Chapter 6

ALISHA’S POV

I wiped the final drops of tears from my cheeks, coming face to face with my new reality.

I had rejected my mate officially and severed all ties I had with him. So there was no need to feel even the tiniest ounce of emotions towards him anymore.

Reminding myself of that fact, I nodded and turned to face my brother and Arthur, a feeling of relief and nervousness immediately washing towards me.

“It’s done,” I said to them both. “Let’s leave this god forsaken pack forever.”

“What?” Calum immediately said, his expression changing. I mirrored his actions, suddenly confused on why he didn’t seem as excited as I expected him to be. “No, Alisha. I can’t leave the pack just like that. I am the Beta and that means I have a responsibility here so I can’t just leave.”

His voice had the same warm and comforting tone it always did but for the first time, it couldn’t comfort me.

Instead, I felt my heart shattering, plunging me into another pool of sadness. I didn’t want to leave alone but it seemed like his mind was already made up, leaving me with no choice but to turn to Arthur.

“Arthur,” I chose my words carefully, out of fear of sounding selfish. I needed to understand Calum’s reason for being unable to leave the pack. “Like you already heard, Calum won’t be crossing the border with leaves the journey to just the two of us. We don’t have much time on our hands so let’s go.”

“I’m sorry but I can’t.”

Again, my heart shattered.

“I need to resolve the ongoing matters with Lucien first, Alisha. But I promise you once it’s all resolved, I’ll leave the pack and come join you.”

I shook my head, unwilling to understand things anymore. “No, Arthur. You can’t do that. I don’t want you to be too impulsive.”

“This isn’t about me being impulsive,” he took my hands in his and gave it a light squeeze. “You’re now free, Alisha, so go. Cross that border and do not worry about all of these things.. Don’t let this pack hold you back.”

He was right. But at that moment none of it mattered to me.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I replied him, my voice firm. “I’ll wait here until you resolve things with Lucien then we’ll leave the pack together.”

“Alisha-”

I shook my head. “No, Arthur. I’m not leaving without you.”

It was his turn to shake his head and this time it came with a sense of worry. “Go, Alisha. This pack isn’t-”

He probably had a couple more words begging to escape from the clutches of his throat but none of them got out as his words were abruptly interrupted by the angry sound of the pack’s broadcast.

“Alisha Stone!”

Equal fear gripped everyone at the sound. It was one that was familiar to us all. One we had grown to fear and hate.

It was the voice of Lucien filled with rage and terror.

“Alisha Stone has tried to escape from the pack!” he barked through the speakers, his anger so obvious it could be sensed even a thousand miles away. “She has left her Luna’s responsibilities behind!”

“Alisha, I know you are still nearby and can hear me,” he continued. “So I’ll give you a chance to turn around and return to the pack. If you know what’s best for you, you better turn around. But if you dare cross that border and leave the pack, I promise you I would punish every single one of your warriors. Return now and I would be merciful to only kill one of your warriors as punishment for your attempt to betray me and the pack.”

I clenched my fists, sudden anger surging towards me. I was boiling with so much emotion and more than anything at that moment, hated Lucien for his ability to have that much effect on me.

“Lucien,” Arthur said in between gritted teeth, his expression hardening. “That mere coward. He doesn’t deserve to be Alpha at all.”

I couldn’t agree less and in response, turned to face Calum, hoping for at least a single word in agreement. But instead, he remained silent, simply furrowing his brows with obvious anger seething through him.

A deafening silence suddenly fell in between us and I didn’t need to be told to know what that signified. The tides had suddenly changed and it brought along a sudden change of my mind with it.

I couldn’t leave the pack. Not like that. Not when the future of my former subordinates and warriors suddenly depended on my every step. I couldn’t risk it all and give Lucien even the slightest chance to treat them all unjustly.

“Alisha?” Calum spoke up again after a while. “What are you thinking?”

He knew me a bit too well and as a result could probably tell what was running through my mind. I had always been like that and during moments like this, the determination and anger in me must be flowing through my veins so evidently.

“Alisha, you should go,” he uselessly tried to persuade me. “I’ll try to talk to Lucien and persuade him with my Beta powers. So just leave.”

Uninterested in arguing or listening to me try to accept otherwise, Calum immediately turned to leave the second he was done with his little speech. I stared at him conflicted and even before I could think about uttering a single word, watched Arthur mirror his actions, immediately also walking out on me.

I could understand both him and his words but I didn’t want to. I couldn’t afford to. I simply couldn’t blindly listen to him and ignore the feeling of uncertainty that was running through my veins.

