Two Alphas, One Mate

Diana

I stared out the window pane from my room and I was on the brink of dosing off. I spent most of my time observing everyone outside to pass the time, but boredom was getting the best of me.

It’s been days since I was taken captive and I’ve spent most days in this prison cell. Well, let’s be honest, it was actually a luxurious guest bedroom with an en-suite bathroom, but it felt like a prison.

The more I had time to think by myself, the more I tried to make sense of all the decisions I’ve made over the last few months. I felt like I’ve been constantly making mistakes, and the only family that I could lean onto for advice was gone.

I kept thinking about Holden telling me he was sorry before I hung up on him. Why was he sorry? I felt like I knew the answer, but I was too scared to face it. I had to grow up and face the realities of my situation. I regret not listening to my father and brother, I regret agreeing to be Holden’s mate so fast, and I regret opening myself up to Red that day back home.

“Stupid…” I felt the warm tears drip down my cheeks as I continued gazing outside at the sunny day.

“But mom!” A distant chatter of women walking with their children came into ear shot. I could see the kids playing rough with one another while one of the mothers tried breaking up the play.

I snickered as I focused on the smallest brown headed girl getting disciplined by her mother. It reminded me when I was young, I was always getting scolded for playing too rough with Adam. It seemed like an eternity ago.

“Miss you.” I sighed at the thought of my old life.

I peered over in the other direction to see a large group of warriors training in a nearby field. They all were so coercive and content. Never pushing each other down, but rather the opposite. It was refreshing to see happiness in this pack instead of fear that Holden always pushed on his pack members.

As the mix of men and woman trained, I analyzed their movements. They were much bigger than Crimson pack warriors, but one thing was obviously apparent; this pack had fewer warriors than Crimson. Maybe it didn’t matter to Damian, or maybe the warriors didn’t need the numbers to win a fight. I’ve been watching them closely every day and their tactics and speed were not to be contended with.

Eric usually led the training exercises and would often glance over at my window, knowing that I was watching his every move. He always acted like he didn’t see me, but I knew he was watching me.

I also knew Eric didn’t want me here. He saw me as a risk and an outsider, so I understood how he was feeling towards me, but as the days passed, he started to grow on me. He would bring me decent food and clean clothes everyday since I moved in.

We started at first with idle chit chat that only lasted a couple of minutes, but eventually it turned into full out conversations that would last a whole hour. He would usually let me do all the talking, but I wouldn’t go into detail about Holden and the Crimson pack. I spoke about my old life with my real family back home. He never pushed me to answer questions I didn’t want to tell him, and I finally felt like he was opening up to me.

Whenever Eric brought Damian up, a weird pit in my stomach began to flare up. Eric didn’t tell me where Damian ran off to, but he said he would be back soon. Deep down, I was sort of relived to get the space from him, I felt like I could think clearly about everything.

After the encounter with Damian, I started to have strange dreams that were more vivid than ever before. Dreams of him being in my room laying with me and embracing me in his arms. When I eventually woke up, I couldn’t help to feel a sense of disappointment that it was just a dream.

I shook my head in disbelief. My body and mind were still at constant odds, but the more time I spent here the more I felt connected to this pack. My body was changing, I still was losing weight from not eating much, but I felt my breasts were getting larger as my hips were widening. My bones felt stronger than they have ever before.

I couldn’t say that I was being poisoned anymore, these changes only felt natural. I remember when I was younger, my mother taught me about destined mates, and how your body changes preparing itself for…. MOTHERHOOD.

I shivered at the thought. How could I be jumping from mate to mate like this?

But at the same time, IT FELT SO RIGHT.

I bolted to my feet, unable to contain my mind. My heart started pulsing to the crazy surge of emotions stirring up inside me.

It was probably a good time to take a shower and thankfully, this luxurious prison cell had a very nice bathroom.

As I stood under the shower head, I placed my hands on the wall and let the hot water pour over my body, sweeping my tears down the drain. I’m a survivor, but I had my moments.

I patted myself dry with a towel after stepping out of the shower, I’ve never felt so refreshed in my damn life. It was like I was cleaning away all the negative emotions pent up inside me.

