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Chapter 118
Last Updated:
2025-01-19 21:02:12
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In Service of the Alpha Chapter 119
JohnathanWe wake up at the foot of the mountain. My mountain, as everyone here calls it.Thank God Dante didn't get it in his skull to climb up there with Aria. She would have fallen to her death.The rain pitter-patters through the leaves, the steady drizzle already soaking us through to the bone. Shit. What happened?I look around and find Mara lying a few feet from me, curled up like a baby, hand clasps between her knees, wet hair clinging to her face. My stomach tightens, the muscles going tight as a drum. “Dante,” I ask. “What did you do?”He’s sulking. Refusing to talk to me.“Okay,” I try a different tact. “What did Aria do?”Nothing. Dead silence from my wolf.Sighing, I get to my feet and walk over to Mara. I lean over and gently touch her shoulder to wake her. She jerks and botls upright. Without any hit of shame or fear, she yawns, and stretches, giving me a good eyeful of her delectable body. “Are you all right?” I ask before she’s even fully awake. “What did Dante do
Last Updated : 2025-01-20In Service of the Alpha Chapter 120
JohnathanI am wet, I’m uncomfortable, I’m covered in mud and dirt, but none of that matters. all I can think about is my mate. Mara’s skin is so blue that she’s starting to look like the clear sky on a summer’s morning. I want to do is get home so I can put her in a dry, comfortable room while she has her vision, but it's impossible to carry her right now.The best I can do for her while I wait for Preston to make his appearance is hold her, and hope the heat from my body warms her up a little.Unlike Mara, I run hot. I never feel the cold unless the temperatures drop below zero. We’re not quite there yet, and up here in our magical mountain home it almost never happens, but I have enough experience to know that even a wolf can die of exposure when they’re in their human form.It’s Kahn who shows up, carrying the blanket in a backpack so it won’t get wet. “Preston asked me to bring this,” he says and pulls a blanket from the pack. “He figured I could get here faster.”Mara isn’t hav
Last Updated : 2025-01-22In Service of the Alpha Chapter 121
MaraI wake in Johnathan’s office. There’s a fire crackling in a hearth I didn’t know existed, and the room is filled with the scent of smoke, my mate’s comforting smell, and the spiced wine.The last thing I remember was walking back to the pack house, then the vision came. I tried to fight against it at first, but then I remembered Johnathan’s previous warning, and I gave in to it.I’m warm, comfortable, dressed in one of Johnathan’s t-shirts, and wrapped in a cozy blanket, but my insides are as cold as ice and as numb as the dead. I groan and sit upright, swining my legs off the couch as I do.I look around the familiar office with bleary eyes, searching for my mate. “Mara?” Johnathan asks. “How do you feel?”Worse than last time. I feel as if I’ve been assaulted by a lifetime’s worth of suffering and pain. “I-” I grab my throat and rub it. It’s dry, scratchy and achy and it's difficult to talk. “Whu-”“Don’t say anything right now,” Johnathan interrupts. “Remember how this works
Last Updated : 2025-01-23In Service of the Alpha Chapter 122
MaraJohnathan rubs his hands over his eyes, and pinches the bridge of his nose. Something he does, I’ve come to learn, when he’s tired and feeling overwhelmed, though he’ll never admit to it.At long last, he empties his glass and nods. “So Donovan and Haley make peace some time in the future?” he asks.It has nothing to do with what I’ve said, but I guess he’s not ready to face the big demons yet. “I guess, but the child… he wasn’t there.”“Shit,” Johnathan grunts.“Maybe I just didn’t see him.”Johnathan turns his face away and scratches his head. “Tell me about our daughter?”For some inexplicable reason, my heart swells and my eyes fill with tears. I don’t know what happens between then and now, but I know I love that little girl. I also know that I was terrified that I’ll lose her.When we ran for the temple, I kept praying to the Goddess, begging her not to take another one. There’s no way I can explain this to Johnathan though. I don’t want him to know. “She is beautiful,” I
Last Updated : 2025-01-24In Service of the Alpha Chapter 123
