Alpha Prime: Her Retribution

Chapter Fifty Four

Pain ripped through me as air rushed through my lungs, I gasped, clutching at my chest. I moved my hands away but there was no blood, I wasn’t in the temple anymore, I was back in the tomb.

“Adar!!!” I cried out, whirling around looking for him.

“Meira!!!”

He was kneeling on the ground, his hand around his neck. I rushed to him, he pulled me into a hug. Tears pooled in my eyes and streamed down my cheeks, the chaotic emotions coursing through my body making me tremble in his grip.

I wasn’t Meira, Jacob wasn’t Adar anymore… no we still were, we had always been them… just in different bodies, their lives had been cut short. I pulled away from Ad… Jacob, my eyes moving on the reason for everything that had happened, rage filling me as I got to my feet.

“W-why?” I asked, my voice trembling with barely restrained fury. Eda swallowed, jutting her chin as she stared at me.

“They disobeyed my ord…”

“THEY WERE CHILDREN!!!” I screamed, cutting her off. “They were f*****g children and all they wanted was to live a quiet life and you couldn’t let them have that!!! You had to…” My voice broke as I blinked back tears. “You’re a monster.”

A soft laughter made me turn to Nanna Ur who had a small smile on her face, her eyes closed as tears rolled down her weathered face.

“Finally, after centuries of being forced to keep this secret, of being forced to bear this weight, I am finally free.”

I watched as the darkness that swirled around her engulfed her entire body, light piercing through the darkness until it became blinding and then it was gone and her place stood a stunning young woman with dark flowing hair and tanned skin, white silk wrapped around her.

I turned my attention back to the Resurgem who had been quietly observing everything.

“What you showed Jacob and I… that was…”

“Your first life, your original life, Adelaide and Jacob, they were never meant to exist, the dimension you came from, it was never meant to exist, there is only one true time line and that is this one.”

“W-what happened after our death?” Jacob asked, his voice shaking as he stood next to me. Destiny stepped forward.

“The Wolf Kings left and your subjects came back, they found your body while Meira’s father, Charles brought back Adar’s body. You were both given a befitting funeral and for a while everything was okay until it wasn’t, nature can only handle so much injustice before it decides to revolt and revolt it did…” she trailed off, glancing at the sarcophagus.

Our surroundings shimmered and I watched as the tomb changed, becoming newer, almost as if it had not long been built. The sounds of approaching footsteps made me look towards the entrance, a woman stood, holding freshly picked flowers. She stepped into the room which was already filled with flowers placed there by the subjects daily, bowing low, before walking the path towards the sarcophagus. A gasp escaped her lips, the flowers falling to her feet as she raised a hand to her mouth in horror, eyes wide with terror.

Our faces had melted off and the flowers surrounding the sarcophagus were decaying, she stumbled back as she watched the flowers that she had picked began to decay, their petals shrivelling up and turning red.

“Oh no…” she whispered before turning and fleeing out of the tomb.

The scene melted away and we were back in the tomb.

“The rot began to spread, killing every living thing, plants, animals, the water… nothing was spared and it couldn’t be stopped, how could you stop the rage of two souls that were gravely wronged?”

“The rot overtook the kingdom and spread to other kingdoms, soon the wolflands were barren, there was famine and droughts, and wolves were dying.” Destiny continued, her eyes downcast. “Eda came to me, seeking my help to find a way to stop it but I refused. Why help her and the wolf kings? They should pay for their sins. I wanted to give into my anger, my fury.” she paused, clenching her fists as she blinked back tears, her bottom lip trembling.

“What did you have to do with all of these?” Jacob asked, she looked at us and I was blown away by the pain radiating through her.

“Because, the temple you two got married in, it wasn’t Eda’s temple, it was mine. I witnessed your union and I blessed it because it was the purest kind of love I had seen in eons and they destroyed it.”

Golden tears streamed down her cheeks and she wiped them away.

“Then why didn’t you help? You saw what they did to us and you didn’t do anything?!” I demanded, she looked at me, her golden eyes gazing into mine.

“After the news of your union became public, Eda came to me, she was unhappy with my interferance and I agreed to make a pact to appease her, we would not interfere, alas, I was the only one who kept the pact.” she whispered, carressing a deep x shaped scar that looked as if it had been carved into her skin, before glancing at Eda who had been silent. “I wanted to punish the wolf kings for their actions and Eda for her betrayal but I couldn’t because that would mean punishing several innocent wolves, so I helped her create another timeline, a different dimension, once it was done, the surviving wolves and vampires moved there and life began once more.”

I held onto Jacob, not knowing what to say or how to react to all these, it was all too much.

“T-then how did we end up as mates in the new timeline?” Jacob asked.

Nanna Ur stepped forward.

