The Alpha

Chapter 16

*Rae's POV*

The darkness felt funny. It morphed from a cold loneliness to a warm blanket that enveloped me. Within the shadows, I was serenaded by Luca's voice, the words he repeated to me over and over again. "Anima mea. My mate. My love." I focused on those words and how they filled me with happiness and comfort, even in the blinding blackness. 'If death is this, I'll remain in this cozy darkness - if just to hear his voice.' I felt like I was floating. Moving towards his voice as if I would reach him but somehow I knew I wouldn't. 'And it's too late for me.' I was consciously aware of that. 'I hope my mother survived.'
The longer I waded in the darkness, the heavier my body felt; sleepy even. It was almost too easy to pretend that I had only just fallen asleep. 'And that I will return to him. Wishful thinking.' My pain was dulled there. I was thankful about it when the yearning started to set in. 'I hope whatever he's doing... he's happy. That he can find happiness.' A surprised gasp left my lips when his voice got louder. "I'm not worthy of mourning her..."
The uncertainty of the darkness lingered within me as I continued to hear bits and pieces of his voice. His beautiful voice. 'Luca! Can you hear me? Please find my voice! Please!' A few minutes passed by and nothing. Not even a single utter on his end and it made me feel embraced by sorrow. 'I really thought... I thought he would respond. Just like he always typically does...'
The seriousness of the situation fully slammed into me and I gasped out sobs that rattled the darkness awake completely. 'This is useless. His voice won't raise me from the dead. This is beyond anything he can control.' I squinted, eyes training on a weird glow in the distance. Fear set in like stone and I didn't move towards it. I only observed it from a far. 'What is that? A weird light... Not like a light at the end of the tunnel type.. but like a deep blue vibration.' I contemplated moving away from it or moving toward it. 'I don't know if it's a smart idea to go waltzing toward something you don't under and and can't comprehend.'
A part of me deep down wanted to satisfy my own curiosity but the other part - the fight or flight part - was saying to run as fast as I could. "What more could it do to me?" I moved toward it cautiously, nibbling on my lip as it got closer. 'It's just light.' I reassured myself. 'That's all. Just some light in the darkness.'
A voice startled me, emerging through the vibrating haze of color when I was a few feet in front of it, and a lump formed in my throat. "Child."
"Huh?"
'Did she just say... child?' An image began to form in the light and I tried to keep my eyes open but it became too bright and I shut them. "You must ask permission to see me."
'Is this really happening?'
"Yes child. Now do as you're told."
"No thanks."
"Are you sure about that?"
'Something in her voice... sounds alarming.'
She regarded me with a confidence that gave me the impression respect was deserved. My apprehension was clearly a naive move by the sound of her response. It worried me into thinking I was making a mistake. "I-I don't know who you are. Why would I ask to see you?" She laughed, the sound was long and drawn out. It made a chill roll up my spin. "Because -"
Through my closed eyelids I could feel the light getting brighter, the strange heat that emanated from it. "I may be able to grant you what you most desire."
'This is a trick.'
"This is not a trick."
'Oh my god, she can read my thoughts!'
"And do much more... Rae."
'She knows my name!' Her validity struck me and I found myself obeying. "May I please see you?" She laughed again, and I winced, afraid she would deny me after being offended but once the laughter died down, she addressed me again. "Yes, child. You may."
Warily, I slowly opened my eyelids, aware now that the light wasn't as blinding but instead it granted me the comforting sight in the darkness. When my eyes landed on the woman before me, I was surprised to find that she was young. "Who are you?" She was quiet after that question, eyes narrowing slightly as she scrutinized me. 'I... I must've offended her.' I opened my mouth to apologize, but she interrupted with a wave of her hand. "I am Gomorrah. Goddess of Destiny." She closed her eyes, fists tightening down at her sides which made the light pulsate as if she was absorbing power. "And you are Rae. Destined for slugs the Alpha of the Acciai pack."
