*Zander*
“My alpha, this seems to be just an altar and nothing special about it. Are you sure we could get some links about it from the past and that it’s worth our time?” Maddox asked.
I understood his curiosity and confusion because what I could feel was beyond what he could see. I knew I felt a connection with this altar as if every stone on its wall wanted to tell me something.
“Yes, Maddox, I am very sure. I need to know what other secrets it’s hiding,” I admitted, affirming my resolve.
“Okay, my alpha, let’s leave this place. I will send a sample and information about it to our research team. I’m certain they will uncover everything about it,” Maddox assured.
“No, I won’t leave without Selena, Maddox. My instincts are telling me that something is about to happen and she isn’t safe here,” I declared, the restlessness still lingering in my chest.
“But she is the true descendant of the moon goddess, and no one can harm her,” Maddox said, looking at me as if I had lost my mind. “She is more powerful than all of us.”
Powerful or not, she was mine. Mine to care for, mine to protect, and I was not going to leave her alone. I had let her go once, and I regretted that day. Now I knew Damon was not her mate. He was surely up to no good, and I wouldn’t leave my mate alone in this difficult time, whether she wanted me to or not.
“My Alpha instinct is never wrong, and I know how powerful she is, but she is equally emotional. She needs me, and I won’t leave without her, and that’s final,” I announced with authority.
Maddox let out a breath in defeat and frustration before he finally conceded, “Okay, my Alpha, as you say.”
Then he clicked some pictures and quickly sent them to our research team. He gave them an ultimatum, demanding every piece of information as soon as possible. We waited there, trying to decipher what was written in the ancient language. I had learned some ancient languages, but this seemed older as if it dated back to the creation of the world. The weirder thing was, that I still could not find Selena.
I winced at the possibility that she might have returned to the castle. The thought of that cunning vampire manipulating my mate and claiming her as his made me lose my mind. I wanted to kill that filthy vampire, tearing him apart with my bare hands.
The sun was setting, and the mysterious altar began emitting an ethereal light that seemed to illuminate everything in the encroaching darkness. I could feel the dark magic intensifying, almost overwhelming our senses.
“Alpha, we need to leave,” Maddox murmured, sensing the dark force as well.
I nodded, but my mind disagreed. “Let’s stay a while and observe this place more in the magical light. Maybe we can find some clue,” I suggested, looking at the sky. The moon did not show up. Everything was mysterious about this night.
“Alpha!” Maddox sighed, his shoulders slumping in surrender. “Your safety is my responsibility. I can’t afford any harm to come to you.”
“Don’t worry, Maddox. Nothing will happen, and I promise our safety,” I assured him. As their Alpha, it was my duty to keep my people safe, and I wouldn’t let anything happen to Maddox. He was my beta, my sister’s mate, and my best friend. He was the only person I could trust with my pack and my family when I was gone… forever. The lump in my throat swelled at the thought of my impending death.
However, it wasn’t long before Maddox’s phone tinged with a notification. He checked the email and showed it to me. “Look at this, Alpha. Our research team dug deep into the ancient literature and found that this altar is thousands of years old. It’s not mentioned for any specific reason, but it was under the kingdom of the Warlock King,” he read aloud.
No specific information! Then why was I seeing those strange things about it? It was possible that the magic in the air was playing with my mind, making me see illusions. The eerie light from the altar and the thick, dark magic that surrounded us seemed almost sentient, trying to manipulate our senses and thoughts, I stared at the information. The research team had even sent all the spreadsheets and related proofs about the altar’s age. The details confirmed its ancient origins, stretching back thousands of years, and tied it to the reign of the Warlock King.
Suddenly, Maddox’s phone began ringing. It was a video call from Blair. I handed his phone back to him. He blushed as he saw his mate was calling him.
“Excuse me, Alpha,” he muttered hesitantly before stepping away to a corner. Though I could hear everything, I chose not to pay attention to my sister and his mate’s conversation.
I continued observing the surroundings and noticed a path leading to a river, the sound of flowing water reaching my ears. It felt like deja vu as if I had been here before in another lifetime. I was lost in my thoughts, not realizing Maddox was calling my name.
“Alpha! Alpha!”
“Yes, Maddox. What happened?” I asked, furrowing my brow at the urgency on his face.
“There’s something that needs your attention,” he informed me, handing me his phone.
Holding Maddox’s phone, I glanced at my sister on the screen. “Yes, Blair. What happened? Is everything alright in the pack?” I inquired.
“Yes, Zander, everything is going fine,” she replied, but there was a note of panic in her voice. “But suddenly the Seer came, and she wanted to talk to you urgently.”
The Seer?! If she wanted to talk to me, it must be something very and really important. She never appeared before anyone without a reason.
“Okay,” I approved, feeling a knot of anxiety tightening in my chest.
Blair nodded and then passed her phone to the Seer. The screen shifted, and the Seer’s solemn face came into view. Her eyes, deep and knowing, seemed to pierce through the screen.
“Alpha! I need you to return quickly,” the Seer said. No, she literally commanded, desperation and fear were clear in her voice.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, frowning.
“I saw blood and dead bodies everywhere, signs of war,” the Seer said, her voice trembling. “And you… you lay lifeless among them while our Luna was crying.” Her voice broke as she described the vision.
I swallowed hard, my throat tightening. Her words brought my unending fear, the fear I couldn’t escape.