My mind wasn’t settled and knowing myself well enough, I could tell it wasn’t going to be settled unless I allowed my emotions completely take over. Giving in, I let out an exhale and immediately took my heels, returning to the pack castle.

I got there in no time and literally the second  I got there, I spotted both Lucien and my brother arguing.

There were no guards around them, making me realize whatever conversation resorting to an argument they were having was private. Without thinking twice, I got on my toes and successfully hid myself, eavesdropping on them.

My hands immediately flew to my mouth as I overheard their conversation. Calum was taking the fall for everything. He was lying he helped me escape and joined hands with me in trying to rebel.

“Of course, you did,” there was mockery and bitterness in Lucien’s voice. “And I’m sorry to break it to you but your actions of betrayal would come with consequences. And the consequence of this action would be me demoting you from Beta to Omega this instant!”

A loud gasp immediately escaped my lips but it was nothing compared to the loud yell that surged out of Calum’s throat as Lucien demoted him to Omega. Almost immediately, he fell to the ground, clutching onto his chest as whatever pain he was feeling intensified, slowly spreading towards his entire body.

Instantly, a fresh wave of anger made its way towards me. Overwhelmed, I rose to my feet, staring at my brother in pain, allowing the anger totally take over my body, soul and mind.

It all happened at once and all of a sudden, I could see the monster Lucien truly was. I felt hatred and disgust towards him and myself for even blindly liking him once and allowing him do all the things he did to me while I stupidly endured.

He didn’t deserve me. Nor did he deserve every single member of the pack. He was a terrible person who had only brought nothing but pain and torture in the lives of everyone around him.

And finally, I’d had enough.

More than enough to know it was finally time to do both myself and the entire pack a favour by putting an end to him.

Without hesitation, I reached for the knife that I always kept strapped in my shoe and began walking slowly behind him. As my fingers curled around the knife, I felt a complex swirl of emotions overwhelm me. Memories of our early days together rose to the surface reminding me of how the love I felt towards him was once as pure as sunlight through crystal. The days I yearned for his faces and the times he did me the favour of offering me warm smiles alongside his presence and many little yet huge gifts.

The days we trained together. The times he was someone I cherished and loved. The good times before he suddenly became a monster I despised with my entire body and soul.

I swallowed then tightened my grip around the knife and continued walking. No matter how good I once felt towards him, all of this needed to end. I was going to finally set him free from my heart and mind and then close his dark chapter in my life and move on.

But apparently life had other plans as all it took was another step towards him to have all of my plans fall into the mud.

In a flash, Lucien turned around to meet me behind him, the knife still in my hand. Taken aback, I immediately let out a half yell, one he replied to my immediately staggering backwards, sending a glare and look of shock in my way.

“Wow,” he commented to me with a sneer. “You are indeed planning a rebellion against me.”

I let out a scoff in return. “I really didn’t want to do this, Lucien. But you pushed me and left me with no choice.”

“Did you ever love me, Alisha?” he suddenly let out, his tone and expression taking a drastic change. “Did you always hate me from the start?”

Refusing to fall for his tricks again, I ignored him and took another step towards him. With almost no distance between us, I raised the knife in an attempt to stab him but much to my surprise, he didn’t retreat. Not even at the slightest.

Suddenly, my hands began to shake, tears welling up in my eyes. Without my permission, the question he asked me only a few moments ago suddenly haunted my mind, making me realize it was better I answered him and got it off my chest.

“I don’t know what to say to you, Lucien,” I breathed out slowly to him. “You would never believe me regardless of what I say.”

My hands were still trembling and before I could get a grip of myself, the knife slipped out of my hands, sending me into shock and realization.

I couldn’t kill Lucien. I couldn’t kill the man I once loved.

“Like a fool, I did love you.”

The words I’d been carrying with me for so long finally left me, my chest immediately feeling lighter. It didn’t last for long though as almost immediately, like I had not just uttered words that seemed impossible to say, Lucien rushed towards me, pulling a dagger from his side to immediately drive it through my chest, stabbing me deeply.

With a painful gasp, I covered my wound with my hands, watching blood gush out. Tears immediately streamed down my face, pain enveloping my entire body as I decided to finally answer his question completely.

“I loved you, Lucien,” my smile was sad and painful. “And my love for you eventually became my undoing.”

I watched him stagger backwards in panic and horror as I uttered my last words, my eyes immediately going shut.

“I wish I never loved you, Lucien.”