The Alpha's Mate--Cursed Heart

Call Of The Heart

Episode Seven:  Call of the Heart

Lafayette’s POV:

Just as I was looking forward to leaving this horrid party, Katelyn had to pull my Alpha’s strings. 

It didn’t take long to figure out Alpha’s interest in Vincent’s wife.  The lust in his eyes was obvious from the time they met.  I had to give him credit this time, however…unlike several of his other “enticements”, Katelyn was a radiant beauty with grace, charm, and class.  She was the complete opposite of our Luna, Lexi, who had none of her attributes.  Personally, I avoided that she-wolf—and her screeching—as much as possible.  Just as much as I avoided my mate, Constance, who invoked the same irritation to my entire being. 

I couldn’t count how many times I had protected my king and Alpha and his frolicking nature from the prying eyes of his wife’s spies within our pack.  But, I am good at my job and while she suspects, Lexi has never found proof…and never will.   A smile crossed my face as I thought to myself, “Just as Constance will never find out about my indiscretions.”

Unlike my Alpha, I was a bit more eclectic in my tastes and there was only one person who could quench all my animalistic needs—Ambrosia.  She was a vampire, someone I kept hidden from everyone, especially Alec who would never understand and feel like it was the utmost betrayal to him.  Thus, I had to keep our trysts secret and protected no matter what.  Again, I was good at my job.

As Moriah and I walked down the long hallway to the drawing room, I glanced behind us to insure no one was following.  Verifying our privacy, I opened the door to the drawing room, allowing Moriah to enter and bracing myself for continued boredom. 

As expected, Moriah was impressed straight away, “Oh my!  Just look at this room!  It is spectacular!”

“I suppose,” I muttered wearily, continuing to stand in the doorway as she scanned the entire room in delight. 

“Oh, I hope Alec and Katelyn don’t rush back too soon!  I could spend hours looking at all the fascinating art on these walls!” Moriah exclaimed as she quickly made her way to the back of the room where Katelyn’s promised painting hung above an ornate gold trimmed mantel.  

A deep sigh began to part between my lips, praying it would not be hours, but mere minutes before their return.  But knowing my Alpha well, I knew I was wasting my time on wishful thinking.  As usual, he would take as long as it took to complete the first step in obtaining the affection of his desired mistress.  Judging by Katelyn’s dedication to her husband, King Vincent, it could take more time than I would be able to tolerate.

My trailing thoughts were soon interrupted by a familiar low sensual whisper, “Lafayette.”

My head instantly jerked towards the sound—forgetting everything, including my inner-rant—as shocked tension flowed through every muscle of my frame.  “A-Ambrosia?” I stuttered out, making sure to contain the sound of the harsh whisper so Moriah could not hear, “What are you doing here?”

The object of my affection was hidden in the shadows of a side hallway out of view, but her voice and silhouette was something I could recognize in a fraction of a second, sending tantalizing shivers down my spine as my eyes indulged in every curve. 

My question was met with a wicked grin noted only by her pearly white teeth and fangs glistening through the darkness, before another hushed whisper exhaled out, “My mistress is a guest and as luck would have it, I came along to assist.”  I sucked in a jagged breath as her delectable tongue slowly ran between her lips as she brought up her finger to motion me towards her seductively, “and I’m in dire need of a proper hello.”

My mouth ran dry as desire and the same dire need overtook any sensible thoughts I had.  Quickly turning my attention back to the drawing room, I fought to maintain my composure, “Little Miss, I’m afraid this holds no interest to me.  Why don’t I close the door and wait for everyone’s return out here so you can enjoy the beauty without interruption?”

Fortunately, Moriah did not detect anything out of the ordinary, kindly replying without turning around, “Of course.  Thank you, Lafayette.”

Closing the door, I nervously peered back down the hallway, thankful to find Ambrosia and I were indeed all alone.  Ducking into the darkened hallway, I snatched her up by the waist, charging aggressively towards the entrance of a closed doorway a few yards down, forcefully pinning her against the door’s surface.   I crashed my lips down upon hers as she returned my passion with enthusiasm, wrapping her arms and legs around me and pressing herself hard against my body.   Our tongues flying in fanatical fury to intertwine, I got lost in our fiery need for one another just as I always did.

