Taken by the Alpha

Isobel and The Fairies

=Alaric=

I was starting to understand what the bracelet did. Somehow it was giving Nastasha some semblance of our bond. She was getting a little more wolf-like. The only way to know for sure was to see Izzie. 

“How about I squash your worries.” She was in fact very very worried about the witchcraft on her wrist, but honestly I was around it for so long I hardly cared when she’d toss a few knicknacks at me. I knew she cared more for my family than anyone else so thinking she’d ever make something that would harm anyone in the pack was out of the question.

“How?” That gaze over my body she had developed was a little unnerving. I knew now it was just the bracelet, but good luck telling that to my wolf who was ready to claim her any minute if those eyes kept crawling over me. 

“I’ll take you to the girl who made them. She’s a witch that serves our pack.”

“Witch?” Hell she bought werewolves easy enough, why not convince her about witches. Next stop vampires while I’m at it I guess, though we didn’t really have any of those lying around. 

“Yes, she’s kind of like a guardian over us. She’s the reason humans don’t stumble onto our territory.” Izzie had done a lot for our pack and after we just had to give up her brother well, let’s just say she really didn’t think Alexandria was worth it. 

“Oh why not.” She huffed, “I guess I will meet her eventually.” 

I reached my arm out directing her toward the edge of our clearing. There was a small house there with a full garden filled with all kinds of plants outfront. Little doors were decorating all over the landscape, some open and others closed. Then there was Izzie, Isobel, was her real name, but no one called her that. She was a caring lady not much older than myself. Her long hair was braided in parts with feathers and other things dangling in the mess. She worse tattered clothes, but only because she wanted to make her own, she wove her own hemp and kind of liked to stay off the grid about most things. 

“Izzie!” I called waiving as I pushed Natasha forward. 

She smiled before slamming shut one of the small doors in her garden. “Good thing you’re here,” she called, “There’s a loose fairy. He’s been eating all my radishes.”

“Damn him.” I laughed casting doubt on the severity of the situation. 

“So now there’s fairies?” Natasha crossed her arms not wanting to get any further in the garden.

‘Of course there’s fairies.” Izzie scoffed back, “How do you think your bracelet was made?”

“I’m wearing a fairy bracelet?” She looked at her wrist carefully judging every inch of it. 

“It’s enchanted.” Izzie tossed me a worried look like i had just brought an inconvenience to her, “Did you figure it out yet?”

I shrugged, “There’s a few things it could be.”

“What is it?” Natasha inched forward slightly, her feet still refused to cross the barrier into the garden. 

“That bracelet dear.” Izzie was such a tease. There was a reason she was so proud her herself, “I honestly don’t know why we didn’t think of it sooner.”

“Can you just tell her.” I pointed back to Natasha who was getting more worried by the second, “She thinks you’re cursing the poor girl.”

Izzie shrugged it off and returned to the doors but turned back to answer quickly, “It gives you a small taste of your emotions as a werewolf.”

That was a dangerous game, no wonder she went after Alex earlier, “You don’t get the can of worms you opened up.” 

“Who are you to tell me to ease off?” She looked me up and down then bent over scanning under rocks and plants.

“She almost challenged Alex earlier because of that thing.” I sniffed the air, fairies didn’t have a scent, but if he ate radishes maybe I could track that. 

“Good.” Izzie smiled back at Natasha, “Hope the b***h got a good taste of what’s to come.”

“Izzie.” I growled, “You should know better.” 

“Bah.” She threw her hands up kicking dirt slightly, “She wasn’t worth the price and you know it.”

“I’m not commenting about my Gamma’s mate.” Another warning growl and she shut right now. 

“Girl, get in here and help us find that damn fairy.” She waived her hands for Natasha to enter but she still stood back.

“You’re a witch.”

“Yes.” she sighed running her hand through her hair, “Is there anything else obvious you want to share?”

“You’re like a real witch then?”

Turning back to me Izzie was getting frustrated. Her eyes were wide and her nostrils flared. “If I have to tell her I’m a witch one more time she’ll be sorry.”

Rushing back to Natasha I grabbed her hand, “She’s not evil. I told you she’s a long time friend of the family.”

