Losing The Light Of The Moon

Heart of An Alpha

Chapter Ten: Heart of An Alpha

NICHOLAS

Sitting on the bed with my back resting against the headboard and my eyes closed, I pushed all of my emotions and feelings into the box I kept in my mind as a myriad of thoughts were pushing their way forward—thoughts I needed to look at without the deep heartfelt emotions they carried with them—the mind-blowing demonstration of the Power of Three earlier, the last few eventful days following their return, the last few months that we have been unable to find any hint of the escaped and now rogue Blood Horizon members, especially Luscious and Arturo and The Council’s most wanted escaped criminal, Kristoff, who still needed to pay for what he did to Gavin. 

Truthfully, the main-focus of my current thoughts were the Power of Three—our Aunts—Tatiana, Persephone, and Reina. While I knew they would prove invaluable to our integrated army and expressed as much earlier, there was a part of me that worried about their participation—not about their abilities, but concern about why Raven was told it was vital that they be a part of what we were going to face.  

I was so deep in my thoughts that my wolf was the one who alerted me that Madeline entered our room, but soon we were both well-aware of her presence as her comforting jasmine and vanilla scent filled my senses. My eyes were still closed as she sat down beside me and gently laid her arm across my torso. Before I could open them, however, her soft plump lips connected with mine in a tender kiss. 

“And where exactly were you just now, my Alpha?” Madeline lovingly asked as our lips parted, “I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” An amused smirk crossing her face, she teased, “It’s unlike you to go MIA in the middle of the day, much less be found in our bed—at least without me joining you. Tell me what’s troubling you, Nicholas, though I have a feeling I already know. Come on, out with it...Rapid-fire.”

Looking deep into her adoring gaze, I heavily exhaled out, “Raven’s lack of knowledge about the Power of Three’s necessity in all of this.”

“Mmmmhmmm,” Madeline slowly hummed out, her fingers coming up to run across my beard, “But after what we saw today, the Power of Three are fully capable to take care of themselves and based on what Raven has told me, Aunt Tati’s powers actually rival her own, with the exception of her wolf and Firebird Phoenix, of course.”

“That’s what concerns me, Madeline,” I quietly replied, my voice thick with worry, “We are we going to face that requires the powers of both Raven and The Power of Three?”

“I’m the worrier, remember?” Madeline soothed, kissing me softly before adding, “This isn’t like you. Keep talking.”

“Jace,” I breathed out unevenly, “He finally has everything he has always deserved, Madeline—I don’t want Jace to endure anymore suffering.”

“And if anything happens, you fear that Jace will go back to his dark place,” Madeline calmly replied, leaning down to kiss just below my neck as she brought her fingers up to graze along her mark, “Because you love him—deep inside, to you, he’s your brother.”

Closing my eyes, I allowed myself to relish in the feel of her touch, murmuring out, “Yes.”

“We all love him too, you know, and our aunties,” Madeline earnestly breathed out, “We love our family, Nicholas...and we protect our family—our Crescent Moons and our Mystic Fires—at all costs. That’s part of the reason we agreed with the aunts that for now, until we know more, we will keep full knowledge about them to our inner-circle and a select few. We will do what we have done since we found each other again—love, fight, and protect those that we love, our pack, and our land—together.”

“That was long-winded,” I lightly scolded, gently running my fingers through her long dark hair, “And when did you become so calm and wise? That’s my job.”

“It’s amazing what the love of a persistent and patient man can do for one’s heart and soul,” Madeline devotedly replied, “Very freeing, in fact. Brings a lot of peace to one’s thoughts...among other things.”  I felt her hand slowly glide down my side until it reached the bottom of my dark blue t-shirt, which she pushed up, her head dropping to lay tender kisses on my stomach.

“Have I mentioned that I love having a wise, experienced Alpha as my future Luna?” I huskily stated, completely aroused by her action, “One that hopefully locked the door behind her when she came in?”

“A wise and experienced Alpha always locks the door, Nicholas,” Madeline cooed as brought her face up to mine once more, climbing on top of me while placing her hands on either side of my face, gently tracing her fingertips along my cheek, her tongue darting out to lick her lower lip, “Mmmmm, I forgot to mention incredibly handsome when I described you in my earlier long winded statement. I do love this beard!” A wide smirk crossed her face as she teased me again, “I love you too, of course!”

