<h4>Chapter 84: Chapter 84</h4>


    The moment I opened the door, a shockwave surged through my veins, jolting me from my half-asleep state. Standing before me were faces I had hoped never to encounter again.


    Alpha Derrick and Mona, his wife, were at the door, their presence as suffocating as the silence that apanied them.


    "Good morning, Kimberly," Alpha Derrick greeted with an arrogant smirk. Without waiting for an invitation, he strode into the room, his imposing frame filling the small space.


    Mona followed, her lips curled in a mocking smile. Her gaze swept over me with disdain, a look that screamed, <i>You’re nothing.</i>


    I stood frozen, my thoughts spiraling. <i>Why are they here? To mock me? To taunt me before my death?</i>


    Breaking the silence, Alpha Derrick settled into a chair opposite the bed, motioning Mona to sit beside him. I remained standing, unwilling to join their act of forced familiarity.


    "I can see you’re surprised," he began, his voice dripping with condescension. "You must be wondering why my precious wife and I decided to visit you before... well, before the sacrifice."


    I clenched my fists, swallowing the storm of emotions rising within me.


    "Let me guess," he continued, leaning back with a smirk. "You think we’re here to mock you, don’t you?"


    I stared at him, refusing to utter a word. His smugness only fueled the fire in my chest.


    Alpha Derrick chuckled, his eyes narrowing. "Silence suits you. But I’m here for answers, Kimberly. Why would someone like you, who hates me and my wife with every fiber of her being, willingly offer herself for the pack’s sake?"


    I held his gaze, my silence unwavering.


    "Oh, don’t act like you’re too noble," Mona sneered, her voice cutting through the air like a de. "You’re not doing this because you care. You’re just a pawn, and pawns get sacrificed."


    Her words stung, but I didn’t flinch. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.


    "You think you’re special," Mona continued, her tone dripping with malice. "But let me tell you something. You’ve always been nothing. And after today, that’s exactly what you’ll be—a forgotten nothing."


    I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "Do you think I’m doing this for you?" I finally said, my voice firm. "No. I’m doing this for the people who showed me kindness. People who deserve to live. Unlike you two."


    Mona’sughter echoed in the room. "Kindness? How touching. But don’t fool yourself, Kimberly. You’re nothing more than a tool."


    Alpha Derrick’s eyes darkened, his voiceced with impatience. "Enough games. Why are you really doing this? What’s in it for you?"


    I smirked, tilting my head slightly. "The Silent Beast came to me," I said slowly, savoring their reactions. "It told me I’m the only one who can stop it. And if I refuse, it will kill everyone... except me."


    Their faces paled, and for the first time, I saw fear flicker in their eyes.


    "You’re lying!" Mona snapped, her voice shrill.


    "Am I?" I shot back, my confidence unwavering. "The Beast wants to destroy this pack, and it doesn’t care about you or your arrogance."


    Alpha Derrick stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. "You will fulfill the sacrifice," he barked.


    I shook my head, a bitter smile ying on my lips. "If I’m forced, it’s no longer a sacrifice. And it won’t work."


    His fists clenched, hisposure cracking. "Then you’ll die before anyone else does," he growled.


    I stepped closer, meeting his gaze head-on. "You don’t deserve to lead this pack. And you," I turned to Mona, my voice dripping with venom, "you don’t deserve to stand beside him. Your greed and hatred will consume you both."


    Mona’s eyes zed with fury. "You’re nothing but a jealous, pitiful girl who never deserved what she got!"


    "Jealous?" Iughed bitterly. "I had nothing, Mona. Everything I’ve ever had, I earned. Unlike you, who thrives on deceit and maniption."


    She stood, her hands trembling with rage. "You took what was meant for me! You’ve always been a thorn in my side. And now, I’ll finally be rid of you."


    I turned to Alpha Derrick, tears threatening to spill. "You love her because she’s as cruel as you. But mark my words, your time wille."


    They bothughed, their mockery piercing my heart. As they walked to the door, Mona paused, her voice dripping with mock gratitude. "Thank you for choosing to die. It brings me peace."


    The door shut behind them, leaving me alone with my thoughts. My resolve hardened. <i>If this is my fate, so be it.</i>


    A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. Jefferson entered, his face somber. "Kimberly, it’s time."


    I nodded, following him silently. As we walked to the open field, the weight of the moment pressed down on me.


    The field was packed with people—elders, pack members, even the sorcerer Elihandiak from the Dark Moon Pack. Everyone’s eyes were on me.


    I spotted my friends in the crowd, their faces etched with worry. My heart ached, but I didn’t let it show.


    Jefferson whispered, "The Alpha summoned everyone. I don’t know why."


    I stepped forward, standing beneath therge tree as instructed. My eyes scanned the crowd, searching for Ma’am Elena. She was nowhere to be seen.


    Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps drew my attention. Ma’am Elena and the chief maidservant stormed into the clearing, their faces alight with anger.


    "What is the meaning of this?" Ma’am Elena demanded from Alpha Derrick, her voice ringing out. "This is not what we discussed!"


    The courtyard fell silent, all eyes shifting toward Alpha Derrick. The weight of his next words hung in the air like a storm cloud.


