Eden's Alpha

Chapter 32

"THIS....MEANS......WAR!"

I shout and run towards the bars of my cell, my arms flying forward as if shocked by electricity. Not just my arms, but my whole body seems to be lit up by an electric current.

I scream and growl throwing my arms and head around as the metal shackles fly from my wrists. There's no stopping me.

I see people running towards me but there's fear in their eyes. Some shrink back while others are ordered by Baylor to come after me. After all, I'm still in the cell.

Not for long, I think to myself.

I scream at them and curse, my voice shrill and much louder than I ever could have yelled before. 

"Eden!"

Baylor's voice is laced with fear, not a single trace of dominance as he tries to overpower me.

Not this time, Baylor. 

I slammed my free wrists against the metal bars and cry out in frustration as they refuse to budge. I continue to slam my hands against the bars as I laugh and scream, charged with an unknown source of energy.

"Stop fighting!"

I ignore Baylor and begin using my feet to kick them, my hands already bloody from hitting the bars.

"Eden"

Stop talking to me, Baylor.

"It's me, Eden"

I stop and turn to my side, seeing who the voice belonged to. Standing next to me in a light blue dress is none other than...Clarissa?

The shouting around me suddenly goes silent. Is something happening? Baylor's pack is still moving, still shouting, except I can't hear them. I turn back to Clarissa.

"Am I having another mind-flood?" I ask

"Not exactly. I just needed to speak to you." her eyes seem concerned and she bites her lip, as if nervous.

"What's happening?" I breathe out, feeling relief after all the crazy power seems to disappear.

"Eden, do you know why I gave you the necklace? Why it fits the thistle box so perfectly and why only you can touch it now that you're wearing it?"

"Not really, Isaiah said I would know when the time was right"

"Well the time is now," Clarissa says while taking my hands. "I need you to listen to me very closely, this is ultimately your decision. Whatever you choose to do I will support, it's your time to decide." Clarissa takes a breath and looks around at all the silent chaos around us.

"When I was little and found out I was a werewolf, I was scared. I believed that because I was odd I wouldn't be wanted by society. Unfortunately, I grew up with men who didn't think it was right for women to have a place in the werewolf world. I knew that if it came down to it, I would need to be prepared for the worst. Just as you have mind-floods, I had visions of the future. I foresaw the war, and I foresaw you. I knew this moment would come."

"I appeared to Isaiah when he was younger and told him about how he needed to become recruited by Rogue and then find you and protect you. I told him he would have to pretend to follow Calfur all the while he prepared for the arrival of a young girl named Eden."

"Isaiah was looking for me? When I was little?" I ask in shock.

"He spent years looking for you, knowing that one day you would change werewolf history."

"What exactly would that be?" I ask, not exactly understanding what she's getting at.

"I had Isaiah implant bombs around this pack house." she simply states. "They are all rigged to that one button around your neck."

As she speaking I slowly grab the pendant around my neck and open it, looking at the small button inside.

"You push it, you will kill everyone inside this building."

Realization sinks in and I turn back to her, my eyes fogging over.

Is this what I want? An end to the werewolves who killed my friends and family? Is it worth ending my life over?

"I'm going to leave you now. Remember Eden, this is ultimately your decision. Do not take this power lightly."

I look over at Baylor and his pack as their noise returns back into the room. Clarissa must have done something while we were speaking because they don't seem confused or even aware that there was someone else with me.

"Baylor," I speak calmly, approaching the bars, "I will never be your mate, and you will never be mine. I can't be your loyal subject and you can't be my Alpha." My eyes begin to water and I stand up straighter, all of the pack confused what is going on.

"I am my own Alpha, Baylor, just me. I cannot live here with someone who went out and killed for fun." I wipe my runny nose and chuckle sadly, "you killed my family! You killed my best friends!"

I pause, taking a breath, "if you can live with yourself for taking innocent lives, then that's your deal. Only monsters can live with themselves for killing the innocent, and I am no monster."

I see James' dead body on the floor and sob, seeing another one of my dead friends. 

This needs to end.

"I'm ready now," I whisper to myself as tears begin to fall from my eyes. I think of my family, of Isaiah and James. All the millions dead by the work of hate and evil. For the survivors, someone must sacrifice, and that has to be me.

"I love you all so much. I wish I could have protected you." I speak to my family as I pull out my locket.

"What are you doing?! SOMEONE STOP HER!" Baylor shouts, frantically typing in the code to open the cell.

"I'll see you soon" I whisper to Isaiah and James, breathing in for one last time.

With that, I push the one button sealing my fate and close my eyes just as bright orange erupts around me.

Short pain and then

nothing,

floating nothingness

leaving me in...

silence.