Haunted by the Mysterious Alpha

CHAPTER 9

Calix’s POV.

Just like last night, they climbed down from the bed and seductively walked to me. I’d forgotten they were here– perhaps, didn't expect them to still be here after last night’s escapade. This morning after Mr. Westley relayed to me the news of Alpha Thane’s voyage to Cathena, I’d ordered for my horse and cloak right there in the courtyard and hadn't bothered re-entering the castle. Amidst the protests of my cousin and beta, had mounted my horse and set for Cathena. According to Leia, going after Alpha Thane is a bad idea while Han on the other hand, wanted to come with me. In all, my mind was made up. I was going after Alpha Thane and I was going alone. I was already looking forward to his head in my hands, not knowing of the perfect distraction the moon goddess’d planted for me out there on the cliff– the sight of my mate.

Was it fate that she’d suddenly fallen into water?

I could still see those blue eyes and how they stared into my soul, her soft and delicate skin and how my body reacted to her, her sweet scent; that intoxicating smell of lavender and myrrh which still clung to my senses.

Gnashing under my breath, I brought back my attention to the women as they crossed over to me and threw themselves on me.

“Where did you go, my lord?” Sara asked.

“We have been waiting for you,” Fienna purred. They feasted their palms on my chest and kissed me, even pausing to share a languid kiss, and brought back their lips on me. But tonight was different, unlike yesterday when their actions were able to ignite something in me, tonight's actions sickened me. “Stop.” I said, but they continued and wouldn’t listen.

“Enough!” I growled.

The two women cowered back and fell on the floor. “My, my lord?” Sara stuttered.

“Did we offend you?” Fienna asked, almost in tears. They shivered like two lost kittens trapped under a heavy rain. I didn't realize I just used my alpha voice on them, but I was too pissed to care.

Lowering myself to a squat in front of them, I pointed at the door. “Whatever it is you and I had is over, get out!” I barked and used my alpha tone again.

I didn’t even realize where that was coming from, all I know was that I don't want another woman touching me. All of a sudden, another woman’s scent repulsed me. What was that? The mate-bond swinging into full mode? “Get out!”

The speed at which they scrambled to their feet and darted to the bed for their clothes, gathered them and scurried out of the room. Dragging a breath, I straightened up from the ground and walked to the dressing table. I raked my hair and stared into the mirror before me, but instead of my reflection, all I was seeing was her.

Stifling a growl, I dipped a hand in my pocket and came up with a picture of Alpha Thane, the most recent Mr. Westley sent to me while I was still in Nirian. Every year after I turned eighteen, I’ve had my father's best friend send to me pictures of the alpha who took everything from me.

I fixed the picture on the mirror and smirked, he might have eluded me today, but he won't be this lucky the next time.

My thoughts darted back to that moment I had her in my arms, her soft and succulent lips and how they felt under mine. My hands clenched into fists, I fought against the desperate need to punch the dressing mirror.

“I haven’t really seen you this angry in a long time,” a familiar voice said from behind me. “What really happened at Cathena?”

I turned around and my gaze fell on my beta lingering in the hallway. I didn’t realize my door was still wide open. I removed my cloak and tossed it on the couch. “It's a long story,” I dismissed.

“Trust me. I’m willing to listen to all of it.” Han said. “May I come in?”

I stared at my beta briefly and nodded my head. I didn't realize a servant was standing with him in the hallway. Han beckoned on the servant and the lad walked in with a tray of booze, placed it on the table, bowed to me and continued out of the room. I looked away and walked to the window as Han poured drinks in the cups.

“For a moment, I thought I was the luckiest man on earth.” I scoffed and stared at the night sky just as Han crossed over to me with the drinks.

“You are.” Han gave me a glass and sipped his.

“This isn’t how it should be. Our mate should complete us, they shouldn’t be an offspring of our enemy.” I said and gulped my drink. I wish I could drown myself in this sorrow. I emptied the cup and gave it back to my beta. Han’s eyes are wide as he stared at the cup and walked back to the table to refill it.

Raking my fingers through my hair, I filled my lungs with the fresh air of the night. “What really happened?” Han asked and joined me again at the window. I turned around and faced him as the rage comes coursing through my nerves again.

