Dimitri pov
The cold stone of the temple walls pressed against my back as I sat with Kate, trying to steady my breathing. That jump had not been what I expected, I was almost certain we would not have made it but here we were on the other side.
We had come so far, overcome so much, but what was left ahead was more than I could bear to think about right now so I didn’t.
I turned to Kate, her features softened in the dim light of the room, with dust on her pale skin and her hair every which way she looked gorgeous.
“Dimitri,” she mumbled her voice cutting through the silence, soft yet firm a small smile playing at the corner of her lips
“Whatever happens next, we’ll get through it. ” She mumbled
” Together.” she affirmed and I nodded even though I didn’t totally believe her, it didn’t matter though
this was a trial meant for me alone and I would deal with it myself.
The pull in my chest, the sensation that something was about to tear us apart, had been growing stronger with every step we took. Now, it felt like a drumbeat in my ears, the final countdown to something inevitable.
The air in the temple felt heavier than before, thickened with anticipation of some sort and before I could respond to her , the ground beneath us trembled, and a deep rumble echoed through the chamber.
My heart lurched as the floor began to split open, forming a chasm between us. But this time, instead of a chasm, a swirling vortex of shadow rose from the depths, tendrils of darkness reaching out, grasping at the air.
“Dimitri!” Kate’s voice was sharp, filled with alarm.
“Kate!” I shouted, reaching out for her, but the shadows wrapped around me, pulling me away, their cold grip suffocating. I struggled, fighting against the force that dragged me down, but it was no use.
“Dimitri!” Kate’s voice was full of panic as she reached out for me, But before I could react, the shadows surged toward us, separating us in an instant.
In a heartbeat, the world went black.
It was like a room with no light or colour just nothingness. I fought against the invisible force, pulling against me, every muscle in my body straining to move toward her, but that was a futile attempt.
The temple had decided. This was my trial, and I would face it alone. When the darkness receded, I found myself standing alone in that vast and definitely, empty space.
The walls of the temple were gone, replaced by an endless void that stretched out in every direction, with was no sky, no ground-just an expanse of emptiness, it was like a place where even time seemed to stop.
“Kate!” I shouted, and my voice was swallowed by the darkness. I caught one glimpse of her wide eyes, filled with fear
“Kate?” I called out, my voice echoing in the void,
” Dimitri” I called to her and she went silent
I surged towards her before she disappeared from view.
“Dimitri.” I spun around, searching for the source, but there was no one there
Dimitri,” the voice called again, closer this time, cutting through the silence. I realized with a jolt that it was coming from within me.
This was it-the final trial.
You’re not worthy!
The voice was cold, cruel, and terrifyingly familiar. It was mine.
“You will lose everything,” it continued, the words echoing the room, I turned looking for the voice
“You can’t protect her. You can’t even protect yourself.”
I clenched my fists, trying to shake off the voice, the darkness shifted, and from the void, a figure emerged. It was me, but not me-my reflection of some sort taking shape in front of me.
Images flickered into existence, a forest-my forest-the trees were gnarled and twisted, their branches clawing towards the sky .
And then I saw him.
The shadow, My shadow!
His eyes gleaming with a cruel, knowing light, and a twisted smile playing on his lips.
He looked like me, walked like me but it wasn’t me, that much I could tell. Not with the way his stature was, his massive figure, was hunched over, something his breathing heavy, claws stained with blood.
It was me- in my Lycan form, twisted and monstrous. Like I had been for so long that it was hard to even remember what made me like this.
“I’m not you,” I gritted through my teeth even though the words felt hollow.
Was I really not him, I had killed and hurt so many people in my life. Was I not worse.
“You can’t escape me,” he hissed, his voice low and menacing.
“I am you. Every dark thought, every violent urge-you cannot deny what you are.”
I took a step back, my heart hammering in my chest, but the Lycan didn’t move.
“You can’t run from your fate,” the shadow taunted, stepping closer.
“You’re nothing but a beast, a creature of bloodlust. You’ll lose control, and when you do, you’ll destroy everything you love-starting with her.”
A vision flickered before me-Kate, lying lifeless in his arms, her eyes wide with fear, her blood on my hands.
I stumbled back,
“No!” I shouted, my voice cracking.
“I would never-”
“You already have,” the shadow interrupted, its voice dripping with malice.
“How many lives have you taken, Dimitri? How many have suffered because of you, your curse?”
” And deep down, you know it.”
The ground under me shifted again, and I was no longer in the forest but back in pack’s territory, standing at the edge of a clearing where my pack had gathered.
They were watching me, their eyes filled with a mixture of fear and disgust. But it wasn’t me they were looking at-it was the Lycan, my twisted reflection, who stood in the center of the clearing, growling and snapping at anyone who dared to come close.
This is who you are, the voice whispered. This is what you’ll become.
“No,” I whispered, shaking my head, trying to deny what I was seeing. But the images wouldn’t go away.
