Alethea
There are so many mysteries I still don’t understand about Selena. Somehow, she was able to say a few words and make Xena stir-something I had tried countless times with no success.
Just seeing her here, I feel a spark of hope for Asher. She has always had a way of coming through for me, and I know today won’t be any different.
I explain everything that has happened, every detail, every fear, and she listens intently before letting out a small sigh of relief.
“You can help him get back on his feet again,” she says with certainty.
I blink at her, stunned. “You mean that? How? What am I supposed to do?”
Her lips curl into a small smile. “It’s simple. And luck is on your side.”
I narrow my eyes, trying to grasp what she means. “What do you mean, luck?”
She steps closer, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “It’s the full moon, Ally. Your healing power can help him.”
I stare at her, frozen, my mind racing. Healing power? What is she talking about?
I don’t have healing abilities-at least, not that I know of. If I did, why didn’t I realize it sooner? Why has Asher suffered for so long when I could have helped him?
“Oh, Mom… why didn’t you come before now?” I whisper, with emotion.
She sighs, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “I had to be careful. News has spread about the takeover, and you know Xavier can be ruthless.”
I nod in understanding. He won’t hesitate to eliminate anyone who stands in his way.
Then, suddenly, a new fear grips me, and I look around in alarm. In my desperate fight to save Asher, I completely forgot about Declan.
“Where is my boy? I hope he’s with you.”
Selena shakes her head. “No, Ally. He’s with Amelia. I couldn’t bring him here-you understand why, don’t you?”
I swallow hard, nodding slowly. “Yes… I understand.”
No one can know about Asher’s child. Not yet. Not when we are walking a tightrope between life and death.
“That’s a relief,” I breathe out. “So… how do we go about this?”
Selena explains everything in detail-how I can channel the energy of the full moon, how my bond with Asher will amplify the healing process, and how my wolf, Xena, will guide me through it. My heart leaps with joy as realization dawns on me, Asher will be fine again.
But then, another problem arises.
“How do we move him?” I ask, glancing toward Asher’s unconscious form. He is still weak, his body barely responding. “We need to get him out of this room and into the open field under the full moon… but how do we do that without anyone noticing?”
Selena presses her lips together, thinking.
I sigh, rubbing my forehead. “We can’t risk being seen. If anyone finds out he’s alive, Xavier will stop at nothing to finish what he started.”
Selena nods. “That’s true, but we’re not alone in this. Liam can help us.”
Liam has already risked so much to protect Asher. If anyone can help us pull this off, it’s him.
“Alright,” I say firmly. “I’ll talk to him. We’ll need to be careful. The guards must stay asleep, and we have to time everything perfectly.”
Selena places a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “We’ll make it work, Ally. Just trust yourself.”
I nod.
As the hours pass, Selena and I talk about everything under the sun-about Declan, about the danger we are in, about my powers that I never knew existed.
She tells me stories of our ancestors, of Argenta wolves who carried the gift of healing.
The more she speaks, the more I feel a connection to something greater than myself.
But despite all the conversation, my mind keeps drifting back to one thing-the nightfall.
I wait anxiously for the sun to set and for the moon to rise high in the sky.
Because tonight… everything changes.
****
Liam helps us wheel Asher through the back tunnel, a passage known only to a handful of pack members.
Every creak of the wheels against the stone floor makes my heart race. If anyone catches us, everything we’ve worked for will be over.
I’ve done my best to stay out of Xavier’s reach. He’s been ruthless in his approach, eliminating anyone who dares to oppose him. But he won’t rule for long.
Every time I go to the arena, I take a careful look at those still loyal to Asher.
I’ve spoken to Liam about it, and he’s been quietly gathering them, preparing them for the moment when we strike back.
They need to be ready-because once Asher wakes up, Xavier’s reign will come to an end.
I’m grateful that Liam has followed through with every part of my plan. He can’t imagine himself serving under Xavier, and I don’t blame him.
But while I keep pushing forward, Xena remains distant.
She barely responds when I call her, giving only short, empty answers. It’s like she’s given up hope-like she’s already mourning the loss of our mate, even though Asher is still breathing.
But I refuse to give up.
I finally understand why I was drawn back to the Redwood Pack. This was always my fight.
Xena curls deeper into my mind, silent again. But I don’t need her reassurance anymore.
I will save Asher, with or without her help.
The night is eerily quiet as we settle into the clearing, far away from the prying eyes of the pack. We carefully place Asher on the ground, the stretcher pressed into the cool earth beneath him.
Selena stands at his head, holding a single candle, its flame flickers against the dark.
Her eyes are closed, her expression unreadable. She’s always been a mystery to me.
A doctor, yet so much more-someone with knowledge and power I still can’t fully grasp.
“Place your hand on his chest,” she instructs softly.
I hesitate for a second before obeying. His skin is cold, his body still. I feel no familiar spark, no mating bond pulsing between us. It terrifies me.
“Focus on your energy,” Selena urges.
I clench my eyes shut, trying to do as she says. Energy? What energy? I have no idea what she means, but I push past my doubts and listen.
“Imagine how well you want him to be,” she continues. “What part of his body needs healing? Picture his wounds closing, his strength returning, his wolf stirring awake inside him.”
Her voice is steady. I nod, keeping my eyes closed as I let my mind follow her instructions.
I see it.
I picture Asher’s wounds sealing shut, his torn muscles knitting together, his body regaining its lost strength. I focus harder, willing every part of him to heal.
Something shifts.
A strange warmth flows from my core, traveling through my arm and into Asher’s body.
A faint fog rises around us, swirling in the air like a living thing. The sensation is foreign, yet familiar at the same time-as if this power had always been inside me, waiting for the right moment to awaken.
I feel the energy working and sense the pain easing from his body. But it’s not enough.
I push harder, pouring more of myself into him. His cells repairing, his breathing steadying, his heartbeat strengthening. I can feel it happening.
Then dizziness hits me.
My limbs grow weak, my head spins, and I suddenly realize-I’ve given too much.
My body feels impossibly heavy, my limbs numb, as if every ounce of strength has been drained from me.
I force my eyes open just enough to see it-a strange, flicker mist rising from Asher’s wound, swirling like fire and smoke.
His body jerks violently, his muscles tense, his face twisted in pain. He’s fighting something.
Fighting to come back.
But I can’t hold on any longer.
A sharp breath rattles through my chest, my lungs burning as if the very air is being sucked from me.
My heart pounds in my ears, drowning out everything else. It feels like I’m slipping away.
My fingers tremble, my palms slick with sweat. I’m losing too much. My strength, my energy-it’s all pouring into Asher, and I have nothing left to hold on to.
Then-everything snaps.
My body gives out, and I collapse to the ground. The world spins, blurring in and out of focus.
I catch a glimpse of Selena’s face hovering over me, panic in her eyes. She’s saying something, but the words are lost to the ringing in my ears.
Asher.
I try to turn my head, desperate to see him just one last time. If this is what it takes, if giving everything I have is the only way to bring him back-then so be it.
But the last thing I see before the darkness takes me is his still, unmoving body.
Then-nothing.