The Alpha's Claim

Chapter 4: Dumb Doggy

Never in Ellio's life would he have thought that a day would come that he would be kissing a man. He is straight for god's sake and he knows he is attracted solely to the opposite gender. He is sure that he doesn't swing that way..

..but why am I kissing him back?!

The kiss didn't last a minute but those seconds that their lips were connected felt like forever. Ellio forgot about his current situation and thought of nothing but Xorran's lip on his, driving him mad. He knows he should be disgusted and push the alpha away but he did the opposite, pulling Xorran even closer to feel the warmth of those soft and plump lips.

Salem's laugh together with his clapping was what pulled Ellio back to reality. His lips moved away from Xorran, taking a step back. Both of his cheeks were tinted in pink as well as the tip of his ears while Xorran remained composed and unbothered.

"You claimed a human!" Salem went on with his laugh. It echoed in the middle of the silence between all the species surrounding them. "I can't believe that you'd actually go that far to protect a mere pawn of the Gods, Xorran."

Claiming is a sacred thing in the dimensions. It is a bond stronger than marriage. Once a certain someone is claimed, especially by the Alpha of the wolves, no one can no longer harm them. By that simple act, the one who claimed and the one that has been claimed are now connected to each other, bound by an invisible and powerful force. They will now share the same feelings and thoughts.

"Everyone knows that the tree of life has been closed for more than a hundred years now. My wedding was held right in front of that dead tree but it lit up and sent this human to us."

Ellio furrowed his eyebrows and glanced at Xorran upon hearing the word wedding from him. He got distracted by those lips opening and spitting words full of authorization. He immediately looked away upon remembering how those lips tasted like.

"I believe that his appearance has a purpose. Our dimension is in the bridge of collapsing and I will take this risk of keeping him for the hope of saving our world. I hope you'll understand that this is for the greater good."

He ended his speech and everyone couldn't mutter a single word because they know that what Xorran said is true. They can't afford losing their home so they would rather take this risk too.

But some didn't believe and were still against his plans, especially Damascus.

"Save?" the Devil scoffed in rage before piercing his eyes against the Alpha. "That human will be the cause of our death and I will blame no one but you, Xorran."

With those words, Damascus turned away, turning himself into a black fog before fleeing together with the rest of his species.

"Just send me a letter if you ever change your mind, Xorran. I'm willing to keep a blood bank in the South." Salem says before glancing at Ellio with a smirk before teleporting away.

"Xorran.." the blue phoenix, Azure stepped closer to the Alpha. "Can I visit Ellio here and play with him? I promise I won't hurt him." The way he spits words were clumsy and high-toned, just like that of a child and Ellio found it creepy rather than cute. "Well, maybe a bit because I'll go and explore his insides. I'm really quite curious about a human's body so maybe I can slice him a b―"

He was unable to finish his sentence when the white Phoenix Alvi grabbed him by the back collar before flying away. The rest of the phoenixes followed them.

Now that the threats are gone, Ellio's weak knees finally collapse to the ground. Xorran turned to the wolves behind him and he can only see a glint of hatred in their eyes, especially Pawn. Kerry on the other hand looked like he was about to cry but hid it behind a sad smile.

...

"Prepare the room right beside mine." That was Xorran's command the moment they're back at the castle.

The castle servants prepared a dinner for them. Ellio's eyes sparkled while wandering around the table filled with food. It was only the four of them including Pawn and Kerry but almost every space of the table was occupied with a variety of dishes. Ellio could not name any of it but he was sure everything was delicious. He caught sight of Xorran chewing the steak.

"Werewolves eat food too?!" Ellio exclaimed as if it was a sin for these werewolves to eat.

"Do you expect us to live without eating?" Xorran answered with some hint of sarcasm.

Ellio frowned at him before grabbing the leg of a large roasted chicken in the middle. The size was almost as long as half his arm.

"This is turkey, right?" Ellio asked.

Kerry found his reaction funny and chuckled. "That's a chicken."

"Chicken?! This big?! A chicken?!" Ellio couldn't believe it but still took a bite of the leg and it tasted like heaven. "No chef in my realm can make roasted chicken as delicious as this!"

They continued eating but the two male werewolves had lost their appetite due to Ellio's non stop talking while munching food. His saliva spits freely on the air as he reacts to every dish he chews.

"Ugh, that was a good meal!"

Ellio almost finished the entire roasted chicken leaving every bone neatly out of meat.

"The room is now ready, Alpha." A servant came and announced.

"Go and follow him, human. He'll lead you to your room."

So the room that he instructed to be prepared was mine?

"I'll go too." Kerry voluntarily said with a smile.

After Ellio and Kerry left, Pawn finally spoke.

"Do you really have to do that, Xorran?" His face was completely filled with anger but his respect for the Alpha remained. "Claiming that human."

"You heard me earlier." Xorran took a sip of the red wine. "I needed to protect him."

"Then what about Kerry? You were supposed to claim her at your wedding."

