~~~ Chez's POV ~~~
My wolf was pissed.
It was six in the morning and here I was, waiting at my alpha's house to give him an immediate report on the past week.
I was Black's beta and had been running the pack while he attended the alpha summit.
Before he'd left he'd told me it was a waste of time going to the annual event - complaining that nothing significant ever happened.
Boy had he been wrong this year.
I laughed to myself and shook my head as I thought about him finding his mate - and the Mother Of Luna at that!
I felt privileged that I was one of the very few people that Black was marginally close with. There were definitely rare occasions when he would share his thoughts and be more open with me.
He was shit scary don't get me wrong - but I had seen proof that behind our cold, deadly efficient alpha there was a man with real emotion and a noble heart.
He hadn't spoken much about his mate, just that he wanted me to inform the pack that he had indeed found her, tell them who she was exactly, but had then rang two days ago and added that he wouldn't be bringing her with him.
I had to say I was saddened by it. Although I would never voice it - there was no way I was risking setting off that uncontrollable temper of his - I had definitely heard suppressed longing and awe in his voice when he had spoken of her over the phone.
Which made me wonder why exactly he seemed so hell bent on keeping her away?
I cast the thought aside, knowing I would never have the courage to broach such a sensitive topic with him, and finding it pointless to risk it since she wasn't coming to our pack and they were seemingly living separate lives.
I started to pace the drive in front of the alpha house, trying to settle my annoyed wolf who was overly fond of sleep, when I heard a car approaching.
I straightened myself up as Black's SUV came to a stop a few feet from me, parking up in the driveway.
The tinted windows meant I couldn't see inside when I tried to have a peek, trying to see what kind of mood Black was in.
If he was in a bad mood I'd have to be a little more cautious and respectful.
He got out of the car and I could literally feel his frustration coming off of him in waves, heaving a sigh as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.
I instantly became wary, but I picked up something else as well that made me frown.
Black always had a constant hum of pent up stress and anger about him, always there beneath the surface, crackling and just waiting to be triggered.
But now, even though he was clearly frustrated about something, that ever existent tension that he had always had to bare was practically gone.
I think my mouth actually fell open.
What the fuck?!
I watched him walk around the bonnet of his SUV, my eyes wide and unable to speak.
He finally looked up at me and that glare of his sure as hell snapped me out of my shock.
"Alpha." I said respectfully and bowed my head.
"Chez." he replied.
I turned, expecting him to head towards the house but when I realised he wasn't moving in my direction I turned back.
My eyes bugged out of their sockets.
Black had opened the passenger side door and now he just stood there, looking inside with longing in his usually cold eyes.
A small blonde was curled up, fast asleep in the seat.
The Mother Of Luna.
I couldn't help but stare.
There was something so peaceful about her - I felt my wolf instantly settle and I suddenly realised that she was the reason for Black's lack of pent up energy.
Fuck me, she'd managed to calm him!
Admittedly, she had only taken the edge off so to speak - he was by no means now a happy, easy going guy . . . but it was a start, I thought.
Drawn to her, I slowly walked forward and stood next to Black who was still admiring his mate.
He looked deep in thought.
"She's beautiful." I said without thinking.
Black growled viscously and my heart picked up its pace. I raised my hands in a surrendering gesture and lowered my gaze.
"I'm sorry alpha, I know how that sounded and I assure you, I didn't mean it like that."
I heard him growl some more but then he just scowled dismissively and I thought it safe to look up.
I was right, his gaze had returned to her.
The silence drew on but he didn't seem to notice.
"She didn't reject me, Chez." he said quietly after a while, "she knew who I was and she still chose to come with me."
It was one of those rare moments when he was actually talking to me. When we could be more familiar with each other.
"Well technically she doesn't know you Black," I said thoughtfully, "she had just heard of you is all . . . and your reputation." I finished carefully.
A knowing glint appeared in his eyes and I could have sworn I saw his lip twitch up at the side - which was a definite first!
"You sound like her." he said.
"Really?"
He nodded but still never took his eyes off of her.
"She said that she would not judge me on my reputation, and that she wanted to talk to me and get to know me for herself."
"Well that's great," I said but paused hesitantly, "then why did you not want to bring her back with you? Do you not feel the same?" I asked.
I swallowed and stood frozen, knowing I was pushing my luck here and that I was probably going to set off his temper - my wolf whined at the thought.
"It's definitely not that," he said, as if sharing a private joke with himself. I was amazed he was still being open so I just listened, "but I shouldn't have brought her back here," he continued, his eyes growing darker as he spoke, "I'll only end up hur-" cutting himself off before finishing his sentence.
He straightened up and looked at me, his features gradually settling back into the usual, detached expression.
"Let's just say this won't end well for either of us." he said bitterly.
I couldn't help but be intrigued by that last remark.
What the hell did he mean?
And why did he seem so resentful?
But I knew not to push the matter further, he was back to his normal, removed self and there was no way I was angering him - I did have a sense of self preservation.
I decided to switch topic.
"I informed the pack as you instructed." I told him.
"Good - what has the reaction been like?"
"Mainly positive alpha, everyone is obviously happy for you though there was quite a bit of shock, but I think many of them are intrigued - she is Mother Of Luna after all. Although . . . " I left the sentence hanging.
He sighed impatiently, "what is it?"
"Well some of the pack - Bruce in particular - wanted a confirmation that she would be following pack assessment as is pack protocol."
I fought the urge to wince as Black's expression darkened.
I could tell he was about to bark something at me when a sharp gasp interrupted us.
