Chapter 130: After The Fight 1
Chapter 130: After The Fight 1
Clay’s POV
It had been six days since the battle, six days since the blood-soaked fields bore witness to our desperate fight for survival. The cost had been steep—lives lost on both sides—but in the end, victory was ours.
Yet it felt hollow. Scarlett’s move, the one that had turned the tide, was as miraculous as it was terrifying. Now, as she lay unconscious on the bed, her chest rising and falling faintly, I knew the price she’d paid was far greater than we had imagined.
Her body was locked in a battle of its own, trying to repel the darkness that clung to her after pulling Nikolay’s corrupted spirit from his body. It wasn’t just lingering—it was gripping her tightly, refusing to let go, tethering itself to her in a way we didn’t understand.
Alison had called Nikolay’s magic element “Spirit,” the same force Scarlett had avoided using until the final moments. She knew its corruptive potential and still had no choice but to wield it to end the war. Now, the price of that choice was painfully clear.
Alison and Elsa had consulted tirelessly, poring over every text and summoning every ounce of their knowledge. But their answers were bleak.
No one could say when, or even if, Scarlett would wake. Her wolf, Midnight, was silent. Her once vibrant aura was dimmed, flickering faintly like a candle in a storm.
Lucian and Maxwell spent the six days drowning in their fury, taking out their anger on the remnants of David’s forces and the alphas who had dared to join his cause. They crippled David and made an example of his allies. It didn’t bring Scarlett back, and it didn’t erase their pain, but I understood their need for vengeance.
I sat beside Scarlett, her hand cold but steady in mine. The room was eerily quiet, save for the sound of her shallow breathing. I didn’t know what to say anymore. I had spoken to her every day, but the silence I was met with was deafening.
Midnight wasn’t there to offer reassurance. Scarlett wasn’t there. Just an empty shell, fighting an invisible war I couldn’t help her with.
My chest ached with helplessness. I had cried more in the past six days than I ever thought possible. My eyes were puffy and red, but I didn’t care. Scarlett had given everything in that fight—her strength, her magic, her very essence. And now, she was hanging on the edge, and I couldn’t reach her.
“How is she?” Keith’s voice broke through my thoughts. I turned to see him standing at the doorway, his face etched with concern.
I shook my head slowly, the lump in my throat making it hard to speak.
He walked into the room and placed a hand on my shoulder. “She’s tough. She’ll make it through,” he said, his voice steady, though I knew he was only trying to keep the hope alive. Nothing was certain anymore. Not with Scarlett like this.
Keith had stayed with us, refusing to leave until Scarlett woke up. But as much as I appreciated his loyalty, I knew it wasn’t wise. He had his own region to put in order, a territory left vulnerable in his absence.
“I think you should head home, Keith,” I said softly, glancing up at him. “You need to put things in order, like Garland. We’ll handle this. We’ll watch over her.”
Keith nodded slowly, though his hesitation was evident. “I know,” he admitted. “But Emerald and I can’t bear to leave while she’s like this. She gave everything in that fight—everything. She didn’t just fight Nikolay; she risked her magic, her soul. That thing she fought wasn’t just a man. It was pure evil.” His voice was heavy with emotion. “Allowing it to touch her magic like that was a huge risk, and now its residue refuses to let go.”
He exhaled deeply, his hand tightening slightly on my shoulder. “This is a lesson for all future Valkin Alphas,” he said, his tone firm. “A reminder about maintaining balance. About the dangers of seers and Valkins mating—even if they’re fated. This darkness… it’s what happens when we stray too far from the balance.”
“Elsa found out they weren’t fated after all,” I said, breaking the silence. Keith’s head tilted slightly as he listened intently.
“Poor Alison was too young to see through the manipulations of others. Apparently, the outcast seers sought to regain power and acceptance in society. They believed that if a Valkin was connected to them, he would show leniency toward their kind. Nikolay had no fated mate, so he became the perfect target. It was a false bond, fabricated to serve their agenda—and it ruined lives.”
Keith’s expression hardened, his lips pressing into a thin line. I continued, explaining what Elsa had uncovered after her communication with the southern seers.
Learning why young Nikolay had been kept hidden all these years was mind-boggling and deeply unsettling.
“It’s frightening to think that people could manipulate fate like that,” I said, shaking my head.
“To jeopardize the delicate balance of our world for their selfish reasons—it’s terrifying. That boy… he wasn’t human, nor was he wolf. He was a creature, an abomination that should never have walked this earth. If Scarlett hadn’t stopped him, he would’ve ended our world. He brought nothing but death, and the price she paid to end him… it was too high.”