The Past Usher had never felt so terrible, convinced that the words weak and pathetic weren’t enough to describe his condition. He had lost a lot of weight, his body had become thin, and worse, he was completely helpless. Even to walk he had to struggle, just like a sick person waiting for his time to leave this world.
The gallantry and grandeur that had always clung to The Past Usher seemed to have completely vanished without a trace. The figure that was once full of spirit and strength had been replaced by someone who couldn’t even recognize himself.
Pale face and sunken eyes, the reflection in the mirror made The Past Usher question himself. How could he have become so pitiful?
Strangely enough, according to Scott, he was fine. There was nothing wrong with his health. All the tests showed that he wasn’t sick; he was perfectly healthy. So the reassuring news that should have reassured him only brought more worry. What is happening to me?
The Past Usher kept asking himself. Even as he laid his frail body down on the bed, the question still swirled in his mind. But no answer came to him.
Finally, The Past Usher gave up. The exhaustion that invaded his body became unbearable. He wanted to rest and tried to push all the confusion aside. He thought there would be tomorrow to digest everything that had happened.
Unfortunately, The Past Usher felt his head fill up as soon as he closed his eyes for two seconds. He wasn’t asleep; he was trying to sleep, but his mind was really noisy. As a result, he couldn’t find any peace, and he thrashed around in the noise that kept filling his mind.
“Isn’t this puppy cute, huh?”
“Are you okay, Vione? Oh, God. You scared me.”
“Usher? Don’t you hear what I’m saying?”
“I love you, Vione.”
“Thank you, Usher. Thank you for always being with me.”
“You don’t need claws, Vione. I will always protect you.”
The Past Usher groaned. His hands rose, then gripped his hair tightly.
“Please, Usher. Hold on. Please. Hold on for me.”
“I miss you, Vione.”
“Remember, Alpha! Do not let you and your past self know each other. If that happens, the balance of time and space will be upset. Only one Alpha will survive.”
“It’s dangerous, Usher. You may have survived this time, Usher, but there’s no guarantee for the next time. You could be hurt and your life could be in danger.”
“My chances of failure are indeed there, but that also means that I have a chance of success. It’s for that chance that I’m going to try, Rowena.”
The Past Usher’s eyes instantly opened wide. His breathing was rapid as sweat soaked his entire body. “What was that? I…”
The Past Usher closed his eyes again as an unimaginable pain struck his head. The pain was truly indescribable, and in that moment, as he tried to bear it, another question arose. “Am I dreaming?”
Maybe yes, maybe no. The Past Usher doubted this possibility. For all these flashes felt very real. As if it was all happening to him, but it wasn’t.
The Past Usher shook his head several times. This wasn’t reality. He didn’t feel like he had ever been in those situations and events. But why did it feel so real? He could even feel all the emotions that accompanied each of those flashes. Among them were regret, determination, despair, and also a deep longing.
Vione’s face reappeared in The Past Usher’s mind. Along with the tears and sobs that made his heart pound with a thousand deadly pains.
“Can’t we just end it all here, Usher? What if we forget it all, Usher? Why don’t we start a new life together from now on? Can we do that? Please.”
“Forgive me, Vione. You know better than anyone how much I love you, Vione. One of my long-standing desires has been to live with you through thick and thin. So please believe me. I really want to start a new life with you, but I can’t.”
“I will always wait for you. No matter in the present or in the past, I’ll always wait for you. So come back to me.”
The Past Usher felt a tightness come over him. He gasped for air, almost unable to breathe under the weight of the emotional flashes swirling in his head. A black hole gaped within him, and he was being sucked into it. Then he jerked.
“Usher.”
A voice shattered all thoughts from Usher’s mind. He opened his eyes and widened in shock as he saw a man in his room.
The Past Usher got up and stepped away from the bed, his eyes wide. “Who are you? How did you get in here?” He turned to the door. “Garth! You-”
The Past Usher’s words were cut off as his body was slammed back against the wall. He moaned in pain and realized a moment later that he was trapped.
His moan turned to a growl. The Past Usher tried to break free, but he couldn’t. His weak body and limited strength were no match for the man’s power. Moreover, there was a strange sensation that made him even more helpless-a burning sensation that coursed through his entire body. He was almost seared, and the worst of it was on his neck, where the Alpha Mark tattoo seemed to glow in the dim light of the room.
The Past Usher clenched his teeth to bear the pain, then coughed heavily. Emotions swirled in his chest, a mixture of anger and shame. He couldn’t accept being so easily subdued by an unknown man.
The Past Usher’s emotions suddenly stopped. His anger was now replaced by confusion. His forehead furrowed as he stared at the man, questioning in his mind. Who is he? How did he get into my room? Do I know him?
The Past Usher dismissed the last question when he saw the mask the man was wearing. If they knew each other, the man would not hide his face. The man wouldn’t hide his face unless he had malicious intentions.
The Past Usher’s suspicions brought up several bad possibilities. He suspected that the man was an intruder, a spy from another pack who wanted to take advantage of his illness.
Strangely, something within The Past Usher contradicted this assumption. His intuition told him that the man meant him no harm.
This intuition caused The Past Usher to lift his face. He stared into the man’s eyes, and then another oddity made him freeze.
The Past Usher blinked. He tried to concentrate when he thought he saw a mirror a few seconds ago. He seemed to see his own reflection in the man’s eyes, as if he were looking at himself.
The Past Usher’s body grew cold. Goose bumps formed on his skin. He almost staggered in confusion until he decided to ask, “Who are you? What do you want?”
*