Chapter 45: Chapter 45

[Nivera’s POV]

“Celeste, what are you doing here? I was in the middle of something,” I said, walking down to meet her, brushing off the initial fear I had felt.

“I know, but I won’t waste your time. I just want to speak with you. This magic doesn’t hold for long anyway,” she said.

“You can even stop time? I’m jealous,” I said.

She gave a small smile. “I’m not called the greatest witch to have ever lived for nothing. I was in the middle of a ritual when I found out what you were doing,” she said.

“From the look on your face, I can tell that you do not approve,” I stated.

“From the look on your face, I can tell you’re rethinking your actions,” she said to me.

I heaved a sigh. “Well, maybe I am, but it is just because I’m beginning to feel weak again. They deserve to die, all of them, and if you came here to stop me, then you won’t succeed,”I told her.

“Child, I am not here to stop you. I just came to tell you something I should have said the moment you were awakened as a hybrid. No one is ever the same the moment they awake as a vampire or a hybrid. Hybrids are usually born with an intense form of rage because their old self is still dead. Right now, you are out of control, but once the old Nivera wakes up, the old you and the new you would merge together. Your viciousness as a hybrid and your compassion as an Omega will become one, and you will end up regretting all the things you’re doing now,” Celeste explained.

I scoffed. “Did Lucien send you? Do you think I believe you?” I retorted.

“You don’t have to believe me and I didn’t even come here to stop you. If you think that you’ll be able to live without guilt for the rest of your life after wiping an entire werewolf Pack, you are free to go ahead. And about Lucien, he did send me to tell you one thing. He wants you to remember what you said to him the day you were caught in an antelope trap,” she said.

“I’ve never been…” I paused as the memory suddenly began to unfold.

When Lucien had been speaking about an antelope trap, he had not been speaking about in my present life. He was talking about my past life; the time when I had been his Eloise. I vividly saw what had happened as if it was just now that it was occurring.

There I was, holding onto him and groaning with all my might as he lifted my foot off the trap.

“I’m scared, Lucien. You’re always there for me,” I said.

“If I’m always there for you, why then are you scared?” he inquired.

“You have an immortal life, and I’m only going to be a little part of it. You were so used to being alone until I came and became a part of your life. I’m afraid that if something ever happens to me, you won’t be able to bear it. You might go as far as trying to make me immortal like you,” I told him, worriedly.

He looked up at me. “And so? What’s wrong with that? Isn’t it better? We’ll get to be together for all eternity,” he said.

“No, Lucien, I don’t want that. If I am ever to die, just let me go. Don’t resurrect me by making me a vampire. I’m afraid I won’t be able to control myself. I don’t want to become a tyrant who kills people just because I can,” I had told him.

“Fine, then. I’ll speak to the witch, Celeste. I’ll agree to help her people with the war against the werewolves if she can make me mortal again. We’ll grow old together as normal human beings, then die in each other’s arms,” Lucien said, then planted a kiss on my forehead.

Tears formed in my eyes as I became in touch with the present again.

“You’re a hybrid now, so it would be easier for you to remember your past life. Was the memory a sad one? What happened?” Celeste inquired.

I forced a small laugh as I looked all around. Though frozen, everywhere was a reminder of the blood I had spilled and as I stood next to Celeste now, my heart was breaking as the memory of each person’s life I had taken and how I had killed them flooded my brain. I tried to think about other things, but I couldn’t block the memories out.

I fell to my knees and held my hands against my ears, trying to block out their screams and closing my eyes tightly just to get rid of the images of how they fell to the ground after I ripped out their hearts. I cried regretfully till I choked on my sobs.

“I became the very thing I was afraid of becoming… a tyrant who kills people just because I can,” I said, filled with immense sorrow.

“Imagine you kill over a thousand werewolves. The ache in your heart will be much more worse than how you feel currently,” Celeste said.

“But this isn’t fair. They hurt me, why can’t I hurt them without feeling bad about it?” I roared with fury as tears kept streaming down my eyes in torrents.

“Because it isn’t your job to punish them. I’ve seen the future of these people. This Pack would be ruined not just because of what they did to you, but also because of the evil things the Alpha has done to other innocent people like yourself. Just calm down and watch it all play out. The battle you are fighting isn’t yours to fight,” she concluded.

I heaved a deep sigh. “Even if that were true, what must I do to get rid of this guilty feeling?” I asked.

“You have to save someone’s life, or you could learn to live with it just like Lucien,” Celeste said.

I smiled. “I’m not as tough as he is, but I do know exactly what to do. Do you think Lucien will accept me back?” I asked.

“He certainly will,” she responded, returning my smile.

“Could you unfreeze them, then wait for me outside?” I asked.

“Of course,” she responded, then snapped her fingers and as the ice began to peel off everyone’s skin, they were suddenly able to move their bodies again and time began running once more. Celeste had exited the hall before they recollected what was going on and stared at the ice on the floor, wondering what had happened.

Because I was no longer holding him closely, the Alpha was no longer invisible and Malia quickly ran to him and hugged him tightly. He wrapped her up in his warm embrace, then kissed her all over her face.

“I don’t know what I would have done if something bad had happened to you,” Malia said.

“Me, too. Why did you offer to lay down your life for me? You know I can’t live without you,” he said.

I just stared at them and bit my lower lip, glad that I wasn’t the one who destroyed the love they shared. It wasn’t Alpha Tyler’s fault that he was in love with someone else. It wasn’t his fault that he had been mated to someone he didn’t want to be with. The Moon Goddess was the one at fault for trying to break the bond between them and putting me in the middle of it. I could now see why he hated me so much, but I still didn’t understand why he had to act like he loved me only to put me through so much pain and misery. He might be in love with Malia, but it still didn’t justify what he had done to me.

I decided to let it go and wait for karma to play its game. Like Celeste had said, this battle wasn’t mine to fight and I was going to leave it in the hands of the universe. If I had my revenge, it would only make me more like them, but I had just one request to make before leaving them forever.

“Before I go and stop haunting you, I have a request to make,” I stated, and they shook with fear as my voice had come on so suddenly after they had probably thought I was no longer in their midst.

“What do you want? We’ll give you anything,” Malia said.

“Spare the lives of Ryle’s family members. That’s the only way I would go and never come back,” I said.

“How dare…” the Alpha started.

Malia quickly cut in. “It is done. They won’t die. Their lives will be spared, I promise you. You are free to come and take my life if this promise is ever broken,” she said, sincerely.

“Malia!” he yelled.

“Just let them live, Tee, please,” she said.

He looked very annoyed and clenched his fist. “Fine! I will let them live,” he stated.

“Good. You can now go on with your lives,” I said, blinking back tears.

I looked around, and sighed. I didn’t know how I had come to this Pack in the first place, but at least, I knew how I would be leaving.There was no one to say goodbye to and I didn’t know if I would miss the Pack as a whole. I hated to see them happy, but time would tell how long their happiness will last.

With one final look at the statue of the Moon Goddess, I muttered a small prayer then made my way out of their presence.