Alpha Randall charged into his chamber, rage threatening to suffocate him but he managed to keep it all inside of him, not letting it show.
"Leave," he ordered in a low growl to the ladies who were cleaning his chamber.
They bowed their heads and scurried out of his room.
Randall leaned against the wooden wall, taking in deep breaths to calm the emotions whirling inside of him.
He couldn't understand what was wrong with him, but for some reason he couldn't tell, he felt a burning rage within him, knowing that Reyana had lied to him about seeing Aldric.
The mere thought of Aldric being around Reyana ignited a fire within him. Forbidden images played out in his head, igniting a blaze of jealousy and possessiveness as he imagined all the nasty things Aldric must have done to her body while they were alone.
He hated himself for letting it bother him. Besides, he hated her so much, so, why should he care?
Just as he successfully got rid of those nasty images, he was tormented by another image... Reyana's naked body.
Alpha Randall recalled how it took all of his willpower to resist the urge to take her and make her his at that point. Her body stirred up something he'd never felt in his entire life.
"What are you doing to me, Reyana?" He closed his eyes, running his hand through his sleek, long hair as he gulped down a lump in his throat.
"She isn't doing anything to you, Randall. You are the one hurting yourself. You can't fight this for too long," he heard the judgy voice of Keir say in his head.
It was almost as if Keir had made it his duty to always point out the bitter truth to Randall and it was frustrating.
"Can we ever be on the same page when it comes to Reyana? She means nothing to me, and you know it," He retorted frustratedly at his wolf.
"Never, Randall! We can never be on the same page. She is our mate! Stop fighting what you feel for her. Take her before someone else does," Keir warned angrily before retreating to the back of Randall's mind.
Randall scoffed. He was never going to give in to the mate bond. Never!
***
"No! You don't have to be that cruel to her. I do not approve of that, Randall," Visha's eyes brimmed with tears as she searched Randall's cold eyes, "please, you have to treat her with love and respect. She is your mate," her voice quivering with emotions as she let out a sob.
This was one trait that got Randall so attracted to this woman - her compassion. He looked at her with admiration. He wished she could see through his coldness to know how much he cherished her, because, no matter how hard he tried, his expressions never seemed to convey the depth of his emotions.
Randall let out a brief chuckle - that's all he could ever offer to people, no matter who they were - no one had ever seen him smile since the death of Valerie.
"I hate her with every fiber in me and you know that, Visha." He replied, his voice tinging with bitterness as he stood up from the large wooden bed and walked over to the center of the room where freshly picked flowers lay.
"But what if you have been wrong all along? What if she had nothing to do with Valerie's death? Have you ever thought it through?" She knew how sensitive this topic was to Randall, therefore, she threaded with caution.
Randall felt a surge of anger run through his veins, "Stop it. Don't talk about it anymore." he said with measured control of his emotions, sniffing one of the fresh flowers he had in his hand in a bid to calm himself. He knew she was just being kind and he wouldn't want to take out his anger on her.
"I understand, Alpha Randall. Just think about it. And, I have also decided to accept whatever fate brings my way. I am sorry about the way I reacted yesterday. I was just... Scared..." She spoke in her usual tone of innocence.
Randall turned around and walked towards her, crouching in front of her to meet her small frame as she sat at the edge of the bed.
"Why were you scared?" he took her fragile palms in his.
"I was scared of losing you, Randall. You are all I've got and I don't know what I'd do if I ever lose you," she broke down in fresh tears.
"Visha... You're never going to lose me... Not even to Reyana. You are the one I love and nothing is ever going to change that." He held her chin and tilted her head to meet his gaze.
"Not even the mate bond?" She asked, knowing how difficult that question was, but she needed assurance.
There was a brief silence before he spoke, "Not even the mate bond, Visha. I have utmost control over my feelings and you know that."
"So, what's the plan? I know you can't reject her... It isn't good for our pack."
Randall stood up and sat beside her, "The council wants me to make her my Luna." He broke the news, waiting for her reaction.
Visha felt a squeeze in her heart, "Oh... That's... Great news," She let out a shaky smile, "our pack will finally have a Luna." She struggled to mask her hurt.
She had dreamed of a beautiful life with her Alpha with her being by his side as his Luna. Everything was perfect until fate decided to take a cruel turn.
Now, she felt like she had lost everything she'd ever dreamed of, and she knew it was only a matter of time before Reyana finally stole the heart of Alpha Randall.
"I hate for that to happen. But I don't think I have so much of a choice. But I want you to know that she'll never take your place."
"I... I totally understand, Randall..." her heart quaked the more.
"She'll be the pack's Luna, but you... You'll be my wife."
Visha felt a slight surge of hope come alive in her, as her eyes lit up with questions, "How do you mean?" she cleaned off the tears from her face, waiting to hear his ultimate plan.
"After the coronation, I'll make you my wife... You'll bear my mark and have my pups," he stroked her cheek lovingly.
