Chapter Two- The Alpha King
1270 Words
The first time Becs woke up, she couldn’t open her eyes. But she could feel, she felt pain, she felt the cold hands that changed her bandages. She could hear, she heard voices, and sometimes the deep growling angry voice of someone. Not angry at her but for her.
–Three days–
The second time Becs woke up, she immediately wished she hadn’t. Pain exploded through her side, a sharp gasp escaped her lips. Everything hurt, her leg, her rips, even her head. Even breathing hurt.
“Easy,” a deep voice came from nearby
Becs froze. Her eyes snapped opened, she found herself in a large bedroom with stonewalls, wooden beams and a fireplace. Sunlight filtered in through the large windows at the other side of the room. Nothing about it looked familiar, panic immediately surged. She tried to sit up, bad idea. Pain shot through her body. The voice close to her cursed, the suddenly strong hands were helping her.
“Don’t move”
Becs looked up, silver eyes met her. The man from the forest, the man who helped her. The man who said–Mate. The word echoed through her mind. Luna perked up, still weak but the mention of the word mate seemed to give her a little bit of energy.
Mate
“There it is again,” Becs muttered
The man blinked.
“What?”
That word.”
Confusion crossed his face, then realization and then embarrassment. Luna was delighted.
He’s adorable when he’s embarrassed.
Becs almost smiled. The man cleared his throat.
“My name is Killian Blackthorne.” His voice was calm and steady.
Something about him immediately put her at ease, which was strange. Because he was also the most intimidating man she’d ever seen.
“Where am I?”
“The Blackwood fortress, inside the Blackwood pack”
The answer meant nothing to Becs. Killian seemed to realize that.
“The Blackwood pack, its a werewolf pack.”
Right, the reminder made everything come rushing back. The hospital, the hunters, the chase the bullets, and the blood. Becs looked down, bandages covered her side and leg. Fear filled her chest.
“How bad is it?”
Killian’s expression darkened.
“The bullets were silver, they also coated them in wolfsbane.”
She nodded, even she knew enough to know that was bad. Very bad.
“Wolfbane?”
Killian nodded
“It’s poisonous to werewolves”
“Am I dying?”
The question came out much smaller than she’d intended. His answer came immediately.
“No.”
Absolute and certainty. No hesitation, no doubt. The simple word made her relax. Kinda.
“You’re going to recover, it’s going to take time.” His jaw was tight as he spoke the last part.
“How much time?”
“A few weeks.”
Becs groaned, and Killian smiled. Well almost smiled.
– Late that Evening–
Deep beneath the fortress, two hunters were chained to chairs. Both bruised and terrified. Across the room stood Lucas and the packs Gamma, Eathan Cross. He was large, silent and dangerous. The type of man who didn’t need to threaten anyone. Lucas folded his arms.
“Let’s try this again.”
Neither man spoke. Eathan cracked his knuckles, one hunter looked ready to cry with the motion. Smart man.
“What did the doctors at Saint Catherine’s do to her?”
Silence, Lucan sighed.
“Ethan.”
The Gamma stood, that was enough. The first hunter broke.
“Everything”
Lucas froze. Everything?
“Everything?”
The hunter swallowed and continued.
“We studied her, run tests on her.”
Ethan’s eyes darkened, fighting the urge to let his wolf take over.
“What kind of tests?”
The hunter looked away, the silence told them enough. Lucas felt sick.
“What. Kind. Of. Tests?”
The man finally answered.
“Blood extractions, gene testing, drug trials….and silver resistance testing.”
The room went still, Eathan looked ready to kill. Before he could do anything, the hunter continued.”
“She always healed too fast. We wanted to know why.”
A feral growl escaped Ethan, the hunter flinched.
“Marcus believed she was the answer.”
Lucas frowned.
“The answer to what?”
The other hunter finally spoke.
“Extinction”
Cold filled the room, the hunter swallowed.
“She’s the first Hybrid in history.”
His eyes lifted, terrified.
“Marcus thought if he understood her biology, he could create a weapon that would kill every vampire and werewolf.”
Silence, absolute silence. Then Ethan punched the wall. The stone cracked, and the hunters screamed. Lucas closed his eyes, thinking about how Becs spent thirteen years in hell.
–The Next Morning–
Killian sat beside Bec’s bed, he hadn’t left her side in four days. She was starting to look stronger, still pale and tired. But stronger.
“I never thanked you.”
Killian looked up from his phone
“For what?”
“Saving me”
The words surprised him, because she’d survived far worse than the rescue. Yet she was thanking him. His mate, his brave, stubborn mate.
“You don’t need to thank me.”
“I do”
For a moment neither spoke. Then Killian smiled.
“You’re welcome.”
Becs hesitated, then quietly said:
“My name is Becca Nightshade.”
Everything stopped, the room became silent. Killian stared, Nightshade? No, it couldn’t be. He must have heard wrong.
“Say that again”
Becs frowned
“Becca Nightshade”
The blood drained from Killian’s face. The lost princess, the baby everyone believed dead. The heir to the vampire throne. His mate.
Shadow, his wold practically roared
Mine
Killian stood abruptly, Becs blinked worried she’d said something wrong.
“What?”
“You need to stay here, I’ll be back later.”
Becs blinked
“What?”
“I’ll explain everything later.”
“Killian”
“Trust me.” He was already walking out the door.
It took an hour but Killian messaged the elders of Blackwood. He also reached out to the surviving vampire elders. The message was simple:
The lost princess lives.
Becca Nightshade has been found.
She is safe
She is under Blackwood protection.
And she is my mate.
–Killian Blackthorne
Alpha of Blackwood Pack
King of Northern Werewolf territory.
Later that evening Killian returned to Becs. This time he was carrying an old photograph. A photograph of a beautiful silver-haired queen holding a dark-haired toddler.
Becs stared, her breath caught.
“Who is that?”
Killian sat on the edge of the bed, and for a long moment he just watched her. The resemblance was undeniable, then he softly answered.
“Your mother.”
Tears instantly filled her eyes, Killian’s voice remained gentle as he spoke.
“Queen Lyra Nightshade.”
Becs looked at the women in the picture. At the smile, she could almost see the love her mother had for her. At the mother she’d never known.
“And my father?”
Killian pointed to a man standing beside them. He was tall, and he looked powerful. He had crimson eyes, just like the color her eyes would switch to when he got angry.
“King Adrian Nightshade.”
Silence filled the room, then Becs whispered.
“They were real.”
Killian nodded
“They loved you.”
The tears finally fell. Killian looked pained to see her in so much emotional turmoil. He could take it anymore and got into bed with her and held her, gently but enough to let her know she wasn’t alone anymore.
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