Sitting straight up, I amorously growled out, “My t-shirt has to go.”

Madeline giggled, her hands immediately grabbing the bottom of my shirt and pulling it up over my head before tossing it to the side, “That request was easy to take care of!”

My mouth curled up into a wide grin as I hoarsely whispered out, “That’s not the t-shirt I was talking about, my Alpha!”

Madeline’s eyes widened as she looked down at the black t-shirt with a knot in the center that she was wearing, letting out a roll of musical laughter as she gazed back up at me, “Ohhhhh! I see! You meant my t-shirt! This one no longer belongs to you, remember? It was claimed by me! That was our compromise, my Alpha!”

I grabbed the bottom of the shirt and vigorously pulled it up over her head before tossing it on the floor and wrapping my arms my stunning mate, pulling her hard against me before breathing out against her lips, “I love you, Madeline. Every part—every single inch of you!”

Crashing my lips hard against hers, Madeline opened her mouth slightly, allowing our tongues to connect with one another as she wove her arms around my neck, her fingers sliding up until they were running through my hair.  Turning us to the side, I slowly laid her down onto the mattress below, my hand freeing her from her bra in the process before her body touched the sheets. Tossing it towards the other clothes on the floor, I released my hold on her lips, kissing my way down her neck as she tilted her head back and let out a soft moan of pleasured bliss—an act my wolf and I thrived on with the frenzied arousal it brought with it. 

The back of my hand glided up her side until I reached the flesh of her breast, my fingers cupping around and kneading it until my lips worked their way down to tease her n****e with my tongue before claiming it, sucking it up hard in my mouth. A deeper moan passed through her lips causing a growl of need and desire to pass through mine.

“Pants—they both need to go, please—oh, please my Alpha,” Madeline sensually panted out, arching her back beneath me. 

I chuckled, sending a hot breath of air against her hardened n****e in the process, pleased at the frenzy I felt it cause within her as she deeply moaned out in the process, her fingers placing a tantalizing pressure on her mark on my neck, “Oh, Nicholas!”

I couldn’t stop myself from teasing her further for a moment, “You’re mine, Madeline—all MINE! Say it for me, my Alpha!”

“Yours,” she rasped out in response, “I’m all YOURS, Nicholas!”

In an instant, my lips working their way across both of her breasts now to keep my Madeline pleased, I pulled my pants off before making quick work of hers as well as I breathed out against her other n****e, “I have become quite good at rapid-fire!”

“Oh, yes you have!” Madeline lowly giggled out, her hands firm as she ran them across my broad shoulders, “But let’s go with long-winded now!”

Pushing myself back up to look deep into her hunger-filled eyes, I mischievously grinned, “As you wish, my love!”

Hovering over the top of her, the heat between us rose ten-fold as I kissed her fervently on the lips, slowly entering her as her hips enticed me by pushing up and grinding against mine to take me whole inside her. This time I was the one to let out a pleasured moan. 

Pulling her lips back slightly, Madeline slowly moved her hips in the same motion as she seductively taunted in hastened breath, “Your turn. Say you’re mine, Nicholas.”

Taking her lower lip in mine, I sucked it up into my mouth before releasing it, huskily replying, “Oh, I’m yours, my love! Only yours!”

Her mouth widening into a bright smile, Madeline adoringly breathed out, “I love you more than you could ever imagine, Nicholas.”

“And I love you more than that, Madeline!” I lovingly whispered back, pressing my lips against hers afterward in a long tender kiss before showing her my devotion and love in a very long-winded afternoon.

****************

LORENZO

Sitting with Priscilla in our sunroom, I was going over some paperwork for our upcoming Council meeting when I looked up and noticed her distant contemplative expression.

“What’s on your mind, Priscilla?” I curiously inquired, “You’ve been quiet since I’ve returned home.”

“You’ve been gone so often lately,” Priscilla coolly replied, her gaze on the large trees in front of her, “and so inundated when you’ve returned. You and Alastor spend so much time at Crescent Moon as of late. I’ve hardly been able to get to know Vivian more as I would wish.”

“Well, there has been quite a bit happening as of late,” I apologetically stated, “I’m sorry if you have felt neglected. Hopefully, we will find the Blood Horizon rogues soon and things will calm down. But, I’ll try to be more conscious about my time away and I’ll have a talk with Alastor about his and Vivian’s time spent at Crescent Moon with the integration.”