We both turned to the passenger seat where Ali - it was strange to think of the Luna by her first name - was now sitting up awake, though her eyes looked out of focus.
She was looking in our direction but I could tell she wasn't seeing us.
I had the feeling this was a Mother Of Luna thing and I suddenly felt way out of my depth.
I turned to Black who was looking at her with concern but I didn't think he had much of a clue either.
When she stayed like that, just staring into space, Black moved closer and bent down - placing his hands on her shoulders and nudging her gently.
"Ali?" he asked, clearly getting worried.
I didn't have a chance to think about how weird it was to see my alpha showing this much emotion, however small, because right then her eyes snapped back into focus and they were full of panic.
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~~~ Ali's POV ~~~
The Telling faded and I was thrown back into reality, my focus coming back to me while I frantically began to panic.
I had no time to lose!
I instantly met Black's eyes that I suddenly noticed were boring into mine and urgently tried to ignore the delicious sensations of him touching me. There was no time for that!
"She needs help!" I gasped out and desperately gripped Black's t-shirt, "Now! There's a pregnant woman in your pack - she's - she's stranded out in the woods somewhere! She's started to go into labour and I think there's something wrong," I cried, "she can't shift because she's in labour so she can't mind link for help! You have to find her quickly! And get your - your pack doctor!"
"Ali," Black said firmly as he reacted fast, "listen to me - I need to know whereabouts in the woods she is - our territory is too big, we need to narrow the search down can you do that?"
I nodded, wincing as the normal headache started to pound in my head.
"Ali?" Black asked more gently.
"I'm fine, the headaches are normal," I told him quickly as I tried to remember details of the Telling,"urm . . . the forest floor is grassy and the tree trunks are very thick . . . I urm . . . I . . . god, there just isn't anything distinctive enough!" I panicked, desperately trying to notice something that would help them find the poor girl. "I don't know your territory," I said shaking my head and tightening my grip on his shirt, "I just don't know -"
"Ali, stop." Black said and put his hands over mine, squeezing them slightly, "yes you can. Could you tell what direction the wind was blowing?"
I pictured myself back in the telling.
"Yes!" I said as Hope rose in my chest, "it was blowing in directly from the North!"
"Good. That means it's the woodlands on the Eastern border. Now something else Ali, how about sounds? Did you hear anything?"
I thought back once more, not used to having to use my other senses to track a location.
"No," I said mournfully.
"How about-"
"Wait . . . wait I do hear something! It's faint but - but yes! There's water somewhere nearby."
Black's expression instantly changed to one of recognition and he turned to look at a tall, brown haired guy standing behind him. The man was watching us with wide eyes.
"Chez," Black barked at him and we both flinched at his tone, "she's in the third quadrant of the eastern wood - within a mile of the Tarcus stream. Alert doctor Giles and tell her to meet you there immediately, and mind link every available wolf in the area to aid the search."
"Yes alpha." he nodded.
"Go!" he commanded impatiently and I watched as the man jumped and sprinted into the trees.
I would be too if Black's voice had been directed at me.
It was then that I realised.
Me and Black were now alone.
We both turned back to look at each other and I was suddenly very aware that I was still gripping his shirt . . . and his hands were still covering mine.
My breath caught and my heart rate increased as neither of us moved.
There was less than a foot of space between us.
He was just looking into my eyes with an unreadable expression and I felt myself blushing under his intense scrutiny.
I didn't think I could hold much longer when he finally averted his gaze.
He cleared his throat and pulled his hands away as I quickly released his shirt. I swallowed as he rose to his full height and was once again emotionless.
"Come on, I'll get your case and I'll show you the house." he said gruffly and walked to the boot of the car.
I took the small opportunity to compose myself.
The nerves were hitting in full force again and I had to calm my heart down. I stepped out of the car nervously and looked up at the house before me.
I had to admit I liked the look of it - not too big, not too small, not flashy or modern, but very homely and well kept.
I was too busy taking note of the flowers in the small pots beneath the windows to notice Black step up beside me.
"Ready?"
I jumped slightly, the adrenaline from before was rapidly wearing off and I no longer felt as confident in his presence.
"Urm, yes," I said and followed him as he just walked off and unlocked the door, my suitcase held in one hand, "so, do you live here alone?" I asked tentatively.
"I did," he replied as he walked into a small foyer and set my case down, "but now you'll be living here as well."
I kept quiet and let him give me a quick, brief tour of the house until we were stood outside a bedroom.
He lead me inside and placed my case on a huge double bed with pristine, white sheets. I looked around and liked how light and airy it was.
"This will be your room," he said with no emotion whatsoever, "mine is next door."
Although my wolf was disappointed at this, I nodded at him - grateful to him for not putting us in the situation of sharing a room . . . and a bed. I really was nowhere near ready to deal with that - Black was my mate but I hardly knew him and and he still made me incredibly nervous.
"Thank you, it's great - it's actually pretty similar to my room back home." I smiled.
"I'll just leave you to unpack then."
And with that he was gone from the room.
I couldn't help but sigh.
I slumped down in a comfy armchair near the window and looked out over a huge field of grass.
Had I made a mistake coming here?
Was our relationship ever going to get any better?
Don't give up Ali, my wolf encouraged, just keep making the effort and we'll get through to him.
I thought about her words for a while until I realised she was right. That was why we'd come here anyways - to try.
You're right, I told her with a new sense of determination, I'm here now and I know there's more to him than this - and I'm going to find it.
What do you think?
Chez's POV???
Did you pick up on Black's mysterious remark that he let slip to Chez??
Thanks for reading!!!
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