Her Return As An Alpha

Chapter 16 : Cassia's Victory

In the heart of the woods, Cassia had forged a new life far from the remnants of her past. Her days were spent traversing the dense forest, gathering herbs, shrubs, and flowers. She would wake up and spend an hour or two cleaning the cozy cottage house where she lived, that was built around an oak tree a few feet above ground. Then she would spend the rest of the day refining her potion skills and cooking delicacies. Unless her companion would crave for meat, for which Cassie would scout through the denser parts of the forest with an experienced hand for a good hunt.

Her aunt, a renowned potions witch, had taken her in after the shattering betrayal of Alpha Eamon. Together, they crafted remedies that were both practical and potent, selling them to various packs. They would have distinguished guests from time to time: Elite Warriors from various packs, Alphas and high ranking officials, other White Witches, magical creatures with human intelligence. But for most of the previous decade, it had been just the two of them; growing stronger, proficient and powerful.

Though Cassia's life was simpler, it was marked by an enchanting beauty that drew many suitors, even those bound by other vows. Her flowing red hair, once a sign of her nobility, now cascaded down her back in waves of fiery silk. Her jade green eyes sparkled with life, and her tanned skin bore freckles from days under the sun. Her arms were stronger and lean, and she moved with the grace of a peacock.

On a fateful day, while making her rounds to trade her wares, Cassia found herself in the path of a wolf shifter. She hesitated, wondering what the hurry was, when a large brown wolf with a golden circle around its its collar blocked her path. Cassia barely grinned with recognition at her best friend, before Beta Riley knelt at her feet and begged her to prepare her best healing potions.

Cassia and her aunt grabbed their medicines andremedies, after which they soon entered the Golden Arc pack. The scene before them was one of chaos and suffering: the warriors were wounded, their faces pale and drawn from pain. Without hesitation, Cassia sprang into action, setting up a makeshift witchcraft infirmary in the pack’s clearing.

“Please, hold still,” Sera murmured, her voice steady despite the turmoil around her. She worked swiftly, applying salves and bandages, her hands deft and practiced. Her mind raced with the knowledge of the spells that would heal the festering wounds, her lips constantly muttering healing charms like a second language.

When she finally had the wounded cared for, she rushed back to her home, gathering the strongest herbs and her aunt’s spellbook. She returned to the Golden Arc pack, determined to find a remedy for the dark magic that had been used against them.

Meanwhile, in the Alpha’s manor, Eamon lay fitfully asleep in Nyx’s arms. Nyx’s face held a smirk of satisfaction as she played soothing music, the melodies masking the sounds of distress outside. She had used dark witchcraft to secure her place, weaving spells that ensnared the pack’s warriors into protecting the manor rather than barging into it. None of the other shifters wanted to risk proximity to the Alpha's manor, lest they lose themselves in her spells.

The darkest spells could be neutralized with powerful sorcerers who gathered in magical numbers. Seven was the most effective, but as Cassia and her aunt realised that the were short of one person, they requested the help of Cassia's nonmagical sister, Vanessa, who lived in the Divine Blood pack.

Together, the three of them mounted an assault on Nyx’s kin in the mountains. The trio unleashed a wave of destruction, their combined magic creating a storm of fury and power. Although Vanessa was unable to contribute directly in the fight, her presence alone did wonders on their enemies.

As the battle raged, Vanessa’s voice rose above the chaos. “Cassia, we need to break their hold! Focus on the spell!”

Cassia, her eyes glowing with fierce resolve, chanted the incantations, the ancient language echoing around the ominous chills between the trees. “By the power of our lineage, we undo the dark enchantments!”

After the intense confrontation, Cassia and Vanessa returned, their hearts heavy with grief. The witches and warlocks were killed, and they were victorious, but they had lost more. Their beloved aunt was impaled in the battle, her sacrifice weighing heavily on them. They buried her with tears and regret.