"Randall..." Her tender voice called out as her face lit up with excitement.
"I love you, Visha." He gently pulled her closer to himself, planting a soft, wet kiss on her plump lips, "I've missed this so much," he whispered, his voice heavy with lust as he deepened the kiss.
He wrapped his strong arm around her slender waist, gently pushing her onto the bed. His kiss was urgent and needy, conveying all the emotions his expressions failed to convey.
"Visha..." His husky voice called out, "What's wrong? Don't you want this?" His warm breath fanned the crook of her neck as he desperately waited for her response.
"I just... I'm sorry..." She attempted to push his huge frame off her almost naked body.
Randall felt his frustration rising. Just when he thought he could finally get a release after the torment Reyana's body had put him through all day.
He stood to his feet abruptly, his muscular chest rising and falling with the rhythm of his angry breaths.
He didn't spare her a glance as he picked up his sleeves from the floor, putting it on as fast as he could.
"Randall..." Visha called out softly, "I'm sorry..." She reached out to touch him but he moved away from her.
"Don't do that, Visha. Don't..."
"But..."
"What's your excuse today? Huh? Tell me! It's been like this for weeks now. You don't let me touch you... Have I done something wrong? Tell me, Visha," his icy tone was low and carried a hint of danger.
"You've done nothing wrong. I just..." She was at a loss for words.
"You see? This has always been the case. You've never given me a reason for your actions. What reason do you want me to hold onto?" He buckled his leather belt, picked up his sword, and securely put it into its sheath. "Enjoy the rest of the night, Visha." He stormed out of her chamber without sparing her another glance.
***
Reyana paced nervously around her small room, her heart drumming in her ears. She contemplated backing out now but at the same time, she didn't want to disappoint Aldric.
"He must be waiting already," she whispered to herself as she peeped through her small wooden window to scan the environment again.
Tara was still sitting outside for reasons best known to her. This wasn't a good time. She was obviously having another argument with her mate, and each time this happened, she sat outside all night. This wasn't good.
Reyana desperately made a silent wish in her heart for Tara to go back into her chamber.
After an eternity of waiting impatiently, she peeped through the window again and Tara was nowhere to be found... Perfect!
***
The Alpha's chamber wasn't so far from Visha's chamber as they were both in the fortress. The fortress was meant for the Alpha and some of his trusted warriors. Visha was brought in as soon as she captured the Alpha's heart.
Alpha Randall walked down the hall of the fortress, his heavy boots echoing loudly in the quiet hall.
He felt suffocated as he had so much going on in his head. All he needed was a quiet walk to help him think properly.
*
He must have lost track of time, but from the distance he'd covered, he had obviously spent a lot of time taking his solo walk. He was far from the living area of the pack. He found himself somewhere in the woods.
Randall felt better after the walk. His anger had dissipated and he was ready to retire for the night.
Just as he turned around to head out of the woods, a figure covered in a black cloak bumped into him.
As soon as they both gazed into each other's eyes, he immediately recognized who it was.
"Going somewhere?" Randall asked in a calm tone as he hoped there was a good explanation for this.
Reyana paced the dark woods in panic as she prayed earnestly for things to go as planned. She couldn't help but feel worried.She looked around her anxiously but there was still no sign of Aldric. She was scared. She was far away from the pack and she felt a bit vulnerable. Out here in the woods, a young girl like her could be a victim of rogues who wander around at night looking for wolves to pry on."Reyana..." A little worried voice called out to her from within, "Are you sure we are making the right decision? I am worried," Mia, her wolf asked with concern."Yes, Mia. This is the best we can do for now. Else, we'll die at the hands of the Alpha," Reyana replied, convincing herself."But you also have some doubts in your heart. Why don't we do the bidding of the moon goddess and see what fate has for us?" Mia suggested."No, Mia. What if fate wills us to die at the hands of our mate? We can change that fate," she reassured."But you know it isn't as easy as you think. We have been
Alpha Randall's green eyes looked down at her with anger and disgust as she tried to free herself from the chains that bound her hands."Alpha Randall..." She called out his name in fear as his huge frame stood over her, his dark, long hair loosely tied in a bun. The coldness of his stare told her all she needed to know - they had been found out.Immediately, she feared for Aldric. Was he also caught? Is he safe? Questions ran through her mind as she also tried to concentrate on the man standing before her.Klara sat beside her, tending to the wound on the left side of her temple. Reyana winced in pain when Klara administered a herb on the surface of the wound. That was when she realised she was hurt."The nerves..." Randall breathe out, still peering at her face.Reyana tried to piece together the fragments of the events in her memory but everything was foggy and she couldn't recall how she got here."No... I..." She tried speaking when she heard someone walk into the room where she
