Rejected By My Alpha Mate

Chapter 8

The ruins fall into an eerie silence. The golden light fades from the archway, leaving only the ghostly afterimage burned into my vision. My breath comes in ragged gasps as I press my trembling hands against the cold stone, my body drained of whatever force had just surged through me.

I did it. The seal is restored.

But why doesn’t it feel like a victory?

Damien stirs beside me, his injuries keeping him on the ground. Selene stands a few feet away, her golden eyes dim, exhaustion written all over her face. Yet, there’s no relief in her expression. No triumph.

Something’s wrong.

A sharp gust of wind rushes through the ruins, carrying the scent of burned earth and something else—something foul. The hairs on the back of my neck rise as an unnatural chill seeps into my bones.

Selene stiffens. “We’re not alone.”

I scramble to my feet, ignoring the wave of dizziness that crashes over me. My hand instinctively reaches for my blade, but my fingers close around empty air. It’s still lying somewhere in the dirt, lost in the chaos of battle.

A low, guttural laugh echoes through the ruins, sending ice through my veins.

Damien’s head snaps up. “That’s not a rogue,” he murmurs, his voice hoarse.

“No,” Selene says grimly, stepping forward. “It’s something worse.”

The shadows shift. A figure materializes between the broken pillars, tall and imposing, draped in darkness that swirls like living smoke around him. His eyes burn with an unnatural red glow, filled with a quiet, cruel amusement.

I don’t recognize him, but something about him feels familiar—like an echo of something buried deep in my blood.

“Well done, little warrior,” he drawls, his voice smooth as silk but laced with venom. “You sealed the gate. How very noble of you.”

“Who are you?” I demand, forcing my voice to stay steady.

He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “You already know.”

A shudder runs through me, though I don’t understand why. “You’re the one controlling the rogues,” I say, stepping in front of Damien. “The one pulling the strings.”

He tilts his head slightly, as if amused. “Control is such a strong word. Let’s just say they follow me... willingly.”

Selene’s fists clench, golden energy flickering at her fingertips. “Enough games. What do you want?”

His gaze slides to her, the amusement fading slightly. “Still as impatient as ever, Selene. Some things never change.”

I glance at her in shock. “You know him?”

Her jaw tightens. “I know what he is.”

He chuckles. “Come now, don’t keep her in the dark.” His eyes flick back to me, glowing brighter. “She deserves to know who sealed her fate before she was even born.”

I swallow hard. “Tell me.”

Selene hesitates, but the man—no, the creature speaks first.

“My name,” he says slowly, “is Reven.”

The name slams into me like a blow. I don’t know how or why, but the moment I hear it, something inside me cracks open. A flood of memories that aren’t mine—images of fire, of blood, of desperate voices calling out in a language I don’t understand.

Reven steps forward, and I instinctively move back, my body screaming at me to run. “You’ve heard the stories, haven’t you?” he says. “The curse. The first alpha’s greatest mistake.”

I shake my head, my pulse pounding. “You were sealed away.”

He nods. “And yet, here I am.”

I look at Selene in horror. “But I thought I fixed it. I thought the seal—”

“You did fix it,” Reven interrupts smoothly. “You restored the seal. But that was never going to stop me.”

Selene’s power flares, a golden shield forming around us. “You can’t have her,” she says, her voice sharp.

Reven smiles again, and this time, it’s pure malice. “You still don’t understand, do you?” His eyes burn into mine, pinning me in place. “She doesn’t have a choice.”

A wave of pressure slams into me. My vision blurs as pain erupts in my chest, a searing heat that spreads like wildfire. I choke on a cry, dropping to my knees as an invisible force wraps around me like chains.

“Ariana!” Damien tries to move, but Reven flicks a hand, and he’s thrown back like a ragdoll.

Selene lunges, her golden energy surging, but the moment she gets close, Reven lifts his hand. The ruins shudder as dark tendrils of smoke lash out, colliding with her magic. The impact sends her skidding back, her glow flickering.

“Enough,” Reven says, his voice calm, but there’s an undeniable command in it. The air thickens, pressing down like an unbearable weight.

I can’t breathe.

My pulse hammers as the fire inside me grows stronger, twisting, unraveling something inside me that I didn’t even know was locked away.

“You are the last of the bloodline,” Reven says, his voice softer now, almost coaxing. “The final piece. The one who was meant to end this cycle. And you will.”

I try to resist, to fight back, but it’s like something inside me is answering him, responding to his call.

“No,” I gasp, my vision darkening. “I won’t.”

He crouches in front of me, tilting his head. “Oh, but you will.”

A flicker of something shifts in his gaze—satisfaction.

And then, just before the darkness swallows me whole, he murmurs,

“You’ve already started.”

And everything goes black.