Filed To Story: Destined Bond with My Forbidden Alpha Novel (Alpha Alexander & Selene)
Selene swallowed as she looked down at the page of the next entry. Her hand moved slowly to touch the dried stains. The writing was smeared, and some was unreadable under the dark red smudges.
What she could read told of how he had cut the treant’s root as it dragged him down the slope. He got free and ran, and though he did escape the treant, he was immediately faced with a bat.
Again, he survived the fight but wrote of injuries to his stomach and chest. The blood stains on the page made it clear that his wounds were not just simple cuts and scrapes. He had lost many of his supplies while running over several days.
The following few entries described seeing more and more lake monsters in the forest and witnessing several minor battles.
Selene noticed that the way he wrote was changing. His letters were getting larger and sloppier, and the pressure he put on the writing utensil was getting softer. She was tempted to look ahead, to see just how many entries were left. But she was too nervous.
She closed the journal when the darkness settling over the sky made it difficult to read his words. Then, looking up into the stars, she swallowed as she replayed all the events she had read about in the journal and experienced herself.
Tears gathered in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away and tried to think of anything else. But the only other thing that would come to mind was Alexander’s smile. His laugh. The warmth of his voice.
Selene covered her mouth with a tight grip as she could no longer stop the tears and the sobs that poured out of her. She fought to keep as quiet as she could. She couldn’t stop the tears or the pain. But finding the scout was a mission she would not fail, which meant she couldn’t risk being heard by one of the monsters that walked these woods.
The following day, she continued reading the journal.
The scout had found a cave, the entrance was easy enough to cover, and there was no sign that anything had used it for years. He planned to rest for a few days, build up his strength and then try again to leave the mountain.
Selene looked around the area, but she saw nothing that looked like it could be an entrance to a cave. Unfortunately, the journal didn’t say where it was or if anything was recognizable nearby.
He mentioned that his wounds were not healing properly. He had done his best to clean them but needed more supplies, and water was hard to come by. He was also weak and hungry. With all the fae around and his injuries, it was difficult for him to hunt or even gather food to eat.
The following few entries were just brief accounts of what he had seen, how long he had slept, or how much food he could gather.
Looking at the dates, Selene saw a two-week gap where he wrote nothing. But as she read, she understood why. His injuries had worsened, he had struggled with a fever, and several times he had been convinced that he would soon die if he hadn’t already.
But, somehow, the scout had made it through the fevers and the sickness. He had survived. Selene felt tears running down her cheeks as she read on.
Once the fever passed, he left the cave to look for food and water. For three days, he saw no fae and could find a fresh stream and drink, fill his belly and bring back a small surplus to the cave. He wasn’t strong enough to make the trek down the mountain yet, but he still maintained his hope.
Selene was blown away by all he had been through and the hope he still had. Looking at the date, she realized he had already been trapped in Moonguard for over three months. She took a deep breath; her heart was racing in her chest.
She had come here expecting to retrieve a body, but now, she was starting to believe there was a chance she might find him alive.
Several small entries talked about the fae he saw, observing their behaviors and movements. He spoke about his food and how he felt a little stronger each day.
He even described eating the Lemon Berry that Sadie had mentioned. According to the scout, it was quite delicious.
Selene turned the page, and her eyes widened at the first words written.
‘This will be my last entry.’
Selene swallowed.
He had spotted a large number of the lake monsters near the stream he had been frequenting. But they didn’t seem to be leaving, and more and more seemed to gather. So he avoided the stream for several days, but they were still there even when he came back.
He decided he was strong enough to move on from the cave. Based on the behavior of the lake monsters, he was sure they were preparing to attack the mound. So, he needed to move further down the mountain now while the fae were distracted by their dispute.
He had made a small satchel to carry his food and canteen but needed to travel light. The journal wasn’t very heavy, but it would take up space that could be used to bring more food.
He left several more notes and observations about the different fae, stating that he hoped they would prove helpful to anyone that might find this journal in the future.
The scout said he would leave the journal as soon as it felt too heavy. And he finished it off with a short parting message.
‘To whoever may be reading this, if I could be so bold, I would like to make a request. I don’t know if I will make it off this mountain or if I will ever make it back to Winter. But, on the journal’s binding, there is a small tear; I have placed a stone inside it. It’s not very big, but it is from the cave that has been my home and shelter for three months. Please take it to Winter. If I am there, bring it to me. If I am not… please ask Alpha Axel to place it for me. He’ll know what that means.
Thank you, whoever you are. In this way, no matter what happens, I know a piece of me will make it home.’
Selene took in a shaky breath and closed the journal. She swallowed as the tears fell and turned the book over in her hand. She found the tear he wrote of. Carefully she pulled back on it and closed her eyes with a sigh as she saw the tiny stone.
