The Empath’s Pack

The Lord

Aralick rolled to the side of the bed. He had notice Dawn wasn’t in the room. His head was pounding and had noticed he was starving. He smelled food coming from the main floor. He stood realizing his only clothes had been shredded. He wrapped the sheets around him, but after remembering Dawn had no neighbors he quickly abandoned them. Just at the thought of her his body was reacting. He noted the mark on his shoulder and had a strange sense of possession fill him.

“Alarick! There are clothes in the bathroom for you. I suggest wearing them before coming down!”

He hurriedly put on the clothes and made his way down the stairs. For some unknown reason, panic had struck him. He jumped from the top of the stair case and landed at the bottom with a thud. Two voices screamed and then he realized there were others here. His eyes lit up and he had headed toward the sounds. Dawn had quickly stopped him in his tracks.

“I invited them. You need to calm down. Give me your hand.”

He looked in her eyes, realizing all his mind could think about was her. “Who is it?”

She grasped his hand tightly. “Marshal and your Beta.”

“Why are they here?”

The malice that came from his voice didn’t go unnoticed. Dawn had known that he would wake like this, but didn’t know it was worse since he was an Alpha. When her younger brother’s beloved woke, she had almost killed her. She couldn’t remember that they were siblings just that another female was too close. Alarick was ready to kill two people that honestly had no attraction to her.

“Veta didn’t touch you did she?”

Dawn was surprised. She thought Marshal would be the concern. He was gay, but a male. It was in that moment she hadn’t thought about Loveta’s s****l preferences. He was concerned, because she could be attracted to her. Alarick would kill his Beta if she didn’t get his emotions under control. She probably siphoned a little more than she needed to.

“Listen Alarick there is something I need to tell you.”

Alarick noted the grogginess that followed. “Are you okay?”

She smiled at his eyes roaming her. “It’s about you, my beloved.”

“What about me?”

She noted the hurt in his eyes. “Oh god, Alarick. It’s not anything like that. You are perfect. You...um...have been asleep for a few days. I think the draining was worse than I had imagined.”

“No wonder I’m so hungry. How long?”

“Four days.”

She noted his distress as he began passing. “I need to talk to Veta.”

Dawn noticed her fangs sharpening as the other woman’s name rolled off his lips. He must have read it through the mate bond, because instinctively wrap his arms around her. She felt his love flow over in waves.

“You are the only lips I have ever touched and the only woman I have allowed to bed me.”

She focused to contain her arousal at his words. She knew if he scented it strong enough, they wouldn’t deal with the real issues. An alpha being away for four days, isn’t okay. Luckily she had called Loveta. It took her three tries before she had control enough to call the female. She had contacted Marshal next.

“Beta.” Alarick spoke. “How is the pack?”

Loveta’s eyes fell to Dawn whose hand was possessively wrapped up in Alarick’s. She noticed the title drop and understood that it was time. They were no longer the kids they were. They were Alpha and Beta. Though she had changed to the titles long ago, he insisted that he still call her V. She knew that everything would change with the whole mate bond, but it was faster than she liked.

“Alpha, the pack has been informed that you had found your mate. They understand the circumstances. We have not had any issues and Gamma Theo had upped patrol in your absence.”

Alarick noted something in the look she gave Dawn. “Careful Beta that is your Luna you are making eyes at.”

“Sir, I was just curious if this would be your new residency. After all the animals, we had found.”

Dawn made a zip it motion that hadn’t gone unnoticed. “Dawn, what animals?”

She noted Alarick unconsciously prodding at her mind, “it’s not a secret just something I thought we agreed, I would tell.”

He noted the pointed glare between the two females. “Alright then Marshal, what animals?”

“Oh, um your little mating thing had caused some serious draining. Good thing Dawn lives so far out, but all the animals within five miles were sucked dry.”

His eyes flashed to Dawn. *Will that always happen?*

*I didn’t even know it would happen then. I had messaged my family and they stated similar experiences. They said it hadn’t happened again, but it is always better to double check before trying it around a whole pack.*

“Whoa what is happening?” Veta gapped.

Alarick looked at her with curiosity. “What do you mean?”

She stood and walked to the food on the table. “I just watched you two, I assume have a full on conversation without a mind-link. I can see mind-link waves and that had none.”

“My thoughts I guess just go in there.” He said poking Dawn’s forehead.

Veta grumbled, “this is the weirdest mate bond I have ever witnessed.”

“It is because I’m not just a vampire.”

Marshal looks at Dawn. “Do you think that is a good idea?”

“I mean I’m going to be Luna. They will have to know.”

He nodded. “Your father okay with that?”

She smirks. “He said that the Beta, Gamma and a girl named Serenity should know. I told him that I had decided to tel Tala and Taika as well.”

Alarick looked her in the eyes, “you met my siblings? Wait whoa you went to the pack house?”

She smiled, “I forgot to tell you. As you can tell, I didn’t mean to keep it from you.”

He gave a look to Veta, “you weren’t the one that kept it from me. Did they tell you?”

“Only after they heard you had found your mate.”

Alarick headed to the table to grab food. The table was full as if to feed a family. He had notice Dawn’s smell everywhere just like in the gym. He had just realized he could smell her power. His fear rolled off him in waves.

*Only a handful of people can feel it unless I want them to.*

She had read his mind. *We just became the strongest pack in the world didn’t we.*

*Yes.* She noted his fear. *I won’t let anything happen to us or the pack, my love.*

He hoped she was right. For the pack, his family and her. Dawn felt the apprehension. She knew only time would tell. Marshal had made his way to the food along with the others. She made her way over and stood behind the counter.

“You will need to try again soon.”

Alarick looked confused, “what do you mean, Veta?”

“s*x. You will have to try again before returning to the pack.”

Marshal smiled, “granted that took a lot of the hunting around here off my hands, but other animals have come in to eat some of the leftovers. You need to get back to your pack.”

He nodded, he knew that. He was just hoping she would be joining him. He didn’t want to make booty calls to his mate. He wanted her in his bed every night. He wanted to wake up next to her and to spend most of the day together. Only parting when they needed to. Dawn had consumed every waking thought.

“What’s your last name?”

Dawn smiled, “originally or currently.”

Marshal looked up, “don’t.”

She turned to him. “He can read my mind. It’s not like all my secrets don’t just flow straight through.”

“You know that name isn’t meant to be spoken. Say it in your mind, but not out loud.”

“Fine. Party pooper. My last name now is Harding.”

*Byron.*

Marshal’s eyes were on Alarick’s face. Reading for the moment it registered. Her father was a lord. It wouldn’t be that hard to connect. He noted the shock as Alarick’s gaze found Dawn and she smiled.

*Lord Byron. The first known vampire?*