All Chapters of Bound by faith : the rise of a rejected mate : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Melissa’s POVAll around us, the blackness seemed to go on forever. I held on to Damon's hand, which grounded me in the space. I couldn't see Dennis, but I could hear his voice faintly."Hey, Melissa! Damon! You're where?""We're here! I yelled back, but the darkness seemed to drown out what I had to say.We left the cave abruptly as a dazzling light burst through the darkness. In a clearing with tall trees and their branches moving strangely despite the calm air, I stood by myself."Where am I? I turned around and said.Around me, the Guardian's booming voice rumbled. Melissa, this is your trial. You must confront your worst fears to demonstrate that you are deserving of the truth.I went cold. My worst anxieties? What was meant by that?The trees started to change before I could ask, their bark bending into faces, faces I knew. First to appear was my mother's face, with a severe and disapproving frown."You let me down," she remarked icily. "You let the pack down."I shook my head,

Melissa’s POVWe were all deep in meditation on the sombre drive back to the pack. Dennis followed a little behind, his eyes on the floor, while Damon remained at a safe distance to my right. I couldn't get rid of the impression that the guardian's warning was directed at someone close to me, not merely someone in the pack.The packhouse was uncomfortable when we got there, as though the air itself was full of unsaid anxieties. Members of the pack moved around in little groups, their hushed chatter stopping as soon as they saw us. Their eyes were filled with scepticism, curiosity, and doubt.I stepped forward, squaring my shoulders. "Come to the main hall, everyone. I called, as firm as I could manage, "We need to talk."They complied, slipping into the corridor like reluctant streams, but the muttering got louder. Damon moved in closer, briefly putting his hand on my arm. Melissa, watch what you say. They're tense already.I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. "I understand."

Melissa’s POVI sat opposite Dennis and Damon, and the atmosphere weighed heavily with unsaid tension. The air was heavy with their annoyance as they glared at one another. Dennis appeared to be holding onto a secret too huge for him to bear, and Damon's fists were clenched at his sides.The silence was broken by me. "You have to start talking, Dennis. Right now.Dennis paused and looked away. "I've been hiding something from you... from everybody. But you know, it's time."Go on," I said in a calm but forceful tone.He inhaled deeply before starting, his voice shaking. Another prophecy exists. Something about a "Void Queen."Damon laughed. "Queen Void? Is this a twisted fairy tale, or what?"“The prophecy says that someone with a connection to The Void—someone with a mark like yours—could rise and bring devastation,” Dennis said, ignoring him and turning to face me. The Void Queen would be the name given to that individual.I went cold. His remarks were like a mountain pressing down

Melissa’s POVI sat by myself in my room, the weight of everything pressing down on my chest. Long shadows were created on the walls by the flickering candles, reflecting the uneasiness that was eating away at me. The answers I sought were urgently needed.I could still hear the council member say, "Your bloodline ties you to The Void and its destruction."My wolf shifted. "You must see for yourself, Melissa. Explore the recollections of our predecessors. The truth is waiting there."How can I accomplish that?" I muttered."Close your eyes. Pay attention. "You can rely on me to lead you," she said quietly.I inhaled deeply before closing my eyes and allowing the night's sounds to meld into the distance. As my wolf's presence intensified, an odd feeling crept through me. I was suddenly plummeting, not physically, but through layers of voices, memories, and time.I was outside of my room when I opened my eyes. I was standing in a large, glistening hall. Around me, ghostly forms moved, w

Melissa’s POVThe area was filled with a harsh, otherworldly light as the relic shards' glow grew stronger. I chanted the last lines of the ceremony while standing in the middle of the altar, my voice shaking. The air's force was oppressive, weighing me down like an unseen burden."Remain resilient, Melissa!" With his blade slicing through one of the shadowy creatures that had surfaced from the swirling darkness, Damon yelled from the other side of the chamber.Dennis stood next to him, fighting off another with his daggers flashing. "We've got you covered! Just get this thing done!I ignored the commotion around me and closed my eyes. The energy of the Void flared like a storm on the verge of erupting, loud and ominous.A deep, rich voice roared from the whirling darkness, "You can't stop me."I went cold. The Void itself was now acquiring shape in front of me; it was no longer just energy. An enormous, shadowy apparition appeared, staring into my crimson eyes.It said, "Melissa," as