Chapter 20
20
M elvale lay on his back and awoke to his own stretching. His left arm had a kink in it, and he rolled to his side to relieve the…
His eyes sprang open. He was in his private quarters, on his half-moon chaise lounge. And he wasn’t alone.
“Oh, stab me!” He drew up slowly, his eyes glued to the vision of loveliness asleep on his arm. “Wha—what?” His eyes raked over her from the tip of her beautiful pink hair to her cute, adorable little toes. “Ohhhhh,” he breathed. “Here you are.” He lowered his face to her hair and breathed deep. “Ahhhh.”
She smelled of happy summer days, with a hint of cotton candy and a dash of lemonade. He opened his eyes and tried to take her in but couldn’t manage it. There was so much!
He blinked as memories formed. He’d been taken, held prisoner. She was there, but it wasn’t her, not like this. No, she was different, and… and… suffice to say he couldn’t get a word in edgewise. The other side of him, the one he kept buried deep within himself had risen.
Melvale looked at his mate with eyes full of admiration and longing. Finally!
“I suppose I should thank you,” he told the Alpha side of him. “You got me through.”
He stared at the young woman, taking in the texture of her skin, the darkness of her long lashes against a creamy complexion, and the tiny differences of pink shades in her hair. Some of which was interspersed with the color of his own. So, the merging had begun. He knew when the Alpha power was present, his eyes changed to blue. Hers would be blue as well then. An Alpha’s mate always took on the color of his eyes. But then, hadn’t she already had blue eyes?
He looked her up and down with wonder as he pushed the thought aside. She was about the same height as Maida, which, compared to him and his brother, was tiny. He and Markhel were both seven feet tall. A five-foot-seven female was small by comparison. But that was okay. He liked her just the way she was. She was adorable, his little mate. Her face, like Maida’s and Shona’s, was almost childlike, and she had a lithe build. Yet, she was… Melvale cocked his head as she studied her. Shapely. Yes, he could make out her curves beneath the Sarian sleepwear someone had… his eyes narrowed.
“Someone dressed you?” he heard the low growl to his voice and shut his eyes tight.
When he opened them, the power of the Alpha trying to rise was gone.
Melvale breathed a sigh of relief and bent to his mate. He put an ear to her face and reveled in the soft touch of air leaving her nose to brush against his cheek. “You are so beautiful…”
A tear escaped. He was overcome, but didn’t care. “I have waited all my life for you, Kahtala Miah .” His eyes roamed her face, and he cupped one soft cheek. “And I am your Bondrah .” He fought the urge to roll his eyes. “Why do I have a feeling you already know that?” He shook his head and lay back. He was still weak from whatever that fiendish doctor blasted him with. Something he’d breathed in, and that was the last thing he remembered.
Melvale gasped. “We were rescued!” He grinned. “Time Masters Dallan and Kwaku. It had to be them.”
He propped himself up to look at his mate again. “I don’t even know your name.” He tenderly brushed some of her pink bangs off her forehead. “I should have a nickname for you. You are Kahtala Miah , but what else should I call you?”
He thought of her scent, when he first caught it, and the sound of her voice as she fought against…
His eyes narrowed to slits and the Alpha deep within flew to the surface. He breathed in a lungful of air, taking her in again, and looked at her. No one had to tell Melvale his eyes had gone bright blue; he could feel that side of him hovering, ready to spring forth. Melvale still had control though. “You fought them, those foul young men. Like a tiny kitten surrounded by hungry dogs.” His eyes narrowed. “They touched you… they…” he growled low in his throat and shut his eyes tight. “Will you back off? Give me a chance to be with her!”
He took a deep breath, opened his eyes, and looked around the room for any sign of danger. He was going to have to merge with his Alpha side quickly or go mad. But there were things that had to happen first.
“Balance, balance. Maybe I’ll be better when she wakes up.” He looked at her again, put his nose to her hair, and breathed in her scent once more. Everything within him calmed, and he sighed in relief. “You are my balance, my life, my heart. I love you more than you know.” He looked at her and ran a finger over one cheek. “But that’s the problem, isn’t it? You don’t know me, don’t love me. And Creator only knows what the Alpha side of me said or did.” He tried to remember where he left the history books from the last Alpha’s reign. Could the Alpha speak before a merging? He couldn’t remember. He was still not himself and hoped the effects of whatever that quack doctor doused him with wore off soon.
His eyes narrowed as his Alpha side rose again. Kill him.
“Yes, yes, but not today.” Melvale looked at his heart again. She slept peacefully, and he realized he’d have to take care of her when she woke up. She would be confused, frightened, hungry…
Melvale lay on his side and repositioned her in his arms to hold her against him. “I’ll keep you safe, little kitten. Nothing can harm you when you’re with me.” He heard the lower pitch of his voice and sensed the new power flowing through him. With each passing day, he would become who he was meant to be. He just wished all this didn’t come as such a surprise. But that was the way of things.
No matter, he had his mate, his heart, and all was right with the world.
Melvale’s eyes sprang open. Except it wasn’t. For an Alpha to rise up, that meant trouble was brewing, be it war or some new enemy, the races would have to be united to fight whatever it was.
He sighed, holding his mate close, and unable to help himself, he ever so gently brushed his lips to her forehead.
She made a small sound, like a kitten, then another.
Melvale’s hearts leapt. “Oh, my…”
“Mmmm…” She turned her head into his chest, then the rest of her, surprising him.
Melvale smiled, eyes once more filled with admiration and awe as he took in the sight of her snuggled against him. He could get used to this, yes indeed!
