The Queen of Alphas

8. Step away

Victoria

Alpha Marcus looked intently at me, “Can you open a portal or find a way to take yourself to safety?” he asked.

“I don’t think so, but even if I could, I wouldn’t leave you all,” I replied to him.

“Don’t be silly, you have to!” he said firmly, but I could hear an undertone of protectiveness in his voice.

“What about everything you said? About putting others first?” I asked, raising a brow. My mind was already made up, I had no plan or strategy, but I wouldn’t leave them.

“What I said are only words, when it’s about sacrificing your safety…” Alpha Marcus exhaled deeply, “That was different, that was before your safety was at stake.” He added.

“No. And I can’t portal myself elsewhere, anyway,” I retorted.

He exhaled sharply and, in the next moment, he opened the door of the carriage and he and the others shifted to their wolves.

I looked out of the carriage’s box; we were indeed trapped. Many warriors, enforcers, I don’t know for sure, in their human and wolf form were around us. There were dozens of them. They were already fighting Alpha Marcus, Aaron, and Gamma Julian. They were surrounded, each one of them was facing five or six adversaries, they had no chance at all.

I held my breath and sent a silent prayer to my mother before I left the carriage.

An enforcer came in my direction. I was paralyzed, my mouth agape. Would he attack me? Hurt me or even worse? Or only take me as a hostage? Many thoughts and cold sweat ran down my head.

My breath caught in my throat, as a thunder of fear crept into my insides. I felt as if my pounding heart would jump out of my mouth, but something else escaped my parted lips.

A piercing growl made all of them stop in their tracks and look in my direction. I could feel a wave of energy pulsating in the air and, to my surprise, the epicenter of everything was my almost trembling frame.

“Who growled?” One of the enforcers asked, looking at me and then around, seemingly dumbfounded.

“Me”, a voice that I didn’t recognize as my own left my mouth, it was raspier, almost guttural.

All the gazes were fixed on me and I felt a little tingling in my eyes.

“Step away,” the same commanding voice dictated. All the wolves around bared their necks and followed the order.

Soon, all the attackers were away, and I could only see Alpha Marcus and his wolves lying on the floor. I ran to them, without thinking twice. Blood was oozing from Alpha Marcus's thick brown fur, many wounds were cut on his body, the nastiest one in the place where his neck and his shoulder met. He was much more harmed than the others. I guess the attackers aimed mostly at him.

The Beta shifted back to his human form and came in our direction, as he placed his fingers on the neck of the moaning wolf. The wolf could keep his hazel eyes barely open.

“His pulse is weak, I think he can make it, but we need help now!” Beta Aaron muttered, lowering his head. The Gamma released a mourning howl that made tears prick in my eyes.

“I am going for the Pack doctor; we better don’t move him now. Julian, stay with the Princess,” Beta Aaron ordered the Gamma. His voice was laced with sadness, with fear.

No, I couldn’t let it happen. I couldn’t make my new friends lose another parent. My arrival in this Realm couldn’t mean ruin and death.

I hugged the brown wolf’s huge head; more tears rolled from my eyes as my heart tugged painfully.

“Please, Alpha Marcus, wait a little… Please,” I murmured softly.

I tilted my head up to be able to look at his slightly open eyes, as I placed my hands on his neck trying to feel for his pulse, even though I didn’t really know how.

However, today was indeed a day of many surprises. I felt my hands getting warmer, as a dainty light ran from my palms to the wolf’s body.

I gasped and pulled my hands away. Now they were a few inches away from his brown fur, I could see the white light entering his skin. He stirred a little and his eyes opened completely at once, startling me. I looked at his wounds once again, they were closing, no more gushing blood, not even the scratch on his snout was visible anymore.

He stood on his paws with a jolt, seeming totally recovered. The huge Alpha wolf and I kept looking at each other, both wide-eyed.

I heard a little c***k of bones and the Gamma walked in my direction in his human, naked form. I looked away as if my eyes were burning and my face was blushed with heated embarrassment.

I didn’t want to look at any men’s parts, it was very weird! So, I ran to the carriage and ripped its window’s curtain off, as I hesitantly approached the Gamma’s direction without even looking at him. He was only laughing at my embarrassment.

