Page 145 of A Sunwoven Ascent

Get the alpha to the tree. Get the alpha to the source.

The source. Yes. I cannot fail. The alpha. The tree.

They pounded into him until he began swaying on his feet. Alaric shoved out an arm to brace himself against the wall and a hand touched his back to steady him. Images of a male’s hands on the roots, drawing power that surged through his large, strong body. Black eyes. A white wolf to rule the thralls. His thralls.

He was seeing something. A puzzle of some sort, or a story perhaps.

“Alaric, look at me.” Heidara’s hand smacked against his cheek. The sting brought him back to her.

He remembered everything. The way the demon inside him cowered at the vibrations of power that ran through his body. It was frightened because it knew it was being watched. Knew its plan had been compromised.

Alaric now understood it all.

And they were doomed.

“We can’t let him near the tree.”

“Okay…” Heidara nodded and rubbed his back. “Who?”

Alaric swallowed, breathing heavily as he tried to gain his stability. “The alpha. Kaldrek. He can’t summon from it or he’ll…”

He was going down.

THUMP.

“Oh gods, Alaric! You just hit your head. Let me get you some water.”

No, he was fine. He just needed to put all of his damn thoughts together without making his head spin.

Heidara grabbed a large sheet and wrapped it around herself as she went to gather him water from the corner table.

“Drink.”

Alaric sipped slowly, then began gulping it down.

“There. Better?”

He could only nod as he sat up to look at her.

“Heidara. We need to—”

Heidara stilled, and her eyes flew open wide, shifting back and forth as if reading a message.

“Kaldrek needs me. I have to go.”

“Wait!” He reached out. “Please wait.”

“I’m so sorry, but I have to.” She was already heading for the door, desperate to help her alpha. She turned and frowned. “You know I can’t stay.”

“I’m not asking you to stay. I just need you to make sure he doesn’t go to the grove,” he panted. “It’s been their plan this whole time. They can’t draw power from the tree. They need him to.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because I just saw my first vision. And he’s going to kill us all.” He stood slowly to approach her. “Please believe me. Tell the others, do what you need, just don’t let Kaldrek…”

She grabbed his face and kissed him. “I believe you. I promise.”

And then the beautiful female he had just made love to, confessed everything to, would die for, was gone.