The Female Alpha | ✗

CHAPTER 26

HI GUYS DONT FORGET TO VOTE AND COMMENT!!

We slowly fixed ourselves up, allowing our clothes to soak up the remaining water droplets before making our way back to the jail. Apart of me longed to stay back at the waterfall, to feel the sense of delight spark inside of me, but my mind knew that it was time to leave and tuck today into memories. Arsen was quiet, maybe he felt the same way. But he seemed to be much closer, occasionally our arms brushed against each other and sent shivers down my spine. We refused to allow our eyes to meet and we suddenly found ourselves out of the forest and in the middle of the pack's borders.

I thanked the goddess for the quiet atmosphere, where we stood in seemed that no one was really out, except for the warriors who roamed around the perimeter. My eyes scanned the area before motioning Arsen towards the jail which was only a couple of minutes away. The sun was finally setting against the horizon, the cold breeze flowing past me as I watched the sky set on fire.

"I don't usually get to see this," I heard Arsen speak softly, he too, admiring the beautiful sky in front of us.

"Same here," I replied back. His head turned, his eyes motioning me to continue.

"Sometimes, I'm so caught up in meetings or training, I don't get to see the sky like this. The only time I do is when I'm training really late outside, but most of the time, I continue training inside," I continued, becoming fascinated by how slowly the colours changed hues of red, yellow, orange and vibrant pink. Almost like it was dancing.

"You'd think the Alpha-to-be would be able to see the sky, unlike the rogue whose literally trapped behind bars," he joked. I snorted.

"I guess we're both trapped for different reasons. But, I'm determined to become Alpha, and you have to learn to sacrifice these small things," I said softly. My wolf was nodding in agreement and waited ever so impatiently for his response.

"I didn't think of that," he admitted. "But your father is still in his prime, you shouldn't have to work so hard when you have years in front of you."

"I'm a female, and as a female, the Elders will be judgemental in my ability to run a pack. I need to prove that I can do it. Sexist I know, but that is just the way it is." I replied back as my mind flitted to one of the only female Alphas in the world who was constantly judged and ridiculed as being a female. Her pack is one of the richest in the world and she's still being under scrutiny.

"I mean you put your own mate in a jail cell because you want to protect the pack, so surely they think you're capable of running a pack," he pointed out, emphasizing the word 'mate' and I felt my stomach twist. My wolf nodded in agreement as my faced flushed.

"What else was I supposed to do? You posed as a threat and I couldn't kill you, nor would I want to keep you at my house. I didn't trust you to go anywhere else," I clarified, feeling defensive at his argument, even though it was true.

"You make a valid point," he stated as we finally made it to the entrance of the prison. I watched the warriors give a distinct nod towards me before returning to their stoic expression.

"Don't they know that I'm-you know, won't they tell?" he whispered next to me, breath just tingling in my ear as we entered the area. My stomach churned at the feeling. The smell of the prison made me scrunch my nose up, my heightened senses detecting the groans of those we kept captive.

"They are our most trusted guards if they dare breath a word about this there will be consequences," I reassured him. He only nodded in response.

We finally made it to his jail cell, I immediately felt the mood decline as I glanced at Arsen's dejected face. The warrior who was guarding his cell bowed in my presence before unlocking the iron door. We were greeted with the familiar sight of his cell, a white blanket splayed out on the floor with a pillow buried underneath. The minimal amount of light barely made it through the small hole in the wall which provided enough light to see the small tray of food on the floor, steam billowing out of a bowl.

"Looks like someone dropped you dinner," I joked weakly as Arsen entered the cell fully. I heard him sigh, he didn't laugh, nor did he acknowledge anything in the room.

"I guess," was his only response, I felt my smile falter.

"I hope you enjoyed today," I tried to say as I heard the warrior shut the door behind him. Arsen sat down on his makeshift bed and pulled the tray of food towards him.

"I did, thank you. I hope I showed you how to have some fun," he nodded and brought the steaming bowl of what seemed to be chicken soup to his mouth and drank out of it.

"You really did, I had a lot of fun. Today was really nice," I admitted before taking the initiative to sit down next him, I noticed a look of surprise flitted across his face before returning to its stoic expression.

"We should do it again sometime," he suggested and wiped some soup off his lips. He grabbed the bread and the small plate of butter and handed it over to me. "Here, take it, we haven't eaten in a while." he offered. It was my turn for a surprised expression and my wolf only cooed at his gesture. This was the second time he'd done this and I couldn't help but feel my heart twist.

"Oh, uh, thank you," I stuttered in reply, heat spreading across my cheeks as I took the bread and smothered it in butter and took a bite out of it. I could feel his eyes on me as I continued to chew on my food, I heard him take another sip of his soup and we ate in comfortable silence.

-

"So how was the date with your little rogue mate?" my brother pestered as he entered my room with a cheesy lovesick expression. The twins trailed behind him seemingly in a small discussion with each other.

"It wasn't a date and it was fine," I replied back, stressing out the word 'date' as I sat on my bed, welcoming the twins with open arms.

"Hiya Elle!" they greeted me. Grey snuggled into my arms, her wild, untamed hair tickled my neck as her brother, Dakota buried himself into River's arms.

"Hi, you little rascals! I haven't seen you in forever!" I exaggerated before tickling Grey's sides and she squealed in protest. River proceeded to do the same with Dakota and both went into a laughing fit.

"What did you guys do?" River hinted, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively as he attacked our siblings.

"Nothing that you were thinking of, we just went to the waterfall," I clarified as Grey swatted my hands away.

"Stop it, Elle! I don't like it!" she grumbled, squirming away from my hands and towards Dakota who fought his older brother.

"Oh come on, there's gotta be some juicy details," he persisted before Dakota swiftly punched him in the stomach and a warrior's cry escaped his little mouth in victory. Elle cheered her counterpart on.

"Fu-fudgemuffins," River groaned out in pain and rolled onto his stomach. "You little warrior, come here!" he yelled and playfully tackled Dakota on the ground.

"Hey, don't be too rough on him," I warned before Grey gave her own little warrior cry and tackled River who once again, almost screamed at her little body being thrown his way. I let a laugh escape me as I watched my younger siblings attack River who rightfully earned their small punches for trying to pester me.

"No hurting Kota!" Grey cried before hitting her brother with one of my bed pillows. Dakota squealed at being tickled by his older brother and nodded in agreement.

"No hurting Kota!" Dakota repeated slightly out of breath.

"You little monster deserves it!" River declared before swiftly tackling Grey and imitated a wolf's growl.

My heart clenched at the sight of my siblings playing together. These were the people I was protecting and Arsen was right to say that I locked him up for the sake of my pack, my family. I knew in my heart I would do anything to protect them and right now, getting information out of Arsen was the top priority and nothing would be able to change that.