'That's what it's called?'
"Yes, child. That is what it's called."
I said that name on repeat in my head, eyebrows furrowing as it made me long for Luca. My one true love. "You were supposed to mate with him."
"Yes... but -" I downcasted my face away from her, anguish draining my emotions for the millionth time. It was hard to come to terms with the sacrifice I made. What was even worse was I knew the curse would spread through him - but I hoped he would be an exception like his uncle and my mother. 'And I deserve the worst fate if he does succumb to the curse.'
"Easy, child. Look at me."
I obeyed, too afraid to defy the entity before me. All of this - the werewolves, the goddess, death - was completely mystifying. I never in a million years would have believed any of this was true. 'I was a naive girl who put her faith blindly in a woman who developed a severe hatred for what she was. For what I am.'
"I-is my mother alive?" I stammered those words, too afraid to hear the truth. I knew Luca didn't save her in time. He couldn't save me and she was bleeding way before I was. 'So I sacrificed myself for nothing.'
"Not nothing."
"What do you mean?"
"Destiny, Rae, mate of Luca. You have passed the test."
"What test?"
A strange feeling began taking over me. Almost like something cloaking my skin. 'What is this?'
"You have proved that you are worthy of the Lycan blood which flows through your veins."
"Worthy?"
"Your sacrifice, for your mother, for a Pack member, has only solidified that I have made the right choice in choosing you as that packs destiny."
'I-I am their destiny?' She nodded. "It is them who may in time need to prove they are worthy of you, child."
'How? How can all of this be happening? She speaks as if I have a future. I do not.'
"Don't be so pessimistic. I am the only one who decides your fate. You have impressed me."
"I have?"
She nodded and I felt the light that was produced from her, sliding over my skin in a warm embrace. "You are a perfect match for Luca."
'That's funny because we are complete opposites.'
"Balance. It is what keeps the world alive. You balance each other, and because of that, you will make great mates and great rulers. You are the softness to challenge the hard coldness inside of him. The voice of reason in his mind when the anger is all that controls him. You are the light to his darkness."
'I never truly looked at it like that...'
"When your soul departed, the balance was lost. It must be returned. You may ask of me one thing."
Hope bubbled in my chest and I found myself clamming up with emotions as Gomorrah let out a deep breath. "I will grant you it."
'Luca. He is my everything. I wish him no more pain... maybe my return?' I shook my head quickly, thinking of all the animosity and betrayal that had been in his life ever since my arrival. 'Maybe it would be easier to ask for the curse to be lifted so he can turn and rule his pack. Without all of the pain I bring him...'
"You may ask me now."
"Gomorrah... Goddess of Destiny, please if I may ask of you to lift the curse I'd be indebted to you. You see, Luca was living a fine life without me. A life without the complications of heartache and betrayal. I cannot be selfish and ask you to return me to him. I would not wish him the same pain he's had to endure. I wish for his peace and his transformation so that he may rule the pack of Acciai as I know he will. Greatly."
Gomorrah was quiet, contemplating what I had requested of her. Her eyes scanned my face and I beam to feel strange beneath those eyes. 'What is she thinking? This is all I wish of her.' She clicked her tongue - the most mundane thing she had done - and inhaled a slow steady breath. "Rae... You have once again proved yourself selfless. You have proven yourself worthy."
"So will you honor my wish?" Gomorrah offered me a soft expression that calmed me immediately when I made eye contact. "No, child."
'Huh?'
"B-but, you said I could ask one thing of you."
"Your mouth does not speak for your heart. Our hearts lead us through our destinies." I frowned, shaking my head while stepping forward angrily. "No.. please, just do as I've asked."
"I cannot. I am bound by the laws of magic. I must do what your heart truly desires."
I gasped when I was swarmed with images of him. All different kinds. Images of him holding me, kissing me, angry, sad.. the life I had lived with him this past month took over my mind until I was sunken to the floor on my knees in a pile of weeping tears. 'Luca.. She said I was his light but.. He is mine.'
