The Sorceress & The Alpha

The Gift

“Splendorous! Now we’re talking. Then I’ll let you eat breakfast. Donovan, darling, will you be accompanying her? Please, once you two are done let us meet at my office. I have some things to deal with before continuing with this discussion.” Donovan was still standing by the door so he just stepped aside to let Lilian pass and closed the door behind her. Without saying much more he walked towards the table and started to fill his plate with a bit of everything that was served: sausages, baked potatoes, bacon, scrambled eggs, pancakes, avocado toasts… 

Aubrey stared at him in shock, he just smirked at her and winked, “I’m a werewolf, we tend to need more food in our system.” 

Aubrey arched her eyebrow, “More food except fruits and vegetables, I’m guessing.”

“You see right through me, don’t you?” He said smiling and taking a seat next to her even though the table was big enough for twenty people. “Is that all you’re going to eat?”

Aubrey looked at her plate and the fruit she has been playing around for the last minutes. She shrugged lightly, “I’m not used to eating much.” 

“I’ll tell you what. I’ll eat some fruit if you eat actual food. What about some pancakes?” 

“I don’t think that counts as real food.” 

“Fine. Not nutritious but delicious. What do you say, Miss Aubrey? Would you guide me through the path of righteousness?” Aubrey smiled and nodded, feeling her walls fall a little bit. He was indeed a charming man. Donovan didn’t wait a second longer and stood up to prepare her two pancakes with honey and whipped cream, before giving her the plate he added two strips of bacon. 

“Go ahead” he said eagerly while putting the plate in front of her and moving the one with fruit closer to his seat. He sat down and popped a strawberry in his mouth. “Now it’s your turn.” 

Aubrey looked at the delicious food in front of her, she has tried pancakes before but she couldn’t remember the last time she did. Using the cutlery she grabbed a small portion of each ingredient and brought them to her mouth. Her tonsils tingled with the deliciousness that filled her mouth. A small moan escaped her lips involuntarily. She covered her mouth and swallowed once she noticed what she did.

“I’m so sorry. It’s just that this is very delicious, thank you so much.” Aubrey turned her head to look at Donovan that was looking at her in a very strange way. His eyes were completely dark and his breathing was deep. “Donovan? Are you ok?”

Donovan closed his eyes and inhaled deeply before opening them again, now his usual brown color, “All good, don’t worry. I’m glad you liked it; let us enjoy the rest of our breakfast.”

After their pleasant breakfast, they walked towards Lilian’s office. Donovan was once again with his hands behind his back, close to Aubrey but without touching her. She could tell he was making the effort to give her some space, probably Lilian and he had a long talk after the morning incident. 

“Aubrey?” 

“Yes, Donovan?” 

Donovan cleared his throat before continuing, “Lilian and you have made a deal; she will help you find your family in exchange for you giving it a chance at the coven. Now I want to offer you a gift…” 

“A gift? In exchange for what?” 

“Well, if I ask you for something in exchange then it wouldn’t be a gift; now would it? The purpose of this gift is to show you that I truly care about you. To show you that I’m not like Elias and your wellbeing will always be my priority.” 

Aubrey looked at him suspiciously, she has never received a gift in her life. And she knew for a fact that nothing was for free. 

“And what kind of gift is it?” just as she asked that, they finally reached a pair of crystal doors tinted black. Donovan didn’t answer but he winked at her and opened the door. Aubrey didn’t have time to look around before a high-pitched scream filled her ears. 

“AUBREY!” Aubrey felt a body hugging her tightly, it took her awhile to adjust to the surprise before noticing the blond hair. 

“Summer?” She said hugging her back. “Summer, what are you doing here?” 

“Your sexy mate over here made it possible!”

“What? Donovan? What?” Aubrey pulled out of the hug to look at the werewolf that was reclining on the door frame with a smirk on his face. “But how?” 

“Let us not think about the details.” Donovan said shrugging it off. 

“Donovan, I have to admit you have outshined yourself with this one. Let’s just hope that Elias doesn’t lose it once he finds out.” Lilian spoke, Aubrey looked her way just realizing she has been there the whole time. 

“What do you mean once he finds out? He doesn’t know?”

