Chapter Twenty-Five
Skylar Cathal
“Gilen.”
Our stares met as broad shoulders filled the doorframe.
Gilen’s eyes widened with disbelief as he took me in. His once clean-shaven face held a hint of stubble that made him appear older. The casualties of war had cut lines of worry and grief into his expression.
It was him, yet it wasn’t. These months away had changed Gilen almost as much as they had changed me.
In disbelief, he whispered, “Skylar?”
“Hi, Gilen.”
“You’re back,” he rasped, hope filling his expression as he entered. “And you’ve made yourself at home, I see.” He raised his brows, glancing toward the uncovered painting on the stand and the canvas still clutched in my hands.
I opened my mouth to speak, but my words fell short, not knowing what to say.
“It’s brave of you to enter the alpha’s room without permission. The complex is open to the pack, but my room… Now that’s bold.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t move to the alpha’s wing. It’s much larger.”
Gilen stilled as he blinked, glancing toward his feet. “I couldn’t do that to my father. Not after what happened.”
I tilted my head, questioning his response. “But Alistar willingly submitted, right?”
“It’s not that.” Gilen swallowed heavily, pursing his lips as his grip tightened on the doorframe.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, fighting the urge to reach out and comfort him.
“Julia wasn’t the only mountain lion lost that day.”
I gasped as my eyes watered. “Oh, my Gods. Gilen.”
“They all fought bravely. Every casualty of this conflict is honored for their sacrifice, for protecting our people. My mother was no exception.”
Gilen flicked his gaze to me, and I could see through his half-hearted attempt to hide his grief for his mother’s passing. It was the same sorrow that stained my own heart at the knowledge of Julia’s crossing into the afterlife.
“My parents did not have a mate bond, but they loved each other deeply. I can’t force my father to leave the one space he shared with her. So, I remain here.”
“I see,” I answered, understanding Gilen’s kind gesture.
“My father hasn’t left his rooms since her burial. His grief, thankfully, didn’t cause him to lose himself like Magnus, but it’s changed him. I know a piece of him died with my mother that day.”
“I’m so sorry, Gilen.” I sent a silent prayer to the Gods to look after those we’d lost. “I shouldn’t have barged into your room. I’m sorry about that, too.”
“Sky,” Gilen cut in, moving to close the door behind him. “You’ve been in here more times than I can count. It’s fine.”
“True. But that was then.”
The door shut, and I could see Gilen’s shoulders rise and fall as he inhaled a prolonged breath to try and steady himself.
“And now?” he asked as he turned. “Now what?”
“A lot has changed—”
“A lot hasn’t,” he interjected. “There are a lot of things that haven’t changed since you’ve been gone.”
The hairs on my neck stood at attention as Gilen’s power began to pulse within the room, responding to his rising emotions.
“I just can’t believe you’re back,” Gilen rasped, his voice heavy with emotion. A spark of hope rose to life from the depths of his obscured heartache. “Does this mean that you’ve won? Are the trials over?”
“No. There’s one more I have to complete.”
“The trial of—”
“The soul,” I said.
Gilen stroked his chin and gazed out the window before turning to look at me his gaze softening. “Sit with me.” He motioned to the bench along the windowsill. “And tell me what you need.”
I was relieved to see remnants of my best friend living within the alpha standing before me, so I joined him. Gilen leaned against the wall on the opposite side with one knee bent beneath him, resting his forearms on his thighs.
It all felt so normal, just like when we were kids, or dare I say friends.
I took my place beside Gilen, crossing my legs as I prepared myself to tell him about the final trial.
“Start from the beginning,” he said. “You really defeated the first two trials?”
I pulled up my sleeve, revealing the two ebony stars filled in on my skin. “I did.”
His smile was soft. “Then, by all means, the floor is yours.”
I told him everything about the labyrinth and the basilisk, including Daxton joining me in the second trial. “And now, I’m here for the final task.”
“Why didn’t Daxton come with you here?” Gilen asked with what appeared to be genuine interest.
“He—” I stumbled, biting my lip to prevent my feelings from spilling over. “He’s with Queen Minaeve.”
His brows furrowed. “Why would—”
“Gilen,” I interjected, wanting to change the subject. “I need your help with the final trial.”
He blinked as he leaned forward, his honey-colored eyes warming like the sun as his attention recentered on the reason I was here.
“How can I help?” Gilen’s voice was easy and sincere.
I steadied myself, taking a deep breath before saying, “I need the alpha’s dagger.”
The softness in Gilen’s expression hardened like the ice on the windowsill. “What?” he asked, sitting straight. “Skylar, do you realize what you’re asking of me?”