He settled her more comfortably in his arms and let his eyes drift close. If anyone entered his quarters, he’d let the Alpha side of him take care of things. All he wanted to do was hold his mate and get a few minutes of real sleep.
Kwaku stood outside Melvale’s door with Sita Mihn, Angus, Markhel, Halden and Raina. Zara had her ear to the door and faced them. “I sense he is awake. His mate still sleeps.” She smiled. “And he is calm.”
Sita Mihn’s shoulders slumped in relief. “Thank the Creator for that,” she whispered. Sita turned to the others. “Now, remember, Raina, Halden, put the food on the table, and do not make eye contact with him. If you do, he will track your every movement. He doesn’t know you as well as the rest of us.”
“Table, right,” Halden whispered.
“Ye ken it does no good to whisper,” Angus grumbled. “Melvale can hear every word.”
“True, but whispers are calming,” Sita Mihn said. “Kwaku, Zara, let him see you but keep your distance. I’ll speak to him. Angus, stay behind me.”
“And me?” Markhel asked.
“You’re the backup, in case he gets out of hand. But I don’t think he will. So long as he knows his mate is protected and nothing threatens her, we’ll be safe.” She blew out a nervous breath. “Ready?”
Everyone nodded. Sita Mihn slowly opened the door and poked her head in. She entered the room just as slowly and motioned for Halden and Raina to follow her. Both had a tray of food in their hands.
They entered, and Halden looked at Melvale before realizing he’d done so, but thankfully, his eyes were on Sita Mihn.
The tiny Muiraran woman approached him, one slow step at a time, and bowed. “Alpha Melvale.” She straightened.
Melvale lay on his side, propped up on one elbow. His other arm was casually slung over his waist, his hand slowly caressing Pari’s hip with a finger. His right leg was raised, bent at the knee, his foot resting on the huge chaise lounge. If he rolled toward Pari, he could shield her with his body in an instant, which, could be why he was in such a strategic position.
“His eyes,” Raina whispered.
Great, she looked too, but Melvale was taking them all in, his eyes going from one person to the next, like a big cat or a wolf. He was calm, majestic and looked every inch the alpha-being Halden had been told about. In a word, Melvale was magnificent to behold, even dressed in sleeping clothes. And was it any wonder? Halden could feel the immense power coming off him, filling the room. Kwaku told him he could command anyone with that power. It was one of the reasons he was so dangerous.
“Alpha,” Sita said gently, almost reverently. “We have brought food for you and your mate.” Sita studied Pari and smiled. “She is lovely. I am happy for you.”
Melvale’s eyes softened, and he tilted his head in recognition. “Sita…” his voice was deeper than normal and powerful. Halden stopped, as did everyone else, trying to take him in.
“Great Scott,” Agnus hissed. “There’ll be no living with the pointy-eared dandy now.”
Melvale chuckled, the sound deep and throaty. He seemed to recognize his old friend, which was the exact reason Sita Mihn and Agnus were here. Melvale loved them both, dearly. “Sita…”
She bowed low. “Alpha.”
“I am honored by your presence.” His bright blue eyes locked onto the little Muiraran woman.
She tried to straighten but couldn’t manage it. “Your power is too great for me, Alpha Melvale.”
His face softened as he cocked his head again. “Forgive me, wise one.” He closed his eyes. When he opened them, they weren’t as bright. “I do not wish to cause you discomfort.”
“Alpha Melvale,” Markhel said from the door. “Brother.”
Melvale’s blue eyes locked onto Markhel’s. “Beta.”
Markhel bowed. “Alpha.”
Melvale’s eyes closed again. He squeezed them shut tight for a moment, and when he opened them, he looked at everyone in the room with pale blueish-gray eyes. “Thank you, you rescued us. I am in your debt.”
Everyone was able to straighten up and look at him.
Kwaku and Zara approached and bowed. “Alpha Melvale,” Kwaku said. “It was a pleasure to rescue you and your mate.” He looked at Pari. “She is perfect in every way for you.” He motioned to the table. “We have brought food, drink. We will leave you now so you can take care of her. Be gentle wid her. She is but a little human. She may not take on any of your power when you mark and claim her. Remember dat.”
Melvale nodded. “She will not be ready to mate for some time, I’m afraid.”
Pari stirred and a whimper escaped her.
Melvale bent over her protectively, half covering her. The blue of his eyes became brighter. “Leave us.”
Everyone bowed and slowly left the room.
Once outside Sita Mihn leaned against the door and blew out a breath. “And so, he is here. The Alpha of our age.” She looked at Kwaku and Zara. “We must inform the king. He is merging quickly. He could fully merge in a matter of weeks.”
“Yes,” Kwaku drawled. “A very good ting.”
Zara smiled at her husband then pulled him down for a kiss.
Markhel looked at the door, tears in his eyes.
Angus frowned again. “I’m telling ye, there’ll be no living with him now.” He took Sita by the arm and escorted her down the long corridor.
Halden stared at Kwaku as he broke the kiss with his wife. “So, I take it this is something to celebrate?”
Kwaku grinned. “You are still alive, are you not, Captain?”
He exchanged a look with Raina. “Um, yes.”
“And so is everyone else dat was in de room. He could have killed us all, commanded us to do any ting he wanted, and we would have done it. In dat room was but a small taste of his power. A mere pin prick in size.”
Halden gulped. “I see.”
“Melvale’s heart will balance dat of his Alpha’s. And she is helping it along while sleeping!” He smiled and with Zara, headed down the corridor.
Halden stared after them then turned to his wife. “Wow, and we thought our romance was complicated.” He kissed Raina, then followed the others.