Kaelon
I instantly knew something was wrong when Edrei did not immediately answer Zoron's call outside her door. It was outside her normal self.
We had ridden her hard during our training sessions these past few days, trying to strip away the conditioning she had been exposed to over the years of training. I had considered stopping after the second day when I saw how much pain her body had caused her, but Zoron had assured me it would work, I needed to be strong as well.
It was hard but I listened to him when she came to me on the third day, barely able to focus herself when we trained. She was starting to slip from the mould she had been sculpted to since she was a pup. I could tell the reigns she had on her wolf were slipping as she would completely zone out or drop down to rest.
As much as I would've liked to, I didn't go easy on her. I wanted this period of intense training to pass by quickly- a small barrier we needed to cross together in order to be together.
I didn't want to give her the chance to regain her strength. Our training sessions would've lasted longer than they should if I did.
"Kaelon!" I heard Zoron yell from Edrei's room. Quick as I could, I ran to them. Edrik was not far behind me, obviously hearing Zoron's distress in Edrei's room.
I found Edrei limp in Zoron's arms. Her eyes were rolled over and her mouth slightly parted. She was unconscious. I swore.
"Put her on the bed!" I ordered my first commander.
Pushing down the urge to run to her, I gave Zoron space to manoeuvre around the tight room. He picked her up with ease and softly dropped her onto the assortment of furs laid out on the wooden frame.
"Go and get Mae," I ordered Edrik. He nodded, acknowledging my request before bolting out of sight.
Once Zoron moved out of the small confines of Edrei's room, I rushed to her side. "We pushed her too hard," I growled, trying to even out the blame but there was no point- it was me who ultimately had the final say.
"I underestimated her," I heard Zoron say. "I thought her mind would weaken when her body did, but it seems like her mind is outdoing her physical strength."
"The perfect soldier," I replied emitting a low deep growl. I was angry that I did not see this coming when it was perfectly obvious. "We can't break down her walls like this. There has to be another away."
Zoron's theory was proving itself right. He had speculated that Edrei could not feel our bond because she had been conditioned to become the perfect soldier overriding her instincts to mate and reproduce.
These types of situations were not rare in warriors who believed in their training, however, each warrior presented their symptoms in different ways. Some lacked the emotional capacity to feel deep emotion, while others, like Edrei lacked the instincts that were innate to every living being.
"What's happened?" I heard Mae's soft elderly voice yell from the hallway. I turned to her to see her round frame peering into the small room. "Come out so I can check on her," she urged, motioning for me to come out of Edrei's room with her walking stick.
I pursed my lips together before I hesitatingly left Edrei's side. The room was too small to fit both of us. It was designed that way to maximise the number of bedrooms that could fit into the upper floor. The bedrooms weren't designed to be lived in full time, yet, when I became Alpha, Zoron and Edrik just moved in, and so did I.
"Her body is worn," Mae said, kneeling beside the bed as her thin hands made their way around Edrei's limbs and face. "I will mix up a concoction to aid in her healing. When I give it to her, it will put her in a deep sleep for two days while her body heals itself."
Mae pushed herself up from the bed with a loud grunt. She slowly walked out of the room with her walking stick banging against the wooden floor with every step she took. "May I please have a meeting with all three of you?" she asked once she is free of the small confines of the bedroom.
I gave her nod before taking her hand and helping her down the stairs and into the study. We all took a seat long the middle table.
Mae looked at me with her dim grey eyes, trying to form the start of her discussion appropriately. "I would like to inform you all that there have been rumours circulating the pack about Commander Edrei," she started, "some good, some-" She made a face. "-not so good."
The facade I placed on my face didn't move. I knew people would talk about my little mate and her position. It was something that was inevitable.
"The people are wondering who, between the three of you, is her mate. They have some idea of what all of you are trying to do but their concerns are more placed on if she'd make a good female leader. Will she truly leave her commanding position behind and fulfil that role?"
My eyes went hard when I heard about how my pack had doubts about my mate's ability to be one of their female leaders.
Because of their rank, Zoron and Edrik's mates will also become a female leader in the pack, just below Edrei's position.
"You can tell these wolves who come to you with gossip that I don't have any concerns that Edrei will not be able to fulfil her duties as a female leader," Zoron replied, actively showing his support of my decisions.
Mae looked to her grandson, brows raised and happiness starting to swirl in her eyes. "Is she your mate Zoron?"
Zoron's face didn't show any signs of confirmation or denial, but it was enough for Mae to determine that Edrei won't be giving her great-grandchildren.
