Dahlia POV.
After dinner, an omega shows me the way to alpha Reynold’s office and I knock on the door and wait for him to tell me to enter. When he does, I walk in with my head low.
“Please, sit down Dahlia.” He says and I take a deep breath and move towards his desk and sit down.
“I know things are done differently in Venom Fang, but here you follow the rules. So I will let it slide just once. You are to show respect at all times. I know that may be difficult for you. You have come from the largest pack in the world. So I know you don’t see the need to stand on ceremony. But here I run a tight ship and I hold the reins.” He says, and I look at him. Did he just basically call me spoiled?
“Just because I come from the biggest pack doesn’t mean I have been treated like a princess. I have been training my whole life, for a life and a position I didn’t want. So with all due respect, Alpha, you only know what you have read and briefly seen of me. Don’t confuse me with some self entitled luna wannabe. I am not that.” I say and he smirks at me as he leans back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the desk.
“I can see that, however, while you are here, you will follow the rules. You will speak when spoken to, and you will not ask why. When I tell you to do something, you fucking do it.” He spits between gritted teeth and I fight the growl that crawls up my throat by gulping it back down.
“You’re learning. I know you want nothing more than to leap over the desk and rip me a new asshole. Dahlia, I know you crave the need to prove your worth. I get it. But here you have to prove to not just yourself, but to me and your peers as well. So tomorrow you will start training. I expect you to do well.” He says and I look at him and nod my head at what he is saying.
“Now, your file is as extensive as it is. There is information that is missing and we need to fill it.” He opens a file on his desk and he wasn’t kidding when he said it was extensive. It’s at least four inches thick.
“I will say this, you are the first that has come here with this much experience.” I smile before I straighten my face.
“However, that means nothing in the grand scheme of things. So, I need to know about your wolf. That part is missing.” He says and I chew the inside of my cheek as I think about what I should do.
Only my pack has seen her. She is like mom, bigger than an alpha male. Plus, she has gifts.
“Ok, but only my pack has seen her.” I say and he nods his head in understanding.
“Tell him.” Celeste speaks in my mind as she sits watching.
“Her name is Celeste. She is a white wolf with a blue hue through her fur. She has a crescent moon on her forehead.” He nods as he writes it all down.
“Her size?” he asks, and I gulp.
“8 feet from ground to withers.” I say, and he stops writing before he looks up at me with wide eyes.
“Wow. Most alphas are only 7.” He says and I nod in agreement. Mom is huge and since my father is her mate, he is a little bit bigger than she is.
“My dad’s wolf, Orion, is slightly bigger than my mom. My brothers will be bigger, too.” I tell him and his eyes widen comically.
“Her gifts? I know your mom has power, so I’m assuming Celeste does, too.” He asks, and I nod my head.
“Yes, she, like my mom, can control any wolf, can read their thoughts and mind links. She also can use the surrounding elements.” I say and he hums as he writes, nodding his head.
“Ok, I will keep this information between us. Also, you said that you rejected your mate? I’m curious as to why?” he asks and I sigh before looking away.
So with no other choice I tell him everything that has happened since yesterday. Just looking back is a reminder if why I am here.
“Did he accept the rejection?” he asks sadly and I nod my head.
“Yes, then I found out everyone knew, including my parents and, well, you know, the rest.” I say to him and he looks at me in understanding.
“I’m sorry you experienced this, Dahlia. It sounds like he didn’t deserve you and that you are better off without him.” He says, and I take a few breaths to stop the tears from falling. Why is this so difficult?
“Thank you alpha.” I say and we sit in silence for a short while when he clears his throat and I look up at him.
“You will do well here Dahlia and when you go back to your pack, you will be a force to be reckoned with.” He says, and I know that. I know how capable I am. It’s just that I don’t think I can handle the false friendships and bullshit that goes with it.
“Thank you again, alpha.” I say to him and he stands and I stand with him. He walks around the desk and hugs me. I’m taken aback by this, but I hug him, too.
“It’s ok, you’re not alone anymore.” He says and I clutch him tighter to me. “let it out, don’t hold in your pain Dahlia, otherwise it will consume you.” and like that, the tears fall. My shoulders shake with the heartache, pain, and anger I have harboured for years. For the life I wanted, the life that will never be within reach.
After a while, we pull apart and I wipe my face and take a few breaths to calm myself down.
