Logan
After a quick shower, I throw on some clothes and head outside. I made it quick because being alone in there was haunting my sanity. I couldn’t stop thinking about Arya and all of the things we have done in that bathroom, or in my bedroom for that matter. I just don’t want to give myself time to be alone, because it is very dangerous for me. I don’t think I will be able to rest until I find my mate.
The Blue Blood pack members have found a place in the pack house. Our pack house is the biggest building in the entire pack’s territory. It is mostly used for social gatherings, packs warriors’ training, and many other activities that require the pack to come together in a closed space. A few pack members live in it, mostly the youthful pups. The adults prefer a private space and therefore move out when they feel like it. This, therefore makes the pack house spacious enough for them to settle.
Most of them are pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, and the elderly. The strong ones had to stay behind to fight for the pack.
I notice that thanks to Jordan, they have already been taken care of in terms of accommodation. The only thing that is keeping them from feeling at home is that they are worried about the situation back home.
I tell them that Alpha Eric is here and he is going to be alright, hoping that will make them feel better. I get to learn that they would not mind all the destroyed property, but they only hope their Alpha and Arya are fine.
Their loyalty to their Alpha is very touching. It makes me want to help them to put their pack together, though I am sure things will never be the same again for them.
I head out of the pack house and cross over to the special purpose hall, where our ceremony should have taken place hours ago. The decor was perfect, a mixture of white, blue and green. Not too bright or dull either, just simple. Arya would have loved it.
I keep looking for the entrance where I am transfixed.
Kate comes from the back room, still dressed in her white party dress. I would have said she looks stunning if it wasn’t for the sulking demeanor around her. I know this has been a disappointment for all of us. Kate put in a lot of hard work and time to make this day special for Arya. She is collecting the decorating flower vessels from the biggest table at the front of the setting. I can guess that was the table where we were supposed to sit.
When she senses my presence, she looks up at me, but immediately lowers her gaze. No pack member dares to look in the eyes of the Alpha, except for the few he chooses to do so. Those are his Beta, his Gamma, and the pack’s council. And his Luna. Arya did not hesitate to look into my eyes when she first met me in my library. The first thing I saw in those eyes, was hate. Hate for me and my entire Blacktooth Guardians pack. For these last moments, we had spent together, I had started to see something different in her eyes, something that would make my heart skip. I know it sounds unbelievable even in my ears when I say it out loud, but I could see love. I could see her love for me as her mate and the man of her life. I was not ready to embrace that; to fall in love. I don’t want to be weakened by any emotion. I have never let my emotions control me. That’s why I never let myself fall helpless in anyone’s arms. It is what an alpha is.
“Alpha,” her voice breaks. I approach her.
“I am sorry tonight did not turn out as we all expected,” she says, blinking back tears.
“There is no need to be sorry, it is not your fault. That is the way of life; you can never always get what you want,” I tell her. I pull out one of the decorated chairs and sit.
I pull out another chair for her.
“You can have a sit,” I offer.
“No, Alpha. I am fine. Thank you,” she fumbles nervously wringing her hands. I don’t blame her for being nervous around me. She is a daughter of his pack and she was raised to respect the alpha. I appreciate her manners but I would prefer her company.
“I insist, Katherine. Jordan is like a brother to me, so I regard you as a sister,” I tell her, hoping it will make her more comfortable. “You shouldn’t be scared of me. I won’t bite you.”
With a small smile, she sits down but keeps her head low.
“Look at me in the eyes,” it’s a command. She slowly raises her head and looks me in the eyes. Her eyes are grey and big on her small face. I admit she is a beauty. Jordan is a lucky man.
“Have you found Arya?” she inquires, trying but failing to sound confident.
“No, not yet. We still don’t know where Donovan has kept her and everyone else she was traveling with,” I reply.
“I have been told that Alpha Eric is here. Maybe he could be knowing something about their whereabouts,” she says.
“That’s what I am also hoping for, but you should also know, that Alpha Eric is not in a good state. He is even finding it hard to breathe. Talking is very painful. He is supposed to be dead. The vampires know that he is dead. They are assured that they have won this battle, but they are wrong. They have kidnapped Arya for ransom. They want something in return to give her back to me,” I tell her.
“What do they want? I thought our pack was on good terms with the vampires,” her brows knit in confusion.