JohnathanMara falls asleep under me. Her hands gradually slowing and eventually stopping completely. Her ragged breathing evens out, becomes deep and peaceful.She will have nightmares for a while. Unlike last time, she wouldn’t go into detail about the things she saw in her vision. I don’t know if she wanted to spare me, or if she was just overwhelmed, but my money's on the former. I can’t imagine that the things she saw were pleasant, and she wants to protect me the same way I try to protect her.I roll off my mate and pull her into my arms, holding her tight and close, hoping that my touch will be enough to keep the monsters away.“Johnathan,” Kahn whispers at the window.I’m surprised I even heard him over the noise of the rain and through the closed window no less. It’s getting wild out there. The wind is picking up, and the waters pour from the heavens non-stop. “What do you want?” I hiss back.“We really need to talk about what Mara saw.”Now is a really bad time. I have no d
Last Updated : 2025-01-25In Service of the Alpha Chapter 124
JohnathanI never liked going to the temple, but tonight I dread it even more than usual. I’ve never gone in there during the normal full moon. I don’t know what effect it will have on me... on Kahn.But most of all, I fear that we’ll get there and the Goddess will be gone. The thought of going through the war without the gods by our side fills me with dread. Even with the gods, we're having a hard time fighting them.What will happen if they're completely gone?They must still hear our prayers. When the humans attacked, I begged for their help, and it came in the form of a deep, impenetrable fog.“What if the fog was the humans’ weapon?” Dante asks.Fuck.Shit on a stick.He’s probably right.“But the rain stopped. I very much doubt the humans have the ability to control the rain.”“You don’t know that,” my wolf offers up his unhelpful opinion.Great. Everything’s fucked. I don’t know what to believe anymore. I don’t know what comes from the humans and what are the gods’ doing. Who
Last Updated : 2025-01-26In Service of the Alpha Chapter 125
MaraI sit quietly next to Rose who is regarding the proceedings with lively eyes. Pia is here, but Johnathan made her sit in the corner like a naughty child. I look at her, searching for the love I used to have, but it's all gone. The warm spot my mother used to occupy is now cold and dead./Kalypso, Oberon, Ilse, two women I’ve never seen before, Kahn, Preston and Donovan are all here, gathered around a round table in the library. It was the only place we could prepare on such short notice.Jonathan goes around the table and introduces everyone. He points to the first stranger sitting next to Kalypso, “Cora, leader of the changelings,” he says, and next to her, “Aurora, high priestess of the witch coven.”Cora shakes her head. Her long, blonde hair rattles and she changes into a little girl no older than five. She giggles and changes back. Changelings give me the heebie-jeebies. It’s said their true appearance is quite terrifying, but apparently their men find them irresistible an
Last Updated : 2025-01-27In Service of the Alpha Chapter 126
MaraThe people file from the library, including the vampires and Johnathan’s two advisors. “Come here, Pia,” Johnathan orders.My mother folds her arms under her breasts and gives Johnathan a defiant look. “I don’t take orders from men.”My mate slams the sturdy table so hard that it cracks down the middle. “You will do as you are told. Get over here. Now.” His tone is hard. Final.It sends a shockwave of pure delight down my spine. A few months ago, this version of Johnathan would have scared me. I would have hidden from him. Only now do I realise that he made himself softer on purpose, all so I’d learn that there’s no need to fear him.He talks about the blessing I am to him all the time, but I don’t think I’ve ever told him how much he means to me. What a blessing he has been for me. He took all my broken pieces, and patiently, lovingly, glued them back together with gold.I have been selfish, hiding in the folds of his love, using that same love as my shield, while he had to carr
Last Updated : 2025-01-27
Latest chapter
In Service of the Alpha Chapter 137
