CHAPTER THREE
Alpha Jacqueline walked into his home, tired from another long day. The pack was suffering, he could feel their pain almost as if it pierced his flesh. The raku was a sickness none of the healers could cure, and yet it sprang up from nowhere and was threatening to destroy his entire pack.
And his father! Jacqueline drew in a breath and tried not to think of his father, of how the raku was ravaging the old male, destroying his only family before his very eyes, and yet he could do nothing! He, the most powerful male in the pack, the Alpha! And yet he was helpless against this sickness.
The thought of his helplessness annoyed him and drove him to become crueler, more hardened, the thought of Ophelia too.
A cold smile curved on his lips as he thought of Ophelia, the female who had been his mate. She had ended up being a conniving whore who had been having an affair with his rival, another Alpha while plotting his downfall. He had even found out that the little male, Daniel whom he had thought was his first son was not his. Scott was the child of his rival, the Alpha, Ophelia was having an affair with.
Alpha Jacqueline smiled bitterly as he remembered the days of her early pregnancy. He had pampered her and showered her with love and affection. He had been so excited about the birth of the cub and all for another male's child!
Another cold smile touched his lips as he remembered how he had punished her. He had gotten a confession from her lips, flinching slightly as she denied him for her lover, then he had taken her to a room where he had beaten and tied up the Alpha. Stripping her in front of her lover, he had slept with her, punishing her by the very act. Her tears had further aroused him, it had numbed the pain of her rejection. Her tears and the look of pain in her over's eyes. After that, he killed her, his claws sinking into her flesh while in the heat of her passion.
Alpha Jacqueline may not have been the life of her life, but he was a very skilled lover. He had made sure to bring Ophelia to the brink of her passion before he killed her. Only at that moment did he feel peace. But it wasn't real peace, it was a coldness that settled in his heart, a reminder that females were betrayers and he should never trust any of them again. Jacqueline smiled as he shook his head. He willed his mind to think of something else. Ophelia was over and done with.
He opened his door to see two females lying on his bed with very flimsy clothing, patiently waiting for him. He didn't mind. Sex was always a worthy distraction, and he needed to be distracted at the moment.
The Alpha smiled at the blonde female as she took off his shirt and drew him to bed, then he dragged her face to his roughly, and let his lips assault hers. The kiss was rough, without affection, but it was what he needed at the moment. He let his other hand roam over to the other female on the bed, she seemed too quiet. He slapped her a bit and pinched her, to get a response, a smile curving at his lips when she whimpered and then moaned.
"Why don't you take everything off," he said to both of them while he laid back against the bed.
"We want to leave something to your imagination." The blonde replied. She was the braver of the two.
Alpha Jacqueline smirked coldly. Sometime in the past, he might have thought her witty, but now he was only bored by the pretentiousness of females. He dug his hand into her hair, and grabbing a handful, he dragged her to himself. "I'd never imagine you, I'd hardly remember what you look like after tonight," he whispered harshly to her before he pressed his lips against hers again, drinking in her fear, her arousal.
He was finally beginning to get into the mood when the door slammed open and Carl walked in without any kind of remorse. Alpha Jacqueline sighed in resignation. Carl was the only person who had the boldness to do that and rightfully so. Carl was his only real friend, the one person who had never betrayed him yet. He was also the head of Jacqueline's betas.
"What now Carl?"
"Your father," Carl said simply, ignoring the naked woman on the bed. "He is having another seizure…and…and I don't think..." He let his words trail off, but Jacqueline knew what he left unsaid. The Alpha's father may not make it past this seizure.
With his heart slamming against his chest, Jacqueline pushed the blonde off him and rushed out of the door to his father's room. The old man lay on the floor shaking, while the useless healers surrounded him with their futile attempts.
"Get out!" The Alpha exclaimed softly, but everyone felt the power in his voice. The healers turned to look at him, with fear in their eyes.
"Get out." Alpha Jacqueline repeated. "If my father is to die, then let him die with his dignity."
The healers filled out the room, and Alpha Jacqueline gently carried his father back to the bed. To his surprise, the shaken seemed to calm down, and the old male could even afford a smile at his son.
"Father," Jacqueline said simply.
"Son." The old man smiled, then he winced. "The pain is much, so much, sometimes I wished I could die."
Jacqueline let go of his father and stood up. The pain he felt in his heart had been dulled by his several disappointments in the healers, but it was still there, heavy against his chest.
"Perhaps we need to bring in new healers," Carl spoke.
Jacqueline whirled around. "From where!" He asked harshly. "I have brought in as many healers I can from the entire Werewolf territory, both from my pack and from outside. I have brought in so many healers, we risk being ostracized as a sick pack."
Carl was silent for a while, then; "perhaps we need to consider someone outside the Werewolf territory."
Alpha Jacqueline gave a harsh laugh. "Who? Humans? What do humans know about Werewolves and our sicknesses?"
"Maybe someone who is a Werewolf, and also a doctor, living among the humans."
Alpha Jacqueline was silent. Rosalie . He knew his beta was referring to her. For a moment, his mind was numb, and he could not think about her, then the memories kept flooding in.
Beautiful, lovely Rosalie , so unaware of her beauty and her effect on males. Innocent Rosalie who had followed him about always, her love and admiration shining from her way brown eyes. She had given herself to him the night of his coronation, in all her innocence!
He had been the first male to kiss her, the first male to touch her, to take her body. And then she had appeared at his mating ceremony those many years ago looking half-crazed, and acting equally as crazy.
He had kept an eye on her after she fled the pack, and from his spies, he had learned she blended into the human world and became a medical doctor. He had called off his spies after he had learned she was seeing someone.
And now, the mere thought of her, even at this moment left him excited. He wanted to see her again.
"Why do you think she can help us?" He asked softly.
Carl shrugged. "Because she is one of us, and she has medical training. Our healers can't help us, so maybe we ought to start looking for alternatives."
Alpha Jacqueline nodded. "Bring her to me then."
Carl nodded but didn't move an inch. "There is also the fact that she might be unwilling to see you."
"Bring Rosalie to me, Carl, whether she is willing or unwilling." Alpha Jacqueline answered. His voice was low, barely a whisper, but the beta heard the cold menace in them. This was an order!
"Yes, boss. I'd leave for the human world first thing tomorrow."
Alpha Jacqueline nodded without looking at his beta as the male walked out. He was thinking about Rosalie .