My Best Friend's Alpha

17.

Nial

'Say something sweetheart, surely you're relieved?'

My mom grabs my hand in an attempt to bring me back to the here and now.

Am I relieved?

I definitely feel betrayed, but is that relief I'm feeling too?

The information my parents shared has rendered me utterly speechless. How could she do this to me? How could they keep this from me?

Perplexed, I turn to my father.

'So there's no way it could be..?'

'No' he cut me off before I could finish.

'And that's because I'm an...? '

'Alpha' my mother answered this time.

'Why am I just finding this out now?'

My head is sore and quite frankly, I'm pissed off.

'What if you'd got there too late? What if I'd already marked her?'

Now I'm raging, my mate is in a coma and Lana is lost, and it all could have been prevented had they told me a long time ago.

'Son, we wanted to keep you safe. It's also a way of finding out a person's character. If they are genuine or would lie to get their own way. A true Luna will always put the pack before her own agenda'

He sighed, visibly fatigued.

'Had we known she would pull a stunt like this, we'd have told you before your 18th birthday. It's not like it with every pack, just ours.'

I looked at my Dad in confusion.

'Why just ours?'

'Generations ago, your great great grandfather enlisted the help of a powerful witch in the hope of creating the strongest pack. She made a sacrifice to the Moon Goddess, to ensure that the Alpha bloodline remains pure'

'And you didn't think to tell me?' I sigh in exasperation, or is it exhaustion? Maybe both.

'Just find Lana Dad, I need to get back to Meela'.

'Wait, let me atleast make you a sandwich' my mom pleads.

Nial, she's stirring, I think she's waking up

The voice of Magnus echoes in my head through the mind link.

'Gotta go Mom, she's awake!' rushing to my feet, a smile pulling on the edges of my lips, breathing out a sigh of relief. I kiss my mom on the cheek and slap a hand on my dad's shoulder before scurrying out of the door.

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Lana

I am shoved once again by Braydon down one of the cream corridors, wishing he would keep his jabbing elbows to himself.

'Move, straight ahead'

He points to a large, heavy looking chestnut door at the end of the corridor. Anticipation eats away at my insides as my feet are forced towards the door.

Braydons lands a heavy knock on the door and pushes me inside after permission to enter was granted by a stern gravely voice. The office was dark and gloomy, the serious brute of a man sits behind a large chestnut desk.

'Sit' the same voice commanded.

'Thank you Braydon, you are dismissed'

Blondy slinks away, but not before flashing me a filthy smirk as I drop myself down into an oversized dark brown leather armchair.

We sit in silence as the beastly Alpha drinks in my appearance, licking his lips before raising to his feet. He moves gracefully for a man of his stature, to lean against his desk just inches away from me.

'Tell me sweetheart, how did you end up on my land?'

Choking on the powerful aura radiating off of him, my head remains anxiously bowed.

A warm finger curled under my chin and my head was thrust upwards to meet his steely gaze. A mixture of emotions reflected in the grey pools staring back at me.

'Answer me little wolf, I won't bite' he muttered.

'Well, unless you ask me nicely'.

A playful smirk tugged at the left side of his lips. A gasp escaped my trembling body as he stroked a coarse thumb across my bottom lip.

He took a step back and lent against the solid wooden desk.

'Lana, isn't it?'

He studied me inquisitively as I shyly nodded.

'How old are you Lana?' his voice was softening now, like salted caramel with just an edge of grit to it.

I cleared my throat, desperately trying to form any words.

'Sev-seventeen' my voice rasped 'I'll be eighteen tomorrow'

He stroked the stubble on his chin whilst pondering my answer.

'Not long to wait' he muttered to himself.

Not understanding his musings, I shift uncomfortably in the chair, staring intently at my hands in my lap, desperately trying not to anger the dreaded Alpha. I've heard stories of the brutality that has occurred at the hands of this man, torture chambers coated in wolfsbane and lashings of whips laced with silver. Known to be the cruelest of all Alpha's and show no mercy.

I cannot contain the tears that stream down my face, wiping them away quickly, praying he doesn't notice, which is stupid because of course he will notice, Alpha's have unprecedented hearing.

'Are you scared little wolf?'

Thinking that honesty is the best policy in this situation, I nod.

'Don't be' he announces.

'Anybody who dares to touch even a hair on your head will feel my wrath'

Did I just hear him right? Forgetting all about respecting the Alpha and avoiding eye contact, my head snaps up and my mouth swings wide open at his statement.

'But... Why?' I question instinctively.

He crouches down in front of me and strokes my cheek with the back of his hand.

'You'll understand soon, my little wolf' he smirks, the onyx colour swirling once again in his eyes.

Why do I feel like the sacrificial lamb?

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Meela

'Doctor, come quick, she just moved, her eyes are fluttering!'

Are they?

Although the familiar voice of my father sounds much closer than before, I still feel like I'm being held down under water.