JohnathanStaring at Thrax’s disembodied head is quite disconcerting. I hold him up by his hair, looking into his slack-jawed face. His mouth is open in a silent scream, and his eyes keep blinking at me. “How do we keep this thing alive without blood?” I ask Kahn.“A vampire as old as him can go several months, if not years, without blood. He will be fine.”Donovan holds a canvas bag out to me, and I drop the head into it, rubbing my bloody hands on my jeans. Not that it helps much, but it makes me feel better.That was absolutely revolting, and probably one of the worst things I have ever done in my life. “Do not beat yourself up, Warlord,” Oberon tries to comfort me. “He deserved it.”Maybe he did. But it still feels so, so wrong. The floor is slick with blood, we’re all covered in it, and my office smells like death. “I need a shower.” And about twenty bottles of rotgut whiskey to forget this night. I'll take the cheap moonshine the rogues used to distill - it's a hundred perce
In Service of the Alpha Chapter 136
JohnathanI wish I could say that drinking Kahn’s blood was one of the more disgusting things I’ve ever done in my life, but that would be a lie. I have had far worse things in my mouth than a little vampire blood over the years.And it did work. Not only did it sober me up, I am wide away, and I feel stronger than usual. No wonder the vampires don't share their blood.When Thrax showed up, Kahn whispered four little words in my ear. “Careful. Don't trust him.”While Thrax went on and on and on, I managed to put up a wall, blocking him, and I could contact Preston, who went straight to work - he found Oberon, he rallied the troops.I am still not sure if I changed my mind about our future. But what I have to worry about now is this new threat. There will be no future if Thrax kills us all. Or worse, hands us over to the humans. I knew the vampires, especially Thrax’s younger children, wouldn’t be able to resist the nymphs. Much like Lycan blood, theirs is considered to be a rare deli
In Service of the Alpha Chapter 135
MaraJohnathan doesn’t budge. His face is passive, his expression stern. I can tell that he doesn’t believe Thrax. I have seen many sides of Johnathan, but this is a new one.He's really starting to show his true colours... and I like it.I glance at Kahn. He just stands there, his mouth slightly agape. Thrax has some kind of effect on him. It must be some vampire thing - my friend has never been this quiet.I have to admit that I did not see that coming either. I thought for sure the ancient vampire was here for some other reason. Not that I have any kind of idea what that reason was - not to kill us, I know that. But that’s about all I know.“You better start talking,” Johnathan says.“Or what?” Thrax challenges him. “What will you do, puppy?”Johnathan’s eyes flash and he growls, the dangerous rumble vibrating deep in his chest. I have no doubt that my mate will attack the vampire. He might lose the fight, but he’d still try.Kahn is the one who comes to his senses first. “Perhaps
In Service of the Alpha Chapter 134
Mara“Quick,” Kahn’s voice is barely above a whisper when he turns back to my mate. the vampire bites into his wrist and holds his bleeding arm out to Johnathan. He whispers something in my mate’s ear, speaking so softly that I can’t even hear him.Johnathan nods, and with a grimace brings Kahn’s arm to his mouth, sucking on the vampire's wrist. I gag and turn away from the sight.“Now, now, Kahn,” the dangerous voice from the window says. “You know it’s illegal to share our blood with mortals. The blood is sacred.”The vampire’s eyes widen and Johnathan jerks.How the hell did he know what the two of them were doing? They were so quiet about it, if I weren't looking right at them, I wouldn't even have known it was happening. I know vampires can see very well, but surely even this one, Thrax Kahn called him, can’t see what’s going on behind the closed drapes.And they talked so softly, that I was sure no one would be able to hear them - not even a vampire with their super senses.“T
In Service of the Alpha Chapter 133
JohnathanI stumble up to my bedroom, completely oblivious to the world around me. My head is spinning, my mind trying to work out my next steps as fast as my alcohol-addled brain will allow. The vampires can’t cross into Oberon’s realm, I know that much. My son will be safe, at least. I don’t have such high hopes for myself. I will die. Probably soon. But I'll take some of those bastards with me.Tomorrow, as soon as the sun comes up, I’ll take Mara to Oberon too. She can live with Gregory. Safe. Happy. With her child by her side. They will miss me at first, but then that, too, will fade. Mara can take another mate, have more children, be happy.My heart clenches at the thought of my mate finding someone else, but I ignore it. I won't deny her love. I can't do that to her.Rhoda comes out of my bedroom as I approach. “King?” she asks, her voice faltering when she looks at me. “Uh- the Queen- we were just- are you alright, King?”“Don’t call me that,” I growl and push past her, slamm