I was in there so long, a fog of steam filled the entire room. I wiped the mirror clean with my towel to take a look at myself. It’s been days since I glanced at my reflection, I was too scared of the changing landscapes of my body. As I focused my eyes on myself, I couldn’t see me, but someone else.

I lost some weight, maybe not as much as I thought, but the most apparent change were the glamourous dark circles that formed underneath my eyes.

“Oh my god.” I gasped as I leaned in closer to the mirror.

I placed my hand in my face, analyzing my sunken eyes. I was practically a zombie. But that’s wasn’t the most striking detail that struck my attention.

“WHAT THE FUCK?”

I patted my neck frantically, looking for any resemblance of my mark.

“Where is it?!” I gasped, still frantically pulling my skin under the different lighting, but there was nothing. Just my pale skin reflecting back at me. How could this be? Was this because I found Damian?

“Diana, you ok? Can I come in?” Suddenly, I heard knocking from the bedroom door. It was Eric.

“Uh, just hold on!” I started scrambling, grabbing any clothes in sight.

I think I knew him well enough at this point to know he wouldn’t just walk in, but yet again, I’ve been wrong before.

“Ok, just let me know when I could come in.”

“Shit.” I quickly shoved on a black t-shirt that was probably a few sizes too big, but better then nothing.

It was the comfiest shirt I’ve ever worn, and the smell was so alluring, like pine needles and balsam. Whenever I inhaled the scent I felt like I was being put into an euphoric trance.

“Ok, come in Eric.” I chuckled slightly as I obsessed over the stupid T-shirt.

“What’s so funny?” He raised his eye brows as he entered the room with a huge tray in his arms.

“Just a funny thought, it wouldn’t interest you.” I felt the blood rush to my cheeks.

“I brought you some food, you really need to eat. You’re skin and bones.” His blue oceanic eyes traced me up and down. There was something about Eric that I was really drawn to, whenever he looked into me it was like he knew what I was thinking. He was never abrasive or made me feel uncomfortable, but I still had my guard up.

“Eat with me then?” I looked back up at Eric with an innocent smile hoping he would agree to my invitation.

“I guess..” He glanced down at the tray of food. There was enough for 5 grown men. Comprised of fruit, sandwiches and a whole lot of other goodies, but the only thing catching my attention was the bright red apple poking out among all the food. We used to have apple orchards back at home and I remember my brother and I picking them each fall after harvest.

“That’s more than enough,” I said as I grabbed the apple off the tray and bit down. I moaned as the rush of flavour exploded in my mouth. “Wow,” I continued moaning while I took a few more bites.

“We got our own orchards here you know. Maybe I can show you sometime …” Eric reached behind his head and ran his hand through his brown shoulder length hair.

“I’m sorry Eric, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, I know Damian isn’t back yet. I just feel a little lonely that past couple days.” I continued chewing my apple, enjoying the sweet bursts of subtle sourness and sweetness.

“Diana, do you want to come for a walk? I feel bad you’ve been cooped up in here.” He placed the tray of food on the night stand table and raised his hand to the door.

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to get into trouble with Damian.”

“No Diana. It’s not like that. Damian trusts me.” I caught his eyes once again, gazing into me. He looked sincere, and for once, I could feel the passion he felt towards his Alpha. Like he was his own blood.

“Well…” I was apprehensive at first. Should I make a run for it once I get out of the house? Did I really want to run away now and go back to Holden? Was I really happy back in Crimson?

“Diana. I know you are Damian’s destined mate, which would make you our Luna. Well, that’s if you agree of course. I’m sure when he get’s back you can talk all about that, but for now, Damian has entrusted me to protect you, and I promise, no harm will ever come to you.” Eric kept his eyes locked onto mine.

“Eric, I still can’t comprehend the situation. I’m technically you’re enemy…” I looked down at the floor.

“No, you’re not.” I felt his hand come on my shoulder, but as soon as it made contact I was instantly filled with his thoughts. I did not intend on entering his mind, but it was like he was letting me in subconsciously without even realizing it.

