CHAPTER 4: ALPHA NICKOLAS RETURN

NICKOLAS

        Stirring in my slumber, my eyes fluttered open. Holding my hands to the floor, I grimaced as I sat up. 

Staring down at myself, I shuddered. "What the heck!" I cursed, pulling the coat away from my body, just to see that I was naked.

A throbbing headache hit me as everything began to spin. I shut my eyes tightly, grasping my head.

I stood up and looked around the hut. My clothes were laid, my arm hurt as I picked them up. A pheromone hit my nostrils, it smelled so strong, driving me nuts.

Groaning, I clutched and stared at my arm. Surprised to see a wound, suddenly, I felt a pull on my head, grasping tightly, images flashed directly in front of my eyes—images from last night.

Settling scores with The Wintercrest pack after the clash they had with my pack, The Enchanted Shadows. It took three years, then we came to an agreement.

Returning back, I had no idea that all was in vain and some assassins were sent to go after me. I recognise them by their claws.

While on the run, an arrow was shot at me, piercing through my skin. I felt the poison quickly sip through my veins, leaving me with intense torture.

The poison seemed to have gotten the better of me, I howled in anguish, slumping on the root of a tree. Before my eyes fluttered close, I saw a shadow... It belonged to a girl... she said reassuring words to me... her pheromone hit my nostrils again as she pulled me away from there... Just then everything went blank.

'Mate!' Asher, my wolf, growled continuously.

     "What?" 

I didn't even know who she was or where to find her, and now Asher has claimed her.

Quickly, I wore my clothes, and hung the coat around me.

The pheromone hit me again.

'Mate!' Asher growled again, louder this time.

It was real, the girl. Then is she my mate?

Ever since the death of my father, I have never gotten myself involved with women.

Now, a mate?

I had always been trained to take over the pack, to fight at the warfront, and to continue ruling the people from where my father had stopped.

'Mate!' 

Asher kept on growling over and over again, and it left me with no other option but to shut him out.

"Send someone to me right now!" I mind linked with my beta, Sam. 

I needed to get out of here.

I stepped on something, looking down, I picked a necklace from the floor.

Flipping the pendant, I squinted my eyes at the sight of an engraved initial. 

"E&V!" Unconcerned about it, I threw it into my pocket.

Cramming my hands into my pocket, tired of waiting.

A similar smell-delicate roses, jasmine and lavender filled my nose, but this smell was faint, unlike that from the coat.

My eyes landed on a slender girl walking into the hut. Wearing a sleek gown, her curly hair fell over her shoulders as she walked toward me.

"Alpha Nickolas," she said, slightly bowing her head.

I nodded, and she stood straight. "Who are you?"

I could feel Asher grumble, but I shut him out again.

The corner of her mouth quirked up as her face turned crimson. 

"I'm Emilia Hoover, the daughter of Beta Sam. I'm glad to meet you," her face lit up.

"Alright, did your father send you?"

She bowed her head slightly again.

"Yes, he did,"

~FLASHBACK-TWO HOURS AGO~

Pacing around the room, "Alright, I will send someone to you immediately. Everyone is anxiously awaiting your return," Beta Sam took a drag from his pipe before slumping into the couch.

Emilia hid behind the door, eavesdropping on her father's conversation.

She was just about to leave when she heard him talking to someone over the phone.

Blowing out thick smoke from his mouth, "Get to Alpha Nickolas right now. He's in the hut where the harvest products are stored," 

Emilia's jaw dropped.

"Leave whatever you are doing and your fucking asses up! Go and get the Alpha right now." Sam flares up as he drops the pipe into a round ceramic plate. 

"The hut is located somewhere around the woods!"

Hearing that, Emilia simpered. Walking out of her hiding spot, hastily strode into the sitting room. 

Camilla cocked her head, wondering what was going on. "Emilia, where are you rushing to?"

"I will tell you when I'm back, mom," grabbing her jacket, she stormed out.

Running through the tarred road into the woods, hoping to meet Alpha Nickolas. She had waited for so long to meet him.

Now, finally.

~PRESENT~

"Why did your father send you to me?" Leaning forward, eagerly awaiting a response from her. 

The air was thick with tension as Emilia's eyes were pinned on me. "Oh! That? The thing is…" rubbing her palms together, taking another step closer to me.

Her pheromone hit my nostrils again, but it was still faint. 

     "Talk to me!"

There was no doubt that she was the girl from last night... It was too bad that I didn't get to see her face.

Lowering her head, "The thing is, when I heard my father talking to someone about coming here, I was surprised that you were awake already. You slept throughout the night, and you ached a lot." Her eyes glimmered with affection. "I had to stay up all night to keep you warm,"

"Really?" adjusting the lapels on the coat as I hung it on my shoulder.

Crossing my legs, I relaxed on the rough wall of the hut, her eyes glinted with desire.

'But she smells different,'

My face was unfazed. "Why did you save me?"

Emilia's shoulders sag, raising her head, she stared at me. 

"What?! You don't appreciate that I helped you? You don't even believe that I helped you? You would have been dead by now if I hadn't interfered and saved you out here in this chilly night," her face hardened.

"You owe me your life!" Her words were sharp. "See this," pulling out the satchel on her shoulder and opening it in front of me.

"I left earlier this morning to get this for you... you haven't eaten anything yet, so I packed all of these," Lowering her voice, trying to convince me that she was the one who saved me.

I believed her, but the pheromone from last night lingered in my memory, and I'm not dumb enough to tell that they smelled different.

