Chapter 12: Chapter 12

Alex Heartman

"Alpha, you need to calm down. You're hardly making any sense." Hendrix advised quickly trying to get his frantic Alpha a bit calmer.

"I am getting married, Hendrix. What part of that do you not understand?" Alex raked his fingers in his blonde hair and the words left a foul taste in his mouth.

If it were any other day, Hendrix would have pointed out that all he had been doing for hours was rambling about a marriage and he wasn't making any sense. But this wasn't every other day. The young Alpha looked pissed.

He had only agreed to this condition because he didn't want to rebel against the council and cause an even bigger rift between the packs. But nothing about it made him excited, he wasn't expecting the moon goddess to bless him with a mate so the issue of marriage was something that never crossed his mind.

"Well, that's great news then,"

Hendrix said for the umpteenth time, smiling.

"No, it's not!" Tbe Alpha countered sternly. ,"And you know very well, why it isn't."

Hendrix finally understood why the Alpha was so against the idea. It was only natural that he'd be afraid for anyone to come close.

"But what if it's for the best?"

Hendrix asked and his eyes gleamed with hope. He had a lot of questions but they'd have to wait.

"How can this darkness be best for anyone?" Alex asked, massaging his temples.

The Alpha was going to transfer his aggression on him if Hendrix if he didn't act carefully.

"You worry for her. That's a good sign," Hendrix kept talking in an attempt to cheer up the young Alpha, oblivious to just how angry the Alpha really was. "You care for her even before you've met her. Wonderful." Hendrix declared excitedly

"Hendrix, if you don't shut the fuck up it'd cost you your damn life." Alex threatened, meaning each and every word of what he said. His eyes had already turned into a darker shade of blue, almost black compared to their usual light blue shade.

Hendrix snapped his mouth shut and stormed out of Alex's bed room and headed for his study.

Alex let out an exasperated sigh. He needed to get his shit together.

It was times like this that he wished he could get high on drinks or even drugs but he was a very powerful man-beast and that was highly impossible for his kind.

Max was characteristically quiet, he had been, since the verdict was reached and Alex couldn't feel his emotions well as he had blocked him out.

'Max.' He attempted to communicate with is wolf but his wolf was drained.

'Max.' He tried again but he got the same reply–silence.

His wolf was most certainly dismayed. He had lost hopes and thoughts of a mate but Max hadn't all those years but he was sure to have now.

Maybe he could talk to Elder Kaleb, maybe if he was able to explain what a big mistake he was about to make, he'd change his mind. All the years he had spent with elder Kaleb in his teenage days, he had learned one thing about him–The man was stubborn.

Alex kept pondering on what could be done when he heard the heartbeat of who was approaching.

It was Gerald. He could smell him. He smelled fear too, causing him run a palm over his face.

What was it this time?

"Come in," he said irritatedly, ushering in a startled Gerald. He hadn't even knocked.

"Speak," He commanded, pressing his lips into a flat line.

"Sire, we have cause to believe we found your mystery man." Gerald announced and Alex looked up from his palm with enlarged eyes.

Alex felt relief washing over him. At least, something good today, he deserved that much.

"We haven't caught him yet, but one of my men claimed he saw him." Gerald explained.

Alex squeezed his eyes shut, unable to hide his disappointment. He pulled his eyes open and took in a deep breath. "We should check the woods again."

Alex rose from his bed and Gerald nodded, leading him to the woods.

They arrived at the woods and scanned the environment, searching for clues, still trying to find the man.

A tingly feeling spread up Alex's neck and he froze; aware that he was being watched by the same man. Holding his breath, Alex turned swiftly only to be met by silence and space.

Amex almost smiled, the man was there but he was hiding.

"Why are you hiding, what are you hiding for?" Alex questioned, piercing his gaze at a tall tree.

He could tell that whoever this person was, hw wasn't skilled. instead, he seemed afraid.

Fool.

But something also caught his attention. He had no smell and how he had gotten rid of his scent, Alex couldn't tell. His eyebrows fused into a frown.

"Show yourself, I dare you," He said in hopes of getting him pissed.

It worked because a few minutes later, his mystery man appeared in a distance. He was dressed in a black cape with an enormous cape.

Alex took off towards him. He was slow even for a werewolf.

Who was this amateur?

Alex caught up with him quickly, effortlessly and just before he could grab him again, he vanished.

Alex froze with an emotionless face regardless of the bile that rose up his throat. He swallowed it and narrowed his eyes.

Alex had expected it so instead of his full intent to be based on catching him, he tried to see what he was really doing. The man had whispered something just like the last time but this time, Alex had seen him whispering at a transparent ball in his hand. If he could separate them, he could get his man.

Alex smiled ready to put his plan into action but Max was fighting him and he couldn't tell what was wrong.

'Max.' He called trying to calm his wolf.' Max what the fuck was that?' Anger dripped from Alex's voice.

'I don't know,' Max sounded genuinely confused but just when Alex was about to give him the scolding of a lifetime, he started to struggle for control again.

'Max!' Alex yelled, feeling a burning sensation all over his body.

'I think-I think...' Max wasn't making any sense and Alex was getting the more upset.

'You think?' Alex was losing his patience as struggled to suppress his wolf.

Max had more resistance too. Something he had not experienced since the first time he had tried subduing him.

'I found-I found her,'

Max finally said, sounding exasperated.

'Found who?' Now the power struggle had gone a tad higher and Alex used all his mind's might to subdue his wolf and push him to the back of his mind.

He tried to calm his frantic heart and also a raging Max.

'Explain to me what's going on and I'll let you out," Alex ordered Max.

'Our mate, I found-'

Max halted in his tracks, seething in furry but Alex could still feel his excitement.

Alex felt his heart skip a beat. How and why?

This was only going to complicate things more especially with the alliance marriage. Maybe Max was wrong as he had been quite emotional since the Council meeting.

But when he heard a female's scream, one which pulled at his heart's strings and threatened to rip the weak member out of his chest, he knew Max was right.

Alex had never felt the urge to protect anyone like he did in that moment in his life. Alex dashed off towards where the sound had come from, he couldn't help but wish this was a terrible nightmare.