Saving the Alpha of a Thousand Wolves

Greta Lovelace; The State of Vermont, USA, circa 2009 I stood on the edge of the cliff overlooking Warren Falls. The water burbled as it travelled along its path, bubbling over rocks and branches. The night sky was as usual, just like how it had been several thousand other nights when I had stood here. Pearlescent light from the waxing moon rained down on the forest, making everything look like it had been touched by silver. Vermont State has always been beautiful, especially at night. Even after half a millennium, nothing much has changed in this beloved state. The Green Mountains were still the same, tall and full of life. And old secrets. My secrets. A soft breeze blew, carrying with it the cool scent of maples and birches. I grabbed the edges of my cloak, drawing it closer to my body to prevent myself from catching a cold. It was silly. Having lived for hundreds of years, yet I still wasn't immune to the common ailments of humankind. However, being almost eternal has its perks. Past my twenty-first year, I haven't aged a day. Not that I have given it much thought. Eternity could be so unforgiving at times. Especially, when it came to memories. A small cloud of breath formed in the air as I sighed. No matter the number of days that has come to pass, that fateful night still seemed like it was only yesterday. It all happened here, right in this very spot where my bare feet touched the cold earth. "Anselm," I muttered under my breath, letting my brother's name roll off my tongue, making sure I have never forgotten. Would you ever forget such an abominable crime, Greta? A sharp pain lanced in my chest as I struggled to recall his face. The agony was short-lived, but it still stung. It was as though my heart had been poked with needles by some kind of voodoo. Hard as I tried, all I could see in my mind's eye was the way that he had looked at me after what I had done to him. With unbridled hate and unrestrained fury. Gone were the images of his innocence and purity. Never to be witnessed again. "I'm sorry, my brother." I shed a tear. My right hand darted to the side of my cloak, my fingers closing around the bundle of rowan branches inside my pocket. Feeling the smoothness of the unbarked sticks gave me a sense of something close to comfort. Familiarity. It wasn't exactly the peace that I had longed for, but it was enough for me. "There you are," a soothing deep voice came from behind me, and all of a sudden, a pair of strong arms were wrapped around my waist. "I knew I'd find you here." "Vladimir." I closed my eyes, my hand letting go of the wand in my pocket to meet his. Our fingers laced together, sending sparks running all over my skin. I took a deep breath, leaning my head to the side so I could revel in his scent. Heady, mouthwatering, and nectarous. Like honeysuckle and the forest after the rain. "You're here." "Of course, I am." He inched his face closer, his aquiline nose poking through the swatches of my hair like a hunter foraging for sustenance. "I will always be here," he added, planting a kiss on the top of my head. "For you, the other half of my soul." I smiled, momentarily forgetting the tortures of my past, and turned to face him even as his arms refused to let me go. "As I also will, for you." He was wearing his favorite black leather jacket that did nothing to conceal his muscular body, a clean grey shirt, and a pair of jeans ripped at the knees. Though I have been with him for almost three years now, the sight of him still sent my heart rapping against my ribs. "For eternity," he whispered. "And beyond." I caught his gaze. It was almost impossible to look away from the depths of his eyes as I found it so easy to get lost in them. His pupils dilated as I stared, making his blue irises look darker than they actually were. "What is my beautiful witch doing up here all by her lonesome?" my soulmate asked as he planted a tender kiss on my forehead. I laughed a little. "Would you prefer I had company?" "Besides my glorious self?" Vladimir's forehead crinkled as one of his eyebrows shot up. "No." "That's what I thought," I said, snaking my arms around his neck. My hands found his stark-black hair, and my playful fingers toyed with the soft strands. Vlad smiled at me, pressing his forehead against mine. A rush of excitement swarmed my body, and before I could restrain myself, my lips were on his. The kiss was electrifying, like an eternal current burning through our veins and consuming our souls. Every touch of his lips on mine felt as if it were meant to be, and I melted into them willingly. Our tongues danced around each other in an almost primitive rhythm, sending little shocks of pleasure through my body with every movement. My heart was pounding wildly, and the sensation made me feel alive in a way I had always wanted more of. All sense of time and place drifted away as though they had been engulfed by a sea of passionate emotion. We both felt it: this immutable bond that tied us together as one soul for all of time. Vladimir's hands moved down my back, pressing me closer to him with each passing second. His hungry mouth began to ravage mine harder—his need for passion almost palpable in the air around us—and I couldn't help but respond in kind, tasting him deeper with every kiss until, finally, we both pulled away gasping for air. Breaking apart as suddenly as that almost hurt. "So," he began as soon as the kiss ended. "You still haven't answered my question." My cheeks still felt flushed from all that kissing. "Which one?" "I only asked you one, dear," he reminded me. "What were you doing here? Are you still thinking about what happened to your bro-" I didn't let him finish. My eyes darted to the ground as I broke free from his embrace. I wanted to tell him that he had no need to get worked up about the ghosts that plagued my mind, but the words just wouldn't form. Even though I didn't answer him, he blurted out, "I see." The sound of him taking a deep breath let me know that he knew and understood how I felt. It took most of my will not to look up at