Choices

Aquiles POV

There is a lot of information, but it all makes sense… Although I don't like the idea of Khalid being a permanent part of our lives. I would have liked a moment just for me and Perseus with Sophia, something we've been seeking since the first moment we saw her, and now we have to accept that this moment may never exist.

I closed my eyes for a few seconds and sighed. My body and my wolf are tired; after all, we've been drained intensely and constantly, and I feel my body losing strength and my legs giving in under the weight of exhaustion. Before I could react, I felt a pair of firm hands holding me, preventing my fall.

“Aquiles!” Hélios shouted while hugging me around the waist.

Hélios's scent became stronger, always with a woody touch and a hint of aged leather. That same scent calms me and gives me a bit more strength.

“Hélios…” I whispered his name and rested my head on his shoulder. “I'm tired… My energy is drained.”

“I know, my love.” Hélios said and led me to the bed. “Come on, the day has been long… You need to rest.”

I didn't fight that statement and just let myself be guided by him. My body yielded to Hélios's firm yet gentle touch, and when my head found the soft pillow, I felt immediate relief. My wolf still growled softly in frustration, restless with everything that was happening, even though he was as tired as I was.

But Hélios's touch caressing my face was enough for me to relax a bit more, and feeling Sophia's proximity was also very important.

“You can sleep, I'm not going anywhere.” Hélios said.

I nodded and lifted my head just enough to give a light kiss on Sophia's forehead, who was next to me, then closed my eyes and rested my head on the pillow.

...

I am in a strange place. It is very large, but at the same time small, I don't see an exit, but rather just an empty space of dark color, almost completely black. I looked down and noticed that it was as if I was walking on water, as the floor was wet, but it didn't wet my feet.

The air around is cold, as if a chilly breeze was constantly blowing, making my skin shiver. The silence is disturbing, dense, as if I were trapped in a place where time doesn't exist. I looked around, searching for any sign of why I was in such a place, and after a few minutes, I saw a small bluish glow and walked towards it. I realized the glow came from a simple white snowflake, with a bluish light around it. I could feel an attraction to this snowflake and extended my hand to hold the object.

“Do you think you are ready?” I heard Boreas's voice.

I quickly turned my face and saw my wolf standing next to me, almost in the same form as when we were in a coma.

“I don't know… I don't even understand where we are.” I answered truthfully.

“This is a dimension, between dimensions… But at the same time, it is everywhere. It is like a kind of purgatory.” Boreas replied.

“Is this the same place we were in when we went into a coma?” I asked curiously.

“Yes, but in another part. Much farther from here.” Boreas answered me.

“Is Soph around here?” I looked around, trying to find my mate.

“No… She doesn't need to be.” Boreas said and I saw him turn his snout to the other side. “But Perseus is…”

“Is he paying for attacking Soph?” I looked in the direction my wolf was looking.

“He is trying to deal with his own guilt.” Boreas replied.

“Can I help him?” I looked at my wolf who turned towards me.

“You can, but that means leaving this snowflake behind.” Boreas answered.

“This is the moment I can awaken my Lycan side, isn't it?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

Boreas didn't respond, just kept looking at me. I extended my hand and began to caress his fur, noticing how soft it was. I sighed and looked at the snowflake…

“One day I'll come back…” I said.

Then I went to the side of Boreas's body, my wolf lowered and let me climb on him. Then I saw a greenish mist start to rise from the floor, moving towards the snowflake.

“Take me to Perseus… My friend, mate, and Alpha need me.” I said to my wolf, determined.

The air became denser, and I felt the temperature change around me. Boreas moved quickly, and soon we were running through the void, crossing the darkness towards Perseus. Time seemed to distort, and the path ahead of us molded uncertainly, as if reality there was malleable.

No matter if it will be harder for me to transform into a Lycan later, what matters is that I won't abandon Perseus in a fight alone against his own demons.

With each step, I felt the weight of the energy around us. Boreas ran skillfully, and soon I saw a figure ahead, and as we approached, I realized the darkness was changing, and a landscape appeared.

We are at the lake where the attack happened, the cabin in the background, Khalid in front, Soph in his arms, her chest open and blood running down her body, while Perseus is paralyzed watching the whole scene.

The scene in front of me seemed like a cruel illusion, an echo of the past haunting Perseus. He was there, motionless, looking at Sophia in Khalid's arms, his eyes wide in pure torment. His body trembled slightly, as if caught between rage and despair.

I jumped off Boreas's back and ran towards Perseus.

“Perseus!” I shouted, but he didn't react. His golden eyes were fixed on the scene in front of him, and for the first time, I saw his wolf, Hélios, completely submissive inside him, not fighting, not resisting, just observing.

I got closer, holding his arm firmly.

“This isn't real!” I said firmly. “Soph is fine, you know that!”

His eyes blinked, but he didn't respond. Instead, his body swayed slightly backward, as if the guilt was a weight crushing him.

“She forgave me…” Perseus murmured, his voice broken. “But I… I can't forgive myself.”

The scene in front of us seemed to come to life. The illusionary Khalid looked directly at Perseus, his eyes glowing with mockery.

“You hurt her, Alpha.” The vampire's voice echoed, cruel. “She trusted you, and you tore that trust with your own claws.”

The pain on Perseus's face intensified. I saw his fists clench, his nails digging into his own skin.