The Alpha & Beta’s Regret – Chapter 72

Luci POV

Alari returned to the Forest creek House, to find both boys and her mother waiting for her by the creek bed. Alari lifted herself half up and out of the water, to look right at their mother, where she bowed her head slightly and greeted her “Mother.”

“You are beautiful my daughter.” Her mother smiled right at her and stepped forward to reach out a hand and touch Alari’s face gently “If you ever want to know what your father looks like. Just look at your reflection. You are all your father, you have the same hair, the same cream opalescent colouring, you are as large as he was.”

Alari looked right at their mother. “Thank you.” Luci could feel a swell of pride come from her Siren, just knowing how much she looked like her father made her proud.

“Mamma, can we swim?” both the boys asked, standing next to their grammy looking up at her.

Alari smiled right at them, touched both their little faces, and nodded “Of course you can.” She moved a little away from the edge and watched as they stripped their shirts and shorts off and jumped on into the creek. Saw her mother sit and watch them all as the boys swam around and splashed about.

Alari was always happy to play with the boys in the water, though it was not such an easy thing to do here in the creek itself. She was much too large to make big long sweeping turns, but she played about and splashed them with her hands as well as her tail. Let them sit right on her and swim up the creek a little way, and back again.

It was something she’d always wanted to do, swim like this with the boys. Had not been able to do this in the lake, couldn’t even risk it late at night, as there was too much of a risk of a human spotting them. But here inside the pack, they had the freedom to do so, and there was a part of Alari that liked being inside the pack, just because of the freedom she had to shift and not worry about being caught.

‘Alari, there is an Olympic sized swimming pool inside the packhouse. You could swim there.’ Luci told her.

‘What is that?’ Alari asked right back.

‘It’s a large man-made pool of water about 50 metres long and 25 metres wide, from 1 metre to 3 metres deep, you’d be able to swim there comfortably with the boys.’

‘Water?’ she asked.

‘Not fresh water, it is a saltwater pool. We could go and look at it though. Perhaps you’d like it. Could try it out and see.”

‘Did you like it?’ Alari asked.

‘Mm, I was not really a fan of swimming in particular when growing up, but the pool back in nightfall was chlorinated, it dried my skin out. It might be different here with a saltwater pool. I did like going to the ocean.’

‘I might look at it.’ was the only comment.

They’d played in the water for nearly an hour before getting out. Their mother did not get in, was it seemed, happy to just sit on the edge of the creek bed with her feet dangled in the water. She got splashed by the boys and Alari and kicked the water to splash them back, but had not been enticed into the water itself.

She found her clothes which Alari had taken off in the creek. Her mother, it seemed, had washed and dried them, laid them out ready for her when she came back. Luci showered and redressed, then strolled around and looked at the top floor of the split-level home. Looked out the window at the forest beyond, she did see what looked like a roaming patrol out there. That was new, hadn’t had one of them when she was here. But she did know that some other packs that were larger did have them, in case something got passed the border patrol, there was less chance of it or them getting to the centre of the pack undetected.

She was curious as to when it happened. Why they thought that it was suddenly necessary to have a second patrol within the border? Was it just something they did as an extra layer of protection for their Mate’s. Luci knew that Luna’s were often targeted by enemy packs. They would come in and take out the Luna to weaken the pack Alpha, before starting a war to try and take over or destroy a pack.

She had heard Victor himself say it on more than one occasion. She knew that he had used that tactic himself, was cruel and vicious. Would likely always take out the Luna, find a way to weaken a pack before going in to claim it for himself. His pack grew due to war, he was always taking over other packs and pulling the remaining members into his.

This pack was now Victor’s enemy, somewhere along the course of the past six and a half years, she didn’t know why. Though she was curious, perhaps it was after that battle her mother had told her about, when that Gypsy Princess had come to live here. She sighed to herself, why he had to go about slaughtering others just to gain more pack members she didn’t know. It was not a nice thing to do, no one liked war, but Victor seemed to love it.

“Mother, how old is Victor?” she asked while making herself a cup of coffee from the Jura E8 coffee machine sitting on the black granite island bench in the kitchen. It was simple enough to use and had a touch screen. She pressed the cappuccino button and let it do its thing.

“I don’t know. He was already allied to Orien when I met him.”

“He’s never mentioned his age? Not even once?”

“No. Age is not really relevant, Luci, with us. We live for many hundreds of years. Some up to a thousand. Why?”

“I’m just curious, is all.” She shrugged “was he an Alpha already or an heir when you met him?”

“An Alpha.”

“So, he’s likely old then.”

“He could be, is older than I am.” She nodded. “His pack is also large and reputable to be as vicious as he is. It’s why I never let you go there. I only ever went once myself. I got this really weird vibe inside his pack…I kind of felt like there was some sort of family bond to someone there as well. Though I’d never been to his pack before, and after you turned down Victor’s offer to be his chosen Mate that first time at 19, I didn’t think it was safe for you to go to his pack. Honestly Luci, I didn’t think you’d come back, that Orien would tell me you’d been mated off to someone inside the pack. It’s why I always stated ‘no’, much to Orien’s annoyance.”

“Probably wise.” Luci sighed a little heavily. “Do you think Victor knew what I was the whole time?”

“It’s unlikely, but he does have a pack full of half breeds, and has, from what I’ve heard, six or seven children to many different women, all of whom are half breeds themselves. Likes half breeds from what I can gather. Is more than happy to have them in his pack.”

Luci stared right at her mother now. “How can he have so many if he’s not Mated to them?”

“I don’t know Luci, he’s got no Luna.” Her mother shrugged “So, who knows, maybe he just has a handful of woman who like him and are willing to produce him heirs.”

“I doubt that.” Luci shuddered.

