Chapter 35 The Witch Revealed
Chapter 35:
Dante's POV
The Continental Council session lasted three hours. Three hours of posturing, accusations, and thinly veiled threats. By the end, my jaw ached from clenching.
"The Aurora Territory is destabilized," Alpha Maren argued. "The Twilight Sovereign is compromised. We need-"
"We need nothing from wolves who fled at the first sign of danger," I cut her off. "Where were you when corrupted Lycans attacked? When children needed defending?"
"We're here now-"
"Too late." I stood up, letting Alpha dominance fill the room. "This council is adjourned. Aurora's leadership stands."
Then I left before they could protest any further. Victory felt hollow.
Back at the compound, I was greeted by chaos. Warriors running. Alarms blaring.
"What happened?" I grabbed Rhett.
"The border." He was already moving. "Something's coming. Something massive."
We reached the walls. Below, in the valley, an army approached. Thousands strong. And at its head...
"No," I breathed.
A woman who looked exactly like Sera walked toward us. Older, darker, power radiating like corruption made flesh.
"The Empress," Lyssa whispered beside me. "She's actually here."
I ran for Sera's chambers. Found her already awake, already dressing for battle despite shaking hands.
"I felt it," she said before I could speak. "Through whatever connection exists. It's either she's me, I'm her, Or-"
"Sera, you're not healed-"
"Doesn't matter." She strapped on weapons. "She's here for me. I face her or everyone dies trying to protect me."
"Then we face her together."
"No." Her lips placed on mine as she kissed me, tugged on my bottom lip hard yet desperate before pulling back. "You protect Asher. Whatever happens, you keep him safe."
"Sera-"
The wall exploded.
We were thrown backward. When I looked up, the Empress stood in the breach, smiling.
"Hello, daughter," she said. "We need to talk."
Sera struggled to her feet. "I'm nobody's daughter. My mother is dead."
"Am I?" The Empress tilted her head. "Look closer."
Reality rippled. The Empress's face shifted, and I saw it, Helena. Sera's mother. Corrupted, twisted, but unmistakably her.
"No." Sera's voice broke. "I killed you. I purged the corruption-"
"You purged one body." The Empress, Helena, smiled. "I have others. Many others. I'm not trapped in flesh anymore, child. I'm something more."
"What do you want?"
"You. Your power. Your bloodline." Helena moved closer. "The Lunar Lycans were meant to rule. Instead, they were hunted. I survived by becoming what they feared. Now I'll finish what they started."
"By killing your own daughter?"
"By absorbing her." Helena's form flickered. "Take your power, your memories, your life. Add it to my collection. Become eternal."
" You are suppose to be my mother. To love, guard and protect me but you chose the wrong path." Sera snared.
A cocky smile appeared at Helena's lips "I choose victory and power darling. That's the true form of life."
Warriors poured through the breach. Sera's guard engaged, but they were overwhelmed.
"Run," Sera told me. "Get Asher and run."
"I'm not leaving-"
"RUN!" Power exploded from her, throwing me back.
The last thing I saw before the blast wave hit was Helena lunging for Sera.
Then darkness.
\---
I woke to Rhett dragging me. "Alpha! We need to move!"
"Sera-"
"Is fighting. But barely holding." He pulled me to my feet. "The Empress has her trapped. We need Asher. It's the only way."
"No." I started back toward the battle. "I won't use my son as a weapon-"
"It's not using him!" Rhett blocked my path. "It's the prophecy. The Trinity Bond. It's the only thing strong enough to fight her!"
He was right. I hated to admit it, but he was right.
We ran for the safe room where Asher was hidden. Found it breached. Empty.
"No." Cold horror flooded me. "Where is he?"
"Papa!"
I spun. Asher ran toward us from the corridor, Maya beside him. Both children looked terrified but unhurt.
"Maya?" I stared. "How are you here?"
"I don't know!" The girl's eyes were wide. "I was home, then I was here. Something pulled me."
"The Bond," Rhett breathed. "Asher needed her. The dimension connection brought her."
"We need to help Mama," Asher said urgently. "The bad lady is hurting her."
I knelt before my son. "I know. But to help, we need to do something scary. The Trinity Bond. Do you remember?"
"When we all fight together?" He nodded. "I can do it."
"Are you sure?"
"Mama needs us." His eyes blazed silver. "Let's go."
We ran back to the battle. The compound was devastated. Bodies everywhere. And in the center...
Sera, on her knees, Helena's hand around her throat. Draining her. Absorbing her power and life.
"Mama!" Asher's scream cut through the chaos.
Helena's head snapped toward us. "The heir. Perfect. I'll take him too."
"Like hell." I let the Trinity Bond activate. Felt Asher's power, Sera's essence, my Alpha strength merge.
We charged as one entity.
Helena released Sera, turning to face us. "Three against one? Hardly fair."
"You're right." Sera stood, power flickering but present. "Should we get more?"
"Cocky child-"
We struck together. Trinity Bond at full force. Three souls, one purpose, unlimited power.
Helena screamed as we overwhelmed her. Not killing, just purging. Burning away corruption layer by layer.
"NO! I survived centuries! I won't die to children!"
"You already died," Sera gasped. "Years ago. You just refused to accept it."
We pushed harder. The corruption crumbled. And beneath it was her.
Helena. Real, uncorrupted, dying. She looked at Sera with clear eyes.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I was weak. Accepted corruption instead of death. Hurt you. Hurt everyone."
"Mom-"
"End it. Please. Let me rest."
Sera's hand shook. Then steadied. "Goodbye, Mom."
One final surge. Helena dissolved into light. Gone. Finally at peace.
The army collapsed without their leader. Corrupted wolves fled or surrendered.
We'd won.
But as I looked at Sera, barely standi
ng, and Asher, exhausted beyond measure, victory felt hollow.
"Is it over?" Asher asked.
"For now," Sera said.
But we all knew the truth.
It was never really over.