Footsteps rush into the room, I feel someone squeeze my hand while others fuss around me.

'It's okay pumpkin, Nial is on his way'

Relief evident in every word he utters.

I try with all of my might to move, starting with my fingers, imagining them flexing and scrunching at the end of my arm.

A gasp sounded next to me

'Look, her hand just moved'

It's working

My senses are hit with musk as Nial crashes into the room.

'What's happening, you said she was waking?' he rushes out breathlessly.

'She's just moved her hand Nial, I saw it'

My Dad has an air of excitement about him.

Determined to regain control of my body, I keep pushing on, desperately trying to break through the surface.

Concentrating now on extending the movement through my arms and up my body.

I can tell that he's frantically pacing back and forth.

'This is all my fault Magnus, if only I'd have known what I do now'

I imagine him tugging his fingers through his gorgeous tresses.

'What do you mean? What's going on?' I hear my Dad question.

'It's not mine, the pup can't possibly be mine' Nial cries out, pained.

'An Alpha can't impregnate such a low ranking wolf'

It's not his, the pup isn't his!

'Why isn't she moving now?'

He's back to frantic.

Suddenly sparks erupt all over my skin as he desperately graps onto the sides of my face.

'Meela, baby, can you hear me?' his voice breaking.

'Meela, she lied, he wants us'

Karmen! You're awake.

Her voice is faint inside my mind, but it's there none the less.

'Come on Meela, we can do this' she answers, stronger this time.

Concentrating with all of my might again on moving any part of my body, even just one small finger twitch.

'Yes Meela, now come on!' she demands, shouting now in my head, over and over.

'Come on!'

My blood boils with frustration, can't she see I'm trying my best here?

'Stop it now Meela, WAKE UP!' She roars.

Anger rages through my body as I push myself almost to the point of depletion before a guttural growl rips through and my eyes prise open. Ragged breath burns in my lungs as my exhausted body gasps for air.

'I'm so sorry baby, Meela I'm so so sorry' Nial mutters over and over, showering my face with soft kisses.

'Please Alpha, give her some room to breathe' a nurse pleads.

I smile weakly as a thank you but Nial glares at her until she cowers.

'Don't' my voice rasps, my hand reaches up to rest on his chest. He breaks eye contact to look at me, concern quickly replacing the ferosity in his eyes.

'I'm okay' I reassure him, somewhat croakily.

'Nurse, can you please get my daughter some water?'

As my Dad gently squeezes I realise he still has a hold of my left hand.

As the nurse scurried away, Nial settles down on the bed next to me, tucking me into his side, his scent helping to calm my wolf.

'He's here isn't he, he cares about us Meela' Karmen defends.

'I saw him with Lana, when it came down to it, he chose her' I snapped

'That was when he thought he had a pup on the way, Alistair has always wanted us' she whined

The nurse returned, snapping my attention back to the hospital room. I'm too exhausted to deal with my sassy wolf right now.

'Here, take small sips' she smiles, handing me a beaker of water, which Nial helps me to steady before leaving again to give us some privacy.

'You scared us there Pumpkin' my Dad nervously chuckles.

'How are you feeling?'

'Groggy' I half snort and half laugh at my own weak voice.

'I'm so sorry baby' Nial whispers over and over, placing gentle kisses on my head.

'It's okay' I tell him, and actually I think I really mean it, no matter how sassy I think Karmen is, she's right. Nial was just doing what he thought was the right thing.

'You were stepping up, taking responsibility' I explain lethargically 'You were doing what any good man would do, what any good Alpha would do'

I smile up at him and place a kiss on his cheek.

'Goddess I don't deserve you, but you can be damn sure I'm going to spend the rest of my life making it up to you baby' he promises, just as my stomach growls.

We both burst out laughing.

'Hungry are we?' my Dad jokes.

'What do you fancy? I'll go grab you something'

'No need'

A familiar voice calls from the doorway.

'I have your favourite right here sweetheart' my Mom beamed, carrying a tub over to the bed.

Nial jumps up and drags the over bed table into position before propping me into an upright position with the pillows. The delicious aroma of my mom's famous lasagne escaped as I opened the tub.

I stuff forkfuls of the tasty meal into my mouth as they chatter away.

'Have they found her yet?' my mom asks.

'Found who?' I inquire between mouthfuls.

All three of them shift about uncomfortably and share nervous glances.

'Found who?' I repeat with more belligerence.

'It's Lana honey' my mom explains 'she's ran away'

Oh no, no no no!

Karmen pines in my head, she too is hurt. We were best friends for so long, like sisters even, panic flows through me.

'We need to find her' I shriek, attempting to stand from the bed, toppling over, Nial grabbing me just in time.

'You need to rest' he grumbles.

How can I rest? If I'm to be Luna of the Black Orion pack then I need to help keep the pack safe, all of it's members.

Pushing out of his grasp, I stride for the door.

'I'm going to find her and nobody is going to stop me!'