“I do,” I answered, reaching out to grasp his hand, pleading with him to listen. “Trust me, I understand.”
Gilen shook his head, his eyes darting to where our hands met. “You’re asking me to submit and grant you the role of alpha. Carrying that dagger is—”
“It’s the crown of our people.” The guilt threatened to silence my words, yet I couldn’t allow it to hinder my actions. “I know what value it carries and what it means to our pack.”
Gilen’s fingers intertwined with mine. His familiar embrace, which brought me comfort in the past, now felt like needles against my skin.
“There’s… I just…” Gilen stumbled. “What you’re asking me to do, Sky, is—”
“I know.” I clenched my eyes shut, fighting back a wave of unease as the tension thickened. Closing the distance between us, I could feel Gilen’s chest rise and fall with heavy rasps. His racing heart matched my own.
“Gilen,” I pleaded. “I need to take the dagger to the Inner Kingdom. It’s the final key to unlocking the Heart of Valdor, so we can live without the threat of our world being consumed by darkness and death.”
“And what happens then?” Gilen asked as he brought our hands to his chest. “What happens after the Heart of Valdor heals our world?”
I swallowed heavily.
“What then, Skylar?” he repeated, leaning toward me, his thumb gently caressing my cheek. “I know what I want, and I know what would grant you free rein to take the dagger.”
I watched in stunned silence as his eyes slid to the nape of my neck that held no claiming mark from Daxton, and I swear my heart froze.
“The mate of the alpha could carry the dagger.”
I moved backward, desperately needing to create space between us. “Gilen—”
“You’re not claimed, Skylar.”
My eyes widened in disbelief. “But we are not mates.”
“Fate may have sent us on different paths at first, Sky. But I’ve seen the error of my ways, and I’m so sorry,” Gilen said as he reached for me once more. “I can’t take anything back, but I’ve learned from it. I understand how much I fucked up.”
“Big time,” I said.
“Big time,” he repeated, nervously biting his lower lip. “But… you came back to me. Can’t you see that this was all meant to happen?”
I stared at him, my chest heaving.
“Let me claim you, Skylar. Become my alpha female, and I’ll give you the dagger.”
“I-I…”
“I know you care for me, Sky.” Gilen reached to cup my cheek. “We can be happy together. You will help me become the alpha our people need.”
Could this be my fate?
Gilen leaned in, his eyes closing as his lips brushed against my brow. “You’re mine, Skylar Cathal.”
Giving myself to Gilen would ensure the success of the final trial, but in return, I would lose myself. Sacrificing my soul, knowing Gilen wasn’t my true mate. That Daxton and I would—
No.
A rush of power fueled by my animal surged through me as Gilen’s lips dared to touch mine. Dared to take what would never belong to him.
“No!” I roared, pushing him back.
He flinched. “No?”
“No,” I repeated.
“Why?”
“I could never allow you to claim me.”
“Even if it meant you would leave here tonight with the dagger in your hands and sail off to complete the final trial?”
My chest ached, understanding that I had no choice; I was going to hurt him.
“I see,” Gilen muttered with discontent, his jaw clenching as he cocked his head to the side, trying to detect my scent. “Why can’t I smell you?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous.
I hesitated.
“Why can’t I smell your scent, Skylar?” he growled, rising to tower over me.
My animal fueled me with the power to meet his challenge. “Because I’m shielding it. I didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention.”
“Reveal it,” he ordered, expecting me to follow his command.
I blinked as I looked at him. “Why?”
Gilen clutched his fists at his sides. “I don’t know why I’m surprised at your defiance. It was a charming trait in our youth, but now… it’s infuriating. This is not a game.”
“You should’ve asked me nicely,” I fired back at him. “This could’ve gone very differently.”
Gilen was not my alpha.
“SSSkylar,” Gilen snarled, frustration laced between each syllable of my name.
I refused to submit. “Gilen.”
He slowly stalked to my right, cocking his head to the side, assessing me like I was a threat in his home instead of his childhood friend, recognizing the intent behind my stare.
“Where exactly is your High Fae protector?” he asked. “Did you lie to me? Are he and their queen hiding or simply waiting somewhere in the woods or on the ship that carried you back to the pack lands? Are you a threat?”
“Daxton is not here,” I said, my voice steady despite my rage. “He’s waiting for me to return.”
“Daxton.” Gilen rolled his neck, almost like his name made his skin crawl. “Pathetic.”
“What did you say?” I narrowed my eyes as Gilen froze, feeling the pulse of my magic fill the room.
No one was allowed to insult my mate.
“He swears to protect you, yet in your final task, he’s nowhere to be seen. Pathetic—”
Anger swelled in my chest, but instead of attacking him, I lifted my shield, allowing my scent to fill the room.
