Blood And Silver:Rise of the Alpha’s Rejected Mate
Chapter 204

Chapter 204 AURORA His jaw clenched , and for a moment , I saw the flash of pain in his face … not from his injuries , but from the helplessness of watching me fight alone .

And with this , the Nameless presses his advantage , attacking relentlessly to shower his blows upon me .

With every strike , the lair ripples with the shockwave that forces the pack to huddle for protection behind crumbling walls .

Shes losing , someone says , his voice trembling .

No , Piper snaps , her tone razor sharp .

Auroras stronger than any of us .

Shell find a way .

But even as she says it , doubt flickers in her eyes .

I call on the Moon Goddesss power once more , the pendant at my chest ablaze with light .

The energy courses through me , wild and untrammeled , filling every corner of my being .

The strain is beyond endurance .

My vision blurs , my limbs .

shake , and my heart feels as if it will burst .

The Goddesss whispering in my mind is barely audible but relentless .

You cannot wield this power without cost .

Chapter 204 2/8 I dont care , I whisper , my voice hoarse .

I have to end this .

The Nameless roars , his body expanding , the shadows around him darkening , churning wildly .

His power is huge smothering .

I know this is it his last stand .

You will fall , he growls .

Words that boom like thunder in my ears .

You and everything you love will be consumed .

Not today , I return , putting every last ounce of energy I have into one final attack .

Light exploded from me in a blinding wave , merging with the shadows of the Nameless in that cacophony of clashing powers that had shaken the earth to its foundations .

Everyone went .

flying across the ground the lair crumbled with us .

The Nameless was screaming , dissolving as a form from under the flood of light , and for just one moment I felt a fickle surge of triumph … until the backlash did indeed hit me .

Energy surges back toward me , sheer force overwhelming … The scream is ripped from my lungs , a pendant shattered against my chest as the last of the Moon Goddess power leaves me .

Pain racks my body , but its the emptiness that really terrifies me .

The connection to the pack , the bond that has always been my anchor , is gone .

The lair goes silent ; the Nameless is defeated .

But the aftermath is immediate , and its brutal .

Chapter 204 3/8 Aurora ! Danes voice filters through , and then hes there , hist hands on my shoulders , his eyes wild .

Im .

Im okay , I say , even though the words seem empty .

He shakes his head , the look in his eyes incredulous .

Youre not .

Your eyes … Aurora , the bond is gone .

I nod , the reality sinking in .

The power … its gone too .

Im mortal now .

The weight of those words settles between us , a chasm that feels impossible to bridge .

The pack closes in , the faces marked by both relief and grief .

For though the Nameless may be defeated , the injuries and destruction in his wake certainly are not .

Piper approaches , her face twisted in anger and sadness .

You did it , she says , her voice full of emotion .

But at what cost ? I dont know , I say, my voice barely above a whisper .

We left the lair as the battle took its toll upon us all , but what the pack could have become died the night before in more ways than just battle damage .

Holden can never be replaced , leaving a large void , same as Trajan , inside the bond the pack shares with one another , a fracture to my relationship within the pack ; I was lost .

Chapter 204 4/8 Still , I know looking upon Dane and Piper , along with the others that we would persevere .

Well rebuild , Dane says .

His voice is steady .

I nod , taking hold of the spark in his words to comfort me .

Together .

Morning sun paints came , catching up on edges of broken stone and charred wood at Broken Ridge .

This once vibrant pack house now lay weak in wrecked splendor , reminding me with immediate effect of how close to death wed fought a pitched battle .

I sit beside the old garden , the smell of damp soil combined with the subtle scent of ash in my nostrils .

My fingers trace through the dirt , finding its coolness , but the feeling of loss weighs on my chest .

Dane is near .

I can sense it as surely as I feel the warmth of the sun upon my skin , but he keeps his distance .

We havent spoken since the Nameless fell .

Theres too much unsaid between us , too many wounds yet to heal .

A voice cuts through the silence smooth and unfamiliar .

Youve been busy , havent you , Luna ? I spin around , my heart racing .

Chapter 204 At the edge of the garden , a tall , silver haired werewolf is leaning casually against a tree .

5/8 His eyes , two gleaming disks of gold , seem to pierce through met with an intensity that runs a shiver down my spine .

as Who are you ? I demand , rising to my feet with muscles coiled .

He steps forward ; his movements fluid , unhurried , as though he has all the time in the world .

Elias , he says , the rich melodious sweetness of his voice like a whispered promise .

A name which you wont find in your histories , but one that belongs here nonetheless .

I narrow my eyes , peering into his face for even the slightest trace of familiarity .

I dont know you .

His lips curve into a faint , knowing smile .

No , but you know what I am .

A ghost of the past , you might say .

One of the original members of this pack , back when Broken Ridge was little more than a dream .

My breath catches .

Thats impossible .

Is it ? he echoes , unrelenting in his stare .

You have seen impossible things , have you ? The Nameless .

The Moon Goddess .

You think that with them it stops ?.

Chapter 204 6/8 I step into the clearing , and his frame becomes a block , arresting my escalating distress .

His gaze searches for and captures Elias .

Who is he ? Dane asks , an edge to his voice .

Elias , I reply , much softer .

Convenient , Dane says , his eyes never leaving the stranger .

You show up right after we defeat the Nameless , claiming to be from some forgotten past .

Why are you here ? Elias chuckles a soft , malignant sound .

I am here because the balance has shifted .

The Nameless was a keystone in a much larger structure .

With him gone , the cracks .

are beginning to show .

Speak plainly , Dane snaps , his patience wearing thin .

Elias tilted his head , gold glinting with humor in his eyes .

There is a curse that binds with this land … one that has been dormant for centuries .

The defeat of the Nameless has … stirred it .

Piper and Warrick drew closer , pulled by the weight of tension .

Pipers face flickered with curiosity and wariness , and Warrick narrowed his eyes to study Elias .

And why should we trust you ? Warrick says heavily with skepticism .

For all we know , youre another threat dressed up Chapter 204 like a friend .

Elias doesnt look at him ; his smile doesnt falter .

I could be .

But if I were your enemy , would I have warned you about the curse? Would I offer to help ? With what ? Piper cuts in sharply .

Understanding whats to come , Elias says smoothly .

7/8 The defeat of the Nameless has unbalanced the power binding this territory .

If you do nothing , Broken Ridge will crumble not from an outside force , but from within .

He leads us through the forest , his confident stride suggesting he knows every inch of the land .

Dane stays close to me , tension rolling off him , while Piper and Warrick exchange wary glances .

Where are we going ? I ask , uneasy with the silence .

To the heart of it all , Elias says cryptically .

Finally , after an eternity , we break out into a clearing .

In the center of it lies a weathered stone faced with strange runes that glow , the air around humming in a faint vibration that puts my nerves on edge .

What is this ? I whisper , stepping closer .

Elias reaches out and touches the stone .

His face is almost reverent .

The heartstone of Broken Ridge .

Its connected to the land , to the pack , to everything that makes this place what it is .

Chapter 204 And what does it have to do with the curse ? Dane asks , his voice hard .

8/8 The heartstone holds the truth , Elias replies , the history of this land , the choices that formed it , the consequences of those choices .

It comes at a price to unlock its secrets .

I hesitate , my gaze fixed upon the runes which seem to pulse in time with my heartbeat .

What kind of price ? I ask , barely above a whisper .