DAHLIA
After laying Isabella on her bed, I made my way downstairs toward the guest room where Alpha and his mate were. As I approached the door, a sense of dread crept over me. I hesitated, my eyes falling upon Alpha frozen in his majestic wolf form, blood staining his muzzle. My gaze shifted to his mate, her wounds healed but still unconscious.
My heart pounded with fear as I nervously bit my nails, overwhelmed by the weight of my failure. I was supposed to ensure her safety in Alpha’s absence, yet I had failed miserably.
Summoning my courage, I entered the room, only to be met with Alpha’s furious gaze. He opened the mind link to address the entire pack, his voice heavy with anger. “I want everyone in the foyer,” he commanded, his tone brooking no argument. With that, he shifted back to his human form, scooped up his mate, and left without sparing me a second glance.
As he disappeared out, the room seemed to exhale a collective breath, leaving me alone with my guilt. The weight of responsibility settled heavily on my shoulders, and I knew I had to face the consequences of my failure.
The sound of footsteps approaching from behind snapped me out of my trance. It was Jay. “Dahlia, what happened?” he asked, his voice tinged with urgency.
I swallowed hard, struggling to find the words to explain. “I… I don’t know how it happened,” I stammered, feeling the weight of my failure pressing down on me. “I was supposed to protect her, but…”
He placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, sending swarms of butterflies in my stomach. “We’ll look into it.” He said, reassuringly. “But for now, let’s join others in the foyer and hear what Alpha has to say.”
Nodding silently, I trailed behind him as we left the room, my mind awash with thoughts of the Alpha’s disapproving gaze. The foyer was packed, leaving barely any room to move. Confusion hung in the air as everyone wondered why the Alpha had summoned them here instead of the usual gathering hall.
After a tense wait, the Alpha finally arrived. His usual aura of authority was amplified by the palpable anger radiating from him. Without a word, he strode to the main door and flung it open, then turned to face us.
“If any of you can’t handle the reality of Keilah being my mate,” he declared, his voice thundering through the room, “then get the hell out of my pack and find another one.”
His words echoed in the tense silence, each syllable weighted with the force of his command. The pack members exchanged uneasy glances, the gravity of the situation sinking in.
The Alpha’s gaze swept across the room, his eyes fierce and unyielding. “Keilah is my mate,” nothing will ever change that, he reiterated, his voice brooking no argument. “Anyone who can not accept that does not belong here.”
A ripple of unease spread through the pack as some shifted uncomfortably, while others remained resolute. The Alpha’s declaration hung in the air, a challenge to anyone who dared to question his authority.
“I can not accept someone like her as my Luna, and I refuse to leave because this is my pack,” declared Eric one of Zac’s loyal followers as he strode forward. “So, don’t be surprised if we sink our claws into your worthless human mate’s flesh. After all, isn’t that what you wanted?”
The Alpha advanced a few steps toward Eric, his gaze piercing. “Who gives you the audacity to speak such words to your Alpha? Is it Zac?” Alpha asked him.
He’s the one I believe in. Eric replied.
The Alpha’s eyes blazed with a primal intensity. Without warning, a low growl rumbled from deep within him as he shifted to his wolf. With a ferocious snarl, he lunged at Eric, his powerful jaws clamping down on Eric’s throat, ripping it out in a swift, brutal motion. Blood sprayed in all directions as Eric’s lifeless body crumpled to the ground, his defiance silenced forever.
We all watched in stunned silence, the gravity of the Alpha’s wrath sinking in.
He shifted back to his human form, his piercing gaze fixed on us before falling upon Zac’s smoldering eyes. “Let me make this clear,” he began, his voice cutting through the tense silence. “I am the Alpha here. I’m the one with the final word.”
“If any of you ever dare to disrespect or harm my mate,” he continued, his tone grave, “you’ll answer me. My mate is my responsibility, and my concern. Understand?”
