Chapter 89: Communicating with Evil
Chapter 89: Communicating with Evil
Mirage’s P.O.V
It wasn’t until it was late at night, when I was fast asleep in Alex’s arms that things began to go south.
The dream started out normal, with me strolling through the forests, enjoying the chirping of the wild birds and the odd noises of the insects as I walked between the tall forest giants, their canopies stretching so far up that I couldn’t even see the top. But even in the commotion of the different wild creatures in the forest, it was peaceful…beautiful.
A few rays of sunlight managed to penetrate the canopy and land on the forest floor, making the leaves shine with a golden hue. The early morning dew drops shore like diamonds and as I walked barefoot on the grass, my feet felt wet. It was such a wonderful, freeing feeling.
A movement in front of me caught my eyes and as I watched, a large grey wolf with white patches came into view, its fur shining in the sunlight as it hit its skin at an angle.
“Alex!” Joy bubbled inside my chest as I saw my mate; a smile stretched on my cheeks.
I skipped over the little puddles on the ground made by the rain and ran after my wolf. But Alex didn’t wait for me. Making a sound in his throat that almost sounded like a purr, he turned and began running in the opposite direction, keeping his pace light so I could easily catch up to him.
Laughter bubbled out of my throat as I chased after him. I wish I could have a wolf form as well so I could really give him chase through the forest without him having to hold back. It would be such a wonderful thing to do…to be able to turn wolf as well.
But I didn’t have a wolf form, did I? Even when I had turned rogue, I hadn't been able to turn into a wolf but into this half-feral creature with sharp claws and fangs.
I often kept wondering what it would be like to become a full formed wolf. To feel the wind blowing through my fur and the ground below my paws…
But there wasn’t much time to think because Alex kept taking advantage of my slow pace and pounded on ahead. His footfalls got faster, stronger…as if he was challenging me to a race.
“Hey! No fair!” I whined, but when had I ever backed down from a challenge? So instead of whining, I sped up, taking larger steps as I really started to run after Alex.
Suddenly, the sun light in the sky started to dim and I looked up to find rain clouds gathering in the sky, through the gaps in the tree tops. It looked like it was going to start raining soon.
Looking ahead, I saw Alex still speeding past the trees without any signs of stopping or slowing down. Did he not notice the rain clouds?
“Alex!” I called out to him, trying to tell him to stop as I grew more and more tired, but he didn’t seem to listen to me. “Alex!” I screamed, this time as loud as I could…but he still didn’t stop.
Slowly, the light dimmed in the sky and even though it was early in the morning, it felt like it was practically evening with just how dark the sky had gotten.
“Alex, stop!”
I was panting as I called out to him, my heart beating so fast that it threatened to burst out of my chest. I couldn’t keep up with him…why was he running so fast? What was wrong with him?
Suddenly, the woods gave way to a clearing filled with dried grass and I saw Alex running even faster.
Where was he going? Why was he running away from me like that? What the hell was going on?
But just as I was about to call his name again…thunder roared in the sky so loud that it made me scream and duck to the ground…and then lightning fell from the sky…
There was no blood splatter…no wounds…only fire…and ash…
A scream tore through my lips as I watched Alex’s body disintegrate into ash and fall to the forest floor into a heap. The stormy winds came and lifted the ash into the air, scattering them into the air like it meant nothing…
Like my whole world didn’t just get ripped out from under my feet…like my heart just got ripped out of my chest…
Laughter…
Maniacal. Horrid. And familiar.
I looked up at the sky as rain pelted down on my face harshly, the big, fat droplets feeling as sharp as blades hitting my skin. The entire sky had now turned a deep, dark red and I didn’t need to be told twice to know exactly who it was that I was hearing.
That laughter…it only belonged to one person.
“Alistair…” I whispered, looking back down at the place where Alex’s ashes had been. “This isn’t real.”
“But it could be.”
Fear had me frozen in place as I heard his voice, loud and clear from the clearing.
I looked around frantically, trying to find where he was, but I couldn’t see him…I couldn’t find him anywhere!
“I’m everywhere, my pet. I see everything. I hear everything. I know…everything.”
Shit! The council!
“What do you want? Why are you tormenting me?” I screamed in frustration, my hands balled by my side. I was sick and tired of his mind games. It’s been ages! I couldn’t do this anymore!
“You know what I want, Mirage. Come to me.”
“NO!” I screamed at the skies. “I WON’T! I’LL NEVER COME TO YOU, YOU PSYCOTIC BASTARD!”
“Then you’ll watch the child die an untimely death.”
“Julian!” I gasped. How could I have forgotten about him?
“He will be the first…but certainly not the last. More will follow. Your new friends…one by one…”
“NO!” I couldn’t let that happen! This pack had helped me so much…how could I just stand by and watch it get destroyed like this?
“Then come to me of your own will and I will stop what’s happening with the child. You have two days.”
Two days? That’s what he was giving me?
“Two days, Mirage. Clock’s ticking!”
The sing-song voice made me want to throw up.
And just like that, thunder roared once again, the sound so violent that even the earth shook under its effect. And then…lightning striked the land all around me, engulfing me in a circle of fire and light, until my screams scrubbed my throat raw and blood poured out of my skin.