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Chapter 76
Last Updated:
2024-12-06 23:59:09
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In Service of the Alpha Chapter 77
Mara I expected to feel different. Used. Dirty and filled with shame - like I always did after Lucas was done with me. I feel none of those things. Johnathan was rough, but in a different way. He cared about me, and Lucas never did. He’s still caring for me now. He went down to the kitchen to get food and water, then came back to bed, making sure that I ate and drank before he pulled me into his arms and just held me. “How many women have you been with?” I ask. It’s mostly curiosity, but there’s a hint of jealousy in my question that I can’t deny. “Less than you probably think,” he says. “And more than you imagine. It’s lonely, you know… the rogue life. And then you become the Alpha of a pack, and you think it will be better. You have a pack now, and you won't be so lonely anymore. But it’s worse. “You are the leader, not just another member of the pack. People use you. They want things from you. Women throw themselves at you, hoping to become your next Luna. You can’t trust any
Last Updated : 2024-12-07In Service of the Alpha Chapter 78
JohnathanI head in the general direction of the fae territory, sure that I’ll come across Oberon at any moment, but it’s Hakon and what’s left of his pack that I find first. “Where are you, you bastard,” the Alpha hollers. “Bring her back to me.”I turn to Hakon’s Beta who is staring at his Alpha in disbelief. “What is he doing?” the Beta asks me. “Is it this place? We’re not supposed to be here, so the Goddess cursed us?”“No,” I answer with a sigh.As we watch, Hakon scrambles to his feet and runs full-tilt at the fae forest, but he can't break through the magical barrier the fae put up to protect themselves. I’ve passed through the barrier many times, so I know how strong that magic is. He is going to kill himself.“Our Alpha lost his mind,” one of the wolves says. If I don’t do something right now, Hakon is going to destroy himself. “Alpha!” I snap. “What are you doing?”“The fae captured my mate.” He runs head-first into the invisible barrier and bounces back like a rubber ball
Last Updated : 2024-12-10In Service of the Alpha Chapter 79
Mara I can’t sleep. The heat is stifling, even with the windows open, and I’ve grown used to being outside at night, training with Kahn. I'm wide awake and deeply frustrated. After a while, I get out of bed, dress in a tank top and pair of shorts, and go down to the pool. The dark water is inviting tonight, and without thinking much about it, I slide into the luke-warm pool. There’s something peaceful about floating on the water, staring up at the magnificent night sky. I feel like I’m ensconced in the womb. Warm. Safe. In a place where no one can reach me and harm me. There’s no pollution out here. I thought the heavens at Red Ridge were beautiful, but no matter how much my father tried to run a clean facility, it still polluted our air and the stars were never as bright as they are here. I wouldn't mind floating here until the moon sets and the sun rises. “Luna!” Chad calls out. Disturbed and annoyed by the butler's intrusion, I drop my feet and lower them to the bottom of the
Last Updated : 2024-12-11In Service of the Alpha Chapter 80
MaraPreston stares at the glowing flowers, his mouth slightly agape. “I have never seen this.”“Yeah. If it helps you at all, Johnathan grew up here, and he didn’t see it until he came back.”“Right, right,” the Beta mumbles. “So you want me to do what?”“There’s this hole.” I crouch next to the entrance. “You have to go through it. Grab the pyramid stone on the other side, it will suck you in.”“Suck me in?” he asks, still dumbfounded.The moon is starting to dip below the horizon and the night sky is slowly turning from black to a light bluish-pink. “Yes. Just hurry up and do it.”“What… what will happen to me?”I don’t know. Johnathan spoke about horrible punishments if the unchosen tried to go through. And am I supposed to follow Preston? Does it only work if another Lycan takes him into the temple? Kahn took Johnathan, and Johnathan took me.“Mara!” Preston snaps. “What will happen to me?”“You’ll be turned.”“Into what?” he asks, his voice rising in panic.“A Lycan. Just do it.
