Alpha's Tease, ᴀ ғᴀɪᴙʏ-ᴙᴇ-тᴀᴌᴇ ɴɵᴠᴇᴌ, №2 »ᴄɵᴍᴘᴌᴇтᴇ«

Chapter : Twenty - Excruciating

Chapter : Twenty – Excruciating [Alpha Dere]

The pain was excruciating. My heart felt like it had been slammed into a vice and my lungs refused to draw in air. But there was one thought that saved me. The trees. But looking up at them, none of them moved to reach for her. Looking back to my beautiful mate, the apple caught my eye, and distantly, I heard a coo and a flap of wings leave the tree above me, but my focus was on the apple.

Once a bright red apple with a bite taken out of it, now it was dying. Days of an apple rotting was happening in seconds. But how? I knew it was magic. That much was obvious. But how had they known I'd bring her here. No one else had been around. I wouldn't have continued on if there had been.

Looking at the trees again, I wondered if was only certain trees that would take her. Moving to cradle my precious cargo, I lifted her, careful not to jostle her and returned home, hoping that the trees there would take her like they had the last two times. I prayed as I moved as fast as I dared. But moving as fast as I was, wasn't nearly fast enough.

I skid to stop in front of the tree that had saved Ebony before, held her out and begged for them to save her, my mind too much of a mess to compute everything I begged. I distantly became aware of the audience at my back, that the trees weren't moving as I crashed to my knees, begging for her life. But the trees gave no answer. Moving closer to the trees, I placed Ebony over their roots. Still begging. Still pleading. I'd give anything. Do anything. All they had to do was tell me.

But the fates were staring down and laughing while death hovered over my mate. Ready to grab her soul and drag her into the afterlife. Why so cruel? After two and a half centuries, I finally found her, found my mate, and after giving me a little more than a week, they were ripping her from my grasp.

I couldn't control the shift that changed me from man to white wolf. Couldn't contain the howl of despair. Of heartbreak. Of pain that they would be so cruel. First Ragne with Dawn, now Ebony and I. Who else of my pack would they destroy?

I heard howls join mine. Felt fur brush my own. Felt my pack try to give some comfort. But they failed. My mate, although only for a week, I loved, was dying. And there was nothing I could do.

[Cassandra Ikess]

My hand paused. Cocking my head as I listened again, I winced at the howls that filled the night. Howls of agony. Howls demanding a miracle. Lowering my hand from the mountain where I felt a doorway, I jogged back to my car, and climbed in. Palming the steering wheel I let out a breath as called upon my magic.

"My will be done,

"Pave me a way to the wolves,

"Pave me a way to the fairies,

"Pave me a way to forests daughter,

"Pave me a way to Ebony Snow,

"I will it be,

"So mote it be."

Sitting still, only the sound of my cars engine filled the night along with the howls as I waited for my call to be heard. But then, like a Mexican Wave, the trees moved. Lowering their branches and connecting them to make a twig road. Accelerating, as I drove, more of the path was created and as I went over the branches, they returned to their previous state. As I drove over the makeshift road above ground, I hoped that the trees got me to the right place. Hoped that they wouldn't suddenly stop paving a makeshift road so I couldn't reach Ebony.

Hearing a familiar howl from behind, I growled as the wolf that had been following me for the past few days jumped up onto the makeshift road. And he was gaining. Growling, I muttered a spell in hope that the trees would drop him, but it seemed their was a limit to how much they would help me. Damn.

Looking back front, I slammed on the brakes with wide eyes as I realised that the trees had lowered me and I was driving on grass again. Heading straight for the biggest wolf I had ever seen. Holy mother of Gods. The wolf was the biggest thing I'd ever seen with black eyes. I sighed in relief as my car stopped a hair away from slamming into the wolfs nose. Lifting his head, the wolf curled a lip at me in a snarl. But then a howl caught my attention. Then a girl drew my eye. Ebony!

Wait, Ebony had with the wolves all this time. That was when I looked at all the shapeshifters and noticed the fairies. And not just any wolves, but the White pack, I thought as I saw one who must have been Dawn – recognising her from the supernatural Wanted list – the non council version, the one where Jacqueline would pay a heavy sum for her alive or dead. I can't believe they've been here all this time.

My attention snapped back to Ebony when something clicked. The trees hadn't taken her. "She's not dead." Climbing out the car, I ran for Ebony, only to be stopped by growling wolves. I blinked at them, if they were this protective, that meant one of them was her mate. Oh well done Laurell, turn one of the most feared packs against you – personally, I did find it slightly amusing that, even though they hadn't been seen for a little over a century, murmurs of fear were still whispered.

"She's not dead!" I yelled, my words silencing the wolves in surprise. "If she was dead, as a dryad, the trees would take her within them, using her energy and passing her soul on to be reborn. She is not dead."

"What are you saying?" said a wolf in human form, the one that had been chasing me.

I sent him a glare for that, but did answer. "She's alive. She looks dead, and if you'll let me near, I can tell you why."

"And why should we trust you?"

"Because I promised her mother on her deathbed that I would protect her."

The wolf narrowed his eyes at me. "If that's true, why did you abandon her in the forest?"

"I'll tell you everything later, for now, please, let me save her."

The wolves looked at their Alpha who was giving me a hopeful weary look. The moment he nodded, the wolves moved but stayed close. As if I would hurt her, I wanted to snap, but I held my composure, knowing it would most likely make them block me again. But I did notice that the big wolf I'd almost driven into came up to my side. The tips of his fur brushing my arm.

Kneeling besides Ebony, I muttered a spell to find what was wrong. That was when I felt it. And it made me want to be sick. A deadly witch-made poison, Darkshadow, was stuck in her throat.

"My will be done,

"Darkshadow,

"Come out of where you came,

"Give back the life you take,

"I will it be,

"So mote it be."

And just as the trees had listened, so did the Darkshadow. Even if it fought to stay where it was lodged. Ebony jerked as the piece came out her throat and into her mouth, spinning, she chocked and spat out the apple. The moment it was out, I muttered another spell to sent it to the deepest part of the earth where it would be destroyed.

Seeing the wolf standing over Ebony shift back and grab Ebony into a bone crushing hug, I grinned at the relief in the wolf's eyes, then at my friends words. "Can't breath again!" It was almost amusing how quickly he loosened his arms. But then is eyes met mine, and I knew I had some explaining to do.

  

  

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