Nyx, enraged by the defeat, vanished from the Alpha’s manor, breaking her hold over Eamon. Eamon, now free from Nyx’s enchantments, found himself facing the harsh reality of his actions. With a heavy heart, he stepped out to listen to his people, hie eyes and ears clear for the first time in over a decade.

Cassia spent her days busily caring for the wounded. Her hands never stopped moving, with her thoughts constantly analysing her next patient, lest she remember the details of the night her aunt died. Vanessa had been sad and offered to take Cassia back home with her, but Cassia refused to leave. The Golden Arc pack and the woods were the only homes she knew. She had been cast away from the pack when Nyx claimed them, and her aunt's cottage would never be as warm as it used to be.

At night, she would creep through the Alpha's mansion doors and into the cellar to drown in his strongest wine. Overwhelmed by her failure to save her aunt, she would cry until the late hours of the night and pass out, only to wake up early the next morning and freshen up to perform her duties once more.

Eventually, Alpha Eamon sought out Cassia, his eyes filled with sorrow and regret.

“Cass,” Eamon said, his voice breaking with emotion. “I am so sorry. I failed you in the worst way.”

Cassia, still mourning her aunt, met his gaze with a mixture of pain and reluctance. “Your apologies mean little when the scars of betrayal run so deep. My heart is heavy, and I am too broken to forgive easily.”

"Just one chance, Cass, my love," Eamon pleaded. "She was a Siren, but I should have held myself against her. Please, let me make it up to you."

"But you can't," Cassia whispered as she walked away. "The damage is done."

For weeks, Cassia worked tirelessly to heal the remaining shifters. Unwilling to stay in the forest alone, Cassia accepted the invitation of the pack members and returned to the Golden Arc pack, where her skills in witchcraft were recognized and celebrated. She became the pack’s first witch, her maternal lineage of white witches bringing a new era of magical healing to the pack.

As the seasons changed, other witches and warlocks seeking peace sought refuge in Golden Arc territory. The pack’s own coven of witches was created and it flourished, their presence a beacon of hope and well-being. They would place regular magical wards, enrich the territorial resources and offer their services to the pack during war. Soon, the weakened pack rose to be the second largest pack under the Alpha King's kingdom.

Seasons changed once more, yet Eamon was as lively as he could be in his pursuit of Cassia. And despite Eamon’s persistent attempts to mend their fractured relationship, Cassia remained distant, her heart guarded against further betrayal. But the walls within her chest had begun to crack, the fissures spreading as she yearned for happiness.

One evening, as the moon rose high in the sky, casting a silver glow over the manor, Cassia and Eamon stood together in the moonlit garden. The air was filled with the scent of tube roses, and the gentle breeze rustled through the leaves. Eamon showered the manor with tube roses, her favorite, in a heartfelt gesture of love and apology. Cassia, though still hurt, couldn’t deny the depth of his remorse and began to reconsider.

Eamon, his voice trembling with hope, said softly, “Cass, I know I cannot erase the past, but I am here now, ready to make amends. I love you, and I wish to be with you, if you will allow it.”

Cassia, her heart aching with the weight of past hurts and newfound hope, looked at Eamon. “I have waited so long for this moment. But more than anything, I need to know if you are truly my mate.”

As they stood beneath the moonlight, their connection deepened. The moon shone in all her beauty, casting strands of silver into the Earth. The word they had both yearned to hear for fifteen long years resonated in the night air: “Mate.”

Tears glistened in Cassia's eyes as she whispered, “Eamon."

Eamon knelt before her, "Cassia, my love, please do me the honour of being my Luna, my wife, my equal. I will spend the rest of my days proving my love to you, as long as I can stay beside you."

Overwhelmed with emotions, Cassia barely nodded before she was pulled into a tight hug, her silk dress crushed beneath Eamon's tall form. As he grabbed her chin and pulled her into a possessive yet romantic kiss, she was misguided into believing in a happy future.