The Alpha's Seeress

Chapter 10

Riley

"It seems that Leonora's prophecy will still happen," Sienna voiced.

Olivia still doesn’t know the truth about her existence—how her parents gave her to Sienna to hide her from their world. I know the heiress is meant to serve the Lord. Even though she was sent to the mortal realm for safety, she will still fulfill her purpose.

And I am scared it could happen at any moment now. Olivia didn’t tell me the whole truth, but through her words, though spoken in parables, I understood what she meant. The Walker King is after her.

"I will do my best to protect her," I said.

After I failed to save Gretel, my goal is to protect Olivia. If it comes down to me fighting the King, I’ll give him a good fight. He’s done worse before, and I cannot let him do it again.

"You cannot fight the prophecy, Riley. It was made and will happen because that is its nature."

"I don't agree with that. A prophecy is just a prediction, not the truth. If someone is willing to challenge it, I believe there's a chance to change it."

"Even your parents failed to overcome the prophecy. How sure are you that you can change it?" Sienna looked at me.

I bit my tongue, unable to respond. The fresh memory of my parents' death hit me, as if it had just happened yesterday. It was raw and painful.

"Even Lenora couldn't fight the prophecy. As you can see, it's powerful, Riley."

Leonora is Olivia’s mother and the last pure-blooded seer known in the land. She served the Walker and brought them many victories. But she was killed when she hid a certain truth.

"What will happen to Olivia if they get her?"

Sienna heaved a sigh, a crease of worry etched on her face. Olivia had been left in her care, and she was meant to protect her. But the old woman was already powerless. A witch’s power ends when she makes her contract with an opposing force.

"She is meant to marry the new King. That’s what Leonora told me. She didn’t want that for her daughter, and that’s why she entrusted her to me."

No man can claim Olivia because she already bears my mark. I grinned at the thought. What would his reaction be when he sees it? But then, the idea of him hurting Olivia when he notices the mark began to worry me.

"I’ve already marked her, Sienna. She’s mine."

Sienna shot me an irritated look. "I know, Riley. I’ve seen it, and I’m not exactly happy with what you did. You forced it on her!"

I felt guilty, no doubt about it.

I was about to defend myself when Max arrived—bloody but still breathing. In that moment, I already knew what was coming next.

"They’re at the border."

Olivia is still healing. And even though I’ve prepared my people for this, I feel like Sienna is right. No matter how much we fight for Olivia’s safety, if the prophecy says otherwise, what can we do? But isn’t it better to try than to do nothing at all?

I promised Olivia I would humble myself if this moment came. I know I should, but my pride says otherwise. My parents died because of them, and Starfall was almost wiped off the map because of them. How can I just let them pass?

"I know Isla told you something, Riley. I hope you follow her advice. She’s the seer; she knows what she’s doing. I trust her."

Those were Sienna’s last words.

There’s so much more I want to know about Olivia. I’ve gone through a lot just to find her, and now that she’s with me, it feels impossible to let her go. I know I shouldn’t, but if I force the issue, it will seem like I’m leading my people to their deaths.

The Walker... We are no match for them, just like Olivia said. But still, I want to see it for myself. I want to try. I need to witness with my own eyes that we truly stand no chance.

I ran to where Olivia was staying, ready to apologize for not keeping my promise. But just as I was about to step inside, Vix met me at the doorway. Horror and fear were plain in his eyes.

I felt a sudden chill as Vix’s words sank in.

“She’s gone.”

Panic surged through me, but there was no time for questions. Without thinking, I bolted past him, my feet carrying me faster than my mind could process. The corridors blurred as I dashed to where Olivia should have been, but deep down, I already knew. Vix wouldn’t have lied.

She's really gone.

“Riley, wait!” Vix called after me, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t.

When I finally reached the forest, the scent of blood was thick in the air. My pack had already gathered, ready for a fight. I called out to the others, my voice straining as I ordered them to prepare. We had to find Olivia.

Vix was beside me, running with everything he had, his face set with determination, though his eyes were still filled with fear. My heart pounded, driven by the fear of what we might find. I had to get her back.