It was only the size of a quarter. Much too small for a remembrance stone. But, if this was his wish, she would honor it.
She stayed in the tree for a long time, unable to do anything but sit and breathe. The last entry was two weeks old. He had been alive two weeks ago. There was a chance he had made it off the mountain. There was a chance he was still here.
But Selene had no clues of where to go or how to find him.
Once again, she was left to choose between a desperate search and giving up.
Selene spent the rest of the night thinking about what to do. As the sun rose the following day, she was already walking through the trees.
She had already been searching for more than a month. How could she give up now?
From what the journal had said, the scout believed that the lake monsters were preparing to attack the mound. That meant that the stream he found must have been near it as well, and that is why they were gathering there.
She knew from the first time she had come to Moonguard that the mound was still at least two miles north of her current position. If the cave was near the stream, the scout must have left the journal on his way back down the mountain.
On her way up, she had not encountered him or found any sign of him, which meant he had not returned the way he had come up after the treant attacked him. From up in the tree, Selene had surveyed the area to try and figure out in which direction he might have gone.
The problem was that it was a dense forest, and it was difficult to see where it might lead to a cliff or turn you around and send you back up the mountain.
She needed to find higher ground. It was a risk that would eat up a lot of the day, but it was also likely the same thing the scout would have done.
Unfortunately, it took her four days to reach higher ground. The number of fae that roamed the woods had increased, and she had been forced to outrun or fight the patrols she encountered.
She was covered in minor wounds and bruises when she reached the overlook. The sun was setting, and the sky was covered in deep orange and red.
Selene was exhausted. She had pushed herself harder than she had the strength to do, but she had made it. She intended to camp here for the night. When the sun was bright in the morning, she could get a much clearer view of the land below.
Only then could she try to formulate a strategy on how she would find the scout.
That was the plan.
But, as she reached the top of the hill and was bathed in the sun’s dying light, her mission abruptly ended.
Several hours later, the black sky was speckled with the glittering light of distant stars.
Leading up to the overlook, lifeless bodies of bats, frogs, and at least one of the lake monsters were scattered across the winding path. Killed after they had been drawn to the light of the large roaring fire that burned on the hill.
On the ground before the fire, Selene sat, covered in blood and dirt. Her arms were crossed over her knees. In each hand, she still held firmly to the obsidian karambits, ready to be used at any moment. Her head was tucked down in silence against her thighs.
She was well beyond her limits. On any other day, she would have collapsed hours ago. But not today. Today she had to push through. She would not sleep or lower her guard until dawn fell on that hill, and the scout’s passage to the Goddess was complete.
It was the least she could do for him.
Her phone rang.
It was unexpected, but she didn’t have the energy to be surprised. She usually kept it turned off in her bag, only using it every three days to check in with Fiona. But today was the third day. She had just finished sending her message to Fiona when she found the scout’s body.
Selene had moved the phone to her pocket and forgotten about it. It rang again. She set down one of her knives and pulled it out.
She lifted her head, and her face was covered in blood and dirt, but streaks of tears ran down her cheeks. She swallowed and looked at the phone.
In the almost two months she had been gone, Fiona had never called, only sent messages. There had to be a reason.
Selene glanced back at the pyre.
This day had begun with a faint hope in her heart that her mission would end happily. But as the sun had set, so had that hope. Selene turned back to the phone and clenched her jaw.
There was no chance that the reason for Fiona’s call would be good.
Selene brought the phone to her ear and answered but said nothing.
“Selene?” Fiona’s warm voice spoke through the phone.
Selene swallowed and closed her eyes but still said nothing.
Fiona took in a breath and let it out slowly.
“Selene,” she sighed, “you haven’t spoken to anyone these past two months. So, I assume you won’t speak now?”
There was silence.
“All right,” she said softly. “You don’t need to answer. Just listen.”
Fiona cleared her throat, and Selene could almost see her straighten her back as she took a deep breath and let it back out slowly.
“I know you left because you felt there was something you needed to do,” she began. “I understand, and I respect that. But…”
Fiona paused, and Selene’s heart thumped heavily in her chest.
“Six months is almost here,” Fiona said quietly.
Selene took in a shaky breath and clenched her jaw.
At the end of the call, Fiona closed her eyes and swallowed.
“There will be a vigil in two weeks,” she said. “The preparations have already begun. There is no turning back. Alexander’s people will mourn him properly.”
Selene sniffled as she swallowed the lump in her throat. Her jaw shook, and her eyes filled with tears.
“Selene… I’m sorry…” Fiona whispered. “I really… I hoped things would turn out differently.”
A sound from down the hill caught Selene’s attention. She wiped her eyes and peered down. Three bats were making their way over the bodies toward her.
She took a deep breath.
“I understand if you don’t want to—“
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?