The Alpha's Daydream

“I never did like Joaquina,” Ariella mumbled as she walked up the short hill to the cottage nestled at the crest.

“So I noticed,” Malachi responded grimly from her side. Both were recalling the time Joaquina had nearly forced a tattoo on Ariella, causing her to flee with a numbness paralyzing her body in a mystifying way.

Now, hand in hand, they ascended the wooden porch steps and knocked solidly on Joaquina’s front door.

The artistic shewolf opened it a moment later, her eyes wide and hair wild, as if she’d barely gotten any sleep overnight and instead stayed up, afraid for her life as rogues and demons attacked throughout the territory during the eerie lunar eclipse. Ariella wondered why she hadn’t gone with the other shewolves and pups, or come out to fight. Remaining holed up seemed cowardly.

“Joaquina,” Malachi addressed her in his powerful Alpha tone. “Tell me about my tattoo. What on earth did you ink me with? Don’t try and lie to me, but give it to me straight. What is in that special ink you so fondly like to use?”

She seemed to shrink under his barrage of questions, especially when her eyes were drawn to his bare torso where the absence of her masterpiece was clear for all to see. Stepping back, her mouth quivered as she tried to form answers, but then she threw her shoulders back and looked her Alpha square in the eye. A bold light lit her brown eyes and she narrowed them on him.

“Why don’t you come in and I’ll give you all the answers you seek,” she purred, her voice casting shivers over Ariella’s skin.

As they stepped over the threshold into Joaquina’s parlour, immediately a heavy presence seemed to weigh on Ariella’s shoulders and she found it difficult to breath. Thick aromas of herbs and other scents permeated the room, a heady mix like burning incense. Swallowing down her discomfort, she clutched Malachi’s hand tighter and felt him squeeze back in response.

“Come, take a seat,” Joaquina offered.

“I’ll remain standing. We’re not here for long. Just tell us about the ink,” Malachi fetched the bottle from the shelf behind her workstation and held it out of her reach, his eyebrows rising in surprise as she reached for it quickly. Before she could snatch it from his grasp, he tossed it to his other hand.

Ariella watched with careful scrutiny as Joaquina’s entire body took on a cunning and possessive posture.

“Give it back, and I’ll tell you,” she bargained with the Alpha, wiggling her fingers as she held his cool stare.

“I don’t think so. Tell me now, or I’ll have to imprison you for obstruction of the truth and failure to respect your Alpha,” Malachi demanded.

Joaquina pursed her lips and crossed her tattooed arms over her chest. “Your mother Seneca gave it to me. It is a very rare and priceless potion from her homeland.”

“Her homeland...meaning Hell?” Ariella asked, trying to put the pieces together.

Joaquina’s eyes flared, but she bit her lip in neither confirmation nor denial. It was obvious she knew more about the former Luna than she cared to share. “She never said where she actually fled from, just that her father was forcing her into some horrible arrangement and her brother helped her run away. She barely made it out alive.”

The way she said it made the story sound so sad and pitiful, but Ariella knew better. She’d heard first hand from the King about the rebellion led by Lucius, and the choice each angel had made. Seneca had chosen to turn her back on the Creator of the universe, and was banished from the King’s presence forever. Fleeing for her life had been a natural consequence when the battles lines were drawn and the loyal angels fought to defend their King’s honour and authority.

“That’s utter rubbish. But moving on, what is actually in the special ink?” Ariella levelled her own direct stare at Joaquina.

“You’d never believe me if I told you,” the artist replied cryptically and evasively.

Ariella felt like strangling her. “You would be surprised what I do and don’t believe,” she replied forcefully.

“Well, I’m sure you don’t really want to know—”

“Tell us now!” Malachi roared, his hand striking out and latching around Joaquina’s neck. He didn’t crush it tightly, but the threat was there. It was as if he too could sense the darkness swirling about the room, at the atmosphere dripping with malevolence, and wanted to be out of there in as little time as required.

“Okay…” Joaquina squeaked, the sound small and thready as she finally understood the seriousness of the situation. As Malachi’s hand loosened on her neck, she spoke tersely, “It is the blood of lost souls. And their bones. Seneca told me…when sinners are sent to the Abyss, their bodies are consumed by the raging fires. To make the ink...their ashes are ground up and mixed with their spilled blood. The resulting ink, when injected onto your skin, ties you to the spiritual realm. It helps in the transition from mortal to a spirit demon. She said it would help you,” she gasped, her fingers clawing at Malachi’s hand around her neck. Her long nails scraped against his skin, but he didn’t react as though he felt the pain.

