by Gift .
This time the icy warmth didn't go away, it felt permanent. I was reeling with power as if it were a constant flow. The dark energy flowed so easily though my palms and it felt as if anything I wanted, I could have.
I felt like a goddess, no I was a goddess. I felt the familiar pull away from the darkness as Raziel was gently slapping my face to wake me up.
“Rayne, Rayne, come on, wake up!” He said with panic in his voice. My eyes fluttered open and I saw him gasp when he looked at me.
I could see my reflection in his golden eyes, my eyes were completely black. I materialized up and into a standing position but I realized I wasn't standing, I was floating just above the ground.
I looked down at my feet to see a layer of black smoke curling at my feet, in between myself and the ground. I held my hands out, palms up and manifested 2 black fireballs with ease.
Quite different than my normal green ones. These felt darker, more powerful even. “Now finish what you started, Rayne!” The darkness spewed into my mind. I locked eyes with My Alpha. Fear rippled through his gaze like a hurricane but he stood strong, never faltering, as always.
I threw both fireballs at Alpha Drake with a flick of the wrist, he dodged my attacks and rolled out of the way. There wasn't much room here for a battle and I wanted a battle!
I flicked my wrist and transported all 3 of us to the arena where my Alpha had betrayed me. I opened my palm and conjured a plethora of dark clouds, reeling with thunder and lightning. I figured it would make the playing field a lot more fun.
I was enjoying my new found powers. I was floating on my cloud of black smoke, throwing black fireballs at Alpha Drake. Raziel was reciprocating with green fireballs. It was easy for me to block those with a wave of my hand.
He then materialized behind me and put me in a headlock, I threw my hands down to my side and the force of the darkness sent Raziel hurtling through the air.
He materialized to his feet with a look of defeat on his face. “You can’t beat me, I am infinitely stronger than you” I sneered.
I snapped and produced a set of Silver bladed fans. I snapped again and sent a sword over to Alpha Drake. Before he even picked it up I closed the gap between us, fans in hand, jumped into the air, spun around and sent both fans slicing through Alpha Drakes torso.
The cuts weren’t too deep, but blood went everywhere. He started to heal instantly. He picked up the sword and blocked my next maneuver, which in turn caused me to throw one of my fans and slice into his arm. I snapped and it appeared back into my hand.
Raziel stayed out of this one, I could see him watching intently on the sidelines, knowing that I was more powerful than him and that he would be helpless in this.
It wasn’t him I was angry with anyways. My Alpha was good with a sword which is why I gave him one. He stepped in towards me with force and swung his blade around almost slicing my midsection, but I materialized back a foot and he missed.
I was clearly aware this was an unfair fight, but I was having fun. It almost looked like he was too. Too bad I had to kill him I thought. I threw my fans to the side, closed the gap between myself and Alpha Drake and slammed him into the ground by his throat just as a huge clap of thunder hit.
A move he had done on me many times before as well. His sword flew from his hand and I heard bones breaking at his impact. Good thing Wolves heal quickly, this was not going to be a quick process.
“Rayne, I’m so sorry, please understand I would never hurt you intentionally” Alpha Drake choked out between spitting up blood. I tightened my grip, “Rayne, I love you.. Please forgive me.” He stammered.
I could tell he meant every word and my mark was pissed hearing him say he loved me, it was burning like it was on fire.
“You have no idea what I lost, you have no idea what it feels like, the pain, the suffering, the void that I'm feeling every single day.” I spat back. “Rayne, yes he does” Raziel said, who was suddenly right at my side speaking into my ear with his hand on my arm.
I still had my hand on Alpha Drake's throat and I shot an icy glare at Raziel. He released his hold on me and backed up a tiny bit but remained firm in his words.
“The shadows killed his mate Rayne, she was the price for his sister coming back… a life for a life. They killed her, slowly, right in front of him.” Raziel stated.
I suddenly felt a pang of sadness, or maybe that was guilt, in my chest. My gaze softened a little, I wouldn't wish this torment on my worst enemy.
I released my Alpha, got up and took a couple of steps backwards. “What are you doing Rayne?! Finish this!” The darkness Spat with another wave of icy warmth. My face hardened, the darkness pushing every instinct in my body to just rip my Alphas throat out, but I fought like hell to resist the urge.
What the fuck was I doing? Reality hit me like a fucking freight train. He was suffering the exact same as I was, maybe even worse because he witnessed her actual death, but he didn't have the darkness to help fill his void. He was literally just suffering alone, in the void. A fate worse than death.
The darkness was fighting hard to get to the forefront of my mind, and I continued to fight like hell to push it back out. For a second I thought I succeeded, I could feel the icy warmth leaving my body, taking with it all the power and confidence I had gained.
