Rise of The Phoenix Alpha

Disappointment

Bellamy

As I stare in horror at this unknown Alpha in front of me, my entire soul cringes. Adira my wolf is howling. She is happy to find her mate but also unhappy it’s this person. I reach out to her after I was unable to stop myself from saying mate.

“Adira… I feel your conflict. And my soul is aching. Our fairy side is almost shaking. This can’t be right.”

“He is our mate. But something is wrong Bellamy. We need to speak with Mimi. I will not accept him fully. The sparkle… it’s trying to escape him already.”

I almost panic. I catch Axton’s rigid form out of the corner of my eye. I want to run to him and let him hold me. Why can’t he be my mate?!

Suddenly my vision is crowded by the blonde man.

“Tell me your name.”

I stare up into blue eyes. They are a cold blue and his face is hard. He’s handsome but not what I would call jaw dropping. His hair is cut very short and combed to the side. His ears stick out a little too much. I shake my head internally. Isn’t the mate bond supposed to make me think he’s the greatest thing on earth?

Adira pipes in. “Normally. But we don’t love him like we do Axton and Phoenix. This dude’s flaws will be obvious to us until we care for him.”

She struggles to get the last part out and I almost shudder with disgust. I feel him touch my chin almost pinching it between two fingers. “You are my mate. Tell me your name.”

Finally finding my voice and clearing the scramble in my brain, I answer. “Bellamy. Who are you?”

“Alpha Tylen Dinsberg.” He smirks as he says it. Even his name makes my lip curl.

“Sounds like an asshole.” Adira grumbles.

“What about his wolf?”

“He’s not much better. Demanding my name instead of asking since the first possessive mate proclamation.”

I feel the sparks though in my face from his touch. I thought they would be more intense but I am a bit numb at the moment. When your life completely turns in a direction you didn’t want and honestly hoped it wouldn’t, you reel.

I watch my father and Uncle Jacob walk over. “Hello, Alpha Tylen. I am Michael. Bellamy is my daughter.”

He shakes my father’s hand, and I see him look over smirking again. “An Alpha’s daughter… I am indeed lucky to have such a mate.”

Ugh, the smirking can stop now. I almost grimace visibly. I had no idea the mate bond would be like this. I thought I’d be fawning over them instead of holding back bile.

He steps over to speak to my father more and my eyes find Axton’s. His face is blank but I catch something like fury in his eyes. I wish I could walk over to see him but this Tylen guy might attack him for being near to me.

I tune back in to the conversation between Dad and my… mate. “I’d like to take her home tomorrow. I was going to stay to observe training, but my pack has been without a Luna for a long time, and I believe it would raise their spirits to meet her. We can return here perhaps in a week or so to observe training and she can visit with her family.”

“That’s very fast, son. Perhaps you could remain here for until the day after so her grandmother and I could visit with her. We only arrived here yesterday and she’s been visiting her cousins for a week.”

“It is, but she is my mate, and I need to think of my pack.” He puts a lot of emphasis on the word ‘my.’ I am already resisting the idea of leaving with him tomorrow.

“I believe she should be involved in this decision. She is your partner and equal.” My uncle adds softly.

“Ah yes, of course, you are right. I haven’t experienced this yet so I am learning. Bellamy, pet, would you like to travel home with me tomorrow and see your new pack? Or the day after?”

Pet???? That’s not going to fly with me. Adira snarls at that too.

“Does it have to be within two days?” I ask quietly and see the spasm of disapproval cross his face.

“Yes, it does.” He says tonelessly.

“Then the day after.” I reluctantly answer.

He comes to stand in front of me again. “Sorry pet, I am not used to having to consult anyone else for my decisions. It will come with time. My father is currently the acting Alpha of our pack, the Opulence Pack but I am set to take over in two years.” He sounds like he is talking to a pet…

I nod numbly. Uncle Jacob gives me a pitying look. “Alpha Tylen if you would like, I could take you to the packhouse and get you settled into your rooms.”

“I can stay with my mate.” He says and my eyes widen with terror.

NOOO!

“I don’t think I am ready for that. Sorry.” I tell him quickly and see my father frown hard. Is he upset with me for that? Is that how it’s done, you immediately spend the night with your mate even if it’s just in the same room? I can’t. I don’t even know how old this guy is.

“Will you come with me?” He asks though it doesn’t sound like a request.

“I was hoping to finish my party. Maybe you could go and get settled then come back here?” I am trying. This guy is my mate, and I need to at least give him a chance, I guess. Or I could reject him…

Adira perks up. “We could, Bellamy, but he will have to accept it, and I get the impression he won’t. We know nothing about him almost.”

“Wolf instincts are almost never wrong.” I tell her and she nods her head before settling back down. “Let’s talk to Mimi.”

I link my grandmother who stands apart gazing at Tylen with a strange expression.

“As soon as he is gone little sparkle.”

