His Return

My eyes widened at Alpha Leader, Varick, in the flesh and not another case of hallucination. I felt my throat dry, my heart raced faster than normal as I started to experience another dose of an incoming attack.

‘Deep breath, deep breath… you knew he would be coming back soon.’ 

I glanced at him carefully. Dark hair grew longer, unwashed and scruffy from the lack of care. He fashioned a beard, unsurprisingly untamed and his dark gray eyes observed the area. He was wearing his signature armor and it was more worn than it used to be. 

Once again, he was tainted by vermillion blood.

Blood of the other wolves he had slain while he was away.

His eyebrows furrowed, seeing my lack of response ticked him off as he tightened his grip, bringing me back to my senses.

It stung. The grip made me flinch as I tried to wiggle my hand away from his tight lock.

“I hate repeating myself. Why are you here?”

“I…” I should think quickly or else I would only rouse his anger.  My eyes wandered elsewhere, trying to avoid his gaze or else I would faint.

“I w-went here for fresh air a-after I bought dinner.” I raised a basket of the produce as evidence.

“That is not the Luna's job, church maid,” he growled, then he paused for a moment. “You didn’t come out to break our deal?”

“OF COURSE NOT!” I blurted out loud. Doing so only made me turn to his direction and facing a centimeter closer to him.

The proximity made me stunned and unable to speak as my face turned pale at the closer look of my…husband.

He raised his brow, showing a glint of his surprise of my outburst but he didn’t say a word.

However, seeing him right in front of me only made it worse. As I felt myself gagged. I unconsciously covered my mouth as a small amount of green spew slipped through my mouth. 

I felt myself flustered, having vomited in front of the alpha leader and proceeded to move the alley before throwing up some more. 

Feeling a bit better, I turned to him and his face showed an expression I knew so well.

Disgust.

No words exchanged between us as I was more humiliated to express more excuses. I turned away, more ashamed that I had disgraced myself in front of him. 

Suddenly, a hand grabbed mine and the Alpha leader didn’t hesitate to drag me out of the dark alley.

I gasped, realizing he was holding the hand I was touching in my—

“L-Let go of me, please…” I pleaded as I clenched my fist out of shame. The stench should disgust him yet, gripping my hand,infested with my own bile,didn’t faze him at all.

He didn’t comply as he just walked faster. Soon, we reached the marketplace and our pack kneeled down before the Alpha Leader showed his presence. 

He didn’t stop to greet them and just passed by them. He continued to pull me on his way, to the path heading to his house on the hilltop.

We passed by the group of warriors who were weary and mostly injured from their battles and they only came to stare at us.

But one of the warriors approached us. 

“Lord Varick—”

He grunted giving him the “glare” and his man  backed away. 

Soon whispers and snickering from the pack of wolves were heard as we passed by and I turned red. 

Their eyes landed on my direction and it was clear as day they were wondering about the luna of the pack. 

I lowered my head, carrying my dress to avoid tripping since my h-husband only fastened his pacing.

What in the name of Hati did he want from me?

But the sooner we left the marketplace, we heard the roars and applause of our returning heroes.

“It’s Lord Varick!”

“He won!”

“Even the Elves couldn’t defeat him!”

It was the first joyous marketplace I’ve heard about for a long time. 

I looked at the Alpha leader and he didn’t seem to care about the noise. 

For even things like this, he still didn’t show an ounce of happiness.

<<<<>>>>>

When we arrived, he headed straight to the bedroom and threw me on the bed. I gasped, sweat drops falling from my forehead and I knew what he was going to do next. 

My eyes widened as I scurried back until I felt the touch of the bedpost behind and I shook my head.

No, please. Why so soon?!

Varick read my mind as he took off his gauntlet.

“I didn’t sense another living being in you,” he said, nonchalantly while he continued to remove the heavy armor around him.

I shook my head even more.

“C-Can we not do it today? I’m n-not r-re-ready…”

I could die from this pain if we do it the second time! I silently prayed Hati’s Original Prayer once more in my mind, hoping to appease him.  

He stopped undressing midway. 

“An heir should be born if I perish in battle.What good can a pack do without a new leader?”

It astounded me that my husband talked about his death so casually. 

But why did he say that when he returned victorious?

He sat on the bed next to me. “You—”

His hand—the same cold hands of that night, touched my shoulder and the memories kept repeating on my head like a broken recorder.

I was overwhelmed with a strong feeling of fear and anxiety and I couldn’t breathe… He said something but I was too engulfed with words, words that sounded like mine. 

Which kept repeating in my head. 

He’s going to violate me. He’s going to violate me. HE’S GOING TO VIOLATE ME!

“NOOO!” I screamed. Like they have a mind of their own, my hands pushed him away from me. So I could finally get some air and some space to calm myself down.

I shut my eyes, my face paled from the anxiety that returned yet again just by being next to him. 

THUD!

When I heard it, it snapped me off from my trepidation as my eyes slowly lifted open. 

He wasn't moving at all.

I reluctantly turned and  moved my body nearer to the edge of the bed to see the Lord Alpha lying unconsciously on the ground.

His eyes closed shut and there was look of discomfort on his expression that showed his vulnerability for the first time.

“W-What?” I spewed out my own utter surprise. 

What just happened? 

I raised my trembling hand and touched his cheek.

After the touch, I gasped and I retrieved my hand away before covering my mouth from the utter shock.

“How can that be?!” I gave a panic-stricken shriek. My hands trembled. 

It was impossible! There was no way it was possible!

That the strongest alpha of the pack, our Alpha Leader, was lying dead before me.