Maeve opened her eyes seconds later, finding herself in the packhouse foyer, and howled loudly, voicing her pleasure. Millie and Granny Elsie came rushing from the kitchen, overjoyed and shouting Arla’s name.
Drew appeared next, hugging Maeve tightly and patting her fur. Maeve purred in delight. It had been so very long since she’d been touched, and to have Drew and Dusk so close helped forge their connection once again.
Granny Elsie walked into the living room and returned holding a blanket. She held it in front of Maeve as she shifted back, and wrapped it around Arla’s naked body, leading her into the living room where Millie had rustled up some leggings and a t-shirt.
She hugged and kissed them both, then flew out of the room at a rate of knots and straight into Drew’s waiting arms. He picked her u
Arla woke just before dinner, every thought and emotion flooding back as she was pulled from sleep and returned to consciousness. Alpha Lorenzo. Her mate. She needed to see him, needed to speak to him, needed to touch him. Needed to claim him. His scent was overpowering in the hallway, and she knew he had been here recently. She knocked on his door but received no response. Granny Elsie found her on the way downstairs and insisted she eat. She filled a plate for her and sat quietly while she satisfied her rumbling stomach. “Better?” Granny asked after Arla had polished off seconds. She nodded her head. Granny rose from her seat and hugged Arla from behind, kissing her cheek. “I’m so glad to have you back, dear. Please give him a chance to explain.”
Lorenzo ran his hands under her shirt and up and down the sides of her waist, goosebumps erupting across Arla’s flesh in the aftermath of the blissful feeling of the sparks. Arla began unbuttoning his shirt. The need to feel his skin was growing stronger, making her bolder. He bent his head, kissing and licking her neck until he reached a particular spot lower down that made her let out a moan of pleasure. He instantly knew that was where he would mark her. “Tell him to mark you,” purred Maeve. “Maeve, I can’t just blurt that out. I don’t even know what I’m doing.” “He needs to mark you. I don’t want to push you, but I am going to anyway. You need to complete the bond.”
“Drew! I need you. Lorenzo’s room. Something’s happened to him, he won’t wake up,” Arla mind-linked, feeling frantic. She shook him again, shouting his name, but he looked lifeless. She could barely make out the rise and fall of his chest. “Relax, he’s fine,” said Maeve airily, clearly unbothered. “He’s not fine, look at him! What’s wrong with him?” “He told you that an Alpha’s mark might make you weak or dizzy, but what he didn’t take into account was that you are also of Alpha blood. You are more powerful than him. He’s fine, he just needs time to adjust and recuperate. To sleep it off, if you will.” Arla stood, dumbfounded. She had been prepared to feel terrible after he marked her, but instead she felt absolutely amazing, while he had been knocked out cold.
Lorenzo opened his eyes slowly. His entire body felt stiff and sore, as though he hadn’t moved a muscle in quite a while. The early morning sun was streaming through the curtains, casting an orange glow over the room. Isn’t it night time? He thought, confusion clouding his brain as he tried to recall what had happened. Arla! He turned his heavy head to see her platinum waves fanning over his chest, and wiggled his fingers, feeling her small hand in his. He sighed with contentment and smiled to himself, the delicate sparks dancing on his skin where she lay. Fuck, he suddenly thought.
They were almost out the back door when Millie’s voice called out. “Good morning, Alpha, Luna,” she said, bowing her head with an excited grin. “Good morning, Millie,” replied Alpha Lorenzo. He could sense her excitement, making him smile warmly in return. “You don’t have to call me Luna,” replied Arla, feeling embarrassed that this wonderful woman who had treated her like a daughter all these years was bowing to her. “Oh, don’t spoil my fun, I want to,” she said, giddy, reaching out and pulling Arla in tightly for a hug. “Congratulations darling, you will be a wonderful Luna.” Arla was suddenly hit with a wave of guilt. She had been so overwhelmed since she arrived back home, and then caught up in her bubble of love, th
After breakfast, Lorenzo and Arla joined the visiting Alphas and their delegates in the conference room. Some packs had brought their Alpha and Beta along, while other packs had left their Betas to run their pack at home and had bought a head warrior in their place. Alpha Lorenzo had called his senior team into the meeting, so Drew, Eli, Andy, Milo and Jake were all in attendance. Introductions were made and Arla hoped she wouldn’t have to refer to anyone by name, as she’d immediately forgotten half of their names and packs. The men soon settled down to business. “To bring you up to speed, Luna, our borders have been reinforced, patrols are more frequent, warriors from all packs are on standby and ready to fight when the time comes,” Drew informed her, enjoying watching her squirm uncomfortably when he called her Luna, and hoping that she wouldn’t make
Violet stood in the training hall with the rest of the pack’s warriors, waiting for the meeting to start. She had presumed the gathering was to announce battle plans, but had been surprised to hear people around her mentioning that the Alpha was going to choose his mate today. Alpha Lorenzo was six years past mating age and still had not found his true mate, so it made sense that he would select a chosen mate. Violet had no doubt in her mind that he would choose her. She had rejected her mate in order to be with the Alpha and was still feeling some of the effects months later, but her single-minded focus on becoming Luna helped distract her from the pain. The pain would all end once Alpha Lorenzo called her name. The hall quietened as the head warriors arrived, and Violet’s chest constricted painfully
The first warning siren sounded at five o’clock in the morning. Lorenzo and Arla sprang from the bed as the first rays of sunlight peeked through the curtains. They quickly dressed in the first clothes they could find, listening to the sounds of frantic movement below them in the house. “Alpha, incoming, approaching the western border. Forest is ablaze. There are too few of them for it to be the full attack,” came the mind-link from Eli. “Probably a diversion, only send enough teams to cover it.” “Yes, Alpha. I’ll keep you updated.” Lorenzo relayed the message to Arla as he pulled the curtains open and saw the smoke rising in the distance. He could feel the adrenaline begin to flow in preparation for battle. The responsibility on his shoulders felt immense.