The Alpha's Fated Outcast: Rise Of The Moonsinger.-Chapter 315: Awakening II

Lyla

"You can’t face him alone…"

"I’m not alone," I replied, feeling Nymeris’s presence burning bright within me. I wasn’t sure if she was really back or if this was something else entirely, but her strength flowed through me.

"Lyla, please," he rose to his feet, handing over a bleeding, unconscious Lenny to Caius, who flipped him over his shoulders and ran toward our camp. "Don’t do this out of stubbornness or pride. I cannot lose you, too."

He reached out for my hand, but I took a step backwards. "Enough of your unbelief, Ramsey. This is my job. Besides, between you and me, you need more help than I do. I’ll be fine."

"Lyla!" he cried out again.

I signalled to Killian, who was standing behind him, and, in a flurry, he struck Ramsey with the side of his palm on the back of his neck, making him go unconscious immediately. Coupled with how exhausted he must be, it wasn’t difficult.

With the help of two other Elite warriors, they dragged Ramsey away, and I turned my attention back to Nathan, who had struggled to his feet, his face contorting with rage.

"How dare you, Lyla?"

"You tried to kill my mate, Nath. Shouldn’t you be apologising first?" I told him, advancing towards him.

"But I saw you moments ago on the ground, looking weak and drained."

"You’ve been feeding on the wrong power, or rather, your master has been feeding on the wrong power," I chuckled. "Moonsinging isn’t about transformation. It’s about balance – between light and darkness, between life and death."

"Pretty words," Nathan spat, raising his blade again. "But they won’t save you, Lyla. Walk away while you can, my beef is with Ramsey, not you."

"I won’t. You remember the day Mother Liora introduced me to the White Mountain Region Council? You were there, Ramsey, with a bunch of elders. Do you know what Mother Liora whispered in my ears that day? You might not remember, I don’t know how much, Xander has…"

"He does not control me," he snarled, gritting his teeth. "I am Nathan. I am my own man."

"Whatever dimension you wish to live in, darling," I scoffed. "Anyways, Mother Liora said, when it is time, I must kill you, and back then, I didn’t think it was possible. I mean, wasn’t it a lifetime ago when I was so sure that I would marry you, become your Luna, to think I made a mistake and that you’ve always been this way."

"You betrayed my trust from the first day you chose Ramsey over me, Lyla. You’re the reason why I’m like this. You must take responsibility for it."

"And if I don’t?" I said calmly.

Before I could blink, he launched himself at me with speed, aiming his blade at me. I didn’t dodge. I raised my hand, and the blade struck an invisible barrier an inch from my skin.

Nathan’s eyes widened in genuine fear.

"The Dark One or whatever it is taught you well," I said. "But he didn’t teach you everything."

I released a burst of power that sent Nathan flying backwards again. This time, when he hit the ground, he didn’t immediately stand. Around us, the fierce battle was slowly shifting. The Ferals and Trinax seemed to be retreating. I could see a score of our warriors littered all over the place, groaning in pain. Some of them were unconscious.

Xander’s armies may be retreating, but we were hit the most. We had a lot of injured warriors.

I turned to Nathan. "Surrender," I offered, standing over him.

He laughed, blood trickling from his mouth. "I won’t, Lyla. You know, I don’t give a fuck about you anymore. I don’t think I ever did. You were just a pitiful creature that needed someone to latch onto. I wanted you because you gave me power."

I didn’t say a word, and I wasn’t surprised either. Ramsey had drummed everything he was saying now into my ears for the longest time.

"You think this is over?" he continued. "This is just the first wave. He’s coming, Lyla. The Dark One himself is coming, and no amount of blue fire will stop him."

I thought he said the Dark One didn’t control him.

"Then I’ll be ready," I promised.

His eyes darted to something behind me. "Will you?"

Too late, I sensed a presence at my back. I started to turn, but a searing pain exploded between my shoulder blades. I looked down in shock to see the tip of a blade protruding from my chest; blood was already spreading across my shirt.

"The thing about betrayal," whispered a familiar voice in my ear. "Is that it comes from where you least expect it?"

A sudden weakness rushed into every part of my body, and I collapsed to my knees. Immediately, Nathan scrambled away. Through my already dimming vision, I watched my attacker walk around to face me, the knife still dripping with my blood.

"Why?" I gasped, struggling to maintain consciousness.

Cassidy Thorne smiled sadly. "Because some prophecies must not be fulfilled. Please think of this as getting you out of my way. The power of the White Moon Throne must be used, and I’m destined to unleash it with Ramsey by my side."

"R-Ramsey…" I spurt out blood, "Will never be with you?"

"We will never know until you die," Cassidy smiled. "I told you he belongs to me and that I always get what I want."

Behind Cassidy, I saw Ramsey running toward us, his face twisted in anguish. He must have seen my wound, but he was too far away to reach me in time.

"The Dark One…" I gasped again. Every part of my body was shutting down.

"He will come," Cassidy completed for me. "But not as you think. Not as you’ve been led to believe."

Darkness crept into the edges of my vision again, but this time, there was no white light approaching.

"Nymeris!" I called out in my mind, hoping to reach her. But her presence had vanished the moment the blade pierced my chest. Was it all a dream?

As my consciousness began to slip away, Cassidy knelt before me. "I’m sorry," she whispered. "But your sacrifice is necessary. The prophecy must be reversed."

The last thing I heard was Ramsey’s anguished roar as the darkness finally claimed me.