Last Updated : 2024-12-12In Service of the Alpha Chapter 81
Johnathan I didn't have to work too hard to convince Felicity to take Rose off my hands. She gave the girl a quick once over and declared. “You will stay in the night caves with us. We need a good day servant.” I cringed. That was not how I treated children, but I had very little choice left. Rose forced my hand. She hadn’t even been here two days yet, and she already started to wreak havoc. I gave it another week before my town resembled a war zone as the Alphas started to go to war over her. “How will you keep her contained?” I ask. “During the day.” Felicity winked at me. “Our familiars have all the power of vampires and none of our weaknesses. They can walk during the day and don’t crave blood.” “I kill them,” Rose said and jutted out her chin. "My magic strong." I expected Felicity to discipline the girl in some way, but the vampire only smiled indulgently. “You’re not the first of your kind that have crossed my path. Our familiars are under our control. You can't seduce the
Last Updated : 2024-12-13In Service of the Alpha Chapter 82
JohnathanI wake to the sound of an unearthly howl. One I’ve heard many times in the past.Someone lost their fated mate.Preston.Wide awake, my heart pounding in my skull, I fall out of bed and search around for some trousers. Mara’s already up, pulling one of my t-shirts over her head. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t allow her to leave the room in just a shirt, but mine fits her like a dress, and I don't have the time to stop her anyway.She’s out of the room before I can even find my shorts.Gregory comes running into my room, his eyes wide, bottom lip quivering. “Susawah,” he says. “She’s cwying. I don’t know what to do, Daddy. Help me.”My son looks like the five-year-old he is. Small. Terrified. “It’s okay, buddy,” I say and pick him up. “Don’t be scared.”“Someone died,” he says. “I know, kiddo,” I answer as I run from the room with him in my arms.Susarah comes around the corner, her eyes red and swollen. “Who is it?” I ask, breathless with concern.“Chad.”“What? Ch
Last Updated : 2024-12-14In Service of the Alpha Chapter 83
MaraI close the office door behind us and lead Preston to a chair. He’s in a complete daze. He withdrew into himself, going to a place deep inside where no one and nothing can hurt him. I know the look. I’ve seen it in the mirror many times.I sit on the armrest next to the Beta and take his hand in mine. “I’m sorry, Preston,” I say. "I didn't want her to... I didn't think she'd..." my words trail off. I don't know what the hell I'm supposed to say to make him feel better.He pulls his hand out of mine and leans forward, dropping his head in his palms. I can hear him sniffle, but he barely moves. “You warned me of the risks. This one is on me. I knew when she shifted that she was... I should have killed her, but I couldn't bring myself... and now Chad is dead. I deserve to die.”"No you don't," I say softly, and rub his back. "You didn't kill Chad.""I might as well have."I have nothing for him. Anything I say now will only make it worse. There are no words that can ease his pain an
Last Updated : 2024-12-15In Service of the Alpha Chapter 84
JohnathanThe procession into the woods is quiet, reserved, and somewhat thoughtful. Rhoda offered to witness for the Omegas, as did Ingrid, the kitchen maid, and the Omega who wanted Preston dead. I made him come. If he’s so eager for death, he can experience it firsthand.I wish I left the shithead at home. He hasn't stopped talking since we left, condeming Ally the whole way. He's working my last nerve.I steer the rabid she-wolf deep into the woods, far away from my favourite places. I don’t want the memory of this day to haunt me forever, and if the Lycan scrolls I've read are to be believed, my forever is going to be a long, long time.Halfway to her place of execution, Ally starts to talk, shocking all of us into a standstill. “Who are you?” she asks in a small, terrified voice. “Where am I?”“Oh, the poor wee thing,” Ingrid exlaims softly and grasps her chest.“She is a murderer,” the only other male says. “She deserves-”“Shut the fuck up, Barry,” the kitchen maid says. “This
Last Updated : 2024-12-16
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In Service of the Alpha Thank you
And that is all she wrote folks.My dearest readers, I'd like to thank you for coming on this ride with me. Thank you for sticking around, for your thoughtful comments, and support. I may not always reply to every comment, but I do my best to read them all and I appreciate every one of you.Johnathan and Mara are two of the most complex characters I've ever written, and I hope I did their story justice. I always say that I'm not an author - I'm just the dumb ass writing up the incident report. The person chosen to tell their story. And that was very much the case here. I'm not in charge of a story, the people in my head are.My next book will be available soon, and I promise it will not be another saga like this one.I love you guys. Thank you for making my twisted heart sing.Until we meet again,Celice.