Why did wolves have to be so naked?

To my utter relief, Alpha Marcus went behind the carriage to shift. I think there is no going back when you see the hanging things of someone that is kind of becoming a father figure to you. I was glad I was saved from seeing it!

A not totally naked Alpha Marcus came to talk to me. He bowed down slightly.

“Thank you, Princess Victoria.” His voice was even more solemn than on the first day we met. That actually brought me a pang of disappointment. I thought we were growing closer.

I didn’t want reverence, worship. My heart craved for familiarity, for a feeling of home.

“You saved us, your wolf shoved them away, Princess Victoria,” Gamma Julian added, with a smile of awe.

“How could I? I don’t know anything about my wolf, until half an hour ago I wasn’t even sure I had one.” I muttered, looking into space.

Everything happened so fast and for an instant, while we were being attacked, I felt like I had no control of my body. As if I was a mere spectator of my own movements and words.

“You have one, a very dominant and commanding one. With a growl, a couple of words you made all the wolves submit. That is remarkable. It is something that only a royal, the royal that is supposed to inherit the throne, is able to do. That is the power of the Alpha of the Alphas.” Alpha Marcus explained, his eyes shining slightly, a sign that man and wolf agreed with the words.

“Could that be that my bro… that Henrik has the same power?” I asked them, still a bit confused.

“I heard he could do so,” Gamma Julian answered.

I shook my head, every answer only brought more questions.

“Why can’t I feel my wolf now?” I asked, my brows arching like question marks.

“I assume that the danger, the situation of risk woke her up, she made her appearance and then went back to her slumber.” Alpha Marcus replied.

“Isn’t she mature yet? That is why I can’t feel her?” I questioned, still trying to find a little light in the fog of my perplexity.

“Most of us shift for the first time once we reach puberty, Alphas earlier. You aren’t only a wolf, so it may be different in your case.” Alpha Marcus explained.

He walked in my direction and placed a hand on my shoulder, “Let’s go back home.”

“How about the speech? The meeting with the people?” I asked.

“We can do it another day, with more security this time. We also have to find out who betrayed us, who ratted us out to your brother. A few people knew about your presence in my pack. Above that, only a handful of people knew you were going to the neighboring pack at that time and day. We won’t take more risks.” He said, escorting me back to the carriage.

~ * ~

When we arrived at the house, all the three girls came to the door and wrapped me in a hug, “Happy birthday, Vicky!’” MJ squealed, making my face lit up automatically with her contagious joy.

“Come on! Come on! We have cake!” Shelby added with a smile, as she pulled me inside, taking me to the living room, where they set a table with cake, sweets, and other treats.

A smile stretched across my face, “Thank you, girls,” I said, giggling.

It was a very unusual birthday but knowing about my wolf was actually a great present.

Now I just had one more wish; meet her soon or at least feel her.

‘Please, my wolf, wake up, come back to me.’

~ * ~

Philip

We could hear growls and screams out of the window. I didn’t really understand the meaning of this. Henrik and I exchanged a look of confusion.

However, before we could reach the window, look out of it and try to understand what was happening, Alpha Elijah And General Rainer entered the meeting room.

The General looked aggravated, his face contorted in a bestial expression, his wolf was on the surface, his anger as well. Alpha Elijah kept his composure like he always did, he was quite controlled and calculated, especially for an Alpha. Most Alphas have a hard time keeping their inner beast and its instincts in check.

Alpha Elijah was one of the eldest Alphas and Henrik’s counselor.

The General had mind-linked us a few hours ago, hence the current meeting. We already knew that Henrik’s plan had failed.

He didn’t tell me anything about his attack before it took place. He knew I would rather go for a less violent way of doing it.

Ambushing, that wasn’t right. But I understood my friend and that he was desperate. His cause was just, but he shouldn’t make use of unfair tools to achieve it.

“Three of the warriors left. I have the suspicion that they are going to join Alpha Marcus’s pack and support the bastard’s claim,” General Rainer barked out. “We have to do something about it, act stronger and faster,” he added.

