow from the eye on the left side of her. Her ears were back behind her head, antlers growing proud from her head. Her little red eyes stared at me with a deep sense of intelligence behind them.

On the right was the strangest- a moth-like woman with folded wings behind her that fluttered and fell still when I looked at her. She just looked like a nearly human woman with wings folded behind her with patterns of bark brown, silver, and a brilliant yellow. She seemed to glitter in her own right, motes of moonlight floating above her head that drew her attention occasionally.

“You’ve made it quite far,” the rabbit said, leaning forward. “Rare, this, to see strangers so deep into our realm. We’ve been watching you.”

“You led us here,” I said, trying not to sound accusatory. “What are you?” I felt almost overwhelmed in their presence and power. They were ancient, wise, and keenly intelligent- I could feel it. Were they a danger? They could be. It was strange and unnerving to be in their presence, but in their eyes, I could see the same sense of determination that I felt in my own heart. Whatever they were they were fiercely intent on their goals.

“Protectors,” the crow spoke, and I turned my head sharply. “We are here. We have been here. We will be here. This isour place you have wandered into.” As he spoke, I realized that the other two were echoing the same words in whispers, their mouths barely moving.

“Why do you approach this place?” The moth asked, and I thought about it for a moment before responding.

“We’re seeking to unite the forest, to make everyone within it safe and healthy. We’re here to help everyone.” I explained, and there was a pause where I could only hear discordant whispers in the background. I could tell that they were discussing amongst themselves.

“We know who you are,” the moth said. “It has been long that the grove has favored your people, but we are of the rest. The whole. There is more to us than that. You must be brave to have come so far. So strong and smart to have made it through the woods. You must continue to be to make it further.”

“We are going to set before you tasks to prove your worthiness, one each. They should be easy for those who have ruled the grove. Good luck.” The rabbit said, and we were plunged into darkness. I felt my hand torn from Weston’s as the darkness grew up around us from the forest floor like the arms of a Kraken.

“Weston!” I called, but I heard nothing. I smelled and saw nothing. All that I saw was nothing all around me, void save the writhing of the shadows. I could feel them brushing against me and immediately had that feeling like when you’re in the ocean and seaweed touches your leg. There was that panic and immediate unease, the desire to run and get away from whatever was causing the sensation. I ran. I ran between the tentacles, seeking my mate- seeking my salvation and safety. I could hardly breathe from the fear when the pain started. Every so often a shadow would sting me like a jellyfish and for a moment the pain would freeze me, completely unbearable.

I ran until I was exhausted, collapsing to the floor of the forest in tears, and the writhing stopped. The shadow tendrils seemed to loom, curling in to face me one by one. I noticed the eyes begin to blink into existence around me, each glowing just enough for me to see them blink and sway on their stalks. It was like being surrounded by pain and fear and I couldn’t find the source of my bravery. My mate was nowhere to be found. I wept there for what felt like hours, shivering in the fear and cold.

But this wasn’t like me, I thought. This wasn’t who I was. I’d never let fear win like this. I’d never stood face to face with a challenge I couldn’t meet. There had been nothing I hadn’t stood up to with defiance, including death. With that thought I stood, slowly, my legs shaking. My hands were balled into fists at my side. I stood and faced the eyes, fear melting away into the background.

“Let me through!” I demanded. “Leave me alone and let me go to my mate! How dare you separate us. How dare you try to break me!” I called, and this time I heard an echo as if from above me.

“Cora?” It was Weston. Relief flooded my heart. He was okay.

“Weston, I’m right here! You can do this!” I called, moving down the path of tentacles that parted for me, just enough for me to force my way through. “We’re so close, Weston, just come to me. I’ve got you!” I cried out, reaching desperately through the vines.

Chapter twelve

Weston

When the shadows burst through the forest floor and ripped me from Cora, I felt my heart sink. My mind numbed and there was a pain in my head, a nervousness that I didn’t know what this task was. I didn’t know how to win this- Cora was smart, she’d figure it out. I just had to wait for her to come get me, that’s all. That’s it.

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