Chapter 45: The Alpha's Plea

[Cole]
Forever - was what she had promised him.

He won't let her go this easily.

She hadn't woken up or returned to her human form since the battle.

And it had been three days.

Cole stared at the white wolf on his bed, sensing Dove’s fragility and growing more despair. He focused on her tiny breathing, fearing that it would go away.

Claire quietly appeared at his side. "Thank you for keeping my secret."

The giant Alpha didn't respond.

Cole had figured out Claire's identity when she first saved Dove from the rogue wolves. It wasn't hard as long as you look at the facts close enough - aside from Jude, Megan, and himself, Claire was the last of the first to know when Dove left the village, so she would be able to get to her in time.

When Claire saved Dove again, Cole had realized Claire's special power - hypnotism.

Jude had been right about the ancient rumors - wolves with special powers do exist. They are rare, but they live amongst them.

But Cole didn't know everything about Claire. He was as surprised to learn that she was Dove's mother -- and she could talk.

"Why did you leave her?" Cole whispered, knowing that it would be the first question that Dove would ask.

Claire stared at her child with a blank look. "To protect her." She paused briefly and continued, "Abe wanted to kill my mate and then my unborn child, so he could marry me and use my powers."

His fists tightened until his knuckles paled.

Abe had lost his mind when Cole returned to the village. He was spouting nonsense, hissing at imaginary things, cowering in a corner and laughing uncontrollably.

"Alisa, my love… Ssh… we will run away. Father won't find us. Dan doesn't love you as much as I do! You witch! You said we will rule the world together! You said you'll help me! No… no, please. I didn't fail you. You fucking monster! Leave me alone!"

Cole tried hard to get something out of the old wolf to save Dove, but there was nothing.

Aeson had no idea what happened to Dove. It was like she had completely used up her energy and was slowly fading, he said.

It took Jude, Owin, Megan and Modis to stop Cole from strangling the doctor.

Cole gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes to suppress the anger rising in his chest. "You must know something about this." He was weakening with desperation.

For the first time, Claire's voice quavered with fear. "I'm paying back for all the things I've done."

"Now is not the time for this. Think. There must be something you know to help her. Only you know what it's like." Cole glared at the small woman in black.

But Claire shook her head. "I have always used the power sparingly - never gave all I had as she did."


******


Day fourteen.

The villagers had already returned to their normal routines.

The Alpha tried to do the same but his mind would float back to his wife sleeping in his bedroom.

Cole sat in the darkness, listening to Dove’s faint and slow breathing.

Propped up against the headboard, a weak stream of moonlight seized his attention. He exhaled heavily at it.

Closing his eyes, he muttered, "Why do you keep doing this?" He swallowed hard. "Stop taking them away from me."

The Moon Goddess saved me, Dove's voice rang in his head. The Moon Goddess doesn’t hurt her creations.

Cole's eyes flared open at the sight of the moonlight, streaming gracefully through the darkness. He looked away and stared at the wolf beside him, it's fur as white as snow.

"Don't," Cole whispered at his slumbering wife as his finger kissed her thick, soft fur. "Don't take her away."

He returned to the moonlight that was now streaming steadily into the black silence and swallowed again. "Don't take her from me."

His back bowed under distress and he finally succumbed to the fear. Clasping his hands tightly, he silently begged.

Help her, please.

Visions of his parents and Dove smiling and waving back at him sprouted in his mind, weighing harder on his back.

Please, let her live.

A ball of heat clouded his eyes. Cole dropped his head as tears flowed silently.

The stream of moonlight wavered briefly.


******

A hand sieved through his hair.

Cole returned to his consciousness. The touch he felt was real. He opened his eyes to the morning sun bathing his room. It was bright and clear again. He realized that he had fallen asleep.

Closing his eyes again, he inhaled deeply and turned to lie on his back when he felt it again.

His eyes stretched open and waited. The same hand was caressing his temple.

Cole shot up and looked at the spot where Dove had been lying in. The white wolf had returned to her human form.

Wide-eyed, he looked down at her hand and her fingers were stirring.

"Dove?" He croaked. "Can you hear me?" He crouched closer to her.

"Cole…" Her tiny whisper came through her dried lips.


******

[Dove]
I had absolutely no idea what happened.

Cole's smile was the last thing I saw before darkness overcame me.

Then, I was watching swirls of images, playing and replaying in front of me until they disappeared and a glaring light shone directly at me.

My body felt heavy again and my eyes opened to a blurry view of a familiar outline. I wanted to touch it and feel his warm skin. It didn’t seem very long since we last saw each other, but it felt as if a long time had passed.

A low, husky voice called my name. I recognized the person and called out to him. His hand covered mine as his voice grew louder.

"I’m here." His voice calmed my waking nerves as his thumb soothed my brows. I felt wonderful.


******

Apparently, I slept like a log for fourteen days, in my wolf form. I had been too weak to shift back to my human form.

Megan told me that Cole was like a walking corpse, neither alive nor dead, constantly checking on me and terrorizing Aeson.

I had tears in my eyes as I listened. I could feel Cole's anxiety and loneliness, and I made a mental note to never put him in such misery again.

Jude was back to training the fighters who had become more confident after the battle, and Owin had returned to his political duties. It would be tougher to communicate with all the clans now that everyone was aware of the Whispering Moon Pack's loss of faith.

For this, I am still working on my secret mission. One day, we will all believe in the deity again.

Claire - she preferred not to use her old name anymore - and I had a long chat. I asked how she was able to use that invisible force to strangle Abe.

She explained that her power had turned sinister due to the choices she made a long time ago. Hence, she was able to cause harm with it.

I understood what she meant when she said that my power is my choice.

And my power is to protect a werewolf's energy, which would include removing silver from our bodies.

Claire assured me the special power was gifted to help so I had been silly to think that I would weaken Cole.

With my face hovering above the giant's sleeping face, I asked with a frown, "Did you already know that I couldn’t weaken you?"

The giant opened his eyes and gave me a look of boredom. "I told you many times but you wouldn't listen."

I looked up from his face and rolled my eyes. "You could've tried to convince me."

His hand came behind my head and he pulled me down for a hard kiss.

Before we started tearing at each other, he ended the kiss and whispered gently, "Like this?"

I smiled with my eyes closed.

"I've tried." He lightly bumped his forehead on mine and added, "But it didn't work."

I winced and chuckled. He was right. I had let my insecurities get the best of me.

Cole lifted his head from my lap and sat up, then turned to me. "Do you still remember your promise that night?"