Heard her mother chuckle now, “Luci, just because we don’t like him, that doesn’t mean he’s not nice to others out there.”

“Still.” She shook her head, she’d slept with Victor just once, had been held down the whole time, he had no concerns for anyone’s needs but his own, she didn’t think there were many she-wolves or women at all that would like that, most liked to be teased and pleased before the actual act of s*x itself, she certainly had. Victor was not, from her recollection, a man that did that.

“Each to their own Luci. He could be very old and, never having found his Mate, made deals with she-wolves in his pack to become surrogates, solely for producing heirs. He could have dozens of concubines for that very reason, if he is considered Mate-less.”

“I suppose.”

“He could also pay them very well. They could hold respectable titles within his pack. There could be many ways to strike a deal with all sorts of creatures. Especially as he’s an Alpha to a large pack. Some of these women might have been like me once. Fleeing a pack and in need of a home and wanting security and safety, they might not have known him or his reputation. I also imagine that if deals were struck, those women and children would be very well looked after.”

“If not?” Luci asked.

“Don’t think about that side of it. I’ve never seen Victor force himself on anyone. Never heard he has either.”

She’d never either, but after him trying to take her by force, she did think he had it in him, otherwise why would he take her like that, instead of just talking to her, trying to get her to agree to go with him.

“You and Victor once even?,” her mother stated.

“I know.” She shuddered “I did not much enjoy it. I was young and stupid and had an itch real bad and he was Alpha-blooded. Should have known better, but I guess the itch won out in the end.” She muttered “But it was only once.”

“He didn’t for you?”

“No.” she shook her head “and only raised an eyebrow at me, saying no to him after that one time. He didn’t get angry or ticked off when he asked if I wanted to, and I stared at him and said No.”

“How many times did he ask you?”

“Only a couple. I made it clear I did not like it, he held me down the whole time.”

She heard her mother sigh, “He is a very controlling man in everything he does.”

“It seems that way.” It was not particularly a nice memory, but she had started that encounter with Victor, had no one to blame but herself for that one.

“Enough about Victor Luci. We are safe here.”

“When did the roaming patrols start?” Luci asked. She’d had enough thinking about Victor for the day herself.

“Um, about six months after you went missing. They had a massive rogue attack that breached the border defences on the western and southern sides of the pack if I recall correctly.”

“The pack was breached?” she asked curiously. She’d never seen that happen before.

“Mm,” her mother nodded, “It was a long time ago and nothing really since.”

“Until a few weeks ago.” Luci sighed herself now.

“Correct, you came to their aid?” her mother queried.

“It was war.” Luci nodded “They needed our help, were going to lose and to Victor.”

“I heard you saved the pack?” her mother looked right at her.

“Kali and Alari saved the pack.”

“I thought it was Alari?” her mother frowned now.

“My beasts are special mother…if you tell no-one…” Luci wondered if it was okay to tell anyone about her beasts connection to each other. Though both Victor and likely many in the Black Forest Pack had seen them uniting.

“I will not tell anyone. I can keep a secret, Luci. No one even knows where I originate from, I’m good at keeping secrets.”

Luci looked right at her mother now. “I suppose you are.” She nodded, had kept her own being a half breed a secret had never once uttered that Luci wasn’t Orien’s either. “Kali and Alari can come together as one.”

“What?”

“They can unite and, from what I have seen, in the reflection of the lake, take on the appearance of a half-shifted wolf with the scales of a siren and their eyes are of both…kind of like Astral and Sparks eyes, but black and green, not black and red.”

“Sweet Goddess, Lucian. Did Victor see you like that?”

“Yes.” She nodded.

“It’s no wonder he came back for you. Don’t go telling anyone that.”

“I’m not so stupid as I once was.” She murmured “What do you think of this place?” Luci changed the subject. Didn’t want to think about her own stupidity.

“I think it’s good. We’ll all be away from the packhouse, but close enough for the boys to attend school and visit their fathers. I also like it here, it’s quiet and I can sit and think.”

Luci understood why her mother needed that, “What are you going to do? Thatcher is still in Nightfall.”

“I know.” Her mother stated simply but said nothing more, just stared off across the room absently.

“He might come here?”

“No, he won’t. He will lose everything if he gives up Nightfall. He would be nothing but an elite warrior. He’s too much like Orien for that…Perhaps when he’s taken over, things will change.”

Luci sighed “I don’t know what to do either on that. Rafe and Jack want my opinion on severing from Nightfall.”

“Sever ties with Nightfall Luci, it’s the safest way to protect yourself. Protect your boys, you never know who Victor will situate into Nightfall and send here to mating balls, if there is still an affiliation. Sever ties, when Thatcher takes over, perhaps something can be worked out. Do not risk yourself or your boys to that man, in anyway.”

Luci nodded “And you?”

“I’m not likely to go back, Luci. Fallon and I know this, we’ll have to come face to face with Orien and Rali for a formal rejection at some point, but I doubt it will be soon. I have other plans for the moment. If Orien wants to get it over and done with, he can come to us and reject us here. He knows where I am.”

“Can you be initiated by Rafe, and still keep your bond to Orien?”

“Yes, I can. Why do you ask?”

“He’s your Goddess Gifted mother and though, I know I always came between you. I do know that you love him, and he does love you. I don’t want you to have to give that up.”

“You should.” Her mother muttered.

“Come on mum, every single time you two fought, really fought about me. Did I not always try to bring you back to each other? Help Orien to win you back. He may be an a*****e to me, but he loves you.”

She watched her mother look at her scarred hand. “Maybe once. I nor Fallon feel that anymore, Luci. Don’t fight for us this time. Just let it be, if he loves me, truly loves me, he’ll fight for us. I guess we’ll wait and see, won’t we!”