“She’s not much older than you right?” She looked Izzie up and down trying to guess her age, she was pretty spot on honestly, but still a witch experiences far more in their lifetime than anyone else. 

“She’s older than me-”

“You guys grew up together then?”

I could feel it, that jealousy was growing again, “Izzie.” I turned to her, “This is why you never give humans werewolf emotions.” I let go of her hand before things got complicated. 

Izzie was all too happy with her work, “If you don’t want her to wear it.” She winked. Take it off.”

I glared, there was always a catch with magic. There was a way for it to come off, but I had a feeling it was a diabolical plan, one that involved her actually being a werewolf or submitting to the fact she would be.

Natasha reached her hand out, gesturing to me to remove it, “Go on!” She snapped, “It’s manipulation you know. It’s not fair to use witchcraft on me.”

I rolled my eyes, “How did I get to be the one in the middle on this?” Turning around I snatched up a small toad, “Here’s your fairy.” I tossed it to Izzie who glared at the toad before smacking it until it grew wings and changed back into a tiny little person. 

“What the f**k!” Natasha sprang forward looking at the little creature, “That’s really an honest to god fairy!”

Izzie smiled “Yeah, one dead fairy.”

“Dead?” Natasha looked at me with her eyes pleading for me to intervene. “You can’t kill it!”

“Damn right I can. He’ll be used to grow toadstool. I haven’t had some in a while.” She grabbed a cage near her door throwing the small creature inside before closing it. “Now to take the bracelet off, you have to take everything off.” She winked again before retiring indoors. “Don’t stick around too late. I’ve heard trespassers in the woods at night.”

Of course she had. I rolled my eyes leaving the confines of the garden. “You really don’t want to stick around, she’s a bit eccentric.” 

“You don’t say.” shaking her head I could tell she was trying to forget all about what was going to happen to that fairy. It wasn’t anything new, she kept those doors around to lure them in. Different fairies meant different plants to grow. 

“Do you want me to take the bracelet off?” We had walked in silence for far too long. I knew she was weighing the pros and cons of me removing it. 

“What did she mean by taking it all off?” She turned to me, her hand instinctively reaching for mine but her own mind snapped back before she could make contact. “I’m kind of uncomfortable with these witchcraft feelings.”

“Well now you know how I feel.” I huffed glad she was able to feel an ounce of my desires but still irritated she wasn’t fully aware. 

“What do you mean?” She jumped in front of me, blocking my path, her hands resting firmly on her hips as she looked up to me.

“Nothing.” I lied, she was all I could think about, all I wanted to think about, and all I cared about right now. It was a mistake bringing her out here. People saw her today, people saw her challenge Alex. The pack would surely tell my father who was currently in an appeasement phase when it came to Alex. 

“Okay, let’s play a game.” She twisted herself around placing her hands behind her back as she strutted forward. 

“Game?” 

“Yes, you tell me one feeling you’re having right now and I will tell you one thing you don’t know about me.” 

Interesting idea. It allowed me to get to know her better, but then again my feelings that were bounding in my head all day weren’t exactly appropriate. 

“I’ll go first.” She turned pointing her finger up, “As a sign of good faith.”

Good faith? When had she ever given me any good faith? It’s that damn bracelet I bet. 

“When I was little I always wanted a puppy. I never got one, but my favorite animal was a wolf so I wanted to get a dog that looked just like one.”

“You’re making that up.” I growled thinking this was some weird human flirting technique.

“No I swear.” She turned back, “I actually was hoping that dog I found was never claimed so I could have kept him.” She was referring to Theo which made me a little jealous, she never acted that way about my wolf. I could feel his sourness grow.

“Your turn.”

“I’m kind of angry that you like Theo’s wolf more than mine.” There I said it. It had been bugging me since she turned me away and now I told her and I wished I could crawl into a cave and live out my life alone. 

She turned back, her eyes catching mine, “You think I like his wolf more than yours?” 

I nodded not wanting to finish the conversation.

“If it’s any consolation your wolf is far better looking than his.”

I jumped forward feeling my wolf bounding in my head. She thought I was better? 