“You’re disgusting,” he growled lowly, then released her. Staring at the bottle of ink in his hand, he tried not to be sick from knowing its origins and purposes. “So you knew her plans for me all along.”

“I only did what the Luna asked of me,” Joaquina struggled to take a deep breath, her eyes glistening with tears and her shoulders shaking, her body bowed in subservience to the Alpha and new Luna.

But Ariella saw through the ruse. “What about the madenolia nectar? Why do you have that here too?” she reached up to the shelf behind Malachi and plucked the small bottle with the rare blossom etched onto the side.

“Oh, that,” Joaquina laughed shakily, waving her hand as if it was no big deal. “That’s just a little something I like to give my clients. It helps them relax, you see. Clears their mind so we can read it better.”

“It also makes them lose their mind, or don’t you care what this poison actually does?” Ariella argued, knowing the true nature of the toxic nectar from her reading of plant guide books.

“Seneca said—”

“Seneca had you falling for all her lies, didn’t she,” Malachi rumbled quietly, a deadly pitch in his voice. Ariella glanced at him, concerned for his state of mind. She wondered how he was coping with the horrible truth about his mother. They’d all seen how cruel and ruthless she’d been, yet she was still the woman who’d raised him. And now she was gone. Ariella laid a hand gently on his back, and felt his body angle towards her in subconscious acknowledgment of her calming presence. She knew underneath the anger, he needed comfort.

Taking the madenolia nectar from her hand, Malachi turned back to Joaquina with steely eyes, indifferent to the way her body tensed in fear. “There’s only one place for this toxic poison,” he said while crossing the room to the small hearth in the corner that Ariella hadn’t noticed before. Now she saw small trays set over the flames, vapor rising from the contents, the source of the acrid smell that swirled heavily in the air and toyed with her senses. He threw both bottles into the flames, the glass smashing against the bricks and the liquids feeding the flames like a frenzied lover.

“No!” Joaquina screamed and leapt towards the hearth, unheeding of the heat as she threw her arms in and tried to scrape the ink back out.

Ariella stared in shock as Joaquina mindlessly screeched as flames caught onto her sleeves and raced up her arms. Then Ariella broke into motion, and reached for the crazed shewolf to pull her back from the fire. But Joaquina spun around with surprising strength, her eyes wild and sparkling with crimson flecks as she snarled and jerked away from Ariella.

“Leave us! You dare come close when all you want to do is ruin us! You traitor!” She turned toward Malachi and screamed at him in a voice that seemed to vibrate with a dozen echoes, each one a different timbre. “You’re nothing but a traitor! You could have been strong and filled with power, but you let that witch deceive you!” Joaquina pointed a finger at Ariella, her arm burnt and her clothing now melted and sticking to her skin in a tortuous manner.

“Come on, let’s get out of here,” Malachi grabbed Ariella around her waist and pulled her back to the open door, out of reach of the incensed shewolf whose body was now engulfed by flames.

The fire leapt from her hair and clothes to the stacks of books and papers on her desk, licking them up and turning them to ash. The window curtains were next to catch alight, but Ariella didn’t dare look back as Joaquina dropped to the ground and writhed and screamed in agony.

It was a horrible sight, one she didn’t want imprinted on her mind. There was nothing they could do for the woman enslaved by the lethal demons that Seneca had introduced her to. Joaquina had accepted and invited the darkness into her home, and it was too late to save her from the master she’d chosen.

Once outside and at a safe distance, Malachi and Ariella turned back to watch the house crumble from the restless and hungry flames. They consumed everything, until only a pile of rubble and ash remained. The black stain on the land was contrary to the vivid green forest and bright grass surrounding the rest of the hill.

Ariella shuddered in Malachi’s arms, and leaned into him for support. The acrid stench of the burning house filled the air and clogged her nose, and she buried her face against his chest.

“Mom! Moooom!!”

Ariella looked up in time to see a small streak rush past, and lunged to grab the child before they could reach the still smoldering house.

“Shh,” she held the little girl close and tried to calm her down, but found it impossible when she kept pulling away towards the house.

“Petrinna, I’m so sorry,” Malachi knelt beside them and took the girl in his own arms, but she beat her fists at him and squirmed free.

“What happened to my mom? What did you do to her? Where is she?” she screamed, her face scrunched in panic as tears ran from her eyes.

“There was a fire, and—” Ariella tried to think of something else to say to soften the horrible truth, but her voice caught and she coughed on the smoke that lingered in the air.

