Taken For The Alpha ✔️ - 29 - Wattpad

Taken For The Alpha ✔️

by Midika

YOU ARE READING

Taken For The Alpha ✔️

Werewolf

*18+ read at your discretion!* My hands tremble by my sides. "Don't sleep with her..." He steps toward me, his eyes dark. "Why not?" "Whatever you were planning to do to her tonight, do it to me instead," I whisper. *** Ayah has always been unremarkable in every way other than in the power she wields. Since she was little she has been able to heal even the most fatal of wounds. Because of this, her father has locked her away, keeping her powers safe from the outside world. That is, until a man appears below her balcony, giving her a glimpse into the freedom she could finally have. However, the moment she starts to trust him, he takes her captive, revealing his identity to be a powerful Alpha who needs her to heal his younger sister. But when the girl's illness becomes impossible for Ayah to heal, she is dragged on a journey beside the Alpha to find an amplifier. On the way, she learns their connection goes deeper than their heated attraction, to a soul bond neither can deny.

Word Count: 2297

~Ayah

I can't quite believe this is happening.

By some miracle, I'm outside. Not only that, but I am down in the village, at a festival Zaon has encouraged me to attend.

He escorted me down here, although he's vanished off somewhere to attend to his own duties while I walk beside Blake, admiring the market stalls set up around us.

When Zaon told me I could attend this festival, he explained a small amount of the history to me, but I stopped listening once I learnt I was invited.

It's a festival to celebrate an old deity whose name I can't pronounce properly in my accent. Apparently, on this night, our souls are more connected to her than any other time of the year, creating a cause for mass celebration throughout the pack.

I'm here for the lights, the food and Blake's company more so than the spiritual element.

Apparently this deity was a large reason this pack fought in the Old War. It ultimately won with her magical assistance, so they use this as a time to thank her and honour those whose lives were lost at the time.

"Wow this is incredible," I marvel as we step into the main artery of the festival.

A massive bonfire is set up in the centre, which is set to be lit later this evening. A massive straw creation modelled after the deity is set up in the centre, ready to be burned so the smoke can lift into the sky.

"It's a lot less incredible when we are having to watch our backs, but I'm sure we can still have a good time," Blake muses, pulling a face.

I glance over my shoulder, at the guard that has been tailing us. Zaon insisted he be present.

We wander past stalls selling fragrant fruit and sizzling meat. Some sell homemade crafts and ornaments, while others sell whatever has come from their livestock.

I scan the faces of those who ponder over the wares, and who eat the delicious food on offer. Not a single one notices me, and the feeling makes me giddy.

I feel impossibly free when no one is watching.

Well, except for the guard behind me.

"I've never seen anything like this before," I admit. Colourful lights are strung up everywhere, casting a vivid spectre of light on the trodden snow. They even travel into the neighbouring forest, cutting through the shadows that draw closer in time with dusk.

"These happen often," Blake explains, swinging her arms. "My mother sells sweet desserts at her stall down the way."

It's been over nearly a month since I healed Blake's mother, and she's already returned to life as though she never fell sick. The village murmured about her miraculous recovery; however, no one seems to be that concerned with what caused it.

The benefit of my magic is that people are more likely to attribute it to the supernatural than to another person just like them.

"I would like to see her and ensure my healing worked as it should," I say to my friend.

"I can assure you it has." Blake wraps her woollen coat around herself further. "She is back to being the way she was before she got sick. It's a miracle, and we have you to thank."

Her smile is bright and grateful, filling me with more warmth than the small pits of fire lit about the festival.

"Your brother has already done that. He's even offered to help me escape," I say lightly, weaving around a group of children who are flopped over in the snow, making shapes with their bodies. Their giggles spill into the air, filling it with a festive spirit.

"We owe you for the rest of our lives." She grabs my arm for emphasis. "Whatever you need help with, we'll do."

I nod, looking down at where my boots pad into the snow. While their offer is kind, escape from here wouldn't be easy.

Even if I could navigate the guards - the number of which has increased since my last escape attempt - I would struggle to make myself disappear without risk of being hunted down again.

"For now I just like your company." I smile, patting her hand that rests on my arm.

The scent of decadent homemade desserts reaches my nose at the same time we arrive at Blake's mother's stall. She has a varied array of them displayed, all looking fluffy and deliciously mouthwatering.

Her mother is stooped down to look under the stall, a pale apron smeared with flour and icing tied around her front.

"Mother, this is Ayah," Blake exclaims giddily.

Her mouth stands with ease, taking me in as I do to her. The last time I saw her, she was lying prone in bed, the unrelenting grip of death around her. Now, she almost looks youthful. Her skin has a healthy flush and her eyes gleam in a way that suggests no ailments weigh her down.

"Oh Ayah! How pleased I am to meet you and thank you in person." She shuffles out from behind the stall to embrace me. She does so in such a way that traps my arms against my body.

"I was happy to help," I say into her hair.

"I was going to die. You've given me more time with my children, and I am eternally grateful." She holds me by my shoulders in front of her, inspecting my person. "How can I repay you?"

My eyes drift to the table. "Maybe a dessert?"

"Take your pick." She looks delighted at my choice of payment. I don't actually want to take anything from her, but the desserts look delicious.

I choose a puffy pastry with powdered sugar dusted on top and apricot jam filling the middle. Blake and her mother watch as I take a bite, the food melting in my mouth.

This is delicious. I can feel Blake's mother's passion for her craft in every bite of this food.

I go to express my sentiment when Blake's attention drifts to a crowd pushing through to the bonfire.

"Oh, Alpha Zaon is about to make his speech," she explains, noticing my confused expression.

"You want to listen?" I take another bite of the pastry.