The old woman in front of us had always been a trusted member of the pack. Unlike younger wolves, this grandmother knew the value of trust. She won't be spilling any secrets today.
"The pack won't suffer from having a Commander as a Luna," I continued causing the healer to snap her head to me.
"No offence Alpha Kaelon, but the pack has never had a wolf fulfil the Commander and Luna role at the same time. The pack will expect her to step down once she has completed the mating bond with you. You know how traditional we can sometimes be."
I pushed down the urge to growl at her. She was making valid points after all- the pack had never seen a female be a Commander and Luna, mostly because those two roles are polar opposites.
A Luna is supposed to be caring, loving, and sympathetic while a Commander needs to be insensitive, indifferent and not afraid to kill.
Zoron pressed his lips together. "Well that's the thing gran, Edrei's mating instincts are underdeveloped. She doesn't know she's Kaelon's mate yet."
With a sigh, Mae's rubbed her tired eyes. The sun had barely risen above the horizon, too early for an elderly wolf to be awake. "I had expected this to pop up," she replied. "The pack senses it too, Alpha Kaelon, although they don't know it yet. People will question her ability to complete the mating bond with you. They want a Luna."
Edrik's and Zoron's eyes flickered to me, waiting for my reaction. The three of us had not thought about it this far ahead but now seemed like a good time to start these discussions.
In order to complete the mating bond and become Luna of the pack, Edrei will need to birth my child. But if she cannot complete the mating bond, my pack will demand that I select another female that is able to fulfil the duties of a Luna. A pack without a Luna is like the earth without the sun.
"Then what do we need to do to make her realise who I am?" I asked, my voice lacking any tone.
"Emotions have powerful effects. Zoron has done the right thing by tiring her out. Now we just need to expose her to something that has been ingrained in all of us like the feeling of fear and sadness, and the instinct to survive and procreate," Mae explained. "We need to push her until her instincts break through her training."
Eye hard, I cursed. It could take years for anything with that much emotional power to happen, even then, it's not guaranteed her instincts will override her training.
"You may leave now, Mae," I ordered, tone harsher than it should be. The healer didn't take any offence, instead, she stood, bowed and left without a word.
Once the door was securely shut, I stood from my seat, fighting down my wolf's idea to just go up into her room and force myself on her. He had no boundaries, she was his and his alone.
"What are you going to do?" Edrik asked, eyes trailing me as I paced around the room, fighting to suppress my wolf. I won't let him take over.
For the first time in my entire life, I was at a crossroads. Since I was a pup, I had always known what I wanted and went for it.
"I'm going for a run," I growled, feeling my control slipping. I needed to get far away from my mate or I'll do something I'm going to regret.
-- --
I sat next to Edrei's sleeping figure, watching as her chest moved up and down in slow, even breaths. Her raven hair was fanned out, lips were pink and full, and skin so golden like honey. She was beautiful, more than I've ever imagined my mate to be.
Gently, I caressed her cheek with my thumb, allowing the fire of pleasure that her touch gave me to spread and grow, filling me up with her essence. My wolf called for me to bring her up to my lips and finally taste her.
His patience was beginning to wear thin. The urges he pressed onto me was starting to take its toll. I don't know if I can keep up the distance I've placed between us- for her sake.
I felt Edrik's presence outside her door, looking in on us. Turning around, I raised my brow at my Second Commander.
"A letter came for you," he announced, voice hushed. His eyes glazed over my mate, taking in her condition. Edrik and Zoron have already accepted her as their Alpha Female, with or without a pup.
Forcing myself to leave her side, I walked over to the male waiting for me. Hand flat, I motioned him to give me the piece of paper.
With the paper in hand, I unfolded it. My eyes shot from left to right, reading the small black inked scribbles that lined the page.
My face shot up to Edrik. "Have you read what this says?" I asked, eyes hard.
Edrik nodded before turning to Edrei, face laden with sympathy. "Alpha Thomas is dead and her brother has been killed."
I turned to face my sleeping mate. The sound of her peaceful breaths filled my ears. My face was hard as a guilty relief washed over me. I hated myself for thinking about I was able to exploit this to my advantage, and most importantly, I hated myself for feeling a little happy this had happened.
Fuck, I'm a selfish prick.
"Call a meeting with the Warriors I brought back from Fucus. I want to see them in the study before the sunsets. I also want warriors to be on standby outside just in case one of them doesn't take his death lightly. I know they all grew up together."
Edrik nodded before he left to execute my orders.
I walked back to Edrei, guilt riding inside me as I crawled into bed with her. I held her for the first time, trying my hardest to prepare her for the news I had to break.
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