In Service of the Alpha Chapter 160
MaraI stand on the platform next to Johnathan. For once, I'm wearing a proper dress, fit for the occasion. Before us, is a sea of reporters, cameras flash, microphones are pointed at us like guns, quiet voices ripple through the air.Behind us is the ruin that was once our town. Johnathan insisted that we have the press conference here, and he made sure to invite reporters and podcasters of his own choosing. He really doesn’t trust the humans and their peace deal. The last two weeks had been brutal. We kept finding fresh bodies all over the place. All of them had been recently killed. Children torn apart, mothers with their babies still in their arms. Each dead child hurt me as deeply as if they were my own, and I finally understood the prophecy. It was never my own children who died. I begged the Goddess to spare my child because we had lost so many before the humans came back to take the town.Johnathan sent warriors into the forest to look for the culprits. They found a dozen su
In Service of the Alpha Chapter 159
MaraJohnathan is filthy and smells of death, but I don’t care. I roll into his arms and cuddle tightly against him. It’s all I can do. I can barely move as it is. I feel as if a bulldozer ran over me, and left me on the streets to bleed to death.I can't process it. All that blood, the pain, the suffering, the death. I even feel sorry for the human soldiers who had to endure that brutal battle. I lie against my mate, his arm protectively around me, and I cry. My heart has been torn to pieces. They took almost everything from us - and those who are truly responsible, the ones who sent their soldiers here to die - will never be punished for it. They will never feel the loss. They get to go on with their lives as if nothing happened.“King?” someone asks, her voice coming from far, far away. I hear her, but I can’t place her. My mind is a buzzing mess, unable to hold on to any thoughts.“What is it, Ingrid?” Johnathan asks, his voice muffled.“I, uhm, we found your mother.”“And?”“I-
In Service of the Alpha Chapter 158
JohnathanBefore the dust even settles, someone sticks a camera in my face. Not one of mine - a human. “Mister Banks, can you tell us what sparked this conflict?”Absolute fucking vultures. I’m still on my knees, naked as the day I was born, staring at my trembling, bloody hands, and they want a fucking statement from me?I look up and straight into the camera. “We didn’t start this,” I snarl. “You did. Look at it. Look at the mess you’ve made. We never bothered anyone, all we ever wanted was a chance to live our lives in peace.“They killed the fae king today. Are you aware? Did you see him die?” My voice is cold, bitter.The reporters are quiet, giving me room to speak, to contradict myself, so they can spin this in their favour. I know how they operate by now.“Do you know what the fae did for you? They never killed you, they never bothered you or harmed you. All they ever did was comfort those who were hurt, healed the sick, eased the suffering of the dying. And you killed them. F
In Service of the Alpha Chapter 157
Johnathan“I’m sorry,” I say to Kahn after our hurried meeting.Mara and Talitha already left with Oberon to bring the town’s children to the fae forest. The Omegas and humans who can’t, or won’t, fight are heading off into the woods to hide in the caves.“I’ve waited hundreds of years,” the vampire comments dryly. “Another month won’t kill me.”“You might die tonight.”He just shrugs. “Unlikely, but if I do… I hope Frans dies with me so we can be together in the afterlife.”That is such a cold way of looking at it, but I guess it’s pragmatic under the circumstances. I don’t mind dying tonight, but I don’t want Mara to die. The only reason I’m still fighting is for her and Gregory. It’s as good a reason as any other. A man who doesn’t have a reason to fight is a useless soldier. He’ll give up as soon as things get too difficult.“Why are you even fighting?” I ask Kahn. “If you’d rather be dead?”“I don’t want to die,” he answers calmly. “I just wouldn’t mind if I do. I’m really fuckin
