Hated By The Alpha-Chapter 127: Mark’s Soul

Mark was startled and turned to the statue. "Who was that?" He asked, looking around the whole garden in surprise. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"That’s Catherine’s statue," Maria replied, smiling.

Audrey was frowning. She, too, was surprised at what the statue had said.

She finished placing the flowers on the girls’ bodies and stood.

"What does she mean, Kitten?" Alpha Lake asked, walking closer to Audrey.

’Are you sure he’s to be trusted?’ The sculpture asked as an eerie breeze blew around them.

"I think she meant Erik," Audrey replied.

"Who is Erik?" Alpha Lake asked, confused.

"Yeah, who is Erik, and, what is going on?" Mark asked, growing more curious.

"Erik was Lake’s brother in his past life. The brother who planned to dethrone him and kill me with my sister, Elena," Audrey explained.

’Do not be deceived; because he goes by the name Mark, doesn’t mean his soul is cleansed of evil,’ the sculpture said again.

Mark frowned, "That’s not me, I’m Mark, not Erik, whoever that was, I’m not affiliated with him," Mark denied.

"I know, Mark, but she just felt your spirit and recognized you from the past," Audrey explained.

Why hadn’t she felt it before? She had made up her mind that Erik was the only one who did not reincarnate, it looked like she was wrong.

She was shocked, but she didn’t want to show her emotions and make Mark uncomfortable.

"You did challenge me though," Alpha Lake narrowed his eyes at Mark.

Mark scoffed, "Oh, please, that was a joke; I have no interest in your title," He stated.

Alpha Lake nodded, "That’s what you said,"

"Do you really believe it? That I would ever hurt you?" Mark asked seriously, staring at Alpha Lake.

Alpha Lake sighed, shaking his head. "I know you can’t hurt me, Mark; you don’t have that kind of heart," Alpha Lake replied, smiling faintly.

He was surprised by the revelation, but he also believed that even if Mark was Erik, in this life, he was harmless; he’d seen how caring and soft Mark was, and he could never turn malicious like Erik.

"So, the three of you are from another world, possibly a billion years old, wow, awesome," Sandra said, amazed as she stared at Audrey and the two men.

"Quit it, Sandra," Maria nudged her beside her tummy.

"Ouch! Okay..." Sandra sighed, keeping quiet.

Audrey walked toward the river quietly, she seemed to be lost in her thoughts.

She stared into space as she started moving her palms above the water, and suddenly, the water below slowly started to stir.

"Whoa, what’s she doing?" Sandra asked, focusing her eyes on what Audrey was doing.

The water slowly rose, arching above Audrey’s head like a rainbow and stopping above the unconscious girls. But instead of splashing over their bodies, it stopped some good distance above them and fell onto their bodies in drizzles.

"Whoa!!!" Sandra and the twin exclaimed at the same time.

Everyone watched as the flowers on top of the girls’ bodies started to slowly darken, but they noticed that it was darkening simultaneously, one petal after the other. It would indeed take some time before their darkened souls are thoroughly cleansed.

Audrey looked over at the girls to make sure the water was enough; then she stepped away from the riverside.

"You’re awesome," Maria smiled at Audrey, admiration shining through her eyes.

"We know, we know, stop staring at her that way," Mark said to Alpha Lake.

But Alpha Lake didn’t respond; he was busy staring proudly at Audrey. The love and pride in his eyes were so obvious.

His whole body was tuned into Audrey’s every movement; he realized once more how much he loved his mate. He couldn’t have wished for anyone else but her.

She looked so ethereal performing her healing rituals, and her divinity turned him on.

"It’s going to take some time; let’s go over there," Audrey said tiredly, moving toward the orchid.

’Aren’t you curious about him?’ The sculpture asked once more.

"Oh, for fuck’s sake! Do you guys find it normal to talk to a statue?" Mark asked, exasperated.

He didn’t understand why the sculpture seemed so interested in him.

Audrey paused and changed course, walking toward the sculpture.

She knew she would not get to rest unless she listened to what the sculpture had to say.

"I’m curious, Catherine," Audrey said as she lowered herself to one of the stones in the grotto.

Others else joined her, sitting on the stones.

"Okay, Catherine’s statue, I’m curious too, what do you have to say?" Mark asked, sitting right in front of the sculpture.

Sandra giggled, finding him funny.

