Chapter 308: Chapter 308 Guilt
My voice rose, layered with something otherworldly, slicing through the air like a roaring sea. "This is my warning to you. Challenge me again, and I will show you the true meaning of submission."
The power within me surged like a storm, and my eyes flickered from blue to a brilliant shade of purple, glowing for a heartbeat before fading back.
When the wind stilled, the silence that followed was deafening. The elders were pale, their knuckles white as they gripped the table. No one dared to speak.
I exhaled slowly and retracted my power, my heart pounding in my chest. The message had been delivered. Loud and clear.
Damon stared at me, awe and admiration shining in his eyes. Theo looked half impressed, half terrified, while Alaric rubbed his forehead as if trying to process what had just happened.
Without a word, Alaric stood abruptly. His chair scraped against the stone floor. "I will take the message of the alliance to the witches," he said, his voice steady but low.
His eyes met mine for a brief second, there was something heavy in them, something that looked a lot like guilt. Then he turned and walked out of the room, leaving behind a silence that felt strangely satisfying.
I watched him go, then turned my gaze back to the elders. "Now then," I said softly, a faint smile curling my lips. "Where were we?"
Deep down I felt a pang in my chest, Alaric left because of the guilt he felt. They were all assholes.
Damon stood up and sat down on Alaric’s chair, he leaned closer to me. "The meeting is over," he whispered.
I bit the inside of my cheeks, then the reason I came in the first place flickered through my mind.
"Where is Crystal?" I asked, my eyes trailing at the elders who had more to say.
"Who is Crystal?" His brows furrowed.
"The little witch," I said dryly.
"Oh, I’ll send someone to bring her to you." Damon looked at me like he had more to say.
...
(Third POV)
Alaric walked out of the meeting room, his steps slow and heavy, the weight of realization pressing hard against his chest. The hot air of the afternoon brushed against his face as he passed through the barrier that surrounded the pack’s territory. His mind was a storm, tangled between relief and regret.
Aeris was Ember.
He had replayed that truth over and over again in his head, yet each time it struck him like a blade to the heart. He should have been happy... no, he was happy. She was alive, breathing, standing tall and stronger than ever. But happiness was a fleeting emotion, easily drowned by guilt.
Because when she needed him most, he wasn’t there.
His boots crunched against the dried leaves scattered across the forest floor, but he barely heard the sound. The memory of that night came unbidden. Ember standing at the edge of the cliff, her eyes hollow, the moonlight tracing the tears on her face. He could still hear her voice, fragile yet brave, whispering words no one should ever have to say.
He could have stood up for her when she was in the ceremony.
But like the other werewolves, he too decided to stay out of it, mirroring his Alpha and best friend’s actions.
And that single choice haunted him every night.
Alaric ran a hand through his hair, his breath unsteady. He remembered the battle that had almost claimed his life. The ambush by the Beta of the Bloodmoon pack and the rogues. He had been cornered, outnumbered, his strength waning. He should have died that day, but she came back for him even when she could have escaped and turned a blind eye.
She fought for him and bought him time to survive.
She had no reason to, yet she faced death without hesitation. He could still see the blood on her hands, the wild glow in her eyes as she stood between him and death itself. And what did he give her in return? A cold shoulder.
"I was a fool," he muttered under his breath, his voice low and hoarse.
He stopped walking for a moment, his eyes lifting to the sky. The scorching sun hung high, bright and distant, its light slipping through the branches like silver threads. For a brief moment, he wondered if Ember would ever forgive him.
A bitter smile touched his lips. "Probably not."
He resumed walking, deeper into the woods. The trees grew denser, their shadows swallowing him whole. He had a task to complete, a task he took because he was too much of a d**k to face Ember, now he had to deliver the news of the alliance to the witches.
Seraphina stood just ahead, near a clearing bathed in sunlight. Her red hair caught the filtered light, cascading over her shoulders. Her green eyes shimmered with a quiet intensity, sharp and unreadable. But as he walked past her without a glance, her expression changed instantly.
"Didn’t see me, or what?" A familiar voice dripping with sarcasm echoed across the forest, snapping Alaric out of his daze.
Alaric froze. He hadn’t realized he had passed her, or maybe he had, and his guilt had blinded him to everything else. Slowly, he turned to face her.
"Seraphina," he said softly, stunned that she was the one he was meeting. He had thought the messenger would be a random one, now he had walked right into the person he wanted to avoid badly.
Her eyes narrowed. "What could it be that had you so occupied that you failed to notice me?"
He sighed, stepping closer but keeping a careful distance. "That’s none of your business."
"Is that so?" she countered, folding her arms. The irritation in her tone couldn’t mask the faint hurt in her eyes. "Don’t tell me it’s... Aeris?" Her eyes burned with something she refused to name.
She had heard him talking about her with his friend when they were in the Witches’ realm. Could he possibly be thinking about her? Does he have feelings for her? But why does she even care about that?
Alaric locked eyes with her, and he was drawn into her emerald green eyes that seemed to engulf him like an endless forest. Its brilliance could compare to stars of the heavens, beautiful and breathless.
"Is she the one?" This time she couldn’t hide the venom in her tone. She felt her chest tighten, and she didn’t know why, or maybe she did but refused to acknowledge it.