Her satisfied moan exhaling against my neck melted me further as I growled out, “We need to stop!  Now!”

Ambrosia reached down and hurriedly unbuttoned my shirt, throwing it open before her hands started their handiwork as she enthusiastically moved them down every line of my chest and abdomen before leaning forward and biting down on my shoulder as her fingers teased my waistline.  Drifting her tongue up until it reached my ear, she erotically baited me further, “Oh how I have missed feeling you inside me!  Tell me you don’t want me to show you how much!”

It didn’t matter that I couldn’t answer.  Ambrosia already knew I wouldn’t—couldn’t—stop.   I lifted her blouse above her head and dove into the warmth of her succulent breasts, sucking on her n*****s vigorously, causing her moan to grow in its intensity and volume.   I quickly placed my hand over her mouth to muffle the sound as my erection begged to be released…and I had every intention to fulfill that wish. 

I would just have to make sure of two things:  One, my hand needed to stay over Ambrosia’s mouth to muffle her moans so as not to attract attention and two, I had to make sure to keep my senses enough to not allow our encounter to take too long…or I could very well face my death tonight—at the hands of my Alpha!

***********

Marcus POV:

I stood outside the hidden doorway to the drawing room for a few minutes after I heard Lafayette take his leave and shut the door, leaving Moriah alone.  When it appeared that Lafayette was not returning and had fallen for our bait, I quietly turned the knob and slowly opened the door. 

Moriah’s back was to me, mesmerized in front of the portrait above her, Garden Path of Peace.  One of my personal favorites as well, I had often found myself staring at the multitude of beauty and color of the painting.  But its beauty could not compare to Moriah.  I felt my wolf getting antsy inside me.  In fact, we were both nervous.  It was a foreign feeling to us both. 

I finally built up my courage and spoke, “Moriah.”

She jumped slightly at the sound of my voice, turning to look at me with stunned eyes before looking over at the closed door anxiously, obviously anticipating Lafayette’s appearance.  “Marcus!  W-What are you doing here?”

I had gone over what I would say so many times in my head leading up to this moment, but I suddenly forgot everything as I walked towards her fighting to not snatch her up in my arms and kiss her until we were both breathless.  Clearing my throat slightly, I quietly replied, “I am sorry if I startled you.  Again, it was never my intention.  Especially when you are enjoying a moment of peace.  I just needed—”

It was then that I reached her side and the lure of the intense lavender scent filled my entire being as her eyes returned to meet with mine, cutting off all my ability to form words, much less sentences. 

Silence flowed between us for a few moments as our eyes seemed to both be searching to decipher the other’s thoughts.  I could get lost forever in those eyes…and there was no request I could deny from them.

Moriah broke through the silence, a question that would send my mind racing once more, “There is something you need from me?”

My thoughts reverberated viciously, “Yes!  I need YOU!  All of you!  You are MINE!!” as my wolf screamed out, “MATE!”

I took in a ragged breath and exhaled heavily, “I—I just wanted to apologize for offending you. My mind has been uneasy thinking about my rudeness earlier this evening.”

She did not immediately reply.  Instead, her eyes softened as she seemed to be continuing to explore mine, bearing into my soul.  Her eyes…they would be imprinted on my soul forever.  What was she thinking?  I was losing my mind in ways I never thought possible. 

A shy smile crossed her face as she ended my torture, “There are no apologies needed, Marcus, as there was no offense.  Your reaction to me was rather flattering actually.”

A deep calmness flowed over me as breathed out, “You have eased my mind, thank you.”

Moriah let out a soft laugh before kindly warning, “I really think that you should leave now.  My brother would not approve of your presence here, especially as we are alone and I’m afraid he considers you—" There was a halt in her words as her expression returned to worry.

I knew her last words and without thinking, finished her sentence for her, “A threat and an enemy.”

As she slowly nodded in acknowledgement, I became resolute in my mission and decidedly continued, “Again, I would never want to cause you any distress, Moriah.  But I cannot deny that…I find myself drawn to you despite what we both know to be true with regards to your brother.  Even still, I can promise you…I am neither a threat nor an enemy, especially when it comes to you.”

