CHAPTER 7- BELKAM&LORELEI

LORELEI POV

Drystane stood in solemn anticipation within the chamber, his steadfast gaze fixed upon the void ahead as Meredith cautiously crossed the threshold. In his grasp, a sizeable bag of provisions hinted at the gravity of their impending venture.

"You're tardy," he remarked, rising to his feet as she entered his sight.

"Are you certain about this course of action?" she inquired, fully aware of the resolute response she expected.

"I care not for the consequences if it means remaining by your side," he declared, placing a tender hand upon her cheek.

A fleeting smile graced her lips as she drew him into a tender kiss, a moment of sweetness and solace. When they parted, he withdrew slightly. "Let us depart swiftly. Ere the dawn breaks, we must be gone."

Beside him, she followed his lead, navigating the shadowed depths of the woods without a guiding light. The encompassing darkness seemed infinite, sending a chill down her spine and causing her muscles to stiffen. Yet, the comforting presence of his arm entwined with hers propelled her forward.

For a span of time that felt interminable, silence reigned between them. While he remained composed amidst the icy air, she grappled with mounting unease. Her trembling hand betrayed her anxiety, prompting him to clasp her more firmly.

Abruptly, a flicker of movement caught her eye, causing her to whirl around in astonishment, instinctively edging away from him.

He halted, pivoting to regard her with concern. The reason for her disquiet was unmistakable: another Lycan had materialized, not a mere wolf, but Nolan, the first warrior of Sigurd. In the obscurity, his eyes blazed with a golden luminescence, fixated intently upon the unsuspecting pair.

This moment was a profound tragedy, a turning point that shattered the fragile peace that once enveloped them. The revelation of betrayal struck like a thunderbolt, leaving them all reeling in its wake.

Nolan's voice dripped with malice as he uttered his accusation, sending a shiver down her spine. The weight of guilt settled heavily in her gut, a bitter reminder of the consequences of hrt misplaced trust. Dread gripped me as she watched Nolan's violent advance towards Drystane, his intentions clear and menacing.

In a flash of instinct, she threw myself into the line of fire, shielding Drystane from Nolan's wrath. Pain seared through her body as she hit the ground, the impact reverberating through every fiber of her being. The air filled with the sounds of struggle and primal fury as Drystane and Nolan clashed in a brutal dance of life and death. The sight of him, my beloved mate, fighting for his life against the overpowering force of Nolan's lycan form, tore at my heart. Blood stained the grass, a cruel testament to the violence that unfolded before me. In the stillness that followed, a heavy silence settled over the scene, broken only by the haunting echoes of loss. Grief washed over me in waves, threatening to drown her in its relentless embrace. The reality of Drystane's lifeless form on the ground pierced her soul, leaving her gasping for breath amidst the suffocating weight of sorrow.

Lorcan's urgent voice cut through the haze of despair, pulling me back from the brink of oblivion. The urgency in his words spurred me into motion, guiding me back to safety as we fled the scene of devastation. Alone in her solitude, she grappled with the enormity of her grief, the loss, a gaping wound in her heart. The faint stirrings of new life within her served as a bittersweet reminder of the fragile balance between joy and sorrow.

"What are you doing?!" Lorcan's voice pierced through the heavy silence, a mixture of concern and frustration evident in his tone as he directed his gaze at her.

"We had to escape," Meredith managed to utter, voice strained with exhaustion, not daring to lift her heavy eyelids to meet his gaze.

Lorcan took charge, pulling her gently yet firmly towards the safety of the manor. With a tenderness that belied his youthful demeanor, he guided her to a humble cell bench and left me there to gather my strength. The reasons behind their decision to spare her life remained a mystery to her.  The creak of the cell door opening abruptly pulled her from my reverie, revealing Lorelei's unexpected presence before her.

"Meredith, quickly, Torkan will aid me in your escape," she urged, her eyes reflecting a mix of determination and desperation as she reached out to lift me up, her touch grounding me even as my weakened form faltered.

"No, Lorelei," Meredith protested weakly, her voice tinged with a resolve borne of resignation.

"Why are you saying this?" Loreleis words were laced with anguish, tears tracing down her cheeks as she clasped my hands tightly, seeking reassurance amidst the chaos "Why give up?"

