"What's wrong, Lyne?" Zeidan asked looking up at her. She had strange eyes and he wondered if she still recognized him.
Lyne opened her hand and he could see the Onyx on her palm, green and glowing. But that wasn't the problem. The problem was Lyne's nose bleeding and her eyes returning to normal. His hands quivered and loosened around Luana which gave her the opportunity to kick him in the stomach and while he tended to it, she kicked him in the face and stabbed his stomach with a knife.
Awareness dawned on him as the object sank into him. He looked at Luana with shock and his vision blurred.
"You had every chance to be happy with me. But you ruined it all." Luana said and further twisted the knife inside of him, making him scream out.
Lyne still lay on the floor, bleeding from her nose. He gasped and was finally released so that he could sit on the floor, weak and helpless. He raised his arm but no help came.
"Die, Zeidan. Goodbye." Luana left him with Shelbrooke but that wasn't all before he felt someone rushing towards him, carrying his head up and running a hand over his hair.
"Zeidan! No, no, no, no, no, no!" Lyne screamed as she jumped on the floor.
"You can't leave me. Zeidan please open your eyes."
He was getting weak and was ready to release everything.
"Lyne," he called, feeling blood rippling down his stomach and mouth. "I'm s...sorry." he gritted his teeth, revealing the blood-stained dentition. "I...I wished to have a big family with you. I wanted...I've always loved you since I met you." He coughed out more blood.
"There...there is only a little....little you can do. I do not have much time. Take care of the Princess for me."
"No, no, no, no!" Lyne cried and embraced him as he felt empty with each passing second.
The rain battered on them and he could only hear the distant sound of her tears. Her pain was known to him and he could feel it too. It was steering and painful to know how she felt. But what could he do? He was dying and not much can be done to save him.
★★★★★★★★★★
Lyne held on to Zeidan's body for as long as she could remeber, reminiscing on the past and wondering what would befall her in the future. She sniffled as she cried. Her head ached from crying too much. What else can be done to save a man who is dead? Nothing.
"I'm a failure!" She yelled and more tears fell down her eyes, swallowed by the liquid the rain provided. "I failed, Father! I failed! I failed you; I failed Brady, I failed Aurora and I failed Zeidan! Why?!" She cried, gritting her teeth.
"Why am I supposed to lose Zeidan? Why?" She held him close to her bosom, hoping for some miracle to happen.
"Your Grace!" A voice called from behind and it trailed off as the person knelt beside her. It was Amber. She let out a sharp gasp. "The King is dead?"
She couldn't speak or react. She just sat there, dejected. She was alone again. It was too hard to think about it.
"I should have been there. I should have prevented him from...I should have died instead, not me." Amber said, voice breaking.
Lyne shook her head. "I am to blame. I was there and still couldn't do anything."
"The Onyx," Amber mentioned and she looked up at her.
Lyne opened her hand and showed it to her.
"It almost killed me when I tried using it. I guess that's because it didn't choose me. It had probably chosen Luana which was why she was able to use it."
"No, my Queen. Don't think like that. Maya worked with Luana, remember and she's an ancient Vampire which meant she knew how it works. Surely, she must have taught Luana. Don't get yourself all worked up." Amber placed a hand on Lyne's arms.
She rose with determination in her heart.
"I know the Onyx did not choose me, but even if will cost my life, three lives must be taken then." Her eyes cackled again and the colors were back, she went on all fours and a big white Wolf emerged.
She ran through the fields to the mountain knowing where they would be. The cave or they were going to look for her daughter. Either way, the mountain steep was the only place they could pass through. Just as expected, she saw both of them with her daughter. Affinion and the rest of the men lay dead in front of the temple.
"Let her go." She ordered and they both turned.
"Mommy. Help me." Aurora cried and it tore her heart.
"I'm coming, baby." She looked up again at the two now breathing heavily.
"For the last time, let her go."
"Or what?" Shelbrooke asked moving towards her. She stretched her clenched fist towards him, and the green blast blew him away making him hit his head on the building wall.
"When will you ever learn?" Luana asked and drawing out her knife, she placed it across Aurora's neck. "This isn't a game. You're not eligible to partake in it. Let down the Onyx and I'll let your girl go. Hold on to it and say goodbye to her."
"And what makes you think I care?" Lyne blurted out trying hard not to look at her daughter as she spoke.
Luana's eyes squinted in surprise but she didn't look like one who fell for it. She placed Aurora's head up and placed the knife on her skin which made the little girl cry.
"I'm sorry, Luana, but I've got to do this." She stretched her hand and a green blast hit Luana, which caused her to jump from where she stood and fall somewhere afar.
Lyne ran towards Aurora and hugged her, running her hands over her hair.
"Sweetheart, I'm glad you're okay." The girl's eyes were misty and her face was red from crying.
"You know what you're going to do for mummy?"
Aurora shook her head and Lyne smiled, eyes catching Luana who was struggling to stand up.
"I want you to play chase with Mommy. But this time, you're running from everybody and your destination?" She asked.
"Is home," Aurora answered and she smiled.
"Good girl." Lyne kissed her forehead and ordered her to go. She scurried away and left.
Lyne turned to face Luana, rising to go meet her but her legs turned wobbly. Her nose was bleeding again. She wiped the blood off her nose but she wouldn't let this get in her way of having victory. As she stepped forward, she caught Shelbrooke from the corner of her eyes running towards her with his sword and she stretched her hand and twisted his wrist, retrieving the sword and slashing his face. And as he looked up, a large amount of blood gushed out of his face. He continued to walk forward, and she reached out with her second hand, and a blue light whisked him over the cliff, where she was certain he would never survive.
Luana ran towards her but lyne had had enough. As she got closer, she sprouted her claws and stabbed Luana in the side. She let out a shrieking cry.
Stepping backward, she raised a punch which Lyne blocked and slashed her face with the sword. Luana was getting weak and it was evident in her eyes.
"I will not back down!" She yelled but as she ran towards her, she ran the blade through her chest to give her the death blow.
Luana let out a sharp gasp and blood rippled down her mouth.
"Goodbye." Lyne removed the sword and down went Luana, lifeless and dead.
Lyne walked up to Zeidan's body that lay on the pavement and she saw him move a finger. She rushed towards him and placed a hand on his chest.
"He seemed to have fallen into a state of shock earlier on and didn't die," Amber explained.
"It's a miracle that he's still alive."
"Zeidan?" She called, sliding her hand through his. He managed to stand up and smiled at her.
"Lyne?"
"I thought I'd failed you."
"But you didn't," Zeidan replied a hand on her face. "You have made me proud."
"Now tell me who else is fit to be the Alpha if not you." A voice boomed and looking back, she saw Akeila, together with the council of the packs. One held a sheet of paper.
Looking around, she could see all her siblings except Korba and Charles. Her heart fell. She wished her father was present to witness this. The Werecats gathered together, having seen how they no longer had a leader and bowed to Lyne.
"Where's Korba?" She finally asked when Akeila spoke up, shaking her head.
"She has been arrested and killed as she was found guilty by the council of conspiracy against the Alpha."
She sucked in a shaky breath, thinking of all that happened when someone shouted.
"Long live the Alpha! Long live the Queen!"