Moriah’s body seemed to tense at my words causing me to instantly regret them as she moved her attention back to the painting, “I feel in my heart that you are telling the truth, Marcus, but I cannot disrespect my brother’s feelings.  It is quite heartbreaking actually, as I feel you and I could easily become good friends.”

Good friends?  Those words caused devastation for both myself and my wolf.  “NO!,” we both screamed internally, “MATE!”

Attempting to quell the flurry of emotions rampaging inside, I followed Moriah’s lead and turned my attention to the painting before us, masking my feelings as I attempted to change the subject for a moment to gather my thoughts, “The Garden Path of Peace is stunning isn’t it?  The detailed wisps on the end of the petals and use of what feels like a thousand colors coming together to invoke the peace intended.”

I was relieved to find the tension easing within her as she stated in awe, her gaze steadfast in its focus on the depiction before us, “Most men would not pay enough attention to such details.  It appears I have learned something new and interesting about you.  But please, you really should go before you are discovered.” 

I ignored her request, chuckling out playfully, “Leave before you return the favor and allow me to find out something new and interesting about you?  Seems a bit unfair.  How about finding out what your favorite flower is?”

The sweet sound of her giggle filled the air around us.  “That seems a bit silly.  How could knowing my favorite flower be interesting?”

“Everything about you is interesting to me,” I earnestly stated, “But I was trying not to get too personal so you would not feel uncomfortable.”

Fluttering her eyes to the floor, Moriah hesitated before sighing out, “Tell me…what is something that you really want to know?  Although I am sure I already know the answer.”

My heart broke as I saw the pain and sadness in Moriah’s expression as my need to protect her fiercely flowed through my veins.  I took a moment to think carefully about my reply, finally professing, “I imagine you feel the answer is with regards to your illness, but I would never trespass upon your boundaries on that subject.  It is obvious that it is a great burden for you, as well as Alec."  Remembering Gilderoy's request, I added, "I imagine you and your wolf suffer greatly under its intrusion on your lives.”

As she brought her eyes up to look at me once more, I could see the battle within herself in Moriah’s dejected expression.  While I had hoped in the end that she would open up to me, what I unexpectedly heard pass through her lips in a hushed murmur rocked me to my core. 

“My wolf is dead.”

I took two steps back in my stunned state, unable to wrap my head around the discovery.  “W-What?”

Her breath uneasy, there was a reluctance in Moriah’s tone as she rambled out soberly, “I have a rare anomaly that caused my body to reject my wolf.  It—It was like we were poison to one another.  As the battle reached its climax, I became gravely ill.  Severe headaches racked my body, weakness set in and I got to a point where I couldn’t eat, couldn’t think, couldn’t move…my wolf was vicious and relentless in its need to kill me inside...the pain so great, I just wanted to die.  It was then that my brother’s confidant, a witch by the name of Lenore, discovered that I was in fact dying and my wolf was the murderer.  So, under my father’s orders, she created a potion that I take daily in order to live after my wolf’s wrath severely damaged my body.  A potion that ended the battle within, strangling the life out of it—killing the wolf—in order to save me.”

My wolf’s traumatized howl echoed heavily within me, as my own body felt the tremendous weight of my mate’s burdensome confession.  I wanted so badly to take her into my arms to protect her, to console her, and most of all—to love her and take away all the pain.   The unimaginable torment she must have endured—it plagued me to the point of my heart feeling like it was imploding within me. 

With extreme restraint, I simply brought my hand up to Moriah’s shoulder, electricity shocking me relentlessly as my hand touched her skin.  “I cannot find the right words to tell you how sorry I truly am, Moriah.  I—I could never have imagined the severity of your suffering.”

Moriah removed her arm from my touch and backed away from me, fear filtering through her now shaky voice.  “I-I don’t know why I just told you that.  I-I shouldn’t have said anything.  A-Alec would—”

I quickly reached out for her quivering hand, ignoring the jolt of currents, as I cut off her words and vigilantly assured her, “I swear to you on my life, Moriah, your confession and the knowledge you have entrusted in me…it will remain in confidence between us and I will never allow anyone else to know, nor would I ever contemplate using it to any possible advantage.  Please, for me…know this is true.”

After a brief pause as she stared at me intently with wide eyes, Moriah’s voice still held a slight tremble as declared wholeheartedly, “I-I believe you.”

