Echoes of an Alpha

Eleven: White Lily

The next morning before the sun rose, Kusal trekked through freshly fallen snow along the western border. A storm had passed over the village the night before, but Kusal felt like it was just beginning to brew. Something...doesn't feel quite right. He couldn't put his finger on it, so he set it aside. One side of him complained he should follow his instincts. The other side argued that he didn't need to make a big deal out of every whim of danger, especially when there was already so much he had to think about. The patrol group here said they saw fresh tracks coming into camp, though no one should've left during the night. There was a storm, so that must've meant whoever came is still here. They would've arrived only a few hours ago.

Kusal saw Arek, and suddenly knew which arguing part of him was right. The Alpha's eyes were burning up, and Kusal wondered if people ever preferred facing fire or boiling gold than an Alpha with such a dark demeanor. Not good. Kusal stepped back, ready to shift. In an instant, he decided not to. Arek isn't stupid. If he wanted me dead it would've been done already. He internally braced himself as Arek approached him, his calm mask dropping and his eyes blazing with every step.

"You talked to Inessa?"

"Yeah."

"And you just thought you'd-" he closed his eyes and turned his head. In a second, the tree next to Kusal's head had a hole in the middle. Kusal hadn't moved. Arek took a step back, ignoring the blood on his knuckles. "What in your damn mind made you want to tell her all that?"

Kusal noted his rigid fists. "She has a right to know what everyone else knows."

"Don't," Arek pointed a finger, "toy with me."

"I'm not." Kusal took a calm step towards him. The truth, huh? Well, here goes nothing. "When you made me Beta and told me you were going to change things around here, I made up my mind to back you up."

"Oh! And why isn't Inessa catching on to your vigor?" His voice dripped with sarcasm. "It's a wonder why she didn't try tearing my throat out instead of yelling her little head off last night!"

"And why wouldn't she feel that way? She doesn't know anything, Arek. She's lived on her own all this time. She may almost look like a woman but she's like a kid. She doesn't know about how these people were treated, how the Red Conclave ruled." He felt his own face heating up. No, there's no going back now. "And frankly, I get what she thinks. I'll never forgive what you did to the Arm. But the Conclave was different. I was supposed to be relieved that my father wasn't the one fighting you. I was supposed to be angry when you tore the heads off of the two that did fight, but I wasn't. I was..."

"What?" The word was like a whip.

"I was disgusted. But I was jealous. Like I wished I was the one to do it."

"Disgusted, eh?" Arek sat back. "And what made you think that Inessa should see that part of me?"

"You need to show her both parts. Otherwise, you're either lying to her or lying to yourself."

Arek glared. "Listen to me, you-"

"I'm only listening to someone who fully commits himself to being Alpha. No turn-backs or lies, not even to yourself."

Something seemed to shut off Arek's flames. He turned and watched as the first rays of the morning touched the village. "Not sure I'll be enjoying this much, but you are just keeping your promise."

"Nothing less." Kusal turned back to the west border. Now, to see about those tracks.

For a while, Arek sat alone, watching the village. More and more people were waking up and starting their morning chores. There was something about the movement, the collaboration, the routine, that calmed him. He allowed himself that much enjoyment before wandering back to what Kusal said. Both sides. An idea came to him. He got up and headed to the mansion. He wasn't sure if this would work, but he knew he had to try something. He found Inessa opening the double doors to the mansion with a large basket of vegetables in one hand. "You have a minute?"