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Chapter 22: Disappearing Act
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The Alpha's Fate Chapter 23: What Really Happened
Once I was sure Malissa was asleep, I walked back downstairs to see if I could find some sort of answers for her. If Orene was as close to Erylis and Leo as Leo stated, then I couldn't see him simply leaving Erylis behind. There had to be an explanation. I made my way back to the kitchen. Gwenna had just turned off the kitchen tap and took two glasses of water to Leo and Orene who were sitting on the loveseat. Leo's hand was on the latter's shoulder, and he graciously took the cups from Gwenna, handing one to his faithful friend. Orene was clearly distressed—his hair was tangled and his beard was full of pieces of debris from his journey. He looked like he hadn't slept since they left and was a far cry from the man I had met almost a week prior. I quietly took a seat at the island. "Start from the beginning," Leo said calmly. Orene took a stabilizing breath. It was shaky, but calmer than when I had last seen him. "On the way to the mountains, Erylis kept saying he was feeli
The Alpha's Fate Chapter 24: Conversations in the Dark
As night took over and Malissa fell back asleep, I found it impossible to close my eyes. Her words replayed in my mind for the past two hours and regardless of my continued tossing and turning, I was unsuccessful. It wasn't just what she said that kept me awake, it was everything from the amulet, to the Shaman's prophecy, to Leo's curse and now Erylis' disappearance. I laid facing the window, thinking of where he might be. To be that far out, alone, without another pack member was dangerous. I sighed and clamoured out of bed, trying my best to not wake Malissa. Thankfully, she was finally out. I quietly opened the door and stepped into the hallway, making sure to place a hand on the door as I closed it to ensure it was as soft as possible. Nothing sounded better right now then a run. I walked downstairs and listened to the sounds of the clocks ticking through the house as I opened the front door and slipped outside.I leaned against the frame of the house and inhaled the fresh a
The Alpha's Fate Chapter 25: Liar, Liar
I didn't know what I was going to say to Leo. I turned over in my bed for a few more hours until the exhaustion from my late night run sunk in and took over. When I woke the next morning, Malissa had already left, presumably back to her own room. My thoughts had restarted the second I opened my eyes, like my brain had never truly shut off, and I groaned as I rolled back over, burying my face into the pillow.It was never easy to give bad news, but it was even harder when that bad news involved people that your mate cared deeply for. As Orene said, he and Gwenna were like Leo's family. I had no idea how he was going to take it, but he needed to know. It'd be worse if this came to light and I didn't say anything. I pulled myself out of bed and changed into a comfortable pair of overalls, then plucked up the little courage I had to find Leo. The house was oddly quiet. Usually, unless it was the dead of the night, this place was full of the sounds of bodies moving around downstairs and
The Alpha's Fate Chapter 26: A Search Begins
The following day wasn't any better. Although the amulet had been returned, it was a waiting game to even see if doing so would have any effect of the Shaman's prophecy coming true. And with no one hearing word of Erylis' return, everyone was on high alert.The tension in Leo's house was thick; I often found myself having to take runs in order to get away from it all. I tried to get Malissa to come with me, convincing her that it would do her good to get fresh air, but she wasn't fairing much better than anyone else. For the most part, she remained to herself and kept conversations to a minimum. I skimmed through the books on the shelf in the library, looking for something to indulge in. I needed to be separated from the rest of the house for the time being, for my own sanity, and fiction seemed like the place to start. Only this particular library was mainly archives and non-fiction works, and I was getting increasingly annoyed that even now, this didn't seem to be going right. M
The Alpha's Fate Chapter 27: The Return of a Friend
I closed my eyes tightly and then opened them. He was still standing there with one hand on the doorframe to prop himself up. And then, his arm suddenly gave way and he collapsed onto the ground."Erylis!" I shouted. We all raced to him. Leo tucked his arms underneath his friend's frame and hoisted him up, using himself as leverage. He brought him to the couch and laid him down. Leo looked to Orene. "Get Sylvie," he demanded. Orene stared at Erylis, wide-eyed. He was motionless."Orene," Leo said, purposefully deepening his voice to capture the former-Beta's attention. It worked. Orene's eyes snapped to him and he slowly nodded. He took one last look at Erylis, then left. Once the door closed, Leo was focused back on his current Beta. "Tell me what happened," he stated.Erylis coughed and doubled over in pain. His eyes were red and glassed over, with the makings of a black eye forming underneath one of them, and his clothes were torn to shreds. Almost like he was attacked.
The Alpha's Fate Chapter 28: Ready to Give Up?
