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 test loomed

the Earth," Elijah murmured. "No one knows what it holds. No records,

"Then we

exhausted," Zack

she snapped before composing herself. "Theo gave himself up for me. If this test is my only chance to bring him

glances. "Kimberly," one of them

just a test of strength. If the universe itself is involved, it will demand more

I will give it whatever

even the greatest of sorcerers

head in agreement to what he had

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

morning, they

stood at the side, whispering, confident that this was Kimberly’s end.

test is unlike the others," he warned. "It is a test against the universe itself. If you enter,

squared her shoulders. "If that’s what it

The doors creaked open, revealing an

★★EARTH TEST★★

she found herself standing in an endless white space. A chilling

appeared, spirits, dressed in

Moon," their voices echoed in triplets,

the universe. You seek to reclaim what

stood firm. "At any

they chanted,

His form was whole, yet his presence felt distant, as

His voice

Her breath hitched. "Theo!"

one of love and sacrifice. One

There

traded myself for you. You weren’t meant to return

now! If this is about love,

The spirits watched, unyielding.

taking her

nodded. "With everything

the both of you choose?" The spirits questioned with a