When we reached our border the scent of the Darkwood forest entered my nostrils. The air here was refreshing. But not as refreshing as the air by the mountains. The Wind Winter Pack was a lovely pack with a wonderful view of almost all of Clythian. I wanted to visit other packs to see what they were like, too.
When we reached the pack house, Maristela was playing outside with Jackson. I was glad to see that she recovered so quickly.
As soon as she saw me she ran straight for me. "I wondered where you had gone." She said.
I hugged her back. "It was just some pack business Alpha Zade and I had to sort out." I told her. "I'm sorry for not telling you."
"It's okay." She said. She went and hugged Zade, who looked at me speechless.
I held my laugh. Zade didn't know what to do. I wanted to tell him to hug her back through mind link.
Damn.
I had to be marked to mind link him and I wasn't officially Luna or a pack member yet.
Jackson mind linked him for me.
Zade finally hugged Maristela back. I clapped my hands softly and gave Zade a cheeky smile. I was enjoying watching the torture he was receiving. He was never good with kids.
We all entered the pack house. Jackson informed us that the five men that we sent to the Darkwood pack had arrived back safely, and with news.
They waited patiently in Zade's office.
"Ah, Cortez. What news do you have for us?" Zade asked when we entered.
Cortez briefly explained everything. "The Alpha of the Darkwood Pack is Donovan Manchow. He knows Azrael. We managed to ask him a few questions. He said that Azrael accidentally killed the Alpha and had no interest in the pack so he gave it to Donovan." Cortez said as he handed Zade a thin file. "Everything you need to know is in that file."
Zade scowled. The darkness danced across his face, reaching his eyes and intertwining with his black pupils.
"Was he friendly?" I asked, cutting through the tension.
"Very much." The guard replied.
Zade dismissed Cortez not long after a few more questions he'd asked.
"Donovan was the Beta of the pack." Zade mumbled as he read the file.
"So Azrael was friends with Donovan?" I asked.
"Seems like it."
"What about the Silver Star Pack?" I asked.
"Not sure. It's too early for us to go there. It will rise too much suspicions."
"True." I said. "But we need to do something. We need to act quickly."
"Why are we even doing this?" Zade asked.
"Because..." Because there was something worth fighting for? Because I wanted vengeance. I wanted to kill the person responsible for my parents' death. Because I didn't want Maristela to face what I faced. Because... I knew──Zade and I knew──that there was something happening. So I answered, "Because of Maristela."
"We don't even know her except her name, age and her family. What else are we supposed to do with her?"
"I've been through exactly what's she's been through only difference was that I was a baby and lived an abusive life with my aunt." I said.
Zade's throat bobbed. He knew about my past──part of it, and never bothered to do anything about it. I have no intention of visiting Sulia, anyway.
"We'll send her to the orphanage." Zade said.
"No."
"What?"
"I said no. We'll──adopt her." I blurted.
"Are you insane?"
"No, I'm just having a heart and if you have a problem with it then──"
"Then what, dear Esra?" He purred. "What could you possibly do?"
I braced my hands on his desk, leaning forward until my face was only inches away from his. "I'll run away again." I whispered. "You'll never see me. This time I'll go somewhere far, far away, it will take you more than give years to find me." He snarled. "You don't have a choice, Zade. I will adopt Maristela. Whether you like it or not."
Alpha's were hard to convince but I had Zade wrapped around my finger. Alpha's always wanted sons so that they could take the Alpha title in the future generations. They never adopt. Which Alpha would?
I cared about Maristela and I was going to adopt her. She had Alpha blood so it wouldn't be a problem. Hopefully when we defeat Azrael she'll claim her pack.
The only problem here was that every pack had their own kind of wolves. The Shadow Pack has dire wolves. The Wind Winder Pack has mountain wolves. The Silver Moon Pack had tundra wolves. I'm a tundra wolf. And the Silver Star pack has himalayan wolves. Maristela is a himalayan wolf.