When I lifted my head, Gomorrah was right in front of me. "Come on now, child. It is time to wake up. We will meet again someday."
"We will?"
"Hundreds of years from now." I gasped when she pressed her fingers to my forehead as light shot from her fingertips and filled my being until it consumed me blindly.
The first image I saw was my mom. Although, I wasn't exactly sure. I could have been dreaming, but I heard her voice followed by footsteps until his scent made its way into my nostrils and his name was on my tongue. "Luca." It was harder to speak than I thought. 'This darkness is weird.' It wasn't dark at all. In fact, it was almost gray. Like peering at darkness through closed eyelids. 'Somethings not right... What kind of dream is this? Where is... where is the darkness?' I bit my lip, groaning before I was immediately embraced by strong arms that pulled me to something firm. That was when I felt the heartbeat of a man I had missed dearly. "My Rae. Anima mea. This can't be true. It can't be."
His voice quivered, sorrow laced within his tone. Disbelief in the way his hands tightened along my skin. I was unsure of exact how I got there. A large gap in my memory made me pant frustratedly until I heard his voice again. "Calm, my love. My soul. Do not strain yourself."
"I won't..." My voice was barely a whisper. "How? How can this have happened?" My mother's voice was broken by sobs. "I-I thought she was dead."
"She was. Fate has brought her back to me."
"Destiny." I croaked the word, a weird familiarity from it that I couldn't pinpoint. 'I am his destiny.'
"I couldn't leave you. Selfishly you are mine."
I managed to open my eyes, although they felt dry and stiff, but I could slowly feel the life seeping back into me. When I saw him for the first time, I gasped. His anguish had made the color around his eyes darken but regardless, he was still utterly beautiful. "Selfish?" A short bark of laughter left his lips. "You are confusing the words, anima mea. You have never been selfish. You have sacrificed your life for another. You are more than I could've ever imagined. You amaze me completely."
'I can't believe he's saying all of this.' My lips formed nervously. "Can I ask you one thing, Luca?"
His arms tightened around me, and I knew it would be awhile before he let me go. He inhaled deeply, breathing in my scent. "You can ask anything of me, my soul."
"Kiss me." My eyes moved to his lips. Something dark flashed in his eyes when I managed to meet his gaze once more and he wasted no time leaning to capture my mouth with his. His tongue swept along my bottom lip, and with a satisfied moan I let him in. 'He is mine. Forever.' He growled and it wasn't long until I felt his erection pressing against my bottom as he cradled me and held me in his lap. 'Oh my.' He growled when he broke his lips away and moved his gaze along my face. "Tonight. Tonight you will be mine."
The fierceness I'm those words rocked the room. He was incredibly possessive about me now so I could only imagine how possessive he would be when we have mates and transformed. 'Oh boy... Luca may be even more controlling.'
"Count on it. I am not letting you out of my sight."
"But there will be times where that's inevitable..."
"Over my dead body." My mother interrupted. "Rae? How did this happen?"
"I don't know.."
'I can't really remember. I wish I could.' She moved towards me as Luca growled and she looked surprised. "It's okay." I rested my hand on his shoulder aware of how dark his eyes had become. "Mine." My mother stepped back and nodded. "I am just glad you are alright... you're alive."
"I am too."
A knock on the door grabbed everyone's attention. Taila stepped into the room and frowned when she realized I was no longer lifeless and Luca was now holding me. "I had to see if it was true! S-she's.... alive." Luca regraded her with a cold gaze. "Let the others know my mate has returned. Prepare for the ritual." Taila moved her gaze from him back to me and the jealousy that exuded from her was stifling. "Yes... Sir." She gritted. 'I have a feeling there's still a threat to my life and everything Luca and I will share... But I will not let anyone get in the way of our destiny again.'