In Service of the Alpha Chapter 132
Johnathan“Johnathan?” Kahn asks softly. Oh God no. I can’t. I’m too tired for this shit. “What?” I ask without lifting my head off the desk.My Betas have long since left to get some rest. I didn't even bother to get up. I've been sat here all night, trying my best to get wasted, steadily working my way through the second bottle of whiskey.“Are you drunk?”“Trying my best to get there,” I answer with a soft, sarcastic little chuckle. I finally manage to lift my head and look at the vampire. “Do you ever sleep?”He shakes his head. “A few hours in the middle of the day, but mostly no. It's a curse.”I slowly blink at him, trying to focus on the fussy figure in front of my desk. “Why are you here?”Kahn looks over his shoulder at my open door, he closes it, and rushes to my side. He bites into his wrist, holding the bleeding appendage to my lips. “It’s against the rules, but… drink some of my blood. It will sober you up.”I laugh at the mere thought of his suggestion. I push his arm
In Service of the Alpha Chapter 131
JohnathanMara sits by the window, staring out at the rain. She’s quiet - scarily so. The last time she got this quiet, I lost her for a while. “Don’t do that,” I remind her. “Don’t shut down like you did last time.”She doesn’t look at me, just wipe at the tears that keep streaming down her face. She's is exhausted, heartbroken. Her ability to see connections also made her feel the mutations' pain. My mate is very close to reaching her breaking point.It worries me that she’s not talking, but at least she didn’t put her walls back up. She’s allowing me to feel it all, and it’s devastating. We found three more of those creatures before nightfall. Mara killed two, Oberon killed the third one. We dragged the slimy brain corpse thing in under a ledge, and set it on fire. It was revolting.Our method wasn’t as effective as Mara’s magic, we couldn't seem to burn the whole thing, but she wasn't able to release another one. By that point she had already reached her limits - emotionally, phy
In Service of the Alpha Chapter 130
MaraMy heart fills with pity for the poor human who gave his life for the humans' misguided cause. I am not even sure he volunteered. He probably didn’t even know what he came up here to do.I can feel him. All his emotions. He's so very scared.Although, I am still wondering how the fuck he made it up here. Even Johnathan couldn’t do it, and if Oberon and Kahn are to believe, Johnathan can climb up trees and mountains like a cat.I kneel next to the human, and hover my hand over him, trying to find the energy he’s emanating, but it’s something new and foreign. It’s partly supernatural, but it has all been manipulated by human hands. “What do we do with it?” Kalypso asks. “Do we kill it or…” she shrugs, letting her words hang in the air.“I think we should attempt to disable it, and bring it with us. Study it,” Johnathan throws his two cents in the hat. “We do have scientists in town. Maybe we can find out what kind of… thing it is. What makes it tick. We can… dissect it, I suppose.
In Service of the Alpha Chapter 129
MaraThe trek to the foot of the mountain is relatively easy, if a bit difficult due to the rain. The neat footpaths have turned into little rivers that stream past our feet, dragging mud, leaves, and other mountain debris with it.The paths are as slippery as snot, and we fall down often, landing face or butt first in a mud pie or a puddle of water. Everytime it happens, we laugh until we can’t breathe. It’s not funny, considering where we’re going, but the laughter helps to ease our growing tension.The closer we get to the mountain though, the more I expect Johnathan to call off our search and retrieve mission, but it looks like he’s actually having fun. And as a result, so am I. It's a stark reminder of how much our respective moods wrap off on one another.I burn with guilt when I remember how I behaved. How hard it must have been for him to pretend nothing was wrong, while he basically had to walk on eggshells around me.Never, ever again, will I do that to him if I can help it.
