Usher didn’t know exactly what was happening to him. Everything felt like a dream, especially when he saw a man with a face identical to his own, as if looking in a mirror. Then suddenly a blue-golden light filled his room. The light was so blinding that he couldn’t stand it. He fell unconscious.
“Weird,” Usher whispered as he got up from the floor. He stood up and rubbed his neck. “What just happened to me? Am I dreaming? But why…”
The words fell from Usher’s tongue. More than that, his footsteps stopped as well. He stood still for a moment. Then he looked down at his own feet.
Usher was stunned, feeling a mixture of emotions. He could barely speak as he asked himself, “Am I healed? Why don’t I feel weak at all?”
Usher’s legs were stable, unlike before. He could stand up straight and walk firmly, unlike yesterday when he had to hold on to something to walk.
It didn’t stop there. Usher checked other parts of his body as well. He looked at his hands and was sure that his hands had regained their strength. He was confident that he could break through a stone wall right then and there.
Usher felt immense joy. But that joy was nothing compared to the joy he felt a second later when he closed his eyes and felt a familiar pulse within him. His wolf spirit was there. His wolf spirit wasn’t dead. His wolf spirit-
Usher’s eyes snapped open. He froze as he realized something. Why do I have two wolf spirits?
Usher’s confusion didn’t stop there. He realized that one of the two wolf spirits was dead, had been dead for a long time.
“How could I not see it? What am I to do now?”
Usher closed his eyes. The voice echoed in his mind, drawing fragments that confused him.
“No.” Usher shook his head, clutching his hair. “What exactly is happening to me?”
Usher’s eyes fell on the mirror. All his questions stopped when he noticed something strange. He walked over to the mirror and looked at his reflection, specifically his neck.
Usher held his breath as he saw the charred appearance of his Alpha tattoo, as if it had just been scorched by a blazing fire. He stopped and asked himself, “If this isn’t a dream, then what is it?
As this question echoed in his mind, Usher heard another commotion in his head. Voices and flashes of various events swirled around him, making him quickly grab the table for support.
“Listen to me, Usher. First, make sure Garth is always by your side. He knows what he has to do to help you.”
Usher’s eyes widened. “Garth,” he whispered before deciding to go to the door. He opened the door and called out, “Garth!”
Usher didn’t find Garth, but two guards he didn’t recognize. They looked startled to see him.
“A-Alpha.”
Usher ignored their strange behavior and asked, “Where is Garth? Have him meet me immediately.”
The two guards looked at each other. They looked confused, which made Usher angry.
Usher couldn’t wait, and fortunately he remembered someone. “Cora!” he shouted repeatedly as he walked down the long hallway, ignoring the two guards trying to take him back to his room. “Cora! Where are you, Cora?!”
Usher’s steps stopped as he saw Cora appear at the end of the corridor. She looked shocked to see him and quickly approached.
“Alpha.”
Usher growled. “Where is Garth? I need to see him now. I need to talk to him.”
Cora seemed unable to answer Usher’s question. Her face showed confusion.
“Cora,” Usher growled, his eyes flashing. “Did you not hear my question?”
Cora bowed her head. “Forgive me, Alpha, but Garth cannot see you at the moment.”
“Garth cannot see me?” Usher frowned. “Why? What’s wrong with him?”
Eyes closed; Cora answered Usher’s question helplessly. “Garth is preparing for trial, Alpha. Mireya has accused him of trying to kill you.”
Usher was shocked, barely able to breathe, his heart seeming to stop. “What?!”
*
Usher’s arrival at the High Court caused an uproar among everyone present. Nearly everyone was overwhelmed with joy. The trial of Garth was abruptly halted.
“Alpha!”
“Alpha is cured!”
Most of them cheered, expressing their happiness at Usher’s recovery. They could see with their own eyes that Usher was back to his former self. Although Usher looked thinner, he stood tall and walked steadily. Usher once again exuded strength and grace, leaving everyone in awe.
On the other hand, Usher’s presence made Mireya’s eyes widen in disbelief. She gaped, thinking she might be seeing things, until Usher approached her.
“U-Usher.”
Usher’s mouth was tight. His face seemed rigid. “What are you doing, Mireya?”
Mireya stammered, barely able to speak. “U-Usher, I-I-”
“I heard you arrested Garth for planning a murder,” Usher interrupted quickly and bluntly. “Is that true?”
Mireya didn’t know what to say, but she saw Cora standing right behind Usher. No need to ask, she was sure that Cora had told Usher.
“Usher.” Mireya took a deep breath. She tried to calm herself as she searched for a way out. “I did all this for your safety. Garth is not as good as you think. He has been betraying you the whole time. He has been working with a mysterious man.”
Usher narrowed his eyes. “Garth betrayed me?”
“I know you won’t believe it, so see for yourself.”
With that, Mireya immediately led Usher to see all the evidence she had meticulously compiled. All the photos and videos had been manipulated to make Garth look guilty.
“See?” Mireya pointed at a photo for Usher. “Garth met with that mysterious man on his way to Ayla’s house. They planned your murder. He broke your trust, Usher. You trusted the wrong person.”
Usher remained silent. He continued to stare at the photo with a sense of strangeness that couldn’t be ignored.
Logically, Garth seemed guilty. But Usher’ instincts told him differently.
“Alpha.”
Garth’s voice echoed. Usher turned and saw Garth. It was then that he realized Garth’s pitiful state.
Garth was no weak werewolf. On the contrary, he was the strongest, which earned him the position of Usher’s companion. But the Garth Usher saw now was not the same as before.
Garth’s face was filled with regret and despair. He seemed to hate himself for being powerless in the face of all the chaos that had occurred. His pride was shattered. Worse, he felt like the most useless werewolf in the world.
“Alpha, forgive me. I am guilty, but I never intended to betray your trust. What must I do to atone for this?” Garth asked in a low voice. He seemed to have no will to live. “Do you wish me dead, Alpha?”
The court became tumultuous. Mireya smiled while Usher grimaced and clutched his head as strange flashes returned.
“Very well, Alpha. If that is your wish, I will not refuse. Please, punish me. I have dedicated my entire life to serving you. Even if you wish my death, I will give it to you.”
Usher was stunned. The flash showed Garth ripping the vein in his neck with his own hand. “No.”
“Very well, Alpha. If that is your wish, I will not refuse. Please, punish me. I have dedicated my entire life to serving you. Even if you wish my death, I will give it to you.”
Garth spoke the exact words that echoed in Usher’s mind. Then he raised his right hand. His five fingers spread and then moved to his neck.
Panicked screams erupted. People closed their eyes, unable to witness the bloody event. But when they opened their eyes, they saw Usher grab Garth’s hand.
Usher growled; his breath heavy. “What do you think you’re doing, Garth?! What are you trying to do?!”
Garth looked at Usher in disbelief. “Alpha.”
“You, Garth,” Usher said with an emotional turmoil that could not be expressed all at once. He was angry, but also relieved. “How dare you try to leave your Alpha!”
*