The Alpha And The Reaper- Part I
Tynan:
Chaos…
It is everywhere, where ever I look, wherever I turn, and even when my eyes are closed, it is all I can see, all I can sense, and I know that even though I see it all around me that it is in fact within me, it is coming from the inside and clouding my sight, as if am looking at the world through its bloodied veil, and what an ugly world it is, the one I see through it.
A world that is only worth destroying, a dark world where enemies jump at me from each side, all the time, without a second to rest, I think as I sip the last drop of my drink before refilling my cup, Ben says alcohol helps him forget, but it only adds to the bitterness filling me with its unpleasant taste, alas, I need anything to fill the void I feel within, the one she left behind, again.
And once again, the chaos roared within me, the one that she managed to silence just by being near me, with her just at an arm’s reach, I felt at peace, I felt at ease, as if she ended all the wars inside me just by being there where my eyes can find her and drink in the sight of her, at first I hated it, I hated how much effect she had on me and a part of me still does, but now that she is no longer here and I don’t know where she is, if she is safe or not, if she is fed or not, if she is warm or not, now that the chaos is unbearable in its intensity, driving me mad each day, I realize how much I need her, so much that I am willing to give what is left of my years just to be able to hold her again.
I refused to believe it at first, when I went back to the residence, I thought she would be at my room like I have asked her to, mad and hurt with eyes filled with tears and lips ready with insults, but she wasn’t, she wasn’t there, she wasn’t in her separate room either, nor anywhere in the old house, the guards told me no one left the premises of the residence and my heart ached at the thought of her still being in the play room, a place I now regret taking her to, but then, I couldn’t resist the urge to make her submit to me, to play with her and live out all my fantasies with the woman who promised to love all of me, the only one I craved, the one I wanted to feed of over and over again until the end of my days, but even when I stepped closer to the play room, she wasn’t there…
I couldn’t hear her breaths, I couldn’t hear her heart, I couldn’t feel her the way I always did as if I was tethered to her, my steps came to a halt as a sudden fear washed over me, realizing what I would find behind those closed doors, or more accurately, what I wouldn’t find, with a panic I only felt before when she almost died in the previous attack, I rushed inside the playroom, and sure enough, she wasn’t there…
The place was silent, dead silent as if mocking me for my tardiness, it smelled like her and me, our combined scents joined in a delicious mixture, one that is so intoxicating and addictive, but it also smelled like the metal of her blood and the salt of her tears, my heart raced as I scanned the room over and over again, refusing to admit that she wasn’t here, refusing to think that she left me again, I told myself that she must be here, curled in a corner, scared and hurt like a little mouse, but the more I looked, the worse my fear became as it turned into a nightmarish reality.
She left, a sob almost left my lips, fuck! I never cry, but I was at the verge of weeping like the little child I was when I realized that she had left, refusing to give in into my fears, I rushed towards the tunnel I know was there, but even as I ventured deeper within, searching it over and over again, she wasn’t there, her smell wasn’t there…
And now, here I am, a month later, a month of futile searching, futile hoping, and futile dreaming that she would come back, that I would find her and be able to gather her in my arms and bring her back home, apologize and mean every word of it, and then fix every piece I selfishly broke and work on the trust I turned to dust in the midst of my anger and desire, something inside me died a little with each passing day when I couldn’t find her even when me and my warriors were all looking for her, and each time I try to fall asleep to rest my body for the upcoming battle I find myself running through the woods and even leaving my territory just to find her, not once falling asleep since she left.
And how could I? I think as I remember the paradise sleeping with her in my arms was, now, the mere thought of laying alone in my bed just to have the emptiness suffocating me is terrifying, I do not wish to sleep, I do not wish to eat, I just want to find her.
And that, me abstaining from feeding and resting only managed to make the hungry chaos grow bigger and stronger, boiling under my skin, threatening to take over the reins of the beast.
“Master!” Ben announces his presence without stepping inside the study, I understand his action as I know that now my essence is terrifying everyone around me with how dense and uncontrollable it is, even my best friend is afraid of me, I chuckle without humor at the thought, beside knowing me all his life, he was a skilled warrior that could take an army on his own and yet he was afraid of me, and I expected my little and frail Ora not to be?
