Chapter 242: Brave
Alpha Gareth
“Alex!” I smirked.
He broke the deep, intimate kiss he’d been sharing with Stormy, his wife and mate, in the garden.
“I’m going to put you back in that case, you know!”
“Now we share the same hurt. Do you mind if I steal him, Stormy?”
“You two go ahead. We’ll pick this up in the bedroom.”
Alex brought her back for one more kiss. I rolled my eyes. She left.
“What do you want?” Alex demanded.
I couldn’t believe this guy was my friend.
“You’re the Alpha lord, the moon goddess’ representative on earth. You rank above me and are meant to keep me in check. I don’t know how it’s going to work with you being my High Alpha.”
“So you’re firing me?”
“Exactly! But I want to talk to you about Leiah.”
Alex rubbed the back of his head. “What about her? Are you seriously pursuing her?”
“Do you think it’s a bad idea?”
“No, I don’t. I have no objections you guys are adults and can do whatever you want. She fought tooth and nail to protect you from Ivan and Salazar.”
“And she got hurt because of it. I want to give her back her wolf strength.”
“How do you propose you do that?” Alex crossed his arms.
“I overheard Gabbie telling Leiah how she got her Alpha female rank. I’m going to let her beat me in battle to get her rank back.”
“Gareth, that might give her some of your curse.”
I smirked. “The Midnight King and Queen. Rulers of darkness.”
Alex stared at me in horror.
“You like the sound of that more than I do.”
The next morning, I marched into the bedroom. I went for a run to soothe my wolf. Leiah was there though. The bed was made and her scent lingered like she’d gotten up and left hours ago.
“Mate,” I whispered.
I bolted out of the room. My High Alphas were returning to their packs today. What if she planned on leaving?
“Leiah!” I roared. “You can’t leave me! I forbid it!”
I bellowed as I exited the front door. There she was! The traitor. She stood beside the Lunas of the other packs outside their idling SUVs. She was deciding on whose car she was going to travel in.
“You can’t forbid me from anything. You’re not the Alpha of me!”
“We’ll see about that!”
Emery and Stormy snickered while Gabbie shot me daggers.
“You’ll learn to deal with that temper,” Emery commented.
“They’re just big scared babies inside,” Stormy added.
“What? I’m not a baby,” I frowned.
“I’m not leaving anyway! I was saying goodbye. I should leave. I don’t have anything of my own here.”
I took her shoulders in my hands. “I don’t want you to leave even for a second. I’ll get you new things. Besides, we have something very important to do right now.”
“What’s that?”
“You’re crazy,” Leiah protested. “I’m not going this.”
“I want your wolf to get better, and this is the fastest way. Defeat me in battle. Just go for my neck.”
She shook her head.
“Leiah!” I growled. “What if you faint again or worse? I’m terrified of losing you.”
She parted her lips to speak, but tears rolled down her cheek instead.
“No, sweetheart,” I didn’t want you to cry.
I took her cheeks and kissed the tears away. “Blasted tears. What are you scared of?”
“Of hurting you and hurting someone else. What if I’m not cut out to be an Alpha female?”
“It’s what you’ve always been. Now you’ve got to figure out another way of being the best you you can be. Sound fair?”
She shrugged. “If I’m going to beat your ass every day, I’ll need my strength.”
“Alright, sweetheart, but if you take some of my power, you could inherit my curse. There’s no breaking it, honey. I just have to learn to live with it.”
“I don’t care. I want you regardless. No man I know would ever offer to give me their wolf’s strength. Aren’t you worried about what’s going to happen to your wolf? You’re the Alpha King.”
I smiled. “You’re the Queen Luna.”
She smiled. “Let’s do this. I can’t promise I won’t kill you.”
That’s my girl.
I nodded. I stepped back. “Leiah, I challenge you to battle.”
She exhaled, and her beautiful eyes glowed with the outline of her wolf.
She shifted and got smaller and smaller.
“Aren’t you adorable?” I grabbed my stomach and laughed.
She sniffled and growled.
That’s what I wanted, to get her mad.
“You’re like a little pup. I think I like you better this way, Leiah.”
She growled, but she held back.
“Come on… Little Omega.”
She snapped.
She raced towards me. I readied myself for impact. She jumped on me and sent me to the ground. I shifted immediately beneath her. Leiah’s omega wolf went straight for the neck. I suppressed my wolf easily.
He couldn’t attack her.
My wolf howled out in pain, but refused to attack her.
She used her weight to keep me down and her jaw firmly in place. I felt power leave me. I’d seen power steals happen before, but feeling it was different entirely.
I couldn’t push her off me, or else it would stop the power steal. It felt like a thousand pinpricks all over my body. I shifted beneath her and cried out.
This was a bad fucking idea!
Leiah jumped off me, stumbled and shifted into human form.
Blood trickled down my neck from the puncture wounds she made.
“Mate,” I said, rushing over to her.
“Are you okay?!”
She turned, grabbed my arm and shoved me three feet away.
“Whoa!”
“It worked!” She laughed.
I groaned. “Great… the battle’s over, babe, you won.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Gareth. Are you okay?”
She sat beside me and brushed my hair back.
“I’m fine. I’m in pain, but fine.”
“How’s your wolf?”
I took her hand and smiled. “He’s happy you’re okay.”
“I can’t believe it worked. Thank you. I’m sorry about your neck.”
“I’m healing already, but a kiss wouldn’t hurt.”
“I’ll give you more than kisses.”
She planted a kiss on my lips and curled her arms around me.
My wolf worked hard to heal me, but also to regenerate some of the power that had been given to Leiah. Most of the powers that made me the Midnight King were gone.
I was still cursed; it just meant I would be the lamest Midnight King ever.
“What now, mate?” Leiah asked softly.
“Anything. The world is ours for the taking.”
“I promise I’m not going anywhere.”
I pulled her close and kissed her forehead. “I promise to always protect you.”
The End.