“Ok, you are already stronger for being here. Now go and rest. It’s an early start.” He says and I thank him again and leave the office, making my way back to the barracks.
I can do this. I can survive here.
I enter the barracks and all eyes look at me, but I ignore their stares and walk towards my bed. I open my drawers and take out my pyjamas and shower things and turn around and glare at them all.
“Still here then?” Lucius says, and I smirk at him.
“Can’t get rid of me that easily. Sorry!” I say and bat my lashes as I walk past some of the others snigger as I walk towards the bathroom.
“Alpha, I am here to show you to the showers.” An omega says as she bows. I would usually tell them not to, but this isn’t my pack, so I just nod at her.
“What’s your name?” I ask, and she offers me a small smile.
“Mindy, Alpha. I will stand watch while you shower.” She says and I thank her as she walks with me down a corridor to the shower block.
“Take your time. I will guard the door.” I walk in and look around.
The showers line two walls, no curtains. Well, isn’t this swell? At the far end there are sinks with mirrors. The bare basics. I move to the far end and look around to make sure I’m alone before I strip off, placing my clothes over the sink and grab my shower gel and shampoo and turn the tap and hot water flows. The steam fills the shower room and I step under the hot spray as I get washed and shampoo my hair quickly before I get dried and dressed.
Brushing my teeth and leave the bathroom with a towel wrapped around my head. Walking back, I thank Mindy and enter the barracks again towards my bed. Putting things away, I reach for my hairbrush and get to work. Once my hair has been brushed, I climb under the covers and turn, giving the rest of them my back.
I would usually either be drinking or playing games on my phone, but all forms of communication were confiscated when I got here. I close my eyes and hear his voice in my head. Malachi.
I shut the link down and roll onto my back, looking up at the dark ceiling. I don’t need him. I can do this without him.
My eyes close and think tomorrow is a new day. I repeat it as I drift off to sleep.
Malachi POV.Every day for the past four years, we have all tried to find Dahlia, but it’s like she has vanished from the face of the earth.Destinee and Titus have used pack resources to find her, but always come up empty-handed. Today would have been her 25th birthday, four years to the day that she left after learning of not just mine but her parents and the pack’s betrayal towards her.Every day, I try to get her to open the pack link, but nothing, not even Fenrir or Selene, have been able to find her. “Daddy.” I am pulled out of my thoughts when my little boy Harrison enters the living room, rubbing his eyes and I stand up, moving to scoop him up.“Good morning, little man. Did you sleep well?” I ask him as I kiss his head.“Yeha. But I’m hungry daddy.” He says, nodding his head, and I chuckle at him. It has been hard the past four years since he was born.Sapphire died bringing him into the world, so I have raised him on my own. We broke up not long after Dahlia vanished. Sapph
Dahlia POV.After four years, our training is complete. Out of the twenty of us that started this journey, only fourteen made it through.“So, we heading to your pack?” Lucius says as he puts his arm around my shoulders and I roll my eyes at him.One night, while I was showering. Six of the males tried to rape me. They knocked out the omega when I was showering and attacked. I fought them off, but six on one I couldn’t. I took down three before I was slammed headfirst into the wall.It was Lucius, Brent, Johnny, and Dex that pulled the male off me and Lucius ripped his throat out before they killed the others. Since then, we became friends.“Don’t you have your own pack to go back to? Why are you so incessant to follow me like a lost puppy?” I say to him when he whines and sticks out his bottom lip. Oh goddess no, not the puppy dog eyes.“Don’t you do it.” I warn when he does it. Goddamn it.“Please, we will behave.” My eyes widen. We?“We, what we? Who is we?” I ask when I see the ot
Dahlia POV.“Well, look who decided to come home.” She scoffs at me as I move closer. I ignore her and smile at the little blonde-haired girl, who looks extremely uncomfortable and sad.I move to my knees in front of the little girl and she gulps, looking up at the huge alpha males behind me.“Hey, what’s your name?” I ask her gently, and she looks at her mother before she looks at me.“Sarah.” She stutters out, well that won’t do. I don’t want this pup to be scared of me.“That is a lovely name for a pretty little girl, and who is this?” I turn and look at the little dark-haired boy who is looking at me with the same eyes as his father.“Harrison.” I smile at him as I stand up.“Nice to you meet you both. I’m Dahlia. Do you both know the way to the day care?” I ask and they nod, biting their little lips and I smile at them, seeing them relax slightly.“Ok, why don’t you both go and head inside while the grownups talk?” I say as Malachi nods his head before kissing his son and setting
