An Alpha
Alejandro
Ilooked over at Rayhan as we stood outside the entrance to the Sangue Pack. His hair was pulled into a bun, and he had a frown on his face.
“This is it,” I said quietly. “Sometimes, admitting that we made a mistake takes a lot. For you to want to do this yourself, I’m proud of you, and I’m sure more than me, Rafael would be prouder.” He nodded as Kiara placed a hand on his arm.
“We got this, and besides, we’re doing this together,” she said, giving him a warm smile.
“Don’t make me out as a good person. I only regret that others suffered, not what I did to those individuals,” he said, looking at the gates. Kiara nodded.
“That is enough in itself,” I replied.
“Hm, does Marcel know we’re here?” Rayhan asked quietly. I nodded.
“Yeah, someone should be here to escort us inside,” I replied, pulling Kiara into my arms.
A few days after my picnic date with Kiara, Rayhan rang to ask if, although Leo refused, it was okay to visit the Sangue Pack.
He said he wanted to apologise to those who suffered indirectly from his actions.
I was proud that he wanted to do that. We all knew it wouldn’t change the past, but at least it would give some sort of closure to those who had suffered.
Marcel soon arrived, and, after meeting us, we all walked through the grounds.
“How are you holding up since he left?” I asked him, referring to Leo. He gave me a small smile.
“It’s hard. Even though he gave me a lot of stress, he was always looking out for me. Leo has a good heart, he’s just…”
“Hurting,” I finished. “He had a point. We all fucked up.”
Kiara brushed back a strand of her hair as the wind blew through the trees.
She looked as beautiful as ever, with her sandy brown hair pulled back into a braid and a few strands framing her face.
She wore a green silk blouse with a black print on it and black trousers.
She looked at me, and I pulled her close, kissing her lush lips softly.
Delsanra had wanted to come as well, but Rayhan had told her he’d rather she didn’t.
I understood his point. After all, this was the pack where her abusers lived.
It would still be triggering for her, although I knew she was a strong woman.
Besides, she had done nothing wrong, so she didn’t need to apologise. Rayhan coming was more than enough.
“What do you plan to do? Are you sure you don’t want me to call a meeting?” Marcel asked.
“No, we will see them individually. A visit, not a command for a meeting. Right now, we are here to apologise, and summoning them isn’t going to help that,” I said coldly.
“I agree, and if they don’t want to see us, that’s okay, too. No one is to be forced,” Kiara added, looking at Marcel. He nodded, sighing heavily as we reached the first house.
“I did tell them I’d be stopping by,” he said. I nodded as Marcel rang the doorbell. Kiara had wanted to bring gifts, but we had decided against it. We weren’t here to display our wealth. To admit we are wrong doesn’t make one any less.
“Alpha…” The woman at the door paled the moment she saw Rayhan and me. Her heart was racing as Kiara stepped forward, smiling gracefully.
“May we come in for a few moments? It won’t take too long,” she said softly.
“Opal, who is it?” A man’s voice asked before he came into view.
His eyes snapped to Rayhan, and I realised he was definitely one of the men he had beaten.
It took me a moment to pair him to the files, files I had already burned a few days ago.
There would be no fucking records on them unless they committed a crime by will.
This was the man whose child had been killed when he had refused to beat Delsanra…
The tension was thick. I stepped inside the house, making the woman back away.
“Momma!” A child came running. She was around the twins’ age, and she looked at us curiously.
“Go to your room, Ophelia,” Opal commanded her, and the girl obeyed.
“Can we have a quick word?” I asked, doing my fucking best to sound calm. I was already trying to suppress my aura entirely.
They nodded as the man wrapped his arm around his mate. I could smell their fear and feel their distrust. It showed they only agreed because they felt they had no choice.
“Please, sit, Alpha King,” the woman murmured. We all sat down, and it felt too fucking small in here. The man remained standing as his mate sat down, her heart thundering with fear as she gripped her mate’s hand that rested on her shoulder.
“The reason we are here is to apologise,” I said quietly.
“I’ll take it from here,” Rayhan added, looking at the man.
“Years ago, I came here, blinded by my pain and rage. My only goal was to hurt all those who had hurt my mate, but without even realising… I did the very same thing that I was punishing others for. I hurt you, but indirectly, I also harmed your mate. A woman who was innocent… you lost a child for refusing to beat the very species you hated. I can’t imagine losing a child…
I, too, would do anything to protect them, so I’m sorry.
It won’t take back what I have done, and it won’t change the past, but I apologise.
” He lowered his head to the man, who looked surprised.
The woman looked up at her mate, her eyes glittering with unshed tears of surprise.
“It’s fine… it’s in the past,” the man replied curtly. Rayhan shook his head.
“No. Whether it’s in the past or present, I still made a mistake.” The man smiled slightly and nodded.
“We all did, but we are beings, we are made to make mistakes. It’s fine, you need not worry about it. Thank you for your apology.”
“Thank you for accepting it. I’m sorry for the loss of your child at the hands of Endora,” Rayhan said quietly. Silence fell in the room, but somehow, I fucking knew the small gesture would help the couple in their healing.
“There is always light,” Kiara said warmly. Leaning over, she placed a hand on the woman’s knee, and I sensed her healing aura flowing into the woman, no doubt, healing whatever internal damage there was. The woman visibly relaxed, and Kiara simply smiled at her.
I think I will start going around to every pack in the country and offer to heal what I can. Although we have always made it clear that everyone is welcome to come to us, it’s obvious not everyone does or can.