"Listen closely, my dear," she murmured softly, my touch gentle as I brushed a tear from her cheek. "You cannot bond with a mate. Find your mother's diary, it holds the key, hidden in Magnus' office.".

"My mother...?" Her voice cracked with emotion, a plea for understanding as I held onto her hands as if unwilling to let go.

"Lorie, we must depart. The guards approach," Torkan interjected, a sense of urgency in his voice as he ushered us towards the exit.

In a final embrace, Lorelei and Torkan bid me farewell, their fleeting touches a bittersweet reminder of the fleeting nature of our existence as they vanished into the shadows, leaving me to confront my fate alone.

LORELEI POV

I was galloping at full speed, seeking to widen the distance from our lands. Nothing had ever given me the strength to go against the alpha's wishes until I saw Meredith's head on a spike. I knew Belkam would not support me leaving them, Lorcan could never defy orders and Torkan was confined in the dungeon for his faults. It was risky to run on a full moon, but I did not care. It felt so right to run from this place, even if it was only temporarily. My heart was pounding in my chest as the chasing wolf's strides grew closer with each leap my horse took to get rid of him, it seemed to take forever till I finally caught sight of him.

His black fur stood out starkly amongst the dark trees while he sprinted towards me. It was Balderik. Without me realizing he had tackled making me fall from my horse. There was no time I needed to leave immediately. Genesis, my horse, stood between Belkam and me as if trying to buy me time. I was about to stand up and run when I felt my heart stop and a sharp pain run through my body. I crawled away from him and Belkam returned to his human form. Sensing my pain, he ran to me and, taking advantage of his distraction, something in me urged me to run away Genesis.

"Genesis get out of here!" I urged my horse, Genesis, to gallop at full speed, desperate to put as much distance as possible.

I felt the inevitable transformation wash over me, the realization settling deep within my bones as I embraced the imminent change. Unexpectedly, Genesis, my loyal companion with the majesty of an alicorn, gracefully took flight. Observing her disappear into the boundless sky stirred a profound sense of relief within me. As I peered at my hand, the telltale signs of my transition began to manifest - the blood staining my fingers marked the completion of my metamorphosis, signaling my readiness to embrace the life of a wolf. Yet, what followed was a torturous evolution that tested every fiber of my being. A sense of urgency clawed at me, my throat constricted, leaving me voiceless as an unsettling ringing echoed in my ears. My body convulsed, bones breaking and mending in an excruciating cycle that tore at my very core, shattering me from within. The agony intensified with each passing moment, rendering me helpless in the throes of this primal change.  A primal growl erupted from my lips, heralding the transformative shift that engulfed me, illuminating the night sky with a radiant glow. In an instant, my form diminished, the confines of my being reshaped into a new existence. A warm touch caressed my fur, a smile breaking through the veil of uncertainty, igniting a profound awakening within me, as if my essence unraveled before my very eyes. Darkness enveloped me, my senses waning, as a distant voice called out to me, beckoning me into the unknown.

When consciousness returned, I found myself nestled in a soft bed, enveloped by the serenity of a room adorned with white walls and a window that peered out into the tranquil forest. A sense of familiarity tugged at my memory, yet remained elusive, just beyond reach.

The door creaked open, disrupting the silence, and Belkam strode in, his expression laced with concern. "You underwent a complete transformation while unconscious for a week. I feared the worst," he murmured, his worry palpable.

In a wordless exchange, Belkam enfolded me in his embrace, offering solace in the wake of uncertainty. "I missed you," I confessed, the weight of my recent ordeal lingering in the air between us.

As we stood in the cocoon of shared emotions, Belkam's gaze softened. "I. convinced Magnus from relinquish you to Sigurd, despite the news of your transformation. We have been granted a reprieve until the Luna hunting," he disclosed, his voice laden with a mix of relief and apprehension.

Shaking my head resolutely, I voiced my defiance. "I refuse to be bound by the constraints of tradition. I will not be a pawn in their game, entrusted to a mate of their choosing," I declared, my resolve unyielding.

Belkam's features registered a flicker of realization, his gaze searching mine. "Though Sigurd may lay claim to you by fate, my heart has already chosen you. You are mine to cherish," he professed, his words a testament to the depth of his devotion.

A bittersweet smile graced my lips. "If only it were that simple," I lamented, a whisper of regret threading through my voice, a poignant reminder of the complexities that governed our fates.