In Service of the Alpha Chapter 156
JohnathanWhile the rest of the town is becoming complacent, going on with their lives as if nothing is wrong, I’ve been working, never relaxing, never letting my guard down.It's not over, not even by a long shot. I keep my soldiers fit, healthy and battle ready. We have accumulated a staggering amount of weapons and heavy artillery, all of it hidden from view. Oberon assures me that the humans’ satellites can’t penetrate our magical veil, but I’m sceptical. No magic is infallible, just as the humans aren’t infallible, and those fuckers are industrious. I wouldn’t be surprised if they develop some kind of technology that can ‘see’ through our protections.It only took us two years, but we finally found a crack in the human allies’ armour. The brilliant people I appointed over that time managed to find backdoors into the humans’ computer system and started intercepting their encrypted communications.I have no idea how they’re doing it, and I decided not to ask. There are some things
In Service of the Alpha Chapter 155
MaraJohnathan makes a plate of food for my father and hands it to him. To my surprise, my dad sits as far away from us as possible. "I know how much I stink," he announces. "I don't want to spoil anyone's appetite."With my father seettled for now, I can finally ask Kahn the question I've been burning utter since the trio showed up here, “How did you kill Thrax?”“They were hiding in a cave. He was in the death sleep. So old, and he still couldn't resist it. I just dragged him out into the sun, and poof. Dead in seconds. It was kind of disappointing really. I wanted fireworks. Anyway... we stuck around just to make sure he didn’t come back after sunrise.”“Good,” my mate says. “So it’s all sorted?”“Yeah, looks like it,” Kahn says.I look at Eli who is still chowing down. It's as if he can't stuff the food into his mouth quickly enough. "What happened at Red Ridge?"The vampire looks at Eli who doesn't utter a word, he just grunts and moans as he keeps chewing. It's my father who answ
In Service of the Alpha Chapter 154
Mara“What if we’re wrong? I ask. “What if he’s been playing us all this time?”It’s the first time since the incident with his mother that I feel I can talk to Johnathan about my concerns. He had so much to deal with, his heart was so heavy, that I did not really want to pile on. But if Eli has my father then I can’t postpone it anymore.“You saw him in your vision. Rick was torturing him. They don't usually torture people who cooperate.”“Yes, but there’s… a ripple effect, isn’t there? When we change the future, we don’t just change the outcome, we change other things too. It’s almost as if- the whole world bends around the new future we’ve created.”“The butterfly effect,” my mate says with a little smile. “One small action can affect the larger system.”A puff of air explodes from my lips. I’m relieved that he understands. “Exactly.”“Okay.” He smiles at me. “If he is on his way here, then it means we’ve altered the course of our destiny, correct?”I nod.“Then we’ll just have to
In Service of the Alpha Chapter 153
JohnathanThe inside of my skull explodes with hot rage so intense that I see the world through a thick haze of red. I am aware that I am on my feet, snarling and growling at the vampire. Dante surges, ready to rip Kahn’s throat out. I’m only vaguely aware of the others’ presence. “You had no right,” I grit past my teeth. “You took my vengeance from me. It was over!”“Can you excuse us?” Kahn asks the others.“No, they can not. Who the hell do you think you are?” I curl my hands into fist, aware that I won’t be able to hang on to Dante much longer.Kahn would probably survive if I tear him to shreds, but I wonder if he’ll survive being eaten.I blink, and the vampire is on top of me, his hands curled around my neck. I fall backward, missing the edge of the chair by an inch.“You have no clarity anymore,” Kahn says, and lets me go.Enraged I get to my feet, ready to pull him apart like a fly. I look around at the empty dining room, and my anger simply fizzles. “When did everyone leave