It is time.
“Are the humans there?” I ask as I quaff the remaining drink in one go before standing up, putting the glass on the desk as I make my way out of the study, shedding off my shirt and shoes in the process, I won’t be needing them, I think as all my instincts come to life, my muscles flexing ready to unleash the beast.
“No, we didn’t spot any humans in the area, but they are getting ready for something…”I come to a halt to look at Ben questionably, my little Ora said that the massacre would take place today, and despite all my advisors’ protests, I decided to join the party for I know my mate’s friend is there, and I want to save him, all of them, not because I give two fucks about the humans or the power the witches are going to gain, but because losing them would hurt her and I hopefully thought that maybe by saving them, I can save us, and I can earn her forgiveness.
“Spit it out already!” I grit out through clenched teeth, barely having any patience left within me, Ben looks at me seriously and my heart clenches in my chest, this can’t be good…
“Alia heard whispers, the Alpha and his warriors are going to execute a prisoner right at our borders as a sign of war, they want to draw the first blood…” the grave fear and urgency in his voice makes my eyes widen as there is no room for doubt, with wide strides I step out of the main house and into the forest, my feet digging into the moist soil as I drink in the essence of nature before letting out an ear piercing growl, summoning all my warriors to my side, and not a second later they all reciprocate as I hear them all howling back, answering my battle call, I hear their feet hammering the ground beneath us, the forest shaking with the intensity of our combined rage as we all run towards the borders.
I know which prisoner they are going to execute…
Mila!
Over my dead body! I think as I allow the beast to take reins, black fur sprouting out of my skin as my body enlarges and my sanity takes a back seat as the chaos I have been fighting takes over.
Axel:
“Where is she?” not holding back my anger and agitation, I address the elder witch, sister Cassandra, who just freed her hands from her sisters as they broke their circle, finishing yet another ritual that I had no idea of, and that is another reason that made me mad, that these old hags refused to tell me anything or explain their actions to me, all twelve of them are here, except for my mate, she has been absent since yesterday, and I couldn’t be more relieved about the thought as I do not wish for her to be here when they come, when he comes, but not while I don’t know about her whereabouts, and not while her sisters keep ignoring my orders as if they own the place, at least with Ciana here, she explained things to me, what her sisters are doing and why, but now?
Now I feel like I am heading into the unknown and their secretiveness only makes it that much harder to trust them.
“Your moon blessed is fine, Alpha, we just thought it would better if she stayed in the temple, not only because she is young and unexperienced…” she stopped to give me a pointed look, meaning to make me feel some guilt that I want my mate here by my side instead of wanting her safe in their temple, but what she gets instead is a reciprocation of her own dry look, letting her know that she can’t guilt trip me, I would die a thousand times before letting anything happen to her, even when she keeps hiding things from me, openly disobeys me and do what she wants, ignoring my status and strength, I still love her with all my being, but that is not the only reason I harden my gaze at the witch, it is something else.
She keeps treating my precious mate as if she is a child, one that can not make the difference between soap and cheese and always in need of constant care and protecting, and I would have been most satisfied with her behavior, but it just doesn’t add up, my mate, the woman I am proud to call my own, is far from a child, I have seen it with my eyes how strong and determined she could be, how mature and collected even in the direst situations, which perked my curiosity, so I had my men do their own investigations, and something sounded wrong…
She said that her mother’s name was Camila, but no one, not even the elder wolves knew a witch by that name.
“That, and the fact that he will be here, the reaper, you already know that he is immune to magic and is on the cursed child’ side, which puts Ciana in great danger as he would most likely target her for the sake of your old friend.” I tense at her words and the meaning they imply, if the reaper is indeed on Leora’s side, then maybe she will be able to use him to attack my mate once again, I nod sternly at the witch before averting my eyes, once again, unable to shake away the contradicting signals I am getting.
Why would Leora try to attack Ciana again? It made sense before as she plotted the whole thing and planned to blame it on the dead body, but now? What will she gain from it? It is not like I would welcome her back in the pack and make her my Luna and give her what her heart had always desired just because my mate is dead, so why?
Revenge, maybe? I ask myself, putting an evil label on the face that flashed in my mind, dark hair and dark eyes adorning her fair complexions, yet that label still doesn’t suit the girl I spent a good portion of my years with.
