Chapter 10 The Invasion of Memory

The moment Alpha Kael dropped his mental shields, the air pressure in the room changed drastically. It wasn't a simple break in the mate bond; it felt like the collapse of a stronghold. His mind flooded into mine, a chaotic mix of overpowering strength, intense fear, and deep, unrestrained loneliness.

My glamour nearly failed under the weight of his thoughts. The cold professionalism I had maintained for days shattered and was replaced by the intense pain of genuine connection. I felt his exhaustion, his anger at his own weakness, and his desperate love for his Pack.

Focus, Elyra, I told myself, tightening my mental grip. Find the Wolfsbane. Find the source of the corruption.

I dove into the chaos of his mind, ignoring the sharp pain of the psychic intrusion. I bypassed the commands, the tactics for battle, and the paranoia. I aimed straight for the source of the infection-the Wolfsbane scar.

As I touched the psychic shadow of the scar, his mind jumped back to the moment of rejection, reliving the memory with painful clarity. I wasn't just seeing it; I was experiencing it through his eyes.

The Revelation

The clearing. The moon. Elara, radiant and beautiful.

Kael's fear, which I had once dismissed as pride, was now exposed. I saw a memory he had buried-a memory from just hours before the Mating Ceremony.

Kael stood alone in his study. The Pack Elder, the same one urging him to hire me now, stood before him, looking serious.

"The prophecy, Kael," the Elder whispered. "It speaks of a great Healer, a mate to the Alpha, whose power will save the Pack from darkness. But it also warns of a Shadow Wolf, a great darkness that the Healer's wild power will attract to the territory. Once you claim her, that darkness will target us."

Kael argued against this possibility. But then the vision came: he saw the future. He saw Elara at the Pack border, her bright healing light shining, drawing a powerful, faceless enemy to the Pack's vulnerable side. He saw his warriors falling, his land in ruins, all because his strong mate attracted chaos.

The vision ended. Kael trembled, his decision made.

"I will not claim her," he told the Elder, his voice heavy with pain. "I will reject her. I need to convince the darkness that she isn't worth pursuing. I must make Elara believe her power endangers her own kind."

The truth hit me like a punch, leaving me breathless. Kael hadn't rejected me out of pride, malice, or simple fear of my wildness. He had sacrificed for the Pack-an agonizing choice to avoid a foretold disaster. He chose to be the villain, to feel the shame of the broken mate bond, ensuring I would leave and the Pack would survive.

His use of the Wolfsbane wasn't just cruel; it was a desperate measure to ensure the rejection was final and to poison the bond so no lingering trace would attract the predicted Shadow Wolf. The Wolfsbane was the steep price he paid to break the connection and guarantee my exile.

Now, my revenge-my use of the poison, my strong return-had confirmed the prophecy. The spreading sickness wasn't a plague; it was a direct result of the Wolfsbane residue in his body reacting to my return. My vengeance had brought about the very chaos Kael had sought to avoid.

Retreat and Ruin

I yanked my consciousness out of his mind, gasping, sweat streaming down my forehead. The invasion was over, but the fallout remained.

Kael's eyes flickered open. He looked at me, confused by the sudden, intense fatigue. The moment of recognition had vanished. The shock of the psychic invasion had overwhelmed him.

"What did you see?" he whispered, his voice weak.

"I saw the root of the sickness, Alpha Kael," I lied, my voice trembling with internal turmoil. "It's deeper than I thought. It's tied to your bloodline's history-an ancient weakness that only separation can contain."

I quickly gathered my remaining supplies, moving in a frenzy. The cure-stabilizing his core-was only half the battle. The other half was the Shadow Wolf, who I now knew would come.

I looked at Kael, lying exposed and vulnerable on the cot. My hatred, which had fueled my transformation, was replaced by a complicated mix of sorrow, guilt, and a terrifying, unyielding love.

My revenge was a disastrous mistake. My vengeance had saved him from heartbreak but put his Pack in jeopardy.

I had to complete the cure to save his life, but then I needed to leave again. This time, not out of rejection, but to draw the Shadow Wolf away from the territory before it arrived.

"I will return at dawn, Alpha Kael," I said, forcing a firm tone into my voice. "Until then, you will rest. If you move, if you try to use your Alpha command, the contamination will get worse. You will obey."

I didn't wait for his reply. I needed air. I needed space. I needed to mourn the end of my hatred and plan the second, true sacrifice.

I stumbled out of the room, slamming the door and ordering Roric to stand guard.

In the solitude of my temporary chamber, I sank to the floor, pulling off my gloves. My right hand, the one with the rejection scar, shook violently.

I was no longer the angered Elara seeking revenge. I was now Elyra, the destined Healer, carrying the crushing guilt of knowing my presence was the real threat, and that Kael had endured the pain of a cruel rejection to save both my life and the Pack's future.

I had to finish the cure, but then I had to run. I had to become the rogue Kael tried to make me, ensuring the Shadow Wolf hunted only me.

My love was the Pack's doom. My absence was their only hope.