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“Sometimes…I truly do feel unworthy.” Her voice barely reached the air as she gave a sad smile.
Nyx nodded in understanding and used her free hand to press it upon Selene’s left cheek.“You are worthy of what you are about to unlock, my Darling. Worthy of the god and goddess that reside in you. Worthy of the wolf of generations that will break generational curses against Shadowborns, and that fury that ignites after your shell goes numb. That essence seeks retribution. To cut through any doubt in your mind and claim what is rightfully yours. What you deserve to experience. Peace. Admiration. Love. Happiness. Don’t allow yourself to question ‘why you.’ There were no mistakes made. You were destined to walk down this path, and the stars will reward you for being obedient to the creator who shields you from death again and again.”
She let her hand slip from Selene’s cheek before she lifted the last bit of stand in her right hand and cupped it together with her left. Closing her eyes, she took a few times inhales and exhales.
“You’ll discover that the Shadow Realms embrace traditions, and you’ll undergo what you need to break the chains that hold you back. Embrace the hymns of chants. Embrace the connections and emotions of love and lust. Allow your imagination to roam free and remember the limitless potential you carry in the calms of your hands. Like a burning flame, may you bring warmth to those chilled by the darkness. May you find your calling, child, and embrace your inner child that yearns to be reunited once more.”
Selene’s eyes grew heavier by the second until her eyes drooped and her body immediately relaxed.
I forced myself to remain still, even when her body leaned forward and her eyes rolled into a dazed state, but Nyx held the sides of her head while she began chanting, which ignited the multiple incantations that rushed to the surface.
Before I realized it, Selene’s flesh was covered in tiny glowing symbols and incantations, while the magic circle of white glowed brilliantly until three obvious colors burned to the surface of white sand – orange, blue, and black.
Nyx continued to chant until she lowered Selene back into the black sand surface, and I watched as streams of blue and orange shot out from Selene’s chest and moved backward until two balls of flames hovered in the air.
Juniper and Pyrrhus.
“Aren’t they coming with us?” I decided to ask as Nyx headed my way.
“You will leave behind your god and wolf,” she declared as she retrieved more white sand for preparation for my ritual. “This journey is meant for you two alone. It’s at your rawest that you experience what the universe has to offer you.”
That made me feel unsteady, which I had a hunch she’d catch onto.
“You’ve gotten used to having support at every angle of your being that you’ve forgotten what it's like to rely on yourself,” she voiced as her knowledgeable eyes inspected me carefully. “What still troubles you, child?”
“I’m left feeling conflicted,” I confessed. “Before our arrival, I proposed to Selene.”
“I noticed the very glamorous ring that represents that,” she replied and proceeded to smile. “A gem that resonates with her Celestial power matched with a band that empowers her flaming wolves. Incantations that increase her wolf’s ability to heal and shift back and forth. You really went above and beyond to get a piece of jewelry that’s not only significant but can protect her.”
She bobbed her head in approval as her smile simply grew.
“And yet, that’s where you fear lies, doesn’t it? That you can’t protect the woman you’ve come to fall madly in love with.”
“The more people realize how valuable and powerful Selene is, the more instances I’ll fall into where I’m left unable to protect her,” I huffed and tried not to be hard on myself, but I was her mate and Alpha. It was my duty to keep her safe and yet I’d been unable to completely do so in the last few instances.
“So do you believe your purpose of being in your mate's life is to simply shield her from the pain of this world so she can stand there and look pretty?” Nyx inquired and laughed. “You could have stuck with Amaya then if that was what you sought.”
The mere mention of my ex-mate made me scowl, but Nyx only found more amusement in my displeasure as she cackled and shook her head.
“Your purpose is not to protect her from every challenge that comes her way, Asher. She’s a born rebel, one whose destiny revolves around shaking up old habits and traditions that no longer serve us,” she emphasized and knelt before me. “Your purpose is to stand by her side. To go through challenges together. Yes, you are her Alpha, and your instinctive duty is to shield her from anything that threatens to hurt her, but you must allow her to blossom into the woman she’s destined to be. Giving her the chance to prosper will reward you in other areas that you’ve yet to experience, and together, you’ll ascend into your rightful positions on the council.”
“You support such?” I asked, my eyes beginning to struggle to remain open as she began sprinkling sand around me in a circular movement.
“Why would I not?” she countered.
“The Syndicates,” I muttered, attempting to fight the heaviness descending upon my consciousness. I could feel Abyss and Axel slipping away, which made me feel a tad anxious without their presence.
“The Syndicates were never meant to be permanent, my child,” she revealed. “Change is inevitable. Invited by the Creator whom we praise and ask for our kind’s salvation. Some things must crumble for new roots to grow through the cracks and blossom what was delayed by the enemy. You have no control over that.”
She began to hum, the tune only making it harder to stay awake. I fought against it, wishing to ask more questions, but I realized Selene would have been in the realms by now, and she’d most certainly be looking for me.
The reminder made my stomach flip, and I struggled to not feel that buried sense of fear I’d kept tucked away for a few years now.
Nyx’s hand fell upon my cheek, and I managed enough strength to open my eyes open to see her blurred image. Compared to before, she glowed with immense energy, and for a moment, I could see an older woman with brilliant grey strands that levitated with magic.
“You are worthy to see those who fought till the end to protect you, Asher. Do not fear judgment, for there is nothing but welcoming arms that await you and your mate in the realms of shadows,” she reassured me. “Seek what you truly desire. Ask the questions you’ve yearned to present. Regain your own confidence and achieve what you’ve wished to with your queen by your side.”
I couldn’t fight the pull any longer — my eyes finally beginning to close as my consciousness felt like it was beginning to fall into a sea of darkness. Chanting followed me down, growing louder and louder as the vibrations wrapped around me like a blanket of protection.