The Lycan lunged at the closest pack member-a young wolf, barely out of adolescence. His claws ripping into the boy’s flesh, the sound of muscle tearing filling the air.
The scene shifted and this time I wasn’t alone, Kate was there, he was crouched behind her, his breath hot against her neck, his claws poised to strike.
“Kate, run!” I shouted, but she didn’t move.
Her eyes were locked on mine, no fear or pain
“You’ll fail,” the shadow sneered
“You’ll lose her. And when you do, you’ll lose yourself. There’s no escaping it, Dimitri. You were doomed from the moment the Moon Goddess cursed you.”
He moved, faster than I could react, his claws slashing across Kate’s back I roared rushing forward, but the scene was dissolving before I could reach her. She gasped, her body crumpling to the ground, her blood staining the earth beneath her.
” No” I whispered
“No,” I said again, louder this time, though my voice was hoarse, my throat raw.
“Kate…” Her name escaped my lips, a whisper of desperation. I couldn’t lose her. I wouldn’t.
It was her. My mate, my love the memory of her smile, her touch, the way she looked at me with a love that defied everything.
She had seen the worst of me, and still, she had chosen to stay by my side.
“You’re wrong,” I said, my voice ringing out with newfound strength.
I forced myself to my feet, the light growing stronger with every passing second. I could feel the Lycan raging inside me and out , his fury trying to drown out the light, but I held on.
“I may have made mistakes, I may have lost control, but I’m not a monster. Not anymore. I won’t let this curse define me.”
“I am stronger,” I said, my voice shaking but firm.
The darkness roared, the images flashing faster, than normal but I didn’t look away.
“I am stronger than this curse. Stronger than you.”
Because in the end, I wasn’t fighting for myself. I was fighting for Kate. For us.
” Get the hell off my property and my mind now” I roared the shadow shattered, dissolving into a bright light , darkness retreating, and in its place, a soft, silvery glow began to fill the space.
The light around me shimmered, and a figure emerged. She was tall, her presence radiant, her silver hair flowing like water, and her eyes were the color of the moon itself.
The Moon Goddess.
“Dimitri,” she said, her voice soft but powerful, reverberating
“You have done well, Dimitri,” she said, her voice a melody,
“You have faced your darkest fears and proven that your love, your light, is stronger than the darkness within.”
I stared at her, relief filling my bones
“Is it… over?” I asked, my voice trembling with emotion.
She nodded, stepping closer taking my face in her palm . “The curse is broken. Your Lycan form will no longer be a prison, no longer a vessel for rage and destruction.”
” You are free, Dimitri, Alpha of the Blood moon pack” she said as she pressed a kiss to my forehead
The relief that washed over me was overwhelming, tears stinging my eyes.
“Thank you,” I whispered,
The Moon Goddess reached out, placing a hand on my chest. A warmth spread through me, healing, comforting, and I felt the last remnants of the curse lift, falling away.
“You are blessed, Dimitri,” she said, her voice soft. “You have my protection, and my blessing. But remember, this is not the end of your journey. There will be more challenges ahead, more trials to face. But with your mate by your side, you will overcome them all.”
She smiled, her form beginning to fade. “I wish you all the luck ”
And then she was gone, the silvery glow dissipating into the air, leaving me standing alone in the empty void.
The place didn’t look as forbidden as it had earlier anymore, it wasn’t just darkness and cold, it looked like a place that could grow life.
I looked around for Kate but I still couldn’t find her though, it was like she had gone missing, no where to be seen.
I was alone, then a soft breeze rushed over my skin , cold and then warm almost immediately.
I wasn’t alone.
I turned around me and then I saw her-Kate, standing at the entrance to the chamber, her eyes wide with worry, her hands clenched at her sides. She was trying not to be scared as she looked frantically around the room for me.
The moment she saw me found me, her expression softened, relief flooding her face as she rushed toward me.
“Dimitri!” she cried, throwing her arms around me, holding me tightly.
“I was so scared-I thought I’d lost you.”
I held her close, burying my face in her hair, breathing in her scent. She was real, she was here, and I had never felt more relieved , more whole.
“I’m here,” I murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
“I’m here, and it’s over. The curse is broken.”
She pulled back, searching my eyes for the truth, and when she saw it, a smile broke across her face, a smile that lit up my entire world.
“You did it,” she whispered, her voice trembling
I nodded .
” We did it, I couldn’t have done it without you” I mumbled and she smiled kissing me deeply before she pulled back.
” You did it, ” she muttered drawing away from me, I held her closer
” Let’s go home” I asked and she nodded
” I love you Dimitri” she mumbled and I smiled
” I love you too” she tapped at my shoulder rapidly
” Don’t ever scare me like that again ”
” It wasn’t my fault” I hissed and she huffed
” Of course it was ” she mumbled and she took my hands dragging me off.