Powerful Alpha Heir

The hall was silent except for the faint hum of energy left behind from Magnus's magic. The air was thick, heavy, as if the room itself could sense the weight of what had just happened. I stood in the middle of it all, staring at Elias. He looked like him—but not entirely.

His eyes glowed faintly, a shimmer of power that didn't belong to any human. His movements were careful, deliberate, like he was testing his own body, unsure of its limits. He wasn't trembling or afraid. If anything, he seemed more composed than I'd ever seen him. But that only made my chest tighten because it wasn't the Elias I knew.

"Ronan," he said, his voice calm yet distant, "this has to stop."

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. His words hit me harder than any argument or accusation. I wanted to say something, to tell him I'd do whatever it took to fix this, but I couldn't find the words.

Elias walked slowly, his boots crunching over the debris on the floor. His fingers trailed over a broken column, as if grounding himself in the physical world. "Do you know what it's like to wake up over and over, feeling... wrong? Pieces of me are gone, Ronan. Pieces I'll never get back."

"You're still you," I whispered, stepping toward him.

He shook his head, a sad smile tugging at his lips. "I'm not. And you know that. You've known since the first time you brought me back."

I froze, guilt clawing at me. He wasn't wrong. Every time I'd begged Magnus to resurrect him, Elias had come back... different. I told myself it was just a side effect, something temporary. But deep down, I'd always known the truth.

"I couldn't lose you," I said finally, my voice cracking. "I didn't know what else to do."

Elias turned to face me fully, and for a moment, I saw the man I'd fallen in love with. The softness in his expression, the way his gaze lingered on mine like he was trying to remember something important. "And what did it cost you?" he asked quietly.

The question struck like a blow. What had it cost? My family? My pack? The balance of the entire supernatural world? I didn't have an answer.

"You can't keep doing this," Elias continued, stepping closer. "Not for me. Not for anyone. It's not just about us anymore, Ronan. It never was."

"I don't know how to let you go," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Elias's hand lifted, brushing against my arm. His touch was cool, not the warmth I remembered. It felt like holding onto a memory, something fleeting and fragile. "You have to," he said gently. "Because if you don't, more people will suffer. More lives will be destroyed. And neither of us wants that."

Tears blurred my vision, and I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to break down. "Elias, please. There has to be another way. We can fix this. Together."

He smiled again, but it was bittersweet. "You can't fix something that was never meant to be undone."

I felt my knees weaken, the weight of his words pressing down on me. "You're leaving me," I said, my voice trembling.

"I'm choosing," Elias corrected, his tone firm. "For the first time in all of this, I'm choosing what happens to me. And I choose to end it."

The silence that followed was unbearable. I searched his face, hoping for any sign that he might change his mind. But his resolve was clear.

"Thalia warned us," he said, his voice softer now. "The prophecy was always about this. About me becoming something I shouldn't be. If I stay, it'll only get worse."

I shook my head, stepping closer to him. "You don't have to do this alone. We can find another way. I'll fight for you, Elias. I'll fight until the end."

Elias cupped my face with his hands, forcing me to meet his gaze. His touch was light, almost like a ghost. "You've already fought enough," he said. "You've given everything for me. But now, it's time for me to give something back. To make things right."

A sob escaped me, and I didn't bother trying to hold it back. "I love you," I said, the words spilling out like a confession.

"I love you too," Elias replied, his voice steady. "That's why I have to do this. For you. For everyone."

The energy in the room shifted, a faint hum growing louder. I could feel it in my bones, a tug at the very fabric of reality. Elias stepped back, his form beginning to glow faintly, the supernatural power inside him reaching its peak.

"No," I whispered, reaching out for him. But my hand passed through his, like trying to grasp smoke.

"This isn't goodbye," Elias said, his voice echoing as the light around him grew brighter. "You'll carry me with you, Ronan. Always."

I fell to my knees, helpless as the glow consumed him. The room trembled, and then, in a flash of light, he was gone.

The silence that followed was crushing. I stayed on the floor, staring at the space where he'd stood. My chest felt hollow, like a part of me had been ripped away.

A hand rested on my shoulder, and I looked up to see Alaric. His expression was somber, but there was a faint hint of understanding in his eyes. "He made the right choice," he said quietly.

I nodded, though it felt like my heart was shattering with every breath. Elias was gone, and the world was safe—for now. But the hole he left behind would never truly heal.

As I rose to my feet, the dagger I'd carried clattered to the ground. I stared at it for a moment before turning away. Elias had chosen his destiny. Now, it was time for me to face mine.