Chapter 61

Chapter 61: Chapter 61

Chapter 61

I am in a fucking coffin.

The confined space, darker than midnight, was undoubtedly my burial place, and it made me question how long I had been dead for. My stomach dropped at the reality, the urge to escape waltzing within my brain, all to fruitless results.

I tried again, pushing at the cemented surface, but it remained solid, and worst of all, I was losing air.

Oxygen dwindled in the little space, forcing me with the need to act even quicker and face the realization that I was running out of time.

Think, Alex.

Fucking think!

I lessened my hastened, ragged breathing and let my mind search for possibilities. Strength was futile here as I was likely buried six feet deep.

Magic.

That’s what I needed. I had to connect with the One Tree.

Though I’d never connected with the One Tree except when I was at MoonBlade, I knew I didn’t have much choice. I just needed to act, and my action had to succeed.

I tried to remember the words. At first, it was difficult, and then the recollection of my time in the Spirit Realm came back. It slammed into me with the inspiration learned through my parents.

"The One Tree isn’t an entity of its own. It’s you..."

Dad’s words slipped back in.

Slowly, my tongue curled and the words began to make sense.

I cast the spell based on my intention...

"Awaken mine spark. Let breath return."

Something crackled. Suddenly, light flickered, batting like eyelids in the little space. The air came back, and I could breathe properly.

Whatever I did, I resolved to do another, this time to get myself out of this coffin.

And so, I cast.

"Shatter thy prison. Yield earth and stone."

First, it began as a tremor, then the shattering came, blasting apart the surface and exposing me to a beautiful night sky. I nearly didn’t remember how beautiful the night was and how grateful I should be to be above ground and not below it.

That was a flipping nightmare.

My muscles were weak, yet I pushed myself up. Halfway, I put force into my feet, and once I was upright, my head tilted to the left where, on the horizon, the Castle stood beyond the mountains.

Each step was slower than the last, pain seeping through my pores, but I pushed forward. Time went by, and eventually, I arrived close to the castle gates.

The ones on guard, the moment they set their eyes on me, had the blood drain from their faces.

Pale as winter frost, two of them fled inside while the other three pointed their spears at me.

My face was patched with mud, my clothes heavy with dirt, and my skin like that of rusted metal, but surely they could still recognize me. And this wasn’t the welcome I expected.

More guards rushed forward, including those two who had run earlier. They all aimed their weapons at me.

And their fear carried above the whirlwind.

"Isn’t that the Luna?"

"How’s he here when he’s dead?"

"I was there at the burial. Impossible."

"Me too. Some sorcery it must be."

"Stake it down if it attacks."

More of their fear didn’t fail to reach my ears. Of course they’d call me "it."

From the shadows, Marcellan strode forward, hurried feet planted against the gravel, and he held his breath the moment he saw me.

"Alex."

"Marcellan..." My voice was weak and plain.

"Lower your weapons."

He hurried towards me and placed a hand at my back, as though he already knew I was about to collapse.

"What... how... I don’t understand." He breathed harshly. His voice was heavy.

"I... I need to see Kai first."

Something flickered in Marcellan’s expression, something fallen.

Before I knew it, my senses dulled.

∆∆∆

I had no idea what the time was, but when I turned my head to the windowsill, it was midnight. The curtains billowed with the intense breeze, and ambient lights cast subtle shadows across the room, aiding my vision.

"Please don’t tell me I slept for days again."

Marcellan took a second to respond. His eyes fell to his wristwatch.

"Only an hour and some minutes."

"Ah, thank the Moon Goddess."

"So...?" he began.

All the memories came back to me.

There was so much that needed discussing, but this wasn’t the time. I knew what I must do now, and that’s what was currently important.

"Where is Kai?"

Marcellan gave me that silence that suggested something grim, but unlike the last time, it invoked anger in me.

This wasn’t the time for suspense. Still, I pushed it away and asked another question.

"How about Clawface? Did he..." I blinked as I adjusted myself, propping my weight on my arms and resting my head against the wooden headboard. "I couldn’t have been the only survivor, was I?"

