Shadow's POV

I shifted back behind a tree and put on the outfit that I had hung from a branch.

I had an idea but I wasn't sure if it was gonna work. The way my shadows reacted to her was nothing ordinary, quite far from it actually.

When they touched her hand I had a strange vision, I wasn't sure what I saw back then but after the shadow beast's attack I'm sure it has something to do with it now, it was just a gut feeling but I am one to follow my instincts.

I thought back to what I had seen...

"M stop!! It's too ticklish!!" A young girl of around 5-years-old screamed while laughing.

"Okay, okay I'm stopping now but promise me you won't be sad anymore?" Another girl with striking white hair asked as she leaned over the small frame of the girl being tickled.

"Yes, I won't! Let go of me now pleaseeeee," whined the adorable little black-haired girl.

She got up and gave a hand to the girl on the ground and soon they bounded off into the distance.

The scene changed.....

I saw the same two girls grown up, sparring against each other in a forest.

They seemed to be around 15 years old now but their body was amazing. They had a lean figure, yes, but I could muscle shifting beneath their simple and plain black clothes which consisted of knee-length shorts and a sports bra.

The black-haired girl, who now had slightly tanned skin, had eyes that glowed a striking green, far brighter than Alpha Taylor's whereas the white-haired girl, who was pale-skinned, glowed a bright silver.

They both moved with such grace and precision it was hard to make out who struck who or when it even happened.

Suddenly they grew apart and smirked at each other.

I gasped as the black-haired girl's body erupted in Shadows just like it does with me, whereas the white-haired girl's body burst with hot white electricity.

Before I could even comprehend what was happening they were back at it with a frightening speed and fought like literal gods.

Before I could see more I was plunged back into reality.

I remember being teary-eyed as I saw how gentle the shadows were being with her.

I sighed. Maybe, just maybe, if my shadows touched her, she might awaken or at least show some response. Even a twitch of her fingers would give me unimaginable hope.

Before I started tearing up again I began walking in the direction of the pack hospital.

After a while, I walked through the automatic doors and headed to her room.

I already knew where it was because I had spent quite a while, pitifully sitting in her room, in hopes of her waking up.

I was proud of how large the pack hospital was, I had been to many packs and their hospital was nothing compared to ours.

I frowned as I remembered our sad history, we were at the top right now, yes. But a long time ago this pack was nothing.

To get to the top we had lost many good people who only wanted to fight for what was right. I knew full well that being strong wasn't easy. Especially in this fucked up world.

My thoughts drifted back to Mia, of how she fought both mentally and physically from a young age.

Before my thoughts could get any more depressing I had reached her room.

She was admitted to the ICU. Of course, she wasn't being treated like how humans are, the type of infection she had was supernatural.

My breath caught in my throat as I remembered what that monster did to her. Her face was slashed and was most likely going to scar.

Those monsters were supposed to be extinct but somehow I wasn't panicking about their existence. It was a strange calm, and I worried that this calm was the calm before a storm.

Before I could open the door I suddenly got a mind-link from Alpha Taylor, "Meet me in front of Mia's room. Now."

Huh? Why was she asking to meet me here?

"I am already here alpha....what is going on?" I asked as sudden dread settled in my gut.

"I do not know but Selena tells me that she sensed massive fluctuations of power coming from the pack hospital, more specifically Mia's room—"

I ignored her and burst into the room.

And the sight that greeted me was horrifying.

There, in the bed was Mia but black veins pulsed through her entire body and I could see tears streaming down her face.

Before I could move towards her, she suddenly sat up and screamed the loudest scream I have ever heard, and to my horror, a massive black energy burst from her. I could hear glass shattering as I was pushed back, roughly hitting the door.

I groaned in pain as my shadows rose around me protectively but they didn't attack her like I thought they would.

Instead, they just stayed on the defensive and covered my entire body.

I had no idea what was happening but I knew whatever it was, it was hurting her.

I got up, my entire body shook as the black energy kept pushing me back but I was not going to give up.

I was the best warrior after the Gamma for fucks sake.

I growled, my shadows rising around me threateningly.

I walked with extreme difficulty towards her bed. I slid back a couple of times but nevertheless, made it successfully.

Oh, I knew Mia was powerful but I didn't know she had fucking black magic this powerful.

"MIA SNAP OUT OF IT GOD DAMNIT!" I screamed in frustration.

She continued crying and the black ominous energy continued to burst out of her in huge waves.

I decided to try something crazy. It not like I wasn't an impulsive bitch but oh well, here goes.

I growled and pushed my shadows towards her body.

