Fated To The Alpha (Ezra, Katya)

I refused to let myself have hope. I would know if there was a way for him to come back, right? Yet watching Kaif in control, the way he skimmed through the grimoires, he knew exactly what he was looking for, though I had never glimpsed this grimoire before. My father always told me not to touch it, so I always left it alone when I went through his room.

"What are you looking for?" I ask him. "The incantation used to create the stones," Kaif answers. I could feel Jonah hovering behind us, watching us. Kaif, also feeling him, looks over his shoulder at him. He stood leaning against the door, waiting for permission to come in. Jonah knew what boundaries he could cross with Kaif and Kaif never let people in this room. He hated even me being in here, but he had no choice, seeing as we shared a body.

He knew this place haunted me. It was the first time I witnessed what a monster Kaif could be. The vibe of This room was dark, and my power thrived in here but so did Kaif's, making us a beacon for the shadows to overtake us.

"You can come in, Jonah," Kaif tells him, and he pushes off the doorframe and wanders over to us.

"Eziah?" Kaif asks him.

"I told him to stay off this floor," Jonah tells him, and Kaif nods.

"Kaif flicks through the pages stopping on a page I could not read, yet his eyes moved over the page quickly, and I could get a sense of understanding from his thoughts.
"So the stones, if they can kill you. Now don't take this the wrong way. I am glad you're not dead, but why
wouldn't you use the dagger on yourself and end the curse?" Jonah asks.

"Because the curse wouldn't end just the bloodline. Luna would still be trapped in the shadows along with my son; I wanted to at least free him. By the time I realized I couldn't break it, too many were trapped there. I couldn't walk away. I would be trapped there too, the Octavian bloodline would end, everyone would be trapped, their souls never to rest." "But you would do it for, Mara?" Jonah asks.

"T wanted to fix my mistakes; I still loved Luna despite everything. She didn't deserve to be trapped in the shadows, neither did the Octavian bloodline, none of them did, and I could set them free,"

"What's changed, then,"

"Mara changed everything. She forgave me; I won't let her be the next Octavian woman trapped there. She fought to save me even after everything we had done. She forgave the unforgivable; I can live with their hate, but I won't let it destroy her or you."

"What do you mean? I am not Octavian," Jonah says.

"You were Octavian the moment I marked you, the bloodline will continue with the child she carries, so
if it means me dying to stop me from killing her, I will,"

"So what if she is wrong? What if we can't bring him back?" I could feel his worry at that. What if we opened it and it was for nothing? What if we opened it and found bones and nothing else.

"Trust me, Ky. If she believes he can be brought back, I believe her," Kaif tells me.

"Kaif?" Jonah asks, and Kaif sighs. He was careful with the book, careful not to tear the pages.

and an anchor. Eziah and Marabella can open the casket, but

"The ruins?" I ask.

out loud. "What

Dominic to the ruins,

"What's that?" Jonah asks.

open that casket. Marabella can't channel that sort of power without running the risk

can, but I can't enter the ruins in my form, and you can't channel me

power," I tell him. "Not without an anchor to

no choice unless you know another witch?" I snap at

become lost in the shadows; it could send you

a

lam doing it, and I am not risking my mate or our child to do it," Kaif thinks for a second when Jonah touches him, drawing his attention

alright?" Jonah asks

arguing with

what next then?" Jonah

get Dominic to the ruins,"

Kaif nods, turning back to his grimoire when he suddenly blocks me out, completely stuffing me further back into the pits of our minds

to him. Eventually, I felt him let me take control, and I was back in

to piece together the last memories I had. It was like putting a puzzle together, yet the pieces didn't fit. How could they? It made no sense. I remember the fearful look on his

to be wrong, and you lose him all over again," I admitted. Kyan

the grimoire down on the bedside table, rolling into me and tucking my

because you meddled

kyan whispers. His breath sweeps along

of destroying him again. Kyan can't lose anyone else. He has sacrificed too much for my family. For me.

Eziah went to retrieve my father's coffin.

out how to

you last time," his words confused me. Although I know he was right because Dominic's power was consuming when I stopped them. The shadows were so strong as they tried to suck