The moment Ellio arrived was a second before Xorran was about to claim Kerry and seal it with marriage but due to the human's sudden intrusion, they had to postpone it.

"This is just for the meantime, Pawn." Xorran ensures him. "After we send that human back to his realm, the claim will be severed and everything will go back to normal. Then we may arrange my wedding with the Luna afterwards."

Pawn nodded. "Make sure to stick with the plan, Alpha."

Then Pawn left, leaving behind the troubled Xorran.

Meanwhile, Ellio and Kerry are now in Ellio's room. It is far bigger than his room in the human realm. It was designed with a traditional theme. Ellio felt like he was back in a specific era in the past. He can only see this type of room in a historical western drama so he could not help but gape his mouth open as he wandered his eyes around the place.

"Woah, the whole dimension can be seen from this view."

The castle is standing at the peak of Mountain Arid. The moon can be seen, giving enough light in the absence of the sun. to those small huts and houses. There were candles and lamps flickering the small houses and huts below. It looked like stars sparkling in the night sky.

Kerry was amazed as she opened the curtains of the window. Her room was located on the lower floor. Even if she was the Luna of the pack, the one destined for the Alpha, she never had the chance to be in a room on the same floor as Xorran.

"Kerry." from the bed, Ellio called her.

"Yes, Ellio?"

"I'm sorry."

From looking at the window, Kerry turned her head to his direction.

"For what?" She then joined him and sat in the bed.

"For ruining your marriage." Ellio answers, remembering what Xorran had said earlier. "I don't really know what claiming or being claimed means but according to the gossip that I've heard from other wolves, Xorran was supposed to claim you… not me."

Kerry caressed his shoulder. "No, it's okay. You don't have to be sorry." Her voice was calm as ever. With no hint of any emotions besides kindness. "It was his own decision and Xorran did that to protect you.."

She's so kind. Xorran does not deserve you.

"But do you want to know what a claim is?" Kerry switched the topic.

"Yes! Tell me."

Kerry smiles, "Claiming in our dimension is sacred, Ellio. We, wolves, have the tradition to only claim someone if we love each other"

Ellio's brows knitted. Love..? I'm sure Xorran doesn't love me

"But there are also cases where claiming happens even if the other one is againts it."

"What? Isn't that an abuse to huma―wolf rights?" Ellio almost forgot that he's not in the human realm anymore.

"That's why we have the Ozarae Ceremony." Kerry continues. "Ozarae is a constellation that appears only during a full moon. The one who claimed and the one that has been claimed will stood against the light of the moon at the peak of the Mountain of Arid and if one of the stars of the Ozarae constellation falls, it means that the couple is and compatible bound by true love.."

Ellio found this tradition of theirs mesmerizing. This never happens in his world.

"..but if the constellation fades, it means the opposite and the claim will be automatically severed."

"Now, that's fair!" Ellio says, completely agreeing with that kind of set-up. He halted for a minute when he remembered something.

"That means that me and Xorran could just go at the peak of the mountain and severe the claim immediately! Problem solved!"

Kerry chuckled in his innocence. "The full moon only appears once a year, Ellio."

"What?! Once a year?!"

"Yeah, but don't worry. Once you go back to the human's realm the claim will be severed immediately."

Ellio felt somewhat relieved. "Good thing, I don't wanna be entitled as Xorran's claim any longer. It somewhat hurts my pride."

Kerry just laughed at him but stopped when she remembered something. "Oh and Ellio, since Xorran claimed you, you and him will now be connected to each other by lo―"

The luna was unable to finish her sentence when the door opened revealing Xorran.

"What are you still doing here, Kerry?" he asked, making Kerry automatically stand up.

"I was telling Ellio about the claim, Xorran."

The Alpha nodded. "You can continue tomorrow. Go and have a rest. You had a long day."

Kerry's heart was touched hearing the concern from Xorran's words so she smiles and nods

"I will see you tomorrow, Ellio. Goodnight."

Ellio just smiled and waved at her.

"I will be proceeding to my room, Xorran." Kerry said when she came close to the door where Xorran is.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Xorran suggests.

"No, it's okay. My room is just a floor down."

"Hm. Have a good night's sleep then."

"You as well."

Ellio watched them and he can't explain this little pinch in his heart. He just witnessed a normal conversation between two lovers but why does he feel this way? Probably from the roasted chicken.

Now that it was only the two of them left in the room, there was nothing but silence. Xorran looked at Ellio, glancing up and down. The human saw it and couldn't help but look at himself too. Is he judging me?

Then, Xorran left, with no such words as bye or goodnight like he said to Kerry.

"Psh, does he hate me that much? Stupid dog." Ellio mumbles and just as he was about to go and collapse on the bed, the door opened again and Xorran appeared holding a neatly folded clothes with a brown box on top.

The Alpha entered, closing the door.

"Clean yourself in the bathroom." he instructed with pure authority as he placed the clothes on the bed. "That box contains medical products for your wounds and I brought you clothes for you to change into. They are mine but settle with that for now."

