BloodMoon: Captivated by the Forbidden Lycan Alpha
Chapter 99: THE POWER OF RITA ROGOURAU

Chapter 99: THE POWER OF RITA ROGOURAU

{" Mountains know secrets we need to learn. That might take time, it might be hard, but if you just hold on long enough, you will find the strength to rise"}

We both stirred before the first light of dawn, the cool mountain air brushing against our skin. I felt the warmth of Rita beside me, her steady breathing a quiet reminder of the bond we had forged. As I shifted slightly, she murmured something in her sleep, her fingers instinctively tightening around mine.

Before I could fully gather my thoughts, Ralph strode in without hesitation. He paused for a beat, his sharp eyes taking in the way we were still bundled together, limbs tangled in a quiet intimacy. Instead of surprise, a knowing smirk spread across his face.

"Well, well," he drawled, crossing his arms over his chest. "I see you two had a comfortable night."

Rita chuckled, stretching lazily before she reached for my hand and laced our fingers together. Then, with a firm squeeze, she lifted her chin and declared, "Flora is my mate."

Ralph’s smirk softened into something more genuine. He nodded, no trace of shock in his expression. "I’m happy for you, Rita. You deserved this, someone who sees you for who you are."

Rita huffed a laugh and nudged him with her free hand. "And when are you going to claim your mate, huh?"

I barely had time to process the words before Ralph’s face turned a shade darker, his usual confidence faltering for a split second. That was all it took for the laughter to bubble up in my chest until I was full-on laughing. Rita joined in, grinning smugly at Ralph’s rare moment of flustered silence.

Ralph ran a hand down his face, muttering, "You two are impossible."

When our laughter finally died down, I exhaled and turned serious. "Alright, what’s the plan? How are we getting into the Golden Path?"

Rita smirked, something mischievous and undeniably confident glinting in her eyes. "Follow me."

Ralph and I exchanged a glance of surprise before watching her stride ahead, her movements full of purpose. She didn’t look back, only lifted her hand and beckoned us forward.

We followed her deeper into the cave, the air growing heavier with each step. And then, as we rounded a bend, my breath hitched. I stopped dead in my tracks, my heart hammering wildly at the sight before me. This... this was not what I had expected. As I stepped deeper into the cave, my breath caught at the sight before me.

Nestled in the shadows of the mountain’s heart, a cluster of creatures lay curled together, their golden fur shimmering faintly even in the dim light. Their bodies rose and fell with each steady breath, the soft sound of their snoring echoing off the stone walls like the gentle hum of a lullaby. I took a cautious step forward, my eyes drinking in the details of these magnificent beasts. They were unlike anything I had ever seen, part feline, part wolf, with thick, silken coats that gleamed as if spun from sunlight itself. Their ears twitched occasionally, and one of them shifted, stretching out a massive paw before settling back down with a sigh, much like a drowsy child reluctant to wake.

A strange warmth filled my chest as I watched them, a mix of awe and something softer, something almost tender. They were fearsome, no doubt, yet in this moment, they were nothing more than slumbering guardians, at peace in their hidden world. One let out a deep, rumbling snore, its golden fur fluffing slightly with the force of its breath. Another twitched its nose, its whiskers trembling before it exhaled in a satisfied huff.

I couldn’t help but smile. For all their power and mystery, they looked so... innocent like this. A part of me itched to reach out, to run my fingers through their radiant coats, to feel the warmth of their presence.

"Don’t," Rita whispered, my voice barely more than a breath, yet sharp enough to freeze both me and Ralph in place. He opened his mouth, but Rita shook her head. "I did a lot to get them to sleep," She murmured, casting a wary glance at the golden-furred creatures. Their steady breathing filled the cave, a rhythmic lull of slumber. "This is our chance. They’re the guardians of the gold in this mountain, and if they wake, we won’t stand a chance."

Ralph exhaled slowly, his expression shifting from confusion to understanding. We moved in careful, measured steps, following Rita through the winding trails of the cavern. With each step, the cave expanded, the air growing thicker with an almost electric energy. Then, as we passed through a narrow rock formation, the space opened—and I sucked in a sharp breath.

