Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha-Chapter 194

Betrayed by blood~

The day went by, and not once did Cain leave Avery’s side.

He didn’t eat.

He didn’t drink.

He barely moved, his eyes fixed on her, as if his presence could pull her back from the brink of whatever place her soul had drifted into.

Every so often, Cain’s fingers would twitch toward hers, desperate for any sign of life, but every time he reached out, she remained still.

The door creaked open, and Lydia stepped in. He straightened up. "Is she here yet?" He asked.

"Yes, Alpha. She just arrived."

Cain’s eyes snapped toward the door, his breath catching in his throat. The air seemed to quieten the second she stepped in. Elder Loris stood by the door, small, hunched, her frail body wrapped in a dark cloak. Her hair, thin and silver, fell down her back. Her eyes milky with blindness.

Cain’s chest tightened. He had heard of her in passing, but seeing her in person was different.

She paused by the door, sensing his tension. "Alpha Cain, I have come," she said, her voice soft but firm. "Let me see her."

Cain didn’t respond, only nodded as he stepped aside to give her space.

Elder Loris knelt beside Avery’s bed. She extended her hands, fingers hovering above Avery’s still form. Her hands trembled ever so slightly, as if trying to connect with a spirit she could not yet reach.

For a long while, there was only the quiet sound of Loris’s breathing, slow and steady. Cain remained in his place, his heart thudding painfully in his chest.

"Her soul... Yes, it is not at rest," she said quietly, as if speaking to herself. "She has been torn from her essence, the kind that leaves a mark, not just on the body, but on the spirit." She turned to Cain, almost like she could see him.

"You see," she began, her voice frail. "Her body and her soul are not one, and that is why she cannot wake." She paused, her eyes still milky with blindness but somehow seeing everything around her. She raised her hands slowly, almost as if feeling the room’s energy. "Her soul wanders, lost. It does not know its way back, not yet."

Cain’s pulse quickened at the mention of her soul, his hands tightening into fists at his sides.

"What does that mean?" he demanded.

"It means she’s between life and death. She’s hanging. The poison she was struck with. It’s called Lirae. It is no ordinary venom. It has been used by dark witches to sever the soul from the body, to keep it in limbo, never to return. I believe he was going to take away her abilities with it." She shook her head. "A stupid king. Lirae doesn’t just sever power from its source. It cuts off the soul. Most who have been poisoned with it... do not survive. It is a miracle she has lived this long."

Cain’s chest tightened, the words like a physical blow. His mind raced. Lirae. His gaze flickered down to Avery, still lifeless in the bed, and he fought the wave of fresh anger that threatened to overtake him.

"How long?" he rasped. "How long before she’s—before it’s too late?" ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

"I cannot say," Elder Loris replied. "But the longer she stays in this state, the more difficult it will be to pull her back. Lirae is a deadly poison. It works quickly, and the longer it lingers, the stronger its hold becomes. She may never return. Not if you do not act swiftly."

"Then do something! Bring her back!" Cain snapped, already at his wit’s end.

Elder Loris lowered her hands, sighing deeply. "I do not know if I can guide her. The tools I need, the ones that could bring her soul back, they are not with me. But I have seen the path."

"Where are these tools?" Cain growled. "I’ll get them. I’ll bring them back. Send the warriors to Bloodmoon, I’ll—"

"No," Elder Loris interjected sharply. She turned her head slightly, her blind eyes focusing on him in a way that made Cain pause. "It is not Blood Moon Pack. The tools you seek are in a deep forest, one not many have returned from alive. It is known by many names, but the one I know, the one that best describes it, is Valley of Death.

A deep silence fell over the room. The air grew colder as the name left her lips. The Valley of Death. The words seemed to echo, almost like a curse.

The other elders in the room gasped collectively, their eyes wide in disbelief. "That forest?" one of them stammered. "No one has ever returned from there. You cannot be serious."

"Are you suggesting we—?" another one started but stopped when they caught Cain’s glare.

"Shut up," Cain growled. The room fell into silence at once, and every elder held their breath. "Elder Loris," he said, his voice now controlled. "Continue."

"To find what is needed in The Valley of Death is a task. What you need, Alpha, is something sacred. Something that has not been found in countless lifetimes. It is impossible to find. A relic lost to time, to death itself. But it is the only way. If you do not retrieve it, Avery will remain as she is, trapped between worlds, for a very long time."

The elders exchanged nervous glances, murmuring under their breath. One of them, a younger man, spoke up hesitantly. "You mean the Heart of Celeste?" he asked, his voice shaky.

"Yes," Elder Loris replied with a nod. "It is said to be hidden deep within the Valley of Death. Only those who possess the seeker’s gift. A sage like Avery can find it."

The room froze. The Heart of Celeste was a myth, a tale older than the packs themselves. No one truly believed it existed, let alone that it could be found in such a place. There was a reason why that place was forbidden. Not after the thousands of people that have died in there.

Cain, however, was not deterred by their disbelief. He stepped forward. "And finding the Heart of Celeste will bring Avery back?" He asked.

"It is a part of the process now to an essential one," Elder Loris replied.

"If it’s the only way, then I will find it," he said. His wolf stirred inside him, impatient, ready to leap into action.

"But, Alpha," one of the elders stammered, stepping forward, "Even if you find this Heart of Celeste, there’s no guarantee it will work. What if the Luna’s soul can’t return? What if it’s too late?"

Another stepped forward. "You are putting everything at risk," one elder said, his voice shaking. "The Valley of Death is not a place for anyone, let alone someone of your caliber. There are dangers that no one, not even a seasoned alpha, can face alone."

Cain’s gaze flickered over to Elder Loris, who stood silent, her hands clasped together, as if in prayer. "The Valley of Death holds many secrets," she said softly, almost as though speaking to herself. "It is a place where the living and the dead are intertwined. You will not be able to fight your way through it. You must be ready to lose something in order to gain what you seek."

Cain turned to her, his jaw clenched. "What do you mean? What will I have to lose?"

She didn’t answer right away, her eyes unfocused. Then, she sighed. "The Valley will test you. It will show you things, memories, regrets, losses. It will force you to confront your deepest fears. Only those who are willing to face their own darkness may survive." She then stepped closer to him. "Tell me Alpha, are you willing to go through hell for your mate?

Cain stood still, his mind racing. The thought of losing Avery, of her soul being forever lost to him, gnawed at him. The idea of facing his own past, his own demons, didn’t frighten him as much as the possibility of loosing her.

"I will go," he said, his voice final. "No matter the cost."