I continued my gaze into his eyes, but now, I saw everything that was contained inside. His blue orbs held hues that could tell tales of the deep sea and the sunlit surface. The emotion he carried was a warm light that reminded me of my father, and he wore loyalty like it a badge on his jersey. His continued sacrifices for the greater good of the Fenrir pack and humanity was the only thing he lived for. His scar, the one I was too scared to ask about, held a reminder of betrayal and lost love. I wanted to see more, I wanted to see who was the one his inflicted the pain he held, but it was being blocked off.

“Wha-what was that?” I felt his hand retract from my shoulder.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” I cleared my throat. “I don’t know.” I played it off stupid, like I was unaware of what happened, but I’m glad it happened because now I knew I could trust him a little better. He wasn’t the monster that I once thought he was. I just wished I knew how to use this power when I met Holden, maybe I could of seen him for who he really was...

“I felt you-”

“I’ll take you up on the offer.” I interjected.

“On the walk?”

My face lit up, “Yes, it will be nice to get some fresh air.”

Eric and I spent a couple hours just talking as we walked around the pack house and the surrounding area. I was on a short leash with five warriors accompanying us, but I didn’t care, at least I was able to get out of my room.

I was learning a lot about the Fenrir pack; they were comprised of mostly pack warriors that would start training at an incredibly young age. The Fenrir pack had deep roots in history that went back all the way to the time of the Lycan wars.

I was surprised I’ve never heard of them, but Eric explained they wanted to remain hidden from the eyes of other packs to protect themselves from enemies that sought out to destroy them. I was fascinated listening to Eric, like a child listening to their parent telling a good story.

He also spoke about Damian, where he came from and his upbringing. I swallowed hard as I listened closely about my destined mate.

He was the son of Alpha Zeus, and his mother Luna Sorya. He didn’t go into detail of how his mother died, but it was long before Alpha Zeus. When it was finally time for Damian to take over the pack from his father there was a flawless transition. He was just like his father, a natural leader, fighting for packs and humans that no one else would fight for. Fighting injustices that everyone else ignored or were too scared to fight. The only difference between Damian and Zeus; Damian had grown into a much larger wolf then Zeus himself.

As Eric continued explaining Damian’s past, I realized that he was the complete opposite of Holden. I couldn’t help to feel differently towards Damian, he possessed something that Holden lacked.

I knew Holden wanted me, but that’s where it ended. If he cared enough he wouldn’t of left that night Damian came. My mark would still be on my neck and I probably would of attempted to escape this place by now. Holden didn’t lead the way he should, he made servants out of his pack instead of comrades, looking down at the weaker ones like rusted cogs in a clock needing replacement.

I looked up in the night sky, it was a full moon. It was beautiful.

Eric stopped talking and looked up into the sky with me, “Haven’t seen a clear night like this in a while.”

“It’s beautiful.” I continued to stare into the stars and the full moon. I took a deep breath hoping to suck in as much fresh air as possible, knowing I would be confined to my room again.

“We should get back, it’s late.” Eric glanced down at his watch.

“That’s fine,” I sighed. “And Eric, thanks for this.” I grabbed his arm and touched it for a couple seconds and released. I didn’t intend for it to be flirtatious, but a sign of good faith we had between us.

“No problem Diana, let’s go.” He smiled.

It was only a few minutes of walking when I suddenly felt an odd sensation enter my stomach. I felt fear, but there was no explanation for it. My heart was pounding out of my chest as I tried my best to remain calm until we reached the house. I glanced periodically in front of us, hoping to catch sight of something, but I couldn’t see anything.

The feeling in the pit of my stomach grew as we came closer to the house. The faint sounds of crickets were now gone and replaced with an eerie silence.

Suddenly, a dark grey wolf jumped out of the forests near the edge of the property. My adrenaline rushed through me as I jumped in excitement from the surprise visitor. Thankfully, he looked like a Fenrir warrior, his yellow eyes focused in on Eric and the others following us. He silently stood in front of us, I assumed they were mind linking each other.

“What is he is saying?” I whispered.

Eric braced onto my arm forcefully, pulling me in the direction of the house. His once laid-back attitude was quickly replaced by urgency.

“What the hell is happening? Something is wrong I know it! Tell me.”

“Rouges,” He said in a low voice. “You must get back.”