Chapter 332 – Destined Bond with My Forbidden Alpha Novel (Alpha Alexander & Selene)

Filed To Story: Destined Bond with My Forbidden Alpha Novel (Alpha Alexander & Selene)

“So… when she receives treatment,” Corrine began. “She forgets everything? Not just one or two events of details?”

“From what I understand, she remembers basic information about herself and her handler. But then there are phrases he uses; they sort of unlock parts of her. Usually skillsets. Sometimes whole sections of her personality or memory.”

Corrine nodded, and then looked carefully at Axel.

“And how can you be sure that that isn’t exactly what happened with you? That she wasn’t programmed to make you believe that she was being honest when she told you everything.”

Axel sighed and looked away.

“Because, when she came to me, Jackson had already broken her mind.”

Axel told Corrine everything about what really happened before Selene was taken. How Jackson had come to the lab, used the phrase to make her submit, fought with her, and then ultimately controlled her to follow his orders.

How Alice had tried using the loophole, avoiding being seen, but Selene had seen her at the last minute. And how Alice had tried to warn her back over the line, but Selene had no reason to listen to her and Jackson had already taken the shot.

Axel told her how they had fought and how close Alice had come to killing Jackson, but was instead incapacitated by yet another phrase, one that released everything at once and sent her into a sort of madness that should have killed her.

“Why didn’t it?” Corrine asked.

“Because she found something to hold on to, to keep from drowning,” Axel whispered. “Me.”

Corrine could see the toll this conversation was taking on Axel, having to recount the horrible details of Alice’s past. He truly loved her.

“In the flood of memories, she saw me, and she desperately tried to find me,” he said. “For two days she wandered half-mad until she found a faint scent, but it was enough to keep her going until the night we found each other.”

Axel told her about their time together. About the feeling of fulfillment and comfort of being near her.

“I chose to mark her because I wanted to,” he said. “But also, because I was afraid she would disappear again.”

Corrine’s heart ached for her son.

“I needed to know that there was a connection between us, that no one could take away. Even if they suppress it, it’s still there.”

Axel hung his head; he had been holding so tightly to his strength throughout the conversation. He had kept himself focused on just sharing the facts. But his heart couldn’t take it anymore.

He sobbed.

Corrine got up and put her arms around him.

“Sshh… it’s ok…” Corrine whispered softly as she stroked his back. “It’s ok.”

“I might never see her again…” Axel whispered between sobs as he wrapped his arms around his mother’s waist and let loose the tears he had held back for so long. “I don’t know where she is… if she’s ok…”

Corrine continued to try to soothe him.

“She took another treatment,” he whispered painfully.

Corrine closed her eyes and felt the sorrow in her chest.

“She’s forgotten me again…” he said. “What if she never remembers me…”

“It’s going to be ok, honey,” Corrine said, kissing the top of his head and sniffling. “We’ll get her back.”

Axel took a shuddered breath and felt his heart still for a moment. Then, he slowly pulled back and looked up at his mother. Tears were running down her cheeks, and deep sorrow in her eyes. But she smiled at him and cupped his cheek.

“We’ll get her back?” he whispered the question as though it were the only answer he would ever need.

Corrine pursed her lips together and sniffled, before smiling again.

“She’s family,” she said. “We protect what is ours.”

Axel felt a weight that he had been carrying suddenly lift from his shoulders and he lowered his head to sob once more. The grief, the sorrow, and even the relief washed over him and he did nothing to hold it back.

Corrine held her son and let him cry.

She wasn’t convinced that Alice was the best Luna for Winter, or that she ever could be. But she was convinced that Axel had changed since he had made his bond with her. Whatever else she had been or currently was, she had inspired in him greatness.

All Corrine had ever wanted for her children was happiness and love like she had known with Wyatt. And it seemed each of them had already found it.

The Goddess saw fit to place obstacles in their paths, but Corrine knew her children were strong enough to face them head-on. And so long as they were happy, she would support them the whole way through.

It had been a month since Wyatt had officially become just another pack member. Three weeks since he had joined his scouting team.

He felt renewed as he ran through the snow, over the hills, and into the mountains. As he howled out reports and waited for the replies of his fellow scouts.

There was fulfillment in service. One that he hadn’t felt for a long time.

His people had loved him, trusted him. And though they would disagree, he knew that he hadn’t been of service to them for many years.

Wyatt had spent years drowning in his own guilt and questioning all of the decisions that he or others made. Hoping that somehow being in control of everything would absolve him of the one thing he couldn’t have done anything about.

Cain’s death had been the most haunting experience of his life.

