Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha

Avery stood barefoot in a field of soft white flowers that glowed faintly under a silver sky. There was no sun, no moon, just light, endless and warm. The air was calm, not cold, not warm, just... peaceful.

But something was wrong.

Her heart thudded with panic, her throat tight, she struggled to figure out what was wrong.

"Avery..."

She turned. The voice was distant, familiar, achingly so. She took a step forward, then another.

"Come back to me."

Cain.

It was Cain.

"Cain?" she called out, her voice echoing strangely. "Where are you? I- I can’t find you!"

She ran, heart pounding now, the field blurring around her as she pushed through glowing flowers. "Cain!" she screamed.

But no matter how far she ran, his voice always stayed just out of reach.

"I don’t understand," she whispered, her voice cracking as she slowed, tears pricking her eyes. "Why can’t I reach him?"

Her knees weakened, and she sank into the soft ground, breath shallow, shoulders trembling. She cried, unable to hold it back.

No matter how much she screamed his name or ran, she couldn’t ever get to him.

At this point, she had no idea what was happening anymore. The last thing she remembered was the king holding her hostage. She didn’t remember how she ended up in this strangely beautiful place with no one else but her.

She was scared, panicking. Is she lost? Or worse, did she die? Did Alaric manage to stick those tubes into her blood and drain her completely? Is that why she can’t reach Cain? Because she’s dead?

The fear clawed at her chest.

Avery curled in on herself, wrapping her arms around her knees as more tears slipped down her cheeks. "Cain..." she whispered again, her voice hoarse and broken. "Please. I don’t want to be alone."

"You’re not."

The voice was soft, melodic, and unfamiliar.

Avery’s head snapped up. A woman dressed in flowing white stood under the arch of a tree with silver leaves. Her white hair cascaded down her back in thick curls, and her eyes... her eyes glowed like the moon. She stepped forward, graceful and calm, and knelt beside Avery.

"You cry for someone you love," the woman said gently, brushing Avery’s hair behind her ear. "Even here, your heart is tethered to him."

Avery blinked through her tears. "Who—who are you?"

The woman smiled, her presence warm. "I have many names," she said softly, "but you may call me Celeste."

"Celeste..." Avery whispered. She wiped her tears, feeling somewhat comforted that she wasn’t alone.

"Celeste... am I dead? Is this the afterlife?" She asked, and the woman smiled.

Avery gasped at the woman’s smile. She was ethereal.

"You’re not dead, child. But you are very close. You’re in between. In the quiet space where souls sometimes rest when their bodies aren’t ready to let go."

"I... I feel like I’ve been here forever," Avery murmured. "It’s so beautiful."

"It is," Celeste agreed, "Come, I will show you things." She held her hand out, and Avery slipped hers in, not a single bone of hers was wary. Instead, she felt at home with the woman. The moment she did, the field around them shifted. Trees bloomed, glowing water rose in slow waves over an invisible lake, and strange creatures of mist drifted. It was nothing like she’d ever seen or even imagined.

Celeste smiled, and the two of them began to walk. "You see, your body is still fighting, but your soul... it needed a place to rest. To be reminded."

"Reminded? Reminded of what?" Avery asked, confused.

"Of who you are."

Celeste led her gently through the dreamscape, speaking softly. "There is more inside you than you know. More strength. More light. More power. You’ve only just begun to touch it."

"But—I’m just me. I don’t know what I’m doing half of the time. I’m barely understanding what these abilities Elder Loris told me are..." she trailed softly, "I’m just me."

Celeste stopped walking. She turned to Avery and smiled with something like sorrow in her eyes. "No. You were born an alpha’s daughter. But even that title is too small for what you are."

She helped Avery sit down on a rock. She reached up slowly and began braiding Avery’s hair, her fingers working calmly.

"You carry blood blessed by the moon," she said. "You are a seeker, a guardian, a key. And soon, you will be needed more than ever."

Avery blinked, "A seeker? A key? What does that mean?"

Celeste turned to look at her, "It only means, You will soon unlock your full potential, child." She smiled and gently touched Avery’s palm, and glowing symbols appeared on Avery’s skin.

Avery gasped, she had never seen anything like this.

"Listen well, Avery. A time will come where you will need to take charge of what has been left in your keep. You mustn’t derail from it. You must carry it like you’ve been destined." Avery stared at her glowing palm, the symbols slowly fading.

"But how?" she asked, her voice trembling. "How am I supposed to do all of that? I don’t even know where to start." ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

Celeste smiled softly. "You’ve already begun, even if you cannot see it yet. You have endured. You have fought. And most of all, you have loved. That, child, is what makes you powerful."

"I’m scared," Avery whispered.

Celeste cupped her face gently. "You will be. And that’s all right. Even the strongest are frightened when walking into the unknown. But you are not alone."

Avery’s brows furrowed. "I’m not?"

Celeste smiled warmly, "No, child, you’re not....listen." She raised a finger, and every living and non-living thing went silent.

"Avery..."

It was his voice again. Fainter this time, but desperate. Pleading.

"Please come back."

Avery’s breath hitched. Her heart lurched at the sound.

"I know that voice," she whispered, almost like she’d forgotten for the brief second she spent with Celeste. "That’s Cain."

Celeste smiled, "I know... He’s calling you back."

"But... can I go?" Avery asked, eyes wide. "I-I want to go but... You, Will you be there too?"

Celeste’s expression softened. "Oh child, I’m always going to be with you. You have something of mine."

Avery looked at her in confusion. "I do? What thing of yours do I have?"

Celeste smiled. "You have my heart, Avery." She pulled Avery up. "Now, you need to go back. "It is not your time to stay here. There is more life waiting for you. More to do. More love to be lived."

Avery stepped forward, eyes glistening with unshed tears, and without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around Celeste.

The woman didn’t flinch, she embraced her gently, arms warm. There was no heartbeat, no breath, yet Avery had never felt more held. More seen.

"Thank you," Avery whispered into her shoulder. "For not letting me be alone."

Celeste pulled back just enough to meet her eyes, her hands cradling Avery’s face.

"You were never alone, child. Not even for a second."

She leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to Avery’s forehead.

"Goodbye, child," she said, her voice almost a song. "We will meet again."

And the world began to fade....

~~~~~~

Avery’s eyes fluttered open.

At first, everything was a blur, light bleeding into everything. But slowly, the blur began to clear, and her gaze landed on a figure standing by the window.

Tall. Broad shoulders. Head bowed slightly. Silent.

"Cain..." she croaked out.

The figure stilled.

And then, He turned slowly.

As if he didn’t believe what he’d just heard. As if he couldn’t risk hope.

His eyes met hers, and the mask he’d worn for weeks shattered in an instant.