125. Two Choices

ALEJANDRO

Nothing.

I couldn't feel anything or hear anything. Not even my heartbeat. Nor could I sense if it was hot or cold. There was darkness around me, yet at the same time, I couldn't see it. It was just… emptiness.

The pain that had consumed me was gone. I had been stuck in this state for so long that I had no idea how much time had passed. Was I dead? I had felt the agonising pain and then my life slipping from my grasp.

The last thing I remembered was Kiara's scream of anguish. I had failed her. I left her when she needed me the most. I once thought I'd destroy the world for her, but then I realised I needed to create somewhere safe for her. For our pup.

At times, when I felt the darkness consume me, something would tug me back, leaving me suspended in this emptiness. But now… I was getting pulled into the depths of the darkness that I was always teetering at the edge of.

A sudden dazzling light made me close my eyes, raising my arm to shield them from the brightness. Taking a moment to adjust from the darkness that I had grown so accustomed to. I looked around, only to be surrounded by a white light. It was bright, yet it wasn't painful on the eye.

Where the fuck am I?

"You're exactly where I want you." An ethereal voice that sounded pretty goddamn soothing spoke.

I looked around as I sat up slowly. How the fuck did she hear me?

"Because here… I can see and feel everything."

I turned and frowned when I saw the glowing outline of a woman, but somehow looking at her directly just hurt the eyes. I looked away but from what I could tell, she looked about seven feet tall. Wearing pure white, her hair as long and as white as her dress. Maybe I was losing it, this shit wasn't real.

She laughed softly and the sound felt like it was in my head.

"But of course, I am." She whispered softly, it felt like she was right next to me.

I stepped away, glaring at her.

"Stay the fuck away from me. Where the fuck am I?" I growled.

I felt my irritation growing when she simply laughed softly. Something about her voice held so much power… and it was then I realised she wasn't human…

"As I said, you are where I want you to be… in other words, we are at the crossroads between the human realm and that of the afterlife."

"Yeah, like I'm going to believe that shit." I snapped crossing my arm.

I looked around but all I could see was the bright light, and the mist or clouds that drifted around. It seemed it was only that mist that covered my junk. The fuck was this?

"You really are a stubborn one. Walk with me." Her command was absolute, and although I sure as fuck wanted to ignore her, I couldn't. Finding myself walking beside her.

"Are you going to fucking share why I'm in this shit show of a dream or whatever the fuck this is?"

"You are smart, Alejandro. Do I need to repeat myself more than once?"

I frowned. Like I'm going to believe that this shit was some fucking meeting between life and death.

"Believe it or not, it is the truth." She stated.

I looked at her, not missing the aura that swirled around her, the power she held and the urge to yield to her. No shit… I knew who this was, but was it even possible?

"Why not? I breathed your soul into you, created you, so why can I not meet you?" She now turned and looked at me, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

"Selene... No fucking way."

I didn't get it, why the hell didn't I just die?

"Because you surpassed my every expectation. You reshaped your destiny and did more than I ever expected you to do for my children, despite being different."

Whatever that meant. And yeah, her fucking reading my thoughts was fucking annoying as hell.

"Well, let us start at the beginning."

"I don't like bedtime stories and I don't have all fucking day." I growled.

She let out another of her whispery laughs.

"Oh, but we have eternity if I so wish."

Well, fuck. I did not want to be stuck all damn eternity with some weird-as-fuck woman playing goddess.

"Your sense of humour is indeed strange. Now pay attention because your life hangs in the balance."

"I'm already fucking dead. Nothing's going to get me to listen to your shit." I retorted.

My heart ached at the fact that I had left Kiara. I had broken so many promises to her…

"Then how about your mate's destruction or survival?" Her voice was lower, and I sensed the warning in her calm tone. I didn't say anything. My heart tightened at the thought of hurting Kiara.

"Now, back to the story… I create one Lycan every few centuries, when a calamity falls upon my children. Your soul held darkness and I was not sure you alone were enough, so I created for you an equal. A mate in the form of a blessed wolf, however I broke a rule to do that, and the price to pay? After your trial in life, one of your lives would end."

Her words sent a stab of pain through me. So I was never meant to have a happy ever after… I should never have strung Kiara along. I had caused her unnecessary pain when I shouldn't have-

"Stop." Her command was supreme and my mind went blank.

She turned to me and for the first time, I could make out some of her features and the sympathy in her deep black eyes. "You deserve happiness just as much as anyone else and I have decided... I will give you a choice."

What did that mean?

"A choice?"

"Yes, I have two choices for you. You are welcome to choose either." She smiled.

I waited for her to continue and she turned.

"Option one, you may return to earth and spend the next one hundred and thirty full moons with your beloved. On the last moon, you will both die."

I frowned, doing a quick count. Ten years…

"Option two, you will continue into the afterlife and I will take away all of Kiara's pain, the emptiness of the broken bond and all memories she has of you. She will be able to live in contentment, I will bless her with every happiness in life with her son. She will live to a merry old age, surrounded by her loved ones. A life perfect but devoid of you."