Castor would be proud.
Gilen staggered backward, bracing himself against the wall. “How?” he rasped with wide eyes.
“Daxton Aegaeon, High Prince of Silver Meadows, is my mate,” I declared as I watched Gilen’s hope of claiming me vanish.
“Your scent. You… You haven’t shifted yet. How could this happen?”
“It doesn’t matter right now, Gilen. Now, I’ll ask you again.” I sighed, softening my tone. “Will you give me the dagger?”
His lips pulled back in a snarl. “You dare ask this of me? You dare challenge my role in this pack? You?”
I met his snarl with my own.
“You,” I roared, “are not the only heir of an alpha in this pack! You do not hold the sole claim to the title.”
A flinch in his expression told me that Gilen had known the truth of this for longer than he cared to admit.
“You’re not strong enough to defeat me,” Gilen said. “You haven’t mastered enough of your magic to shift, along with that mark on your arm that prevents you from doing so.”
“I don’t need to shift to overtake you in a formal challenge. I’m a Silver Meadows warrior,” I announced. “Trained by Daxton Aegaeon and General Gunnar. I defeated the trial of the mind and the body, and I will complete this final task. I will not allow you to defeat me.”
“Don’t push this, Sky,” Gilen growled.
The door behind him crashed open, with Shaw, Xander, and the others filling the frame.
Gilen’s chest rose and fell with a mixture of rage and disbelief. “If you challenge me, I’ll kill you. I won’t have any other choice.”
I know.
“I, Skylar Cathal, daughter of alpha Emery Cathal,” I announced, my magic filling the space, “challenge Gilen Warrick as alpha of the Solace pack.”
The world seemed to stop, everyone and everything becoming deathly silent.
I stared at Gilen, no longer scared of hiding my true power. “Do you accept?”
“Get out,” Gilen snarled. “Leave my lands or pay with your life.”
“Skylar has formally challenged your right as alpha,” Shaw said, stepping into Gilen’s room with Xander racing to front his approach.
Both males bared their teeth with green magic shimmering around them.
“It would be cowardice to deny this, Gilen. You would be forfeiting your right to be called our leader in the eyes of everyone in this pack,” Shaw added.
Gilen cursed and turned on his heels to smash the canvases stacked in the corner. His rage took control, with his animal threatening to break through.
“Will you accept?” I repeated.
Gilen turned to me. My heart broke at the hurt and betrayal lurking behind his hardened stare.
“Let’s end this,” he answered. “Let this be the end of it all! I accept your challenge, Skylar Cathal. Tonight… Prepare yourself.”
“Sky.” Talon’s voice cut through the tension as Gilen glared at him. “Come on, let’s go.”
Shaw continued to face off against Xander, with Rhea draping a protective arm around Neera in the hall.
“I should’ve known you four would be in on this,” Gilen spat.
“Skylar is only doing this to protect us, Gilen,” Rhea exclaimed. “The fact that you can’t see past your own wounded pride is sad.”
“Keep that tongue caged inside your mouth, Rhea,” Gilen warned. “I’m still your alpha. I will punish those who dare speak against me and step out of line.”
This time, Talon moved to confront Gilen. His teeth bared as his eyes hardened like sapphires. “Do not threaten my mate, Gilen. Alpha or not, I won’t tolerate anyone speaking to her like that.”
The two faced one another, the tension in the room thickening to an almost unbearable degree.
“Talon,” Rhea said. “Don’t. You’re right. Let’s go. It’s not worth it.”
Talon slid his eyes to me as I nodded, walking past Gilen and the face-off between Shaw and Xander. Neera reached out for me as I entered the hallway. I quickly met her embrace before returning my attention to those remaining in the room.
“I’m sorry it’s come to this, Gilen,” I said. “I truly am.”
“Save your words for prayers to the Gods,” Gilen said. “You’ll need their strength in the fight if you truly believe you can overthrow me.”
I glared at Gilen as Talon and then Shaw joined us in the hallway.
Xander remained at his alpha’s side, his threatening growl echoing off the walls. “You’re choosing this path. You’re forcing Gilen’s hand in this.”
I held my head high and brought my shoulders back. “Or, I’m finally walking the path fate has destined me to find and embracing what and who I truly am.”
I felt Shaw’s approval first, his animal’s presence flowing through a foreign bond in waves of quiet support, followed by the others standing at my side.
“We shall see.” Gilen pushed open the window, leaped out, and shifted into his massive roc. Soaring high in the sky, his animal’s voice rang clear, calling out to his people to bear witness to the challenge that would take place tonight.
To my challenge as alpha of the Solace pack.