Rise of The Phoenix Alpha

Leaving Early

Bellamy

“Bellamy, what do you think of heading for Cold Spring Pack early? Like in four days instead of another ten?” I glance up at Dad in surprise.

“That would be wonderful!” I attempt to restrain my excitement. I can’t wait to see Axton, Evan, and Lane.

“Wonderful. Edward will accompany you there and then he’ll need to return. But you’ll have your cousin and the Beta’s sons as your guards. Jacob has already assigned that. I know they are your good friends, and you’ve been rather lonely lately.”

“Thank you, Dad. I can’t wait.”

I spend the next few days packing. When it’s time to leave, Edward asks which way I want to travel. “The way we always go or the scenic route?” He asks.

“The fastest way.” I want to be there as fast as possible.

“Very well.”

We leave but about thirty minutes into the two hour drive, we come to complete highway roadblock. After sitting with no movement for almost forty minutes, Edward cuts through the grassy median to the side road.

“Scenic route now.”

I nod glad to be in motion again. The road he takes is winding and almost covered in a tree canopy. It’s beautiful but so dark as the tree cover is so dense. I am wondering if we will ever leave this forest when it ends suddenly.

The road opens into a beautiful clearing as we crest the top of a big hill. We pass through some old stone pillars and keep going around a sharp curve. As we do I see the trees are all dead. It looks as if all the forest life died. Very sparse sections of yellowish dried grass. In the distance, I see some tumbled piles of stone. Edward barely glances around, but I am fascinated.

As we pass what appears to be an old stone sign, I feel a shiver start in my spine and slowly spread like tingles through my body. I close my eyes as the tingles get stronger. Hearing something whispered, I open my eyes to ask Edward what he said. But I find myself sitting in the car alone. It’s parked and there’s no sign of Edward.

Looking out of the window I am shocked. I see an old white stone building with trees all around it covered in gorgeous yellow and red foliage. Even the ground seems to glimmer gold a bit.

I step out of the car. A gentle breeze passes over me and it’s like standing in a painting. Birds and butterflies move all around. The smell of honeysuckles and lavender tickle my nose. As I begin to move toward the stone building, the breeze changes to a forceful gust. The sky darkens and I look up to see red clouds rolling in ominously. The birds are gone and a silent stillness has taken over.

An anguished shriek breaks the eerie silence followed by the sound of crying.

I see a woman with platinum blonde hair running from the building. She cries out for someone named Draynor. The raw pain in her voice wrings my heart. Almost painfully, she stops and her head turns frantically searching for something. I watch both terrified and fascinated. Suddenly, her head pops up, and her eyes meet mine, which should be impossible. I am too far away to see her eye color, even with an Alpha wolf’s senses. But I do. They are a brilliant turquoise color. Her mouth moves and her soft words stop my heart.

“The fairy…”

My eyes widen, and I turn to run. But before I can, the world spins, and someone is shaking my shoulder. I hear my name being called. My eyes fly open to find Edward staring at me with concern.

“Bellamy! You’re ok. You were muttering in your sleep.”

“I fell asleep?” I take the bottle of water he offers.

“You did. I must be working you too hard in training.” He chuckles before pulling back onto the road.

“Edward? Back there, that destroyed area, do you know what that was?”

He nods. “It was a former pack. The Rising Dawn Pack. Been gone a long time. They say the ground there is cursed because as you saw, nothing grows there even though there’s a lush forest surrounding it."

“Interesting.” I say. I need to call Mimi later. I wonder if that was part of my abilities coming forward because I was not asleep.

*****

Xavier Stone

I observed training today in the Opulence Pack. Nothing opulent about it. The Alpha overindulged his son who will be a terrible leader. But that’s not my assignment. My job is to see if there’s any evidence of abuse of his pack members. Specifically young females. And if so I report directly back to the Council.

Goddess help them if so. Committing crimes against wolf law is signing your own death warrant. King Ollie has no problem with executions. That is, if he gets to you first.

Luna Ellie Hanton is your worst nightmare. Her powers are not to be trifled with. And her mate or Beta… Well, not even the Goddess can help you if they think you looked at her wrong. Riley or Theo might remove your eyeballs through your navel. Fortunately for me, my Alpha is above board, so we don’t need to worry about them.

I am truly hoping I don’t have to remain here the full two weeks. I need to get home especially after Reyanne’s call this morning. My f*****g sons have decided they are grown and left her alone at home with her cousin and his mate. As if that’s any protection.

Axton is being a stubborn ass, and he’ll experience the full extent of my displeasure when I arrive home. At least he’s been going by each morning to check on her well-being.

I sigh thinking of her. Reyanne is my second mate, and she is much younger than I am. I will be forty five this year and my mate is twenty-five. Other pack members stared at us strangely when I brought her home four years ago. I ignored them and told her to do the same. It hasn’t seemed to bother her in a while.

I fire off a text to Axton as I wait for training to end. “We will be having a long discussion the minute I get back! You have disrespected your stepmother and me. I will be leaving as early as possible.”

“Beta Xavier…”

I put my phone away to meet the eyes of the future Alpha Tylen. “Yes, Alpha Tylen?”

He smiles but it looks more menacing than friendly. “My father and I were speaking after seeing you spar yesterday with our head warrior and the training tips you gave. You must have an extremely well run training program.”

I nod begrudgingly. “My oldest son has many flaws, but he is a genius at training and pack security. He devised our current program.”

Tylen nods. “Perhaps I could come to visit soon and observe it to help our pack.”

I think for a bit. “I think that is very feasible.”

“Let’s arrange that before you leave. Perhaps I might even find my mate in your pack.”

This pup says perhaps too much. I simply nod feeling sorry for whomever gets this asshole as their mate. He prattles on about all the changes he plans to make once he takes over fully. Takes all my effort to listen. Yeah, I’m definitely leaving this place early.