No! Hardening my heart once again, I tell myself to stop sympathizing with the girl who was a monster in sheep’s clothing, I have already made up my mind even when my heart is still filled with doubts, the same doubts that had my sister killed, and it just took me that, the reminder of my sister to freeze my heart and any stupid doubts it is having.
“And, what are you doing?” once I have my emotions under control, I look back at the witch, my gray eyes cold and unyielding, she stares at me for a few second before bowing her head slightly, acknowledging my essence.
“Just a protecting spell that would shield the humans from the monsters eyes if they decided to attack us, Ciana told us that you were too worried for the safety of the children of the sun, so we decided we could spare a portion of our magic to protect them.” I let an ‘Oh’ leave my lips before nodding approvingly and walking away, not knowing whether I should thank the witch or not, it is not that I don’t appreciate their efforts, I do, for I do not wish the humans to be harmed in anyway, but it is this witch and her sisters, the way they speak, I can’t help but always feel as if there is something hidden behind their words, as if I am being…manipulated.
“Alpha, have you seen Ray?” Liam comes to stand by my side as we both stare at the thick forest ahead of us, all our warriors and the warriors from other packs hiding strategically behind the trees, the vampires will join once the sun sets while the humans are a near distance behind, they will never know what hit them, the mutts that are coming for my lands.
“I thought he was with you?” my Gamma trembles at my questioning gaze and I tilt my head as I look at him, baring his neck in submission, what is it now?
“I…I haven’t seen him since yesterday, he left us to go have some fun with a girl he found in the human lands, he said he will catch up, but he didn’t…” I frown at what Liam has just shared, wondering if I have been wrong about my best friend and Beta all along, he has been by my side all this time, always supporting me and backing me up, always ready with solutions when I was too weak or too lost to lead, especially after the death of my sister, and he has been honest with me about his suspicions and worries, but it all changed when his eyes landed on that scarred prisoner.
I refused to believe it, and he refused to confirm it, but there was no hiding the way his body jerked when he saw her in our cells, the small wolf that trespassed into our lands, I was shocked at first to see her too, especially when my hunters told me that she is one of his warriors and she managed to injure most of them, the little girl was so small, so young, her hands were even smaller than that of a human and her body frailer than that of a child, her silky brown hair the color of chocolate and her doe like eyes the color of honey, she looked so innocent, even with the hideous scars marring her angelic face, but she wasn’t innocent, she was one of them, and she kept on fighting us even when she was locked in the cell, not even a little afraid of us, as if pain and threats couldn’t affect her, until…
Until Ray walked into the cell, I recall as I watched their exchange, the way air stopped entering both their chests as they locked their gazes together, the way both their eyes were filled with so many emotions, puzzlement, longing, possessiveness, disappointment, fear, anger, and then, I watched as his pained eyes traveled across her scarred cheek, inspecting it as his anger flared, she was the first to look away, hiding her face behind the veil of her silky hair…
But even when her resistance faded, she never uttered a word, no matter how harsh the interrogations and torture were, she kept her lips sealed, not giving the warriors the satisfaction of hearing her screams, or maybe it wasn’t because of the warriors, but because of my beta who sneaked into the cells each night with something for her to eat, when I confronted him about it, he said that we do not have proof that she is a bad person and that we could be making a mistake, to which we had a huge argument and I ended up ordering him to stay away from her.
But he didn’t, and I couldn’t bring myself to ask him if what I thought was the truth, because I knew how strong a mate pull was and I know for a fact that the second it was out there in the open, I would lose my best friend, and I couldn’t lose anyone else at this point.
But now Liam says that he was with some girl? It doesn’t make any sense, I know the kind of man Ray was would never betray his mate once he found her, so maybe it was his stupid sympathy after all? I think as I try to reach him through our mind link, but nothing, is he asleep? He better not be, I think as I shake my head and look forward, noticing the way the trees moved in the distance, the wind carrying the scent of something dark and terrifying it even makes me tremble, I hear my warriors gulping, all sensing the arrival of the monster, the reaper, and the death he brings with him.
His death, I think as I shift into my wolf form, ready to take him head on, for it will be his death, not ours.