Taking a deep breath, "I guess you want to be rewarded," rubbing my palms together.

Her eyes twinkled as a flush crept up her face. "I would greatly appreciate that," Emilia chuckled.

Nodding my head, "Alright, it's best you leave," I suggested. "Your father has sent someone over, so I will follow the person."

"What?!"

     VALERIA

Eve was upset, she smiled at me when I couldn't tell her the whereabouts of the necklace she went through a lot to get for me as a birthday gift.

I did the dishes and headed straight to Miss Sophie.

Extending her finger towards a maid who was fiddling with her hair, "Hey! I warned all of you already. If you are walking into the kitchen, especially when the royal food is being prepared, you shouldn't fiddle with your hair." Miss Sophie yelled at the maiden, causing her to shudder.

"Why can't you get that?"

The maiden lowered her head, her hair falling over her face. "I'm sorry, Miss Sophie, I got carried awa..."

Cutting her off, "Sorry for yourself! Now get out!" Miss Sophie ordered as the maiden walked away.

The kitchen went silent as everyone became careful with whatever they were handling. Miss Sophie wasn't the kind to yell, but if there's a slight mistake in the meal, we all will lose our jobs.

Walking towards Eleanor, Miss Sophie pressed her palms together. "Please be fast with the broccoli... we need it now." Eleanor nodded her head, hastening up.

I walked towards Miss Sophie, she stood in front of the pot with a steering spoon in her hands. Noticing my presence, she cocked her head.

Scratching her brows, "Valeria, are you done with the dishes?" turning her face away as she stared at the pot.

I could tell she was nervous as well as anxious... the Alpha had been away, and she hadn't served him a meal over the years. Her hands tremble.

"Yes, I just finished with that."

"I wanted to ask for a favour." My head suddenly felt itchy, with my pinky finger, I scratched the itchy part.

     "Alright, tell me."

"Can I get a thirty-minute break? Please, I don't mean to allow my personal issues to get involved with my work." I clasped my palms together in front of my face.

Miss Sophie held onto the spoon tightly as she twitched her brows, glaring into my eyes. "Are you okay? You've been acting differently since morning," she affirmed.

      "I'm fine. I promise."

I hated that I was lying to her, but I had no choice. She would be disappointed in me, and I didn't want her or Eve to get hurt by Emilia.

"Are you sure?" Miss Sophie asked again, and I nodded my head. "Okay."

"Excuse me for a moment." Looking around, "Ruby!" she called out, stepping away from the pot.

Yes, ma'am." Ruby stood beside Miss Sophie, waiting to know why she was called.

"Watch over the soup... make sure it doesn't get overheated... otherwise, the leaves wouldn't look fresh," Miss Sophie said, and Ruby nodded. "Get the mushrooms out of the fridge first."

"Alright." Ruby rushed to get the mushrooms.

"Val, you know you are the most competent person I have around here other than Eve. Return as soon as you can before the Alpha arrives," she said, and I nodded my head. 

      "The banquet will begin in a couple of hours,"

I yanked the apron I was wearing over my neck and hung it on a nail. Packed my hair into a messy ponytail and adjusted my dress.

I breathed heavily as I jumped over some branches, picking up some twigs and throwing them over to a corner.

Hiding in a corner, staring into the hut just to make sure no one was inside. I didn't want to take any risks.

Laying low, confirming that no one was in the hut. I was just about to jump out of my hiding spot when a car drove past the tree I hid at. 

"Is Alpha Nickolas still inside the hut?" My hands flew to my mouth as I stepped on a branch causing it to break.

Lowering my head, watching as the door of the car closed, and I raised my head.

Crinkling my eyes as I took a better look, 'Who's that?'

Looking around the hut, he turned around, facing the car. It was Gamma Jaxon... it seemed like my father had sent him to get Alpha Nickolas.

Watching with my eyes and ears on alert, it didn't take up to two minutes when Jaxon walked out with Emilia and Alpha Nickolas.

She held his arm tightly, her face flushed, while she hung the satchel over her shoulder, giggling as they headed to the car.

Just because I'm an Omega?

What difference does it make? I'm still human... but I knew too well how Emilia had always dreamt of having Alpha Nickolas to herself and now is exactly the perfect chance for her to get what she desired.

I jerked back when I saw Alpha Nickolas stare in the direction I was. I hid behind the tree, my heart thudding loudly.

Stepping after I heard the car zoom off. Hastily, I ran into the hut.

Looking around in the hut, Alpha Nickolas' scent lingered. I waved it off my mind.

My eyes scanned the floor of the hut... I knew there was something around there. The necklace must have fallen off somewhere, my eyes darted to every corner, hoping that I would find the necklace... It meant a lot to me.

As seconds went into minutes and minutes were counting into an hour, I fell to my knees when I couldn't even catch a glimpse of something shiny.

Wrapping my arms around my chest as it fell to my laps, many questions ran through my head. The necklace wasn't in this hut, where was it?

       ~

The lights flickering out of the candle glittered in my dim green eyes as I strode into the kitchen. Everyone was busy as the kitchen was bustling. I shuddered when someone grabbed my shoulder.

Flinching, I twirled around, "Miss Sophie,"

"Thank goodness you are back. Alpha Nickolas is back, and the banquet just began," Miss Sophie began. "I sent Eve on an errand, so you'll have to serve the food to the Alpha and the rest of the people on the table with him."

My eyes widened. "Me?"