Page 31 of Fall of the Alpha

31

FALLEN

Alek

The news that his father was dead and his mother had arrived came at the same time.

“Do you need anything?” Cora asked, her hand on his shoulder. Despite her own feelings for Grigori, sympathy shone in her dark eyes as Alek absorbed the blow. It was not as hard a knock as he might have expected.

Having time to prepare had helped.

Thinking about what kind of father, what kind of male, Grigori had been helped even more. He found it difficult to mourn and felt worse over that difficulty than he did over knowing his father was gone.

“Just to see my mother.” How she had taken the changes, he couldn’t predict. His mother often faded into the background, as if she was afraid someone might notice her. She’d loved him, doted on him, but had never been given to large displays of emotion.

Cora nodded. “Then let’s go see her.”

The Alpha female accompanied him down to the entrance hall of their home. The center of it was tiled in a beautiful mosaic, which was where his mother stood, Aria by her side, holding her hand and chattering cheerfully. His mother was only a little taller than the Omega, and though she nodded her head as Aria spoke, Alek could tell she was not paying close attention.

The landing looked out over the entrance, stairs curving down the wall on either side. Alek gripped the banister as he looked down at his mother, taking in the sight of her. She was safe. Healthy. She was even smiling, which surprised him.

As if she’d heard his thought, her head turned, gaze lifting up to meet him. Her lips dropped open as her eyes filled with tears, and that was enough. Alek bounded down the steps, running to her and pulling her up into his arms. As a child, he’d done a similar thing, but it had been her lifting him up… Now, he held her as she had held him, her arms wrapped around his neck as happy tears flowed over his shoulder.

“Alek… Alek…” All she could say was his name, over and over again. His own tears spilled down his cheeks as he hugged her tightly.

Safe. They were both safe and in the territories… together.

“Come,” Cora said softly to Aria. “Let’s give them a moment.”

He heard them moving away, heard the door close behind them as they went deeper into the house. Slowly, he let his mother down, lowering her until her feet touched the floor.

She pulled away, though not too far, keeping her hands tightly clasped on his arms, peering up at him.

“Alek… your father is dead.” Though she said the words somberly, Alek saw no grief, no despair in her eyes, which was a relief.

“I know.”

They stared at each other, emotions welling between them, so much left unsaid… Neither of them could bring themselves to say the words.

As he’d lived—without true friends, without true companionship—so had he died.

Grigori’s death went largely unremarked among those who did not know him personally and completely unmourned by those who did.

“I’m glad you’re here,” Alek said simply. His mother’s lips quivered.

“Here? In the territories?” There was fear in her voice but also curiosity.

“They’re not what you think they are. What we were told they are.” Turning, Alek put her hand on his arm. “Let me show you.”

Keeping his mother tightly by his side so she’d feel safe, Alek led her into a whole new world.

Bella

“This is your last chance to flee.” Malachi bared his teeth at her in some semblance of a smile.

Bella sniffed derisively. She gave him a dark look, sitting up beside him in the nest she’d made for them. The sheets and cushions were currently in disarray from their latest bout of passion.

“I am starting to think you’re trying to get rid of me.”

“Never.” He said it swiftly and firmly, the word ringing far truer than his offer to allow her to escape a life with him. Reaching for her, he pulled her atop him. His green eyes glowed up at her, and she leaned down over him as his hands slid up her sides to her breasts. “I said it’s your last chance, not mine.”

His hands closed over her breasts, and she closed her eyes, arching and shuddering as heat flashed through her.

“You can leave now or never.” His fingers toyed with her nipples.

Bella opened her eyes, looking down at him. The need rising inside her was hotter, more demanding than before. She was quite sure a true heat was coming soon, within days, perhaps.

“I choose never,” she said. If he needed the reassurance, she would give it to him.

Shifting her hips, she felt his thick cock beneath her and guided the tip to her entrance so she could impale herself on him. His growl ripped through the air as she took him inside her, his hips thrusting upward to meet her. The slick gushed, coating his cock and his groin as her muscles clenched around him. His fingers tightened, squeezed, massaging her breasts as she began to move up and down, riding him with sensual deliberation.

The ache in her body flared, and she writhed atop him, pushing her breasts against his hands, shuddering as she rubbed her clit against his growing knot. She slammed herself down against it, trying to force it into her body, and he growled, the vibrations rippling through her. Another gush of slick coated the thick base, allowing her to push the bulge into herself. She cried out, her muscles tightening around it, squeezing, sucking at him.

She found herself spinning, rolling, now under him as he thrust in hard, shuddering as his knot fully lodged itself inside her, her Omega muscles pummeling his senses with ecstasy.

As she felt him swell inside her, Bella lifted her head, clamping her teeth around the base of his neck where it met his shoulders and bit deep.

A claiming mark.

A mating mark.

She felt his shock, felt his jerk, then he howled with emotion.

Teeth sank into her shoulder in the same spot, both of them exploding in ecstasy as the marks were laid.

Her wolf.

His queen.

Carina

The mating ceremonies were not that different, Carina thought, as she watched her daughter pledge herself to Malachi and him to her. However, no zone ceremony had ever had a pair that showed off matching bite marks on their shoulders. She found herself slightly horrified but also fascinated.

Her fingers moved over the paper in her hands.

The note from her mate.

Please come home.

But she did not want to. And not only because her daughter was here.

Life was… more here. More dangerous. More free. She was able to choose what she wanted to do with her life, with her body.

She might be an Omega.

Did she want to be an Omega?

Malachi had given her suppressors, as requested. So far, she had taken them faithfully every day.

Until yesterday.

It wasn’t too late. She could take one today. Get back on the schedule.

But she hadn’t.

The little pills sat in a box in the room she’d been given.

Watching as Malachi pulled Bella against him, Bella’s arms rising to twine about his neck, their lips meeting in a kiss, Carina wondered what she was supposed to feel. As they broke apart, the smile on Bella’s lips made Carina smile.

Happy. As long as her daughter was happy, she was happy.

“May I escort you to the dinner?” A big brute of an Alpha, introduced to her as Darian, offered Carina his arm. She was half his size and twice his age, but something in his eyes gleamed at her when she wrapped her fingers around his arm.

“Thank you,” she said simply, ignoring the little curl of sensation in the base of her belly when her fingers touched him.

The crowd moved around them, parting for them as they walked forward, friendly faces smiling at her, friendly mouths congratulating her. Welcoming her.

No, the territories were nothing like she’d been told they’d be.

In Zone One, a lonely beta male stood on a roof, staring up at the sky, holding a scrap of paper in his hand. His eyes were dry, though his chest burned with emotion.

He had gambled—gambled everything and lost.

All there was left to do now was pick up the pieces.

Perhaps he could still salvage his plans… but no.

Turning his head, he looked toward the gate between his zone and the territories. It was open. Light and noise emanated from the area. The gap had been bridged.

His power was not yet lost.

But he’d lost everything else.

Letting go of the paper, he let the wind carry it away. He no longer wanted to hold it, no longer wanted to look at it.

Did not want to see the single word written on it in his former mate’s elegant script…

No.