Chapter 8: Nemesis

From Alpha Xavier's point of view

My paws hit the ground with loud thuds as the sound of my racing heartbeat rang loudly in my ears. I could feel every injury in my body feeling strained as my muscles retracted from the impact of my paws hitting the ground, but I could not stop. Panic and adrenaline rushed over my body as I ignored all of the pain and agony that I was supposed to be feeling from my injuries and kept on running.

I could no longer sustain being in my werewolf form as all of my raging emotions and animalistic urges suddenly dissipated. I could feel my walls shaking and quivering as if something deep within him was breaking. I could feel him losing his sanity and sense of being as if he was breaking and unraveling right before my eyes and his pain was mixed with my pain to produce an overwhelming sense of anguish, sorrow, and agony.

The sounds of my bones breaking and reforming into my human form fill the atmosphere as I complete my shift back into my body. The deck darkness of the night sky hung over me and added to the wariness I was feeling as the looming darkness foreshadowed what my eyes were about to see. I completely shut off the pain and screams that were brewing deep within me. I could feel my wolf stirring up and clawing away at my flesh, as if seeking to be let out into the darkness. Something was wrong and I knew what it was, but I did not want to believe it. My head hung down low as I tried to convince myself that my denial was justified and that the emotions I was feeling were only an illusion.

My imagination ran wild and triggered all of the emotions that I had been trying to ignore so badly. I could feel my wolf getting riled up and awaking as the sense of loss and grief lingered over me. My heart was beating heavily in my chest, just harshly beating against my rib cage, begging to get out and escape the claustrophobia that was my chest. I could feel my nerves escalating to new heights as I tried to inhale, exhale, and inhale again, but it was all not helping to calm the raging beast deep within me.

I wanted to scream, growl, or at least just allow all of the feelings imploding deep inside me to escape my body, but I couldn't. Dread fully consumed me as I stood outside the dark cellar door, afraid of what I would see behind the door. I knew what it was way before I entered the room. I knew what happened before I even made my way in, but I still needed to see it for myself.

My hand met with the cold metallic solid, with my fingers slightly shaking with fear. The constant tingling of the metallic door further escalated my tension as I pried it open. My heart went heavy on the heartbreak that had already settled into my system, but somehow I was still in denial. I could feel my broken heart struggling to beat in its regular state and my now broken wolf struggling to maintain its sanity as the sense of grief and loss overwhelmed my whole being.

The scent of blood overwhelmed all of my sensory organs... it was as if I could just see it, feel it, taste it, touch it, hear it just mocking me and my pain. I followed the trail of blood on the floor with a heavy heart and a broken wolf all the way to my beloved mate's body. I can't even call it her body because there were pieces of her all over the place; her hand in one corner, her intestines ripped right out of her body, her eyes wide open, just looking at me in pain.I could feel my already broken heart being further crushed with a tragic amount of sorrow and anguish as I looked up at her remains. Her heart was no longer beating and her head was no longer conjoined to her body.

I fell to the floor with an overwhelming sense of grief, tragedy, and pain as I beheld my newborn baby's body. He was not crying or even breathing as his heart stopped beating. My hands touched his cold, lifeless body with great sorrow as his blood-drenched my arms. What animal would rip a newborn baby's throat apart? What animal would murder a mother and her newborn child with such callousness and heartlessness, with nothing but malice and savagery? Whom have I offended to the point of their causing such grief, sorrow, and tragedy to befall my family?

Whose blood do I have to heal and whose flesh do I have to tear apart for playing a hand in this? Who the fuc-I screamed my lungs out in anguish as tears flowed out of my eyes. I let out a gut-wrenching growl as I looked up and to the heavens, ready to ask why when I stopped.There on the top of the door arch was a sign... no, a symbol written in blood. The thick bloodlines formed a circle with three lines forming a triangle drawn in it, right in my face and mocking me. The murder was taunting me and mocking my pain. Heads will roll! I will find this fu**king b"stard and there will be hell to mother fu***king pay...

"Are you OK?" What is wrong? You just zoned out there, "

I was immediately knocked back into my reality as I watched Caleb and Nemesis looking back at me with great worry all over their faces. Something about the worried look on her face just ignited a spark in my heart at the thought of her actually caring about me.