Looking down at our intertwined hands, Moriah gently pulled hers from my grasp as she looked up at me in pure innocence, “Why did you really come here, Marcus?  I feel like there is something you aren’t telling me.”

A lump formed in my throat as I visualized every possible scenario that could occur if I were to profess my true feelings towards her.  But after hearing her feelings towards me just moments ago, I found myself reluctant and confused as to how I should proceed.  Yet, I knew in the end…this was probably my only chance.

My need for her reflected in the huskiness of my tone. “If the situations were different, if Alec and I were not adversaries, do you think you could ever feel something more than just friendship for me?”

Moriah’s answer was quick and painfully direct, “No.  I’m afraid my heart does not feel that way towards you.”

I forced myself to turn my attention back to the painting in attempt to hide my anguish, but my voice betrayed me, “Oh how I wish that your heart felt differently!”

“But what of your mate?  I find it hard to believe you would not be faithful.” Moriah questioned as I turned my eyes back to her and begrudgingly allowed her to see through them into my shattered heart.

Realization suddenly infiltrated through her as Moriah gasped out in distress, “Wait!  I remember hearing Alec say you don’t have—that you—you haven’t mated!  H-Have you?”

“I had not mated,” I solemnly confessed, “until this evening—until I met you, Moriah.”

Moriah’s hands flew up to cover a second escaped gasp, “No, Marcus, you can’t!  I will never love you that way!”  Instant regret crossed her face as she attempted to cover her unintended swift reaction, “I’m—I’m sorry.  I don’t want to hurt you!  I just can’t—” Her words trailed off as her appearance transcended into confusion. 

As for me, I was a mixed bag of overwhelming sentiments.  Pain, hurt, devastation…they were the most prevalent currently.  My protectiveness of my heart’s desire, however, prevailed over all my feelings as I wanted nothing more than to comfort her. 

“Please do not distress yourself, I beg you,” I gently pleaded with her, “I think we can both agree that this was ill-fated from the very beginning.  Unfortunately, as you are aware, we are not able to choose our mate, it is fate’s decision to choose that destiny.  And for me, fate and destiny have rarely been kind.”

As Moriah continued her silent pause, my wolf was pressuring me to be released.  It needed to run.  We needed to run.  Run as far and as fast as we could to try and escape the heartbreak that was tearing us apart.  Regretfully, it seemed it was time for me to break the uncomfortable tension and take my leave.  A fact that I rebelled against in every way, but I knew that leaving her was inevitable no matter how much I wanted her by my side forever.  Her words were clear—she would never love me.

Clearing the dense lump in my throat, I took in her immeasurable beauty one last time.  “I’m afraid I keep telling you that offending and paining you is not my intention, while my actions seem to continue to cause the opposite.  Perhaps it is time for me to take my leave.”

This time, it was Moriah who reached out to me, placing her hand tenderly on my arm, “I meant what I said, Marcus, I do feel a connection with you, even if it is only friendship.  I truly believe we could be great friends and I’m so very sorry that I am causing you this much pain.  Fate and destiny have rarely been kind to me either, so I understand more than you know.”

I brought my hand up to cup her face, relishing in the feel of her soft cheek against my palm, as a gentle smile full of adoration widened across my face, “Regardless of circumstance, I am connected to you forever, Moriah.  You are a part of me for the rest of my life.  No matter how much time passes, distance that lies between us, or obstacles that stand in our way, I will always be here for you if you ever need me!  No matter what.  Always!”

I watched as Moriah’s lips parted like she wanted to say something, but nothing came out.  I unwillingly released my hold on her and turned to walk back towards the hidden entrance to make my exit.  As I reached the doorway, I placed my hand on the handle but before I could complete the motion enabling my exit, Moriah’s voice called out to me with profuse deep emotion, giving me another stunning revelation.

“Red Dragon Rose.”

I quickly turned to find her staring at me, her eyes filled with an intense hope that I couldn’t understand considering what just happened.  My one-word reply was just as thick, filled with great astonishment.  “What?”

Bringing her hands in front of her and wringing them in anxious repetition, Moriah smiled warmly, “My favorite flower.  While I have only seen a painting of it, the Red Dragon Rose--it is my favorite.”