But the void was returning, the emptiness, the pain, it all came flooding back like a river. I felt my legs give out and to my surprise, my Alpha caught me before I hit the floor and I just burst out in tears.
I was completely myself again, I could feel no trace of the darkness at all, just the void, the emptiness. The reminder of my sacrifice swirling in my mind. I layed in Alpha Drake’s arms and just wept while he tried to console me.
My mark was burning furiously at his touch, but also tingling due to the proximity of Raziel sitting right next to us. I heard Raziel snap, but I wasn’t sure why. After what seemed like hours of weeping, I had no more tears left to cry. I sat up and locked eyes with my Alpha.
I could see sorrow, and understanding in his ocean blues. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me” I said. “I deserved it, Rayne. I really did” he said back. “But I meant every single word, I never would have hurt you intentionally. The last thing I ever wanted was to see you in pain, to be a part of the cause of it. I may not act like it, but do love you, and I'm always going to” Alpha Drake said softly.
I had never seen this side of him before and I could see Raziels body tense at his words but he didnt move. “I know,” I said back. I was still feeling myself, no sign of the darkness at all. I stood up and locked eyes with Raziel, I could see the worry in his face. My eyes were still black in the reflection of his golden orbs.
He pulled me into his arms, “We are going to fix this” he said, and I knew then that this wasn’t over yet.
Chapter 49
(Raziel)
My coven meeting had just ended when I felt the familiar venomous mind link from Alpha Drake. Rayne had him by the throat and he wasn't sure if he was going to come out alive. I materialized to them just in time to see Rayne about to rip Alpha Drake’s heart straight from his chest.
"Rayne no!" I shouted as I engulfed her in a green fireball and suspended her in the air. She suddenly threw both other hands down out to the sides and destroyed my fireball, releasing herself and landing gracefully on the ground on one knee.
I was shocked, how in the hell did she do that?! She looked up and we locked eyes. If looks could kill, I would have been dead. I could see the smoke clouding in her eyes which had a wave of fear rolling over me.
Even as pissed as I was, I couldn't help but admire her. She was fucking gorgeous in that mini skirt, thigh high boots, and a crop hoodie. Her hair fell in beautiful silver beachy waves and Nero wanted to take her right here, right now, and complete the mating process.
No more waiting. I had to fight to contain him. My proximity to her had her mark going wild, and I knew she could feel it because I could too.
&nb
sp; “He deserves everything he gets” She spat through gritted teeth. I could tell she wanted revenge, but it seemed like she wasn’t alone in her want. I couldn’t hear Wynter so it wasn’t her egging it on. I knew Rayne wouldn’t be this hellbent on her own.
"He had no choice, Rayne!" I shouted. She turned to glare at me, “You ALWAYS have a choice” She spewed. “Did you?” I asked? I knew that question would hurt, but I needed her to understand. She stopped for a second as if to ponder my words. "I don't care, he doesn't know what I lost. He doesn't know what Happened!" She snapped back. I could feel the pain in her voice.
"I know Rayne, I know. But he was forced just like you were. You don't have to do this." I pleaded. I closed the gap between us and took her face in my hands. I knew my mark proximity could help calm her rage, hopefully start to dissipate whatever was causing her to go out of control.
It seemed like it was working there for a minute, until she randomly broke away from my hold. She threw her arms down and to the sides again and let out a blood curdling scream.
The force of the energy she released sent myself and Alpha Drake flying into the adjacent wall. I looked up at her in shock, I couldn’t even believe the amount of power she was letting off. What in the fuck is this, how did she get this? “You’re fucking lucky, Wolf” she spat to Alpha Drake, I could hear the pure hatred coming from her, and then she turned to leave, but instead she fell to her knees.
This was just like before. I materialized to her side and grabbed her before she hit the ground. I was holding her, waiting for her to wake up, slapping her face a little. “Rayne, Rayne, come on, wake up!” I said desperately.
Her eyes started to flutter open, I couldn’t help but gasp when I saw them. They were solid black. She materialized out of my arms and onto what looked like a cloud of black smoke. She was levitating just above the smoke. It seemed as if she didn't realize she was doing it, and then she noticed and looked down. I could see surprise on her face.
She held her hands out palms up and materialized 2 black fireballs with ease. She then looked directly at Alpha Drake. I could see the fear ripple in his eyes, but he didn’t show any outward sign of it. She flicked her wrists and threw both fireballs directly at him. He rolled out of the way but only barely.
She then flicked her wrists and transported us all into the arena. Knowing this where Alpha Drake basically handed her to Raphael it had meaning. She opened her palm and conjured a thunderstorm, with rippling black clouds, lightning and thunder coursing through them in the sky above us.
She then started throwing black fireballs at Alpha Drake again, and I stepped in and started throwing green ones back at her. I knew they wouldn't hurt her, but I couldn’t let Alpha Drake go at this alone. It was a completely unfair fight, magic against a wolf. She had to realize this, but I doubt she cared.
