Alpha Alec's Redemption by Kathy M

I'm left standing there, still in shock. A part of me—the bitter part-wants to scream how dare she? But another part, the one I buried three years ago, aches with something else entirely. It missed her.

I'll never admit it out loud, but the truth is, when I wasn't angry or bitter, I missed her. I missed the girl who used to protect me from bullies. The one who stood up for me. The one who was there through every laugh and every tear. I missed the girl who made me laugh. Who I loved with every cell in my body.

I missed the girl who had been part of my life for as long as I could remember. Every memory I had from before that dreadful night has Piper in it. I can't think of a day when we weren't together, when we weren't connected at the hip.

Her betrayal broke me. It didn't just break my trust-it shattered everything beautiful we had built. It tainted our bond. It stained the memories I once held dear.

I thought we were it. That we would be best friends forever. That we'd grow old together, sipping tea on the porch as we watched the sunset, reminiscing about the chaos of our youth. If there was one person I believed would be in my life no matter what, it was Piper. And her betrayal shattered that illusion.

The hardest part of being in that cell three years ago wasn't even the torture. It was putting to death all the hopes and dreams I had when it came to the siblings. It was letting go of the fantasies I had built around them. It was facing the truth. That forever doesn't always last.

Piper's betrayal cut deep. It hurt more than anything Alec did to me in that cell. I thought she'd always be there. I needed her to be there... and each time I woke up in that cell alone, every time I realized that she hadn't stuck by me? it destroyed me in ways Alec's cruelty never could.

So yes, maybe I'm no longer bitter-but forgiveness is still a long way off.

I close my eyes for a moment and take a deep breath. When I feel a bit more

grounded, I exhale and open my eyes. I move on autopilot, a fog pressing against my mind.

I head outside, hoping the fresh air will help clear my head and untangle my feelings. Both new and old.

I sit on a bench when I get outside. I watch Aspen play nearby with a boy and a girl around her age, while Martha sits on another bench, reading, though she glances up occasionally to check on the children.

"Nyx," I call, and to my surprise, she answers immediately.

"Yes?"

"Do you think Raven's plan will work?" My voice is soft, laced with doubt and fear.

answer for a while,

she whispers, her head on her paws. "It's a solid plan. It could work. I

a heavy weight settling deeper on

ask. "That foreboding feeling? That something is

"Yes. I do."

for a different answer. I'd hoped that it was all in my head. That it was just me being overly cautious and paranoid. But now, with her

about Kaden? Anything

him... And besides, there is no way she doesn't know something useful about the man

heavy, like she doesn't

you this-Kaden is evil. Pure, ancient evil. And

saying he's

one is unbeatable. Everyone has a weakness. But even at

punch, making me slump against

hope, now does it? And the way she put it, this is basically a suicide

at his weakest, how am I supposed

ahead with this crazy plan," she continues, "then we have to prepare. We have to be careful. You need to

only

dreading the challenge. These powers aren't

need every advantage we can

also have to be prepared to face Xena," Nyx adds. "Killing Kaden will unleash

that a

you lost control. Now imagine someone like Xena losing the love of her life. That kind of pain, of fury? It's

"Shit."

"Exactly."

กวนๆ

I do manage to kill Kaden, which I doubt-Xena will have to be dealt with

do about her?" I ask