“I arrived at the cliff of Cathena and saw the most beautiful woman ever, alone on the bridge. She was staring at the water and one moment was even talking to a butterfly.” A smile touched my lips at thinking how sweet she’d looked, but I quickly recollected myself and my brows furrowed. “Only the moon goddess knows what happened because one moment, I’m staring at my mate standing on the bridge, the next minute, I turn and she’s gone, not without letting out a scream that destabilizes me. I searched the whole panorama and then see her breaking out of the water and screaming.” Han’s eyes were wide now. I collected my cup from him and gulped half of its contents. “And then I charged, like every mate would seeing their mate in distress, I sought for the closest opening to the riverbank and dived in. I found her passed out in the water, brought her to the riverbank and—” I fought back the memories of that moment our lips came together, I gulped my drink. “So I saved her, Han.” I concluded that part and stared at my beta. “In her arms, the world seemed to be a perfect symphony, it damn felt so right! I almost forgot about the situation at hand; the revenge mission. I recollect myself and dashed after Alpha Thane to the disappointing sight of his ships already leaving and guess what? I overheard a group of men talking, something about Alpha Thane’s daughter going missing, I feel the need to trail these men and guess who is this Alpha Thane’s daughter, Han? My f*****g mate!”

Gnashing my teeth, I fought the urge of hurling my glass against the wall, I just emptied the glass and fought back the tears. “Why does the moon goddess hate me this much? First, she lets me watch my father get murdered and I was just six. And then she matches me with the daughter of the same man who murdered my father.” I stared at the nightsky.

Someone cleared their throat in the hallway and it was Leia. “I’m sorry if I’m interrupting something,” she smiled. “Mr. Westley is waiting downstairs,” she motioned.

Seconds later, I arrived at the throne room, and my gaze settled on the figure of my father's friend, the man bowed. “Good evening, my lord.”

I just walked to the raised dais and stood. Han and Leia lingered at the door. “How was the mission?” he asked.

I glanced around the room. “The mission was unsuccessful,” I replied, my tongue heavy with the words, and I brought back my gaze on my father’s friend. Mr. Westley’s brows furrowed.

“What happened, my lord?” he asked.

“There was a distraction at the cliff of Cathena.” I summarized. “I met my mate.”

Mr. Westley was even more confused. “Pardon me, my lord. I do not understand.”

“Alpha Thane’s daughter is my mate.”

“What?!” the man’s face contorted as should. This was one plot twist in my life I wasn’t expecting. “You’re mated to Alpha Thane’s daughter?”

Need I say it again? I glanced at my father's friend and paced the raised dais. “Can my life get any worst? Whilst I was saving her from drowning, the enemy was getting away.”

“No!” Mr. Westley said and I glanced at him.

“No?”

I paused in my tracks and stared at my father's friend who had a petrified look on his face. “No. This can’t be happening,” he said. Even Han and Leia’s gazes were fretted as they stared at him.

“Mr. Westley?” I called.

“Recollect what I told you this morning, about how Alpha Thane’s daughter wasn’t able to shift for the first time on her eighteen birthday?”

“Yes,” I replied while pondering where this conversation was headed to.

Mr. Westley dragged a breath and gulped. “Have you asked yourself why they brought her to Cathena?” he asked.

“It’s definitely not because of the trade-fair because she was in the hamlet of Cathena.” I replied.

“And have you asked yourself what she is doing in the hamlet of Cathena? What goes on in the hamlet of Cathena?”

Seconds of silence followed as I worked to put the puzzle together, my heart thumping in my ears. And then suddenly all sounds ceased as once again the world moved beneath me.

“She is mad.” The tears gathered in my eyes. “My mate is mad?”

“Exactly!” Mr. Westley replied. “Aside from the fact that your mate is wolfless, she’s mentally deranged.”

I walked to a cast statue, grabbed it, and hurled it across the room like a tin can. I let out a deafening growl and panted. Perfect! My life is perfectly ruined.

“My lord?” Han came running to me. Slowly, I turned to him and smirked. “Didn’t I tell you, how much the moon goddess hates me?”

“My lord?”

“Gather the men. At the first brink of dawn we train.” I said to my beta.

Leia darted from the door. “Train? Train for what?”

“A war.”