The air around the dimly lit office cracked with dark energy as a tall, imposing figure stood like a shadow amid the darkness as he listened intently to the report being delivered to him."There is still no luck, Alpha. Our ally is doing everything possible to get the assignment done, but the Blood Crescent pack is one hard nut to crack," The soft ethereal voice of a lady reported.The tall figure clad in a long black cloak turned around to face the bearer of the message. His eyes, pools of inky darkness, gleamed with an intensity that portrayed his displeasure.His rugged masculinity and commanding presence were like that of a god among mortals."For how long?" His deep voice, low and menacing sliced through the air."Just a little more time, Alpha," The young woman replied with a bow."Time is something I do not have, Jasina," Alpha Novak replied in a deadly tone."I know, Alpha. I'll make sure you don't have to wait for so long anymore. I'll come up with a plan," She tried to pacif
Aldric sat up on the bed, "A woman? In the woods?""Yes, Aldric. She was no ordinary person.""What do you mean? Who was she and where was she from? Did she say something to you?""She's from our pack. I never saw her face because she was well covered as if she was hiding something. She was hastily walking towards the border. She had a very dark energy, Aldric. She is a witch," Reyana explained.Aldric let out a slight chuckle, "Reya..." he fondled her messy hair, "Have you been having those nightmares again?" he smiled at her."What have my nightmares got to do with this, Aldric?" She asked with furrowed brows."Remember we found you unconscious in the woods? You must have had one of those nightmares when you were unconscious, making you think all you saw was real...""Stop it, Aldric! I know what I saw! How do you think I ended up half-dead in the middle of the woods? She used black magic on me!" She almost yelled out of frustration"But, Reya, in as much as I'd love to believe you,
It had been two long days since Reyana had last felt the cold grip of chains around her wrists. She had been released and was free to go about her usual activities around the pack.She stood before the mirror, her hands trembling as she brushed her hair in an attempt to regain some semblance of normalcy as she prepared to go out and get something to do with her time. She was done healing.As she stared at her reflection, Reyana's thoughts drifted to Alpha Randall, the man whose presence had become an ever-present shadow in her mind. Since that fateful night, she had not laid eyes on him, and Aldric on the other hand had been keeping his distance.Reyana was eager to go out and mingle with people because she was tired of feeling trapped and frustrated. She was finally a prisoner in her pack.Her heart sank as her gaze fell upon the bracelet adorning her wrist – the Arcane bind. A single tear traced a path down her cheek.The Arcane bind sat mockingly on her wrist. As harmless as it loo
The air crackled with tension as Reyana's heart hammered against her ribcage, her every breath coming out in shallow, ragged gasps. She could see the flicker of surprise in his green eyes.For a moment, time seemed to grind to a halt. Randall's world shrunk to a suffocating darkness as Reyana's words echoed through the caverns of his soul deep down the depths of his existence.Fear, anger, hurt, and pain intertwined in a suffocating embrace, constricting his chest with an iron grip as he felt a knot in his stomach.Reyana's boldness caught him off guard, her audacity piercing through the armor he had carefully crafted around his heart. He never expected her to reject him.Reyana felt fear sipping through the cracks of her fearless facade as Randall's silence and lack of expression sent icy chills down her spine.After almost an eternity of silence, Alpha Randall let out a smile... That was the first time she'd ever seen him smile, and she couldn't deny that he had the most charming sm
"The coronation is in four days," Aldric remarked, gently fondling her hair as they both sat in a hidden place somewhere around the garden with Reyana lying in his arms.Reyana wasn't so sure how to react. She knew how hurt Aldric must have been feeling at that point."You also have the Arcane bind on your wrist..." he stated, unconsciously running his fingers around the bind on her wrist.Reyana was still quiet, waiting to see where he was headed."This means we are stuck in the pack. There is no escape from here," his voice was low and sad.Reyana felt a painful thud in her heart as she sat up to face him, "Aldric... I love you," she declared, gazing into his hurtful eyes, "No matter what happens, we'll still be together. It's a good thing the Alpha doesn't want me. We can keep on seeing each other, just like right now."Aldric chuckled, "I wish it was that simple, Reya. As soon as you are crowned Luna, you officially become his.""I'll only be his Luna, not his lover nor his wife.
Klara listened with rapt attention to all Reyana told her. She looked closely at the dagger in her hand and thought of the best way to go about it."You mentioned something about it being poisonous, right?" Klara asked, still taking a proper look at the dagger."Yes, it is," Reyana replied, scanning the dimly lit environment to be sure no one was in sight."Although I haven't had anyone come to me for treatment of any injury for a long time. Are you very certain this person is from this pack?" Klara asked with furrowed brows."Yes, I am. She called me by name, Klara," Reyana's response had no doubt in it."Okay. I still think the Alpha has to be aware of this. It might help in our search for this person," Klara suggested."No..." Reyana quickly objected, "He'll never believe me. This happened on the same night I attempted to leave the pack. He might think I made up the story. We can tell him when we have proof of who this person is."Klara thought about her point and it was valid. The