"Are you okay?" Is there something the matter? You hardly zone out anymore. Should I call the doctor? Is it her? Did she do something? I knew it. She is evil. This is exactly why I did not like any of this. We need to take care of her before she does something worse than this. "It might be contagious... did she do something suspicious?"

The pain of reliving my past weighed heavy on my heart as I swallowed down my sorrow. The trauma brought upon me by seeing the symbol was enough to put me off the idea of being around people entirely... especially her. My second chance, mate.

"Everything is fine. I was just thinking about something." I no longer wish to discuss this matter any further. I'll go change my clothes... Both of you look like you could use it too, so go do that, "

As I sped out the door, struggling to control the deep seeded pain in my heart and anger burning up in my soul, I left no room for questions or arguments; vengeance would be mine at any cost.Leaving Caleb and Nemesis alone in the room was probably a bad idea, but so be it.

Giving me a second chance mate will not soothe my heart, nor will it make me forget my mate and first love. As far as I am concerned, I will forever love my mate and no one could ever replace her in my heart or house. My grief and thirst for vengeance will not be quenched by some random woman being forced into my life as my mate.

..........

I don't know what I was expecting to see this time, but it wasn't there. My chest went up and down as I tried to calm my breathing. I just could not bring myself to get my mind off of everything that had been going on as of late. I could not take my mind off of her. Everything about her just lingered in my mind, refusing to leave. My eyes remained focused on the ceiling board as I looked upon it, just trying to figure out if it would magically have an answer to my questions, but I knew it wouldn't.

Nemesis: Could that actually be her real name or just a nickname? I had a vague idea of what the name meant and, more importantly, I knew who she was. I have heard of her. I have looked for her. I wanted to find her so badly. Someone must have just made the decision to give her to me, but why? Why would someone deliver my nemesis to me? Is it even the same nemesis that I was looking for? Why is her memory elapsed? What reason would whoever sent her have to erase all of her memories?

Did her lack of memories mean she was kidnapped and forced into this or did she volunteer? If she volunteered, why? What possible reason could she possibly have for all of that? What does she have to gain in all of this? So many questions and no answers. Did Caleb know? Oh my moon goddess... Caleb. How do I even begin to tell him about all of this? After almost three years of grieving our loss together, I find myself in this predicament. Moving on was never an option or at least an option that you would actually consider, especially with the circumstances that made me a mateless widow. Did the person that sent Nemesis know that she was my mate and, in that case, how?

I knew who she was, but I had no idea she looked so... tempting; it's a small detail, so I'm surprised none of the people I'd spoken with mentioned it.Obviously the tattoos were a new contribution, so I understand them not being mentioned, but saying nothing about that beauty and that beauty is honestly burying the lead. I knew what her name meant, especially in conjunction with what she does for a living, but for the first time since sending people after her, I realised how vague her job description was. I took out my phone and started to fall down the G****e rabbit hole, just trying to see if I could find something I could use to explain myself to my best friend and Beta.

*The Greek Mythology of Nemesis*

Nemesis was the Greek goddess of vengeance, a deity who doled out rewards for noble acts and punishment for evil ones. The Greeks believed that Nemesis didn't always punish an offender immediately but might wait generations to avenge a crime. In English, nemesis originally referred to someone who brought just retribution, but nowadays, people are more likely to see animosity than justice in the actions of a nemesis.

G****e was talking about mythology, but it still fit in so well. She was a nemesis, and that is exactly what my thirst for vengeance needed. After looking for so long for her only to have her delivered to me, I have to conclude that it is nothing but fait. My mind could not stop thinking about her... She was indeed a definition of Greek goddess-like beauty. Her bright amber and gold ish eyes just called out to me as my mind focused on her face. Her scent was like a harmonious melody that I wanted to surrender myself to. I could still smell her all around me, and that really did not help my struggle to try and get her off my mind.

How do I even begin to tell my best friend all of this after everything that we have gone through together in these long, gruesome three years? All I needed was a sign, just something to nudge me in a direction worth taking. Am I even ready to uncover whatever secret those tattoos have? What if I'm not pleased with what I discover?Three long years of looking and turning the whole supernatural kingdom upside down just looking for the animal that murdered my family, yet I still had nothing to show for it. This was the only viable lead that I had, and if playing this hide and seek game is what I had to do to get my vengeance, then so be it.

*Knock Knock*

"Alpha... it is coordinates,"