“You killed her! I saw you. You went into our home and set it on fire! How could you?!” Petrinna, her long braids flying about wildly, flung her arms at Ariella and tried scratching her face, but Malachi pulled her back. “I hate you! I hate you all!” she kicked him over and over in the shins and scratched her tiny claws over his chest before breaking free from his grip and running. She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her into the forest, the sounds of her broken sobs lingering behind her and wrenching at Ariella’s heart.

“I’ll find her,” Harlow stepped up beside them before taking off after the newly orphaned girl.

“And I’ll go with you,” Lexi joined her. “She’s going to be totally distraught.”

Ariella watched as they disappeared after Petrinna, and prayed they would find and console her. She now felt even worse about Joaquina’s death, having no idea that the strange tattooist was a mother. Pressing her lips together to hold back a shuddery breath, she reached up to wipe away the tears that had slipped from her eyes.

But her mate was already there, pulling her close and drying her tears with his gentle touch. “It isn’t your fault, Arella. You can’t take the blame,” Malachi murmured quietly against her ear, having read her emotion so clearly. “Joaquina was dangerous, and needed to be stopped. Our territory is safer now that she’s gone,” he said with a deep finality. There was nothing callous about the way he spoke of the death, it was just a fact of truth. How many others were working with demons to weave darkness and deceit around the pack?

“I know. But her daughter...” the protest faded as another sob rose in Ariella’s throat. Why did death keep surrounding itself around her? Why did innocent children have to pay for their parents’ sins?

“We’ll find a family to take care of her. As a pack, we’ll heal and move forward together,” he said bravely, and she knew he was telling himself as much as her. Looking up, she studied his face, at the frown lines between his eyes and the tight line of his usually full lips. She saw how weary he was, and released a heavy sigh that matched his own in that moment. None of them had had any rest last night, and the day was dawning with the promise of hard work and tough decisions.

“I can only hope that—” he stopped speaking abruptly and concentrated his eyes on somewhere to the north-east. Ariella figured he must be mind-linking, and it was confirmed when his body tensed and his fingers dug into her side. “Hendrik is asking for us. Says he wants us to meet him by Sunset Falls,” he told her with irritation in his voice.

“Alpha, we need to go meet Hendrik. He just said—”

Malachi held up his hand to interrupt Hamilton who had just run up to them. “I know. He linked me too. But why on earth can’t he just come here? We have plenty of our own problems to deal with as it is.”

“He said it’s important, and…” Hamilton hesitated, hands on his hips as he looked away from his Alpha for a moment. Ariella could see his mind debating internally his best options, as there was clearly something he didn’t want to have to say.

“Out with it, Hamil. If it’s important, I haven’t got all day to decipher it from your mind,” Malachi said a little harshly, but Ariella understood. “What is he even doing beyond the border?”

“He and I planned for him to escort the weakest of the pack away to a safe zone should the need arise. Which it obviously did last night, so he is there now with half a dozen warriors protecting them. It seems, however, he’s had a run in with Zander.”

All the air rushed from Ariella’s lungs. “Okay, that’s it. I’ve had enough of this suspense. We need to go now and sort this out once and for all, and find out what on earth he keeps pestering us for,” she looked at Malachi with determination in the tilt of her chin.

He ran a hand over his face and grimaced. “Now is not a good time...”

“Then when will be? During our acceptance ceremony?” Ariella fairly stomped her foot in frustration. “I don’t suppose he’s going to try and ruin that for us too, huh?”

Malachi glanced at her quickly before looking away, his face reddening in an expression she’d never seen on him before. Then he met her eyes again with a hopeful look in his own. “So you want to accept me? After everything I’ve done to you?”

She nearly rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Of course, silly! But that is not the point of what I’m saying. I think we should deal with Zander right now and get one problem out of our way.”

Hamilton took a deep breath and crossed his arms. “Wouldn’t that be nice. I think you underestimate the problem, Ariella.”

“Well maybe if you just told me what he’s wanted all this time, I could finally make sense of it. Either way, we’re going to solve it now, so let’s go.” She grabbed Malachi’s hand and started tugging him down the hill before realising she had no idea where they were supposed to be going.

“I guess… you should lead the way,” she stopped abruptly and Malachi bumped into her back.

“Oh, really? You’re going to listen to me now? Hm?” his deep voice rumbled close to her ear, sending goosebumps rising all over her skin. She looked at him, at his raised eyebrow, but it took another moment for her to see the faint grin tugging on his lips.

“Don’t be smart with me, young man,” she said in a voice that emulated something her mother would say to sassy-mouthed wolves who tried giving her cheek during training.

