Chapter 6 - A normal life ...

WHERE LENA WAS CONCERNED, they didn’t even really know her people! It was slowly growing dark and she could hear people laughing and talking in the distance. There was joyous music playing and she could even imagine people dancing. The smell of food drifted over and her stomach growled with hunger, but she pushed down on it so nobody could hear. She didn’t want them to know that she was suffering! Ever!

“I brought you a piece of cake.” Rebecca’s voice appeared out of nowhere, making Lena jump. Rebecca was holding out a small parcel wrapped in bright coloured material and Lena gratefully took it. “You better eat it fast before my brother finds it, but don’t eat it too fast or you will get sick.” Rebecca’s eyes flashed back and forth while she kept watch. “I will try and bring you something to drink a bit later.” She whispered and disappeared just as Lena heard Alaric’s voice.

IT WAS THE TOUGHEST DECISION HE HAD EVER HAD TO MAKE, but Alaric convinced the council that killing the witch wouldn’t be in their best interest. He spent the entire day trying to find someone who would take her as their slave, but nobody wanted her in their homes, which was completely understandable. They all wanted her dead, but he couldn’t bring himself to agree to the killing of his mate.

He also couldn’t tell anybody that either! It would have been the end of him and his pack if anybody found out that his own goddess had matched him up with a damn blood witch! Alaric was convinced that it was some kind of mistake. He just had to figure out a way out of it, and their lives could return to normal. If only he could convince his wolf that they needed to reject her! Then he could hand her over to the people to do with as they damn well pleased!

When Rebecca appeared in the crowd, he was relieved Lena wasn’t dead, but he was also furious at Max for not ensuring that his sister stayed at home! He reprimanded his guards, even though the footage showed that his little sister didn’t sneak out through the door. She had always been a bit of a mystery. Knowing things nobody else did and doing things people can’t explain.

His eyes caught a glimpse of the cage on the back of the truck and he sighed deeply. Nobody wanted the witch slave and since he was the one who convinced them she shouldn’t be killed, the council in the end decided he should be the one to keep her. He didn’t want her anywhere near him! Or Rebecca! His wolf was howling in his head to do things to her, he just couldn’t bring himself to even just think about! She was the enemy! Couldn’t his wolf see that? Her kind killed his parents. They took away the parental love that Rebecca was meant to grow up with!

What frustrated him even more was that Rebecca didn’t see that, but it wasn’t as if he was entirely truthful with her about it. Alaric sighed as he turned his back toward the cage and ordered one of the guards to bring her some water. She had been without anything to eat or drink for a while, and if he didn’t want to kill her, he had to make sure she at least stayed alive.

He joined the warriors who had been through this war with him to try and wipe out all thoughts of Lena as they celebrated the ending of the war and he soon found himself also feeling a little better as they drank to the deaths of the blood witches and their magic. They had confiscated all the property they found after each attack and handed it over to the council. Everything except for the bag Lena had with her. That he had locked away in his office safe. He had a feeling that using her own personal things against her would make it easier to get her to do what he wanted.

The festival lasted all through the night and he laughed as he watched Maximillian dancing with his mate. The man had no rhythm at all and it looked awfully funny to see. Alaric took Rebecca for a spin around the floor so she could at least enjoy some of the festival, but he didn’t want any others anywhere near her, so when she started to yawn, he sent her home with Max and his mate. All in all, it had been a good day. A peaceful day for the first time in years.

They stayed at the festival grounds overnight, and in the early hours of the morning, they returned to the pack grounds. The knowledge that Lena was his mate was eating away at him, so he just couldn’t stay for the rest of the festival. He wanted to get her out of that cage and find a place for her to work so that he could find a way to reject her and move on with his life.

He had been at war for so long that he had no idea if he would even be able to find a second chance mate. He had been at war for so damn long, that he didn’t even know if he wanted one anymore. He felt ten years older than he really was and it was strange to be back at home. There were no more war meetings and no more council meetings to attend once a week. There were no more funerals to have and families to inform of the dead.

He could just live his life for the first time since he became alpha. He could wake up and have breakfast with Rebecca and he was looking forward to it. As he crawled underneath the covers and closed his eyes, images of Lena filled his mind and no matter how hard he tried to get rid of them, she wouldn’t leave! She was fighting against his warriors. Her eyes flashed with anger and hatred and his heart yearned to show her love.

His body ached to touch hers and make her his. His heart yearned to love her and feel her loving him. He woke up with a start when Rebecca’s little hand touched his cheek and she looked worried.

“I heard you scream.” She stroked his cheek with her palm and he felt his heart rate slow down a little as he tried to console his little sister. He told her that war was the cause of his nightmares although he suspected she already knew that he wasn’t dreaming about war. He took her hand as he stood up and they walked to the kitchen where he made warm milk for the both of them and they sat at the dining table drinking in silence. When they were finished, he walked Rebecca to her room, and returned to his own.

He looked at his bed, but suddenly it no longer seemed so inviting anymore. He had been sleeping in the forest for so long, it was strange to sleep in a bed. He had been living as a wolf for so long, it was strange to be in his human body. That had to explain why his dreams were driving him so crazy! He needed to slowly transition back to being in his human form. Yes, that was it. That was all he needed.

He made his way outside, and his howl echoed through the night air as his warriors replied. He needed to spend time out in the fresh air. His paws hit the ground with a loud thud as he shifted mid-air and made his way to the forest. The wind blew through his fur softly caressing his skin and he could just see her fingers drifting over his naked body.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he pushed harder. His muscles were aching by the time he stopped and as he looked at his surroundings, he felt angry. He had somehow run to the old coven grounds without even thinking about it. He sighed as he walked into the town. It sounded eerie as the wind whipped past some of the burnt-out buildings, and memories of that first fight came to mind.

If only the other clans fought with them that day like they promised, this war could have ended a long time ago. He shook his head and whipped around, running in the direction of home. The war was over and there was no use in thinking about it any longer. Only one witch remained. A witch that was somehow his mate. He had no idea how on earth he was going to reject her, but he made up his mind that he had to. Not just for the sake of his people, but for Rebecca’s sake as well.

If his sister was ever going to find happiness, their family couldn’t be linked to the blood witches! All he wanted for all of them now was a normal life. One filled with love and happiness. All he wanted was for his little sister to some day find her mate that would wipe out all the insanity that happened at the beginning of her young life.