Before us lay the heart of the mountain. Gold. Not just veins of it streaking through stone, but vast, gleaming formations, pillars, jagged spires, pools of molten glow trickling like liquid sunlight. The walls shimmered, the very air alive with the hum of something ancient, something powerful. I had never seen anything like it.

Rita turned to us with a smirk, her eyes glinting in the golden light. "Well," she murmured, crossing her arms, "Welcome to the heat of Sagstone Mountain"

As Rita stepped forward, something shifted in the mountain and I turned to Ralph and he shrugged his shoulders as he was as surprised as I was. A low hum, deep and resonant, rippled through the mountain, vibrating beneath my feet. The very air thickened, charged with an energy so potent it made my skin prickle. I inhaled sharply, tasting something ancient, something raw.

Then, the gold around us moved. The veins in the walls pulsed like living things, molten rivers brightening as if awakened from slumber. The towering spires shimmered, their jagged edges softening, almost breathing. A current of power coursed through the cavern, a silent force rising to meet her.

Rita stopped in her tracks, her fingers curling slightly at her sides. And just like that, the entire mountain seemed to bow to her presence. The air around her sizzled, waves of golden energy spiraling around her body like a protective shield, licking at her skin but never burning. Her dark hair lifted as though caught in an invisible current, her eyes wide yet steady, locked onto the pulsing heart of the cavern.

I couldn’t move. I could barely breathe. I had felt Rita’s power last night, and even Flora, my wolf felt it, but this was something else entirely.

The realization struck me like a bolt of lightning. Her power is tied to the mountain. The magic wasn’t just responding to her, as if it was a part of her.

"What is going on?" Ralph whispered.

"You have never witnessed this?" I raised my hands in question.

My pulse pounded in my ears as I watched, awe spreading through my chest like fire. Rita, my mate, wasn’t just any shifter, yes, she was the Hybrid of a shifter wolf and a Rogourau beast, but to witness her connection to the mountain was ethereal.

Rita turned to face me, her golden-lit eyes reflecting the pulse of magic surrounding her. The power in the air still crackled, but she stood calm, as if she had walked this path a thousand times before.

"I’ve always felt it," she murmured, her voice steady, yet filled with something deeper, reverence, certainty. "The connection to Sagstone Mountain. Even when I was young, before I understood what it meant, I could feel it calling to me."

I watched her closely, the way her fingers traced the air as if she could touch the energy swirling around her.

"It became stronger when I left the Rogourau clan," she continued, her gaze drifting upward, taking in the towering golden formations that seemed to breathe with her. "Out there, away from the pack, I finally understood that my strength didn’t just come from within me, it came from here." She placed a hand against the cave wall, and instantly, the golden veins brightened, as though they recognized her touch. The ground beneath us thrummed in response, a heartbeat deep within the stone.

"I spent years roaming these trails, listening, learning. There’s a power buried deep in this mountain, one that has existed for centuries. And somehow..." She exhaled, glancing at me with a small, knowing smile. "Somehow, I became part of it." My breath caught. Rita was the mountain. It’s magic ran through her veins, lived in her bones. She hadn’t just discovered its power—she had become one with it. She hadn’t just chosen the mountain. The mountain had chosen her.

Ralph crossed his arms, his brows furrowed in thought. "So that’s why you’re so sure you’ll find Aqua and Fennel?"

Rita nodded, a small, confident smirk tugging at her lips. The air around her still carried the faint hum of magic, the golden glow of the mountain responding to her very presence.

"There’s nowhere in this mountain they can hide that I can’t find them," she said, her voice steady, unwavering. "Sagstone is a part of me. It’s magic, it’s secrets, they run through my veins. If they are here, I will sense them."

A shiver ran down my spine at the sheer certainty in her tone. There was no hesitation, no doubt. Rita wasn’t making a guess, she knew.

Ralph exhaled, shaking his head with a smirk of his own. "Remind me never to play hide and seek with you."

Rita chuckled, the sound light despite the weight of our mission. "Smart choice." Then, her gaze flickered to me, something deeper lingering in her eyes. "Come on, let us take those fucking bastards down and back in Bay shifter pack."