“A bond is a strong thing, a bond made of pure love is the strongest thing to ever exist and if it weren’t, I would have made sure you two ended up as mates, Eda’s sins would not go unpunished.” she stated.

“Everything makes sense… why you had my father change my mate, why you and the other wolf kings didn’t bat an eye to the m******e, why you were so adamant about me not going after Jacob, it was just to cover yourself, nothing more.” I whispered, staring at Eda.

“All I did was for the greater good.”

I stared at her, an incredulous expression on my face.

“The greater good?” I mocked, gesturing to the rot around us. “Is this it? Is this your definition of the greater good?” I shook my head, my upper lip curled in disdain. “You’re pathetic.”

Her expression darkened and she surged forward, eyes blazing.

“You will not talk to me like that!!!”

“I will talk to you however I please!!!” I snapped, glaring at her.

“I am your goddess…”

“YOU WERE,” I said, cutting her off. “not anymore. I refuse to follow a monster like you. From this day on, I, Adelaide Silverstone, Alpha Prime of Europe and Luna Prime of North America renounce my devotion to you. I no longer adhere to the worship of the Moon goddess.”

The reaction of my words was immediate, I felt the spiritual connection between Eda and I snap. It was electrifying, my heart constricting, my lycan howling in pain, it took everything within me not to fall to my knees at the feeling. The air around us crackled like a storm, as though the heavens were recoiling at our words. Eda’s expression twisted—shock, disbelief, and fury flaring across her features like wildfire.

“How dare…”

Jacob stepped forward, his crimson eyes boring into hers as he laced his fingers with mine.

“And I, Jacob Mont Blanc, Alpha Prime of North America, just like my mate, renounce all devotion to you, from now on, I will no longer participate in the worship of the Moon goddess.”

“You… fools,” she hissed, her voice echoed through the tomb. “Do you think you can sever the bond so easily? You think you can walk away from me without consequence?”

He tightened his grip on my hand, grounding me as I fought to steady my breathing. My lycan whimpered, mourning the loss of the connection it had known for as long as I existed.

“We would rather face the consequences of defying you,” I said, my voice shaking but steady, “than live another moment shackled to your lies.”

Eda’s nostrils flared, her glare deepening before turning her attention to Jacob.

“You would betray me too?”

Jacob’s lip curled, crimson eyes gleaming with a fury.

“You think betrayal is a word you can so freely wield, when it’s all you’ve done to us—to our people. You orchestrated our downfall, hid the truth, and played goddess while countless lives were lost to your whims.” Eda’s mouth opened, but Jacob’s voice thundered over her. “You are no goddess. You are nothing but a coward, hiding behind power that you don’t deserve.”

“You will regret this. Both of you.” She hissed, glaring at us one last time, a promise of vengeance lingering in her gaze before she vanished, leaving only silence in her wake. The weight of Eda’s influence was gone, and for the first time in what felt like lifetimes, I could breathe freely, I clung to Jacob as my legs gave way.

“W-what now?” Jacob asked, turning to Destiny, she smiled at us, a sad smile before waving her hand over at the creature which morphed back into the Resurgem.

“Take this, return home and rest. You two have been through much.”

Jacob took the Resurgem from her and I gasped as it transformed into the same silver locket we had offered to her as Adar and Meira during our marriage. I swallowed hard as Jacob helped me to my feet, his arms around me, supporting me as we left the tomb, I glanced back at the tomb, tears pricking my eyes at the pain Jacob and I had to go through and how our lives had been so cruelly cut short.

“Let’s go.” he whispered.

We emerged from the tomb, slowly making our way up the stairs. I had no idea how he still stood strong after all the revelation. Kamilla was the first to step forward, her eyes filled with understanding and it took everything within me not to break down, she had been there with us, through our highest and lowest moments, she had always been there as his blood mother, the one whose blood ran through him and had saved him as a foetus in his mother’s womb.

She took another step and pulled me into a hug, I clung to her, fighting tears, her hand extended to Jacob and he let her hold him.

We pulled back and my eyes moved to her men, each one of them knew us as Adar and Meira, they had all been there. My gaze stopped on the one that always stared at me and I inhaled sharply.

“My Queen, you must leave. Let us protect you.”

“My Queen, the King's blood mother, made me promise her to keep you…"

“My Queen… please”

It was him, he had been the soldier who came to me at the temple.

He bowed his head in respect as tears gathered in his eyes.

“Addie, are you okay?” Liam asked, cupping my face. He hadn’t been a part of the original timeline, so I raised a hand and cupped his face, nodding, not trusting my voice.

“Were you able to find the Resurgem?”

I nodded, the Resurgem at this point had become the least of my worries. I looked around the hall, my breath hitching.

It didn’t look decayed, it was but I could still see it in its prime. The rich tapestries, the portraits that lined the walls, the golden scones that held the candles, the maids and courtesans bustling around. I shook my head, blinking away the scene, the decayed hall taking over.