She shrugs. "Why not? He's our Alpha after all."

"Your Alpha." I polish off the last of the pastry, licking the powdered sugar from my fingertips.

"I don't know his character intimately, but he's a good, fair Alpha. He's also a good boss." She looks longingly at the growing crowd.

I scan her face with a petulant frown on my own.

"He's keeping me against my will," I deadpan.

"And I'll always fight for your freedom." She offers me an apologetic look. "I'm just saying he's a good Alpha."

Reluctantly, I follow her to where Zaon prepares to make his speech. I'm not really interested in what he has to say, but I may as well.

People crowd around a makeshift dais that Zaon stands upon. He speaks to someone below him, wrapped up in a sleek obsidian black coat.

Blake and I settle into our spots as he focuses on the crowd around him. I take my time to examine the looks on the faces of people nearby. They seem ready to hang off his every word.

"Hello everyone it's time for my annual speech where I interrupt your festivities," Zaon begins with a warm smile. "Thank you all for attending. I know it is easy to forget the Old War, but this pack saw the loss of countless lives that deserve to be honoured through the passage of time."

I rub my gloved hands together, making a mental note to study the history of this war in Zaon's personal library. Father hid a lot of world events from me growing up, so I barely know what he is referencing.

People's expression grow solemn as they nod along.

Zaon's smile melts away. "This tradition has always meant a lot to me. My mother's grandfather lost his life in the Old War, and ever since she took this celebration very seriously. While I think of lives lost during this time, I also think of my mother."

His mother, who was once these people's Luna. They all seem to collectively mourn her in this moment, tension gathering around me.

Zaon clasps his hands together in front of him. "Family means a lot to me. Losing my mother was impossibly hard, so having these traditions and memories allows me to remember her entirely, and to keep her essence alive."

I glance at Blake. Even she looks sad.

"Anyway, I won't hold your attention too long. There is plenty of eating and drinking for you all to get to." His smile would be dazzling if there wasn't so much emotion dwelling beneath it. "Please stay safe tonight."

Everyone's attention shifts to the bonfire, which is lit by a burning torch in one go. The wood and flammable material ignite in a great whoosh, immediately warming my chilled skin through the layers of my clothing.

I turn my body to face Blake. "He's lost his mother, brother, and father."

"Oh yes." She nods. "His mother only died two years ago."

"How?"

She pauses, glancing at where Zaon has departed from his stand. He's engulfed in people vying for a chance to speak to their Alpha.

"Well...suicide." She scratches below her ear awkwardly. This isn't something that is spoken about often, clearly.

My heart sinks. "Oh, that's terrible."

He never mentioned it, although why would he? He has no reason to share any element of his life with me, let alone what's clearly personal to him.

"She couldn't handle the loss of her husband, I think." Blake scratches below her ear. "I hate to gossip, though. Especially about this. It hit him really hard, especially since family means so much to him and now...well, Iris is all he has left."

I raise a brow at her. "Did he pay you to say that?"

"He pays me, but not for those reasons." She looks at the bonfire, then back at me. "You shouldn't feel obliged to heal the girl, though. Your life is yours to live."

If it were easy to accomplish, I would voluntarily heal Iris. Not because of how anyone feels about having her in their life, but because it's the right thing to do.

She's just a girl. She is so young and so innocent. I want to heal her even more than I need to, at this point.

"I suppose...oh no."

My hand has drifted to my chest, instinctively reaching for my necklace, only to find its absence. I paw around my throat, looking to feel the familiar peony pendant and dainty chain, but nothing.

I swear I would have touched it only moments ago. I do it so reflectively these days, requiring no thought at all.

Blake frowns. "What's wrong?"

"My necklace. It's gone." I look down at my feet sunk into the snow. I scan for a glint of silver, panic rising in my throat.

"Did you drop it?" Blake begins searching with me, tentatively stepping to the side as if the jewelry ended up beneath her feet.

"No, I swear I was fiddling it a few minutes ago." I haven't moved from this spot since, yet I can't seem to find it in the snow, no matter how desperately I search.

Blake crouches down with me as we begin pulling up clumps of snow, inspecting it thoroughly.

"A girl did pass by close behind you before," she exclaims, looking at my neck where the chain once sat. "She probably stole it."

I straighten. "Where do you think she went?"

I didn't feel anything, but a masterful thief would be practiced enough to slip it from my neck while I was focused on Blake. The thought makes my stomach tighten.

"She will be long gone by now." She rubs the snow from her gloves. "Was the necklace important? Did your father gift it to you?"

I swallow. Is the necklace important? I wear it each day, despite who gifted it to me.

"No...Zaon gave it to me, so I suppose it's not," I mutter, although a dull ache cleaves through my chest.

The necklace is my only reminder of who he was for those fleeting days. I suppose I wouldn't be so attached to the necklace if I had experienced anything like that before.

"It's okay if it is important." Blake's eyes soften. "Hey, are you alright?"

I school my expression into neutrality, clearly having let my worry slip. The necklace is gone, and so is Zaon. It's fitting, at the very least.

"I'm sorry. It just reminds me of a time I wish I was real. Maybe losing it is for the best." I rest my hand below my throat, feeling the jewelry's absence.

"It's clearly not. You're upset." Blake is looking at me like I'm a wounded animal in need of consoling.

I pull on her arm. "I'm okay, let's go back to your mother's stall."

"Alright..." She's doesn't look convinced.

The moment I turn around, Zaon's towering form is suddenly right in front of me. I gasp, stumbling back a step. His brows are set in a sudden line, and his jaw is tight, but his eyes are soft and searching.

"Zaon, what are you—"

"What happened?" He demands.