The King (Book 1)

CHAPTER 31

Eric spent another night in the woods, not far from Blakes house. In the time he woke up in the night he found himself walking to the house to look up towards her bedroom window as if waiting for her to turn on the lights and out the window to find him there but that never happened. He would then find himself going back into the woods to do it all over again. Sleep, wake, look at the window. After the fourth time during the night, Eric wondered what would happen when he returned home? Would he find himself wondering the woods? Would he neglect his duets as a King?

"Blake, why did you leave me?" he asked himself hoping that she would answer. Blakes phantom self appeared before him. "What do I do?" Blakes phantom walked around him from behind him. Her gray eyes staring into his brown ones. She gave him one of her mischievous smiles while placing a hand over his cheek. "Please, I need your help." He had hoped that she would speak just once for him but she didn't. She just stood there, smiling until she vanished into the wind.

He took a deep breath and returned to the woods and sat by a tree. He often looked out by the trees hoping that she would come out of the darkness and walk into the moonlight that slipped passed the tree leaves.

But his little she-wolf never came.

With a disappointing sigh, he closed his eyes and tried to get sleep. Tomorrow was the start of the Hunt, he had to go, it would have been what Blake have wanted but he wouldn't take part in it. He had to be there for his friend Dolph. Hopefully, his friend would find his mate. Only the Goddess knows that at less Dolph should have a happy ending.

The Morning sun woke Eric from a deep sleep that was filled with the nightmare of Blake's death. Once again he couldn't save her as he had hoped. If only he could go back and make things right if only he could have saved her. Just so he could have her by his side a little longer.

"Your majesty," Dolph's voice rang from behind Eric's tree, "The hunt is about to begin."

"So it is?" Eric whispered, picking himself off the ground.

"Are you alright? You shouldn't be sleeping out here?"

"You've become quite talkative during our stay Dolph," Eric growled, not liking that he was being questioned about what he was doing. 

Dolph took a deep breath before replying, "I'm trying to look out for you. I hear that talking can help so I'm trying to help you."

"I don't need your help," Eric yelled. "What I need," he began to say softly, "is my little she-wolf. But she was gone. I will never see her again." Eric looked at his shaking hands, "I barely had her for two whole weeks and the moment I was able to make her mine for just a moment, she vanished like sand slipping through my fingers and the only thing left is the memories that I had shared with her.

"So no, I do not want to talk. I just want to be left alone for now. I must go back to my duets as a King and Alpha. It's what she would have wanted."

Dolph stood there for a moment before saying, "Is that what she would have wanted?"

Eric didn't respond to his friend. Hearing that one question made him think that he didn't know Blake all that well. What he did know was she was headstrong, loyal, straight forwarded, strong, and she loved her pack and brother. She was selfish and selfless. And most of all very protective of the people around her. That's what he knew. She was perfect with flaws.

When Eric couldn't answer Dolph he walked away and headed straight back to the Pack just in time for the young unmated females lined up in white-barely-see-through gowns. None were as beautiful as Blake would have been if she was standing there for the Hunt.

Eric took his place by Alpha Seth, waiting for the rest of the females to line up. With Dolph by his side, Eric took a deep breath. Once all the women were aliened it was Alpha Seth that told the woman that is was time. Eric watched the females shiver where they stood, each one ready for the chase.

"Run," the Alpha Seth growled letting them know they had until nightfall until the males were sent out to Hunt them. This gave the females time to prepare themselves, get to the center of the Hunting Grounds, and rest up before they had to run again when the males find them in about eight hours. "Your Majesty, I would like to see you in my office."

A growl escaped Eric's lips, he didn't take to kindly to the fact that this young Alpha was already bossing him around. First, his disrespectfully talk and now this. If it wasn't for the fact that this man had meant to something to Blake, he would have died by now. "Whatever you have to say, say it now. If not then you are out of luck."

"It's not necessarily me that wants to speak to you."

"Then who?"

"You are just going to have to come and find out, now don't you," Alpha Seth challenged, rewarded him a black eye and his ass to the floor.

"Don't. Fuck with me," he warned. "My passions run thin these past few days and just looking at your face pisses me off. I would watch myself if I were you."

"Shouldn't have been you, your majesty? If it wasn't for you, she would still be alive. She would have been my mate, my Luna. You're just pissed off with the world because you couldn't protect what the Moon Goddess gave you. It's all you're faulted that she has died and you're blaming it on everyone else."

"I'll fucking kill you!" Eric nearly jumped the young Alpha until Dolph moved his large body in the way. "Don't stop me, Dolph!" Dolph didn't have to say anything as he held Eric back. Eric could see the look his friend gave him and he just knew. "Dolph, you can't protect him forever."

"It's not him I'm protecting." With that, Eric violently pulled away from Dolph. Eric then gave Alpha Seth one last look before turning away to the head for the Pack House.