Triple Alpha's Threat

(GN) Ch 111 - What Must Be Done

Chase POV

"Fuck me!" I grumbled with a shout. My hands rubbed my forehead as I tried to piece together what happened.

For a moment, I swear I was really with her. Kiera was in my arms, her lips so soft and sweet against mine. I missed her more than I can explain.

I wasn't sure if it was true, but I heard Kiera speaking to a woman in my dream. A woman I recognized from the haunted pack house at Kiera's old territory.

The woman's words carried weight, suggesting two crucial truths that I couldn't ignore if I wished for any chance of a future with Kiera.

First, Kiera possessed the ability to absorb the darkness within us. My father's ritual all those years ago must have cracked the veil and bound Dietus to our souls somehow.

Second, I can't go anywhere near the forest; none of us can. If what she said is true, then the forest will rip Dietus from our souls, returning him whole to the veil and leaving my brothers and me dead. That was never going to happen!

"It's time to come to the forest." The dark voice rang out again. Every waking moment that damn voice haunted me.

The door creaked open, and I lifted my head with a sharp twinge of pain. Though I felt better after my long nap at Drake's cottage, I wasn't anywhere near 100%.

Drake eyed me with concern, a stark contrast to the brother I'd known for the past decade. His eyes held less coldness and disregard than before.

"You still look like shit," he grunted, tossing clothes and blankets onto the table with one hand while adding wood to the dwindling fire with the other.

"I feel a little better," I said softly, trying to ease the pounding in my head. I wasn't sure how much longer I could resist.

"River and I have a plan," Drake said, his voice low.

"Enlighten me, but speak softly," I urged, massaging my temples.

Drake gave me a weary look and lowered his voice to a whisper. "We visited the Alchemy shop where Kiera got these red crystals." He held up the small gem around his neck in his hands. The three of us had already decided to wear them every second of the day until this was all over.

"The shop owner is Elsa's son. She was a close friend of our mothers, and I think our father had her killed," Drake explained quietly.

"How did you figure that out?" I asked.

"She died a week after father killed our mother. Her son claims his mom had sight and magic beyond anyone we have seen. I suspect she dabbled with the power within the forest, but we probably will never know for sure. She left behind some journals, cryptic but filled with notes about our mother and visions three gruesome oracles plagued her mind with."

"You think the oracles used her as a conduit or something?" I asked, intrigued.

"Yeah, probably, and it seemed to be driving her mad. Elsa wrote many times about how she helped our mother try to kill us, too. Mom could never go through with it, though. Then, Elsa tried to close the veil when she discovered that the ritual was complete," Drake explained.

"Let me guess, she was unsuccessful," I replied wearily. Every answer we got left ten more unanswered.

"Yup, but she left behind notes of how she did it, and she said that Mom was a fool to think such a weak spell could save us. Mom did something that night Dad cracked open the veil. Something to protect us, maybe something we can use."

"Mom? She could cast spells? This is making less sense but it would explain why Dad killed her. I loved her despite all she did to us; I know it wasn't truly her doing those evil things, but she was half out of her mind the last few years," I remarked, trying to process the information.