“Um…” She looked at me confused and a bit shocked. “Your ears.” She patted her own head then pointed at me.

“My?” When I patted my head I could feel them. My wolf was struggling to break free. He wanted to hear more about how she liked him. “Sorry.” I turned away slowing my breathing. It was the best I could do to try to calm that beast in my mind. 

“No it’s cute.” She smiled. 

“Not what I needed to hear.” I bent over trying hard to keep my wolf from jumping out. He was getting strong and more bold in front of her now, he wanted her to complement just him. He wanted to be the one to be touched by her. 

“Are you okay?” She bent over me and when her hand touched my back I lost complete control. 

My body shifted in the blink of an eye, clothes flew everywhere my watch slipped off landing on the ground and that collar suddenly became just the perfect size. I guess Izzie had figured this would happen. 

I turned back meeting Natasha who I fully expected to be ready to scream. Instead she lowered her hand running it the length of my body up to my head until she moved around kneeling down to me. 

“Yep. You’re far more handsome.” The glee in my wolf escalated ten fold as I jumped around her feeling helpless to control his excitement. “Okay okay.” she laughed, “I guess the games over because this is very one sided now.” 

Damn it, I couldn’t speak to her, she wasn’t a werewolf or in my pack. She had no idea it was my wolf acting out and not me. She thought I was being childish. There was no way for me to correct her right now either. Oh no, she was going to get the wrong idea. 

“I guess we need to go back inside now?” She looked hurt, she was for the most part enjoying being outside. My wolf wanted her to stay out here too and while he was out he was even more difficult to control. 

“What’s going on?” My head snapped back as I saw my father with his arms crossed with my mother at his side. “She’s supposed to be in the guest house!”

I looked to Natasha and I wished with all my heart she could understand me. I turned back to my father, “She needed to get out.”

“Get her back in there immediately!” My father barked. My wolf now was wanting to run for the hills. He hated being ordered around. 

“And change yourself back you pathetic mutt! This is a full moon!” 

I had no time to warn her about me turning back before I shifted exposing every bit of myself to her.

“Ah!” Her hands shot up covering her eyes. Turning around she was still too afraid to uncover them. 

“Can I carry you back?” I whispered holding out my hands, “My father’s kind of pissed off. The quicker we’re back the better.”

=Natasha=

I nodded to him but didn’t fully understand the consequences of agreeing to being carried by a naked man. He was every bit intoxicating up close as he was from our distance. Even more so when I could feel his muscles supporting me. I made sure to keep my eyes closed but my arms held onto him tightly wrapped around him. 

I could have fallen asleep in his arms and have died happy, that is until I got back in that damn room. He sat me on the bed quickly disappearing into the bathroom. I appreciated his reservations about being naked around me, but I also kind of wanted to sneak another peak. He wasn’t by any means a terrible looking guy. He certainly felt nice. 

I reached into my pocket pulling out his watch. It had fallen to the ground when he’d shifted, thank goodness it didn’t suffer the same fate as his clothes. Then again it could have been enchanted by Izzie to never break. 

“I’m sorry about my father.” He emerged again sporting pajama pants but no shirt. “He’s a bit overly worried someone is going to take you.”

There was no place for me to turn my face without being overly obvious about not wanting to look at him, “Would you mind putting on a shirt?” I looked around on the floor surprised no clothes were there. 

“I kind of ripped the last one I had.” He scratched the back of his neck nervously, “It’s not a good idea for me to go mucking about the halls right now. Sorry.”

I shrugged, at least he wanted to give me a little peace of mind, “I’m going to get changed.” I opened the dresser on the side of the room, all of my clothes from my dorm were already here. T-shirt and pajama bottoms for me too. At least I’d be able to get a shower. 

“Would you mind me sleeping on the bed?” I turned back confused, but he corrected himself quickly, “Sorry, that’s not appropriate. I’ll take the floor so you can have the bed.”

Damn it, I was upset he was distancing himself. I wanted him to offer to sleep next to me, but why did I want that? This stupid bracelet needed to come off soon. I have no idea what might happen if this keeps up.