29. Asher

ASHER

I rolled onto my back and tried to breathe through the crushing pain in my chest, but for precious seconds, I couldn't get any air into my lungs. My vision went spotty before going black. I hoped it was because I'd closed my eyes, and not because I was dying.

That was stupid of me. I should've known destroying the box wasn't the answer. I'd done the same thing with the real puzzle box before I tossed it in the trash. It was one of my biggest regrets.

Slowly, the pain began to subside, and I became aware of the world outside of that agony again. Phaedra was looking over me with tears in her eyes, and when I blinked, relief flooded her face.

"You idiot! I thought you stopped your heart!"

"I think I did." I sat up and rubbed my chest. That was the most excruciating pain I'd ever experienced.

In the background, Edgar was trying to command Phaedra to shift. It irked me every time, not just because of the furious way Connor stalked toward Phaedra, but also because Edgar was using an alpha command on my mate. For now, she and I were still bonded, and as an alpha myself, the fact that Edgar was trying to control my family made my blood boil.

But there was nothing I could do. Trying to push through the people in Phaedra's memory was like trying to push through boulders. I'd had to literally climb over them just to get near her.

She was hugging me now, though, and I thought my heart would stop for a second time, but for a much lovelier reason.

"I'm glad you're okay," she said into my shoulder. "Please don't do that ever again."

"Don't worry." I rubbed her back and looked again at the puzzle box. There were words etched into the wood. Any wolf who is worthy will command this box to open . The riddle had always driven me crazy. I'd always felt it was just some way for my father to taunt me. But now, as Edgar tried again to get Phaedra to shift, something about the phrase struck me as important.

"No way," I muttered.

She pulled away to look at me. "What? What's wrong?"

"I think I figured it out." I held the box between us. "This is meant to open with an alpha command . I was never meant to be able to open it when I was a child." Of course, that raised the question of what I would have found inside the box if I hadn't thrown it away.

She smiled at me. "It sounds like you figured it out. I know how to get my mark, too. I need to shift into my wolf at the beginning of the loop and break the chains that bind the giant wolf that appears behind the crowd."

I nodded. "Then, we know what to do."

"Yes." She got to her feet and helped me to mine. "Let's put an end to this stupid loop."

I agreed, but in the seconds that followed, I was hit with a wave of sadness. Despite Kestrel and this awful memory, I'd genuinely enjoyed every second I got to spend with Phaedra. Now that we knew where our marks were, our adventure would be over.

And it was just as well, wasn't it? I was sad now, but in the long run I would know this was the right choice, wouldn't I? Goddess, I hoped so, because if I didn't, this would have been for nothing.

Phaedra and I counted the seconds out loud before Edgar started to command her. When we had the timing right, we found there were forty-five seconds before he began. We needed to each have our marks in hand and destroy them at that final second, no matter what.

"I've got this," she said.

As she took her position, I said, " Open " using the alpha command, and every notch of the puzzle box popped open. Inside, I was surprised to find a small locket. The locket had a picture of my mother smiling on one side, and the fated mark on the other.

My throat went dry. I had no idea if this was what was in the real puzzle box or if it was something my mind had made up. Either way, I couldn't afford to get emotional about it now. The loop had just restarted.

I watched Phaedra shift into her gorgeous black wolf, and the crowd gasped. Even Connor and Edgar were silent. Everyone stared at her like Holo was standing in front of them. They parted as she approached the shadowy wolf, who lowered her head so Phaedra would have easy access to it.

She dashed for it, wrapping her teeth around the collar. At the same time, I threw the necklace to the ground, and on the forty-fifth second, I stepped on the necklace just as Phaedra tore through the collar, sending the ancient shimmering script careening around the room.

The second it was done, my connection with Phaedra vanished. I should have felt the way I felt before I met her— things should have gone back to normal—but I didn't remember my world ever feeling so utterly, crushingly lonely.