Fated To Roman: The Almighty Alpha
Fifty-Five

Roman's POV

As Kaylee's control over us ended, I scurried across the floor to Cleo, whose breathing had become shallow. Freya wasn't healing her, which worried me. What had Daphne's wolf done to subdue her? Hearing the clang of metal hit the ground, my eyes shot up, replaceing Hades who was trying to stand. Looking at the knife wedged firmly in his back; I knew it was Cleo's doing. She had to have thrown it just in time, but at the cost of her own life.

"Roman..." hearing Lucille's voice, I turned only to replace her looking at her hands as she began turning to dust; piece by piece, she disintegrated. With Hades dying, so was his magic, and Lucille's second chance at life was a product of that. I didn't feel an ounce of guilt as I turned my back to her; after all, she'd bought all of this upon herself. Placing an arm under Cleo's legs and another under her head, I picked her up and carried her to the alter where our pup lay. I knew she would have wanted to say goodbye to Daphne, but I hoped she would take solace in knowing she had saved us all and that her sister would be at peace for replaceing the strength to protect our pup. Had it not been for Daphne's sheer determination, Hades and our pup would have disappeared.

As I laid Cleo down, her eyes opened before a single tear fell down her bruised yet perfectly beautiful face. Raising her hand, she stroked our pup's fur, causing her to stir and shift back into human form. She was alive but exhausted. Cleo lifted her head, giving a small smile before suddenly going limp.

A pain so sharp sliced through me as I felt our bond end. The altercation with her sister had been more severe than I thought. Raising her head, I bought it to my chest and cried into her hair. The witch's vision, the thing she'd run from, had come true; she was gone because of me.

"Roman..." I didn't need to see him to know it was my father, Hector. "Let's take her home, son." Taking a deep breath and imprinting her scent to memory, I stood up.

I didn't care that my eyes were red; I didn't care that anyone had seen me break. I'd lost my mate and the mother of my child. Cleo was the only woman I wished to spend my life with, and now I couldn't. All I could do was promise her that our daughter would grow up loved and happy, that she would one day know how her mother died, saving her life. She would never be forgotten, forever living within mine and our daughter's hearts.

Two wolves from our pack came up behind me, picking up Cleo and carrying her outside. Turning my attention to my pup, I felt lost. How could I do this alone? As I picked her up, I took a good look at her. Her few curls were red like Cleo's, and her skin was fair. Thankfully there were no visible signs of trauma, and I took comfort in knowing she'd forget all about this as she grew up.

My fathers helped Kai to his feet before he made his way to Kaylee, who sat crying on the floor. Hades, however, was still alive, but barely. His blood had turned black and his skin grey. I thought that was it until he suddenly burst into flames, and a scream came almost instantly from outside. Holding my pup close, I ran to replace Cleo sitting up in the back of a van, a panicked look on her face as her eyes glowed while holding the white sheet that had been placed over her to her chest as if it were her lifeline. A part of me wondered if the death of her father and the passing of hellfire had done something to revive her. That the force of power had somehow jumpstarted her heart; after all, she was the next in line to rule over the underworld.

***

As we returned to the pack house, I knew things would be different from here on out. Hades may be dead, but the council's threat still loomed over us. I'd attacked them, and Cleo had stolen one of their most prized possessions. They certainly weren't known for their forgiveness.

Cleo had passed out shortly after coming back to life, so I had a doctor meet me in our room. Her head had healed entirely, but I rather be safe than sorry. I wasn't about to risk losing her again. I also wanted a full health check carried out on my pup. The trauma she had been subjected to would have taken its toll on her, so the doctor was to check for internal injuries and a full blood works check. I was leaving nothing to chance. There was no telling what Hades had injected her with to force her shift.

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Kai had yet to return with Kaylee, but I wasn't worried. After everything that had happened, I knew now more than ever to have faith in him. He had been there when it mattered most and had risked his own life to help me. With Cleo and our pup looked after, there was the one matter of telling Eric what happened. There was no doubt he felt it; they had been mated and marked after all. He would have felt each agonising breath she took until the last one before the snapping of their bond.

Losing a mate was something I wouldn't wish on anyone, though I knew if anyone had the strength inside them to carry on, Eric did. The day he became Kai's Beta, he proved there was an undeniable strength within him.

Eric, however, was nowhere to be found, and after searching through the surveillance footage, it became apparent he needed time to mourn the mate he never got to settle with. And time was what we would give him. "Sorry to intrude, Alpha, but they grow restless."

"Thank you, I'll be out in a second." The omega nodded before closing the office door. Since returning, I had spent the last couple of hours avoiding the council, but now I didn't have a choice. If I didn't go to them, they would come to me, and I didn't need that.

As I entered the library, they all stood watching me. Each set of their eyes was cold and calculating as they analysed my every move, but who could blame them? I knew I deserved whatever punishment they chose to hand out, but I knew I'd do the same thing again if given the chance. Family was everything, is everything. It's a man's greatest strength but also his greatest weakness. Something these gentlemen had been fortunate to never replace out for themselves, and I pray they would never have to.