I made the outer side of them as sharp as a katana and the inner side as soft as a baby's blanket.

I whimpered slightly as the energy hit me full force since the shadows weren't protecting me anymore.

As my shadows grew closer to wrapping her body, the energy around her grew more concentrated and hit me harder than ever before.

I could feel my skin starting to rip away and it hurt like hell but I tried my best to ignore the pain. Keyword, try.

"Mind lending me a hand Elena?" I huffed, breathing heavily.

Without a word, she became one with me and we both fought together like we had many times before.

But this time, it was a battle of wills.

With a final scream, I successfully wrapped the shadows around us like a cocoon and now that it was in a much smaller area the full force of the energy hit me, I could hear a couple of bones snapping.

Ah fuck, the stupid energy was tearing me apart like a rag doll.

I needed my shadows to calm the fuck down. Otherwise, they wouldn't be all lovey-dovey as they were at the lunch table.

I looked down and noticed my skin had ripped in quite a lot of places. Fucking hell.

I screamed slightly in frustration before I remembered the years of harsh training I had been through.

I closed my eyes and started taking deep breaths.

I decided to remember how goddess-like those two girls were from my vision.

Somehow I felt a strange connection to them both and I smiled as I remembered how the young girls giggled loudly.

I opened my eyes to see the shadows doing exactly what I hoped they would be.

Through this painful storm, they gently caressed her face and neck as if trying to bring her back.

Alpha Taylor's POV

Just as I entered the infirmary, I heard Sel gasp beside me.

"What is it?" I asked, worry rolling off of me in waves.

"The aura—"

Before she could say anything else we all were hit with a black, raw energy.

My breath caught in my throat and my eyes widened in shock.

From what I remembered, the memories my parents had of their battle with Alastair, the aura was just as black and felt the exact same way.

I wrapped my own magic around myself and Sel and ran as fast I could, with Sel following behind me, towards Mia's room.

We were considerably slower because it was hard to push against this raw and powerful energy, even with my magic wrapped around me.

But we continued, Mia's life was in danger.

Alastair was or is a fucking god. The only explanation I can come up with is that somehow he has tried to possess her or has managed to already, which means that Sel was right. Someone is either trying to awaken him or the barrier has weakened.

I shook my head. Now wasn't the time to figure out all that. I have to save Mia.

She wouldn't survive being possessed by a god as sick as that asshole.

We finally reached her door.

Before I could open it, suddenly the energy disappeared causing me to jerk back a little.

What the....

I burst through the door and stumbled upon a strange sight.

I could see Shadow standing beside her bed but her shadows were wrapped around them both like a cocoon.

Oh goddess, what was she doing?!

I saw blood pooling near her feet and started to run forward but Sel held me back.

"What?!" I growled while glaring at her slightly.

"Trust them," she replied simply, without saying anything else.

I groaned but did what I could and checked her mind. I gasped at what I saw.

Amaris— Mazikeen what the fuck—

"Tay what is it—"

I turned back towards her and grabbed her hand. I projected what I had seen in Shadow's mind.

Her baffled face was proof that my mind wasn't messing around with me.

I decided to check Mia's mind and came up with nothing, all I could see was darkness.

How was that possible?!

Mia's POV

I paused as I felt a strange but familiar feeling of comfort.

It felt like something was brushing against my face.

I hated this darkness but what did I have to return to anyway?

Suddenly I heard a familiar voice calling out to me, "Mia you have to snap out of it. Mia we need you here, please come back to me."

Was that....was that Shadow?

I wiped my face and stood up eagerly.

"Mia I need you. I consider you my family. I do not care if you had a dark past or that we have known each other for a few days. I know I can trust you. I believe in you, please come back to me—"

Her voice cut off suddenly, I snapped my head towards Alastair and glared at him.

"You son of a—"

Suddenly, the hole within my chest, where Rowena's presence used, started to fill up. And with that, I felt happiness rising within me.

Suddenly I was hit with the full force of Rowena's and I's bond, causing me to stumble back.

It was so much more powerful than before....how was that even possible?

I looked back at Alastair as he cursed and glared at my strengthening form.

Surprisingly I felt cold. My sadness started to ebb away, it felt like all my emotions were disappearing. Like my humanity was slipping.

I knew from the look in his eyes that he despised me.

Guess I was right not to fully trust him but he fucked with my brain and played with my memories.

Oh, I was so fucking done being toyed with.

I felt hot and boiling anger rising within me.

Soon after I heard a slight rumble, like thunder.

What—

Before I could think anything else, I had the urge to look up.

I glanced up and my eyes widened in shock.

Since when did dark clouds appear in this dark abyss?