Love, Fate and Bloodlines

THEALPHA'S DELIMMA

Ragnar paused in disbelief as he stared at Lily. His destined mate was a human—the breed of creature he hated with every fiber of his being. He was not just the Alpha of the most powerful pack in the realm, but also one of the most powerful beings in the supernatural world. As a Lycan, having a human mate was a huge slap to his slyly handsome face. Hurt, confusion, and anger raked through Ragnar's body as he continued to assess Lily, whose attention was on the smartphone between her fingers. She was oblivious to the game the universe played with her destiny.

In as much as Ragnar hated her true nature, he could not still turn away from her. It appeared like the soles of his feet had been planted firmly in the ground, restricting his movement. The urge to caress and hold his destined mate still lingered in his heart, despite his reluctance to approach her. Images of them together in bliss traveled through his mind, rousing his wolf to restlessness. His animalistic side growled continuously, urging him to mark her, claiming her for himself. However, Ragnar knew that would only bring more problems than solutions. He needed to tread with caution. Then, his mind traveled to Valeria. Though he and his chosen mate did not share love, their union birthed power and wealth. Jeopardizing it would be fatal to his authority. Without the backing of Valeria's father, Ragnar's territory was as good as plundered. At the same time, leaving Lilybeth would be disastrous for his soul. The bond would push him to look for and claim her, especially now that he knew where she worked.

Reject her. Thorne's voice sliced into his consciousness, disrupting his thoughts. Reject her, Alpha. it is the only way to save yourself and the pack. Ragnar turned to face his Gamma standing a few feet behind him. He knew Throne had also recognized the true nature of his mate and understood the consequences her existence could bring for them all. Not only would she be too weak to live among wolves, their union would be an abomination. A concept unheard of in the entire realm. As he contemplated the idea in his head, Lilybeth swayed to the right as she struggled to keep her balance. Then, her phone slipped from her hand and she crashed to the floor. However, Ragnar swooped in to save her delicate body from hitting the wet, hard ground. The minute their bodies came in contact with each other, sparks traveled up the Alpha's arm.

"Please help me" Lily's voice came out in an extremely weak whisper as the light faded from her blue eyes. Dread filled Ragnar's heart, and he knew there and then that he would never reject her......... at least not yet. With a renewed sense of urgency, Thorne hurriedly covered Lily's body with his coat while Ragnar lifted her. Jack, on his part, ran to turn the car around. A deafening silence enveloped them all as they rushed the unconscious human to a nearby hospital. Each one of them was occupied by his thoughts on the goddess' pairings. But, the silence in Ragnar's head was accompanied by a loud ring of fury as he noticed the bruises on her neck; bruises hastily covered by cheap makeup. Someone had put their hands on his mate. He caressed her sprawled-out hair to keep himself from going feral.

"Someone hurt her. These bruises are fresh." Ragnar breathed heavily, narrowing his eyes as he addressed Thorne and Jack

"What are your orders?" Jack asked with all the seriousness he could muster.

"find out all you can about her. where she lives, with whom, her friends and family. bring me all you can about her existence. Nothing must be left out."

"Yes Alpha" Jack bowed his head slightly to show his submission to Ragnar's will.

At the hospital, Ragnar ensured she was wheeled into one of the private wards. He watched in anxiety as the doctor scrambled to understand the cause of her unconsciousness. While the consultation seemed to run for hours on end, Ragnar's mind raced with questions about the life Lily led- who she was, and what her aspirations were. The longer he spent thinking about her, the more convinced he felt about their bond, and the harder it became for him to distance himself from her.

"Alpha", Thorne approached with caution. "I believe it is best for you to return to the pack while I remain here. I will let you know the minute she feels better."

"No. I will return after I am sure for a fact that she is fine."

"But, you have a scheduled meeting with the Luna's father." Thorne began, concern etched into every line on his face. "This meeting is important for the pack's future."

"This takes precedence" Ragnar turned to face his Gamma, burning holes into his soul. "I will not leave her side until I know she is safe." His voice had a firm, unshakable bass to it.

"Yes, Alpha" Thorne sighed defeatedly and took a couple of steps back. Again, he contemplated giving Kael a call. The Beta was a think-tank who came up with instant solutions to every dilemma but, even he might not be able to deliver Ragnar from the love triangle he has been juted into.

As time ticked on, the lycan kept his focus solely on the door to the ward where Lily lay. He could feel the weight of his decision pressing down on him, But there was this overwhelming feeling to hear his mate's voice, to look into her blue eyes again, to offer help in any form, and to protect her from the prevalent darkness in the world. Ragnar struggled to ignore the consequences of his action. His refusal to denounce the mate bond would bring his empire tumbling down with a lot of force.

The type of force that takes everything one owns in an instant.

A force that comes suddenly and destructively. Yet, he still chose to stay.

The screeching noise of the sliding door snapped Ragnar back to reality. He raised his eyes to meet those of the human male draped in a white coat.

"She is awake, Sir. Are you her next of kin?"

"No." The Alpha took a deep breath. "I found her slumped by the side of the road." Ragar was not ready to claim Lily. He might never claim her. "You should get in touch with her family."

"Will do. Meanwhile, you are welcome to keep her company till they arrive. Plus, they might want to thank you for saving her. Excuse me." With a polite smile, the doctor turned to leave, dishing out orders to the nurses as he went.

"Alpha" Thorne blocked Ragnar as he approached the door to the ward. "I strongly advise that we return to the pack this instant. You heard the doctor. She is fine."

"However, I am yet to personally verify that fact." The lycan tried pushing past his Gmma but was blocked again.

"Alpha, I implore you to reconsider. walk away while you still can, before it gets complicated." Thorne begged

"I understand your concern, Thorne. But, I must speak with her. Now, Move aside. do not let me shove you." Ragnar narrowed his eyes, his voice taking on a malicious growl. Without another word, Thorne stepped to the side and watched in defeat as the Alpha entered the ward. He did not need a soothsayer to know the calamity that would befall them all if the human became claimed and marked.

Meanwhile in the room, Lilybeth tried to stripped out of the hospital gown and into her bar-tending uniform. she desperately needed to get back to work. Being a couple of minutes late has already wrecked its damage to her paycheck; missing work completely meant she wanted to be fired, and she did'nt. As she fussed with the transparent IV line attached to the back of her palm, sparks traveled up her arm. Her breath caught in her throat as she found the owner of the unwanted touch. For a few seconds, Ragnar and Lily stood transfixed to a spot while the mate bond worked its magic. Ragnar thought lily had the most captivating pair of deep blue eyes. They were eyes that offered peace. Just one look at her calmed his nerves. Even lily was lost in a trance. She wonderd how a male could be both beautiful and handsome at the same time. then, as if slapped of her reverie, lily yanked her arm from Ragnar's gentle grasp.

"Thank you for helping me." she cleared her throat. "I will repay the cost, whatever it may be"

"Do not worry about it." The loss of contact made Ragnar feel cold and he resisted the urge to snuggle into her embrace. "I am Ragnar. Ragnar Blackthorn."

"Ragnar." Lily mused. "You have a nice name." she flashed him an immaculate smile and he had to bite the insides of his cheek to keep himself from blushing. He loved the way she pronounced his name. " I am Lilybeth Snow."

The moment hung in the air, charged with an intensity neither of them could deny. Ragnar felt a connection that was both thrilling and terrifying as if the universe had conspired to bring them together at this moment. As they stood there, looking into each other's eyes, the world outside faded away, and it felt like nothing else mattered. The connection between them was apparent, and the promise of something more loomed just beyond reach.