No one spoke. Both Ayla and Vione remained silent in their deep grief. They cried in boundless anguish as they stared at Usher’s body lying on the cave floor.
Vione wiped the blood and dust from Usher’s face. She carefully wiped away the dirt so that she could see Usher’s face, the one she had always longed for. “You must not leave me, Usher. You must not go like this.”
Ayla’s eyes closed as her heart grew more painful at Vione’s words. She could feel the immense loss Vione was experiencing. A fleeting thought crossed her mind to simply comfort Vione, but she realized that there were no words that could ease Vione’s grief.
“Ayla,” Vione whispered, turning to Ayla without letting go of Usher’s hand. “Can’t you do something for Usher? Please, Ayla. Heal Usher.”
Ayla looked at Vione with a helpless expression. “Death is something I cannot face, Vione. Forgive me.”
“Please, Ayla.” Vione let go of Usher’s hand and reached for Ayla’s. She looked at Ayla with pleading eyes. “I can feel it, Ayla. U-Usher is not really dead. He is still with us.”
Ayla furrowed her brow. “What do you mean, Vione?” she asked, glancing briefly at Usher’s body before returning her gaze to Vione. “Alpha is dead.”
“Usher may no longer be breathing. His heart may not be beating. But I can feel it,” Vione replied, raising her hand, and striking her chest. “Usher’s wolf spirit is still here. He is still here.”
Ayla’s expression changed, then she looked at Vione in disbelief. “That’s impossible, Vione. You must…”
“I can feel it, Ayla. I swear I can feel it.”
Vione could not explain how that was possible, they no longer a mate. Logically, she should not be able to feel anything related to Usher. But she could not be wrong about this faint signal.
Usher’s wolf spirit struggled. It tried to break free of the confinement that bound it. It whimpered, and Vione felt it.
“Please, Ayla.”
Ayla was powerless. Logically, there was nothing they could do now. There was no guarantee that Usher would regain consciousness, even if his wolf soul was still present.
But this was Usher. This was their Alpha. Even if the chance was as small as a speck of dust, they would still try.
“I know someone who might be able to save Alpha, Vione.”
A glimmer of hope appeared in Vione’s eyes. “Who, Ayla?”
Ayla fixed her gaze on Vione. There was only one name she believed could make this hope come true. “Rowena.”
*
Rowena knew something was wrong since sunset. Her heart was filled with an inexplicable restlessness. One thing was for sure, she could not close her eyes all night.
Finally, morning came and Rowena thought the restlessness had gone, but it was just the opposite. Her fear grew, and the forest hinted at some unspoken turmoil.
The wind blew fiercely. Leaves rustled. Animals uttered their endless worries. So Rowena prepared herself for whatever bad things might come.
Unfortunately, the impending disaster was something Rowena had not anticipated. She froze as Ayla and Vione arrived with Usher’s lifeless body.
For a moment, Rowena could not speak as they arrived. Only when Ayla approached did she finally ask, “Ayla, what happened? What’s wrong with Alpha?”
“Please, Rowena. Save Alpha.”
“Save Alpha?” Rowena asked incredulously. She looked at Usher’s body for a moment and felt that Usher’s breath was gone. “Ayla, Alpha-”
“Usher is not dead yet. He is not dead. His wolf spirit is still here.”
Suddenly and unexpectedly, Vione approached Rowena unsteadily. Vione almost stumbled, and Rowena quickly grabbed both of her hands. She looked at Vione closely. “Are you all right?”
Vione did not answer; instead, she held Rowena’s hands tightly in return. “Usher is not dead, so please, I beg you, save him.”
“Forgive me. Death is not something I can heal.”
“No,” Vione vehemently refused, shaking her head repeatedly. Behind the rising tide of tears, she was steadfast in her conviction. “Usher is not dead. I’m telling you, he’s not dead. You are a witch, aren’t you? So, feel as best you can. His wolf spirit is still here. His wolf spirit is still fighting for survival.
Rowena looked at Vione with pity. “Forgive me, but…” Her eyes blinked once, and in that moment of darkness she felt something strange. Her eyes widened and she saw Usher’s body again. “It can’t be.”
A glimmer of hope immediately lit up Vione’s eyes. “You feel it, don’t you?” she asked eagerly. “You feel it, so please save Usher.”
Rowena could not say anything; instead, she broke free of Vione’s grip. She approached Usher’s body, then touched his chest just above his heart. “How is that possible? It’s impossible.”
But it was this impossibility that gave Vione hope. So, when Rowena felt something similar to what she felt, there was nothing she could do but beg.
“Can you heal Usher?”
Struggle was visible in Rowena’s eyes. “I can’t promise you anything.”
Vione dramatically closed her eyes. Her tears continued to flow and then she nodded. “It’s okay, as long as you try,” she said a moment later. She opened her eyes again and forced a smile. “Do whatever you can to save him, and if you need anything, tell me. I will give everything I have to help Usher recover.”
There was love in Vione’s eyes. Rowena saw it and was momentarily stunned. The air she had been breathing suddenly caught in her chest. There was something about Vione that made her wonder. “Do you love Alpha so much?”
“Tell me if Usher can be healed with my heart and I will give it to you,” Vione said desperately. Growing more and more helpless, she sat down, almost kneeling at Rowena’s feet. “Even if you ask for my life in exchange, I won’t hesitate to give it to you. So please.” She lifted her face and looked at Rowena with hopeful eyes. “Save Usher. He’s all I have in this world.”
*