Number 25

The early hours of the morning were the most serene for the wolves. Coupled with the chirping sounds emanating from the forest around, and the beautiful soul which lay in his bosom, it’s safe to say they were Roman’s favorite also.

He laid with his back against the bed, his arms wrapped around his mate who derived solace from laying on his chest and sleeping soundly. He usually woke up a bit earlier than the other two, and surrounded by the peace and quiet that engulfed the whole environment and not just the room, he never missed staring at Lorelei in utmost admiration until she woke up.

Lorelei would usually wake up on her own or in response to gentle pats on her shoulders but today was very different.

Rather than getting up on her own, what served as an ‘alarm clock’ was the loud and continuous thump that could be heard on the gate meters away from their house. Lorelei gasped and sprung up immediately she heard the sound like she was having a bad dream. Apparently, she was very sensitive to high pitched sounds and was easily frightened; she always slept with one eye open.

She sat upright and held the duvet closely to her chest, still panting exhaustively. At first, Roman was really confused at her reaction. He also heard the sound but thought that Lorelei’s reaction was out of the ordinary.

“What is the problem?” Roman signed with both hands with concern.

“You can’t keep me out here!” she could hear the voice of the one who howled from the direction of the gate. “He’s here,” she muttered slowly, still holding close the duvet and looking at the direction of the window.

Roman didn’t need a soothsayer to explain to him that the ‘he’ in her statement meant ‘Alpha Damien’. Judging from the feeling of fright and anxiety that masked her face , one could easily tell how his mere utterances were more than enough to make her blood run cold.

“My baby,” she carried a sleeping Xander – laying by her side – by his hands and laid him on her laps instead, hugging him tightly.

“I need to see your alpha!” alpha Damien barked at the gate keeper.

“It’s still the early hours of the day and so the pack is still very much asleep my Lord,” he accorded him the respect he was due. The wolves were able to distinguish their ranks by the aura they eluded. “I dare to implore you to please be calm for waking the alpha up, disrupting his beauty sleep would attract grave consequences on my part,” he pleaded, while bowing his head slightly to show reverence.

Completely overlooking the respectful gesture the gatekeeper accorded him moments ago, he flared up paying consideration instead to the insolence in a mere omega asking an alpha – which were ranks away from his – of his caliber to stay put and wait for the pack to awaken – for the morning was still very young – before he was granted audience.

“What insolence!” he voiced authoritatively. “You dare ask a man of great prestige as myself to wait patiently for the sleeping dogs to wake up from their slumber?” he jeered, ordering his guards to push the gatekeeper aside while he forced his way in.

He paused for a while, he recognized a particular scent and aura he was very accustomed with – Lorelei’s.

‘Yeah right. That’s Lorelei’s scent,’ his wolf affirmed undoubtedly.

With fury in his eyes, he ordered his guards to search every family around in search of Lorelei. “Ransack the entire houses!” he ordered, pointing his staff to no where in particular, just as a way of conveying his message through gesture.

“You will do no such thing Alpha B!” Luna C walked out alongside her Alpha. “To what do I owe this unwelcoming visit aimed at disrupting the peace of my humble abode?” Alpha C asked collectedly, trying real hard to keep his emotions in check as he didn’t want to hamper their alliance.

“The insolence of the members of your pack is one that irks me to my bones. How dare a mere omega instruct an alpha on what and what not to do?” He vociferated egotistically, raising his shoulders up invariably telling them they were of no match for him.

Lorelei and Roman listened patiently to the entire drama that was played outside without making a sound to avoid unnecessary attention, knowing that Alpha’s possessed a colossal sense of hearing. With only the sound of their hearts beating to be heard, they sat close to the window to aid proper hearing.

‘Do not take ‘no’ for an answer, Damien. Search for your ex-Luna,” his wolf advised.

‘That’s exactly what I…am going to do,’ he replied his wolf in his head while engaging the alpha and Luna couple in a heated brawl.

‘From the perimeter of the scent, I presume her house should be one of those beside these,’ the wolf added, referring to the line of houses they stood against.

It wasn’t tasking pulling through having two distinct conversations simultaneously – in and out of his head. C’mon he’s an alpha, his inhumane strength will all be for naught if he was unable to pull the deed off without breaking a sweat.

“I beseech you to please act courteously and honor our relationship,” Alpha C kept trying to see reasons with Alpha B – Damien but it was too late. His mind was already clouded with feelings of wrathfulness that making anything out of the humble plea presented to him at the time was miles away from the question. “How about we go in and talk?” he added, gesturing towards the direction they both came out from.

“Never in my wildest dream did I think to be demeaned in such an unruly manner by you both!” It was pretty obvious he remained obstinate. “I have no time for a measly chit-chat with you both. Yield to my demands and save yourselves from my wrath,” he warned with a very unfriendly tone.

“Damien!” Scratch the respect and accord. Alpha C called him out by his name for the first time since their argument. The prideful countenance Damien wore faded slowly but surely as his eyebrows suddenly creased to an intense frown.

‘How dare he address you by your name?’ the wolf fueled the burning flames of spite in Damien.

“I am trying really hard to maintain cordiality between the two of us but meseems my benevolence is thrown under the bus seeing how you refer to us with so much lack of courteousness in the words you utter,” he backfired. “If you don’t put a halt to this unwelcoming attitude of yours, I’ll be forced to call off whatever alliance we may have holding us together,” he warned sternly as he pointed Damien continuously.