She blocked my attacks easily with a wave of her hand which surprised me. I had never seen anything that was stronger than a Reaver. I materialized behind her and put her in a headlock, hoping to distract her enough so our proximity could help calm her down.
This pissed her off, she threw her hands down to the sides again and sent me flying through the air. I materialized back in front of her but I knew I was no match for her. Whatever this was, it was strong, really strong. “You can’t beat me, I am infinitely stronger than you” She sneered to me.
Then she snapped and produced a set of silver bladed fans, and snapped again to produce a sword which she threw to her alpha. She didn't even let him grab it before she had closed the gap, jumped into the air, spun around and sent both fans slicing into Alpha Drakes torso. Blood sprayed everywhere, but the cuts were not fatal. He started healing almost immediately. He then picked up the sword and blocked her next attack, but she threw a fan and sliced into his arm with it as retaliation. I was helpless in this fight, I had to just sit and watch.
Alpha Drake almost landed a blow to her midsection when she materialized a foot back and he missed. She suddenly threw the fans down, closed the gap between them and slammed Alpha Drake to the floor by his neck. The impact was so hard I heard bones shatter and his sword went flying out of his hand.
I could hear him pleading with her. “Rayne, I’m so sorry, please understand I would never hurt you intentionally” Alpha Drake choked out between spitting up blood. “Rayne, I love you.. Please forgive me.” He stammered.
“You have no idea what I lost, you have no idea what it feels like, the pain, the suffering, the void that I'm feeling every single day.” She spat back.
I materialized right beside her, “Rayne, yes he does” I said as I put my hand on her arm hoping the marks effects would help calm her. She shot me an icy glare with those solid black eyes. I released my hold on her arm and backed up just a tiny bit not to provoke her, but I was firm with my next words.
“The shadows killed his mate Rayne, she was the price for his sister coming back… a life for a life. They killed her, slowly, right in front of him.” I stated. I could see guilt and sorrow flash in her eyes, and then she let go of her Alpha, got up and took a couple of steps back.
It looked like she was fighting an internal battle of some kind. One that I couldn’t hear, and wasn’t a part of. Suddenly it seemed like her legs just went out from under her, but before I could catch her, Alpha Drake was already there, and had her in his arms as she just burst out in tears. She wept in Alpha Drakes arms while he tried to console her. I knew it wouldn't do any good, I had gone through this before, and nothing I said helped.
I snapped to speed up time hoping we could get through this a little faster, and then I sat right next to them and did the only thing I could do, wait. She did quit crying in less time than before, but it was still a couple of hours before she did. She looked up and locked eyes with Alpha Drake.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me” she said to him. She sounded like her old self again. “I deserved it, Rayne. I really did” he said back. “But I meant every single word, I never would have hurt you intentionally. The last thing I ever wanted was to see you in pain, to be a part of the cause of it. I may not act like it, but I do love you, and I'm always going to” Alpha Drake said softly.
I tensed when he said that he loved her. I mean I knew he loved her, she knew, we all knew. But hearing it did not sit well with me. Nero was in my mind claiming her as ours, furious that we hadn't just finished the mating process and made her ours before now.
He knew my reasons, but he was mad nonetheless. I tried to shake it off. I knew she didn’t love him, and never would. Plus I was sure her mark was burning this entire time so she definitely knew where she belonged.
“I know,” she said back. She stood up, and locked eyes with me. I was still extremely worried as her eyes had not gone back to normal, they were still solid black.
I pulled her into my arms, “We are going to fix this” I said.
I had no idea what we were up against, but I had a feeling this was going to happen again and we needed to be prepared for it.
Chapter 50
(Rayne)
After my breakdown Raziel and I went home. I was expecting him to drill me with a million questions about my newfound powers or my black eyes or anything that had just happened, but to my surprise, he didn’t.
I knew he wanted to know, and he wanted to ask, but I was in such a fragile state I think he figured it would be better to just let me talk when I was ready.
The truth is I was never going to be ready. How would I explain this? Oh sorry, I was so sad the darkness came to fill the void and I agreed to let it in knowing this was a bad idea? Oh yea and Wynter hasn’t been present in my mind in at least a month, so i'm just, you know, dealing with this shit alone? I know I almost killed my Alpha, but the darkness just makes me feel better.
How do you even say that? I wouldn't even know where to begin. Plus the fact that I had power superior to his, I know he was afraid. I just didn’t know how to bring it up, how to tell him how stupid I had been when I was vulner
able. I also didn’t know how to stop it.
While the darkness wasn’t in my mind right now, I could continually feel the icy warmth trying to wash over me and I had to fight to push it away. The void was ever so present though, and sometimes I didn’t want to push the darkness out. I just didn’t want to hurt anymore.