Erylis remained asleep for the remainder of the day and Aaron and Jude were dismissed as there was no longer a need for a search. Malissa pulled up a chair beside Erylis and focused all of her attention on him. She'd been so distraught and helpless the past few days, it'd do her some good to focus her attention on helping him heal. I watched as she fixed his hair and put a little water on his forehead to help bring down his temperature. I smiled at the sight. Caring for someone else came so naturally to her; she'd make a great healer one day. I felt a cool hand touch my lower back. The sparks it sent through me told me exactly who it was. "We should leave them alone for a while," Leo said. When I finally looked at him, I noticed he was speaking directly to me and Orene. Orene nodded and followed behind Leo and me as we exited the room. He hadn't spoken since he arrived with Sylvie. Each time I turned to look at him, I saw his far away stare, his tightset jaw, and his fists clen
The Alpha's Fate Chapter 29: The Only Alpha
*LEO'S POV*Nia spent the rest of the day in her room. When I returned from the training facility, I thought of knocking on her door and continuing our conversation—well, my conversation. She didn't really contribute much to it. Either way, I decided firmly against it. If she needed time, I'd give it to her, regardless of how badly I wanted to see her, touch her…be near her. Instead, I decided to go to the office to wrap up some of the work I had started before we began devising a search party for Erylis. The past few days had been a whirlwind to say the least. Bloodmoon was always entertaining, but that was in part because of my father. With his honest approach and determined nature, we always had something occurring, whether it was within the territory, or with another pack. However, Erylis' disappearance took the cake. I knew when he returned that, on the outside, I looked cold and calculated. But that was how I was trained. My father's words played out in my head: 'To be a goo
The Alpha's Fate Chapter 30: One Psychologist's Opinion
*LEO'S POV*Once dusk fell, Orene and I went into town to Geralt's office. Along the way, we were greeted by pack members offering a familiar smile or a 'hello'. The streets were bustling with people going about their evening routine—closing up shops, taking out the trash, or just getting home from work. A pup ran by my feet, laughing as his friend chased him, and I spun around to catch them. "Take it easy, boys," I chuckled. "Someone might slip." "Sorry, Alpha," they said in unison as I let them go. They waited for my dismissal, which I happily gave with a wave of my hand, and then they raced forward. I felt a smile creep up on me as I watched them scoot around a corner, wishing that I had more memories like that from my childhood. All mine consisted of was training and prepping for my position—the only time I ever received a break was when we went to Nature Eclipse. When I was with Nia. I sighed and continued ahead until we reached Geralt's. The sign on the door read 'closed
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The Alpha's Fate Chapter 50: A Golden Promise
*ONE WEEK LATER* Morning air breezed through the open window, tickling my face and alerting me of the start of a new day. It'd been a week since the battle against the Ancient Alpha and Gwenna's banishment. Aaron and Jude ended up having to use force, but she left quieter than expected, and it left me with a feeling of unease. I had no doubt that she was out there plotting her revenge. But whatever it was, we'd be ready this time. I turned onto my stomach and stretched my arm out over Leo's chest. He stirred at the contact and awoke with a smile. "Good morning, princess," he said, his voice groggy from a goodnight's sleep. I grinned and pressed a kiss to his lips."Good morning, my Alpha." The words rolled off my tongue so effortlessly, and it elicited a small growl from him. Not only had we defeated an Ancient Alpha together, but we also earned the trust of the pack again, and Leo was kept on as Alpha of the Bloodmoon pack. "You know, if you keep using that name, you might
The Alpha's Fate Chapter 49: The Alpha's Fate
I couldn't believe it. It worked. Breaking the amulet worked. Ronan was right. It was the cure.Everyone stopped. Even Gwenna. We were all dumbfounded and amazed, like a miracle from the Moon Goddess was happening right before our eyes. Because it was.Leo's eyes captured mine as I walked slowly to him. I reached up and ran a finger along the place where his scar used to be. How was this possible? It looked like it had never even existed. His skin was smooth, and I could fully see the gold radiating from his eyes as he observed me."Leo…your scar. It's—" He looked down at me and nodded. "I know…I can feel it." "We did it," I whispered. He leaned forward and placed his forehead on mine. "No, princess. You did it." I brought my lips up to his, and he kissed me with a flood of emotions backing him. I never wanted to let go. But then, he pulled away, eyes large."Erylis…" he breathed. "Malissa… Nia, I—" I smiled at him, which instantly brought down his panic. "Are safe," I co
The Alpha's Fate Chapter 48: Cursed
It was as if the whole world slowed. I felt the amulet break in my hand, and once it was gone, I dropped the silver along with it. A swirl of smoke arose from its ashes and soared into the sky, leaving nothing to indicate it ever existed. It was over before he could reach me. We won. The clanking of teeth and claws against one another ceased as the wolves stopped fighting amongst one another and watched the spectacle unfold. Ariston seized his stomach and cried out as the power evaporated from him in a puff of purple haze before combusting into hundreds of little stars. His entire body shifted involuntarily; his white hair changed immediate colour, his muscles lessened, and his stature shrunk. I turned to Malissa, who was watching it happen, with clear awe. Her eyes watered, and I looked back to see why. Erylis' true form had appeared. His body raised in the air, his back arched, as Ariston gave one final attempt at control. But it was pointless. He let out one final scream o
