Chapter 9: Alpha's Punishment

Adelie

By the time morning rolled around, I’d grown accustomed to the ache in my heart. It seemed like every wound I’d ever received just kept piling on, never truly healing.

As I descended the staircase, I realized I’d made a mistake. There were people here—three men, all standing and facing Alpha Kairos.

“Who do we have here?” A bald man asked me in a strange accent. Suddenly, I felt a strong desire to disappear, to wrap myself in my coat and become invisible.

Alpha didn’t respond, so I continued my descent. I wanted to turn back, but they’d already seen me. It would look odd if I retreated now.

“I was under the impression you lived alone, Kairos. Is she some sort of amusement for you? She’s quite attractive,” another man commented, mistaking me for a call girl.

“She’s the Luna of the Night Walkers Pack,” Alpha retorted, his voice laced with anger and his fists clenched tightly.

“My apologies, Luna,” the man said, moving to kiss my hand. I pulled away before his lips could make contact.

The man straightened up. “My brothers and I are here in search of someone,” he explained, though they didn’t look like brothers at all. The second man had bleach-blonde hair, and the third, a redhead, was quiet and kept his distance.

My heart pounded in my chest as he mentioned their search. “Who...are you looking for?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Kairos didn’t tell you?” He glanced back at Alpha, then returned his gaze to me. “We’re looking for someone powerful, a creature with extraordinary abilities. The Alpha King sent us to find it and bring it to...have a conversation.”

His words lacked conviction, but I knew the Alpha King was a good man. He wouldn’t harm anyone, even those with powers. As the ruler of all the packs, he was the one who maintained peace.

“What kind of powers?” I asked, curiosity piquing.

“We’re not sure, but it’s the offspring of Death and a nymph.”

I kept my face as neutral as possible. They were looking for me. I didn’t think I had any special powers, or if I did, I didn’t know how to use them. “Have you seen anything suspicious?” he asked.

I shook my head.

“Very well. Alpha Kairos, we must leave. The search will continue until we find it, dead or alive. Until our next meeting,” he said, and the three men left. Alpha Kairos looked angrier than ever.

I seized the opportunity to ask him a question. “What would the Alpha King want with...it?” I referred to myself as ‘it’.

He didn’t break his gaze.

“They’re lying. It’s not the Alpha King who’s looking for it. Only the naive believe them. They work for someone with malicious intentions. Someone who wants to destroy. If this creature is as powerful as they claim, he wants to overthrow the Alpha King and take control of everything beyond the human world.”

He finally looked at me, his gaze lingering on the long dress I was wearing. “I need to send a message to the Alpha King,” he said, and walked away to his study.

I needed to see Maya’s and Maeve’s mother. As I walked out, Nathan was standing by the door. “Good morning, Adelie,” he greeted me.

“Good morning, my knight in shining armor.” His smile brightened at my words, but he quickly hid it. “I want to go to Maya and Maeve’s house,” I told him.

“Adelie, are you sure? They’re omegas,” he questioned.

“Yes, take me there.”

Maya and Maeve’s family lived in a small house next to the pack house. Larger families usually had their own homes, while the pack house was mostly occupied by unmated wolves.

“Would you mind waiting here for me?” I asked Nathan. He nodded in agreement, and I knocked on the wooden door.

After a moment, the door opened to reveal Maya. “Luna, you’re here,” she said, sounding surprised but pleased.

“I said I would come, didn’t I? I wanted to meet your mother.”

“Sure, but I didn’t think you’d actually show up. Please, come in,” she invited me.

I stepped into a snug little home that smelled of clean air, with houseplants adorning the window sills. Maya led the way into a room on the right, and I followed.

“Maeve! Adelie’s here,” she called out, deliberately avoiding my Luna title in Nathan’s absence. Maeve rose from the couch where she sat next to a boy in a wheelchair. “My Luna,” she greeted me. “This is James,” she introduced, wrapping an arm around him. He was in a motorized wheelchair, controlled by a single hand movement, and his gaze followed me.

“I might be disabled, but I can introduce myself,” James interjected, shooting Maeve an annoyed glance. “Nice to meet you, Luna,” he said, peering through his tousled brown hair.

“Pleasure to meet you too. And please, call me Adelie,” I responded. He nodded and flashed me a smile.

“Thank you, Adelie.”

Maya chimed in from my side. “Would you like some tea?”

“Oh, no thank you. I don’t want to impose. I’m just here to meet your mother.”