him. I was afraid that if I did, I would see the hurt on his face. Seeing him in pain because of me was one of the very few things I could not endure. And as the first of my kind in history, I have endured a lot. "Greta," he cooed, his voice still the most melodic sound to my ears even though it was laced heavily with worry. "Look at me." I couldn't. Ever-so-gently, Vlad reached for my face, his thumb lifting my chin so that I could look into his eyes. I did, and as expected, there was anguish in them, mixed with something akin to protectiveness. "It's not your fault, my love. You did what you thought was the right thing just to save him. Anselm was dying, and you had no choice. If it were me, I would have done the same." A lump lodged itself at the back of my mouth. I swallowed hard before I could choke on it. "What?" I asked him, fighting the tears threatening to burst free. "Place a curse on your own sibling and pray to the Balance that everything will turn out as you desired?" Despite my obstinacy, Vladimir refused to let his anger get the better of him. We have had this conversation almost a million times, yet he never chose to raise his voice at me. "You didn't know it then, Greta. So please, stop blaming yourself. And if you hadn't done what you did, I wouldn't be here." He caressed my face with his right hand. His palm was rough, calloused like a warrior's. "Aren't you happy I am here?" "Of course I am happy." Vlad was right, he had always been about this matter, yet I couldn't help myself. I knew I should have stopped talking, but the remorse that I felt was eating at my soul. It was as though a part of me wanted someone to hold me accountable for my actions. To tell me I was guilty. To scream at me that it was all my fault. A tear managed to escape. "That's the thing, I should have known better. If I hadn't been so desperate, if I hadn't been so impatient, maybe Anselm would still be here." Silence. "Maybe he would be here, and I wouldn't." Vlad let out a sigh. "But we don't know that." I was about to answer, but the sound of distant footfalls caught my attention. Vlad heard it too, probably way before I had, given his heightened senses. At the same time, we turned our gazes in the direction of the noise. Through the woods of the Green Mountains, a huge shadowed form appeared. It moved quickly and effortlessly, its steps so imperceptible that it almost seemed like it was floating. I gasped as I realized what it was – a massive black wolf with burning amber eyes. Before I could react further, in a single ripple of its muscles, the wolf shifted into a naked man with an athletic build. At first, I found myself taken aback at the sight of him – his body half-illuminated by the moonlight – but then relief flooded me as I recognized who it was: Vladimir's Beta and right-hand man, Juan. I silently gave thanks to the Balance that Juan's private bits were shadowed by the foliage. I didn't mind seeing manly parts as I have seen my fair share of them over the course of my lifetime, but the way that I sometimes catch Juan ogling me didn't bring me much comfort. Juan bowed in our direction before greeting us with a deep voice. "My Alpha," he acknowledged Vladimir before turning to me. "First Witch." He gave me a small smile and continued, "Pardon my intrusion, but I bear news of urgency." Vladimir furrowed his brows in concern and stepped closer toward the forest with clear intent in his gaze. "What is it, Santiago?" Vlad's tone shifted, his Alpha voice resonating through the open air. Juan nodded before replying. "I heard from one of my scouts that a large wolf pack is marching toward us from beyond the eastern woodlands." A certain edge pervaded his voice as he continued speaking, his eyes shifting left and right like he expected something untoward to happen any second now. "They should reach here within an hour." "Do you know who they are?" Juan shook his head. "I'm afraid we do not, Alpha." I stepped closer to Vladimir, grabbing his wrist as I did. A nervous flutter started inside my chest. "What is it? What's going on, Vlad?" He turned to me with a calm demeanor, though I could tell he was wary by the way his eyes blazed. "It's nothing to worry about," he said reassuringly. "It might just be the wolves from another pack laying claim to our territory." "The Salem Wolves?" "Perhaps." "Why wouldn't they stop?" "They would, once I'm dead. But that would not happen. Not today." I looked up at him, my fear shifting into determination. "I want to come with you," I said. My spare hand found its way inside my pocket and I felt the wand I had brought with me - its magic calling out for release. "There's no need for you to come along," Vladimir insisted. He gave me a gentle smile as he continued speaking. "You should go back to your coven. Your Sisters might be going crazy looking for you." "But-" Without warning, Vladimir kissed me, my eyes closing in reflex. For a moment, I thought that he had found such a convenient way to shut me up. Then, he drew his face away from mine. "I'll be back before you can even blink." I let out a long breath. "Be careful, Vlad. You had better be back in one piece." "When did I ever return to you broken?" He winked, taking off his jacket and handing it to me. "Will you look after this beauty for me while I'm away, my love? Protect it at all costs?" "I will," I said, rolling my eyes so hard I thought I saw my brain. "Even though this hideous piece of garment is a testament to your ill taste in fashion." Vlad made an inelegant snort. "I love you." "I love you too." Vladimir then turned on his heel and shifted. His body swelled, his muscles rippling in waves. His clothes burst and rained down like confetti as he landed on all fours, revealing his majestic wolf form. Grey as the sands of the Atlantic. Sparing me another glance with his now-amber eyes, Vlad leapt forward into the woods, his Beta disappearing into the darkness with him. Just like that, I was left there standing, staring into the shadows with nothing but the sound of my soulmate's howls and an unsightly leather jacket as company.