A chorus of assent followed, the echo of our affirmation filling the space, except for Zac’s companions, who sought his nod of approval. The Alpha, sensing their hesitation, advanced towards them, his presence towering and imposing.
“Understand?” he repeated, his voice resonating with authority. Their response came in a low murmur, a submission beneath clenched jaws. “Yes, Alpha,” they conceded, their acknowledgement firm.
The Alpha’s gaze swept over us once more, a silent warning lingering in his eyes. You’re all dismissed. He said and then headed upstairs.
I caught sight of Benita slipping away into the hallways with her girls. Moving swiftly, I closed the distance and intercepted her, grasping her hand firmly and dragging her into the library.
“What on earth do you think you’re doing?” she demanded, her expression a mix of irritation and anger, mirroring my own. “Were you and your brother behind this?” I inquired sharply, not mincing words.
Benita’s gaze hardened as she squared her shoulders, a flicker of boldness in her eyes.
“Don’t try to pin this on us,” she retorted, her voice edged with accusation. “You know we aren’t her only enemies.”
I held her gaze, frustration bubbling beneath my soul. “Then who else could it be?” I shot back, my tone tinged with exasperation. “This isn’t just some coincidence.” The only person who wants her dead more than anyone else is you benita. You want her out of your way of becoming the Luna, which you know won’t happen.
Benita’s gaze bore into mine, a tempest of emotions swirling beneath her composed facade. For a moment, I braced myself for her wrath, expecting her to lunge at me with all the fury she could muster. Instead, she surprised me by silently striding to the door, her anger palpable in the air.
With a deliberate motion, she swung the door open, turning to face me with a chilling calmness. “Yes, you’re right,” she admitted, her words slicing through the tension like a dagger. “I was the one behind it all.” Her confession struck me hard in the chest. “What are you going to do about it?” she challenged, her tone dripping with contempt. “You’re nobody in this pack. And if you dare breathe a word of this to the Alpha, I’ll ensure your existence here becomes a living nightmare.”
With her warning echoing in the air and a smug smirk etched across her face, she forcefully slammed the door shut, leaving me standing there alone, consumed by a swirling tempest of fury. My insides churned with a potent mix of anger and fear, threatening to erupt and expose the hidden power I’d kept tightly veiled for years. The last thing I wanted was to inadvertently reveal myself to the pack; if that happened, I knew the Alpha might never trust me again, or worse, cast me out entirely. This place was my shelter, my home, and I couldn’t bear the thought of losing it.
In a swift motion, I pushed the door open and stormed out, my emotions roiling like a tempest. As I passed through the hallway toward the back door, panic set in at the sight of Jay emerging from the same direction. I kept my head down, desperately trying to shield my eyes from his gaze.
“There you are, I was looking for you. You’re okay,” he called out, moving towards me with concern evident in his voice.
“Please, don’t come any closer. Just… stay right there,” I pleaded, my voice barely a whisper as panic tightened its grip around my throat.
He ignored my plea and reached out a hand to touch me, but before he could make contact, an unseen force flung him backwards, his body colliding with the wall with a sickening thud. Fear clawed at my insides as I watched him stumble, bewilderment evident on his face.
Without a moment’s hesitation, I bolted through the door as I shifted in my wolf and into the woods.
As I sprinted at full speed, the electrifying power pulsating within me refused to subside. It demanded release, sending shivers down my spine as I realized I was still within the territory of the Moonrise pack. They would surely detect the unusual energy. Despite the urgency I pressed on, determined to put as much distance between myself and the pack’s domain as possible.
But as I pushed myself to the limit, the strain became unbearable. Abruptly, I reverted to my human form, collapsing to the ground with a cry of agony. Why was this happening now, after all this time? I groaned in frustration, grappling with the pain and confusion.
The pain reached a crescendo, and in a desperate bid for relief, I released it. The pent-up power surged outward, the sheer force toppling trees in its wake before enveloping me in a shimmering fog. I shut my eyes against the flood of memories carried by the fog, but resistance was futile. I was transported once more, this time into the Alpha’s mate.