The mix of breeds can cause confusion and some of the elders in the packs prefer to stay old fashioned and to not move on too quickly like humans. The elders would most likely object.
Mixing breeds was the last thing someone would do and mates always came from the same pack or a close breed.
But... the moon goddess paired a dire wolf with a tundra wolf. Maybe we were meant to show others that it was okay and that no one should be afraid of anyone. Maybe. Or maybe I was just imagining things.
"If the moon goddess paired us together. A dire wolf and tundra wolf then it won't hurt to adopt a himalayan wolf." I told Zade. "What if this meant something?"
"Likely." He stood up and glanced at the flower garden outside the window. I didn't remember that being there. Zade saw me admiring it and said, "It's my mother's garden."
"Oh." I said, "Is she..."
"The garden is a remembrance of her. Sometimes when I go out there, I catch a faint scent of her on the flowers or leaves. It's like they hold onto her scent."
"I'm sorry."
She had been alive before I left. Maybe things were really bad after I left.
"My father was a coward through and through. He had let her die. Let her suffer. It's his fault."
Before I could say anything he continued, "But the fact that I'm an alpha..." He turned around and stared into my eyes. "A dire wolf..." He walked slowly towards me. "And has a Luna that's a beautiful tundra wolf..." He whispered in my ears. It sent shivers up my spine but I tried my best to ignore the feeling. "Who wants to adopt a himalayan wolf."
"She's an alpha, too." I whispered.
He raised his eyebrows. "Perhaps she is born with alpha blood, but she isn't an alpha yet." And then a genuine smile displayed on his lips. "We'll look after her until she can stand on her own two feet."
I jumped and hugged him before thinking twice. "Thank you, Zade. It means a lot."
I quickly pulled away afterwards.
His smile still remained on his face. "I'm only doing this because it makes you happy and also..." His smirk grew wider. "I get to see my luna be a mother."
I rolled my eyes. "I'm going to enjoy seeing you act like a father." A hint of sarcasm intertwined with my words.
"Not my child."
"True, but you better treat her like your own. Or... You know what I'll do."
Zade grinned and pulled me by my waist. "Game on, Argent."
I couldn't ignore the sparks igniting between us but I grabbed enough confidence to pull away.
"Game on, Kratos." I said and left his office with my head high.
And I might as well have been walking on clouds.
___________
Later that day, Zade and I announced our decision at the council meeting.
I was worried that the elders would object but surprisingly they accepted. They didn't want a child being a rogue.
I asked the Omegas to prepare a room for Maristela. They obliged and decorated it with all her favourite things. I was happy she loved it. It warmed my heart.
Zade tried to keep an alpha face on, but deep down I knew it warmed his heart, too.
I decided to go to bed early. But before I could enter my room, Zade appeared from behind me.
I faced him, not realising he was so close. He had me pinned onto my door. "How can I help you?"
"Let me mark you." He begged. His head lowered down beside my neck. "Please."
I shuddered as his hot breath brushed against my skin. I glanced down. Big mistake.
"Zade." I gasped when he licked my collarbone. Close to the spot where I'm supposed to be marked.
"Please." He begged.
"No." I swallowed. "Not right now." I pushed him away and slammed the door in his face, then locked it.
I just started doing something important for once in my life. Something that would bring me peace and satisfaction. I couldn't afford any distractions.
If Zade marked me, he would be to attached to me and extremely over protective. He would never let me out of the pack house if there was danger.
It was best if we remained like how we are. For now. At least until after this mess is resolved.
Maybe.
I sat on my bed and stared up at the ceiling. I wondered what Carter and Carroll would be doing now. I missed them a lot even though they sold me out to Zade. They were like the parents I never had even if I've only known them for three years. They took good care of me.
And Derek was long gone from my mind.
I dozed off to sleep at around midnight, and I thought I felt a warm arm wrap around me, but I was too exhausted. I could have been imagining it.