I turn back listening to Uncle Jacob explaining that I haven’t cut my cake yet. I see Mimi move closer to Axton and she puts her hand on his arm. She says nothing but turns to stare down at her like she is.

They finally convince Tylen and the two men with him to follow them to the packhouse. Mimi comes over and leads me behind the cake table.

“Cut it quick.” I do, and I watch her reach into her pocket, removing a small red vial. She dumps some of the purple liquid into her hand before whispering over it. It flies into the air and swirls around us. Everything suspends as I watch in wonder.

“Wow, that’s impressive fairy magic.”

She nods somberly. “It will only last ten minutes. Bellamy, that Alpha… what does Adira say?”

I tell her quickly and she nods the entire time. “Do not tell him you are a fairy. He cannot know. There is something amiss here. I can sense it. I will follow you to his pack also. I do not trust him or that Beta with him.”

“Why is he my mate?” I break down to her finally.

“I understand you wished differently. And I thought… never mind, I may still be right. But you will have to live in this reality first. Remember, you are a strong wolf and fairy. The glimmering you have, there is a reason. I believe it is a gift so you may bless another and remove a stain upon a soul. An innocent who deserves to be avenged. That woman from your memory, she was a werewolf princess. Her mate, Alpha Draynor, was murdered after she had to forcibly reject him. I believe whatever you are to right begins with them. I haven’t learned more yet but both of them were innocent. I don’t have to warn you about your abilities manifesting now that your mate has come forward. I will begin making something that will suppress them until I can detect the issue.”

“Could it be a fake mate bond? Like with magic.”

She shakes her head sadly. “This is not magic. It is a Goddess given bond but that doesn’t mean all is right with it. Give me some time.”

I hope I have time…

The spell begins to end, and I watch people start to move. Within minutes, Tylen returns with my father and uncle. Neither of them look pleased.

Dad links me. “I am not sure you should accept him, Bells.”

“Me either, Dad. But he’d have to accept a rejection too correct?”

“Yes, but please be wary of him. He’s very arrogant. Won’t accept a rejection easily.”

So much for hoping he might be better than his presentation shows.

I gaze at Axton. He’s talking to Evan and Corbin. I watch him begin to walk away from the party. Where is he going? He steps into the forest and I worry about him.

Tylen walks over and says, “I was hoping we could sit and talk. Get to know each other.” He smiles and it’s less cold than earlier. Maybe he’s reserved. I can hope.

He calls me pet again and I can’t hold back the cringe. He spots it and says sharply. “You don’t like that… I will come up with something else. Sorry, my father called my mother that, and I always liked it.”

“Thank you.” Somewhat considerate and sentimental I guess. Maybe I’m being too resistant because I love another. I will do my best to at least give him a chance. Because as Adira has reminded me several times, Axton will have a mate too. And I need to be ready for that.

We talk for a long time. He’s not as awful as first presented. Actually defers to some of my opinions and did listen to what I said. He bids me goodnight taking my hand and kissing the back of it.

“I will see you at breakfast I hope Bellamy.”

I nod. “Yes, I will see you there.”

I am up early the next morning and decide to go for a walk. Hoping to see my cousin, Evan, or Axton. I run into no one but as I near the packhouse again, I see Tylen standing outside with his Beta, Jesse. He introduced us last night. He’s older closer to thirty I note which makes me wonder how their pack is run.

I take a deep breath and step closer to them. “Good morning.”

Tylen turns. “Ah, good morning. Did you enjoy your walk?”

I nod.

“I would have joined you. We should probably exchange phone numbers so you can reach me.”

Again I nod. He pulls his phone out and that’s when all hell breaks loose. I hear loud snarls and turn to see twenty wolves headed our way. Some appear to be rogues while the others are too large.

They are headed straight for us. I am about to shift when Tylen says, “Jesse, take her inside.” I am lifted off my feet and he starts walking in.

“No, I can fight.” I protest.

“Sorry, Luna, but Alpha orders trump yours.”

I hear warriors running and Uncle Jacob snarling as his wolf comes racing around followed by Lane’s. I watch from a window as that Beta blocks the door. They cut through most of them quickly. I see the largest one escaping though. I link my uncle who immediately turns and he gives chase followed by two other wolves.

When they finally come back, I am relieved. Beta Jesse moves to let me past and I walk out to hug Lane and Uncle Jacob.

“Did you catch him?”

Lane shakes his head. “Bastard got away. I think he was the ringleader. He wasn’t a rogue either.”

“How did they get in?” Beta Xavier has arrived now. “I was out patrolling the east border and setting up a camera for Axton.”

“They charged in from the northern direction. We will head there now to see if any warriors are injured.” My uncle gestures for Corbin, his brother and two other warriors to follow him.

Tylen comes to look me over. “Sorry, but I knew some of them were not rogues. And a Luna is always a target.”

Before I can answer him, I hear a loud snarl come from deep within the forest. Lane comes running to my side from the packhouse.

“It’s Axton. He’s badly injured. Looks like they took him down on their way here.”