"What?" Maria looked at Sandra suspiciously.

"What’s what?" Sandra asked, frowning.

"You’re aware you’ve got a mate, right?" Maria asked.

Sandra scrunched up her face in an innocent manner.

"Yes. And?" She asked, still not understanding what Maria wanted to say to her.

Maria sighed, "Then keep that in mind and stay away from my brother," She said, pointing accusingly at Sandra.

"Stay away from you...wait! Mark?" She burst out laughing, almost falling off the elevated stone.

"Oh, come on, Maria, a brother to you, is a brother to me too. He’s just my big brother, chill, nothing more. My mate’s hotter, by the way," She said dreamily.

Maria rolled her eyes, "You wish."

"Alright, guys. Let’s be quiet," Alpha Lake said, churning them.

The two girls glared at each other but remained quiet.

"Tell us, Catherine, we’re eager to know," Audrey said calmly.

There was silence all around the garden, the gentle breeze blowing against their warm skin and flying their hair around.

’I don’t just trust him, a changed body is not a changed soul,’ The sculpture replied softly.

"How can we prove his innocence?" Audrey asked.

’The amulet around your neck is very powerful, but you haven’t realized its worth yet,’ The sculpture said, the voice clear.

Audrey looked down on her neck and held her amulet. She knew it; there was a certain unrecognized energy she’d been feeling from the amulet, but she decided to let it be since she couldn’t make out anything from it.

"What does it do?" She questioned.

’Put it around his neck,’ the sculpture said.

Audrey looked at Mark, then slowly went ahead to remove the amulet from her neck.

"Go ahead, if that’s what it takes to prove my innocence," Mark shrugged.

Everyone was tense, worrying about what might happen to Mark if the amulet found him guilty of whatever the sculpture was accusing him of.

Audrey stood and placed the amulet around Mark’s neck.

They waited, and waited, but nothing happened.

’Where you can’t see, the amulet sees. And with the strength of the river, the truth shall be known,’ the sculpture said.

’Step into the water, Erik,’ the sculpture said.

Mark remained seated, frowning.

"Mark?" Audrey called, concerned.

"She didn’t get my name right," He scoffed.

Alpha Lake sighed, fed up with Mark’s stubbornness.

"Get up, or I’ll carry you and dump you right into the water, Erik," He said seriously.

Mark frowned more, "Then, it is decided, I go nowhere," Mark said defiantly, relaxing on the stone.

Audrey narrowed her eyes at Alpha Lake, glaring at him for making matters worse.

"Come on, Mark, let’s get this over with; we all know you’re innocent; Catherine is just trying to make sure that your soul, just like your body, is changed too. Right, Catherine?" Audrey looked up at the sculpture.

’I can’t answer that until his innocence is proven,’ the sculpture replied.

"Fine, just because Audrey asked," Mark stood up, narrowed his eyes at Alpha Lake, then walked off.

They all followed him behind as he walked into the river.

As he stepped his first leg into the river, he heard the sculpture warn.

’I must warn you, death is the only punishment if he’s found guilty...’ the voice faded.

Mark paused, looking back at Audrey.

He saw the worried looks on each of their faces.

"You don’t have to go, Mark," Audrey said, changing her mind; she didn’t care if Mark still had Erik’s evil soul, she had grown to love him as a brother and a friend and was ready to forgive him. instead of him dying.

Mark chuckled, "I’m already halfway in, don’t worry, nothing is going to happen to me," Mark said, looking at Alpha Lake one last time before walking deeper into the water.

He stopped when he reached the center; the water level was now reaching his shoulders; he stood there, not knowing what else to do.

Suddenly, they saw the amulet start to glow, deep Ruby red reflected in the water, and soon, the water rose with speed and covered him whole.

Sandra gasped, shifting away from the rising water, she got scared as Mark suddenly disappeared with the water.

"Where has he gone?" Maria asked, worried.

"Maybe, to the past, like I did," Audrey replied.

’Yes. And if what he sees still entices him, then he shall not return, but your amulet shall be returned. The amulet serves as a shield and guide to him in the other realm. But, if after seeing his past actions and realizing his past passions and goals, and is still drawn to them, it means that his soul is not changed, and anything or anyone who will make history repeat itself, I shall make sure I terminate them,’ the sculpture informed, instilling worry, fear, and uncertainty into all of them.

What if he never returned?