Ellio looked at himself once again, after all that happened, he forgot he has wounds that stained his white button-up including his black pants with blood. His clothes were torn from almost every part making him look like he went through world war. But I did go through world war though.

"Thanks." Ellio didn't know but he was still bitter from the scene he saw earlier thus only muttered one word.

He proceeded to go to the door on the left.

"The bathroom is the door on the right." Xorran instructed.

Ellio, who was embarrassed, could only clear his throat and turn to the right.

"It's on the left, I was only fooling around." Xorran said that with not a sign of humor on his cold-filled face. Ellio glared at him. "What?" Xorran asked with innocence. "I thought humans laugh with jokes. Why are you glaring at me like that?"

Ellio couldn't believe what he just heard. Jokes? Where did he learn that term?

A whole minute passed with just him staring at the Alpha and suddenly, his laugh echoed within the four walls of the room.

"What a dumb dog! HAHAHAHA!"

Xorran raised both of his brows, completely confused why the human is laughing just now. And what's a dumb dog?

He watched Ellio disappear in the bathroom, still laughing and almost lost of breath.

When Ellio entered the bathroom, the first thing that caught his attention was the wooden and vintage style bath tub located in the middle. He turned the wooden faucet on and cold water started to run and fill the tub.

"Xorran! You don't have any warm water?" he shouted from the inside. Xorran who was about to leave the room halted upon hearing the human.

He sighed and snapped his finger.

Ellio's eyes turned into an 'o' when the water started to go warm against his hands. "Oh nevermind!" he shouted again, oblivious by the fact that Xorran was the one who made it warm.

Stripping out of his clothes he slowly submerged into the warm water. He closed his eyes as he felt the hotness of the water on his skin, somewhat comforting after all the craziness that happened the whole day.

Until now, he still couldn't believe it. That he is now into a different dimension, chased by guardians who wish him death and being claimed by the Alpha of the wolves. But he knows he needs to pull himself together. He needs to return to the human realm for his wedding.

"You're still here?"

Ellio asked when he saw Xorran who had his eyes closed while sitting on the cabriole. From his even and slowly breathing it was clear that he was asleep. The human couldn't help but stare at the sleeping wolf in his semi-human form.

Xorran's hair was a mix of gray and black. He has a scar on the right side of his face that slit his black eyebrows down to his bottom eyelid. He has a prominent nose and plump lips that Ellio was able to taste earlier. In short, Xorran is truly handsome.

Ellio was startled when he suddenly opened his hazel eyes. Xorran then stood up and based on Ellio's guess, this wolf is 6'2.

"I will be taking a rest in my room."

Ellio grabbed him by the sleeve to stop him from taking another step. "Wait."

Xorran looked at his hand gripping on him before glancing up to Ellio.

"What?"

"Since you're still here, why don't you just help me clean my wounds?"

"Am I some kind of servant of yours?"

Ellio frowned from his response "I just really don't know how to treat my injuries since somebody does it for me back home.."

Upon hearing the word 'somebody', Xorran immediately thought that Ellio is pertaining to his lover when in fact Ellio meant it to be the maids of their mansion.

Xorran immediately got irritated. "You're all alone now. Go treat it yourself." he moved away his arm to remove Ellio's hands gripping on his sleeves.

Xorran left afterwards and Ellio could only sigh before plopping himself on the bed. He opened the wooden box that will be called a first aid kit in the human's realm. Instead of seeing alcohol, gauze or any of the sort, the box contained different kinds of powder, with some kind of dry leaves, bottles of unknown liquids and a lot more. The only thing familiar to him was the ball of cotton.

"I hope none of this is deadly."

Ellio began treating his wounds.

Later at night, as Xoran drifts into dreamland, he sees his younger self with his deceased mother. The younger Xorran was smiling ear to ear as he ran into the field. His mother was running after him with the same smile.

But the moment he turned to face her, his smile immediately disappeared when a black shadow started to eat up the blue sky. Monsters of different kinds appeared running toward them.

The ground cracked open and a black tentacle crawled out from it pulling his mother underneath the earth.

"Mother!"

"Run Xorran!"

Xorran stumbled to the ground. The monsters were running towards him so he pushed his weak knees to stand up. He runs away but immediately stopped when he suddenly felt water drenching his feet. He looked down and he realized he suddenly transitioned into the sea.

Something sparkled from the faraway island. It was very bright that he needed to cover his eyes using his arm. When the brightness decreased, it revealed a golden chest. He swam on the water to get into the island. He was a few meters away from sand when a pair of tentacles grabbed both of his feet dragging him back to the sea.

"Nooooo!"

Xorran tried to swim away from the tentacles' hold but it was too strong. It pulled him towards the deep and dark sea. A sea monster with its mouth gaped open appeared.

Xorran screamed for help as if someone could hear him. His shouts for help only muffled against the water. The moment that he was about to get into the mouth of the monster, a pair of hands suddenly grabbed his shoulder and Ellio's face appeared.

"Xorran, I wanna poop!"

What..?