    From the look on everyone’s faces, it was clear...they wanted answers. What would the Alpha do?


    Alpha Derrick broke the silence. "Exactly what I felt is right," he announced, his voice firm butced with something unsettling.


    "What we discussed might have been different, but now, I’ll do what’s right. That’s what we’re all about to do."


    A small, almost sly smile tugged at his lips as he walked away from Ma’am Elena and toward me. Each step heightened my anxiety. I couldn’t read him, but I knew he had something nned.


    When he reached me, he leaned in close, his voice barely above a whisper. "Let’s see how nice you are to everyone here." His mischievous smile widened before he turned to address the crowd.


    "We’ve all suffered the attacks of a spirit that seeks to destroy us," Alpha Derrick began, his voice booming. "It demands a sacrifice—blood from one among us. Only that can save us. And someone here," he gestured toward me, "has already offered herself to protect us all."


    Gasps rippled through the crowd. Fear spread like wildfire, their murmurs growing louder with each passing second. Some cast wary nces at me, realizing I was the one he spoke of.


    "We will perform this sacrifice today," Alpha Derrick continued, his tone eerily calm. "Everything will be done in the open. If anyone feels they should take Kimberly’s ce, step forward now."


    The crowd recoiled, murmurs escting into frantic whispers. No one moved. Not a single maid dared to step forward.


    I fought back tears, my heart heavy with despair. *Was this his n all along? To make me look like a martyr so no one could me him?* I clenched my fists, resolving to ept my fate. *After all, I did agree to this. I’ll die for them, even if they never loved me the way I loved them.*


    Suddenly, I noticed movement. Mohandia, Liza, and Kaitlyn stepped out of the crowd. My heart sank.


    "No! Go back!" I shouted, my voice trembling with urgency.


    The three women froze, startled to see one another stepping forward. Then, as if it were a race, they ran toward the Alpha, each determined to reach him first.


    "I’ll take her ce!" they cried in unison, their voices ovepping.


    "No! None of you can stop this!" I pleaded, my voice breaking. "Please, go back!"


    Mohandia turned to me, her eyes filled with tears. "We can’t let you do this, Kimberly. What will happen to us without you? Let me do it. I’ve done enough in this life. If this is my fate, I’ll embrace it."


    "No!" I shouted. "You don’t understand—"


    "Enough!" Alpha Derrick’s voice cut through our argument. "Sorcerer Elihandiak,e forward. Let the spirits decide!"


    The sorcerer stepped forward, his dark robes billowing as he approached. His staff thudded against the ground with every step, and a piece of ck cloth hung from his hand. His expression was grim as he addressed us.


    "Since there are multiple volunteers, the spirits will choose who shall make the sacrifice," Elihandiak dered.


    He held up the ck cloth. "Whoever touches this and is chosen by the spirits will disappear, never to return."


    A wave of dread swept over me. *I have to stop them. I can’t let any of them touch that cloth. Something feels wrong about this.*


    I raised my hand, my voice steady. "Can the spirit choose more than one person?"


    "No," Elihandiak replied, his piercing gaze locking onto mine. "Only one with pure blood can fulfill the sacrifice. Let us begin."


    He began chanting, his words ancient and guttural. The air around him grew heavy, charged with an otherworldly energy. My heart raced as he stretched the cloth out before us.


    Before anyone else could act, I lunged forward and grabbed the cloth with both hands.


    The moment my fingers closed around it, an intense heat coursed through my body. My vision blurred, and the world around me spun violently. My lips felt glued shut as tears streamed uncontrobly down my face.


    Images shed in my mind—bodies piled high, blood pooling beneath them. Unfamiliar voices whispered iprehensible words.


    *Am I dead?* The thought gripped me as a blinding light engulfed me.


    "No, you are not dead," a deep, husky voice said. "You have entered the Land of the Unweed."


    The light faded, revealing a barren wastnd. I looked around, but there was no one in sight. "Who are you? Where are you?" I demanded, my voice echoing.


    "I am your guide," the voice replied, seeminglying from everywhere and nowhere. "You will face trials here. Only by oveing them will you find peace."


    "What about the spirit? The sacrifice? Did it work?" I asked desperately.


    "Yes," the voice confirmed. "The beast is gone, thanks to your sacrifice. But this is now your journey."


    Before I could respond, I was swept away, the ground vanishing beneath me.


    ---


    I found myself standing on a hill overlooking a battlefield. Below me, werewolves shed in a brutal, bloody war. They tore into one another with feral rage, their howls echoing in the air.


    "What is this?" I whispered, horrified.


    "This is a glimpse of the future," the husky voice said.


    I noticed another group of werewolves charging into the fray, their eyes wild with bloodlust. The carnage was unbearable, the ground littered with lifeless bodies.


    "Why are they fighting?" I asked, my voice trembling.


    "For supremacy," the voice exined. "A war among the packs to determine who is strongest."


    I took a hesitant step forward, my boots squelching in the blood-soaked earth. "Supremacy? Over what?"


    "Over everything. The war will begin when the present questions the authority of the past. Only one who has seen both past and future can stop it."


    I turned sharply. "Who could possibly exist in both the past and future?"