“You’re no imposition at all. Let me show you to her room,” Maya offered, leading me up a narrow staircase. The first room on the right was hers.

Her mother was asleep in bed, dressed in a white nightgown with a thick wool blanket draped over her. “What’s her name?” I asked, stepping further into the room.

“Maria,” Maya whispered.

“Could you give Maria and me a moment alone?” I requested. Maya nodded and closed the door behind her.

I took a seat on a chair next to Maria’s bed. She was still, her eyes closed.

Her breathing was faint. Each breath seemed to etch another wrinkle onto her face.

I took her hand and concentrated on her, trying to exchange our energies. But it didn’t work. I couldn’t pinpoint her weakness. She was slowly succumbing to old age.

Suddenly, a figure materialized in the corner of the room. Death. He wore his usual black coat and gray scarf.

“How long?” I asked him.

He approached me. “Tomorrow, 8:32 A.M,” he said, placing a hand on my shoulder.

“How have you been?” he asked. I stood and embraced him, resting my head on his chest.

“Have you been watching me?” I asked. Death had the ability to see everyone’s actions. He used this ability to determine if a person deserved a death wish.

“I’m always interested in what you’re up to, Love,” he said, pulling away from our hug. “You seem unhappy here, being Luna and his mate.”

“I’ll be okay,” I assured him. “This is the best I can do. Living in a small pack that many fear keeps me hidden from those who are after me. I just wish I had someone for me. Alpha Kairos doesn’t want me.”

“He has his reasons for acting the way he does. Trust him,” he advised, moving to the window. “Meredith,” he said, uttering my mother’s name. “She never protected you from those who are after you,” he said. I wanted to ask more, but he was already gone.

If not from them, then who?

I returned downstairs to find Maya waiting for me. She offered me a weak smile.

“I spoke with Alpha yesterday. He’s going to arrange a caretaker for you. I also asked him to try to understand you,” I told her.

“Thank you. Thank you, Adelie,” Maya said through her tears, hugging me tightly.

The next day, Nathan stayed by my side as I moved around the pack. Twilight began to settle in the night sky.

I needed to find a way to get to the forest alone. So, I returned to the house and bid Nathan goodbye. “Thank you, Nathan. I’m going to my room. See you tomorrow.”

“If you change your mind, I’ll be here.” I knew I couldn’t exit through the front door. Nathan was there, and once he left for home, the guards would arrive for their night shift.

I was waiting for Helen to bring my dinner. Not because I was hungry, but because she’d notice if I wasn’t there.

After finishing my meal and returning the dishes, I approached the window. I opened it and peered down. It was a long drop, but a tree grew close by.

The tree was just out of reach. I could only brush the tips of the branches with my fingers. I coaxed the tree to grow a few more branches for me. “Thank you,” I whispered to the tree.

I carefully descended the tree. When my feet hit the ground, I felt a sense of freedom. I moved cautiously, constantly checking my surroundings.

Eventually, I reached the forest. It was time to get to work. I wandered until I found a magnificent tree. It was the largest one in sight. I reached out and touched its rough bark.

~How are you, my dear?~ I thought. The tree responded with a creaking sound, like bones cracking.

Eyes appeared on the tree, and it made a sound that told me it hadn’t communicated with anyone in a long time. The tree took on a more human-like form, while still remaining a tree.

~The forest is healthy. There’s nothing to worry about,~ it said in a deep, resonant voice. ~But there was an intruder. Vampires. They meant harm.~

Vampires were not allowed here. ~What about the guards at the border? Do they know?~

~No.~

I had to warn Alpha. ~Thank you,~ I told the tree, and it returned to its normal state.

I knelt down and absorbed the energy of the forest. I placed my hands on the ground, and all the fallen branches and leaves disappeared. The forest was pristine. I wanted to stay longer, but I had to speak with Alpha.

As I walked back, I worried about Alpha’s reaction to my disobedience. But the safety of the pack was my priority. I was prepared to face any punishment if it meant their wellbeing.

Just as I was about to leave the forest, I heard something.

Footsteps on the grass. The scent of blood and darkness. Fear paralyzed me. Terror gripped me.

“Well, what do we have here? A pretty little snack…”

I turned around slowly, dreading what I might see.

A vampire. Tall, lean, and pale. His eyes were pitch black…and he looked famished.

“Come here, sweetheart,” he whispered. “Let’s have a little chat.”

He lunged at me.

I turned and ran for my life.