Hope Is Not Optional — Manuel Flores 59
Chapter 59
Chapter 59
Selene
His talon pressed harder against my throat, sharp enough that one wrong move and my head would have been rolling on the ground. So I stayed still. I wasn’t dumb, I knew I wasn’t strong enough to fight him right now. Mira was out cold, drained after lending me her strength to break the seal. In my past life, I could have subdued him with one strike. But now, I could barely stand my ground.
Still, even with his claws digging into my skin, I wasn’t afraid. I simply stared up at the phoenix and smiled.
He frowned, clearly confused by my expression. “What’s so funny, you filthy werewolf?” his voice boomed, echoing through the mountain air. “Do you really think I won’t kill you? Do you even know who I am? I could end your life in one breath.”
“Oh, I know,” I said calmly. “You can kill me if you want.”
He tilted his head, the flames in his eyes flickering. “Then why are you so nonchalant when your life is in my hand?”
I met his gaze and said simply, “Because I know you won’t kill me.”
For a moment, there was silence. Then the phoenix laughed. “I’ve always hated werewolves,” he said, voice thick with disgust. “You creatures are pathetic, fighting among yourselves, desperate for power, never satisfied. You trapped me, a being beyond your comprehension, and you dare call yourselves powerful? Without your precious goddess, you’d all be dust by now! Do you even know how long I was sealed in that cursed box? Over a century! And now that I’m free, I’ll bring chaos to your kind. I’ll burn every single one of you until nothing remains.”
He lowered his head, his molten eyes narrowing into slits. “And I’ll start with you. You look like her, the woman who trapped me. But you can’t be her. Werewolves don’t live that long. That means you’re her descendant. Since I can’t kill the one who imprisoned me, I’ll take her blood instead.”
The talon pressed harder against my neck, but I still didn’t flinch.
“Do you really hate werewolves that much?” I asked.
He let out a sharp scoff. “What do you think? I was locked away, forgotten, left to rot in silence. Do you have any idea what that does to a spirit?” His flames flared with every word. “You creatures have no honor. No understanding of balance. You’ll fight each other over scraps and dare touch what you don’t understand. You trapped me because you were afraid. You feared my power.”
He leaned closer. “And now, I’ll make you regret ever being born.”
I looked up at him, meeting his burning stare with steady eyes. “Then do it,” I said. “Kill me if that’s what you want.”
That made him pause.
“You mock me,”
I shrugged. “I wouldn’t call it mocking. I just know you can’t kill me yet, if you want revenge.”
His frown deepened. “You’re too bold for someone so weak.”
“And you’re hot-headed for someone so ancient,” I shot back.
For a moment his phoenix-gold eyes darkened; I almost laughed at the sight, then checked myself. No point poking more at a thing that could burn me alive, especially while he had the upper hand.
“You want your revenge, right?” I asked. He didn’t answer, but he was listening. “If you want revenge on werewolves for trapping you, then slaying them one by one would be childish, and boring. It wouldn’t mean anything compared to what
IM
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Chapter 59
they took from you.”
He cocked his head. “Is that so?”
“That’s why I’m proposing an alliance,” he said smoothly. “You’ll stand by me, and in return, I’ll give you what you’ve craved for centuries, satisfaction. You’ll have a front-row seat to watch some werewolves suffer. You can enjoy yourself, do whatever you want.”
He regarded me for a long moment, then said, “And what makes you think I would accept such a proponal? Your idea is dow and you are nothing compared to me. Why would I accept anything from a weak werewolf? I am the mighty Phoenix-
“And I have ruled for centuries,” I interrupted. “I’ve commanded power strong enough to bring warriors to their knees. I’ve destroyed packs before you even learned to say your own name. How many times are you going to repeat that line before you realize it’s lost its meaning?”
His words died in his throat. He froze, eyes widening as he instinctively took a step back. “You…. how do you know that?”
I leaned forward, my lips curving into a smile. “You’ve said it before. So many times, in fact, I’ve lost count.”
“That’s impossible,” he whispered, shaking his head. “This is the first time we’ve met.”
“No. It’s not our first meeting. This is the tenth life we’ve met.”
“What?”
“You heard me. I’ve died nine times. This is my tenth life.”
The firebird tilted his head, watching me closely. His feathers shimmered like molten gold, but the skepticism in his gaze was sharp. “Nine times?”
I nodded. “In all those lives, I never remembered anything. But this time, I do. I remember everything. I remember you. phoenix. We were supposed to meet a few years from now, but I couldn’t wait. I need to get stronger before that time comes. And for that, I need your help.”
The phoenix blinked, his fiery eyes narrowing slightly. He stared at me without saying a word, his expression unreadable. Just as I began to think he didn’t believe me, a knowing look crossed his face.
“No wonder,” he said finally, his voice low. “There was something strange about you. You also felt familiar. But I thought it was because of the blood of your ancestor running in your veins. I didn’t expect that we had met in your past lives.”
I blinked at him. He was taking this far better than I expected.
He tilted his head, wings folding back against his body. “So you’re saying that, in those past lives, I agreed to your proposal?”
“Yes. But it wasn’t revenge I asked for back then. I was a general. My proposal was to kill the enemy pack and to watch wolves die. You agreed to help me.”
He chuckled, the sound rumbling like thunder. “That does sound like something I would do.”
I rolled my eyes. Still the same arrogant bird.
“If you died,” he said, “does that mean I was the one who eventually killed you?”
How was I supposed to tell him that he didn’t get the chance? When the final battle came, he fought for me and died trying to protect me? Damien had killed him. The phoenix that was said to be immortal but he was slain by a single man.
When I didn’t say anything, he sighed and looked away. “Whatever it is you’re remembering,” he said finally, “it’s not pleasant.” He looked back at me, a smirk tugging at his beak. “Fine, girl. I’ll stand by your side and help you until you get your revenge. If you were strong enough to release me this time, it means you’re powerful enough to be interesting.”
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Chapter 59
A grin spread across his face. “I can’t wait to see where this journey takes us.”
“Neither can I.”
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