The Alpha's Fate Chapter 47: Admitting Defeat
I had no idea how long I was out for. When I opened my eyes, I was standing in a purely white room. I didn't even know if you could call it that. It was more like an endless void. I took a few hesitant steps forward. Was I dead? I couldn't remember anything. It was all a haze. I was fighting…there was a curse. And then, I was here. Slowly, the white light dissipated, and I found myself standing in the middle of a forest. Birds sang their song in the distance, and the sound of rushing water penetrated my ears. I closed my eyes to take it in; the glow from the sun peeking through the green tree tops, lightening the darkness that took over as they shut. It was so peaceful. I couldn't remember the last time I felt calmness like this—was it days, weeks, decades? Suddenly, footsteps on leaves appeared. They were getting closer, but I felt no immediate danger. Rather, it was a soothing presence—one that felt comforting and holy. "Open your eyes, child," the voice said, singing its wor
The Alpha's Fate Chapter 46: The Power Within
I nudged the clothing with my nose, and the amulet dropped out onto the concrete. I couldn't believe it—the thing that started this all was now at my paws. It surged, almost like power was being continuously drawn from it. I remembered Gwenna's speech; something about taking the amulet with him. I glanced down at it. Was this the source of the Ancient Alpha's power? If I broke it…would he lose it all? I raised a paw, and was inches from setting things right when I caught sight of where Gwenna had been thrown. She wasn't there anymore. My heart thudded against my chest when suddenly, I felt a body slam into mine. I half expected it to be Gwenna, ready to have another go. Only when I had a chance to see who it was, I realized it was a different shifter; their coat was as grey as ash and fog. "I'm sorry," they said into my mind as they swiped a paw forward. I thought I could hear sobs. "He's too strong, too powerful. There's no winning. We have to join him." I blocked each move, t
The Alpha's Fate Chapter 45: Shifters of Bloodmoon
Ariston took a step forward and addressed the pack, his red eyes glimmering in the now cast moonlight. "Shifters of Bloodmoon. Members of this esteemed and worthy pack. My name is Ariston and I am here to free you from the reign of this—" He grabbed Leo by the arm and pulled him in front of the audience. "—worthless leader. Not only has he been keeping secrets from you, but he also failed to tell you, to prepare you, for my arrival; the awakening of the Ancient Alpha." A murmur broke through the crowd and Ariston lifted his hand, instantly silencing them. "Now, if you ask me, this is no Alpha, but rather a little pup, terrified of his own shadows and the demons that haunt him when he sleeps." Ariston stared down at Leo as he spoke, who hadn't uttered a single word since we were restrained at his house. "I am here, to take your pack by force or by will," he said, turning back to the remainder of the pack. "But I highly suggest the latter, as it will go so much smoother, with a lot
The Alpha's Fate Chapter 44: Why You?
Regardless of everything I had on Gwenna—the overheard conversation, the note, the book—I couldn't piece together why she was here. Where the hell had she and Orene been this entire time? I looked behind her to spot him, but he was nowhere to be seen. An uneasy feeling grew again in the pit of my stomach."Gwenna, how nice of you to join us." Ariston smirked, his gaze darkening again. "You said I'd be the one to end it," she sneered, ignoring his greeting. She looked at Leo with utter disgust. "To end him. I brought you back. It's the least you can do." "Oh, I wasn't going to kill him. Yet," Ariston replied, eyeing his victim as he turned him around in the air. The purple swirls of his powers encircled Leo, who was hanging helplessly in his grasp. "Just having a little fun before we go and meet the townsfolk. I'm sure they'll be eager to meet their Alpha Supreme. Actually. Let's head down there now, shall we? I'm getting tired of this little four-on-one fight. It's been years si
The Alpha's Fate Chapter 43: Transformations and Revelations
The Ancient Alpha? No. This couldn't be happening right now. I heard Leo take a step forward and snarl, but I could feel his confliction. Erylis was long gone—that much was clear. Whatever the Ancient Alpha had done to him, he had completely taken over. Only, it was still his best friend's body, and that was enough to let some complication seep in. "Oh, Leo, must we be so harsh?" Erylis' voice asked. A smirk ran across his face, and I pressed my paw into the ground in front of my father. He hadn't transformed yet and I needed to ensure he was safe in his human form. At least until he decided it was time to shift. Feet stomping from inside Leo's house forced everyone's attention to behind Erylis' body, where Malissa quickly appeared. Her usually pristine red hair was in disarray as she raced toward us."Nia! Stop! It's a—" Erylis' hand quickly ceased her by the throat, and Malissa let out a whimper followed by a gurgled cough. "Now, now, Malissa. What did we just talk about? We
The Alpha's Fate Chapter 42: Let the Games Begin
The sounds of the forest played in my ear as I laid beside Leo on the rock—birds, leaves, the water. I breathed in, taking in the sense of calmness and relaxation I felt. Leo's arm was outstretched under my head and his fingers played with my curls. The mating ritual seemed so far from where we currently were. Some couples needed months to get used to one another, really know each other's strengths and weaknesses. I guess that was the advantage of facing a deadly curse and uprising—it really expedited the 'love' process. "What're you thinking about, princess?" Leo asked, using the name so tenderly. I turned my head to look at him and smiled. "You," I answered. "And how crazy it is that we're here, like this, right now." Leo chuckled lightly. "Wild, isn't it?" "Almost unbelievable. It's like it was fate," I taunted, scrunching my nose when he tapped the tip of it. Leo fell back into position and looked up at the clouds that were peeking out just behind the treetops. He looked