“Addie, are you sure you’re okay? What happened down there?” Liam asked, I forced a smile, patting his shoulder.

“I’m fine Lili, I’m just tired.” I whispered.

“We should head back.” Kamilla said, we nodded and made our way back. As I walked, every room, every hall we passed, sent me back to my life as Meira, each one held memories. We got to the throne room and my eyes moved around the large room, memories

flashing through my mind until my eyes landed on a spot. I stopped, my body freezing.

A small bundle, wrapped in a sheet on the floor.

Alduin…

A choked cry escaped my lips, gaining Jacob and Kamilla’s attention.

“Adelaide, what’s wr…” he trailed off, looking in the direction I was staring at.

I turned to Kamilla, tears in my eyes.

“I- I want to see him… one more time, please.” I whispered, my heart felt like it was being ripped into a million pieces. Kamilla’s expression softened and she nodded.

“Come, this way.”

We followed her out of the throne room, down another hall that led us to a smaller garden, just like the other parts of this dimension, the rot and decay had gotten to it. Yet I could see it in its prime. It was beautiful, a small piece of paradise with flowers, a pond to the side, a fountain in the middle with a stone bench close to it and right in the centre of it all was a headstone… Alduin’s headstone. I blinked and I was back in the present, the garden decayed.

I stepped forward slowly, the stone was weathered and cracked, covered in ivy that had long since succumbed to the rot. His name had faded, yet I could make it out.

Alduin of Eldoria

The world tilted slightly with every step I took, Jacob’s hand slipped into mine, his grip steadying me. I sank to my knees, my trembling fingers brushing over the engraved letters, a choked sob escaped me

“Alduin, my sweet boy…”

The memories came rushing back, drowning me in a wave of grief. Me holding him in my arms for the first time—his tiny fingers curling around mine, his cries filling me with a love I never knew I was capable of. I could still remember his laugh, his bright eyes full of wonder when he’d chase butterflies. The images were replaced with the last time I saw him, so still, so silent, wrapped in that damned sheet.

“I’m so sorry, my darling boy.” I whispered, my voice breaking, tears streaming down my face. I turned to Jacob “He was just a child, our child.”

He knelt beside me, his arm wrapping around my shoulders, his voice low and pained. “I know, Adelaide, I know.”

“I miss him so much,” I choked out, pressing my forehead against the cold stone.

“I miss him too, Adelaide.”

I met his glistening eyes, filled with grief. We sat there in silence for a while, the weight of our loss bearing down on us. As I rose to my feet, Jacob following suit, I wiped at my tears and looked down at the headstone one last time.

“I promise, Alduin,” I whispered, my voice soft but steady. “We will make this right. Your death will not be in vain.”

Kamilla approached us, she had stayed back, giving us the space we needed. She had seen Alduin’s life, his death, and our devastation. She stepped forward.

“Are you ready to leave?” she said gently.

I nodded, though my throat felt tight. Leaving the small garden and Alduin’s grave was the hardest thing I’d ever done, but I forced myself to take a step, then another. The garden—decayed and lifeless—felt like a reflection of everything we’d lost.

***********

We met the rest at the lake, Liam pushed past the rest and approached me.

“What’s going on?” he asked, I forced a smile, shaking my head.

“It’s nothing Liam, let it be.” I whispered, brushing past them to the boat. The rest of the journey back to the portal was silent, the kingdom that had once belonged to us laid in ruins. I felt Jacob’s hand squeeze mine and I squeezed back.

The rest of the journey to the portal was a quiet one, my mind a whirlpool of chaotic thoughts that refused to settle. Once we got to the portal, Kamilla turned to us.

“Ready to go back?”

I looked back at the desolate landscape that used to be part of my life and swallowed hard.

“Y-yes.”

Jacob and I stepped through and we were back in our timeline, in the ice cave. I looked at the rest of Kamilla’s men that had not followed us through the portal, their eyes glistening with unshed tears, I pressed my lips together to stop the tears from falling, I recognized each and every one of them, Kamilla appeared.

“How long were we gone?” she asked.

“3 days.” one of the replied, she nodded.

“Close the portal, we are done here.”

I watched as the men did as she said, the rest of the journey out of the ice caves to the airport was a blur, my mind was back in Eldoria. I could feel Liam’s worried gaze on me but I didn’t have the energy to pretend as if everything was fine. A sharp piercing sensation shot through my chest and I winced slightly, reaching up to massage my chest. The discomfort lasted for a few seconds, the intensity of the pain dulled but it never left and something told me it wasn’t ever going away. I leaned against the window, watching as the airport came into view.

How was I going to pretend everything was normal? How could I face the rest of the Alpha Primes knowing they all had a hand in Jacob and I’s deaths?