Malachi let out a chuckle and tugged on her hand, making her fall against his chest. “I’m afraid I’ll have to be smart if I’m going to be bonded to you for the rest of my life,” he teased, and when she slapped him on the chest, he grabbed her hand and placed a kiss on her palm.

The gesture immediately calmed the testy fire between them, but sparked a new one that was low and smouldering. She stared into his eyes, lost for a moment in the galaxy of silver stars that danced in his azure blue irises, and only when Hamilton coughed loudly did they snap from their entrancement.

“Plenty of time on the honeymoon for starry eyes and sappy kisses. We’ve got to get moving,” he grunted, making them both blush and stumble over themselves to catch up to the Beta.

After shifting into their wolves, it didn’t take long for them— along with a few other warriors— to run to the northern border near Sunset Falls. They crossed the mighty flowing river a little way downstream, where large boulders made a natural crossing, then they picked their way back up through stubbled brush and smooth rocks. The river made a natural boundary on this side of the territory. But since the acquisition of the neighbouring pack’s land after their deadly disagreement many years ago, the land to the east of the river was now a part of DoubleEdge territory.

Following the scent of their fellow pack members that Hendrik had led through there earlier, they arrived near a broad road that led further down into the plains where other civilizations sat sprawled amongst the sparse forestry. A clearing tucked behind an outcropping of rocks beside the cliffs was the perfect place for a small pack of wolves to remain hidden and protected, and Ariella was grateful that Hendrik and Hamilton had had the foresight to plan this should an attack occur on the territory.

As they stepped into the clearing that was fronted by large trees, Hendrik rushed forward and clasped his Alpha on the arms before swiveling his relieved gaze to Ariella.

“I really didn’t think you’d make it,” he breathed as he reached his arms to her and she stepped into them with no hesitation. But she didn’t make it far before two stronger arms wrapped around her from behind and tugged her back. For the second time in so short a while, she fell against Malachi’s chest and spun in confusion.

“No one touches my mate,” Malachi glared at Hendrik, his voice a low growl that seemed to reverberate around the rocky cliffs that boxed in the clearing. All the gathered wolves lowered their heads at his show of dominance and Hendrik involuntarily took a step back.

“Hey, sorry man. I know she cares for you, but uh…” he scratched the back of his neck. “Last I saw, you rejected her, so…”

“Well, I’ve taken it back!” the Alpha proclaimed hotly. “Now nobody dare touches her unless it’s over my dead body.”

“Malachi, please…” Ariella groaned and suddenly felt faint at his choice of words.

“Sorry, that wasn’t a very good phrase to use,” his face softened, and he squeezed her hand and placed a soothing kiss on her forehead. Then he looked up at his men and began glaring again. “But you all get the idea!”

Ariella felt like she’d get whiplash from his mood changes, but put it down to the stressful and traumatic night they’d all endured.

“Now, where is Zander?” Malachi stated calmly after pausing a moment to take deep breaths and steady his racing heart, filling himself with Ariella’s intoxicating yet soothing lavender scent.

An unfamiliar man pushed through the crowd to the front, and Malachi immediately tensed again. Ariella watched him carefully approach.

He was tall, with jet black hair, skin the colour of honeyed olives, and the clean appearance of a well-groomed man. He wore a black shirt and leather jacket that was only slightly dusty despite having lived in the wild. Khaki fatigues and combat boots completed his outfit, all his clothing very clean and neat unlike the other rogues she’d had the misfortune of encountering. They were dirty, disheveled creatures, layered in grime from pawing a survival out of the wilderness.

But Zander… he held himself powerfully as if he were the opposite of a rogue. His body was well-muscled and toned, and he strode towards them with confidence in every step. In all honesty, the longer she examined this infamous rogue who had plagued them for months, the more she saw nothing that resembled the nefarious image she’d conjured in her mind.

He stopped and knelt to his knees in front of them, bowing his head briefly before casting a quick glance at the Alpha. When Malachi nodded tentatively, the rogue met Ariella’s gaze directly. A smile spread across his handsome face, illuminating his twinkling brown eyes. “Luna Ariella,” he addressed her, his voice deep, rich, and utterly too dignified for the type of man she’d expected him to be.

As she studied him, wondering whether she could trust this strange male or not, a light breeze blew past her and caught his hair, ruffling it in a manner that was familiar. With a release of the breath she’d been holding, Ariella held out her hand in greeting.

He took her offered hand and laid a kiss on her knuckles. “It is an honour to finally make your acquaintance. I am Aleczander Önder, former Alpha of Siyah Mağara Pack.”