Marcellan’s face was marred with bitterness. Whatever had happened in my absence, I believed it had hollowed the man who was once known to always smile and never brood.

KAI’S POV

It was a perfect afternoon. The weather complimented the world itself. The sky was blue, and the frozen ocean mirrored its reflection.

"Time for some skating!" I screamed into the air as I put on my gear before sliding into the middle of the vast surface.

It was freeing.

I was away from Father’s nagging, most especially.

The moment dwelled in gleaming happiness until the crack came.

Then the beasts.

The bears rushed at us. They attacked without warning, their growls the only signal to sprint, but they were too fast. Too large.

When it was done, half of the ice had fragmented and the freezing water was crimson.

And yes, just like the lives of my brothers meaninglessly wasted, the water eventually returned to the beautiful blue reflection of the sky.

Like nothing happened.

Like the same place hadn’t taken their lives.

∆∆∆

"You killed us!" Logan’s little voice croaked behind my ears.

My wolf snorted, heavy saliva meeting the air as his fangs bit into nothing.

"You were supposed to protect us!" Theo, his twin brother, followed.

"You’re a bastard! You let the twins die!" Slyvos shouted.

Then, in front of me, the eldest appeared.

"You failed them. It was you who should have died." Thorne’s voice crushed the air in my wolf’s gut.

One of the branches in the woods caught his left foot. At the rate of his inhuman speed, the branch bit into the skin, drawing deep crimson and making him trip.

Like a thunderstorm, he hit the earth, spinning and tumbling until his spine collided with one of the old tall trees, halting him.

I didn’t know how long I’d been trapped inside my wolf, but it was enough to realize I couldn’t shift back to my conscious self.

First, I was alone, but now I was a lost wolf.

The nightmares wouldn’t stop, but hiding inside my wolf was enough to keep us alive. My wolf was keeping us alive because if I were to come back to the surface, I’d kill us.

I had killed my brothers.

And then I killed my mate.

I wasn’t worthy.

With one of the hind legs snapped, I dragged myself through the mist. The air was wet and left my fur damp.

And then, in the distance, a figure gleamed beneath the moonlight.

My breath caught in my throat and I pushed closer until my vision made sense of the figure.

My wolf growled.

Alex was undoubtedly standing atop a boulder with a smile stretching across his lips.

My wolf settled before him and he placed a hand upon my cheek. Heat seeped through me, arriving in the form of bliss. Many questions spiraled through my mind, but I couldn’t speak.

Through our bond, Alex reached me. "I’ve missed you, my ass King."

His nickname meant so much to me at that moment, so much so that my wolf snorted.

"You’re back, my sweet peach. You truly didn’t leave me."

"Ooh, why would I leave my baby?" he cooed.

Though his voice was a balm to my strain, tears still pooled in my eyes.

Then he stated. "Would you like to come back to me?"

I nodded, although he seemed to have changed in a way. The way he spoke and the courage carried within his eyes and beneath our bond.

"Return thy soul. Let man and beast unite." He said in a language I can’t make sense of.

My bones snapped.

Slowly and steadily, I shifted. My consciousness returned and my wolf yielded. This time, it was a mutual agreement.

I didn’t have to tame him, and he didn’t have to fight against me.

We simply agreed to change form and be with our beloved.

Together.

I dropped to the earth, but Alex aided me, my head resting on his thighs. The pain in my leg increased tenfold, but it wasn’t enough to make me enjoy this reality any less.

"How..."

Alex caressed my hair, whispering,

"Let me take care of you, my ass King. You’ve suffered so much because of me."

"You’re right. You’re right, baby." I mentioned.

"And when we are back to our full strength, we have enemies to crush. Enemies who think they’re the ones with the power."

"How do you mean?" I asked, eyes fixed on his face.

"Starting with MoonBlade, they have much explanation and help to offer," he claimed as he brushed my hair back from my scalp. "No one will ever separate us again."