Sounds like a fucking plan. Proud of you, Amore Mio.
Our eyes met, and she smiled softly at me. She was my fucking life.
We left after a short while, going on to the other houses.
There were a few who refused to see us, but that was understandable.
Those who had had their mates killed were more hostile, but still, Rayhan did his best. I knew he didn’t regret killing those men, but he did feel for those who suffered because of it.
Once we were done and seated at Marcel’s having some refreshments, I looked across at my brother. It was my fucking turn.
“I also owe the Sangue Pack an apology. I promised you all a fresh start but didn’t hold true to my fucking word.
Going forward, that’s going to change. The files I created on this pack have been destroyed, and, as for those who were orphaned back then, those children will have funds created for them so they can have a good start to life and a good education,” I said. Marcel smiled.
“You don’t owe us an apology, Alejandro; you have done so much, and we appreciate it. You have given me my share of the Rossi Empire, and it is more than enough for me to cater for those orphans, although the number is extremely high.”
“And that’s why I’m fucking helping, don’t fucking argue with me,” I growled.
“Alright, I won’t. You know this life we have is because you gave us the chance.
Going forward, I, too, hope that we can carry on stronger than ever.
I’m sure Leo will come around. This action from you, Rayhan, was truly admirable, no matter how hard it was.
Our mates mean the world to us, and you only did a mate’s duty, yet you were man and alpha enough to admit the damage it did to others.
It’s not something easy for us of Alpha blood to admit, but you did it.
Humbly and earnestly. You are a son that anyone would be proud of, and I know that Rafael will be proud of you,” he said in a voice so similar to Rafael’s that it fucking tugged at something inside. Rayhan smiled slightly.
“Thank you,” he said quietly.
“Yeah, he fucking would be…” I said as I leaned forward, picking up my cup of tea from the table.
A ray of sunshine fell over my hand, illuminating the room in a warm glow, and I turned towards the window. I hope you are proud Raf… are you watching over us?
Kiara placed her hand on my thigh, sending sparks of warmth through me. I turned, smiling at her.
“To bonds of every kind,” Marcel said, raising his teacup. Rayhan smirked as he raised his own and we all followed suit, clinking our cups together.
To family, friendship, honesty, loyalty, and to fucking equality.
I downed my cup, giving them a cold smirk as the hot liquid ran down my throat.
Yeah, to better times.
Enrique
I walked through the empty halls of the Escarra mansion, a place that had remained empty for the last few years. The sun shone through the window, and I was able to see the dust particles that hung in the air.
Hugo walked behind me. Over the last few weeks, he had become my shadow.
He had been our family butler before Father had refused to allow him to come along to take care of my mother and me when we left Puerto Rico.
He was the one who had saved me the day I almost died, the day that Mother was killed.
“The Lycan King wanted to stay in touch with you, no?” I asked coldly.
“He… is only worried for your wellbeing, young master.” I frowned. No. No one cared for me.
The memory of him killing my father when I begged him not to remained. Hours before that fight, I had learned of the curse on our family… the deal with the devil and how Father had come to England to find a way to protect me. He only wanted me not to go through what he and our forefathers had.
“From this day forth, you will refer to me as Alpha. Anyone found to be conversing with the Lycan King will be punished,” I said, my voice loud and clear as it echoed in the empty halls.
“Youn- Alpha…”
“The passage of the Alpha ceremony will be held tonight. I will officially take my place as the leader of this pack, and I expect everyone to listen. The Escarra name will not be forgotten. I will fix this pack, and… I will need your help, Hugo. I promise to pay you well.”
“Young master… I would help you without being offered pay. My duty is to-”
“No. I don’t need loyalty to my family, I need you to promise your loyalty to me. To show me that I am your Alpha.”
“Y-yes young master,” Hugo whispered.
“What did the Lycan King ask you after I was taken away?” I asked, knowing Hugo had spoken to him.
“He asked if you had someone to take care of you,” Hugo replied.
“And you also called him,” I said, staring at the slate floors. My anger raged within me, clenching my fist tightly around the item in my hand. It was digging painfully into my palm.
“I did… he… he just wants to make sure we are all okay, if you are okay, and if we knew the truth about his son.”
“What did you tell him?”
“I told him we do, but we will not utter it to anyone…”
“That’s fine. We won’t. I don’t care for him or his family.”
The image of the chica came to mind, and I frowned. An act of kindness which didn’t feel wrong… but it… it cost me so much. I looked at my stump. We were in the process of getting a prosthetic made, but it would never be the same…
“Then we will make it clear to the pack as well.”
“They know the law. They won’t talk about it. I will make it clear that those rules are the same. From this day on, I am Alpha, and we need no one else. No one’s help. Nothing.”
I need no one.
“Yes of course, Alpha.”
“You may go, Hugo. I want to be alone.”
“Ah…yes, of course, young mast- I mean, Alpha.”
He walked away, and I opened my hand, staring down at the clear quartz crystal necklace that was wrapped with gold metal wire with distaste.
I don’t know why I didn’t just throw it away…
I didn’t want it. The stupid Lycan had given it to me even when I left it in the bathroom.
A flare of anger rushed through me, and I flung it across the centre courtyard, my heart thumping.
“I hate you! It’s your fault! It’s your fault that everything went wrong!” I shouted, my voice ringing in all directions. “I will never be the Alpha I was meant to be because of you! You took away my life!”
I refused to cry, but the pain was so much. I just prayed to whatever god there was above that I never saw her or her family ever again.