Malachi POV.Goddess, she looks amazing. She has changed so much, but those eyes have haunted me since the day everything went to shit. The day she rejected me. Four years ago today.“She looks amazing. I can only imagine how Celeste looks.” Hyde says as we walk towards the training ground.It is taking everything in me to not turn around and run to her. Take her in my arms and beg for forgiveness.“She does, she really does Hyde. Give it time. We hurt her. She won’t forgive us so easily. Dahlia has always been stubborn.” I tell him when he whimpers before he grunts.“She will come round when she is ready.” He says, and I nod as we enter the training grounds. The wolves are in lines and ready to train. I set my bag down and strip my t-shirt off and give out instructions.I walk around the warriors that are sparring as I feel eyes on me. I turn and see Dahlia standing with the four unknown males beside her.Her critical eye watching everything, every move. One of the alphas points and
Dahlia POV.“I take it that he is the ex-mate?” Brent asks me from across the dining hall table and I nod my head at him.“Would you ever forgive him?” Dex asks and I think, would I? Should I?“He knew who I was to him, but still got another pregnant. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Sapphire. From what I remember, she was always hanging off him.” I say as I reach for the food in front of me.“Still, I agree with you for what you did, Lia. But we all know you still hold some place for him in your heart. Maybe talk to him and find out why we never told you,” Johnny says, bringing his drink to his lips.“I know why he didn’t tell me. But he could have when I turned 18. But he didn’t. He stayed away from me. Malachi is 6 years older than I am. So you know it’s pack law that you can’t claim your mate until they reach 18, especially if there is an age gap. He didn’t wait. I can’t blame him for that. What I can blame him for is not telling me when I turned 18,” I say, bringing my food to
Malachi POV.I stand there watching as Dahlia and Harrison walk hand in hand towards the ice cream counter.“She has always loved pups.” Sadia’s voice draws me to look at her, and she has an amused look on her face.“Yeah, she has. She has a heart of gold.” I say when I hear a scoff, I turn to look at the male with the blonde hair with a shit-eating grin on his face.“Yeah, she does. Shame you didn’t see that sooner.” He shrugs when the others look at me as well. They think they can intimidate me. How wrong of them to even think they can.“If you have something to say, just say it. No point in beating around the bush.” I say, looking at him when he chuckles before he places his hands flat on top of the table as he stands. He is tall, but not as tall as the others and definitely not as tall as me.“For a warrior, you are rather tall and broad. If I didn’t know any different, I would say you had alpha blood. We haven’t been introduced. I’m Alpha Lucius Santo of the Crescent moon Pack.”
Dahlia POV.Not all of the pack members have seen me. Only the ones closest to the packhouse. But then again, we have over 25,000 members in total.My parents have organised a celebration for me. To honour my return, I did tell them it wasn’t necessary, but one look from my mom had me shut up.So here I am, sitting by a huge bonfire with a soda in my hand. Looking into the raging flames of the bonfire.“See anything interesting in the flames?” I sigh as I lean back and shake my head slowly. It is strange being back home. I don’t know why I was scared to get it over with. Ok, who am I kidding? I was shitting myself. Mom can be damn scary at times, even more so than dad.“Oh nothing, just thinking.” I say as I think about what is excepted of me. I ran from the pressure of the title but now, instead of running from it. I had turned and ran towards it.“Now, that is a lie. Tell me, little one, what weighs so heavy on your mind that you are ignoring the celebration?” I look at him, Alpha T
Dahlia POV.I run in my wolf form, needing to process the emotions I am feeling. Malachi’s emotions. That is the problem with this gift. I take on their emotions like they are my own. My chest feels painful as we push ourselves harder, running at speed to outrun what we are feeling.We come to the lake, the full moon’s silver light dancing on the surface. Growling and snarling, feeling angry and sad that we weren’t here to offer support or comfort. To be there for him and his pup, even though he wasn’t there for me.Laying down on the cool grass, we breathe and concentrate on what we feel, not what Malachi feels. Calming down, I pick up the familiar scent on the breeze.Lifting my head, I see her, Aura. The wolf of my mom as she trots closer. We stand as she rubs her head against ours.“Daughter, why did you run?” She asks as she moves closer to us and sits beside us.“His emotions are strong. He feels guilt and sadness for his pup. It was too much for us,” Celeste tells her and Aura