The Alpha's Lost Mate [Completed]

Chapter Twenty Three - The Knife

**Gracie's POV**

There was nothing but darkness. To either side, above, below. It engulfed me in its cold embrace, its icy hands covering my eyes, my mouth, my throat, grasping around my wrists. It was just dark and cold, until it wasn't.

Her form appeared slowly at first, just a whisper of smoke in my peripheral vision, swirling in a tiny vortex. It grew in speed and intensity until it was blinding, a tornado of smoke engulfing me and melting away the strands of darkness that rooted me to the spot, until there was nothing left but her.

Grace, we don't have much time, the Moon Goddess said, though her mouth didn't move. You need to wake up now.

How long have I been asleep? I asked silently. Where's Jamie?

Jamie is coming, he will always come for you my child, but this he cannot do alone. You need to wake up, now Grace.

I don't know how.

Yes you do my child. All those days spent with Myfanwy rooted in the magic of Three Cliffs Bay, you must use everything I taught you and everything you learned there, or there is no hope for any of you. Neither the witches or the wolves are strong enough to take down the hybrid, even united as they are. You alone hold that power, Grace, but you are running out of time. It is time to wake, my child, please.

And with that, she was gone. As the cold and dark crept back towards me I dug deep. I remembered everything Myfanwy had told me about magic, how to recognise it and fight it. I found the spell, buried deep in my subconscious and cast it aside.

I woke abruptly, my body instinctively urging me to my feet, gasping for air. The bedroom was warm, too warm after all the cold, and tinged with pink.

No, I didn't have time for that. I didn't have time to unravel, Jamie needed me. I drew all my strength and stood at the foot of the bed, putting myself between the door and Meredith, still fast asleep peacefully. She needed me. Her bond was brighter than it had been last night, growing brighter and stronger by the second, tugging from her chest desperately trying to reach her mate. Evan was close, they were coming.

"Cain," I called loudly and crossed my arms over my chest, waiting for his arrival.

He crashed through the door in less than a minute.

"What the - how are you?" He spluttered, fury in his eyes.

"Enough," I ordered, lacing my voice with the authority Jamie had taught me to use.

"I don't take commands from you," he sneered, locking his eyes on mine. "Sleep."

I felt his spell creeping into my subconscious again and batted it away with ease.

"I'm not playing this game with you anymore Cain, it's time to talk," I said calmly. He furrowed his brows together, silently and furiously attacking me with his magic. I listened to Myfanwy's voice in mind, an echo of her words on the beach, telling me that I was strong, that the magic around us at the bay had been guarded by her coven for centuries, that as a friend and ally of the Three Cliffs Coven it would always protect me when I needed it. His magic bounced off me, barely making a dent in my energy. After several minutes I cleared my throat and uncrossed my arms. "Are you quite finished?"

"How is this possible?" He roared, not letting up his onslaught. "You're just a stupid human!"

"No," I said calmly, drawing my chin up and squaring my shoulders. "I am Grace Harper, daughter of the Moon Goddess herself, born from a piece of her very soul. I am the Luna of the Keswick pack, ally and friend of the Rhosilli, Loughton, Cotleigh and Ballyronan packs and the Three Cliffs Coven. My power is theirs, and their power is mine. This is not a battle you can win, Cain, yield."