Chapter 9: (Albaz and Storm completed past) part2-1

Sofia/ Albaz pov:

He held my hand and replied, “I will make everything right for you. It wasn’t what it seemed four hundred years ago, it wasn’t my fault. This time, Damian and I tried to stop everything Sofia went through, but it wasn’t easy. We will make everything right. I will be the best mate I couldn’t be to you years ago. I will make sure Damian doesn't hurt Sofia. Trust me, Damian is not like my last human, selfish and wicked Damian is different. Believe me.

I stared at him, eyes hard, and said, “It’s gonna take time for me to trust you and your human. As for Sofia, I’m not sure she’ll ever make it easy for Damian after everything that’s happened. You and Damian just stood there and watched Vanessa hurt her—so it’s gonna be a long road before she comes around. You both need to be patient, no matter how long it takes.

Storm nodded, his expression softening. “I understand. I’ll give you that time.” He turned his gaze to Josh and Mark, voice low but firm. “Go back to the pack house and tell everyone, Sofia has been found. No one needs to worry anymore; they both nodded but looked confused and left.

I sank back onto the cool sand, the lake’s surface rippling with my thoughts. “One more thing,” I asked, voice barely above a whisper, “was Damian ever going to reject Sofia because she’s an omega?”

He met my eyes, steady. “Never. From the moment we realized she was our mate, we accepted her and swore to love and protect her.

He reached for my hand, but I jerked it away, a flash of old pain sparking in my chest. “Don’t touch me,” I snapped. “Last time you and your human hurt me with my sister. Now your human’s tangled up with her again. How can any of this ever be okay? Tell me, Storm.” I pushed him back on the chest, demanding answers, each word a weight of betrayal.

He swallowed, eyes flickering with regret. “You need to let the block down, Albaz. You can’t keep blocking the mate bond.

I shook my head, voice cold. “I’m not ready to lower it. I’m not ready to feel that mate bond again.”

The night air thickened with tension, the lake reflecting the moon’s pale glow as we stood on the edge of a choice that could either shatter us or build us.

Storm's grip on my hand tightened, and he pulled me into a hug, holding me really tight. He breathed in my scent, and I could feel the tension between us, thick and heavy. Even with my block up, I could feel the connection between us, and my attraction to Storm never really died. He whispered sweet nothings into my ear, telling me everything was going to be fine, trying to calm me down.

After a few minutes of holding me, I felt a slight pain, and I knew it was time for my first shift. Storm looked at me and said, "You are burning up, what's happening?" I responded, "It's time for me to shift." But before he could say anything, I was hit with a wave of pain and brought down to my knees.

I tried reaching out to Sofia, saying, "Sofia, it's time to wake up, we need to shift.

Sofia pov.

I was still seated in the Moon Goddess’s garden when my body erupted with heat. A strange, tingling sensation washed over me, and the Moon Goddess said “It’s time, Sofia, my child. You need to go back for your shift.”

A low growl echoed in my mind—my wolf, Albaz reaching out, urging me to return. I inhaled deeply, closed my eyes, and when I opened them I was at my favorite lake, the water shimmering under the moon. I was panting, heart racing, and I asked Albaz, what is this pain? Is it really this painful?

Her voice, steady and calm, resonated inside my head. “Yes, it’s painful, and it will get worse, but you have to stay calm. I’ll make it as fast as I can, I promise.”