“He probably already noticed. You see, he wouldn’t bulge on selling Summer, pardon the lack of tact in those words; so the only other way in which a human can be freed is for them to escape and request asylum in any other clan’s territory.” 

“Asylum I have happily provided” Lilian chimed in with a motherly smile. 

Aubrey looked at Summer like expecting a confirmation from her as she couldn’t believe it. Summer smiled and nodded with tears falling from her face. “Alex, the big bad guy that is always behind your mate, returned to the party last night. As you might have guessed almost everyone was already gone except for the demons and the vampires. They were all so drunk that they didn’t even notice when I ran away in a wolf’s back.” 

“But what if he knows someone from another clan helped her escape?” Aubrey was so happy but so nervous at the same time, she knew what Elias was capable of. Her hand instinctively reached for her wrist still feeling the burns from last night.

“Aubrey, that’s not something you have to worry about.” Lilian opened a drawer and pulled a flask with a white ointment in it, almost as if she could read her mind she extended her hand towards Aubrey’s. “May I?” Aubrey nodded and extended her arms so the fresh burn scars were visible. Lilian applied the ointment and Aubrey felt the release almost instantly. “Leave it on for a couple of minutes. Now, as I was saying. Elias is our concern, not yours. What I need you both to do today is go to our hospital, we want a full check on both of you. I know Elias' reputation regarding how he treats his… staff. Summer, darling; as part of your asylum conditions, I can only protect you as long as you stay within my territory, so it is your decision if you want to stay. If you do so, I can offer you a job and a place to stay.” 

Summer nodded gladly, “I would really appreciate that, madam. You’re very generous.” 

“It is settled then.” 

Donovan took a step forward so Aubrey would look at him, “Although I would love to stay with you, I need to return to our pack.” He said, emphasizing the word ‘our’, “but I’ll return as soon as possible. In the meantime, my Gamma Troy will stay behind to escort you wherever you want to go.”

Aubrey was about to protest, not wanting someone behind her at all times, but one look from Donovan pleading eyes convinced her otherwise. She took a deep breath before nodding, “Thank you, Donovan.”

Donovan smiled widely with her response and mindlinked his gamma to enter the room. “Troy, please escort the ladies to the city’s hospital once they are ready. If they need transportation to anywhere within the coven please do assist them by any means.” Troy just nodded his head in agreement, “Now, Aubrey, may I have a word with you privately before I leave?” 

Aubrey nodded and walked towards the door, she followed Donovan to the lobby just before the elevator. Once they were alone, Donovan gave her a box covered in wrapping paper. 

Aubrey looked at him shocked, “Another gift?” 

“Just open it, this is actually a gift for both of us.” Aubrey did as she was told, inside of the box was another box: a cell phone box. She grabbed it and noticed that at the bottom there was a credit card. “I don’t want you to struggle with clothes or things like that, so you can use this.” he said while pulling the card from the box, “It has a very high limit so you can go crazy. The phone, obviously, is so we can talk even when I am away. It already has my number saved as well as Troy’s and Alex’s in case you need anything from them.”

“I’m sorry, Donovan. I cannot accept this, it is too much!”

“Nonsense, please do it for me. Knowing that you contact me if needed will give me such peace of mind. You can even buy one phone for Summer if you want.” 

“I don’t want to use your money, Donovan. It is yours.” 

“It is ours, Aubrey. The moment the Moon Goddess decided to mate us, everything I own became yours.” 

“This is too much, Donovan. I just can’t…” 

“You can, please. Do this for me.” For the first time since the morning he touched her again by cupping her chin and tilting it towards him so she would look directly at him. Aubrey could feel the warmth from his hand on her face and his eyes… oh his eyes! It was like looking at a pleading puppy.

“Ok, I’ll do it. Thank you, Donovan.” 

Donovan smiled once again. He was usually a very serious man, anyone who knew him could confirm that. But this woman he just barely met made him feel like happiness was the only feeling available in the world. Removing his hand from her chin, he took her hand and kissed it softly. He then walked to the elevator and pushed the button to open the doors. Once inside, he turned around and smiled at his mate, “see you later, my love.”