The Alphas Prize

Chapter 29: I won't lose him - Part 3/3

Her honesty hit me like a train, right in the chest. I felt like I couldn't breathe, like a piece of me had been shattered. But, I wasn't ready to lose Cain, to lose the man I was just starting to truly, get to know. The man that had stolen a piece of my soul and my heart.

I looked up at her. "Is he suffering? Is there a way to save him?" I asked her, desperation in my tone.

Rose looked away from me. "I can't give you an answer as to whether or not if the Alpha is suffering, as we don't know." She met my gaze and inhaled deeply before continuing. "There are tales of a cure, but there is no actual proof that it really exists or if it would even work." She said wistfully.

I stood to my feet and faced her. "What cure? Rose, if there is a chance, even the slightest possibility, I am taking it. I will do whatever it takes to try and save his life." I told her, meaning every single word.

She took a step back and pinched the bridge of her nose, reluctance etching her features. "The story goes that for every curse created by a witch, there is a reversal spell or a cure. Unfortunately, when it comes to the blade in question, the cure is somewhere in the forest of the damned. The one who holds the cure will ask too much of you, making it impossible to retrieve." She looked deep into my eyes, pleading with me to heed her words and not take this mission lightly. However, when it came to Cain, I was willing to do this, to face the dangers and take risks.

I straightened myself, confident in my decision. "Tell me what I need to do; I want to know everything that you do," I told Rose firmly. Letting her know, my mind was made up, and she wouldn't stop me.

Rose shook her head lightly. "I'm going to regret this." She whispered to herself, "As I said, the cure is said to be hidden within the forest of the damned, a place of death and horror. According to legend, it is guarded by the witch who created it, Helena. No one knows what she will ask of you, but it will be too much to give, making it impossible!" She emphasized the "Impossible," and I rolled my eyes. "The cure is said to be a stone, and a liquid concoction, which needs to be combined correctly, or you both die. The ingredients work in tandem to extract and secure the curse's magic. That is all that I know. Now, do you know how to get to the forest?" Rose asked me.

I shook my head, feeling a bit overwhelmed after everything she told me. I still felt confident in my decision but also troubled. "No, I don't. To be honest, I have never heard of this place." I admitted.

Rose pursed her lips. "I will get you a map; you will also need a few things for when you are in the forest, items that will protect you. One more thing I forgot, I had heard once, that the witch lives in an underground shelter, making it nearly impossible to find. The door to her home is a tree, a large willow tree, and it's the only one in the forest." She told me, a little enthusiastic and I smiled.

Her expression held concern now. "I think it would be wise for you to take someone with you, someone to watch your back. Four eyes are better than two." Rose said, sounding more like my mother now and reminding me that she always wanted us to travel in pairs.

I thought about this, considering her suggestion, and she was right; it would be wise of me not to go alone. "Yes, you are right; I will find someone to accompany me," I reassured her, and she smiled. "Thank you. Now, go find your partner, and I will gather everything." She said in a rush before leaving the room.

I followed behind her but stopped in the doorway and looked back at Cain. My chest tightened briefly as I took in his state; walking back to the bed, I bent down next to Cain. "I promise, I am going to find a way to save you; I am not done with you yet," I whispered in his ear, then kissed his forehead. I reared back and could've sworn I had seen his hand twitch. Giving my head a shake, I left the room, determined to convince Gunnar to come with me.

As I continued down the hall, I ran into Gunnar. "I'm glad I found you; I need you to come with me to the forest of the damned to find the cure and possibly save Cain's life," I told him in a rush, anxious to get going.

Gunnar's face scrunched up in confusion. "What are you talking about, Freja?" He asked while placing his hands onto my shoulders, easing some of the anxiety I felt.

"I need you to come with me to the forest of the damned; there might be a cure there that will reverse the curse," I told him, giving him a brief idea of the situation.

He stood there, looking at me with a bewildered expression, before sighing, in annoyance. "I want to argue with you, I want to ask you if you have lost your mind, but I won't because I can see the determination in your eyes, and I know, no matter what I say or do, it won't stop you. So, I will go with you, and on the way, you can tell me more about this....suicide plan." Gunnar said, irritation in his tone.

A small smile spread across my face. "Thank you; this means a lot. Rose is gathering a few things we need, and once we have them, we are leaving. She said that he has three to four days." Gunnar's expression turned neutral before softening a little.

He gave me a curt nod. "Ok, I am ready when you are," Gunnar assured me.

Just then, Rose approached us with a small bag in her hands. "This is everything you will need; take the back entrance when you leave; this way, the warriors won't see you. Especially, Ryder, if he finds out what you are doing, he will stop you." She said, assurance in her tone.

I nodded in understanding before giving her a big hug. "Thank you for doing this, Rose," I whispered, grateful for all of her help.

She smiled and cupped my cheek. "Be careful and don't trust your eyes; trust your instincts and your wolf; she will keep you out of harm's way."

I gave her a short nod, then turned to Gunnar. "Let's go," I told him, nervous yet ready to do this.

We walked into the backroom, and Rose pointed towards a door at the back. Gunnar and I rushed over tothe door, then cautiously opened it, glancing around to ensure it was safe tocontinue before leaving the room. We descended the staircase until we reached ared door. Opening the door, we walked outside and the sunlight near blinded us.I glanced to Gunnar, who was already looking down at me, with a questioningbrow raised. I gave him a reassuring nod, telling him I was ready to do thisand prepared for whatever we would face.