“Do you wonder what it will be like?” Priscilla reluctantly asked, “When Alastor becomes Alpha. I know you will never fully retire, of course, as it is not in you to sit idly. But, you will have more time on your hands, which means more times like this possibly...times you and I will have together.”

“Truthfully, I’m not sure how I will handle it,” I honestly stated, “Being Alpha and taking care of our pack and region is all I have known for most of my life. But, I will be glad to have more time to spend with you, Priscilla. I'm looking forward to it, in fact. You have dedicated your life supporting me and our Spirit Walker pack every step of the way from the moment we met.”

Finally turning her head to look at me, she earnestly asked, “Do you really mean that? That you are looking forward to it?”

My eyes softening at her heartfelt query, I quietly responded, “What has brought this on, Priscilla? It’s not like you to act like this.”

“Perhaps watching Alastor and Vivian interact has affected me in some ways,” Priscilla thought out loud, “or perhaps it’s old age bringing forth unfamiliar emotion inside me, Lorenzo. Please know I regret nothing about our life and I’m very proud of what we have accomplished together, in particular what you have accomplished so brilliantly. I have always been proud to be your mate, your Luna, and your wife.”

I was caught in unfamiliar territory myself following her confession—I was speechless for a moment. Gazing upon her as Priscilla’s eyes reflected a rare moment of uncertainty in them, I couldn’t help but push everything else from my mind to appreciate the woman who was my closest confidante, greatest ally, supporter, and in so many ways, my better half. Her white hair pulled into a perfect bun on top, her beautiful dark brown eyes and thin perfect lips that when she smiled could still make my heart skip a beat, though I rarely told her that anymore—a fact I realized was incredibly wrong on my part—and her still shapely thin frame that was currently clothed in a favorite dress of mine of a soft baby blue that was fitted, outlining her exquisite tall body.  

Finally finding my voice again, I regretfully told her, “From the moment we met, I was always amazed at how the Moon Goddess gifted me the perfect mate. Neither of us having a penchant for overtly expressing emotion, yet knowing deep inside the love was always there for one another. Admittedly, privately we would express our heartfelt feelings towards one another outwardly a bit, but as the years have passed, I can admit I haven’t expressed them as much as I should.”

“I haven’t brought this up to make you feel bad in any way, Lorenzo,” Priscilla softly replied, “I have always understood your dedication to Spirit Walker and its future. I would never stand in the way of that, which is why I have never questioned your path for Alastor. But I won’t deny I appreciate what Vivian has brought to him and I have no doubt that together, they will make us both very proud of the future of our pack.”

Taking in a long deep breath, she continued with deep adoration, “Our Alastor is quite special and while he has much of both of us in him, he is also different in many ways. I have no doubt that is the reason there has been so much tension between you. His heart reminds me much of my grandmother, who in our family was an anomaly in her expression of emotion and adoration, but someone we loved dearly for that exact reason even if we couldn’t return the sentiment. Vivian reminds me of her as well, which makes her a perfect match for him just as you have been a perfect match for me.”  

Reaching into a pocket on the side of her dress, Priscilla pulled out a small black box, extending it out to me, “In fact, I want to give this to Alastor—a gift for him to give to our Vivian when he is ready.”

Opening the velvet box, I looked down to see a beautiful large diamond ring surrounded by small deep blue sapphires—Priscilla’s favorite treasure left to her by her grandmother. Looking back up at her, I sincerely replied, “This is a beautiful gesture, Priscilla. Alastor will be very touched that you are letting go of something that means so much to you.”

“I’m not letting it go, Lorenzo,” Priscilla affectionately returned, “It will be placed on the finger of someone who has a heart much like its previous owner—a woman whose loving heart could affect those around her in so many positive ways.”

Slowly closing the box, I placed it back in Priscilla’s hand, intertwining our fingers to hold it steady between our palms, “There has never been a day I haven’t been grateful for you. You have always been my forever. I hope you know that I love you with everything I am, Priscilla, forever and always. And while you are right, I will busy myself a bit in retirement, I look forward to more times like these...with you.”

My heart skipped a beat then as a warm smile extended across my mate’s beautiful face, “I love you too, Lorenzo. More than you could ever realize. And just so you know, I look forward to more time with you as well. So, please stay safe in the battle that lay ahead as we prepare for you to pass the torch to our son and his soon to be lovely Luna.”