When we reached the border, the sight that awaited us knocked the breath from my lungs. Bodies. Too many of them—my people, lying still on the ground. Some barely breathing, others lifeless. The stench of death filled the air, and the once-vibrant forest around us seemed to echo with the silence of defeat.

But there were no Walker. No sign of the enemy. And no sign of Olivia.

I clenched my fists, my claws digging into my palms. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. Where were they? How could they have slipped past us so easily?

“They’re gone,” Vix muttered, his voice hoarse with disbelief. “All of them.”

I knelt beside one of the wounded, a soldier I recognized from my pack. He coughed, blood spilling from his lips as he looked up at me with pain in his eyes.

“They took her…” he rasped, struggling to speak. “They just took her and disappeared…”

I felt my pulse quicken, anger rising within me. I was too late.

Sienna’s words echoed in my mind—You can’t fight the prophecy.

I gritted my teeth, unwilling to accept it. This wasn’t over.

“We’ll find her,” I growled, my voice filled with grim determination. “We’ll hunt them down. Every last one of them.”

Vix nodded, though uncertainty still lingered in his eyes. I rose to my feet, my gaze sweeping across the blood-soaked field.

Olivia was gone. But I wasn’t about to let the prophecy dictate my actions.

As I stood amidst the c*****e, trying to calm the chaos in my mind, Max appeared from the shadows, staggering toward me. At first, I thought he was alone, but then I saw it—a Walker soldier, barely clinging to life, slung over his shoulder. Blood dripped from the Walker’s wounds.

Max’s face was grim as he dropped the soldier at my feet.

“He’s the only one I could catch,” Max muttered, his voice strained. “The others moved too fast. But this one... he didn’t make it.”

I knelt to inspect the Walker. His breaths were shallow, and his eyes fluttered, fading in and out of consciousness. But he was alive—barely.

Vix stepped closer, his jaw set in anger. "What do we do with him?"

I looked around at the wreckage of my people—dead, wounded, left behind like debris. This soldier held answers, and we needed them. Now.

“Get the wounded back to the packhouse,” I commanded the rest of the soldiers, motioning to the bodies scattered around us. “Heal them. Treat everyone, no matter how bad it looks. No one gets left behind.”

The pack soldiers immediately got to work, lifting our wounded with care and solemn determination. The atmosphere was heavy with loss, but there was also a sense of urgency. We had to regroup, heal, and—most importantly—prepare.

I turned back to Max and Vix. "As for him…" I glanced at the Walker, who moaned softly, barely able to open his eyes. “We take him to the cells. I want answers.”

Max nodded, grabbing the man by his collar. “He’ll talk, one way or another.”

The three of us carried the Walker back to the packhouse, careful not to let him slip into unconsciousness. He was our only lead to Olivia’s whereabouts, and I wasn’t about to lose it.

Once we reached the prison cells beneath the packhouse, we threw the captive into the iron-barred room. The cell door clanged shut behind him, sealing him in.

He groaned as he hit the cold stone floor, his wings weak and tattered. He looked up at me, defiance still flickering in his eyes despite his injuries.

I stepped closer, my voice low and menacing. "Where is she?"

His gaze wavered but said nothing. His silence only fueled my anger.

"Where did they take Olivia?" I growled, my claws extending involuntarily. “If you think I’m going to let you die in peace without answering, you’re wrong.”

Max and Vix flanked me, ready for whatever was necessary to get the truth.

The Walker coughed weakly, spitting out blood before rasping, "You... cannot stop it. The King... he has her now."

His words hit me like a blow to the chest, but I refused to show weakness. I wasn’t about to let this slip through my fingers.

“You’ll tell us exactly where,” I demanded, kneeling to meet his eyes, my voice dangerously calm. “Or I’ll make sure your death is far slower than it needs to be.”

The Walker trembled slightly, but the stubborn defiance lingered. He tried to speak, but his voice was weakening.

“He’ll come for you… all of you… there’s no escaping it…”