Rejected by the Beta, Claimed by the Alpha

Chapter 186: Chapter 186

The moment Kimberly stepped outside alone, a deafening silence fell upon the room.

Eyes widened in shock, some in awe, others in horror. But one question hung in the air, suffocating the space like a thick fog, where was Alpha Theo?

Kimberly’s face was void of emotion, her hands clenched tightly at her sides.

Her body ached, her soul burned, but nothing compared to the hollowness in her heart.

"Theo..." she whispered under her breath.

The supreme chief priest slowly stood. "Child, where is Alpha Theo?"

Kimberly swallowed the lump in her throat, forcing her voice to remain steady. "He didn’t make it out."

Gasps filled the room. A mixture of murmurs, disbelief, and suppressed glee from the shadows of the crowd.

Then, the silence shattered with Alpha Derrick’s triumphant laughter. He didn’t try to hide his joy, neither did Mona.

"Well, well," Derrick smirked, stepping forward.

"What a tragedy! The mighty Alpha Theo, gone. A shame, truly. But fate has its way of removing the unworthy."

Kimberly’s head snapped up, her piercing gaze landing on him like a blade against his throat. "Mind your words, alpha Derrick."

"Or what?" Mona chimed in, her lips curling. "Will you fight us now? Face it, Kimberly. You’re alone."

"For now," Kimberly replied calmly, turning on her heel. "But even the night knows the moon will rise again."

With those words, she walked away, leaving Derrick and Mona fuming.

Katherina who was in the shadows unknown to others simply smiled, her eyes gleaming with secrets.

Back at their camp, Derrick and Mona celebrated. Wine flowed, laughter echoed.

"One down, one more to go," Derrick declared. "She won’t survive the final test."

Katherina sat in a dark corner, smirking. "She won’t. Not if I have anything to do with it."

★★★

Kimberly sat with Elijah, Zack, and the sorcerers. The weight of the final

one knows what it holds. No records,

exhaled. "Then we prepare for

exhausted," Zack pointed out.

before composing herself. "Theo gave himself up for me. If this test is my only

glances. "Kimberly," one of them

strength. If the universe itself is involved, it

"Then I

you have to know that even the greatest of sorcerers has

her head in agreement to what he had

will have to do all within me, even losing the quest to just get him back... I will bring Theo back here with me.* Kimberly thought,

next morning, they gathered

confident that this was Kimberly’s end. The

is a test against the universe itself. If

squared her shoulders. "If that’s what it takes, then

priest sighed before raising his hands. The doors creaked

★★EARTH TEST★★

herself standing in an endless white space. A chilling

appeared, spirits, dressed in flowing white robes,

voices echoed in triplets,

to defy the universe. You seek to reclaim

stood firm. "At any

they chanted,

his presence

voice

Her breath hitched. "Theo!"

one of love and sacrifice. One must be given so

"No. There

"Kimberly, I already chose. I traded myself for

is about love, then let love decide! I will

The spirits watched, unyielding.

not only about loss," Theo murmured, taking her hand. "It is also about faith. Do

nodded. "With

both of you choose?" The spirits questioned with a