“They want something from the Blue Blood Pack. They think Eric is dead and so Arya would be the one in their way to have it. It is so complicated. I am left with no choice but to wait for Alpha Eric to gain some energy. As Arya’s brother and the Alpha of the Blue Blood pack, he has a right to know about this and give me his opinion,” I tell her. She nods in agreement.
“I pray that Arya keeps safe. If she is fine, then everything will go well. She will come back to us. I trust your power, Alpha,” she says. A lump forms in my throat at those magical words of trust and hope. I wish I was as hopeful and confident in myself about this situation as any of my subjects. I just nod to that.
“Have you seen Jordan yet?” I inquire after some long minutes of awkward silence. I last saw Jordan back at the pack house. He was too busy mobilizing our pack’s womenfolk to make the place comfortable for our guests.
“No, I last saw him when you left with him and the warriors. I have heard that he has come back but he is very busy. I don’t want to be a destruction. I will wait till he is done to meet him. All that matters is that he is back when he can still run on his legs,” she responds, trying to sound composed but I can sense the worry in her voice. I know she wants to go and check on him, but she wants to be an understanding wife.
“He is going to run mad looking for you if you keep hiding in here. I doubt if he is going to keep doing things well for half an hour without seeing you,” I tell her, making her smile. I know very well how much the two are too obsessed with each other because they never even bother to hide it.
“The alpha is right,” his voice comes from the entrance to the hall. We both turn to look at him. He is standing there in only shredded pants. Only God knows where he found those. His body is still painted with blood and dirt, but that does not stop his mate from breaking into a run to fall into his chest.
“Baby,” I hear Jordan’s voice go smooth, but heavy with emotion. They hug once again so tightly. Katherine starts to hiccup, and I am sure she is crying.
“Hush now, baby. I am here,” Jordan calms her down, rubbing her back gently.
“I have been scared to death about losing you. Are you okay,” she continues to hiccup, pulling away to touch his bare chest.
“I am fine, baby. I just missed you,” he responds. She looks up into his eyes. Their faces come together, they envelop each other in an emotional kiss.
From where I sit watching, I swallow down the lump in my throat. I have never felt so lonely in my life.
I have never been openly romantic with Arya but this shit is making me feel empty inside. A big part of me is missing from my being and I feel so cold and incomplete. I feel like there is a big black hole sucking the life out of me. The big black hole can only be filled by my mate, whose whereabouts I don’t even know.
My wolf coils in a corner, sulking or crying, I can’t tell. All I know is that there is only emptiness deep inside me.
The couple stops making out and turns to look at me. I would have said ‘don’t mind me please carry on’ but I just look back at them.
“Kurt and Cole have come back with the other warrior,” he reports to me.
“I will go check on them,” I reply, getting up from the chair. I don’t ask many questions, not to ruin their moment.
Heading out of the hall, I find Kurt on his way to meet me.
“Alpha,” he salutes me with a bow.
“Go ahead and tell me. How did you leave the situation?” I inquire.
“The vampires that had remained fled away and we couldn’t follow them to know where they could have been running to. We have helped to put out the fires and put things in order. After putting out the fire, we realize most of the damage was done to the pack house and the houses in its neighborhood. This means the other areas were hardly destroyed. The pack members can therefore go back to their houses,” he reports.
“That’s promising,” I say with a nod. “Where is Cole?” I inquire after noticing he is not part of the warriors who have made it back.
“He has been taken to your house, sir, to be attended to by a doctor,” he replies. “He was in a terrible state, we had to carry him back.” I sigh with relief. He is too important a warrior for me to lose.
“Good job,” I say patting him on the shoulder. “I am so owed to all of you, my warriors. Please have some rest and refresh yourselves. I will call for more staff from the pack hospital to take care of you. Don’t hesitate to inform me if you need anything,” I tell them.
“We are not resting until we find the luna,” Kurt says.
“I respect your loyalty but this is going to require patience. We are now relying on Alpha Eric’s recovery to get some information. We are hoping he knows something. Other than that, we are incapacitated about the matter,” I say.
“Yoy have found Alpha Eric? We thought they had killed him,” his face creases in confusion.
“That’s what we all thought. We found him on the brink of death but he could still be saved. We were just lucky to have found them in time. I dread to think what could have happened if we had delayed for even a minute,” I reply. Shaking off the horrendous thoughts, I face my army.
“Now you should go and rest. This is a command from your Alpha,” I tell them.
“Yes, alpha,” they respond in unison.