“The people heard about it, about the ambush, the attack, they aren’t reacting well. Many say that you tried to imprison and kill your own sister; that an Alpha who hurts his own family can’t be a King. Others heard about the effect of Victoria’s command on the guards, she made everyone submit with a couple of words; and it makes her the rightful…” Alpha Elijah started, but Henrik cut him off with a powerful growl, as his Alpha aura howled in mighty waves of anger, making the objects over the table vibrate.

That was the reason behind the growls and noise.

People were angry. I have never heard about something like this during Alpha King Magnus’ reign. That was very bad for Henrik. Even though the wolves protesting were not ranked, they were bold, they came to the front of the Royal Palace to grumble.

It was something unimaginable even for a pack, hurting the very logic and hierarchy a pack follows to exist. Alphas weren’t questioned when acting within their pack.

Those Wolves were questioning their soon-to-be Alpha King. It was insane, unimaginable.

“We should make these protesters an example, imprison, kill them.” General Rainer affirmed, with a sneer.

“We can’t do it, this would only flare the revolt among the lower, not-ranked wolves. They aren’t powerful, but they are numerous, and the packs need them to function well. They are only challenging Prince Henrik because they aren’t 100% sure that he is the rightful Alpha King.” Elijah said, making Henrik, the General, and I growl at these words. “The bastard girl is already luring them. The ambush only made her get more supporters and the wolves question Prince Henrik. If we attack her again, it will backfire. We have to try another strategy; humour the lower wolves at least until the Prince takes his throne after his birthday. We have to show the wolves that Prince Henrik is the rightful Alpha King, that he wouldn’t hurt a sister, not even a bastard one for the matter. Besides, Prince Henrik’s image as a powerful, but rational leader, a modern leader, should be reinforced.” Elijah added. There was a viscosity about his voice that made me cringe and my lips curl up in a semi-sneer.

Something about him didn’t go down well with me. However, he was an experienced and powerful Alpha, and his guidance was a great help for Henrik.

“What do you have in mind?” I asked, narrowing my eyes slightly at him.

“No, I won’t allow anyone to challenge my position. I am an Alpha, not an omega! I am the Alpha King!” Henrik rasped out, unsettled.

“I can’t even imagine how horrible it feels,” I said, patting my friend’s back, “But this time Alpha Elijah is right, we should avoid a civil war and bloodshed. This Realm has already suffered enough.” I added, with a sharp exhale. I couldn’t bear to see this Realm, my people suffering again.

We needed a solution and not more war.

“We can show the others that Prince Henrik is willing to have a good relationship with his bastard sister, and welcome her to the Realm. He should be the bigger man, the Alpha, and simply try to guide this ‘lost pup’ to her rightful position, as his subject. This way, the crowds will see how much of a wise and powerful Alpha he is, an Alpha who doesn’t fear opposition and the claim of a weak, lone and foreign female, but rather try to help her to see her place. An Alpha who is the real King.” Alpha Elijah proposed eloquently.

“So, you are suggesting diplomacy?” I asked, furrowing my brow at him.

“Yes, show that the bastard is weak, and Prince Henrik is strong, by making people see that he doesn’t even see her as a threat. He should welcome her to the Realm.” Elijah explained.

“How would I welcome her? I shoved her from this castle a bit more than a week ago!” Henrik retorted, his nostrils flaring and his eyes glowing slightly. He didn’t like this idea.

“We should invite her to a ball. Females love balls, dresses, and all colorful bright things. We say that it is a truce, that you want to talk to her. Alpha Marcus may resist it at first, he is a smart wolf. But the girl’s whims will convince him, she won’t miss an opportunity of showing her pretty dress,” Alpha Elijah added, with a mocking and dry smile.

He was insufferable.

I could see that Henrik still didn’t look convinced, his jaw remained locked, and his brows furrowed.

I didn’t know if I liked this idea myself. It was a smart strategy, but quite sneaky. Besides, part of me dreaded to see her another time, wanted her and the threat that she represented as far away as possible.

Yet another part of me, for an unknown reason, craved to see Victoria again.