She ended her statement, now turning back to me, her eyes boring into me. It felt as if she was looking into my soul, a soul that felt empty without my queen.

My heart clenched painfully, to spend another moment with her... But Kiara was only eighteen, how could I be so selfish and even consider taking her life so early? She had her family, our son… I looked at her, realising we were having a son. Fuck… a boy… a pup I'd never get to hold... The emotions that consumed me threatened to cripple me. Selene would take away the emptiness from Kiara's heart… she would be happy. I didn't need to decide what I wanted. I knew the answer to that choice already.

I took a deep breath turning away from her, fighting back the pain and sadness I felt. All I could do, to give Kiara the best life was…

"I will move on to the afterlife. Bless Kiara with every happiness she deserves, let her…" I took a deep shaky breath as I closed my eyes "Let her forget me." Something wet touched my cheeks and I brushed it away determinedly. "Let her be happy."

"Are you sure? Ten years together, as a family. It's better than nothing."

"No. I will not shorten her life." I whispered with complete determination, feeling my heart shatter completely.

"As you wish." Her voice echoed around me, and I was suddenly thrown into darkness.

‘Forgive me, Amore Mio…'

I felt the pressure wrap around me and everything was spinning, I was being sucked away. This was truly it, but I would happily embrace it as long as she was ok…

A blinding light surrounded me and Selene's mystical laugh echoed around me.

"You passed the test. You are a king and a true mate… Under the moonlight, look within her eyes and all shall be replaced."

I didn't have time to understand what she meant as darkness enveloped me. I felt my body weigh down on me. My chest and ribs were suddenly aching and I sucked in a deep breath, as if I had been deprived of oxygen.

My eyes flew open and I stared at the ceiling. I shot up, looking around me, my heart beating loudly in my chest. I groaned, I felt like I had been hit by a fucking truck or a shit load of rabid wolves.

I froze when I realised I was in my bedroom… it looked the same yet different… there were changes… yet… the delicious, intoxicating smell of hazelnut chocolate hit me hard and I inhaled.

Kiara.

I looked at the tubes that were still connected to me and wrenched them off as I pushed the blanket away. I was alive. I don't know how but somehow Selene…

‘You passed the test.' Her words rang in my head as I fell out of the bed, my legs screaming in pain as if they didn't know how to function. I took a deep breath, resting on all fours I suddenly realised I was alive.

Everything came rushing back, I had no idea what happened after that battle but I was fucking alive.

Kiara. I needed Kiara. I needed to see that she was ok. How the fuck were we back here? I crawled to the bathroom, grabbing the door as I pulled myself up and into the bathroom. Going over to the sink, I stared at myself in the mirror. I had lost weight, but apart from that, I looked the same. I splashed water on my face, before gulping some down.

I didn't know what exactly happened, but I still felt like I had gone through hell and back. I stumbled back into my room.

"Fuck."

I looked up to see Darien standing there, pale like he had just seen a fucking ghost.

"Al… Alejandro! Man, is that you?" He whispered.

"No, it's the ghost of fucking Christmas past. The fuck? Obviously, it"s me." I growled, my voice coming out fucking hoarse as if something was being grated on sandpaper.

"Fuck… We… You…"

I rolled my eyes as I staggered over to him.

"Enough of me, you, I and all that shit. Where is she?"

"H-hospital." He managed to stutter before I rushed past him as fast as I could.

I needed to see her, now. I felt this emptiness within me, as if something was still missing. I probably fell down a few steps, not that I gave a shit as I ran out the door and towards the hospital.

I rushed through the empty halls, night had fallen and by the looks of it, it was near midnight. Her scent hit me and I stopped in my tracks, my heart thundering. Even when I heard Darien enter the hospital, I didn't bother with him as I followed the scent. It grew stronger and with each step, I felt it give me the strength to continue. I reached her room, my heart thundering as I stared through the small window in the door.

My heart was in my throat as I looked at the scene before me.

Kiara sat in bed, a baby in her arms as she breastfed him. Tears trickled down her cheeks and I could sense the pain she was in. My heart tightened painfully and I felt as if I was drowning.

Why was she so broken? How long was I gone? She had the baby already?

"You were in a coma for over four months." Darien whispered from behind me. "Several hours ago, your heart stopped… We tried to revive you, she tried to heal you, but you were gone. You were dead. We all felt it… I don't know how you"re back, but you"re back from the dead Al."

Four months. I had left her for four months. She had suffered alone, carried on alone…

A memory flitted through my mind when we had found out she was pregnant.

‘If I were to keep it, you would support me... All the fucking way'

But I didn't, I wasn't even fucking here…

I looked at her. She looked as beautiful as ever, but the radiant smile that once graced her face was gone. The light in her eyes was missing. My eyes shifted to the bundle in her arms, ignoring my thundering heart.

Our pup…

"She had him a few hours ago. A baby boy." Darien whispered.

Was this really happening? Was I really here?

Taking a deep breath, I reached for the doorknob…