He was a friend, his best friend. And all this time, he had kept the secret of how he died and kept the truth from his family.

Made Fiona wonder if Cain had been scared, sad, or alone in the end.

Made Alexander feel like his father was ignored and forgotten.

But Wyatt had never forgotten. Cain was with him every single moment of every day.

Whether made for good or ill, the weight of his lies and deceptions did not ease over time. It only grew heavier.

His solution had been to pull away from the people around him, to try and carry his burdens alone. In doing so, he had become rigid and strict. Leaning harder into the roots of Winter, to a time when things felt more straightforward, simpler..

He was wrong.

It may have been Selene’s idea to retire early, but Wyatt had never been more relieved than the day Axel was sworn into the role of Alpha. Though they bumped heads, there were hiccups in the first month or two. But, Wyatt could see how strong Axel had become.

By the time of Selene’s wedding, Wyatt was happy to let go of everything that came with being Alpha. His responsibility, his power, none of it mattered to him.

Telling Fiona and Alexander the truth had been what he needed all along. The Goddess had taken his gifts. But in return, she had blessed him with peace of mind and an understanding of his arrogance.

A howl in the distance echoed over the mountains and through the trees.

Wyatt stood from the position he had taken in the snow. The snow accumulated on top of his coat fell as he shook his heavy gray fur. He glanced toward the sound.

It was Mateas.

Another howl went out from another direction, and Wyatt turned.

This time it was Arthur.

A third call went up. Devon.

Three different directions, all calling out their position. It was their way of letting the rest know that the section they were responsible for had been thoroughly searched and was all clear.

Only one wolf left hadn’t made the call, signaling that the target was not within their zone. Wyatt.

And he wasn’t going to, either.

He had found tracks and caught the scent briefly. His prey was here, he could feel it.

Wyatt moved carefully and silently around the base of the trees, looking everywhere, pausing to listen as he heard a slight change in the atmosphere around him.

He stepped forward and quickly jumped back just as the arrow flew past his snout.

It landed in the snow beside him, leaving a small amount of blue residue.

Wyatt charged toward the tree the arrow had clearly come from.

A small woman jumped down, shifting into a smaller black and grey wolf in midair. She landed on all four paws and immediately ran in the opposite direction as Wyatt.

He gave chase, his larger frame and quicker stride closing the gap between them fairly quickly.

But just as he was about to reach her, she suddenly jumped onto a rock and then, pushing off of it, she moved toward a tree. Again shifting midair into her human form, just in time to grab hold of the lower branch and pull herself up.

Wyatt growled as he stared into the thick branches looking for her movements.

The sound of the branches rustling in the next tree drew his attention, and then he saw the snow falling from the tree, the one beside it, and the next.

The little monkey was hopping from tree to tree.

Wyatt lifted his snout and howled out his position, letting the others know he had found their prey.

He then quickly chased after her.

Three howls replied at varying distances. Mateas was closest.

Wyatt followed the line of falling snow, his eyes continuing to glance up in case she decided to drop down at any moment.

The sound hit his ears first. Wyatt jumped toward the tree just in time to avoid the arrow. But he didn’t stop moving, and she didn’t stop shooting. Finally, after a seventh shot, she paused, and Wyatt found a safe spot below the trees that kept him from her line of fire.

Wyatt watched the tree with great care. He knew where she was. She hadn’t moved. He could almost see her now. His eyes roamed over the battlefield; her sight lines were clear from how the arrows had landed on the ground around him.

He saw an opportunity then.

Behind the tree was a large boulder with a reasonably flat side. Wyatt could use her own play against her. He would be able to scurry up the tree like the monkey that was, but he could very well knock her out of it.

Wyatt charged forward.

Swish!

Swish!

The sound of the arrow streaming by him only pushed him faster. Finally, his goal approached. He leaped into the air and pushed all four paws off the flat surface, launching him toward the tree. He shifted into his human form, a huge and muscular man with weight to throw around. He braced himself as his body hit the side of the tree.

He heard her muffled cry as she fell forward through the branches and landed with a thud in the snow between the trees.

Wyatt charged at her, pulling out his dagger.

The girl lifted her head, a gasp of concern escaped her lips, and then just as quickly, they formed into a smirk.

When she smiled, Wyatt was inches from her, moments away from victory.

“I win,” she whispered.

Wyatt stopped dead in his tracks. He furrowed his brow and saw her arm outstretched. A small crossbow in hand, he followed the trajectory of her arm.

There stood Mateas, staring down at his ribs. A small but evident patch of blue stared back at him from where his heart beat beneath the surface.

---