Rejected By My Alpha Mate

Chapter 14

The ruins feel different now. The humming energy that once felt foreign and overwhelming has settled into my bones, no longer pressing down on me but coursing through me like a second heartbeat.

I gasp for air, my body still tingling from whatever just happened. My fingers tremble as I press my hand against the ground, feeling the cool, solid stone beneath me. It’s real. I’m back.

Damien is kneeling beside me, his hands gripping my shoulders, his face twisted with worry. “Ariana,” he breathes, his voice hoarse. “Are you—”

“I’m fine,” I interrupt, though I’m not entirely sure that’s true. Something inside me has shifted, something I don’t fully understand yet.

Selene watches me closely, her golden eyes unreadable. “You saw her, didn’t you?”

I nod slowly. “Myself. Or… something that looked like me.”

Damien stiffens. “What do you mean?”

I meet his gaze, searching for the right words. “It wasn’t just a reflection. It was me, but different. Stronger. Faster. She wanted me to fight her, to prove myself.”

Selene tilts her head. “And did you?”

I shake my head. “No. That’s not what the test was about.”

Understanding flickers in Selene’s eyes, but Damien still looks confused. I exhale, trying to ground myself. “The curse… it’s not something I can destroy. It’s something I have to accept. It’s been a part of me all along, whether I wanted it or not.”

A long silence follows my words. The weight of the revelation settles over us like a heavy fog.

Then Selene smiles—just slightly, but it’s the first time I’ve seen anything other than stern determination on her face. “Good,” she says simply. “Then we might have a chance.”

Before I can ask what she means, a distant howl cuts through the night. It’s followed by another. Then another.

Damien swears under his breath. “They found us.”

I push myself to my feet, the exhaustion in my limbs fading as something new takes its place—an energy that wasn’t there before. My senses sharpen, the sounds of the forest becoming clearer, the scent of damp earth and pine filling my lungs.

I turn to Selene. “What now?”

She doesn’t hesitate. “Now we fight.”

The ruins blur into motion. Selene strides toward the outer edge of the clearing, her hands glowing faintly with the same golden light she used to heal Damien. Damien struggles to stand, and I help him, though he scowls at me like he hates needing the assistance.

“Stay close to me,” I say, my voice steadier than I expect.

Damien gives me a look, one that’s equal parts irritation and admiration. “I should be saying that to you.”

I almost smile. Almost.

Then the first rogue bursts through the trees.

It’s bigger than the others we fought before—larger than any wolf I’ve ever seen, with matted fur and glowing red eyes. It lets out a low snarl, its breath visible in the cold night air.

More follow, emerging from the darkness, their snarls filling the clearing. There are too many.

But for the first time, I don’t feel fear.

I feel power.

The energy inside me surges, responding to the threat before me. My fingers tingle, my pulse quickens—but not from panic.

From anticipation.

Selene’s voice is calm but firm. “Ariana. It’s time.”

I don’t hesitate. I step forward, the magic of the ruins still thrumming in my veins, and face the oncoming storm.

And then, the battle begins.